advertising

  • Publicity Value, Why It’s Better Than Advertising

    Though different, both advertising and publicity (public relations) are essential tools in the marketing toolkit, and can work together with other marketing initiatives to meet brand objectives. We’ll take a look at what makes them different, and why Let’s start with examining how these two marketing functions are different.

    How are Advertising and Public Relations Different?

    Though often conflated, advertising and public relations differ on the following:

    • Advertising is paid placement, while publicity generated from public relations’ activities results in editorial placement.
    • Advertising is your organization telling the world that your brand, product or service is the best – the message is expressly coming from your organization and distributed through ads or commercials. Publicity (often referred to as earned media), is third parties like those in the media or digital influencers sharing some form of the message by telling the world that your brand, product or service is the best.

    Messaging Control: Advertising Versus PR

    They both offer benefits with regards to communicating brand or product messages to the public.  They differ on extent of control with regards to what the message is, and when and where it will appear.

    Advertising and Messaging

    With paid placement, your organization pays to advertise on select outlets and maintains complete control of:

    • The message.
    • Where the message appears.
    • When the message appears, and the campaigns duration.

    Publicity and Messaging

    With earned media, journalists, editors, news producers, bloggers, influencers and others who’ve attained trusted status with the public control:

    • The message – they can interpret or change the message as they see fit.
    • Where the message appears.
    • When and if the message appears.

    In the editorial space, there are myriad of individuals with myriad of opinions regarding your product or service therefore your business cannot directly control the message.

    However, your business can certainly shape the message through strategic public relations activities. And that is where truly excellent public relations’ strategies shine, and a compelling reason to have PR pros on your side.

    The Value of Publicity #lookatus

    publicity, look marketing, public relations, florida

    Be where people are looking with something of value to them in a memorable, meaningful way.

  • Go Ahead, Be Scared, It’s Part of Growing Your Business

    It’s scary.  It’s such an uncomfortable situation.

    Growing a business, buying a building, taking your driving test, going on a first date…they all involve a heightened level of emotions, all of them. At some point, at some level, one of those emotions is fear – being scared – and thinking about the possible negative outcomes of a decision or action.  Being scared of failure.

    Being scared is normal. It’s good to realize fear yet if you give it too much space it can paralyze you…or your business.  The manner in which you react to being scared is what separates you from growing and progressing or stagnating and becoming obscure. You can sit back and watch the action from a Space Coast park bench, safe from everybody or jump into the middle of the action where you can see, smell, touch and feel everything and everybody can see, smell, touch and feel you (and your brand).

    Two clichés come to mind when talking about playing it safe or pushing forward.

    “The best things in life happen outside of your comfort zone.”

    Scared of having a baby? Scared of buying your first house? Scared of jumping from the high board? Scared to swing at a curveball? Sure, but once you get past the fear and do it, it’s great. You just did something and controlled the outcome.

    Take this to business. Are you scared of quitting your job to go to a new job?  Scared of changing vendors? Scared of new technology? Scared of going on your own? Scared of new processes? Advertising more? New markets? Expanding? Firing? Hiring? These are all things that are scary to some level but necessary for growth.  You can obviously lower the fear level with education and preparation but there is still that sense of fear that raises your heart rate when it’s time to make the final call. Or you can go the other route and do nothing and wait for something to happen.

    This brings us to our second favorite cliché. We love this one as it comes from the brilliance of legendary college football coach Lou Holtz. Coach Holtz was one of the greatest pep talk speakers of all time in the locker room and now a mega popular motivational speaker in business world.

    “Your business is like a tree, it’s either growing or dying,”explains Holtz. It really is that simple. Bottom line is you can’t do nothing.

    It’s okay to be scared. Look at the situation, put your business in the best position to succeed and charge on. No matter what do something, the discomfort will pass and the bliss of success will take its place.

    #BESEEN.