“Smaller cities are going to drive the next round of growth of the PR industry”

In the last 10 years, PR has taken a different dimension, especially after the entry of social media and the rapid shift to digital, especially in the pandemic period. At the same time the industry has been facing stiff challenges, moreover client expectations have also increased, with more emphasis being given to digital and online reputation management. The industry has undergone a radical shift and the current times have pushed the industry to change gears.

In conversation with Adgully, Shailesh Goyal, Director, Simulations Public Affairs Management Services, a two-decade old regional PR consultancy, speaks about the growth of the PR industry in the Tier 2 and 3 markets, working through the tough pandemic period, the rising importance of Digital PR and more.

You have been very closely involved with PR in smaller towns for many years. What are the challenges that you face as a PR consultant in managing PR for brands in smaller towns?

We have been offering PR services across large cities and Tier 1 markets since the early 2000s. We have also established a presence in Tier 2 and 3 cities for more than a decade now. The key challenge in smaller towns especially is lack of awareness about structured content and merit-based PR. Since advertising agents also occasionally offer basic PR services in smaller towns, PR is generally considered an extension of advertising. The immediate challenge is to explain to potential clients that PR is different from advertising, and the role it can play in brand-building. Understanding the local nuances, the subtle differences in language, for instance, are some of the other challenges, but we have had a very good experience of working in smaller towns and accumulated knowledge of ‘what works’ and ‘what does not’.

The pandemic has disrupted everyone. How did you navigate those tough times to create visibility for brands and what were some of the impediments?

The PR industry received a big jolt in 2020 when the first lockdown was announced. Things got better after the initial shock, but the pandemic has continued to dominate the headlines for nearly two years. It was tough to create visibility for brands or organisations, but we started altering the messaging. The messaging focused more on health, wellness, community initiatives, CSR works, and only subtly on the benefits of brand. The strategy worked, but convincing clients was not easy. Many felt the strategy was risky, but we were able to convince clients that it would only elevate the brands. We are glad the results were positive.

Do you think PR has moved beyond just obtaining coverage by pushing press releases in smaller towns?  What are the new developments that have taken place, could you throw some light?

Coverage is important and pushing press releases in print and online media still remains an important part of PR deliverables, irrespective of the markets. However, as in the larger cities, we are seeing a paradigm shift in smaller towns too. Creating ambassadors for positive ‘word-of-mouth’ has come in vogue in these cities too, much on the lines of the bigger cities. The trend of experiential PR, where customers get a chance to experience your service or brand, has also become popular in smaller cities.

What kind of brief do you get from clients and network PR agencies when you need a brand need to be launched in smaller towns? How do you plan your PR strategy and set expectations from them?

Clients and network PR agencies assume that it is easier to get coverage in smaller towns as compared with the metros or other large cities, but this is not always the case. On a lighter note, the briefs are many a time unrealistic. There is no “One size, fits all” PR strategy, and it has to be customised every time depending on the nature of the product or service, and the client requirement. But the trend of involving local or regional celebrities having wide appeal is quite popular and usually produces good results. Nowadays, we also try to make good use of digital PR for optioning results.

Could you tell us about the role of digital in PR for Tier 2 and 3 towns? What kind of PR activity happens on the digital front?

Digital PR is picking up in Tier 2 and 3 cities and is increasingly becoming an important aspect of the overall PR strategy. Facebook and Instagram are more popular in large cities, but in smaller cities, video sharing apps have become an important tool of digital PR. Tools like WhatsApp and SMS marketing are also quite popular. Local influencers, testimonials, and experiential AV are some of the other activities that take place digitally.

If you want brands to get the maximum value and mileage in smaller towns, what would be your sincere advice as a PR professional who understands the smaller markets well?

Smaller cities are going to drive the next round of growth of the PR industry. Driven by online businesses and ‘discount-decide-purchasing’, the industry is reaching near saturation point in the metros and bigger cities, and it is the smaller cities where the future growth will come from. The share of smaller cities in the industry pie is very small at present, but this is growing and growing fast. For brands, the key to maximising returns in smaller towns is the same as in bigger cities. The right messaging, the right audience, and the message in the language the audience understands. Personal relations and Persistence are the other key ingredients to succeed in smaller cities.