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18 May 2021
Branding, Public Relations, Social Media Permalink

What Are the Benefits of Social Media in Public Relations?

May 18, 2021

Find out the many benefits of social media in PR and how it can boost your brand and company. Read more from the PR experts on the Playbook PR blog.

As part of a comprehensive, results-driven public relations strategy, social media is key to keeping your brand relevant and driving ROI. Whether you are in the startup phase, an established business, or want to reinvigorate your company, there are many benefits of social media PR. Let’s dive in and see which benefits you are already seeing, and which strategies an experienced PR and marketing firm can help you accomplish.

Increases Brand Reach

Social media PR is the modern equivalent of word-of-mouth marketing. As you post, share, and network on social media, your brand will connect directly to your target audiences through the strategic use of hashtags, sponsored posts, and more. With engaging, relevant content, your top audiences will share your posts to their networks and help to increase your brand’s reach and follower count incrementally. Making key announcements on social media (think awards, launches, and updates), sharing expertise, and even social media event posting strategies help your brand to show a diversity of content that engages viewers. This also assists in attracting the interest of journalists and the media to learn about your brand and cover it in their publications, multimedia, or TV segments. PR pros will assist you with social media strategies to interact with the media online and get them to present your story angles and interview you for more details.

Builds Trust   

As your brand posts regular, useful content, your messages will get amplified and incrementally build trust. This helps to position your brand as an authority and keeps your messaging at the top of your target audiences’ minds. Beyond your loyal social media base, this facilitates attracting investors, business partners, and collaborators to grow your company. With guidance from a proven PR agency, your brand can work with influencers to exponentially grow your fan and customer base with their networks. Influencers with large digital followings can promote offerings, help your brand’s reputation, and skyrocket visibility for your key messaging.

Shows Human Side of Business

Since social media is more conversational, companies can show more of the behind-the-scenes about their brand and mission in a friendly tone. Instead of being so formal, social media allows for a more warm, approachable, and inviting communications strategy. The key is to keep consistent with this tone to keep your audiences’ trust. As social media is a two-way communication platform, this tone carries over to how your brand engages and interacts with the audience. A social media calendar, style guide, and regular posting strategy empower business owners and marketers to stay in the driver’s seat with their PR. Many companies also use social media to drive social impact. From corporate responsibility programs to charitable causes and beyond, social media assists in raising awareness about causes that matter to your brand and how your audiences can get involved. From hashtag campaigns to other interesting and impactful posts, social media can show the good you are doing in real-time.

Creates Measurable Results

With various social media platforms that your business can use, each has specific metrics that show you how posts, engagement, and more are doing. From these measurable results, you can refine which strategies are working best. PR agencies can help with social listening tools to further understand the social media landscape and how your social media strategies are working. Social media strategies can also be used to convert leads into customers, and your PR agency can help by testing which posts work best for sales, ROI, and other metrics that are important to your brand. From liking a post to commenting and sharing, every positive interaction gets the customer closer to a buying decision. Social media drives inbound traffic to your website and key links to help your buyer advance on the customer and user journey. Search engines also use a brand’s social media presence as a factor in search rankings. With a set of regularly used keywords and hashtags in social media, search engines will rank your brand higher than others who are not actively posting.      

With your competitors most likely also being on social media, other benefits of social media PR include the transparency of what the competition is doing. From competitive research to an analysis of unique offerings and PR angles, brands benefit from seeing what the competition is doing. Likewise, you can see brands that you are inspired by to develop your business’ best practices and potential partnerships that can give your brand a boost. 

Manages Relationships and Threats

In our increasingly connected and vocal world, social media is one of the first lines of defense when public commentary and threats emerge on a brand’s social media channels. From regular monitoring to ensure relationships are being upheld to reacting to threats swiftly, a social media crisis plan is important to have in advance. With the viral nature of social media posts, it’s key to be proactive about brand reputation crises and have spokespeople ready and trained in talking to the media with a PR agency’s guidance. By working with journalists and the media in advance of any crisis, your brand helps set the stage for when an issue does occur so the media shows a more balanced version of what happened.

