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Company Blogs as a Public Relations Tool

Company Blogs as a Public Relations Tool

Unlike other forms of public relations and sales, promotion blogging allows a company’s website an opportunity to have a dialogue with their customers, suppliers, and their employees. Blogs as a medium of communication can introduce new products, services, address rumors, and share news.

The benefits of the comments section allow your readers to give you input. There are positive comments and constructive criticism which are both helpful in developing your style of writing. Unfortunately, there are the trolls who will be deprecating, insulting and vulgar, ignore them.

Before you start a blog ask yourself what is the purpose of your blog and what information are you trying to convey to your readers. A year ago, I took on the duties of writing blog articles for Keystone Business brokers. Originally, I was focused on news articles dealing with how small businesses are dealing with the Covid-19 crises. My primary emphasis was curating news that I’d read and seen on TV. Unfortunately, I received very few comments.

Before my current job I was a marketing and entrepreneurship professor for a major university from where I retired. I decided to post a series of articles about the “4 P’s of Marketing.” To my amazement, there were hundreds of comments posted to our site. This was when I found my voice on the blogosphere. Since then the articles that I’ve written have been focused on educating my readers about marketing and small business management. Unlike teaching business theory to college students my blog posts are focused on the practical application of strategies and tactics.

One of the comments that have guided me on my journey of writing was to keep my posts short (300 to 400 words). Some readers have commented they wished that I would give more information on the topics. My compromise has been to give an overview of the topic and add website addresses for more detailed information.

SCORE Website: 10 Reasons to Keep an Active Business Blog

https://www.score.org/blog/10-reasons-keep-active-business-blog 

US Department of the Interior / Digital Media Guide

https://www.doi.gov/employees/dmguide/website-and-social-media-basics 

How to Start a WordPress Blog

https://www.wpbeginner.com/start-a-wordpress-blog/

In closing, write what you know and share your knowledge with your readers. Provide information your followers can use, give them a reason to follow you.

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Sponsorship an Effective Public Relations Strategy

Recently, my colleague Dennis, and I stopped at a coffee and donut shop to discuss business strategy. During that visit, I noticed that the display which included photos, trophies, and memorabilia of a little league that they sponsored was no longer there. The back of the establishment that was a TV lounge with pillowed chairs was closed off, obviously due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Those of us that frequented the establishment were impressed by the owner’s support of youth sports. Sports events are the most popular by far at an estimated 69% of sponsorship.

As the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania start to relax restrictions in the coming months, sponsorship is a PR strategy that enhances the reputation of a business within its community. Sponsorship is one of the fastest-growing forms of marketing promotions.  Causes require a for-profit business to partner with a non-profit organization. This strategy includes contributing a portion of the sales to the non-profit.  The attendees of the event are informed that a set percentage of sales will be donated and a deadline given for the purchase. Sponsoring events to improve the stature of a company by being linked to a worthy cause, and resulting in increased sales and profits.

Another advantage of sponsorship is that it is a cost-effective way of reaching your targeted customers. With traditional advertising, you are paying the media to promote your products to a mass audience of consumers that have no interest, this is referred to as the shotgun approach. Sponsorship allows you to target the customers that you are trying to reach.

Courting local media gives the non-profit and your company coverage that is free advertising with much more credibility than paid promotions.

A hypothetical example is a sporting goods company specializing in tennis equipment, sponsoring a tennis tournament, supplying equipment to top players for endorsements, and donating a percentage of sales to the charity fundraiser. This is a WIN-WIN for all parties involved.

Reference:

Weigold M, and Arens W. (2015) ADVERTISING, 3e.   Dubuque:  McGraw Hill