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Public relations (PR) refer to the practice of controlling the stream of information between a firm and its customers. Aiming to build and sustain the reputation of a firm, public relations enhance a firm’s prestige and present a positive image to the firm’s audience, both consumers and customers.

The concept of public relations was initially introduced in 1830 by Edward Louis Bernays, who is considered the founding father of modern public relations. At that time, PR was a management tool used to identify public attitudes to adjust the corporate policies and procedures to the needs of consumers in order to earn public appreciation and acceptance. Since then, PR have changed a lot. Today, public relations is a set of management, supervisory, and technical tools that cultivate the ability of a firm to strategically appreciate consumer preferences and respond to them in order to build mutually beneficial relationships and achieve its organizational goals. In this context, PR is a managerial function that focuses on two-way communication between an organization and its publics.

Typically, consumer preferences are subject to a firm’s reputation and purchase decision-making is based on the public image of a firm. Successful firms build and manage mutually beneficial relationships with consumers and strategic audiences and use PR as a marketing tool to boost their sales and profitability. In this context, PR is a part of a firm’s marketing strategy. By using free publicity in a wide variety of media, they stimulate public interest and acceptance for a firm’s products or services and they attract a broad number of consumers by giving them a clear and concise understanding of the firm’s operations. The most widely used tools of public relations include news releases, speaking activities, press conferences and community service programs.  Read more...

“Knowing your audience means to communicate the way they communicate”

You’ve heard the phrase “know your audience” but do you know how to do that? Of course it means to know who is in your audience, what their general preferences are, to know different ways to relate to them, etc. Assuming you know who you’re talking to, how do you communicate in a way that allows them to easily understand your points?

A perfect example of how NOT to know your audience is to speak in acronyms and technical jargon that others don’t know or care about. Or to leave gaps in your presentation that should give enough information to follow your lead. We’re all guilty of it at some point and there are ways you can improve your communication without a lot of effort.

1. Use words and phrases your audience understands without thinking.
Instead of using an acronym or technical jargon, use a relevant word or phrase that provides the same meaning. For example, business people like to use SME’s (pronounced like “smees”) to describe a person who is a Subject Matter Expert. The time you save by saying “SMEES” is lost when it causes an unfamiliar listener to try and figure out what you mean. Just say “Subject Matter Expert” or “Expert” or “Business Owner” or something to describe the same thing. If you cause your audience to have to think about your last words then they will stop listening until they figure out what you meant.

2. Be concise and talk about what’s important to your audience.
If you have the opportunity to discuss a topic that you know a lot about, it is easy to talk at a level of detail that nobody can follow (or care about) except you. People typically only care that the overall process works, not how it works. In sales you talk about benefits with the assurance that the product works, not the features or how it works. Eventually the question will come up where you can bring up the details but that should be based on knowing that your audience wants those details.  Read more...

In today’s competitive business environment, organizations develop and implement several marketing strategies in order to stand out of the crowd and stimulate interest about their offerings. Above market research, market segmentation or any similar marketing tool, organizations need to cultivate a positive opinion about their operations.

Public relations are responsible for the creation of a favourable image for the firm. Studies show that consumer preferences are greatly influenced by a firm’s reputation and purchase decision making is based on the public image of a firm. Since 1830, that the concept of public relations was initially introduced, public relations have become a lot more than a tool of communication. As the business environment is constantly changing and evolving, public relations address further  far-reaching aspects.

1) Building awareness about a firm and its offerings

When a firm introduces a new product or re-launches an existing one, public relations are responsible for stimulating consumer attention and awareness through media placements and special events.

2) Creating interest

Public relations’ placements can attract a targeted audience to try a product. For example, when an organization has an IPO (Initial Public Offering) to get listed on the Stock Exchange, public relations department may promote a special financial initiative through the financial media. In doing so, it serves the organization to build confidence among the financial community.

3) Stimulating Demand

Favourable inserts or articles in newspapers, TV shows or the Internet are likely to result in a discernable increase in product sales.  Read more...

There are very few companies that can exist in today’s world without a website. With more than 80% of shopping at the very least beginning online, not having a business website could leave your business so far behind the times that it’s overlooked for your more web-savvy competition. Another factor that plays into the need of a website for many companies is the explosion of home-based and global businesses in the last few years. With lower overhead costs, these businesses offer potential clients lowered costs of their brick-and-mortar counterparts.

So, if you have a business and still don’t have a website as a part of your marketing plan, now is the time to get it in place to let the virtual world know that your company is here, that you sell or provide your products or services and how you do it better than the competition.

A few words of caution before you start researching web developers to handle your website project:  Read more...

• Use a local web developer, one whom you can meet with face to face and can make an appearance in your office in case of questions or concerns If you have no quality developers local to you, then at the very least, get the name of a web developer from a colleague, client or partner who has both used and been happy with their services. Word of mouth is vital to finding ethical and skilled web developers.