Increases Affordability of Marketing

Versus ad campaigns in traditional media and billboards, social media PR is an affordable investment of your company’s time and money. With a trusted PR agency to carry out all the fine details on a daily and weekly basis, you can take a lot of the guesswork out of social media PR and marketing. Paid advertising on social media channels is also reasonable and a good way to focus on how you want the social media PR to convert into an ROI. 

Takeaway

A solid social media PR strategy and regular touchpoints can be a gamechanger for your brand, amplifying your message and allowing your brand to speak from a position of strength. Contact Playbook PR at (813) 789-7122 or online to determine the mix of traditional and social media that will work best for your business’ short and long-term goals.

30 Apr 2021
content marketing strategy, Public Relations, Social Media Permalink

What is Social Media PR?

April 30, 2021

What is social media PR? The PR experts from Playbook PR breakdown everything you need to know about social media PR. Read more on the blog.

Business owners have enough on their plate, so we understand when you come to a PR agency to make sense of the social media landscape to develop a more efficient and effective integrated marketing campaign strategy to get a better ROI. In today’s hyperspeed marketing environment where mainstay social media platforms go hand-in-hand with new trendsetting ways to reach audiences, you need a highly experienced social media PR firm to help guide the way.

Social Media PR

Social media PR is all about showing your unique offerings and how this helps the niche audiences that your service or product focuses on. Social media posting topics and calendars that account for regular posting, generating brand awareness, and converting likes into leads and sales will help direct your efforts. Collaborating with a PR agency assists businesses with taking the guesswork out of all the social media strategies that are essential for being relevant on these apps, including hashtagging to tagging, working with influencers, attracting the interest of journalists and collaborators, and beyond.

A choreographed social media strategy creates awareness about your brand on your terms. For example, a marketing campaign can launch with specific story pitches and press releases that allow for social media sharing capabilities, extend to social media posts, convert to media opportunities and speaking engagements, turn into long-form content opportunities – including videos – on company marketing channels and with external online websites and platforms where your target audiences frequent. Social media content categories are key to define for your audiences. Do they prefer more inspirational, educational, conversational, promotional, behind-the-scenes content or a mix of these elements to keep their interest, and your follower counts, increasing?

Content is King

Original, consistent, and branded social media content can be regularly measured and monitored by PR pros to help evaluate refinements, opportunities, and next steps. From customer conversations to media sentiment to guidance on what it takes for a post to go viral successfully, PR professionals know how to harness social media engagement for your benefit. As companies look for creative ways to maximize their marketing investment, some have instituted brand ambassador programs to get company perks for promoting them on social media. For an entryway into the newest social media apps, this can be a smart choice to capture the next generation of customers.

As with any online platform, reputation management becomes an important consideration in your social media PR strategy. It is essential to create a real-time crisis management plan in advance so that your outside PR team and internal spokespeople are on the same page for when this reality does occur. Handling crises swiftly, keeping focused on your company’s core values that can help turnaround the situation, and communicating the play-by-play externally, and giving access to top leadership in social media posts can do a lot to help damage control.

Social media and PR pros are an affordable extension of your team that are dedicated to lifting the burden of the ever-changing social media landscape and regular posting cycles that are essential to keeping your brand’s message at the top of your audiences’ minds. From amplifying your message to creating long-term social media PR plans, the experienced PR team at Playbook Public Relations is known for delivering unprecedented media exposure, captivating social media content, and exceeding expectations for clients. Contact Playbook Public Relations at (813) 789-7122 or online to re-energize your social media strategy.

25 Mar 2021
Blog, Branding, Business Advice, content marketing strategy, marketing advice, Public Relations Permalink

Public Relations vs Advertising: What’s the Difference?

March 25, 2021

Understand the difference between public relations and advertising from the PR experts at Playbook PR. Read more on the blog.

