In a world where we have become attached to those little devices that include our favorite apps such as Instagram, Twitter and Candy Crush, some may be wondering do people even have conversations any more? Is it all texting and emailing even when we are sitting in the same room scrolling through the same pictures, only looking up to chuckle with our friends when we see the same funny cat meme?
Listening and having a conversation may seem like a thing of the past, but in reality listening is the best way to build a powerful relationship especially in business. In this digital age many companies are turning to social media to build a better following and reach more people. In theory that is great and you know what content your business wants to put out to gain more traction. However, it is always a good idea to take a step back to look around at what your followers, along with the people in the community, actually want out of your business. That is where we come in.
As public relations professionals we are storytellers. We reach out to local, regional and national media outlets to help businesses target a much larger audience. PR helps people listen to a company rather than only seeing what said company may post to Instagram. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, that picture may be translated in many different ways. In PR we help create the message your business wants to send out in a positive way to get people intrigued and ready to listen.
One of the more common ways PR makes people listen to a business is by sending out press releases, op-eds and securing media segments. Connecting through multiple platforms across a community publicizes your business or event to the extent that you are not only being heard, but people want to know more. Public Relations can help turn what may seem like a small event, into one of the biggest events of the year simply by listening to what the people want.
While social media is a great tool to use for a business or event, make sure to step away from the screen to truly listen to clients and the people in the community. Also, always listen to a PR pro, we tell the best stories.