Almost all of you would have a profile on Facebook which is updated from time to time with status, pictures and random thoughts. What we look forward to is reactions, comments, likes, conversations, et al on the posts we update. Invariably, we evaluate whether we were successful in attracting eye-balls and evoking interest among those on our ‘list’. “Did someone find my joke funny?”, “Were my pictures appreciated for the concept, angle and capture of emotions?”, etc. Do you know essentially what you have been attempting to do? In two words - Public Relations or PR as we commonly call it.This is something we apply, follow and strategize on a day-to-day basis to improve our social life and relationships. So why not replicate the same in our business? If you are a startup, a well-established enterprise, an artist, a food consultant, run an NGO or have a health club; PR can help you attain the following:
Capture public attention
Build the brand
Create curiosity in what you have to offer
Support you in making ‘numbers’
We all read at least one newspaper every morning. And it is worth mentioning that more than half of the news stories have either been initiated or facilitated by PR professionals for their clients. Everything has PR value - whether it’s a person or a product. All that is required is an interesting story to tell. Hence the most important element here is the art of narrating a story to hook your audience.
Of course it’s not one size fits all. PR strategies have to be tailor-made to meet your requirements and suit your profile/business. While making a PR Plan certain parameters need to be identified and thought upon. These are:
Purpose
Target Audience
Road Map
Way Forward
Consider an example: you have excellent baking skills and you open a patisserie called ‘Whole-some’. You have done the market research, visited some of the best confectioneries in town, taken opinion of your friends, and have figured out things which would work and which won’t. Based on all this homework, your business plan is well chalked out.
‘Whole-some’ serves healthy snacks; sugar free, low fat cream cakes, pastries, liqueur coffees, exotic teas, a special ‘Kiddies Love’ menu, etc. Doesn’t the place have a ‘wow’ factor? It truly offers something for everyone. So how do you get the word around? Invite a few people over to play the critic, put it up on social media, and then what? How long do you think this will sustain your business model? What will be that ideal, within your budget strategy that will not only get you foot-falls but also get the word around? The answer is – PR.
Cooking up PR strategies takes exactly the same sort of creativity and skills that the patisserie in question would require. PR is a sustained effort to constantly keep the momentum of ‘buzz’ going. It begins with media but a good PR professional will endeavor to take the organization/client beyond that over a period of time
Over the next few posts, we will discuss more on how PR can be strategically used for your business.
Fact Check: PR is generally confused with advertising and journalism. To explain it in simple words, PR supports advertising campaign of a brand and is to reinforce the same message. PR feeds journalism in terms of ideas, latest developments on corporate front, new trends and so on.
For any PR related queries, startups feel free to reach out to [email protected]