Public Relations Principles for Small Businesses Online: Know Thy Audience

A social media peer of ours lives by the rule: “Know thy Audience” and states to him that is the first rule of public relations. Many other industry leaders will agree that knowing your audience is key for any business. As a Denver Marketing company we live by this quote as well. This week we will look at the many benefits a company can gain from knowing their audience. We refer to this as the 4 “S’s” of knowing thy audience.

Sales

Everyone is concerned about the bottom line. Knowing their audience is going to generate sales. Sales generation is good but more sales are always expected for a company. Theoretically knowing a company’s audience is going to build the foundation to move beyond sales and create other points of business. The next would be getting the word out to more people.

Sharing

Having an understanding of a company’s audience will foster a sharing environment. What happens when consumers begin to share about a company? Since this sharing is positive this translates into larger brand recognition which should mean a higher generation of sales. As a company begins to be shared by its consumers the audience begins to syndicate together around their common interest.

Syndicate

We aren’t talking about businesses working together (though we aren’t saying that isn’t a valuable part of business; simply for this article we are talking audience as in consumers) — we are talking about the connections which people have with each other because of knowing the audience. When a company knows their audience well, the audience begins to connect with each other. Their connections mean they have banded together and are beginning to take stock in the company.

Stock

This isn’t something which is traded on Wall Street. We are talking stock in relation to trust. When a company’s audience feel they have that syndication we mentioned above, they begin to take stock in the company. This trust is what builds brand loyalty which goes beyond sales. Stock takes a company and provides supporters which will stay through thick and thin. When a company has any issues, knowing their audience has stock in them stands above any of the rest of the points mentioned above.

The Break Down

This may not seem like public relations subject matter as much as it seems more like an in-depth marketing strategy. Having an understanding of a company’s audience works both ways. The similarities between public relations and marketing are many. We gave this article this title because before a company should even begin reaching out to consumers they should understand their audience. When a company goes to understand their audience they look to the public relations specialists.

Obviously these are just the beginning of the benefits which can come from knowing a company’s audience. What are some that you have in mind? Leave them in the comments below.

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