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Re-introducing PR to The Drum

Our straight talking M.D Jo Swann gives her take on PR and how it can be your greatest marketing tool... if you understand it!

If you've previously dismissed PR as advertising's poor relation, or something to do to keep the MD happy once in a while by getting their photo in the press, it's time to be reintroduced.

It's always been more than this but now there seems to be a new dawn of understanding coming into play and brands are starting to see PR for what it really is – an incredibly powerful tool for  managing the relationship you have with your customers.

As brands fight harder and harder for customer loyalty and customers become more and more demanding, it's crucial that marketing teams are armed with the most powerful tools to fight for their customers' love. This is the year for the new world of PR.

PR to many used to mean media relations but it's now undeniably so much more. It's come round full circle to actually mean what it stands for- Public Relations and it's being embraced for this.

PR is two-way communications

PR used to be seen as one way traffic. Brands put their messages out to the consumer, after carefully structured communications being signed off across several internal departments, with the corporate line having been agreed company wide. It was a very controlled exercise. The customer was on the receiving end but was not necessarily expected to respond, rather simply soak up the information and love the brand all the more for it.

Now PR isn't about one way traffic, nor is it so dependant on the media- it's about good old fashioned communications called conversation.

Customers have become more sophisticated. They demand more. They know more. They use technology a lot more. The information available to them is vast. Their choices are immense. So where is the cut-through? It's got to be in building strong, meaningful relationships to command brand loyalty and sort the wheat from the chaff.

• A brand proactive in their conversations with customers is a brand in touch with its audience
• A brand pumping out press releases done for corporate ego massaging is wasting its budget
• A brand working to illustrate their brand values at every opportunity will have a strong identity in the eye of the customer
• A brand using PR as an ad-hoc filler cannot expect to generate brand loyalty
• A brand not afraid of having a voice is a brand that will be remembered
• A brand using PR to try and stifle opinions of its customers is playing a very dangerous game
• A brand tapping into the many layers of PR is a brand leading the way

How do you fare?

PR and its role has evolved greatly. It's time to revisit it and re-asses what think you know about it. Only then will you see how you can use it as a powerful marketing tool to help you build better relationships with customers.

These are a few areas to consider to help you explore its possible impact.

Recognising your vulnerability
Before launching into a proactive campaign it's important to recognise your vulnerability. Before you start inviting conversations and soliciting feedback is your brand really ready? First look at your operations side of things - do you have strong customer service policies in place – if not these flaws will be exposed. Do you already have brand exposure online? How does this look? Is it positive or negative? Get the full picture by doing some brand tracking and social media monitoring. You need to get your stall in order before you proactively open up your brand.

Identifying where to get involved
Next comes the research to see what channels will be most appropriate for your audience and your objectives. Don't assume traditional media is the right route. You need to be where your customers are and if they're in a niche forum online or can be found at local events within a certain region that's where you need to be.

Give them something
For real engagement you need to be adding value. Give them something - advice, exclusive content, a chance to have their say...there are many ways to add value to your relationship with your customers.

Proactive planning of brand messaging
You would never launch a marketing campaign without planning your brand messaging, so why do this with PR? Every PR campaign should have a clear identity in terms of the brand values it is looking to portray to ensure it has a real purpose.

Use of tools relevant to audience
How do your customers like being communicated with? Via the media, online, via their smart phone, or in person? Consider how they live their life and then understand how you can get involved.

Crisis PR plan in place
Things aren't always going to run smoothly. There will be a few disgruntled customers out there for one reason or another. How are you going to deal with them when they start to air their views online? Squashing them completely isn't an option in today's social world so make sure you have a plan of action that is current and appropriate.

Chat
Communication is what it all comes down to. Get in conversations with customers, chat, interact, have a presence in their world, and make it one that's relevant. Monitor the conversations that are going on about your brand and be there if they've got a question, query, or problem. Also be there to celebrate with them all the things they love about your brand. Be honest in your interaction with them. Turn them into your biggest fans and you've got a new PR tool in it's own right – brand ambassadors.

Measure and Adapt
As we've said earlier PR is now more interactive. It's also quicker, better, and more exciting. To get the real power of PR you need to measure and adapt your campaigns, so you're always one step ahead of your customers. If they're one step ahead of you you're heading for trouble.

So as you look to plan your next marketing campaign take a step back to see if you are offering an opportunity for your customers to really engage with you...are you inviting them to be involved, or are you just spewing information at them?

Think Dove, Bravissimo, Coke, Orange – all are shining examples of building real relationships with customers through PR.

Re-introduce yourself to PR and we think you'll get on mighty fine. When you've got a rep to protect PR can be your greatest weapon.