If you are considering using branded items as part of your PR strategy or are rethinking your use of branded items you are not alone. These types of merchandises form part of PR and marketing strategies for brands around the world. They are not new on the PR scene but they remain very useful for brands that want to boost their presence on the market. But to be truly effective they have to be crafted and used strategically.

Choose the Right Merchant
The source from which you get your branded merchandise is important. Select a source that has a sturdy reputation for high quality and will be able to provide merchandise that fit your brand’s vision. If you are planning to secure a high volume ensure that the provider has the capacity to deliver. If customization is on your radar look into a merchant that has the capacity for this.

Design Matters
The very design of your branded merchandise should reflect your brand’s culture and identity. Of course this means features like the colour and the images used to adorn the merchandise must be consistent with those officially used by the brand.
Equally important is the target market’s tastes and needs. A brand that caters to other businesses (B2B) should focus on branded merchandise that will appeal to that demography. This may mean stationery and digital tools like flash drives and power banks. On the other hand, a brand that is targeting the general population may want to go for merchandise that is not so professional in nature. This means items like water bottles, can openers. A youthful target market may gravitate towards entertainment or fashion related gadgets so items like armbands or tech accessories like phone cases or flash drive strings.
If the target market is fitness and wellness oriented merchandise like stress balls, headbands and resistance bands will indicate that you understand and care about their needs and desires.  But it is also important to remain current with your branded merchandise (hence the need to sue sources that are flexible). Take the current global situation characterized by a pandemic and mask wearing for example. Branded masks and face shields have become popular and the brands that were able to adjust in time were able to grab the proverbial early bird worm.

Distribute Strategically
Your branded merchandise need to get into the right hands if they are to have the impact you designed them for. Branded items convert almost anyone into a brand ambassador as they carry your message wherever the person goes. Naturally therefore you want to distribute to those people who are likely to carry the message you’re sending far and into the demographics you have on your radar.
Distribute your branded merchandise at your events. You may be thinking ‘but many corporate events are virtual these days!’ While that is true it that many corporate events have moved into the digital space, it doesn’t mean promotional products have become obsolete. You can still deliver promotional goodies to your event attendees using delivery services such as those used for ecommerce.
Your partners and distributers are important so choose them strategically. Retail companies that carry your products for example are in a perfect position to distribute your branded merchandises. Branded merchandise can be issued with each purchase as a freebie and a great way of showing customers that you appreciate them while getting the word out there about your brand at the same time. In doing this you are establishing and building a positive relationship with existing customers while giving your brand well-needed exposure.
Undoubtedly, to reap the optimum rewards from branded merchandise, brands need to plan and act strategically, keeping brand image and the target market in focus.

Public Relations agencies promote a brand’s reputation through earned and owned media as well as paid communication. Their main aim is to endorse brand awareness and maintain promote good brand reputation.
Partnering with a PR firm helps you to tap into various channels that promote your brand. At times this all can be overwhelming especially to new business and as such you might contemplate outsourcing your PR efforts. You will always be the best spokesperson for your brand and doing your PR will give you more insight into the process and what you’re looking for which gives you a clearer expectation of what you’re to look for from a PR firm.
Before you decide on a PR firm you should do a reference check. Get information from within the business community for recommendations to find the best fit. Ask relevant questions and pay keen attention to their response. You also want to ensure that your PR goals and objectives are clear and easy to understand.  A good PR agency will not only get your publicitybut publicity that will help to increase sales.
Before you decide on whether to outsource your PR efforts or to do it yourself you might want to consider the benefits and downsides.

Benefits of outsourcing PROutsourcing when correctly approached can have wide-ranging benefits to their business. There are many reasons to outsource such as
Ø  Saving time
This is possibly the biggest benefit of outsourcing your PR needs. When you outsource to an agency, you can focus on the core focus of your business while allowing the firm to focus on the PR strategies.
Ø  External Ideas
Outsourcing to a PR firm provides fresh ideas and an unbiased perspective on how to promote your brand. Outside perspective works because you get objective criticism that helps in the long run. 
Ø  Networks and Contacts
A large part of the PR industry involves networking and building contacts. PR agencies are constantly meeting new clients, which means new networks. They usually have connections with the press and media allowing you to get a connection with reporters who might cover your company. The connection a PR company has can allow you to reach your desired target audience which saves time rather than slowly building relationships with the audience you need.

• Focus on your business responsibilities

When your PR needs are outsourced, you have more time to spend on the day-to-day operation of your business. When you outsource PR, the firm handles your PR duties while you focus on your business. You will still be involved in thebrainstorming of PR efforts but won’t be overly consumed by it. Instead of spending hours scheduling Instagram posts, you get more time dedicated to do what you love. 

• Technology

A PR firm will have access to all the relevant databases and tools to be effective. This can be done internally but it wouldn’t be as cost effective if done by a small business.
 
