There was an interesting article in The Vancouver Sun last week (it also ran in the National Post, Montreal Gazette and several other daily newspapers) that says that PR is more vital than ever for business. Especially in the age of social media.
We knew that. We’ve known it for what seems like forever. This is a great time for communicators (aka PR people). An open, two-way conversation that is based on an organization living up to its promises and aligning to its values is what ethical PR people have been working towards for decades. For organizations with integrity and for organizations that want to improve, this is a great time to be in business. Your stakeholders and customers are ready to tell you what they want from you and how they feel. You just need to listen and want to authentically connect with them.
There is huge opportunity here for product development, customer research, and for connecting and partnering with your target market in a way that benefits everyone involved. And if something goes wrong, you can quickly identify the problem, address it and ensure that the people who have issue with your organization or product realize that you are engaged, care and are doing the right things.
Of course, for an organization that has something to hide, where the values are not aligned with the operation of the company and where they think they can “hide” or “spin” their way out of an issue – good luck. That mindset went out with Enron.
For reputation management and for proactive, positive PR for your organization you need a team that can develop a strategy, write a plan and execute using both traditional PR and social media tools.
If you want some assistance or support in this area, why not send us a quick email at info@ahacreative.com. We’d love to have a conversation!