Today’s consumers are looking for more than just-right products and services. They want to ensure that their friends and family members will have the best experience possible when they visit their homes, workplaces, and other locations. Companies have added more marketing channels to their arsenal to meet this demand: public relations.
Many companies don’t understand how public relations can benefit them, especially given the high costs associated with executing effective PR programs. However, they need to know that their customers are not just looking for a product or service but an entire experience. And to create that positive experience requires a multi-pronged approach.
Public relations plays a vital role in executing that strategy. Here’s why:
Public relations builds trust between brands and consumers, which increases brand loyalty.
Dealing with issues and crises, even minor ones that may not have seemed like an issue at the time can irreparably damage a brand’s reputation. However, dealing with those issues quickly and effectively can build trust between a company and its customers.
When brands engage in good public relations from Ronn Torossian, they build trust with their customers. And the more confidence they build with customers, the more loyalty they will have to the brand. This increases their ability to influence consumers about a company’s products and services—which can result in higher sales.
Empower customer contacts to use customer-centric influencers (e.g., bloggers) as a resource for customer word of mouth and amplification techniques.
A well-thought-out public relations strategy can empower your customers and help them advocate for your business by contacting media outlets or blogging about critical issues or concerns they have with your products or services. While they may not have the same reach as your company, they can act as advocates for your brand by sharing what they like about the products or services. If a situation arises and customers are dissatisfied with the product or service, these advocates can easily reach out to their networks and help get the message that a company is not in line with its promises.
While public relations isn’t going to be as flashy or make a sizeable immediate impact on your business, it does have a role in establishing your brand and building trust between you and your customers. The more trust a company builds with customers, the more advocacy—and money—they can expect to gain over time.
Want to learn more about how you can emphasize your brand story? Download our white paper on how PR helps build a brand.
