Back when the words “brand” and “branding” were still relatively new term in the workplace this was a phrase heard often. For the longest time, this phrase became a motto that was repeated ad nauseum in the office. There was even a sign that hung above our cubicles with this phrase. Soon, however, we learned to realize this seemingly trivial phrase held a lot of truth to it.
We’ve been talking a lot these last few weeks about Public Relations and more recently about getting your PR message across to your core audience. Your core audience is comprised of the people that find value in what you are doing and trust your brand. Once you have secured your target audience, these people will naturally start singing your praises because they believe in what you are doing. Eventually, as you keep providing valuable content and resources to this audience, they will be the ones that leave reviews on your website, call you on the phone for more information, or send you private messages on Facebook or post on your social media platforms. If you keep your messaging relevant and useful, this audience is going to be with you no matter what, through the good times and the bad.
Now, why should you speak to this “core”? And what on earth does it mean to “let the outside listen”? You have likely heard the phrase “the best advertising is word of mouth”. Well that’s what it means to have the outside listen. We’re not talking about a slogan (which is an entirely different topic), We’re talking about what you do as a brand, your character, your values. In public relations, you need to make sure your core is always considered first. They need to be informed of your decisions or ideas and how they affect your services.
Every time you send out a message, the top thing you need to consider is how this will communicate to your core audience. In public relations, you need to let your core audience help spread your message - since these are the folks that already believe in you, they will help to get that message out. Messages are always carefully crafted, reviewed, edited, and inserted into every point of contact you make. If those messages aren’t made with the utmost care to your core audience, then your message will be lost as word spreads about your brand.
Your core audience needs to be at the top of everything you do, every day, while you run your business. Afterall, they are the reason you found that niche that made you take a chance on starting your business. Then, as you communicate and interact with the public, let your core audience spread your message into every facet and niche there is, some that you never even imagined. Let them foster that word of mouth advertising for you.
That was the reason for the signs above our cubicles, that was the reason for the constant reminder at meetings, and that is why this motto was drilled into our heads. Because if we lost sight of our core customer, then we lost who we were as a business. And that would be a mistake you cannot recover from.