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Are you a new start up or a mature organization facing a launch concern or recognition problem for your brand? If so, the key to success may be as simple as aligning with a public relations specialist.
Consider that your reputation, success, and on-going survival may depend on the degree to which your various “publics” understand who you are, what you represent and what you stand for. Key message development is a priority in order to template the positioning in and throughout all future communications you embark upon. Even at regular intervals, re-visit your key messages without prejudice, to assure that they are still in-sync with your planning continuum, goals and objectives.
When considering public relations as an integral component of your marketing agenda, allow patience to apply knowing that results will usually take longer to achieve but may have a more profound and consequential impact on your bottom line if allowed to play out. There’s a big difference between advertising and public relations relative to instant gratification. There’s more to PR than just press releases!
Public relations partners serve as advocates for businesses, nonprofit associations, universities, hospitals, and other organizations in all varieties of silos. They work towards building and maintaining positive relationships with those very unique markets that you desire to do business with on an on-going basis.
Arthur Page, a pioneer in corporate public relations once said that “Public perception of an organization is determined 90% by what it does and 10% by what it says. Who you are as a company and every aspect of your success must be proven to be believed. Your target audience and varied publics require reasons to believe.
Accordingly, as companies consider how to speak to their audience, remember that consumers desperately seek to do business and align themselves with those companies that are a reflection of their own lifestyle, interests and values. Concurrently they search for organizations that they inherently trust. Marketers and your public relations team need to collaborate in ways that will shape, manage and protect reputations and brand image at the same time. So, how then do you create the needed “buzz” for your company and get noticed among the clutter of advertising and myriad feature stories by your competitors to motivate the media into calling you when they are seeking out a story line relevant to your industry?
I’ll just make a few calls to the local paper? Actually, you’ll need to start with a plan. Interwoven in your marketing plan should be a critical and strategic component onto itself that details what, when and how you will proceed to get media coverage. Given 30 seconds, how would you encapsulate your key messages to a prospective consumer. Say it succinctly, precisely and with ease so there is no difficulty or disorientation about who you are and what you do?
Public relations specialists will choreograph any function from media, community consumer or governmental relations to political campaigns and employee / investor relations. Businesses therefore, must adapt to their audiences and determine how best to use the public relations discipline to optimally help them. The essence of effective communications is to understand the attitudes and concerns of your customers and employees. Look towards establishing and maintaining a supportive rapport with members of your business community through public interest groups, and then subsequently with representatives from print outlets and broadcast journalism.
Who me, talk to the media? Next, you’ll need to determine who within your organization will be the responsible party in dealing with the media. Yes, despite having a partnership with even the most sophisticated PR firm, inevitably there will be a time when a representative from the media will want to conduct an interview. Whether you are launching your company, announcing an acquisition, in a crisis management mode or sponsoring a major philanthropic event, it is critical that responses be time-sensitive, choreographed and “on message”.
What do I present to the media? A press kit that contains key information about your organization is invaluable. A kit includes things like a company profile, corporate bios, an “about us” page, frequently asked questions, relevant statistics or even historical data that may be accompanied with recent press releases about your company. Reprints of articles, photos of the principals and your facility will help if the building is a story in itself. Otherwise, you’re not selling the facility but your expertise.
But can I handle the actual interview? Planning for the interview is as important as the determination of who will be speaking. Don’t fake it. Be humble. If you have no experience in dealing with media, raise your hand and seek some assistance.
Preparation and anticipation of questions is first on the list. Planned answers are second followed by a comfortable way to answer that doesn’t appear robotic (if on TV) or contrived. Forgetting that your business is “your business” by giving confidential information because you’re excited and anxious can put you out of business quickly. Concurrently, it’s all about being polite and diplomatic with the press.
Who cares about my story? Assuring that your story is newsworthy and timely is vital for reporters. Notifying media of your grand opening only 2 days before will guarantee you’ll miss out on being represented. Considering a tie-in to seasonal activity or large scale community events is another reason for publications to show interest. Offering how your story will impact your community, the environment or specific groups particularly with a human or personal angle will accelerate the importance of placement.
How do I handle a potentially embarrassing situation? As mentioned earlier, crisis management is a discipline that requires attention for any size organization. Ask yourself how you would handle the following as an impact to your company: Fire erupts in your facility that threatens to burn a condo complex next door or one of your workers brings a gun to your facility and creates a hostage situation, or one of your well identified delivery trucks hits a pedestrian. Returning calls, being consistent on approach and having all the facts is what you’ll need to calmly and surgically deal with a public event.
The most successful marketing programs typically include a public relations component. Why, because PR identifies what your company is doing to validate your actions. It’s tangible proof that you care about your various publics and are an integral part of the communities in which you do business.
Rocco Iacobellis is the SVP and Managing Partner of Alan Brooks Design. Rocco comes to Alan Brooks Design with more than 25 years of experience in the areas of business development, sales, marketing and strategic planning, having served in various executive management capacities within the automotive, packaged goods, e-commerce, transportation and outdoor advertising industries. Previous credentials include serving as the President of Eller Media company in Philadelphia as well as VP Managing Director of Outdoor Services in Chicago, the nation’s largest Out-of-Home media buying service. He also ran the sales operation for Gannett as General Sales Manager in Parsippany, NJ.
Established in 1981, Alan Brooks Design is a strategic marketing firm specializing in innovative brand development. They help companies to create and strengthen their image or brand, launch new business ventures, promote special events, or advertise their products or services. Under the direction of President and Creative Director Alan Brooks, the marketing communications firm has become a leader in creating innovative logos and awesome sales and marketing tools. For more information, contact Rocco Iacobellis at 609.924.3838, or send him an email at rocco@alanbrooks.com. |
