Written by Keera Hart.
Small business owners juggle countless priorities each day, but two objectives consistently rise to the top: driving revenue growth and retaining great talent. Having spent my career supporting businesses of all sizes, I believe both can be advanced through even a modest investment in public relations and communications.
A thoughtful communications plan, no matter how simple at the start, helps small businesses raise their visibility, strengthen credibility and engage both customers and employees. The key is to begin with clear, manageable steps that can evolve as the business grows, and being creative in finding ways to reach their target audiences. Below are several practical steps to lay the groundwork for a communications strategy that you can monitor and adjust over time as your business continues to grow.
1 – Start with a plan – or at least an understanding of who you are
The task of putting together a communications plan may seem daunting, but it can be started by answering a few simple questions: Who are you trying to reach – and where are they getting their information? What do you want them to know about you? What do you stand for as a business? What are you trying to achieve? What are your goals for the short- and long-term?
Answering these questions will allow you to lay out your communications goals. From there, you can start to think about how you can achieve these goals. The plan to do so can start as simple or complex as you’d like but it should always include a few key elements:
- Key messages for your organization, which are a set of overarching messages that answer the questions above
- Your target audience(s) and where they are likely to consume informaiton
- A strategy with specific communications tactics to reach your audience(s)
- How you will measure success
2 – Set the tone early – and focus on quality over quantity
Once you have key messages and a strategy in place, you likely have a firmer idea of how you want your organization to be perceived. The next step is to make sure all internal and public-facing materials align with the tone of your organization.
Are you a fun and approachable brand? Or do you prefer a more formal, business-friendly tone for your communications?
Once you agree on tone, you can start to plan how you plan to reach your audience(s). This stage of development may lead to a lot of big ideas – but it’s important to focus on one at a time and consider if it aligns with the tone you’re trying to set and the key messages you’re trying to communicate.
Start with one idea and let it flourish before you pursue several others. This not only allows you to understand what’s working and what’s not but also prevents competing ideas or messaging in market at the same time.
Take your time during this stage. Once content is out there, it will be associated with your brand for years to come, so ensuring the tone and messaging is aligned with who you are and who you want to be is of critical importance.
3 – Don’t give up if you don’t see immediate results – monitor and make adjustments
Media relations, social media marketing and other forms of communication take time. If you don’t see immediate results, keep going. You’ll start to see results as you continue to invest in your business, its leaders and find ways to be consistently visible in your industry and/or community.
Remember that there is a difference between marketing content and PR content. We call media relations “earned media” because it’s just that – earned, not bought. Success will depend on the value that you’re providing to your audience so think broader than a sales pitch; what does your audience care about and how can you contribute to those conversations in an authentic way that also communicates your leadership position in the space?
4 – Look for talent within, and outside, your organization
Your people are the engine of your business – and I’d bet they have some great marketing and PR ideas. Leverage their expertise by including them in ideation and decision-making, where possible. Ask questions about how they would want to be communicate to, where they get their information and how they think the brand should be perceived. Their insights may surprise you.
And if you need help beyond the expertise you have in house, consider bringing in freelancers or firms that specialize in public relations, social media and marketing. While these may seem like a “nice to have”, they will be essential if to continuing to grow your business.
As your business scales, your goals and approach may (should) change A communications plan is not meant to be set in stone. It should be flexible and adaptive to be able to pivot and take advantage of new opportunities.
Investing in your business means investing in your communications. Do this consistently – it will pay dividends.