You know it’s time to increase your business’ reach and there are many strategies to execute to not only increase the awareness of your brand but get a better return on investment for your efforts too. Knowing the difference between public relations and advertising, who can help you bring focus to your action items, and when to use each of these levers can make a dramatic difference in your business’ success.

Public relations and advertising can be seen as two-star players in your playbook. PR is earned by making connections in the media and beyond whereas advertising is paid for and targeted to certain niche audiences. Public relations cast a wider net as it helps to create brand awareness and increases your reputation. PR is a solid strategy to build trust for your business because a third party has effectively given you a vote of confidence by taking your effective press release or pitch and then gives you opportunities for an interview, thought leadership article, social media mentions, and beyond. Audiences are more likely to do business with companies they know and admire, and this is where PR helps to build this organically. Since a third party is doing the promotions, you do not control the final result or frequency of the PR.

In contrast, advertising is typically for promoting specific products, services, and deals to key groups of potential customers at a cost, oftentimes for specific buying seasons. Depending on where you place the ad, how long the ad will run, and how much exposure it gets will determine the price. You get more control with advertising from the design, content, and frequency of it running since your business is calling the plays. 

PR is all about storytelling as journalists, reporters, and editors are constantly on the lookout for credible sources to bring their stories to life. Where can your company help them see the big picture, get meaningful information to their audiences, and build their base? When your PR can make these plays, the media will be more open to your unique offerings. A magazine feature, TV segment, or newspaper article can go viral with re-posts, likes, tweets, and emails, giving you a lot of earned media for your effort. The role of media continues to expand with social influencers, industry experts, and other stakeholders becoming key storytellers in your PR efforts.

As public relations efforts increase, search engine optimization can also improve. Backlinks from top-tier websites help to build your credibility online and increased views, clicks, and sales can be measured from your PR efforts too. As others produce content about you and post it online, your business will go up in the search rankings and people will see legitimate external content about you that shows your strengths in the marketplace. Consumers like to see other content than just your website, social media, and digital marketing when they look on search engines.

The difference between public relations and advertising also comes down to timing and effort. When your business needs to make a big splash, has an ample marketing budget, knows what message you want to convey, and you need to act fast, advertising is the best lever to control the message on your terms. Advertising does take effort, but it can be distinguished between an individual ad or a full ad campaign over a set time period. In contrast, PR takes time to build. From building relationships with the media and key influencers and stakeholders to crafting pitches and press releases, PR does take time and effort on a routine, sustained basis to get wins. Many studies have shown how PR prompts more buying decisions since third-party endorsements create more trust in your company with consumers, so the extra time and effort is worth it.

As strategies to help get your business or organization to the next level, the combination of public relations and advertising in your marketing mix will create a more solid foundation. At Playbook, our clients benefit from robust campaigns that include public relations, advertising, digital strategies, social media, influencer relations, strategic alliances, and promotions. Our track record of delivering unprecedented media exposure, expertise in advertising, and serving as an extension of your team is the winning playbook for your business. Contact Playbook Public Relations at (813) 789-7122 or online to re-energize your marketing and brand.

15 Mar 2021
Blog, Business Advice, Public Relations Permalink

5 Reasons Why Public Relations Is Important to Your Brand

March 15, 2021

Public relations can make a significant impact on your brand and company. Find out why public relations is important on the Playbook PR blog.

Public relations is the gateway to increase your public perception and sentiment. With a trusted public relations agency by your side, you can build a regular rhythm of PR activities that will elevate your brand and return on investment. Why public relations is important in your marketing mix comes down to five reasons why PR is a must.

  • Increases Brand Sentiment 

Need to shed some light on all the unique offerings your company or organization provides? Your business is most likely doing some incredible things that are timely, relevant, and interesting. But without public relations to help busy journalists, reporters, or editors, they might never know about it. PR helps to tell your story, distinguish you from the competition, and provide a stream of ideas for the media who are always on the hunt for content that speaks to their audiences. From your press release or pitch, they will then produce various types of content that help to promote your brand. PR helps in times of good or bad too. With the realities of online reviews, comments, and discussion websites, a business can face disgruntled consumers whether it is true or not. This is where a PR campaign can help to get sentiment back in the right direction and shed light on as well as reinforce brand values. 

