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Business and industry portalHome > For business > Running a business > Marketing and promotion > Public relations > Publicrelations tools and activities

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Public relations tools and activities

By using proven public relations (PR) tools and activities, you can promote positive attitudes

and behaviours towards your business that will help convert interested consumers into

customers.

PR tools are very cost-effective, and often give you a greater degree of control than morebroadly targeted advertising campaigns. Consider using these PR tools to build your business's

reputation.

Media relations

Media strategies focus on circulating messages through media channels to manage how your

business is portrayed by the media. Your media tools might include releasing media statements

and fact sheets, offering on-site media tours to encourage journalists to report positive messages

about your business, and using social media to get the attention of journalists and track

journalists who report in your market.

By developing good media contact lists and building relationships with key journalists to help

you distribute your key messages, you can use local, regional or state media to:

promote your business

manage risks [5], issues or crises affecting your business.

Advertorials

Advertorials are advertisements in the form of news stories or reviews in newspapers.

Advertorials allow you to associate your advertising with the credibility of the newspaper.

Many businesses employ advertising or marketing professionals to help them develop TV

advertorials - which are commonly used as a form of advertising [6] and product placement.

Social media

Social media lets you bypass the media and go straight to your customers. Using social

networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter allows you to follow and be followed by

journalists, drive web traffic, manage issues by responding quickly to criticisms or negative

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perceptions, and increase exposure for your business brand [7].

Learn more about social media and your business [8].

Newsletters

Print or emailed newsletters have long been a good way to promote your business,

communicate with customers and keep them informed of new product and services.

Regular newsletters can strengthen your personal connections with customers and reflect your

business brand and personality.

Brochures and catalogues

'Take home' or mail-out brochures or catalogues can help keep your customers thinking about

your business and its products and services.

Properly designed brochures and catalogues give customers confidence in you and what yousell, and help drive customers to your website. Information contained in business brochures and

catalogues can be effectively reworked for your website, helping you do business online [9].

Business events

Events are opportunities for business people to gain exposure for their businesses, promote new

products or services and make sure accurate information reaches targeted customers.

From a sales point of view, events are a chance to counter customer doubts and build customer

confidence. They can also help you research your market [10] and competitors, and build your

mailing list.

Trade shows are an opportunity for businesses to compete in their industry and shareinformation with people in similar lines of work. Learn more about promoting your business

at trade shows and exhibitions [11].

Speaking engagements

Speaking at events where customers are likely to attend helps position you as a leader or

innovator in your field. As a business owner or leader, building your reputation as an expertalso builds the reputation of your business - and draws new customers.

Events are valuable promotional opportunities even if you don't have top billing as a speaker.

You will build reputation simply by having your business name or logo on the event listing, ordelivering a presentation about a new product or innovation.

Sponsorships or partnerships

Partnerships and sponsorships are good for business. Supporting a not-for-profit cause can helpbuild feelings of goodwill towards your business. Community partnerships may involve an

exchange of funds or in-kind benefits to grow a local community organisation in return for

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benefits that promote your business reputation.

Partnerships can help consumers identify your brand [12] with good business practice and goodethics.

Employee relations

Your staff are ambassadors for your business and its brand. Many larger businesses conduct

employee relations - building their business culture and team relationships by sharing information,promoting involvement and instilling a sense of pride in business achievement. This can improve

teamwork, staff retention and productivity.

Community relations

Building good relationships with members of the community where you do business helps build

customer loyalty. Find out where the customers in your community live by collecting postcodesat point of sale.

Engaging local stakeholders and decision makers helps build your profile and level of influence,

helping you to attract more customers through word-of-mouth and ensuring your businessinterests are factored into community decision making.

Links

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5 manage risks http://www.business.qld.gov.au/business/running/risk-manageme

nt/risk-management-plan-business-impact-analysis

6 advertising http://www.business.qld.gov.au/business/running/marketing/adve

rtising

7 brand http://www.business.qld.gov.au/business/running/marketing/bran

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Last reviewed November 15, 2013

This document was current at 20/4/2014. For the most recent version, please view online athttp://www.business.qld.gov.au/business/running/marketing/public-relations/public-relations-tools-

activities

© The State of Queensland 2014.

Queensland Government

ding-for-business

8 social media andyour business

http://www.business.qld.gov.au/business/running/marketing/online-marketing/social-media-business

9 do business online http://www.business.qld.gov.au/business/starting/business-startu

p-options/business-online-basics

10 research your market http://www.business.qld.gov.au/business/starting/market-custom

er-research/market-research-basics

11 promoting your

business at trade

shows and exhibitions

http://www.business.qld.gov.au/business/running/marketing/pro

moting-business-show-exhibition

12 brand http://www.business.qld.gov.au/business/running/marketing/bran

ding-for-business