In retail business, marketing is process of communication where there is a message to be delivered to possible clients. Also, this is where the business’ reputation and branding will be instilled to the customers which they will also discuss among each other.
It is important in marketing how people will perceive your brand. So the question is how can you influence your brand and what other people say about you. This is what we will discover and discuss below.
Good Public Relations, can go beyond maintaining a positive image in the public eye. It gives you a way to engage in reputation management while increasing the reach of your business.
But there’s also potential drawbacks here: this involve PR firms or marketing agencies who promise to help with public relations but gets a little bit pricey. That’s why outsourcing PR may not be a realistic option for retailers with limited budgets.
Thankfully, the world of PR doesn’t look the same as it used to — and that’s good news for retailers, especially those who don’t want to pay for press exposure.
Understanding Reputation Management
PR can be referred as any activity that helps you manage your reputation, or how the public perceives your brand. Ultimately, this depends to good — and frequent — communication.
PR is all about an entire process of communication between you and your audience through various mediums. It’s not just about buying advertisements or paying for people to give your company attention.
This is also why PR can provide considerably more value for you than traditional advertising. You receive attention from a third-party, be it a media outlet or an event or another type of influencer. That provides validation and makes the story you want to tell about your brand more believable.
Clearly, you have a exerted interest in positioning yourself in the best light when the news comes directly from you. By getting press and media attention, a separate entity is sharing information about you. It’s a great way to practice reputation management in a way that lends more credibility to your brand.
Public relations relies on earned attention. Which begs the obvious next question: How do you earn attention from decision-makers, media influencers, writers and reporters, industry insiders, and event organizers who can all help shine the spotlight of publicity on your brand?
And how do you earn that attention in the right way, so that you retain the control of your business’ reputation?
Handling Your Own PR and Reputation Management
In reputation management, there are three important elements to handle your own PR as a retailer: This refers to a compelling, interesting, and truly newsworthy story to share.
While great, high-quality content to help you communicate the story (which includes a press release, pitch emails, and supporting content for your PR campaign)
Also, strong connections and sincere relationships with members of the press can help you communicate your story to your audience.
Finally, here’s a bonus tip for you: the ability to clearly, quickly communicate when something unexpected comes up. Most of PR is proactive, meaning you’re actively managing your reputation by creating and sharing stories deliberately.