One of the greatest things about small businesses is that there is nowhere to go but up, making public relations an easy win. Many small business owners and operators are well aware of the progress involved in marketing, sales and other elements, but haven’t quite grasped the importance of public relations on the success of their business.
A few elements of public relations include:
- Press kits
- Executive and employee bios
- Press releases
- Product descriptions
- Guest columns or blog posts
- and Press product samples
Let’s explore a few ways that public relation tools like these can have a measurable impact on your small business.
1. Promotes brand image and values
Public relations efforts are often an important source for communicating your brand image and values to customers. Sharing values with your customers can be valuable, as 89% of consumers say that they are loyal to brands that truly share their values.
Sharing values with your customers can be valuable, as 89% of consumers say that they are loyal to brands that truly share their values.
For example, if excellent customer service is something you want customers to remember when they think of your business, consider employing a call center provider, to ensure every question and issue is dealt with immediately, to the delight of the customer. It’s important to really follow through on governance here, and really live the image and values you promote to customers, to avoid any embarrassing issues down the line.
2. Doubling connections
When you venture into the world of public relations, you might choose to work with an agency to get a wider distribution of your material. This is a great option, as it allows you to access all their already established relationships and connections. Choosing the right agency that consumers trust is an important step in building your brand image and reputation through public relations.
3. Influencing the market
While advertising is great and gets your product or service in the heads of consumers, public relations is a way of permanently influencing your market space. For example, using PR to promote sustainability in your market could potentially swing consumer opinion toward your healthy values, causing them to look for this same value in your competition. Becoming the go-to influence in your market, means you have succeeded in capturing customer interest, and eventually, money.
4. Build a brand relationship with a community
Consumers love a relationship with their brand, and that relationship creates a community of like-minded shoppers. Consider using personal and heart-warming stories to connect with your audience. The more of a personal connection you have with individual shoppers, the more of a community you will see materialize.
The more of a personal connection you have with individual shoppers, the more of a community you will see materialize.
This is very evident on social media, where groups of customers and potential customers cluster together so share their own stories and experiences – and you want to be their platform! For eCommerce vendors, consider partnering with trusted businesses and promoting convenient tools like USPS shipping API, which will keep your deliveries on time, and your customers informed about where each package is at any given time.
5. Promote yourself as an expert
Use PR to promote yourself as an expert in your industry, and rein as a thought leader by publishing blogs, articles and press releases that are well researched and expertly written. Many businesses choose to promote their products by using industry experts with a far reach, but positioning yourself as an expert in your own right, means you can rely less on outsiders for your excellent PR and marketing.
6. Reach influencers in your industry
If writing and publication aren’t your thing, there are many influencers out there in each market space, poised to tell your story to their own following. Influencers can help you build solid relationships with your community fast, so build connections with bloggers, YouTubers and media outlets who share your values and influence your market space.
Influencers can help you build solid relationships with your community fast...
Many find that a small investment in the right influencers can go much farther than an impersonal email marketing campaign, aimed at strangers that you hope to convert or influence.
Good PR is keeping your brand in the minds of consumers, and being their go-to, trusted source of information. This requires constant updates and contributions to the market. The more new and valuable information you provide to consumers, the stronger your connection will be, and the more invested your customers will be in your product and company. Small businesses need all the help they can get after a prolonged, COVID-inspired drought, so invest in your public relations success today!
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