Wikipedia defines Public Relations as ‘the practice of managing the flow of communication between an individual or organisation and the public’.
In 2013, it’s time to take a deep look at your audience. Who are they and what do they need from you? How are you going to solve their problems this year? If you can articulate a concise answer to the last question, you’re best placed to embark on PR in 2013.
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So what are the top three PR tactics you should use in 2013 to boost your sales? Here are some simple but effective tips:
1. Think before you email
The more you can put yourself directly in front of your client and customers, the better your chances at establishing a genuine relationship, trust and sales. Make time to meet people face to face and genuinely listen to what they have to say. PR is about two-way communication. Don’t tell them what you want them to know or hear. Listen to their problem and then respond with a solution. This is PR Rule Number One and often forgotten when we can all so easily revert to email. Face-to-face is always the best way to build a relationship and a good relationship is the best way to generate sales.
2. ‘One-to-many’
Public speaking presents a great fear for many but it’s possibly one of the best ways to build your profile and speak to your target audience at large. This year, investigate potential speaking opportunities or even create your own. If you take a look at all the successful entrepreneurs of the world, they all have one thing in common – they all speak publicly and share their story, their tips and their advice. Do the same and you will instantly increase your brand exposure, demonstrate how you solve problems and pick up a few new clients or customers along the way.
3. Get on-line savvy
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The fact that you’re reading this means you are already familiar with blogs and online news but how far have you come in implementing an online profile for yourself or your business? It may feel overwhelming or too time consuming to contemplate but developing your own blend of traditional and online marketing communications and PR activities will help you boost your reach, and increase your audience. So, start with a PR plan and conduct a review of your target audience. Where do they go online and what do they want and need? How can you deliver answers and results? Look at your website, potential partner organisations, blogs, content marketing, online advertising, media relations, online videos, social media – the list of possibilities is endless – then deduct those that don’t apply to you.
Your implementation plan will allow you to use some methods as a starting point and you can gradually introduce new channels, as you feel ready. Once you’re up and running, learn how to make clever use of your content. For instance, if you speak at a seminar, film it and use it for your e-newsletter, website and promote it via your social media channels. There are so many ways to decrease the time spent and make best use of the information you prepare so you don’t reinvent the wheel each time – this is in next month’s post!
I hope these simple tips give you a good starting point for your PR efforts this year.
Top image: Julien Haler