By: Diego Mergold
In the wake of the pandemic and now more than ever, PR and Marketing professionals need to find ways of working together more closely. From mandated WFH to trending hybrid scenarios, teams have been forced to find ways to collaborate together in order to take better advantage of resources, whether it’s financial spend on media and influencers, or even products or experiences companies can offer in exchange for publications.
Historically, we know that PR and Marketing teams have somewhat different goals inside companies: the first one is responsible for the reputation and public perception of a brand or a brand’s product; while the second is focused on advertising products or services related to the brand. However, both teams do have some common goals: provide the brand with more visibility amongst audiences and support both its positioning and sales.
To highlight the potential of this amazing partnership, here are three concrete reasons why the collaboration between these two areas is always a great idea:
Better content, less work. As we like to say in Dialogue “content is QUEEN”. Having relevant content at the right time can earn the brand big wins that result in better positioning. When the right time and content match, it creates a larger impact with even a chance to viralize, reaching audiences beyond what was originally planned. Both teams can nourish each other with content that they develop separately but that can be shared as a source of inspiration or even for amplification. In addition, teams can develop content together, pooling their resources, knowledge of media and insights on what will ultimately resonate.
Facing changes is always easier if you are not alone. In the digital world, where content creators and media outlets have collided to create endless possibilities and technology evolves faster than we could ever imagine, evaluating the results of campaigns or, for that matter, any efforts performed on social media or on digital sites has turned into a big challenge. Should we take into consideration the monthly traffic that a site receives? Only a portion of that? Are impressions better than reach when it comes to social media? How can you effectively assure people are getting the right message? Both teams must work together on defining the best way and the best tools to get the metrics and results the brand needs. As we know each company has different interests and needs, creating a roadmap that shows the way to implementing a successful campaign with clear and reasonable KPIs is essential.
Solid foundations will allow you to grow easier and stronger. Last, but certainly not least, by working together, both teams can achieve the construction of a solid narrative to be used and a powerful set of key messages that need to be communicated through the entire array of efforts considered within their strategies. This is a crucial element that will result in congruent external communications and avoidance of confusion in any scenario. Audiences and/or customers will be able to identify the brand by the same reasons and characteristics, no matter if they are watching an ad on TikTok, or reading an interview in a business publication.
If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that collaboration is not only necessary, it’s the way forward. At Dialogue, we always push for the bigger picture when it’s not offered and make concerted efforts to encourage collaboration with all stakeholders within the organization. PR and Marketing collaboration is the perfect combo: While both areas have elements that work perfectly on their own, they shine brighter when teamwork is the modus operandi. And this translates into a Big Win for companies.
Additional reading: 5 Benefits of Digital Marketing and PR Agency collaboration