How to Integrate Marketing and PR within Your Business

Now that you’ve launched your business, you understandably want to announce it to the world.

But before you click the “send” button on that email with your initial press release, you need to quiz yourself on your marketing readiness. For example:

• Do my employees understand the company brand, mission and vision?
• Has sales training been conducted?
• Is our website user-friendly?
• Are my print marketing materials consistent with the website?
• Are my electronic marketing materials consistent with my print materials?
• Do we have a method to acquire leads and convert them into prospects?
• Do I have a way to measure ROI?

If you answered “yes” to these questions, I’d say you have done your homework and are well on your way to marketing success. On the other hand, if you answered “no” to two or more of these questions, you need to craft a more comprehensive marketing strategy before telling everybody who you are and what you do.

Marketing and PR go together

Gone are the days when a company sold itself using radio, TV, billboards and newspapers. While those mediums are still relevant depending on the audience and the message, email, the Internet and social media have drastically changed the world of marketing and PR.

Bottom line: If your messages aren’t consistent across all these communication platforms, and the look and “feel” of your marketing and PR themes aren’t the same, you will come across as disjointed or inconsistent. While marketing is sales-based and PR is image-based, both elements need to be integrated into your business promotions.

It’s critical that employees grasp this. When they understand the service you provide, the products you offer and their role in delivering them to customers, they will not only support the external marketing and PR efforts, but they will also complement them. Employees loyal to what you stand for and clear on how they contribute to the company’s success make the best sales people.

Alignment isn’t just for cars

Will any of your employees be assigned to work trade shows, to serve as a community liaison, or represent the company at sponsorship events? If so, they will be much more effective brand ambassadors if they are in sync with your company’s marketing strategy. And aligning employees with your strategy is much easier when it’s implemented consistently throughout the organization.

Increasing employee understanding and enthusiasm for your brand can be done in a number of ways, including frequent communications about the company’s operational goals and achievements; team-building exercises; and incentive campaigns.

So before you shoot off that first news release, be sure you’ve integrated your company’s marketing and PR efforts and messages – and that your employees are as ready for your company’s big debut as you are.