SLOW PR, THE ECO FRIENDLY VERSION OF PR
It’s here. The eco friendly version of PR. It is not made of plastic bottles or recycled paper. And it is not a trend, it’s a movement. And you and your business are invited. But only if you’re patient and prioritise macro results over micro, quality over quantity, evergreen over disposable and long-term wins over short-term gains.
I’m speaking about something I’m incredibly passionate about. Inspired by the slow movement, I’m calling it ‘slow PR’. Public Relations is not a ‘buy now see now’ marketing function.
If advertising is what you say about yourself, PR is what others say about you and your business. Educating an audience, building awareness, changing perception and influencing behaviour takes time. How much time? There’s no exact answer. But put simply, the speed and success of your PR results are dependent on why your product is different and whether people (and the media) want to hear about it or not.
Like anything worthwhile in life, what comes easy won’t last. What lasts, won’t come easy. Taking a long-term and sustainable approach to your PR function is crucial to long-term success in business. PR however is a worthwhile and necessary component to helping your business grow. But in a world where everything is fast, when it comes to PR you need to think slow. PR isn’t a once and done job.
It can be a hard concept to get your head around. It’s a consumer mindset shift. Slow can often mean inefficient or inactive; but in the context of PR for us it means these things:
01 A personalised and customised PR strategy
02 Precise and targeted media and influencer pitching
03 Higher, results-driven, strike rate strategies
04 Quality over quantity editorial coverage
05 Conscious and considered messaging
Passionate entrepreneurs tend to get tunnel vision on the newsworthiness of their product or service and expectation of speed with which media will take up an editorial opportunity. Sometimes it takes ten bites at the cherry over a few years of informer work to secure well-placed, feature story coverage. Is it worth the time, effort and investment? Damn straight. The most valuable media coverage is usually the coverage that took the longest to place.
Just like the lifespan of fast fashion garments that expire quickly; you pay for what you get. PR should be viewed upon as a long-term and infinite investment (like an incredible team) and not as a cost (like paper). Good PR ensures quality is controlled and gives the business the best chance to grow and prosper well past a few retail calendars. Like all clever investments, PR delivers bigger returns over a longer period of time.
Words by Jade Roberts
raraPR Founder and Director
raraPR is above all the sum of people who together help build brands and share stories. We are present in our determination to make a positive difference to the world by representing individuals and businesses that are doing good. We are an extension of the personal stories within us, those that we exist for and those within you that need to be heard.
