Public Relations

If a small- to mid-sized business were to engage in a public relations campaign, it needs to approach the strategic planning of this campaign, using one of Steven Covey’s principles, “Begin with the end in mind.” So how do you measure a successful campaign?

Whether you are a start-up or an established small to mid-sized business, you probably have a business plan. Most entrepreneurs know they need a PR component but they aren’t sure where to start.

What are the Do’s and Don’ts when Dealing with the Media? PR and Crisis Communications for Small Businesses

Is there a difference? Not really, because a PR firm is involved with the strategic process of managing the public image of a stakeholder, and is therefore intimately involved in the marketing process.

Using social media is too important for marketing a business to be ignored, yet many small business owners lack the time or the interest to actively engage in a social media conversation. So the next best thing is to delegate social media updates to a “trusted” employee or several employees. This is where a clear and concise social media policy would provide a great foundation for transparent communication with clients and potential customers. But what happens when that trust is broken, and an employee becomes disgruntled and lashes out various social networks? This has the makings of a PR disaster, although there are several things that you can do to be proactive in this situation.

Hunting moles and monitoring negative customer opinions require the same type of strategy, looking carefully for signs that they are there, and implementing a plan to minimize the damage.