The Public Relations Blog

Instead of being irritating with ads, connect emotionally with consumers

Internet users are tired of seeing your ads; it’s time for a new approach. Reaching consumers on an emotional and personal level will keep you fresh in their minds and set you apart from your competition. The best way to forge a deep connection is to laser-target your messages to specific audiences. Don’t worry if you’re not at the technological forefront of your field; as long as you make positive and memorable impressions on consumers, you can still lead the pack.

Martin Shkreli, CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, has the unique, highly intelligent and egotistical personality type some dub as a “cavalier CEO.”

A public relations professional’s job, like many others, comes with various stressors and road bumps that we must sensitively navigate to benefit the greater good. On the red carpet, few see the sweaty PR pro lugging mountains of company collateral, promotional swag and schedule binders to a trade event. Our jobs aren’t always glamorous and are frequently littered with deadlines, quick-turn requests and, of course, constant rejection from media.

Let PR show you how to use them for maximum advantage.

In the past, when customers were unhappy with your company, they simply let their wallets do the talking. Today’s consumers have numerous ways to let you know how they feel about your company, products and people. One of the most popular methods is online consumer and product reviews.

How your company handles these opinions can mean the difference between generating consumer loyalty and delivering customers directly to your competition.

This is one story in our series on how you can save money with a PR firm. Read about fourteen ways you can save with a PR firm as well.

Saving money is important, and you don’t have to sacrifice results to do it

I recently wrote an expert column for bizjournals.com and its network of 43 print and online business journals across the U.S. about how American companies can save money on their PR agency bills. These tips are very popular and I wanted to share a few more to provide additional special value for our blog readers.

Hint: You may need PR more than you realize

Today, your time will likely be filled with meetings with your direct reports to discuss matters of company performance, sales and finance. You may meet with prospective clients, sit in on a team-building session and try to squeeze in some personal and family time. This doesn’t leave much time to focus on PR.

If you think your business-to-business tech company doesn’t need PR, you are missing out on key opportunities to boost your visibility and grow your business.

Keep your LinkedIn page active

In the past, people treated LinkedIn simply as a tool for professionals to network with each other. Times are changing. Business pages are now important tools for sharing news about a company and for attracting professionals – as supporters, employees or potential employees – to the company.

In addition to September’s status as Ethics Awareness Month, the arrival of fall signals the beginning of professional and collegiate football, tailgating and, of course, the return of the NFL to news headlines. However, those headlines aren’t exclusively focused on superstars, injuries and scores; rather, the spotlight illuminates a 2015 scandal (“Deflate-gate”) that rocked the NFL mere months after several players’ public domestic violence incidences.

Media fame, whether or not it’s the result of a scandal, acts like a proverbial carrot dangled before business owners and investors who flock to it like moths to a flame. Intense paparazzi-style blitzes follow, especially when an ordinary organization takes on a high-profile staff member. Many companies fall prey to “hiring stunts” with very little actual return on investment beyond initial get-it-quick publicity.

Axia Public Relations’ guide is a must for anyone who works with or uses PR

Is your PR firm doing everything possible to contribute to your company’s success? You may have garnered a few media hits or organized a sensational event, but surely there must be more you can do. With the Axia Public Relations’ e-bookMaximizing Your Public Relations Investment, you can learn how to use PR for all its worth.

PR initiatives can help you at every stage of the sales cycle and assist in getting a jump on the competition, especially when you know how to use every possible tool and tactic. This helpful e-book is full of strategies and tips to help you keep up the momentum and extend the reach of your PR efforts.

In the world of art, every picture tells a story. In the world of business, every company has a story to tell. Successful companies know how to distill their narratives into compelling, brand-defining messages as artfully as a master storyteller.

In the crowded marketplace, companies that enlist the help of PR pros to strategically craft their messages increase their chances of standing out among competitors. But it’s not enough to print these key messages on marketing materials and publish them on web sites.