The Tribe Discovers...Public Relations

Last week, the Fire Enterprises, Inc. (FEI) tribe went over a great idea for building a Customer Nurture Program. This week? The tribe shifts gears to discuss the importance of a company’s public relations strategy. Remember, fire = print.

The FEI monthly management meeting began. Marka scribbled two words on her handy whiteboard. “We’re going to lead with Public Relations,” she started. “This effort begins today.”

“I don’t get it,” Zoot said. “What will a public relations effort accomplish that our current marketing activities can’t?”

“Olympus has become an increasingly cynical society,” Marka replied. “Olympians are bombarded with hundreds of promotions every day, and traditional advertising has lost much of its effect. People don't believe advertising, plain and simple. However, they still believe what they read as long as it has been sanctioned by the media.”

“That makes sense,” Zoot said. “An item about FEI that appears in a press release, publication, news outlet or even a blog conveys an authority that one of our marketing promotions simply can’t match. And there’s so much happening at FEI right now. We shouldn’t have any problem thinking of something to send out to the press. Right, Org?”

“Our first contact with the media should be announcing our new Matches,” Org declared. “And let’s make it a policy to release news about FEI when it occurs, at least once a week.”

“Every day something of significance happens at FEI,” Numo added. “Besides our matches, FEI has many other newsworthy events: product announcements, key new hires, new customer agreements, industry award, etc. Our marketplace needs to know about these events whenever they happen.”

“Is there really more going on at FEI than at other companies?” Org asked, lifting a mug of grogaccino. “Something tells me if you were leading the PR charge at Pyro or FlintStone, you’d have no problem coming up with material for them.”