PR – What can it do for me?

In Egypt, PR is often confused with other fields such as advertising and marketing, but it’s important to remember that true success in today’s world is all about positively influencing opinions.

Advocates (a person who holds a positive opinion) of a business, product or brand are the key influencers in today’s global business climate, and despite liking to believe that they make their own decisions, people are more likely to be influenced by opinion leaders, word-of-mouth or simply friends whose opinions they trust.

The world of communication has changed drastically, and now the internet is where everyone goes for information. Whether they want to travel, just go out for dinner or buy a new car, they can find other people’s reviews, opinions and suggestions instantly. This information ultimately contributes to the choices and purchases that they make. As much as companies want to believe that one unsatisfied customer or one unhappy employee won’t have much of an impact, they are sorely mistaken. Every move makes a difference.

Advocates waste no time in making themselves heard and the means to do this have never been easier. The louder, stronger voice is the one that gets heard. Despite the fact that this is more evident elsewhere, in Egypt people are beginning to take stronger stances on key issues, such as the environment, social causes and government decisions.

The fact that people in Egypt tend to underestimate the power of communication is why many people don’t have a correct understanding of what PR is, and what it can do. While it took years to grasp the importance of advertising and get on board, now companies are slowly beginning to understand that PR can push them forward, whilst other variables might be slowing them down.

PR helps organizations interact with a variety of groups. Some of those are easily recognized simply as the media and consumers. But it is not that simple, there is also the government, the community, and investors to think about. PR specialist’s work with a company’s many different stakeholders to produce effective outcomes for their clients.

People are surrounded by the work of PR on a daily basis, they just don’t realize it. An article in a paper about the launch of a new line of products - that’s no ordinary article. Hearing about how a company managed a crisis and was able to overcome it, watching a press conference on TV, or browsing through a brochure - all of these things we take for granted in our daily lives, and much more, boil down to the work of PR.

So why is the field gaining momentum in Egypt now? The answer is simple. There is an increasing need for effective communication. With more multi-national companies in the country who are already applying the work of PR in dealing with their publics, it’s no surprise that they are careful to use these same activities whilst operating in Egypt. While such companies have appreciated the contributions of PR to their success for years, Egyptian companies are just beginning to grasp its very essence.

PR specialists give their clients strategic support through PR tools such as corporate positioning and message development, crisis management and media training. It helps them with public affairs, through strategic government relations, issues monitoring and stakeholder mapping. In addition, it assists them in managing events, CSR, and media relations - these are just a few of the services that a good PR company can provide.

The outlook for PR is promising. The field is continuing to grow steadily and is gaining popularity, and although Egypt has yet to witness the power of PR on a fully-fledged scale, it is definitely on its way there.