Whether
you’re running your own small business, leading a huge corporation, or managing
a nonprofit organization, you need to be able to accurately answer that
question. Why? Because your image can make or break your business.
Much has
been written about companies whose reputation spirals quickly downward as the
result of a major scandal or a disaster. Fortunately, most companies go about
their daily business without having to face a crisis. But even without a
crisis, your image can be affected by daily interactions with your customers
and supporters and messages you convey through various mediums.
Do you
really know how your target audience perceives you today? How do you wish to be
perceived in the future, not just by your current clientele, but also by your
prospects?
First, you
have to assess your current situation. Frequently, when I first begin
consulting with new clients, I ask them how they think their customers perceive
them and they can’t answer the question.
Eventually
they come up with an answer, but their first response is typically, “We’re not
sure.” So then I ask them how they wish
to be perceived. The idea here is that the two perceptions match — that the
business is actually perceived how
you wish it to be viewed.
If you are
not sure how others view your business, there’s a simple way to find out: Ask.
This can be done formally through sophisticated market research or informally
by formulating your own questions and then talking with both customers and prospects.
Be sure to write down your answers. Once you have gathered enough information,
compare their answers to your own. If there’s a gap, that’s where the PR
strategy begins to get their perception more in alignment with yours. Go
through this same process with your competitors.
The concept
is straightforward: You have to know where you currently stand before you can
decide where you’re going. If you operate a restaurant and one of the things
you want to be known for is excellent customer service, define what that means.
Be specific. Does it mean quick service? Or does it mean that every meal is
prepared to perfection and the selections are like none other?
Whatever
your image goals are, the point is to be aware of how you are currently
perceived in the marketplace and how you wish to be viewed. Then develop your
PR strategies to close the gap. If you find there is no gap, you’ll still need
strategies to maintain your position and continue to grow in a positive
direction.
Doreen Poreba, APR, is an accredited public relations professional with more than 25 years of experience on both sides of the media fence in both PR and journalism. She is the founder of The PR Czar® Inc., a full service PR agency serving the Treasure Coast, Palm Beaches and now with the Internet — the world!
