Why PR is an indispensable tool for the logistics sector

Logistics and infrastructure play a vital role in the growth of an economy. Logistics as a sector has undergone massive transformation over the past decade, especially with the introduction of e-commerce, and has earned a fair share of consumer facing innovations and development. Therefore, in the face of intense competition, and opening up of global markets, focus on building and positioning a logistics brand becomes critical.

Logistics has seen a lot of technological advancements like last-mile delivery, reverse logistics, food supply chain, cold supply chain, warehousing, and others. From being an unorganised sector controlled by local players with lots of challenges, it has become organised. In 2017, it was given the “infrastructure” status, which set the ball rolling for the industry to grow exponentially.

Dedicated logistics parks were set up looking at the potential of the sector and government’s support. Union Budget 2020 has put a lot of emphasis on various innovations that are crucial for the growth of the entire logistics industry. The advent of e-commerce, e-grocery stores, and e-pharmacies are re-defining the retail, food, and pharma supply chains, respectively. With the aim to make sense of these rapid changes and to gain a first-mover’s advantage, a handful of logistic companies are turning to PR, while others continue to shy away.

Here are six reasons why logistic companies must invest in PR:

1. Create a narrative for category building

Logistics is a traditional business. There is nothing new in the term ‘logistics’ but the sector is going through a lot of changes. There have been a lot of innovations like third-party logistics, reverse logistics, last-mile delivery, food supply chain, cold supply chain, warehousing, and many more that logistics companies are providing. So, category building is required, as there is so much innovation happening and the word needs to spread to the end user and other parties involved.

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2. Visibility among stakeholders

As the demand for logistics and specialised supply chain marketing grows, the number of companies in this sector is also going up. To stay ahead of peers and competitors, and to ensure that there is top-of-mind recall among stakeholders, companies must depend upon PR to build a strong narrative that can help create better visibility and awareness about their products and services.

3. Highlight specialisation

Logistics is an umbrella term that holds a whole arena of services under it. It becomes difficult for companies to stand out from their competitors and effectively communicate their offerings to the consumer. This is where PR can be effectively utilised. Brands can not only spread awareness about their offerings but can also create a leadership positioning for select specialisation like customised warehousing for pharmaceuticals and F&B, to cold supply chain logistics, 3PL or 4PL service providers.

4. Build thought leadership

For any brand to be on the top of things, it is essential for them to have an expertise in the field they are operating in and it is equally important to make the consumer and stakeholders aware of the particular expertise. The most effective and efficient way is to have a PR agency, which will help to position the brand as a thought leader and subject matter expert in the particular sector.

The role of a PR person just does not stop at creating effective communication content for the brand but most of the times they are responsible for profiling and building thought leadership for the brand spokesperson as well.

5. Build credibility

The biggest USP of PR is that it helps brands to build credibility among stakeholders, compared to advertising or other marketing channels and tools. Building trust and credibility is paramount for any brand to drive sales and sustain long-term growth. Through relevant and effective narratives across various industry-related news stories, opinion articles, and participation in industry events, brands can leverage PR to create multi-platform engagement. This also helps in attracting international partners and potential vendors and clients.

6. Attract talent

With enhanced development and transformation in the operations and management of logistics, there has been a marked decline in the availability of skilled resources. Changing technology and use of AI, IoT, and development of modern temperature-controlled supply chain, it has become important to have resources that are job-ready and trained to be efficient in the new environment. Effective PR can help build an aspirational value for the brand and thus attract the best in talent for the company.

In line with the above-mentioned pointers, it is reasonable to say that PR has become one of the most indispensable tools for the logistics sector and being a field that is growing at a rapid pace, companies cannot afford to ignore it.

Even as new innovations continue to disrupt the consumer and B2B markets, more and more companies are seeking expert communication partners who can help them create and share positive brand communication that reflects their key philosophy, corporate growth, goals, and value offerings.

(Edited by Evelyn Ratnakumar)