TREAT PUBLIC RELATIONS AS STRATEGIC INVESTMENT, EXPERT URGES NIGERIAN FIRMS

Chief Executive of Seedar Group, Seyi Ajadi, has called on Nigerian businesses to shift their perception of public relations (PR) from a short-term expense to a long-term strategic investment in reputation and stakeholder trust.

Ajadi emphasised that many company founders and leaders wrongly evaluate PR using immediate sales or advertising metrics, leading to unrealistic expectations and undervaluation of its impact. “Businesses are under pressure to grow, compete, and deliver results. Naturally, leaders want to understand what they’re paying for,” she noted.

However, she argued that PR builds credibility and earns trust over time rather than delivering instant visibility like paid advertising. “One of the biggest misunderstandings about PR is that it is often measured like advertising. Advertising buys visibility. Public relations earns credibility,” Ajadi explained.

She highlighted common pitfalls, such as companies activating PR efforts only days before product launches, which limits effectiveness. “Months are spent developing a product or service, but visibility only becomes important a few days before launch. By then, businesses are trying to build awareness and trust at the same time. It rarely works,” she said.

Ajadi advocated for a more strategic approach where businesses first define the reputation they want to cultivate, then maintain consistent engagement through thought leadership, media relations, and authentic storytelling. She cited examples of clients receiving partnership enquiries or speaking invitations months after strategic publications, underscoring PR’s cumulative value.

With founders increasingly becoming central to brand perception, she stressed the importance of executive visibility. “Increasingly, people are buying into founders as much as they are buying into businesses,” Ajadi added.

As Nigeria’s business environment grows more competitive, she concluded that sustained PR investment will differentiate thriving companies. “Marketing may introduce your brand. But public relations gives people a reason to believe in it.”