The Public Relations Blog

This is one story about PR and small businesses. Read How small companies do PR and what big companies can learn from them, 5 Things big companies know about PR that small businesses can learn from them, PR firms should avoid startups, and Why small businesses struggle with PR firms for more.

When you combine smart spending with strategic planning, your company wins

In 1971, two teachers and a writer in Seattle opened a shop to sell coffee, teas and spices for customers to take home and brew on their own. That was the birth of Starbucks. Facebook began in a dorm room and was only meant to be a method of communicating between Harvard University students. Every business starts small, but thinking big can bring you incredible success. Sometimes, all it takes is the right mix of bold courage, hard work and good public relations.

Improving your brand’s online reputation

When your company gets negative press, you may hesitate to publish anything online in your defense for fear of fueling the fire. It’s a Catch-22 because if you don’t control your message, everyone else will. If you are ready for your customers to move beyond a recent incident, here is how you can be heard through the firestorm.

Use PR to ensure your image remains intact

Ben Franklin once said, “It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it.” Just look at some Google searches as proof. It seems the worst news always rises to the top. When it comes to online reputation, the stakes are high.

Reputation management: The importance of monitoring what the internet says about your company.

Most of us can recall a time when someone was talking about us behind our back. It certainly didn’t feel good to know that these conversations were happening or rumors were surfacing, and most of us felt helpless to shift the tide. Often, it took confronting those who seemed in conflict with us to clear the air, and even then, remnants of the initial sabotage lived on, regardless of whether it was true or not.

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.

PR can show you how to come out on top

Social media is a very dynamic environment in which people respond quickly and in real time. Your content can go viral in a matter of minutes. When that happens, it increases your brand awareness and provides some great PR opportunities. But things can go south, too, and your content could attract a slew of negative comments. The situation could even escalate enough to damage your brand name.

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.

Why you should let PR manage this crucial task

Your CEO guides the company’s strategic vision, leads the team and decides where the money will go. Whether the company thrives or goes down in flames is often her responsibility. She also serves as the public face of your organization. With so much riding on her shoulders, it’s critical to protect the reputation of your CEO.

Is your company doing all it can to attract and retain the best and brightest employees?

Many companies still believe that all it takes to attract the best and brightest job applicants is to offer a competitive salary and benefits. Smarter companies have learned that, these days, it takes much more. Which of these sound like your company?

Beyond salary, companies must strive to build an environment that considers many important elements, including work-life balance, opportunities for career development and advancement, training and office culture. Axia Public Relations is here to help with tips for how to promote your workplace excellence and culture as well as earn award recognition as one of the Best Places to Work.

How your company should respond to a social media attack

A great illustration of mob mentality is the scene in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast when the townspeople amass and call for the Beast’s head. Can you imagine what that would be like today if the mob flocked to social media and the Beast was a company that people felt had “wronged” them in some way? The Beast would have a sea of virtual torches and pitchforks at his company’s door. Without a PR firm, that business could be doomed.

Navigating social media and the public can be tricky. A single negative post concerning even a well-established company can go viral in an instant.