The Public Relations Blog

4 ways to use PR proactively for increased profitability

When you want to communicate better with your customers, build relationships, solve problems, boost credibility and influence buyer decisions, who do you call? You may be surprised to learn that the answer is a public relations firm.

If you only use public relations when there is a crisis, then your business could be in trouble. Even worse, you are falling behind your competitors who do use PR to its full advantage. It’s in your best interest to learn more about this important field and how it can deliver results.

Avoid these issues and keep your company off this list

Nobody’s perfect. We’ve all made mistakes we’d like to forget. Still, some companies make goofs that will live in infamy, especially when it comes to social media.

The very nature of social media means missteps become memorable and fails quickly go viral. With the ability to connect with millions of consumers and spread your company’s messages worldwide comes the possibility for gaffes on a global scale. Here are a few of our favorites.

A checklist before worst-case events so you perform well in any incident

One of the ways that first responders prepare is to practice. Police, fire and emergency medical personnel prepare themselves for certain situations so that good habits are strengthened and surprises don’t negatively impact their refined skills.

You can prepare too, with public relations. Composing statements on issues that concern risk management in your industry (or things that have happened previously – to you or your competition) means you don’t have to think about everything on your feet.

Not long ago, the Axia team blogged about dark sites – what they are and why they exist. But some may question their value in this age of rapid-fire, immediate communication. Now we take an in-depth look at dark sites and why we need them.

Available since the dawn of the Internet, dark sites are optimized, informative web pages that temporarily reside in the deep web of the Internet. Given limitless coding options, the Internet has layers like an onion.

PR communications in a crisis must be handled with empathy and sensitivity

Given the reality of 24-hour news, both large and small events receive intense scrutiny during a crisis. The larger networks, in an effort to cater to the American public, will switch to real-time events. Any type of news – good or bad – can become top billing in today’s news cycle. Stock market gains, job market changes or violent crises all can take the main stage for viewership.

How to use a PR nightmare to help you improve your bottom line

The country’s current social climate is an opportunity for better public relations between PR firms and their clients. One of the best examples arose recently at the University of Missouri, and smart companies are paying attention and making changes.

Understanding an important tool for crisis management

Experienced PR firms that are skilled in crisis communications work closely with their clients to build “dark sites” (aka blind sites, black sites or ghost sites). Dark sites are fully functional, pre-packaged web pages prepared for immediate publishing in the event of a crisis. Dark sites are so named because they reside in a different layer of the Internet than the layer most of us typically use, and their main purpose is to communicate accurate and timely information, given the immediacy of viral social media.

Use PR to solve problems, build your customer base and achieve results

Engineering firms today face a challenging marketplace. In order to stay ahead of the competition, you need to increase your visibility, prove that you add value and differentiate yourself as an industry leader. Help from PR can make these vital tasks easier.

To engage clients, handle crises and communicate effectively with target audiences, every kind of business requires assistance from experts who excel in these areas.

Before your next public event or speech, consult with PR

Dr. Ben Carson is widely considered to be one of the more likeable and honest of the Republican candidates running for president. Nonetheless, his ride has not been completely smooth. The media is now accusing him of lying and exaggerating his credentials.

This kind of allegation is damaging, whether you’re a candidate for the country’s top job or CEO of a corporation. Using PR tools and tactics can help get you out of this type of crisis, but only if they are done correctly.

Late Friday night, when gunfire and blasts took the lives of at least 128 people in Paris, the world turned to social media for updates on the tumultuous situation. Among the tweets of condolence, sadness and worry, there was the occasional corporate tweet about products, the sporadic blogger pushing his posts and some of the usual whimsical content you find on Twitter.

While social media is a fun way to connect with consumers and prospects, it’s also a source for news and community-building during times of tragedy.