Why collaboration with PR is important for success

Take advantage of the profitability that comes from working together

Automotive pioneer Henry Ford said, “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” This is especially true when it comes to all levels of your company working in conjunction with your PR team.

Unfortunately, at some companies, this is easier said than done. With everyone bumping heads, jockeying for position and fighting for their own pieces of the budget pie, some companies can seem more like a monster truck rally than a cohesive unit. However, for the sake of your profitability, it’s vital for your team to work together and for you to include your PR firm in your strategic plans.

Use PR to help get everyone working together

Leadership: The CEO must provide the vision and direction. Develop a clear set of goals and have an understanding of everyone’s role in achieving them. Hiring a PR firm can provide you with independent counsel, fresh ideas and an outsider’s perspective.

Communication: There’s no point in having a company plan if no one knows what it is. PR can help you craft and shape your messages for both internal and external audiences.

Build consensus: It’s important to periodically gather your advisory team for brainstorming sessions and progress updates and for PR to have a seat at that table. This will help all members of your team know where they’re supposed to be, understand the big picture and allow them to see how their efforts are essential to the company’s overall goals. By including PR, this function will be less of a mystery.

Measurement tools: Once your team members understand how PR tactics are related to their own departments’ individual successes, fostering collaboration becomes easier. PR has the measurement tools necessary to keep everyone moving forward toward the agreed-upon goals and to determine what a successful campaign will look like.

Why it’s important

Brand awareness involves so many different components that it can’t be realized without a team effort. It needs to include PR, finance, marketing, information technology, sales and customer service. When any one of these is outside the loop or not rowing in the same direction, your brand won’t be as strong as it could be.

Positive media coverage is essential for your business, and it’s more effective when everyone is singing the same tune. Media hits tend to appear higher on search pages and are held more favorably by consumers than advertising or website content. Yes, PR is tasked with helping you get coverage, but it’s necessary for the rest of your team to be aware of and support these efforts.

Social media support is an increasingly crucial part of doing business today and PR has led the way with this beneficial tool. In order to connect with and engage customers for improved outreach and profitability, you have to go where they are, and these days, that’s on social media.

When you do, you’ll need to know what customers want to hear and how to say it. PR is all about building relationships and communicating, and you can make that task easier by eliciting assistance from the pros. Letting a PR firm handle this task will free up other members of your team to focus more on their core responsibilities.

The right PR firm can help bring cohesion to your team and work to establish strong relationships with key audiences. At Axia, we use proven PR techniques to boost your exposure and enhance your image for increased profitability. Register today for our 60-Second Impact program to learn more about how we can help you grow your business.

Lisa Goldsberry is a writer for Axia Public Relations with more than 15 years of public relations experience. She specializes in business, higher education and technology PR. Connect with Axia Public Relations on Twitter @axiapr.