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What Is The Difference Between Advertising and PR?

Advertising and PR are two different functions, however, many business do not know the difference. Since spending your advertising budget and your PR budget effectively is crucial, how can you expect to accomplish this important goal unless you understand the difference?

When thinking of advertising, billboards, glossy spreads, quarter-page newspaper advertisements and other forms of highly visible promotional material comes to mind. This is clearly advertising. Branding or creating a well-recognized presence for your company is a clear example of effective advertising. Business cards with pizzazz are a form of advertising.

What, then, is PR? Public relations are those things that must be accomplished to let the world know who you are and what your company offers. Press releases, news conferences, professional networking and exhibitions or trade shows are examples of PR work. PR is not as flashy as advertising but it is every bit as important.

Effective Advertising and PR

In today’s competitive marketplace, it is crucial to spend every bit of your advertising and PR budget strategically. Public relations can provide a mix that uses advertising but also enhances the efforts of your advertising dollar.

It has long been a “supposed fact” in business that word of mouth is the best advertising. This is not necessarily true. It is an unfortunate fact that a customer who has an exceptional experience dealing with your business will tell one or two people about their experience. A customer who has a bad experience will tell at least a dozen people and your business gets negative advertising.

Word of mouth is, however, one of the most effective PR tools available. Offering school tours, sponsoring science fairs or children’s’ sports teams, volunteering for public speaking opportunities, attending trade shows or presenting at conferences are rather inexpensive ways to build a wealth of good will and put your name out front.

Have you noticed that television commercials for a product often run a 15 to 30 second advertisement of a really great advertisement and within a few weeks shorten the advertisement to the most important 5 to 10 seconds? The reason is that the initial advertising is meant to brand the product or service and associate the advertisement and the product or service in your mind. It works very well - provided you have really memorable advertisements.

Matt Bacak became “#1 Best Selling Author” in just a few short hours.
Recent Entrepreneur Magazine’s e-Biz radio show host is
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Tags: advertising, PRadvertising, PR

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A few years ago, I analysed the statistics of where one of my clients, M & M Pest Control in Sydney, generated all their leads from. As a result of this, Ray Milton, the director of the company said:

“Scott measured the results we were getting from our advertising, and as a result, this confirmed my decision to eliminate over $42,000.00 in unnecessary expenses - because it wasn’t paying it’s way”

$42,000 is a lot of money in anyone’s language!

What did I do? I simply analysed his advertising expenses and identified whether or not the ads were generating a strong yield for his investment.

And I’m willing to bet you could do the same for your business.

Right now, you’re probably thinking… in the words of Pauline Hanson…

“Please Explain”

Listen. I’ve met with hundreds of businesses that advertise in the Yellow Pages. And most of the time, I ask them “What return on investment do you receive as a result of your advertisement?”

To which 9 times out of 10, the answer is as good as a blank stare!

How much money are they burning? Investing $20,000 on an ad (or $1,000 or $5,000, or $100,000 - the same principle applies) and not even know what their returns are!

Would you hire a salesperson and not ‘give a toss’ about how much income he was generating.

No! No! No!

So why on earth would you do it with your advertising dollar?

Some people say it’s too hard. Their staff won’t find out for them. My advice. Fire those staff, because they are costing you BIG money!

Listen, all you need to do is:

1.Code all your ads with a reference code to identify the source of the inquiry

2.Train your staff to ask one simple question: “Where did you hear about us?”

3.Enter the details into your computer.

4.Analyse the statistics.

And you need to be as specific as possible. One of my clients, a spit-roast caterer in Sydney measured the results of a series of ads in the local yellow pages directory. You know what he discovered? Only one of the directories was generating a strong return on investment - the rest were losing money!

Priceless knowledge. And in the world of advertising

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

So unless you want to be like John Wannamaker, the ‘father of the modern department store’ who once said “I know that half of my advertising is wasted, I just don’t know which half it is” then grab the bull by the horns and start measuring the results of every ad you run right now!

Yours in profits,

Scott Bywater
Copywriting That SELLS

Visit my web site for your complimentary copy of my ebook (valued at $29.95) and free subscription to my valuable ezine “Copywriting Selling Secrets” where you’ll discover how to write ads and sales letters that make people line up and practically beg you to take their money.

Here’s the address: http://www.copywritingthatsells.com.au

Tags: advertising, branding, business, copywriting, management, marketing, PR, presentation, salesadvertising, branding, business, copywriting, management, marketing, PR, presentation, sales

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