marketing, public relations,

Business owners often hear different promotional buzzwords — marketing, advertising, public relations and branding — passed around when it comes to selling a service or product. Each of these facets has its own unique identity and will produce different results.

Depending on what is being sold, the business may only need one of these strategies to target the right audience, but more often than not, it’s an integrated approach that leads to the best results.

Marketing

The action of promoting or selling products or services. This involves market research. Marketing involves anything from choosing the right location of the business, to knowing how much it costs to produce each product/service, deciding where to advertise and deciding who to advertise to. This also includes all marketing material, or “owned media,” such as brochures, websites and pamphlets. Think of someone named Brandon telling you, “I’m a wonderful fisherman.”

Public relations

The practice of creating and maintaining relationships between an organization and its various publics. This is done through brands building awareness with key publics through traditional media relations and social media, securing interviews with journalists, blogger relations, contributing articles to select publications and having brands host events. This function is about shaping perceptions and is often thought of as “earned media.” A brand earns third-party credibility when a journalist writes a news article about the company. Think of it as your friend, John, speaking of Brandon, “Trust me, he is a wonderful fisherman.”

Advertising

Probably the most recognizable field because we come in contact with it every day. Advertisements are placed messages paid directly from the brand including print advertisements, television and radio commercials, billboards, digital advertisements and — the most recent kind — native advertising. Some traditional advertisers believe repetition is the key to advertising. The more times a consumer sees a brand’s message, the more likely they are going to remember it. However, a well-crafted advertisement does not have to be repeated over, and over, and over again. Advertising is also referred to as “paid media.” Think of it as Brandon saying, “I’m a wonderful fisherman! I’m a wonderful fisherman! I’m a wonderful fisherman!”

TRENDING

Meet Birmingham's Most Influential Executives for 2019

Each year, the BBJ publishes a list of Birmingham’s Most Influential Executives – a compilation of powerbrokers, CEOs and thought leaders who are shaping the local economy and the community. Here's a look at this year's group of key leaders to know.

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE

How Boston compares with cities most at risk of housing downturn        

HIRING IN SALES

Sales Account Executive

Altice USA

Branding

When all of these elements come together, and the consumer recognizes the brand for its values and what it is based on including design, slogans and other brand messages. Think of it as you going to Brandon and saying, “I understand who you are as a fisherman and that you are wonderful at it because you always know where the fish are.”

The best way to figure out what your brand needs to do when promoting its products or services is to decide what your goals are when it comes to communicating with your consumers. Do you want full control of your brand’s messaging, or are you willing to let another person shape your brand?

For most brands, a combination of these tactics will allow for a greater opportunity for consumers to absorb your brand’s message as well as build reputable, third party credibility — all which will lead to business growth and prosperity when done correctly.