Companies often misunderstand what is public relations and whether they might benefit from integrating it into their marketing mix. For small, mid-size and large companies and organizations as well as entrepreneurs, public relations is essential for building and maintaining mutually-beneficial relationships with your target audiences, or constituents.
Transform From Island Mentality To A Sunshine State of Mind
Your company is not a lone entity, like an island surrounded by water. Envision your company like the sun, with rays that extend out in many directions. Do your company’s rays communicate with your many constituents and positively impact them? You have many opportunities to communicate and impact, and to be a receiver of the good that comes back to your company.
The reality is that your company connects with many individuals, companies, organizations and entities on a daily basis. These are your constituents, your employees, board of directors, clients, referral partners, area community, and others.
Honor them, communicate with them consistently, and treat them well. And, with time, through letting go of the “island” mentality and adopting a “sunshine” state of mind, your constituents naturally will return the favor, as seen through your strong reputation, new clients, increased referrals, less employee turnover, more confident board, and a growing business.
How PR Works, In A Nutshell
To build strong relationships with each constituent, you will want to determine what each group may need to hear and receive from your company as to communications, infrastructural changes, product changes, etc. Public relations includes internal and external initiatives, to reach each of your constituents.
Ideally, you will want to proactively conduct internal and external relations on a consistent basis to build and maintain those important business relationships. Also, if, for example, you have employee challenges and turnover, you will want to develop internal public relations virtual roundtables initiatives that reach them. Examples can be an internal e-newsletter, intranet, quarterly employee events, upward communications from employees to management, etc.
To reach your external audiences, you have a myriad of tools, such as publicity, marketing materials, special events, direct mail campaigns, community involvement, grassroots initiatives, and much, much more. You also have many opportunities for them to communicate with you through an 800-line, blog, surveys, etc., which will help you to hear from them. This vital information can help you to strengthen your operations, products, services and customer service.
Before long, you will have a stronger company and one that truly reaches out and honors each of its constituents. As a result, anticipate your company becoming further noticed, trusted, respected, utilized and referred business.
How to Know You Need Public Relations
You need public relations when/if any of these points resonate with you:
You have clients/customers/members, hourly/salary employees, volunteers, vendors, a board of directors, referral partners, and other key audiences/constituents
You seek to increase your company’s/organization’s visibility, sales/memberships, revenues and profits
People may not understand what you offer, what is the value, how it differentiates, why they should buy from you or utilize your services
Your competitors are featured in the news media, while your company/organization rarely, if ever, is highlighted
Your competition appears to be succeeding, while you still struggle
Your relationships with various key audiences/constituents could be strengthened
You are disappointed in the response from prospects and clients
You encounter employee complaints, struggles and high turnover
You realize that you do not have a plan to communicate with your key constituents
Begin Building Your Business Relationships Today!
Be assured that public relations is accessible to you and will help you, whatever your company/organization size or type. The sooner you begin, the faster you will achieve your business goals.
Seek an experienced public relations professional to guide you forward and implement public relations initiatives on your behalf. The internet, books, workshops/seminars and other resources also can educate and help you.