Public relations is the process of leveraging media channels to advertise a business and create a positive public perception. Not only that, but it’s also the process of managing a company’s brand and communications. It defines how a business communicates with people – partners, customers, politicians, journalists, philanthropists, and the general public.
All businesses need public relations irrespective of their industry or size. PR is important to businesses because customers want to know that they can trust the company they choose to do business with, and nothing fosters and builds trust like public relations. But what are the fundamentals of great PR? Keep reading below to find out:
1. Know Your Media Goals
Your media targets will define the type of content that you want to publicize. You will need to bear in mind that the most prominent publications only want to cover newsworthy stories. So, if you don’t have a specific announcement to make, then you should consider heading down the blog or guest article route instead.
If your media goal is to reach existing customers and let them know that your business is still in operation, then in between regular announcements, social media, blog, and community posts are the way to go.
One brilliant tip for businesses who are unsure how to create great content that will engage their customers online is to consider hiring a PR company that specializes in this.
2. Choose the Right Channel
Once you know your PR goals, and you know what you want to say, you then need to choose the correct loudspeaker to amplify your message and reach the right audience. Psychology knowledge will help with that. In order to do this, you will need to look at your product or service and work out who will be interested in it. You can then choose the right channel to advertise your product on. For example, if you find out that your product will appeal to teenage girls, then it might be a good idea to run a PR campaign on Facebook or Instagram. This is because research suggests that most teenage girls use these platforms daily.
3. Tell Your Customers the Truth About Your Products
While telling your customers what they want to hear may seem like a good idea, if it’s not true, it can actually harm your business. This is because your customers may feel like you have lied to them. Instead, it is much better to be honest with your customers about the service or product you provide. This will help to foster trust and will create a much stronger relationship too.
4. It’s Not All About the Launch
Although many business professionals believe that the PR launch is the most important part of any PR campaign, this is not always the case. In fact, the launch of any PR campaign is just the beginning. In order to keep customers interested in your products or services, it’s much better to play the long game instead. Businesses can do this by providing a steady stream of relevant and candid communications to their customers.
Most business professionals know that good PR is more than just writing amazing press releases. It’s also about building strong relationships, providing value for your customers, engaging your customers, and telling the story of your brand. However, these aren’t the only things you need to consider when planning a PR campaign. Business professionals should also consider the points we’ve listed above.