Have you ever experienced that unfathomable fear when you’re presented with the prospect of communicating what it is you do? Some of us are more modest than others and let’s face it, some people just love to talk about themselves, but when you are in the business of providing a service or a product, talking about yourself should be a top priority.when you are in the business of providing a service or a product, talking about yourself should be a top priority
In the PR world this is termed as ‘engaging your audience’. Public relations has a very specific role here; for any business seeking to maintain the interest of its customers, or when seeking new customers, communicating is essential.
I recently experienced trepidation to communicate from a company associated with the care sector. There were two issues; firstly they felt they didn’t have to communicate because they never had, and secondly if they did communicate it could invite negative media interest.
If you are faced with this response, or indeed have that view yourself just take a moment to think about what is more important: Controlling what is said about you – or not. Only you can create wider awareness and understanding about what it is you do and with my tips you’ll find the confidence and clarity to do just that.
Be transparent
The first step is to control what is said about you. This isn’t about crafting PR sales fluff, this should honestly and openly reflect who you are – be transparent. You could choose to engage your local media with corporate news concerning recent appointments, expansion plans and investments. Similarly, you could engage your customers directly through holding open days or creating informative newsletters. Whichever route you choose, you are allowing potential and continuing customers to build the trust and faith they look for when developing a relationship with you.
Be positive
Be positive about what you do, people are always interested to hear about what it is you do, it’s just how it’s presented that’s the key. Stay away from negativity, no one likes to be presented with doom and gloom. Share what is good about your business; share it through the third party – the customer. Maybe you have received a fabulous testimonial about how your product has helped someone or impacted positively on their life. This is the true face of what it is you do, communicate it, let the press know and share the human aspect of your business.
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Share the enthusiasm and energy you have for your business. You can’t expect your customers to be enthusiastic or energetic about your business if you don’t lead by example. If you pride yourself on providing an exceptional service, tell people about it. If you go above and beyond to ensure your staff benefit from continuous professional development, tell people about it. It is your values, commitments and dedication to your business that people want to learn about. If they don’t know how can they share it?
You may think no one is interested in what you do but like any social situation we always enjoy the company of those people who have something interesting to say. Be one of those people and allow people to get to know you and like you.