With Good Public Relations,

Customers Don't Have to See You

To See Your Image

Every nanogram of marcom that radiates from your business is a pixel of perception. Put them together and they present the full-color picture of your company’s soul.

Public relations’ efforts to present a pretty picture are not deception. They’re an honest effort to reflect the personality of those who run the business, and to reflect that personality as someone with whom prospects would like to do business.

Problem is, this effort can break down at any level. A cranky receptionist, a discourteous driver, the checker who forgets to say “Thank you,” the C.E.O whose tongue outruns his brain….The world of commerce is mined with big and little booby traps that can ding, dent, damn or destroy an image.

What’s the Big Deal?

Often associates not directly associated with sales and marketing aren’t aware that they’re part of marketing communications. They too contribute to the total picture. And sometimes their company-centric behavior or cavalier manner earns demerits. Enough little demerits become a big deal. Those who earn them deserve a slap on the wrist to help change their attitude.

PR Is Not Just for Damage Control

Many companies only think of PR when the feces face the fan. Without a program in place, or at least a high degree of public relations literacy on the part of management, it may be too late.

Email, chat rooms, forums--- and now blogs--- have changed the landscape for all. So-o-o-o-o-oh!: You’d better be good. You’d better watch out. You’d better not pout and you’d better not shout. ‘Cause your critics are already in town---and ready to talk.

Some public relations practitioners describe their discipline as the engineering of perception. That sounds a little too manipulative for my approach. Yet how we’re perceived can make or kill our business. Sometimes damage control requires a carefully crafted spin or a mea culpa from the brass. (Well, maybe “engineering” isn’t such a bad choice of words after all.)

In the Bad Old Days…

When I first entered the advertising and public relations business we were more publicists than true counselors. We tended to measure success (and so did our clients) by the amount of free space and air time we garnered. We were more into stunts than studies to check our effectiveness or our ability to change behavior and perception. We wrote speeches and issued press releases. Now, that’s still an important part of public relations, but we were never part of a company’s strategy. Public relations can become marcom's most powerful tool when it’s part of strategy and tactics.

PR , The Big Umbrella

Good public relations are the big umbrella of good marcom. It protects, nourishes, and supports your message. After all, nobody wants to listen to or do business with people they don’t like or trust. What’s more, it’s just as important to the little guy, or start-up as it is to the Donald. He can afford to goof up and rebuild as he has on several occasions.

So, up your image. Be nice. Mean it. Show it. That’s good Public Relations.

Tip for The Little Guy: If you can’t hire a consultant, read one: Power Public Relations by Leonard Saffir with John Tarrant, from NTC Business Books is a good start. Or, get a good PR guy in for a staff meeting to pitch your crew about how important it is to the success of any business.