What exactly is public relations, and why do you need it? Public relations can easily be defined as the sum of all the conversations going on around us—whether they’re in person, in print or otherwise. It’s an excellent way to get the word out about your business, because it creates a forum for participating in these conversations and directing them toward your business.
To get something going, you need the excitement, buzz and validity that public relations can bring. It’s like a personal recommendation from a good friend about a fabulous new restaurant or a hot business tip. Many marketing triumphs have been built on public relations. You can use it to maximize priceless opportunities in print, radio, television and—now more than ever—the Internet. Used properly, public relations strategies are your opportunity to contribute to all these ongoing exchanges.
Craft a message.
Although you may be an expert in your field, if no one knows it, what’s the point? Public relations and its use of third-party earned media is the gentle-yet-strategic way to respectfully get your message out and influence an audience. When you become a reliable contributor to a media outlet, you create a voice for yourself and your business. The key to effective public relations is to craft the best possible message and then correctly target the placement of your unique story. In other words, find the outlets that interest your audience and contribute in some way to that conversation.
Use your database.
Referrals are still a primary source for new clients. Don’t underestimate the potential of your company’s database. People who are already sold on you are a high priority. Update and contact your database regularly and explore every opportunity to connect with programs and outreach aimed at informing, directing and educating your audience both online and off.
Look closely at your website.
There’s a huge disconnect in the business community between building a website and actually driving traffic to it. Relevant content, optimization and finding buyers online or, better yet, having them find you are the key to online success. Crafting meaningful content and contributing to targeted social sites will result in high rankings and audience interest that will get you noticed. Eighty-one percent of buyers now say they search online first before purchasing a product or service. Use this rising online community to cultivate a fire of ideas and lively discussion about your business and create a culture for your brand.
Use social marketing and media.
Social media outlets are niche sites associated with your genre that your target audience relates to and pays attention to. Outlets are as diverse as businesses: Wine blogs, nutrition ezines, legal information sites and on and on, each connecting with viewers via podcasts, blogs, micro-blogs, articles, online press releases, videos, social bookmarking and email campaigns. These fresh, emerging and, yes, a bit misunderstood, tools are vital. People want to be a part of a community and they each get their information in various ways. So don’t be intimidated—this is just a new modality for reaching your audience and building your community while breaking through geographical walls that might otherwise limit your business.
For example, CNN is now using Twitter micro-blogging (little blasts you write) extensively during newscasts. Like blogging, other people can read your Twitter updates (sometimes called “tweets”) received on phones, IM, RSS or on the Web. The brevity and variety of delivery systems make Twitter a powerful medium. And because it’s the quickest and easiest way of getting critical information to the news outlets, Twitter also hit the airwaves as the micro-blogging site of choice when the vice presidential candidates were announced.
You may think Facebook and Myspace are just for kids, but they’re not. And there are literally thousands of social networking sites targeted toward businesses. Take the time to learn to use these outlets and create a professional presence. Your audience is there—waiting for you to say something interesting and start a conversation.
Make it real.
There’s still a naiveté toward online content, and it’s a double-edged sword. Can it be trusted? Can we believe what we read? Until the last 10 or so years, many people blindly trusted everything they read in print. But today we have a much greater understanding about being objective. So now is the time to provide useful information and become the authority. Build a relationship and establish trust with your audience and your bottom line will swell.
Be consistent.
Longevity in the world of public relations, especially online, means ranking with integrity. You can pay to be on top of some searches, but then what? If your audience finds out you’re just a hard sell, what happens? Relevant content engages your audience and extends the life of the conversation about your business. People don’t want to be sold. They want to buy from someone who’s willing to go the distance with and for them.
When you position yourself as an expert, the results can be mind-blowing. By earning the public’s trust you can build support and increase your advertising and marketing efforts. Public relations-driven conversations create the word-of-mouth effect that bridges the credibility gap in advertising—and that means publicity
Jenny Kaplan, principal of JKaplan Communications, has been a Bay Area resident for more than 30 years. Focused on strategic PR campaigns, her company has garnered celebrated coverage for a wide variety of businesses. Her years of diverse experience in executive search, management, publishing and the media are her edge in the challenging and multifaceted world of public relations. Learn more about her inventive work at www.jkaplanpr.com or call (707) 578-1336.
Contributor Mark Kithcart is founder and director at E-volveNow.com, an Internet marketing, advertising and media company. Learn more about his cutting-edge work at www.e-volvenow.com or by calling (707) 953-2126.
The thoughts and opinions expressed in this article are that of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect those of NorthBay biz, its editorial department or its owners.
