How to Create a a Public Relations Plan
How to Create a a Public Relations Plan
Think Through Your Audiences
Even large corporations often fail to realize who their audiences actually are. You can define "audience" as an individual or group that has any interest or stake in the activities of your business. This can reach far beyond just your customers. It is likely that your audiences include the local media, your neighbors and surrounding community, current and former employees and their families, vendors and suppliers, government regulators or agencies at several levels, and your competitors. And remember, audiences—friendly or not—have the power to communicate information about you.
Develop a Public Relations Plan
This need not be complex. In simplest terms a public relations plan consists of a few steps:
√ Objectives—Identify your goals and what you want to accomplish for your business.
√ Positioning—Decide how you want to be perceived by your audiences. As the best quality personal tax advisor in town, or the least expensive business tax preparer?
√ Key messages—Prioritize the most important facts about your business.
Once you have developed these core concepts, you can create:
√ Strategy—How you can accomplish your objectives. For example, you may adopt a strategy of marketing your services only to those in a certain age group. Or create the impression that your products are more expensive, but worth their quality. Or position your business as an innovator in a technology instead of just a follower. None of these is new, but remain good illustrations of simple business strategies.
√ Tactics—The tools or means to carry out your plan. Speeches, articles, sitting on advisory boards, and media outreach are all good tactics for small businesses.
Develop a Relationship with the Local Media
Small business persons should never be intimidated by reporters. Especially at local and regional levels, the media are always on the lookout for a new story, a different angle, a fresh approach and therefore, potentially interested in you and what your business is all about. These media outlets, charged with covering their communities, may not have the vast resources of well-known experts and satellite feeds. They may very well need you and what you have to say about your field.
When your business gets a significant new customer, moves from your home to a real office, wins a community award or comes up with a solution to a community problem, don't hesitate to call an appropriate reporter. You may not always get coverage, but you have nothing to lose by cultivating these relationships.
In your business, what do you know, offer, produce, compile, interpret, provide, market, analyze, understand or do better than anyone else? Whatever it is, someone among those audiences wants to hear more about you.
How to Create a a Public Relations Plan - To learn more about this author, visit Tina Pugliese's Website.
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Good public relations is an art of sorts and requires some research, thought and planning—but not necessarily expense—at any level. To get started on a public relations effort, there are three relatively simple steps you can take:
Think Through Your Audiences
Even large corporations often fail to realize who their audiences actually are. You can define "audience" as an individual or group that has any interest or stake in the activities of your business. This can reach far beyond just your customers. It is likely that your audiences include the local media, your neighbors and surrounding community, current and former employees and their families, vendors and suppliers, government regulators or agencies at several levels, and your competitors. And remember, audiences—friendly or not—have the power to communicate information about you.
Develop a Public Relations Plan
This need not be complex. In simplest terms a public relations plan consists of a few steps:
√ Objectives—Identify your goals and what you want to accomplish for your business.
√ Positioning—Decide how you want to be perceived by your audiences. As the best quality personal tax advisor in town, or the least expensive business tax preparer?
√ Key messages—Prioritize the most important facts about your business.
Once you have developed these core concepts, you can create:
√ Strategy—How you can accomplish your objectives. For example, you may adopt a strategy of marketing your services only to those in a certain age group. Or create the impression that your products are more expensive, but worth their quality. Or position your business as an innovator in a technology instead of just a follower. None of these is new, but remain good illustrations of simple business strategies.
√ Tactics—The tools or means to carry out your plan. Speeches, articles, sitting on advisory boards, and media outreach are all good tactics for small businesses.
Develop a Relationship with the Local Media
Small business persons should never be intimidated by reporters. Especially at local and regional levels, the media are always on the lookout for a new story, a different angle, a fresh approach and therefore, potentially interested in you and what your business is all about. These media outlets, charged with covering their communities, may not have the vast resources of well-known experts and satellite feeds. They may very well need you and what you have to say about your field.
When your business gets a significant new customer, moves from your home to a real office, wins a community award or comes up with a solution to a community problem, don't hesitate to call an appropriate reporter. You may not always get coverage, but you have nothing to lose by cultivating these relationships.
In your business, what do you know, offer, produce, compile, interpret, provide, market, analyze, understand or do better than anyone else? Whatever it is, someone among those audiences wants to hear more about you.
How to Create a a Public Relations Plan - To learn more about this author, visit Tina Pugliese's Website.
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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