In my personal Blogging, I’ve come across many brands without a publicist or PR firm representing them. Many cosmetic brands that contact me are well aware that I am a Blogger for Pierce Mattie PR and will sometimes ask me, “What does a public relations firm do?” The key thing I have found is that these brands do not fully understand what public relations can accomplish for them and more so, how to effectively communicate to the media and public about their brand from within their own company.
When you think about your brand, have you thought about all aspects of it? From the customer service representative to the sales persons, everyone employed by your company should all consider themselves on the same team. Not only because everyone’s paychecks are written by the same company, but also because together, your employees are the force behind your brand. No job title within the company is too small or nondescript to be left out. They are the eyes and ears (and heartbeat) of your brand, and how they view and feel about your products affects how others—your consumers—see it as well.
PR News brought up an excellent point in an article today that really hits you right in the forehead, yet is something I often find companies making the biggest mistakes with, speaking from a consumer point of view. Your receptionist and/or customer service rep. are the ones who deal most with your current and potential consumers. You may have given them a protocol to follow when a customer calls to complain, but have you really taught them to problem solve? On the consumer end, it says a lot about your company when your phone personnel go to great lengths to provide atypical customer service compared to those who answer the call with a lackluster tone and appear to show no investment in your brand. You may consider them at the bottom of the food chain and they will reflect that in how they deal with customers, but they are one of the most important aspects to your team. Employees shouldn’t be looked at as separate pieces that make your brand operate, but as one cohesive whole that works together as a team to achieve the goals of your brand. When you create that atmosphere of partnership among your workers, productivity will increase as they all set out to contribute to their part to team responsibilities.
Public relations is an integral part to success for any business, but you can’t soley think of it in terms of an external firm that does the job for you. Public relations begins within your company itself and it is reflected through each person who comes into contact with your customer base. Your team should also be the ones who know and understand what it is your public relations firm is doing for your brand and like many of the brands I work with on a daily basis, they should absolutely understand all of the aspects of public relations. While it is our job to market your brand and establish rapport with your targeted customer base, it is also our relationship with your team that will assist in the achievement and success of your goals.
Have you looked at communication as the key to your brand’s success?
Posted by Shannon Nelson on February 28, 2007 10:07 PM
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