The downside of outsourcing PRWhile there are clear benefits to outsourcing PR, there are some downsides to consider.
Ø  Outsourcing can be costlyWhile you can assume PR is an investment and not another expense, outsourcing your PR strategies rather than doing it yourself is going to cost more than what it would cost doing it on your own. Although generally considered cheaper contractual agreements tend to be lengthy and include fine print which could contain unexpected costs.
Ø You Lose Some ControlWhileoutsourcing allows you to focus on your core business responsibilities, you lose a bit of control over how tasked are performed. If you want to maintain a large amount of control, outsourcing may not be for you.
Ø There are security risksWhen you involve a new business partner, you increase security risk. You need to do your due diligence to avoid this as much as possible if you intend to outsource. If you intend to outsource processes that include personal data, there’s the possibility that it may be passed on to other people.Ø  You can do the work yourselfIf you decide to outsource ensure you have the right intention. Outsourcing just because can put you at a disadvantage. If you enjoy doing the work on your own, do it.Ø  Being on the same pageYou know your company and the vision you have for it better than anyone else.  It can be hard to find the right team who sees your vision the way you do. To ensure you get the most out of the merger it is important to understand who you’re working with. This could cause time and money to be wasted. It is important to find a PR agency to learn about your business and culture, so your company’s values and goals are achieved.Ø  You can lose focusPR firms tend to have multiple clients at any one time. As such, your projects might not get the attention it needs. Lack of focus can harm your business.
Ø  InstabilityThe outsourcing company can go out of business, or the firm decides not to supply your business anymore. Luckily, this can be fixed by finding a new supplier
Ø  Service deliverySince the PR firm you hired tends to have multiple clients, you run the risk of your service falling below expectations. Some PR firms may be motivated byprofit and not necessarily the quality of the output.Ø  Impacts company cultureIf you are outsourcing you need to consider the possible impact this might have on your company and take steps to ensure it doesn’t produce a negative impact. Employees may not understand why you are outsourcing and feel they are being replaced. Outsourcing can lead to friction and make the day to day workflow of the company challenging. When you outsource increase new opportunities for the external firm that grows more than your own.
Although PR agencies can help your business to be profitable and increase brand reputation, there are limitations you may face. Not every business needs to outsource its PR needs. Outsourcing your PR needs should be assessed thoroughly. 

Using PR strategies can make or break your brand so it is vital you find the right PR company fit for your company’s vision. PR professionals help to create a positive brand reputation as well as manage crises should the need arise. 
What does a PR company do? A good PR company helps a brand image through:

1. Reputation management- all those tools and methods that brands use to ensure that their image remains positive in the eyes of their target audience.
   
   
2. Social media-Has allowed PR to reach a larger target audience. PR and social media have allowed brands to be more inviting and approachable. Engaging with influencers is vital because third party endorsements are seen as more trustworthy as opposed to paid endorsements. Brands need to find the right influencer that aligns with their goals and not engage an influencer because of a large following.
   
   
3. Press releases- Press releases are used to announce a new product, service, or idea to a target audience. Unlike advertisements, a press release should be unbiased and factual.
   
   
4. Crisis management- Although like reputation management, crisis management is reactive in shaping negative public opinion whereas reputation management is a preventative measure and ongoing. Crisis management involves identifying a crisis and planning response and resolving said crisis.

In finding the right PR company they should be able to help a brand with the above. You want an agency that will help your brand to grow. With that said, a few criteria should be met when searching for the right fit for your brand. Here are a few:

1. Establish PR goals

Determining what you want PR to accomplish is a necessary step. What do you want your PR strategies to achieve for your brand? PR works when it aligns with your objectives. If the goal is to achieve brand awareness or to have a more prominent social media presence the PR firm should be able to help achieve your aim. For this to happen the company should have connections with influencers on social media for example.
 

1. Determine budget

Having a clear budget on how much you are willing to spend on PR. You need to establish of you can retain a PR firm on an ongoing basis or for a one-off project. The PR firm should work within your budget and still be able to maximize the effectiveness of a PR strategy.
 

1. Ensure the PR firm understands what you do

You want to hire a PR firm that is a specialist. A PR firm that has expertise in the industry your business is in will be a better match than a PR firm that has little to no knowledge of the industry. A PR firm that specialises in real estate would not be a good fit to get your technology service connected to the right people. 
 

1. Understand what they do

You need to understand the track record of the PR firm. You need to establish credibility and profitability from working with a firm. Examine their websites and get feedback from past or current customers to validate their skills and competence. Do they listen to ideas? Do they present specific strategies and ideas? Are they well connected to journalists?  These are some questions that are important to note in understanding a PR firm.

1. What size PR firm is right for you

There are advantages to hiring a small or a large PR firm. Small firms promise personal service and are usually more specialised. Larger firms on the other hand are usually impersonal and take on clients who have a large budget and these firms usually work in teams with varied knowledge and experience. Larger firms tend to have a wider reach and huge relationship network. However, your budget usually determines the size of firms you can afford.
 

1. Don’t ignore the importance of chemistry

A PR firm must be qualified and result-driven but equally as important is chemistry. You will be working with a PR firm often, so you want to select one that you are excited to work with. A successful relationship is dependent on mutual respect and compatibility to foster a profitable work relationship.

1. Define expectations

To avoid surprises and poor results, both you and the PR company must have transparency on what is expected from both of you. The partnership won't work unless you know what you are trying to achieve as well as what they can offer. You want to ensure tasks are clear and understood.

1. Do your research

There are a lot of firms to choose from which might get overwhelming and time-consuming. Get recommendations from colleagues about companies they have used. You want to assess the good and bad traits of that company, the overall experience of that firm. When doing your research, you want to pay keen attention to third party endorsements like testimonials that support the PR firm’s success claims.
 
 
 

1. Measurement of Success​

When a company engages in a PR campaign the aim is to create brand awareness and foster a good brand reputation. Knowing what metric of success a company prefer will help to assess the profitability of a PR campaign and possibly highlight the downfall which and be examined and improved upon.  You want to ensure they utilise the most appropriate and accurate metric of success. There are a variety of tools and methods used to calculate this impact in the digital market such as brand mentions, engagement on social media and website traffic to name a few.
PR is a critical element in successful business communications. When done well, it can have a positive effect, just as a poorly handled issue can promptly become a crisis. Selecting the right agency is so important since selecting the wrong one will not only waste time but cost you money.