One month ago we started the sales campaigns for the first ever global marketing event to take place in the Croatia 1 – 2 March and the second edition of the largest PR event in Serbia which will take place 8-9 March in Belgrade, Serbia. Please do accept my apologies if the beginning of my post sounds like a self promotion. I can assure you that that is not my point.
For our sales campaigns we pretty much target all the leading companies in the region. Daily we talk with hundreds of marketing and PR professionals and with time I have realized that the number of marketing professionals in one company is much bigger than the number of PR professionals. You would be surprised how many huge corporations have only one person doing the company’s PR. The more surprising thing is that some big companies do not even have a PR department. I think 2012 is going to change that.
In times of recession and small budgets, sadly but true, marketing is seen as a huge cost. In 2008 many of the companies we worked with slashed their marketing departments by half. Some of them wiped out their marketing departments completely and outsourced the function to marketing agencies. Not surprisingly, their PR departments were left intact. Amazingly, some of them even increased the number of PR staff. The reason for this is simple, PR in many cases is more effective than PR and most importantly (sorry all marketing people), costs less.
A decent marketing campaign can cost the company a lot. You first need a very good team to develop the marketing plan. This is the cheaper part. The expensive part is implementing that marketing plan. We all know that marketing campaigns can cost a lot and unfortunately in today’s unpredictable world, they can fail with the blink of an eye. That is when PR steps in. Good PR people know, for a PR campaign you do not need a huge budget, just good relationships with the media. ( I am talking here about real PR professionals. Unfortunately in our region, there are still many PR professionals that do not know a thing about PR. If your PR person is for show off, please ignore my article).
In times of economic uncertainty and global meltdown, PR can be your company’s strongest asset. You need to use your PR department to distinguish your company from your competitors. You need your competitors’ customers to survive. With good PR you can make them your customers. How? Simply by getting the message out there of why your products are better. A good PR manager will understand your competitor’s weaknesses and use them for your advantage. The public needs to know why you are better than the others. Once you establish yourself as a market leader, everything will be easier. Here are some other advices that will help you understand the importance of public relations and its effect when the implementation is done correctly.
1. First and foremost, if you do not have a PR manager please do get one ASAP. In times of crisis, your company’s reputation is on the line and you need someone that will protect and maintain that reputation. As a CEO, you cannot afford to destroy your company’s reputation. In today’s world, one small mistake can shutdown an entire corporation. A good PR manager will help you analyze and understand the public’s opinion and will help you create an image that suits the economic climate and your company’s position in the market
2. Do not wipe out the entire marketing department. Do the necessary downsizing but make sure all the right people are intact. Get them working really close with your PR department. You need to establish synergy between the two departments because while your marketing department will come up with the ideas, it will be your PR department that will do the implementation and the promotion
3. Create a unique message about your product and your company and get your PR department to constantly talk about the message. The moment when they are tired of hearing that message is the moment when the public will get the message. So, keep talking.
4. Advertising costs a lot but PR doesn’t. That is why it is extremely important to have those good relationships with the media. If you have not done it by now, start doing it. You cannot do PR without the journalists. They are your royal family. They need to feel loved and they need to be put on pedestal. Without them, there would not be such thing as PR. Massage them (some companies still send gifts to journalists—hey if that works, do it), do whatever is important but get them on your side. Once they are on your side make sure that you give them the right information. They receive hundreds of emails and phone calls a day; make sure your message is unique and interesting. If they like the message they will write about it.
5. Use PR to strengthen your CSR activities and improve your public image. Trust me, today your image is everything. The public is sick and tired of evil corporations. If you are the evil corporation, get your PR department to beautify your image. No one wants to work with slave owners anymore. Get your PR department do develop a CSR campaign that will have a positive effect on the community where you operate. You do not need big budgets for this. If you are an IT company, provide free computer training to retired people or to students. If you are Food Company, donate food to the homeless or to orphanage. Understand this, the key is not to spend any money but save money! The days when you flash that cheque and you have the reports taking your photos are done! Today you need to connect CSR with your company’s core business. That is the only way to save money but at the same time strengthen your public image. Your PR department can do this easily. Remember, your customers need to see you as a helping friend. Show them how your company can help them.
6. As a CEO, you are the face of your company. Get yourself in the media. Customers, shareholders, stakeholders, need to know you and understand you. I don’t understand CEO’s that are hiding behind their desks and act like they are the untouchable. Hallo—those days are over! Today’s as a CEO you need to be seen as a martyrs not as a corporate tyrant. Go, talk to your customers, and spread your message of understanding and compassion. Show the greatness of your company. Your PR department will help you set up interviews with the right medium. You can even start a blog. The important thing is to communicate. Once the public gets to know you, they will start believing your message.
7. You need your PR department to boost the internal moral of the company. External PR is important but internal is more important. If your employees love your brand they will spread the message when they leave work. They will talk about it to their friends, family. You get free publicity. But you need to get them in the picture. They are not your slaves. They are your ambassadors. Whenever your PR managers send a message out to the public, send that same message to your employees. Create the right atmosphere for them. Have that ambassadorial workforce and show everyone why your company is the leader.
8. Crisis situations happen on daily basis. In times of crisis, only your PR department can save you from a downfall. That is why it is extremely important to always keep your communication open with them. If something happens they will be the ones saving you’re a** *(pardon my French). Many CEOs make that mistake of not communicating the crisis with their PR department and that is why so many of them are now in jail! Your PR managers need to know everything. The good stuff and the bad stuff. They will prepare you for the worst and they will help you eliminate the chaos that you might cause if you act alone. Remember, your PR manager is your best friend and they want to protect you.
9. PR managers can be your sounding board and they are the ones that will bring you in reality. As I said before, if your PR manager is for show off, fire them now and get someone that will tell you that you are wrong when you are wrong. A strong CEO does not need a YES person. You need someone that will advise you and criticize you. A good PR manager will always try to protect you and your company so always listen to them. They will never do you harm. Only you can yourself harm by not listening to them. One of my close PR friends says that he is not a PR manager but he is the CEO of the CEO. Position PR like this and you will never fail.
10. Last but not least, never believe your own PR! The job of your PR department is to position you as a leader and showcase your company as a responsible company. If internally you are not responsible, not even the best PR Guru can save you! Remember, PR can help you a lot but only if you as a company have the right material to be a leader. The era of evil corporations is coming to an end.