In the previous blog, my colleague Marlous noted that PR consultants ask questions every day such as “Who does the client want to be, and what makes them unique?” and “What does the audience need?” We build bridges to start, and above all sustain, dialogue between clients and their stakeholders. Social media makes that dialogue more visible than ever. Likes, retweets and comments bring conversations on Facebook and Twitter to life. Dialogue with the audience takes a visible form.
It is hardly surprising that more companies are using these channels to talk to people. I help by monitoring trends and identifying where stakeholders and media influencers are active. I advise on making contact, strengthening relationships and finding opportunities to connect. This is an effective way for a brand to stay close to its audience and keep the conversation going.
Although almost everyone in the Netherlands has access to mobile or other internet services, and we are even a leader in Europe, that does not mean companies should hold every conversation online or use only one channel. A balanced mix of ways to connect remains necessary. Andrélon offered a good example by responding to Tim Krul’s penalty shoot-out performance. During the penalties against Costa Rica, the joke “Perfecte Krul”, meaning “perfect curl” and playing on the goalkeeper’s name, was already circulating on Twitter. The purple shampoo bottles also appeared on Facebook and WhatsApp. The brand responded with a full-page advertisement in Monday’s De Telegraaf: “Rarely seen such a perfect curl.” You might think almost the whole country had already seen the joke, yet research showed that three-quarters of the newspaper’s readers had not. A smart move by Andrélon to reach more people, and surely one that continued the conversation offline.
At Progress Communications, we help determine the right marketing communications mix and advise clients on how and when to use each tool. Our aim is to help them communicate their message to the audience as effectively as possible. Naturally, some messages suit one medium better than another. But there is nothing wrong with repeating your message through a different channel. PR could almost start to resemble advertising.
Lianne van Dijk
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