  • Generates Leads, Sales, and Profits

Public relations builds relations with a multitude of audiences depending on your business’ focus. From building relationships with the media, investors, government, community, customers, and/or internally (think employees and their morale), PR gets a targeted message to your preferred audiences in impactful ways. Since third-party content about your business carries more credibility with consumers, PR gets people closer to buying decisions and quicker. For transforming your business and profitability, PR is an ally you need by your side.

  • Builds Credibility 

Consumers feel more comfortable with established brands. Online, this equates to showing a robust history of media coverage high up in the search rankings. TV segments, articles, interviews, social media posts, and more show credibility in your industry. Added to that, you can get more mileage out of these media mentions and have sales reps and business developers use this content in their follow-ups, as well as boost employee morale and future job candidates with the goodwill you’ve created by being active in PR.

  • Creates a Proactive Playing Field

When you collaborate with an experienced PR agency, you can establish a regular daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, and/or seasonal rhythm for your PR activities. By being in the driver’s seat with your PR instead of just doing it when crises emerge, you will generate lots of good press which results in a more proactive playing field. This trail of credibility and goodwill humanizes your company and helps in times of distress to point to the good that your company has done. A proactive PR plan helps you to leverage opportunities, plan for emergencies, and calculate your steps in advance.    

  • Connects to Coveted Audiences

With so many options for PR and already jam-packed schedules, marketers and business owners can easily feel overwhelmed. Expert PR agencies help to identify the best use of a business’ time and investment to get on the right platforms, publications and channels, and with the right authorities and influencers to boost their brand exponentially. Getting access to these coveted audiences is a crucial component to your growth. From small businesses to larger organizations, PR companies have the connections to reach these audiences. From tailoring the message to the audience to knowing which reporters cover which topics, savvy PR agencies can handle all these details so you can focus on other projects for the livelihood of your business. With each connection you make, your business stands to become a routine source for the media and others to call on, quote, and provide further insight on.

Takeaway

When public relations can be the quarterback to shine a light on your business, its goodwill and relevancy no matter what is happening in the marketplace, your business has the ability to flourish. As the public confidence in your brand stands the test of time, your business’ PR efforts create a lasting story about your business, personnel, services, products, and customer base. From this angle, public relations should be a mainstay in your marketing, not just a luxury when more sales are needed or crises emerge.

With more than 30 years of experience in marketing strategy, public relations, and project management, Playbook Public Relations takes the guesswork and stress out of PR for a wide variety of clients big and small. From leveraging media relationships to developing PR campaigns, Playbook is known for its high-quality standards, dedicated teams, and helping companies stand out from the competition. Contact Playbook Public Relations at (813) 789-7122 or online to elevate your PR and brand.

08 Sep 2020
Content Marketing, content marketing strategy, crisis communications, marketing, Public Relations Permalink
THEA

Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) Awards Marketing & Communications Contract to Playbook Public Relations

September 8, 2020

Tampa, Fla., – Playbook Public Relations, was awarded the marketing and communications contract with the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA). The term of the contract is three years with an option for THEA to renew a one-year extension for another two years. 

Playbook’s team brings experience in marketing strategy, public relations, and project management. The company has won numerous awards, including Small Business of the Year from the South Tampa Chamber of Commerce, the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Best of the Bay, and for the last three years, USF’s prestigious Fast 56 honors. 

Playbook was part of the team that spearheaded the Agency’s grassroots communications and outreach strategy. Notable award-winning campaigns include outreach for the Selmon Extension and “Shop Gandy!”, THEA Connected Vehicle Pilot Program, and the Deputy Kotfila Memorial Dog Park along the Selmon Greenway. 

