If you’re a business owner, we want to ask you a question and need an honest answer: Do you know the differences among advertising, public relations and marketing?
Did you even know that there was a difference?
If you said ‘no’, congratulations. A business owner that can admit they don’t know everything is usually a successful business owner.
The fact is, there’s a world of difference among the three, and knowing that difference will allow you to take advantage of all of them when building your business.
Let’s look at public relations first by way of example. According to the digital marketing experts at Fusion 360 (who explained the differences to us) if your Kevlar vest saved the life of three police officers and was talked about on national news, congratulations, you just got some excellent PR. Even better, it was absolutely free. Great PR such as this helps to build consumer trust.
Advertising, whether on TV, online, on the radio or in magazines, is paid for. The big difference here is that, since you’re paying for it, you can create advertising in any way, shape or form you see fit. Unlike PR, advertising also allows you to directly encourage your target market to purchase your services or products. If you make Kevlar vests, advertising them in a magazine like Guns and Ammo would be a great idea.
Finally there’s marketing, which is telling the unique story that your brand, products or services have to tell. Marketing is sort of a combination between PR and advertising, where you speak to your target market about the benefits of your product without actually asking them to make a purchase. Online content (blogs) about Kevlar vests is a fine way to market them, as are coupons and email newsletters.
All three, Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations, should be used in a well-rounded campaign to expose your company, products and services to the public, and convince them that they’re the best solution to the particular needs and wants that they fit.
By the way, now you know the difference among the three. You’re welcome.