Five Ways to Grow Your Business (with PR)

Tell Others About What You’re Doing - Wow, that seems ridiculously simple, but in today’s difficult economic climate, it’s often a step that is overlooked because it’s deemed “too expensive” to reach out and tell others what’s going on in your business. But that’s not really the case. The phrase “penny wise and pound foolish” comes to mind, because if you don’t spend a little to tell your community the good things you’re doing, they will simply never know. And you can’t grow if people don’t know you.

Keep Your Current Customers in the Loop - A newsletter, either printed to be distributed at point of purchase in your store, or via email or even a blog, will keep your customers in the know” about what you’re doing. Offering exclusive offers to those who sign up for your electronic newsletter or take a printed copy, will reinforce how you really feel about them. After all, no customers, no business.

Always Be Closing (On New Customers) - While being in “business” mode all the time can be overkill (and annoying to others) it’s simply makes sense to be on the lookout for new clients and get them in the “pipeline” by pitching your services to them. A great way to do this is to have an “elevator pitch” - a quick way to tell others about what you do and what you can do for them. That’s just one good tool in your toolbox designed to seek out new clients by spreading the word about what you can do for them. A PR consultant can help you rehearse that pitch and hone messages that will attract customers..

Bring “New” Things to the Table - Using the methods we discussed above, let your customers know about your new products, new services, new procedures, and even new employees. All are excuses, if you will, to stay in touch with your customers, and attract new ones. And let’s face it, “New” sells, in part because it shows you’re innovating and remaining fresh. Customers like that.

Seek Out Creative Help - Letting someone else take a crack at spreading the word about your business can be kind of scary for some, but letting go and letting others let their creative juices a shot can invigorate your business and give it new life. New approaches, new pitches, and new insights into possible new customer bases that you had never thought of before are just a few benefits to letting a public relations consultant assist your business. PR can often maximize the message while minimizing (or eliminating) your advertising dollar.

If you need help doing any of these things, Abbott Public Relations can be your partner, offering creative and innovative ways to get your message to the right customer.

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Don’t Need PR When You’re Doing 'Fine'? Think Again.

"I'm doing fine, right now. I don't need anyone to do PR for me."

Uh-oh. I've heard this several times now in the past few weeks and it's potentially a very dangerous attitude.

Anyone who's doing "fine" in these tough economic times should be very grateful - or they have “defined down" what "fine" actually means. Either way, kudos to you if that's how you feel.

One need only hearken back to late 2008 and earlier this year to remember what it means NOT to be doing fine. No one needs a reminder that the economy fell off a cliff, and while it's been clawing its way back ever since, it's not there yet for most businesses.

But back to doing "fine." Even if that is the case, there's no guarantee that your business will continue to do so. Whether it's government stimulus money or some other program that's artificially propping up your profession and spurring temporary spending, or whether you simply, and suddenly, have enough business NOW (for the first time in a long time) you shouldn't take public relations for granted.

PR can lay the groundwork for consistent, sustained growth. A few simple steps right now can not only keep your name in front of the customers you may need in the near future, it can also build your reputation amongst those who don’t even know they need your product or services, and can make everyone feel better about you, even if they never need to call on you.

Not investing in PR when you have no business is almost understandable (although that, too, is a poor idea.)

But not effectively working to promote yourself and your business when things are seemingly picking up is a potentially dangerous idea.

Bottom line: Don't be lulled into thinking things are going to automatically go back to what they were without any effort to reach old and new customers with public relations. Because they won't.

Feel free to call Abbott PR today for a free consultation. 603-785-7796.

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Taking Online Libel Cases Public Poses More Danger to Reputation

A libel suit filed by a Knoxville marketing firm illustrates the dangers of reputation on the Internet - and how delicate the balance is between solving a problem and perhaps making it worse.

Knoxvillenews.com reports that a Knoxville marketing firm filed a $2 million libel lawsuit against a former client, claiming comments posted on Facebook and Twitter have hurt its reputation:

According to the suit, [the restaurant owner] defamed the marketing firm in two Aug. 17 Facebook entries that said, "Do not EVER use [-----] mktg. firm!" and "CROOKS! - Stolen email list, and have tried to pressure me by threat of lawsuit to sign a 'license agreement' to use their mktg materials."

The next day saw more potentially damaging posts, of the same nature, naming the marketing firm, and claiming they had “hacked” into the restaurant’s facebook page and taken it offline. (It’s back online, with almost as many friends as before.)

This dispute is probably like many others throughout the country and indeed, may never have been noticed even by local media.

But the kicker is this line from the story:

The posts were published to more than 300 Facebook friends of [the restaurant] and 247 followers on Twitter, according to the suit.

The fact that less than 300 people on facebook and 247 on twitter heard about this fiasco beforehand. Now, not only do tens of thousands of Knoxville residents know about the accusations, millions throughout the world do, since this was posted online.

Before, they had badmouthed the firm to a few hundred people online (and a few more in the restaurant.) Now, not only has all of Knoxville become aware of this dispute, the entire online world knows.

One has to use responsible words even on social media sites, and “crooks!” is pretty strong and defamatory language, and that’s unacceptable.

And making things worse by spreading the defamatory comments has always been a danger with lawsuits.

But in today’s interconnected world, the “audience” isn’t just Knoxville, it’s tens of millions of people in cities and towns across the world who now know what was said, and about whom, making managing that firm’s image all the more difficult.

The lesson here is (from purely a reputation management viewpoint) if the grievance is tolerable, or minor, consider letting it go, or binding arbitration, or a settlement with a clause not to discuss it further or online.

Be aware that your lawyer may see it differently, and other cases may be so egregious that they demand legal action.

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