“THEA is an economic driver for our region, building projects that enhance neighborhoods and helping our community prepare for Tampa Bay’s anticipated growth,” says Dee. “It’s an honor to serve an organization that embraces cutting-edge technology and is committed to enhancing the mobility of our region. We are excited to help THEA tell its story.”

With extensive knowledge of THEA’s current projects, Playbook will leverage every multimedia opportunity available to bring public awareness to THEA’s $1 Billion six-year work plan. 

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About Playbook Public Relations

Playbook is a certified Small Business Enterprise and Women-Owned Enterprise. It offers award-winning public relations and marketing services. The company’s comprehensive results-driven campaigns are ROI-proven and help garner attention that leads to bottom-line results for its clients. Playbook’s robust campaigns include Public Relations, Marketing, Digital Strategies, Social Media, Influencer Relations, and the development of Strategic Alliances and Promotions. Each Playbook account is managed by a team of seasoned professionals with the relationships and experience to deliver results. For more information please visit, playbookpublicrelations.com.

About THEA

The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) is a public agency of the state, created by the Florida Legislature, to provide local, user-financed transportation services that reinvest customer-based revenues back into the Tampa Bay community. THEA owns and operates the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, Brandon Parkway, Meridian Avenue, and the Selmon Greenway; designed and operates the world’s first reversible all-electronic toll road; and provides over 100,000 daily travelers with safe, reliable, and financially sustainable transportation solutions. For more information on how THEA is moving transportation forward, visit www.tampa-xway.com.

15 Jun 2020
Business Advice, Content Marketing, Uncategorized, Website Design Permalink

Should Your Small Business Have a Website?

June 15, 2020

Should Your Small Business Have a Website?

The answer is an emphatic “yes!” The bottom line is that today your customers expect you to have a website.

What! No website? Without a business website, potential customers form a certain view of your company, and it’s not favorable. Whether it’s legitimate or not, “no website” says one or more of the following:

  1. You don’t believe in the value of technology.
  2. You’re too lazy to put together a website.
  3. You’re too unorganized to make it happen.
  4. You can’t afford to pay for a website.
  5. You’re going out of business or are already closed.
  6. You don’t have anything to say to your customers.
  7. Your competitors are better.
  8. You think social media is good enough.
  9. You don’t have anything new and exciting to offer.
  10. Plus, about a dozen other things you don’t want folks thinking about your business.


If your business doesn’t have a website, today’s technological customers may go somewhere else. You see, 75% of them will determine your company’s credibility based on your website.
So, what does that mean if you have no website?

That means less business for you.

Last year, Google found that at any given point in time, 84% of Americans are shopping for something. Thus, an online presence and particularly a professionally designed and maintained business website are essential for marketing your small business.

How Do Consumers Find Information?

Today—and by today, we can say, especially in the midst of a pandemic—customers want to be able to find information about your company quickly and intuitively from your business website. Again, that’s just expected, meaning that it is standard practice.

Your customers expect an easy-to-use menu and navigation, as well as readily available contact info. They want a website that makes sense and one in which they can click a few times to arrive at the content they need.

Consumers conduct research online before they make a purchase—even if it’s to buy something they want to pick up down the street at your store. They’re verifying that you have the item in stock, that you’re open, and what the item will cost.

If you don’t have a website (or one that’s easy to use), you’re sending a message that the doors are locked, the lights are off, and their patronage isn’t required.

Your customers and prospects are living online. That’s even more true as the coronavirus pandemic makes in-person business harder to safely conduct. As a result, your small business must have a presence. 93% of online experiences start with a search engine, and 47% of people click on one of the first three listings.

Over 60% of Small Businesses Don’t Have A Website

While it might bring you some comfort to know you are in the majority, you’re losing out on sales, and that’s only going to continue to a greater degree.

Executing an online advertising strategy is vital for businesses in a post-coronavirus world. As consumers migrated to online shopping during the pandemic, it has become less expensive for businesses to purchase digital advertising.

