Public relations have become a key factor in the positioning and reputation of companies, as they are the tool with which relationships are developed with the media and, through them, with the different strategic publics that the organization may have.
John Marston, author of the book Modern Public Relations, was one of the first to define this concept in 1988, stating that “it constitutes the administrative function that evaluates public attitudes, identifies the policies and procedures of an organization with the public interest, and executes a program of action and communication to gain public understanding and acceptance.” (Marston. 1998:12).
In order to achieve greater assertiveness and effectiveness when transmitting company messages, here are five tips that can help you improve public relations and reach more people.
Understand the company context.
It is important to understand how the company operates, to know the industry, to know what it is doing, how it is doing it, who its competitors are, as well as its goals and priorities.
This will provide clarity to the team when designing objectives, knowing what they want to communicate, what the key messages they want to share are, and the audiences they want to reach. We need to stay aware of news that could affect the company or the sector in which it operates, and take advantage of informative junctures.
Identify the target audiences
Once it is defined who the company's communication will be directed to and they are categorized by profiles, it is necessary to research the needs of the different groups to segment the messages and have effective communication. Depending on the needs and characteristics, strategies and messages will be designed.
Create a calendar
This will not only help organize deliveries, meetings, and events, but will also help keep track of important dates, such as holidays or political, social, and cultural events that may affect the brand, or opportunities for participation and positioning. It is ideal to mark press conferences, the publication of articles of interest, seminars, and workshops according to their key communication moments.
Identify key media and journalists
It is necessary to identify which ones are directed at target audiences and focus on developing a relationship with them; to know who the journalists and sources covering them are, in order to offer them information that adds value.
Each medium has different dynamics, so you should look for the best time to speak with the journalist without interfering with deadlines or broadcasts. The message must be concise, easy to understand, and clearly identify the news.
Speed is essential when responding to journalists' requests, so it's ideal to have information pre-approved by spokespersons to answer these questionnaires. All data must be confirmed and truthful, thus building a relationship of trust.
Develop valuable content
Journalists receive a lot of information from different brands daily, so it's important to stand out and offer content with quality figures and data that allows them to create interesting content for their readers.
Infographics, videos, and audio can be good input for journalists, especially for television and radio reporters who need more than just a written statement.
Care must be taken with the brand's prominence in the newsletter, as too many mentions or lack of valuable information can turn it into commercial content.
To learn more about managing public relations efficiently and to understand the communications market in Colombia, we invite you to follow us on our social media as @gjcomunicaciones.
Follow us on our social media as @gjcomunicaciones
Laura Alejandra Neira
Account Director
