What Is The Difference Between PR and Marketing?

We often hear the question (from those brave enough to ask): what is the difference between public relations and marketing? Today, let’s dive into some of the distinct roles of public relations and marketing and how they impact business growth.

Navigating the Nuances: Understanding PR and Marketing

Every entrepreneur will tell you that so much goes into growing a business. As you navigate how you’ll deliver your product or service, care for your customers, recruit and retain excellent talent, you also have to think about your brand, your message and the promises you make, and how you show up across an increasingly fragmented communications landscape.

As you consider your communications strategies, it’s important to understand how PR and marketing are distinct as well as intertwined. This article is just the tip of the iceberg, but we hope it helps to begin to demystify these disciplines, offering a clear guide through their unique roles.

Public relations is the art of crafting and managing a company’s image and its relationships with various stakeholders through strategic communication. It’s about storytelling in a way that fosters trust, credibility, and a positive reputation among the public, media, investors, and other critical audiences. Marketing, on the other hand, is broadly focused on promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising aimed at driving sales and enhancing brand recognition.

At Kwedar & Co., we like to say that PR is a function of leadership and management, and marketing is a function of sales. 

Both functions are integral to a company’s growth strategy but focus on different aspects of the business-customer relationship. By dissecting their roles, strategies, and outcomes, this article aims to shed light on how PR and marketing can work in concert to achieve the ambitious growth that business leaders dream of.

The Heart of the Matter: Building Relationships vs. Driving Sales

The core of public relations is relationship building. PR professionals work tirelessly to cultivate a positive image and build trust with the company’s audiences. They engage in media relations, crisis management, and content creation for press releases and social media that accurately reflect and propel forward a company’s core values and messages. PR also focuses on securing earned media through crisp and compelling stories.

Marketing directly targets the consumer’s decision-making process, aiming to influence their purchasing behavior. Marketing strategies involve a mix of advertising, sales promotions, direct marketing, digital campaigns, and more, all designed to highlight the value of a product or service. The goal is straightforward: to drive demand and increase sales.

Channels of Communication: Broad Reach vs. Targeted Approach

Public relations leverages a broad spectrum of media outlets to build and manage a company’s reputation. This includes traditional media such as newspapers, magazines, television, and radio, as well as online platforms like podcasts, social media, and blogs. The focus is on creating great content that can easily be picked up and shared by these outlets, extending the company’s reach and influence organically.

Marketing often uses more direct channels of communication aimed at specific segments of the market. This includes targeted advertising on social media, email marketing, SEO and content marketing strategies, and other tools designed to reach potential customers where they are most likely to be influenced.

Target Audience: The Public vs. The Consumer

The distinction between PR and marketing is also evident in their target audiences. PR is all-encompassing, aiming to reach not only potential and existing customers but also shareholders, current and future employees, government entities, and the general public. It is about shaping overall perception and building a strong, positive brand image.

Marketing’s audience is more narrowly defined, focusing primarily on current and potential customers. The strategies are crafted to meet these consumers at various points of the buyer’s journey, with messages tailored to influence their purchasing decisions directly.

Measuring Success: Reputation vs. Revenue

The metrics for success in public relations and marketing differ significantly. PR success is measured by the level of positive exposure, the volume and sentiment of media coverage (as well as accuracy), public perceptions of the brand, and in some cases, the ability to avert or mitigate crises. It’s about the long game, building a brand that people trust and respect over time.

In marketing, the measures of success are more quantitatively defined, with a focus on return on investment (ROI). This includes tracking sales growth, lead generation, conversion rates, and other data-driven metrics that reflect the direct impact of marketing efforts on a company’s bottom line.

Working Together: A Beautiful Blend

Despite their differences, public relations and marketing are far from siloed functions within a company - or rather, they should not be. When strategically aligned, they can complement each other, magnifying a company’s reach and impact. PR can amplify marketing efforts by building a reputable brand foundation that makes marketing messages more credible and resonant. Conversely, marketing strategies can support PR goals by spreading key messages and brand values to a broader audience, utilizing targeted advertising and promotional content.

For businesses striving for growth, integrating PR and marketing into a cohesive strategy can be a game-changer. This cohesive approach ensures that all communication is consistent, strategic, and tailored to build relationships while driving sales, ultimately propelling the company towards its growth objectives.

We’ve had great success with using marketing-generated assets in PR campaigns, like photos and video. And, on the marketing side, amplifying news coverage across every channel a company has access to (website, social media, email and more), ensures maximum benefit for the PR efforts and media coverage.

Crafting the Future: Key Takeaways for Growth-Driven Leaders

The journey from understanding the fundamental differences between public relations and marketing to leveraging their combined power is critical for any business leader aiming for growth. Recognizing that PR is about building and maintaining a positive brand image and relationships, while marketing is focused on directly promoting and selling products or services, can help leaders allocate resources more effectively.

If you’re ready to elevate your business or want to learn more about how your business can benefit from a tailored PR and marketing strategy, let’s talk. With expertise in crafting powerful strategies and content that bridge the gap between PR and marketing, Kwedar & Co. can help you not only understand their distinct roles but also integrate them to achieve the ambitious growth you envision.

About The Author

Lauren Kwedar Cockerell is founder and president of Kwedar & Co. She is also the firm’s lead PR and marketing strategist, host of our podcast The Impatient Entrepreneur, as well as a frequent podcast guest.

Over the past 20+ years, she has worked with 100s of leaders and organizations to create PR and marketing strategies and tactics that support visions and reach goals.

To connect with Lauren, please send an email above, or book a consultation.