Takeaway

There’s never been a more opportune or more critical time to invest in a website for your business. A website offers a wide variety of benefits for small businesses, and most of these will grow in value year over year.
The argument for your small business to invest today in a website has never been more compelling. Your customers are definitely spending more time online. That means increased opportunities to get your message in front of prospective clients and customers.

Playbook Public Relations can help your small business get results. Let us put together a digital marketing and advertising campaign during the pandemic to get your company increased web traffic and more business. Our market knowledge and support team will provide your company with the best multi-faceted publicity or marketing campaign. Let us create a “playbook” for your business.

Contact Playbook Public Relations today in Tampa, Florida at (813) 789-7122 or use our web contact form.

15 Jun 2020
Blog, Content Marketing, content marketing strategy, convid-19, SEO, Social Media, Website Design Permalink

Internet Usage is Up 70% During the COVID-19 Pandemic

June 15, 2020

Internet Usage is Up 70% During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Americans are definitely spending more time online. That means increased opportunities to get your message and website in front of prospective clients and customers.

In addition to watching favorite indulgences like Netflix’s Tiger King, research from The New York Times on recent internet usage in the United States shows that our behaviors shifted. In some cases, quite drastically, with the impact of the coronavirus and the need for searching online for working at home, doing schoolwork, and passing the time playing and connecting.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Netflix added 15.8 million new customers in the first quarter and currently has 182.9 million subscribers worldwide. This says that we’re looking for entertainment options on streaming services like Netflix and YouTube and seeking to interact with friends on social media sites like Facebook.

The Need for COVID-19 Updates has Increased Viewing of Traditional News Sources Online

Trying to find accurate information and updates on the coronavirus has increased readership for local and established newspapers, The New York Times reported. We’ve also been searching for more established media brands for information on the pandemic and its vast economic fallout. For example, the business news site CNBC has experienced a massive increase in readership of nearly 100%. Likewise, the websites for The New York Times and The Washington Post have both grown traffic more than 50% in the past month, according to SimilarWeb.

However, this bump didn’t also follow on partisan sites like breitbart.com and Infowars.com. Also, The Daily Caller on the right and the liberal Truthdig.com have seen stagnant or falling numbers. And, it’s local news sites that are really enjoying big jumps in traffic, as users try to learn how the pandemic is impacting their own hometowns.

But besting all of these news sites, as far as increased popularity, is the home page for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s now getting millions of readers after previously having almost next to none.

ISPs See Usage and Users Skyrocket

Internet providers across the U.S. have been experiencing drastic spikes in usage since March, as many Americans started to telecommute or take classes online. Nortex Communications in Texas saw an increase of 30% more data usage for customers since March 12th and almost triple the subscribers over the past two months compared to previous months.

Comcast, which operates the largest residential Internet network in the U.S., has seen “an unprecedented shift in network usage.” However, the company assures users it’s within the capability of its network. Comcast reported a 32% increase in upstream traffic growth and an 11% increase in downstream traffic growth from March to May.

A Move from Phones Back to PCs and Tablets

We have seen an industry-wide emphasis on mobile devices in recent years, with the latest and greatest smartphones being able to do almost anything we ask them to do. However, as Americans spend our days at home with nearby computers and smart TVs, we’re now enjoying larger screens.

This tablet and PC viewing have also boosted gaming and chatting with friends and family as ways to bring the rest of our world indoors.

And while school’s in recess for the summer, most districts were forced to finish the school year with online education, so classes were held on platforms like Google Classroom, and school gatherings and sessions on Zoom, Google Hangouts, and Microsoft Teams. Comcast says that its weekday usage is up, driven mostly by VoIP, video conferencing, and VPN as people continue to work and learn from home. Its VoIP and video conferencing are up 210-285%, and its VPN traffic is up 30-40%.

Overall, Comcast reports that gaming downloads are up 20-80%, depending upon new releases, and its streaming and web video consumption is up 20-40%. Similarly, television viewing is up to about eight viewing hours per week per household, including streaming.

