By Emmanuel Bonoko (South Africa)
Managing Director, EBonoko Holdings
Most business owners know that Public Relations tactics are necessary for business expansion. However, where do they begin, and what are the most effective Public Relations strategies for entrepreneurs? To maintain a positive brand image, businesses have a duty, big or small, to build authentic relationships with customers and act ethically.
Why PR Is Important For Public Relations
First, we’ll look at why this art of Public Relations, which we adore so much, is so crucial for entrepreneurs.
You can learn much about the marketing and media industries by working in Public Relations. It teaches you how to speak in the voice of a specific brand. A Public Relations manager tries to change how people feel about something, whether it’s an influential leader, a product, a service, or a company brand. This can be communicated via events, billboards, marketing campaigns, and social media. It will teach you a lot about communication, which is important in any workplace.
As an entrepreneur, Public Relations will teach you how to communicate creatively. While it may not necessitate the same level of creativity as that of a writer, artist, or musician, it does necessitate creativity when coming up with ideas for marketing your message. You will have access to various communication channels, and you will be encouraged to examine them and comprehend the variety that comes with maintaining a particular brand or product’s public image, which will greatly benefit your company as it expands.
How To Use Public Relations To Kill It As An Entrepreneur
Let’s now examine how Public Relations can help an entrepreneur succeed. I’ve been doing Public Relations and marketing for ten years, and while I’ve worked with major brands and corporations, working with small and medium-sized businesses has been a blessing. Seeing them entering a boardroom without understanding their brand’s position brings me the most joy. We transform them into refined businesses that make an impact through hours of hard work.
First things first: We now have numerous opportunities to build Public Relations with our customers, thanks to social media. People today use social media first to learn about your business, see how your brand looks, and get an idea of how your products or services make them feel. You are giving people who engage with your brand a special treatment by being present on your social media accounts and interacting with them. This will help them remember your business the next time they need a solution. Your fan base will grow stronger the more adeptly you can build a close-knit community of followers. Be open to constructive criticism, like and respond to every comment, follow back your audience, and earn their loyalty. This is an important Public Relations move. The fact is that you can always improve your business model. Additionally, one of your clients might discover a loophole and promptly notify you.
Be the boss and respond to every negative review the same way you would to a positive one. An illustration of this might be, “Hello Tom, we’re sorry to hear about your experience, but we appreciate you bringing it to our attention! We’d love to give you a discount on your next visit if you send us a more in-depth overview via the contact form on our website.”
This way, in addition to conveying your sincere condolences, you will acquire additional information to prevent it from occurring again and secure a future sale by offering a discount! Kill them with kindness; giving them free stuff also works. Make sure your customers know how much you appreciate their business if you want your brand to expand its fan base and keep regular customers. This could take the form of handwritten notes of appreciation, a loyalty program with exclusive discounts, or a party to show your appreciation for your customers held at your store. In any case, you ought to incorporate unique personal touches that your customers will not find anywhere else.
Don’t worry; this doesn’t have to be a big deal or cost a lot of money. Offer to sponsor the event with a few coupons for your business or a sign-up to win a free consultation if you know of a local book club meeting or networking event down the street.
The goal is to raise awareness of the brand charitably. Be the public face of a company eager to engage in community service! This brings me to my following point.
There are small business owners out there who are aware of your journey to your current position. Although their stories may not exactly match yours, some parallels can provide insight into more effective business practices and a stronger community.
In terms of Public Relations, it’s important to do what you say. Support those in your position if your company was established with the community’s assistance, which contributed to the realisation of your dream. Do your part by following them on social media, commenting on their posts, sharing status updates, and promoting their events. I can promise you that they will do the same for you.
We cannot overstate the significance of employing such internal Public Relations procedures as a small business. We monitor and interact with our client’s social media accounts as part of our social media package, and also respond to reviews for review marketing.