What’s the most important part of public relations? You might think that the answer is in the word “public”—in other words, how wide an audience you can reach with information about your organization. However, an equal amount of attention needs to be focused on the “relations” component of PR. PR is less a set of tried-and-true formulas for communicating with customers, and more a discipline of building trust. The relationships you cultivate with audiences will ultimately determine your company’s success or failure.
This is borne out in recent conversations across cyberspace about the role of “influencers” in social media marketing. According to data from the PR firm Edelman, more and more existing and prospective consumers turn to trusted technical experts, academic experts, peers, and even CEOs for information on what products to buy. These “influencers” are opinion leaders because they have earned a given population’s trust and can therefore powerfully affect consumers’ purchasing choices.
As one author describes it, “Influencer marketing is yesterday’s word-of-mouth marketing on steroids.” Interestingly enough, even though 21st-century consumers seem to prefer the “old-fashioned” concept of trust when deciding to make a purchase, the media they trust have shifted significantly. Edelman’s data also revealed that millennials tend to place their trust in search engines and social media more than traditional avenues.
Whether your business uses primarily traditional or online marketing in its approach, it’s safe to say that you’ll see greater results only if you use public relations to cultivate trust and build relationships with the clients that matter to you. This will strengthen brand loyalty, as people will genuinely enjoy your brand and your product. Some of our most successful clients have already developed relationships with customers who love them and what they do, and it shows.
The Public Relations and Marketing Group, LLC (PRMG) can help your organization develop a comprehensive public relations plan to connect with your audiences. As a full-service public relations, marketing and digital advertising agency, we understand the public with which your business is likely to interact, and we can connect you with influencers who will further help you develop a relationship of trust with consumers. If you have any questions about our social media or other marketing services, please contact us at (631) 207-1057 ext. 107 or at johnzaher@theprmg.com.
