PR has long been essential for businesses in every industry. So why is it so important and why might you want to use it for your insurance business?
If you have not made use of PR in the past, there is a good chance you could benefit from it. Here are a few reasons why it is so essential for so many businesses.
Enhance your credibility
One of the most important benefits of successful PR marketing is that it can give your credibility a boost. You are essentially using the services of trusted intermediaries in the newspapers, magazines and blogs that feature stories about your products. They have their own audiences who will trust what they say, and if your messages are featured, this can give your business greater credibility.
Although they are not exactly endorsing your products, the publications are presenting your business in the form of informational content. If your business is presented in a positive light, this can be more effective than advertising because your words are not being used, and this can have a more powerful impact on customers.
Increase brand awareness
PR is effective for increasing brand awareness, especially if you get featured in the national press. Smaller publications can be just as useful if you get numerous press mentions or your target audience is located in a specific geographic area.
And when you do get positive PR, you may find that it is cost effective because it could involve as little as sending out a press release. However, if you hire a professional PR firm, the costs can increase considerably.
Crisis management
One of the most important benefits of PR is that it can be used to reduce the impact of a negative story that appears about your business in the press.
It could be as simple as something one of your staff said to a customer over the phone, or it could involve something more serious like a product malfunction. In the case of insurance, you may refuse to pay out a claim and find yourself the target of a press campaign.
If a bad story appears about you in the press, you can use positive PR to change perceptions. However, you will want to react as soon as possible, and this involves planning for such disasters in advance. By having a plan of action in place, you can react sooner and diffuse problematic situations sooner.
Start using PR for your insurance business
PR can be a highly effective way to improve your brand image and attract more customers to your businesses. There are many ways to go about effective PR, such as hiring a professional company or doing it yourself online.
Whichever option you choose, make sure you try out PR yourself and see if you can get some positive coverage for your insurance business over the coming months and years.