In Atlanta, it’s already back-to-school season. The commercials for backpacks and other school supplies reminded me of my experience teaching and those dreaded “pop quizzes.”
As a former teacher, I know that pop quizzes are a good way to take a snap-shot of a student’s learning. In business, it’s also important to take a step back and review your business practices to find out where your company can improve and grow – particularly when it comes to public relations. With that in mind, I have prepared a test that you can take to find out how your business stacks up.
TRUE or FALSE
During the last year:
- Our phones have been ringing because our CEO – or top leader – was featured in a newspaper/magazine story – or a TV interview.
- Spokespeople from our company/organization have been quoted as industry “thought leaders” in two or more top trades. New prospects reached out to us as a result.
- We authored a byline – or opinion article – that appeared in a top publication and “merchandised” it by sending to clients, prospects and other stakeholders.
- We have a good understanding of social media and know how to use social media channels to connect and engage with our target audiences.
- We have actively integrated one or more social media platforms in our marketing mix – such as a blog, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, forum – and have tracked/measured positive results.
- To prepare for the unexpected, we have a crisis “point person” in charge and a clear, comprehensive crisis communications plan in place.
- We have staged a realistic “table top” crisis drill to test our plan and it went smoothly.
- We know what issues are brewing on the horizon that could damage our reputation and have taken steps to “be ready” when they hit.
- We have identified the most prestigious speaking opportunities in our field and have spoken at two or more this year.
- We hosted a trade show booth – or industry event – that was a home run for us and provided multiple qualified prospects/leads.
- I’m proud of our marketing materials and presentations; they creatively capture the essence of our company, values and mission.
For any question that you can’t honestly answer “true,” subtract 10 points from 110% for your score (you get one freebie).
How did you do?
If you didn’t get above 80%, you’re sacrificing the kind of value that a smart PR program can deliver. Many companies have legitimate PR ideas and good intentions, but they fall down on execution because they are too busy “running the store.” If you know your organization simply doesn’t have the time or resources, consider investing in a good partner to develop an integrated and adaptive PR strategy that will help your company meet – and exceed – your business goals.
ROI from a strong PR program can mean adding clients, increasing sales and revenue, building loyalty, protecting or repairing your reputation, getting votes, effecting behavioral change, attracting investors – and more.
P.S. Let us know how you scored in the comments below. Did you earn 110%?
Image credit: wecometolearn.
As senior vice president at Cookerly, Mike Rieman specializes in building and maintaining relationships with the media and has an excellent track record of landing significant placements in print and broadcast media including USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and Money Magazine.
As design director at Cookerly, Tim serves as the creative lead in the development of branding campaigns, print collateral and digital media for clients across a broad range of industries, including consumer, professional services, healthcare and technology.
As vice president of Cookerly, Sheryl Sellaway uses her extensive corporate communications background to lead consumer PR efforts, deliver strategy for marketing programs and share expertise about community initiatives.