Firm roots in the past, with an eye on the future
Pondview Lavender Farm: A budding business
April 21, 2023
As public relations (PR) practitioners and communicators, a lot of our workday is spent crafting messages, including drafting news releases, social media copy, presentations and marketing materials and so much more.
We take pride in doing it well – being straightforward, clear and understandable and achieving positive results for our clients.
But every time we click on the “send” or “post” button, we know there is a possibility someone may misunderstand or intentionally manipulate or miscommunicate the content.
Yet not having control after pressing send doesn’t mean we stop our PR efforts.
Why?
Because knowing the conversation is going somewhere – even if it’s not where you intended – means someone is listening and paying attention to what you shared.
A watchful eye
The key to maintaining and regaining your core messaging is trust, monitoring, listening and responding when needed or appropriate.
Media monitoring and social listening are crucial at all times, not just when keeping a watchful eye on certain messaging.
Check your social media accounts for questions, comments and messages at least once a day, if not more often.
The bigger the organization, or if you tend to get a lot of comments and replies, check more frequently during business hours to ensure you respond in a timely manner.
Another tip often overlooked – be sure to respond to positive messaging as frequently as possible.
Even a simple “thank you” will show you’re paying attention and appreciating their comments. Plus, responding to comments keeps those comments higher in a feed, which is always a good thing.
Negative or incorrect messages may need to be handled as well but don’t jump in without a strategy.
If there’s something you can fix, do it and let them know.
If it’s an off-base comment, your supporters and fans will often stand up for you, so you don’t have to wade into a negative conversation.
If something is totally misconstrued or the person doesn’t give up, you have to decide how long to let it go before taking the last ditch step of blocking someone.
Up-to-date website
Another avenue for ensuring consistent messaging is by keeping your website up to date.
The general public will often check your social media platforms for company news first, followed by your website.
As much as we would prefer they go to a website first, social media can be easier for people to navigate and find what they’re looking for.
Websites tend to take up more room on the screen and are often more visual (particularly websites with thumbnails or areas dedicated to photos).
Business and organization websites should have a space for published news releases, blogs, articles, announcements and media coverage.
Again, this keeps your messaging front and center for the public to view and learn who you are – directly from you.
Also, keeping this information up to date on your website is great for search engine optimization (SEO), which in turn is also a great way to keep your message relevant.
At the end of the day, although we can’t control everything, it’s still important for your business or organization to share news with others.
Think of it as a communications version of “Keep Calm and Carry On.”
Allison Barnes is an account executive at Leonard & Finco Public Relations.
