At the heart of a robust public relations program beats five foundational elements that, when combined strategically, are critical to the ongoing reputational health (and success) of any business, government body or nonprofit organisation.
I call them PR’s VITAL signs, and they are:
VISIBILITY
INFLUENCE
TRUST
ADVOCACY
LEADERSHIP
WHAT ABOUT YOUR COMPANY OR ORGANISATION?
- Does it have an ongoing visible presence in the marketplace or community in which you operate?
- Are you able to have an impact by motivating people to take a specific course of action?
- Do people trust your brand?
- Are you purposefully building and cultivating a base of fans, allies and champions of your organisation, people who will spread word positively about your brand and if necessary go into bat for you if and when the shit hits the fan?
- Is your business or organisation considered to be a leader in its field or the community or industry in which you operate?
While a solid spread of these keystone elements of PR will help businesses and organisations grow and fortify their brand and reputation, I’m cognisant an organisation’s goals will ultimately dictate those areas where extra heft is needed.
That said, I am in no doubt the organisations that leverage the power of owned, earned and social media (not just media relations!) to strategically build visibility, influence, trust, advocacy and leadership in the marketplace ongoing, over time, will be those that are in the best position to thrive in tomorrow’s increasingly complex, noisy and ever-changing world.
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VIDEO PRESENTATION: Watch Trevor Young on building trust and reputation through content marketing!
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