December 12, 2022

Why Public Relations in NY Matters

We already know that public relations is important – and necessary – for any professional services firm. A solid PR strategy boosts awareness, positions your business for the public, and establishes brand voice. It elevates the brand’s platform, builds validation and credibility, and, when the time comes, makes buying/hiring an easy choice. In all these ways PR promotes business growth, making it a must-have component of your overall marketing matrix.

But for businesses in the New York City area, all of the points above are especially true. If you have a professional services firm or other type of business in New York, PR is even more necessary than you may realize. 

The importance of public relations for New York businesses

New York is a more competitive environment for professional services firms than most any other location. This shouldn’t be surprising, since it’s the most populous city in the country, with saturated industries across the board. This means that firms based there must look for the most effective ways to differentiate from their competitors. PR can provide that edge in various ways – for example, by positioning you as an expert in your industry.

The good news is that there’s a flip side to New York being a more competitive market: New York also provides many unique public relations advantages. Businesses in New York have several PR opportunities that firms elsewhere don’t have. Here are some examples of the many public relations benefits that come with being in New York. 

New York public relations opportunities 

1) Audience exposure

The sheer volume of people in New York means that PR efforts can have more exposure. It stands to reason; PR is about getting your message out to existing and potential customers, and there are more potential customers in New York than in any other American city. An in-person networking event, speaking engagement, press release or local media placement stands to reach many more eyes and ears in New York than it would in a less populous market. Even local reviews on Yelp or Google will reach more people.

2) Access to media

New York is the media hub of the U.S., with most if not all the behemoths based (or at least represented) there. This translates to more opportunity for firms working to bolster their PR efforts. Certain media opportunities in print/digital and broadcast are right at your fingertips (or down the street!). For example, there’s the ability to be an in-person studio guest providing commentary on a news or talk show. This type of media placement just isn’t readily available in other markets.

3) A networking nexus: opportunities to create and nurture relationships

Where most people have to rely on email to forge relationships with the media, those in New York are able to do the important work of networking face-to-face, which is a significant advantage when it comes to establishing and nurturing connections. PR efforts can be much more organic and effective when they can include in-person meetings, industry events and social gatherings. For those businesses that sell tangible products, these items can be brought directly (and quite literally) to the table in-person via product launch events or pop-up stores. Nothing beats this. Sure, video conferencing is an incredible tool for connecting us across distances, but virtual gatherings simply don’t hold a candle to actual face time. 

4) Influencers

The number of influencers in NYC is one of the highest in the country, and by having a high number of them in a concentrated area, more connections can be made by PR firms. Public relations professionals can leverage influencers by sending out product, inviting them to launches or other events, or hiring them as brand ambassadors.

5) New York public relations pros

The market saturation in New York translates to more clients and work opportunities for PR professionals based there. Why is that significant? It means that New York public relations pros gain a lot of experience in a short amount of time. And who then benefits from that breadth and depth of experience? You, the client. It’s analogous to choosing a surgeon. Ten out of ten times you’d choose the doctor who’s performed the procedure 1000 times, not the one who’s done it 500. Same applies here.  

You might also deduce that a New York public relations pro is likely to have an extensive web of contacts in the media, especially, but across industries.

Searching for the top New York public relations agencies? We’re right here.

Horowitz Agency is highly rated as one of the top marketing and PR agencies in New York and the country. Our team boasts a deep bench of talent that allows us to craft individualized PR approaches uniquely catered to our clients’ needs. We can help your brand’s digital presence grow exponentially. Reach out to us to discuss whether your firm should consider onboarding a full-service PR agency.