Takeaway

It’s all about “eyeballs” or website visitors. Playbook Public Relations can help your company get results as we see many more Americans searching online. Let us put together a digital marketing and advertising campaign during the pandemic to get your company increased web traffic and more business.

Large or small, we have a solution when you need it. Our market knowledge and support team will provide your company with the best multi-faceted publicity or marketing campaign. Let us create a “playbook” for your business.

Contact Playbook Public Relations today in Tampa, Florida at (813) 789-7122 or use our web contact form.

10 May 2020
Blog, Business Advice, coronavirus, crisis communications Permalink

Five Communications Tips for Reopening Business

May 10, 2020

Five Communications Tips for Reopening Business

State and local governments are opening or setting dates for reopening businesses after the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Your company should consider its communications plan to the public and to your employees who may be furloughed. With that in mind, Playbook Public Relations provides these five tips for developing a communication plan before you reopen your business.

 

1. Create a reopening communication strategy. 

You probably have a good idea of what you need to do. You’ve been sitting around waiting for this day for several months. But the first step is to write it all down. List out a timeline of what has to happen first, second, third, so that you can see if there are gaps and anticipate issues before they arise. Create your plan to be an evolving guide that can be modified with the circumstances, but place emphasis on safety. A thorough communication strategy will tell your employees, vendors, and customers how you plan to operate in this new “normal.”

 

2. Communicate with your staff first. 

A critical component of a communications plan is telling your employees to come back to work. Solicit their feedback and get their buy-in into the new policies to keep everyone safe to restore your business to a new normal. Your employees can be your best champions or your worst detractors when it comes to change.

 

When you recall your employees, give them as much advance notice as possible, which will depend in part on the restrictions mandated by your local government. Your recall communications should set out your company’s plans to keep employees safe when they return. If employees are required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) like masks or gloves, communicate who is responsible for providing the equipment and when it should be worn. Include any plans for temperature check policies, sanitation policies, and staff contact tracing policies. All of this information in your communications with your employees shows them that you’ve thought this out, and you’re ready to go to work (and that they should be too!).

 

3. Communicate with your customers and suppliers. 

Like communications to your staff, make your customers and vendors aware of what you’re doing to protect them from the coronavirus. Clearly set out any policy or process changes that will impact their interactions with your company and ask them about changes that they may have in conducting business with your company.

 

Continue to keep customers up to date with your plans. If nothing else, we are all in a state of “flex” these days, so we have that in common. It’s okay to let your client base know that things are changing daily. Communication shows them transparency and that you’re on top of the situation.

 

4. Consider the tone of your business communications.

Refrain from sending marketing or promotional material about your company’s products or services. This isn’t the time for that message. It may turn off your customers. Instead, provide them with valuable, informative content, such as guidance on the steps they should take to ready themselves for post-COVID operations. 

 

5. Be helpful.

Everyone has a heightened level of stress about COVID-19 and its impact on them personally. Ask your customers how you can help them during the pandemic. This type of communication shows that you are a partner that’s in the same situation and is available to help.

 

Takeaway

A text may be the best way to communicate because people typically read text messages as soon as they come in. Email, on the other hand, can be ignored. Make efforts to communicate more frequently than before the crisis and work harder to get your messages through to your intended recipients. A great way to set your business apart is to make phone calls or send handwritten notes.

 

The most important part of reopening your business is your communication plan.

 

Contact Playbook Public Relations at (813) 789-7122 for help designing a plan that is customized to your company and your message.

19 Mar 2020
Business Advice, convid-19, coronavirus, crisis communications, Public Relations, Social Media Permalink

Communicating During COVID-19

March 19, 2020

We are living in an intense and unprecedented time. The coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis is changing human interaction, business operations, and paralyzing the globe in a climate of uncertainty. Organizations are having to rapidly respond and change the way they communicate during this pandemic. I like to call it, “Contingency plans on the fly.”

