Your customers are the driving force behind your success and therefore you need to put forth an honest effort to connect with them. To achieve this, most companies employ a PR firm at one time or another. If you have not done so, here are 5 specific roles a PR firm can take on for your company.
1. Releases
Like other companies, yours is probably always striving to change and improve to better serve customers. As a result, new products or services may need to be introduced occasionally and you need to get the word out about their availability.
PR firms can help inform the public by composing and scheduling releases for you. These can involve dates, information about the product or service and how to access it. Releases can be delivered in the form of radio and television ads, social media postings, and ads in newspapers. PR firms know the outlets to use to get your release noticed by the most people and in doing so it will be effective in drawing the attention you seek.
2. Attract employees
Attracting customers to purchase your product or service is obviously important because your very existence depends on them giving you their business. However, it is equally important to attract employees who can help deliver what you are trying to sell. PR firms can help you do this.
The PR firm that you hire can gather information about the goals, values, and achievements of your company. The PR representative can then shape it into an image that makes you the leader and obvious choice in your industry. In doing so, employees who possess the skill sets you need will be enticed to join your company.
3. Social media
Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram are used by millions of people around the world with many having an account for each. While it is prudent for you to have accounts and make posts to reach people about products and services as well as offer customer service, you may not be able to give the attention such a job needs.
A PR representative can assume responsibility for your accounts on all popular social media accounts. By making posts about new or existing products, services, and sales as well as handling messages sent by customers, you can inform the public about what you have to offer and provide stellar customer service.
4. Representation
Sometimes after your company puts out a press release or advertisement or posts something on social media, members of the public or media outlets may have questions or find something problematic. In an effort to be transparent and reachable, you need a go-to person that can handle these attempts to connect with you.
When a party makes an attempt to reach you, a PR representative can handle the request, responding appropriately and in a way that satisfies their needs. In doing so you can be responsive to customers as well as media outlets while still focusing on your company and giving it the attention needed.
5. Crisis management
You do your best to be the leader in your industry, responsive to customers, and able to provide the best product or service to the public. However, sometime things go wrong and the result is you being cast in an unfavourable light. When this occurs, you need someone to manage the crisis and repair your reputation.
A PR representative is effective in crisis management because this is a major part of his/her role. When things do not go as planned and you risk losing the trust of the public, the PR representative can release statements and deal with the public in an attempt to repair your image.