Finding the right public relations firm is a vital part of any business strategy. The agency must not only understand your business, they must also understand the media and audience you are trying to reach. Any good PR firm will know the best media approaches, be able to react in a crisis and position you as a thought leader in your industry, but a great PR firm is able to do it anywhere.

Public Relations Boutique International (PRBI), a network of expert PR firms with international reach, allows member firms to match their client’s needs in 11 countries across six continents. In her book “Public Relations Around the Globe: A Window on International Business Culture,” Lucy B. Siegel, a founding member and past president of Public Relations Boutique International, and the president and CEO of Bridge Global Strategies, compiled essays and interviews to shed light on doing business around the globe.

Getting the message out
While launching a search engine optimization (SEO) strategy or developing a strong Twitter following may be very effective PR tools in the U.S., Internet campaigns in general will not work in all countries. In Russia only 43 percent of the population uses the Internet and the Internet is highly regulated in China. In India and Japan, print media is much more prevalent than the Internet, and in Brazil television is the main outlet for media. It is also important to remember that the top social networks here and in much of Europe (Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin) are not as popular as national social media sites in some countries, like Weibo in China and Orkut in Brazil.

Positioning a PR plan
How a story is presented to the media will make a dramatic difference on whether or not it is picked up and how it is perceived. Specific cultural differences must be considered. Countries like Japan and Germany appreciate a no-nonsense business story, whereas India’s media is much more sensational. China has very few national papers, so articles/events must be created for each major city. It is also customary to pay Chinese journalists to attend press conferences. In many countries, the local media is only interested in how American businesses relate to their country – how many jobs does it mean, what does it mean for investment, taxes, etc. So any article, press conference or interview should include a local angle.

Knowing your audience
Understanding your target audience is one of the most important parts of PR in any market. In Japan, corporate customers expect modesty and can view some PR methods as boastful and rude. Articles and events must also be carefully tailored not only per country, but per region within that country. What works for rural Brazil will not work in Sao Paulo, and what works there won’t work in Brasilia. In the United Kingdom, assuming Scotland and England are the same can cause bad feelings with the press.

Understanding the nuances of conducting PR overseas can make or break a company’s success in the international market. The bottom line is that when done correctly, PR helps companies thrive, and the right PR firm with the right experience and international connections can make all the difference.

If you’re in healthcare, insurance, technology or other professional services industries, and need help with a public relations or marketing program, contact Scott Public Relations.

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