“Business as usual” isn’t possible right now. Organizations need to shift from operations mode to crisis mode while communicating in a calm and consistent manner to guide their employees, stakeholders, and customers through this emergency. This is not a one and done communications plan.

At its core, crisis communication is about honesty, transparency, accountability, and consistency. More than ever, companies need a clear and deliberate communication strategy to maintain operations and build trust with their community. Successful communication strategies begin with employees, vendors, and stakeholders.

Now is the time for CEOs to communicate directly about the challenges their companies face and reassure employees and stakeholders about the steps they are taking to ensure workplace safety and business continuity. Trust me when I say “They want to hear directly from you!”  Communicating your company’s plan to manage the crisis and mitigate the negative impact will not only reassure the public it establishes credibility.

In this uncertain time, silence is NOT golden. Be transparent, concise, and sympathetic. Share facts and updates, but do not downplay the realities facing your company and the world. Utilize all the social media outlets available to you. They are a lifeline between you and the public – calming fears, disseminating information, and supporting online activities that may help keep your business afloat.

Information about the COVID-19 is changing hourly, and sometimes answers are hard to find, even from experts and elected officials. Misinformation is spreading almost as quickly as the virus itself. Right now, business leaders need to communicate in a direct, timely, and honest manner. The key to navigating this crisis is to remain calm and flexible, understanding that you may have to change course multiple times.

On a personal note, I think this is the ideal time to look at how your organization can help the community you serve. How can you use your local platform or global reach to help those in need? Whether it is sponsoring a food drive, donating money or supplies to local organizations, providing resources so that students can distance learn, companies big and small can do their part to help communities through this crisis. It will not only resonate with stakeholders, but it is also the right thing to do.

We urge you to follow CDC guidelines and local government guidelines. Be smart, and stay healthy!

Sally Dee

09 Mar 2020
Branding, Business Advice, Public Relations Permalink

Spring Cleaning: Update Your Company Boilerplate and Summary

March 9, 2020

Spring Cleaning: Update your Company and Boilerplate and Summaries

We are well into the new year…heck, we’re heading into a new season. There is no better time to do a little corporate spring cleaning. It doesn’t have to be anything major, but updating your company’s boilerplate and “about us” summaries can be a yearly refresh that helps you better communicate your brand’s mission and accomplishments.

Where to begin?

Take a look at your company’s year-end reports, such as sales, HR, and operations. What stands out? What goals did you achieve or surpass? Comb through the numbers and pull out the figures that best represent your growth in the past year.

What are the top metrics that show what’s behind your brand? Maybe they highlight new leadership, completed projects, number of clients, RFPs won, or cost-reduction strategies. Whatever the metrics are, highlight them in a prominent and interactive way on your homepage. Draw potential clients in with three metrics that show your brand’s success and impact.

What should be included in your company’s boilerplate?

There are five key pieces to a company or product boilerplate:

  1. Who you are.
  2. What you offer.
  3. Why are you different?
  4. What is the value to clients?
  5. A call to action.

Clearly state who you are and what products or services your company offers. What services or philosophies set you apart from the rest? What results and benefits should the client expect if they use your company? Remember: keep this section brief and simple. Use easy to understand language and avoid industry jargon or cliches. Each sentence should highlight your company.

Almost every boilerplate includes a call to action, which often looks like “Visit <insert Your Company URL> to learn more.” Here’s where you can get creative. Why should people click on the link and visit your website? Help direct them to what you want to do by using helpful resources such as a savings calculator, a list of top awards, free resources, or premium contact where you can capture contact information.

Where else can I update my company summary?

To ensure that your company messaging is consistent across all channels, we recommend updating pictures and summaries on news releases, online directories, social media, Google My Business profile, awards lists, online review sites, your company’s “About Us” section, LinkedIn profiles, and Wikipedia.

You want to always present a fresh, active, and productive face to new and established clients. A yearly refresh of your website, photos, social media messaging, boilerplates and summaries can help you stay current, relevant, and connected in the ever-changing and ever-blending social and corporate spheres.

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