01 Mar Comparing Executive Social Media, Coaching, and PR Agencies

Many different types of services exist to support executives and their companies — but which one is right for you? Some agencies are more social media-focused, while others are geared toward the individual and their leadership skills.

In this article, we dive into the major differences between executive social media agencies, leadership coaches, and PR firms. Keep reading to learn which one may be the most suitable for your needs.

Executive Social Media Agencies

Primary purpose:

• Strategically build an executive online presence through social media
• Leverage an executive’s social media content to drive towards business objectives

Suitable for: 

• Companies that want to complement their existing digital marketing program with a more authentic presence
• Executives who want to be positioned as a thought leader within their industry

Executive social media agencies function similarly to digital marketing agencies. These agencies work with their clients to support their business objectives — but instead of working with a specific brand, executive social media experts work with a specific executive at a company, either directly with the individual or with the company’s in-house marketing team.

Because of their similarities to digital marketing agencies, leaders gain access to a variety of valuable executive branding services, such as personalized social media strategies, content creation, and end-to-end social media management.

Many digital marketers leverage their executive’s authentic social media presence to drive toward specific goals. At times, these goals may overlap with the strategy for their company’s social media content (e.g. driving more traffic to the website, lead generation). Other goals may focus more on the individual executive. For example, more marketers are using LinkedIn’s thought leadership ads as a way to promote their executive’s presence. There may also be brand-related content that marketers want their executives to share, rather than sharing it on the company page. Some examples include sustainability, company culture, and diversity posts which feel more authentic when the message is conveyed by an identifiable person.

Ultimately, executive social media is meant to benefit both the company and the executive who’s being positioned online, making these types of programs quite versatile for digital marketers.

Leadership Coaches

Primary purpose:

• Support an executive’s personal and professional development by enhancing their leadership skills and effectiveness

Suitable for: 

• Executives who want a more one-on-one experience of working with a leadership coach
• Executives who consider themselves in the growth stage of their careers

Leadership coaches work closely with an executive to help develop their leadership capabilities. This could include one-on-one coaching sessions, training programs, workshops, or development plans. Some of the topics that coaches cover with their clients include increasing self-awareness and emotional intelligence, how to be a more efficient communicator, improving interpersonal skills, and learning how to make better decisions.

For many executives, leadership coaching is often leveraged earlier in their careers. For example, they may have just stepped into the CEO role and want to build a strong foundation for their future growth. Because of this, some executives may see leadership coaching as a temporary support network for their careers.

What makes leadership coaching different from executive social media? Leadership coaching focuses more on the individual (i.e. the executive) rather than the broader picture, such as the organization. While executives will eventually apply their learnings to their company, the basis for this type of coaching first starts at the individual level. The goals typically revolve around the executive themselves.

Public Relations (PR) Firms

Primary purpose:

• Supports an executive or business’ reputation through strategic communication, media relations, and brand positioning
• Helps shape public perception of the individual or business in a way that enhances credibility while managing any crises that occur

Suitable for: 

• Large enterprises that can benefit from having a centralized communication strategy
• Businesses in rapidly evolving industries, like technology, where navigating media relations is key

PR firms support clients in a number of ways, tying back to the idea of positively influencing public opinion of the company. This is done through owned (e.g. websites), earned (e.g. press mentions), and paid (e.g. native advertising) communications.

Because of their focus on communication, PR firms excel at crisis management. When companies face — or have the potential to face — negative publicity, these agencies can work ahead to help minimize damage to the brand. Other common activities include drafting press releases, which are official statements from the company that can cover news such as a product launch, an acquisition, or important executive hiring.

One thing to keep in mind is that because PR firms are focused on brand reputation, credibility building, and managing public perception, they are less focused on driving measurable outcomes related to other business objectives, such as increasing leads and conversions. This latter part is where digital marketing (and executive social media) comes in, and why companies often work with both a PR firm and a digital marketing agency at the same time.

Building a Complete Marketing Strategy

As you can see, executive social media agencies, leadership coaching, and PR firms all have their unique strengths and benefits, while each supports companies and executives in different ways. With leadership coaching, the benefits are at the individual level (which can then translate to the organizational level), while strategies like executive social media can strengthen existing digital marketing programs. Consider different types of programs when building a complete marketing strategy for your company.

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