Effective public relations are a key facet of every successful enterprise. PR campaigns allow a conversation to take place between the organization and its clients, customers, and other stakeholders. This can be incredibly important for a variety of reasons. Well-planned PR activities serve to build brand awareness, improve brand loyalty, and keep the public informed about a business’s achievements and ongoing activities.
There are a wide range of ways in which businesses can undertake PR campaigns. Obvious examples include sending out press releases and staging public presentations for new product lines. However, it must also be understood that businesses today need to be seen to operate in an ethical and socially responsible manner, as well as promote their products and services effectively. In this article, three unique ways in which businesses can improve their public image will be described in detail.
Engaging in ethical investment and trading
In 2023, all businesses must operate and trade ethically. The public is increasingly aware of companies that operate unethically or engage in dubious business practices. With the rise of the internet, individuals have rapid access to business information and receive news updates on their smart devices on demand. In recent years, many businesses have been found guilty of indulging in corrupt or unethical practices and you can read more with specific examples here.
In an age where companies take part in trading to seek out investment opportunities for risk diversification, there must also be the recognition that these investments must be ethically sound. Put simply, investing in companies that are engaged in the production of weapons or have little regard for environmental responsibility will also make the investing company suffer from poor public relations.
Supporting grassroots organizations
A highly effective way to improve your organization’s PR is to support grassroots organizations or movements. Ideally, the values of these organizations should resonate with your customer base and match their values and aspirations. Non-profit organizations that seek to improve local communities and raise living standards are popular choices. The key is to fully understand your target market and then use this information to support a cause that your customers would wish to support themselves.
In the last decade, an increasing number of firms have supported worthy causes that are linked to their core values and those of their target markets. Organizations that support and protect the environment are almost universally popular with consumers in an age where climate change is now a recognized fact. You can read some examples of grassroots organizations that are striving to improve the environment by clicking here.
Providing honest product descriptions and product quality
As a brief final point, businesses can improve their PR simply by being honest in their daily activities. This extends to creating product descriptions that do not exaggerate the benefits of the item and ensuring that quality levels remain high and consistent across all product lines. Many people will remember the Volkswagen emissions scandal (where the car company made false claims about the emissions of some of its vehicles) and the detrimental effects this had on its brand image. In short, companies must strive to be honest in all facets of their operations to improve brand loyalty and their public image.
