Seven PR Rules Every Organization Should Know

By Debbe Garry, President & CEO | June 10, 2019

As your organization reviews your 2019 marketing communications plan, now is the ideal time to review the seven rules on which all successful public relations programs rely:

1. PR is about building relationships. In other words, public relations uses a variety of communications strategies and techniques, including media outreach, to establish an ongoing dialogue with your key audiences based on empathy, commitment, transparency, trust and mutual benefit to build brand loyalty.
2. Media coverage is just the first stop on the way to your final destination. Securing positive press coverage should never be the final goal. Getting quoted, or publishing an article, in a credible media outlet helps demonstrate that you understand your customers’ needs.
3. Facts matter more than ever. Time just named “Journalists Fighting the ‘War on Truth’” as 2018 Person of the Year, citing the physical and career risks reporters take to gather and report accurate news. Sharing information that doesn’t accurately portray your organization is the quickest way to destroy trust and goodwill.
4. Tell your story before others tell it for you. Rumors spread as quickly as truths. Organizations that proactively share information with employees, customers and reporters earn far more loyalty than those that constantly deem even the most innocuous data confidential.
5. Dress content appropriately. Content may be king, but make sure your king is properly attired. Work with content developers who possess the skill to translate complex concepts into plain English and write in a clean, unpretentious style free of passive voice, annoying jargon and confusing acronyms.
6. Feed and nurture. When was the last time you called a client or customer just to check in? When did you last speak at an industry conference or write an editorial? Do you actively solicit feedback from your customers and/or other target audiences? Is someone responding to comments posted on your Facebook or LinkedIn page? You have to continuously nurture your business relationships if you want them to thrive.
7. Same message, different format. People need to hear (and see) the same message multiple times before absorbing it. Consistently repeat your core messages, whether communicating in person, in print or online. Eventually, the message will resonate.