By: Amelia Reyes Mora areyes@afcomunicacion.com President of AF Comunicación Estratégica
For many executives, his career seems to start every year. Although its results in the previous year have been exceptional, the expectations of higher income are constant.
This situation generates, on many occasions, such as anxiety or pressure, which sometimes forces the executive or the entrepreneur, to concentrate all their efforts on short-term actions that generate immediate results.
This is a common and understandable situation in the face of the demands of a constantly changing environment. However, we frequently ignore elements that ensure the sustainability of the company, such as the creation of relationships with the environment, making business decisions with a short-term vision, which translate into “food for today and need for tomorrow.”
Although we know that companies have a fundamental commitment to profitability with their shareholders, it is increasingly accurate that they are expected to perform a social function.
For a company to be sustainable in the long term, it must ensure, in addition to the generation of wealth for its shareholders, the well-being and improvement of the quality of life of its environment, generating jobs that benefit employees, their families and society in general
The company must exhibit a firm commitment to respect for the laws and regulations of the country, as well as the environment around it. For this, it is necessary to develop a strategic plan of relationship with the environment, which involves close work with the different audiences that impact it. It is necessary to create long-term relationships based on credibility and trust with these audiences.
In our country we can observe important organizations, which are making great and interesting public relations (PR) and publicity efforts, strengthening the positioning and image of their company as entities concerned with the social good.
Efforts that deserve all our admiration and respect, however, from time to time, it is appropriate to stop and make a reflection and analysis on what we are doing, and why we are doing it. Ask us how aligned our public relations strategy is with our vision, mission, and values, thus avoiding being part of a compulsive activity of being “in the middle,” or being visible, without responding to a clear purpose. Especially in these times, when being efficient with our budgets is imposed as a fundamental need.
It is necessary that representatives from all areas of the organization, sit at the same table to discuss assets of such relevance as they are, the image and reputation of your company. In this way, define a strategy that allows them to create currents of credibility and confidence in their environment, which contribute to the achievement of the objectives and results of your company.
In this sense, we take the opportunity to comment briefly on some of the key factors to achieve a successful formula when implementing a PR plan.
“DO IT WELL AND GIVE IT TO KNOW.” For this, it is necessary to review all our internal processes and the way of relating to our external audiences. Make sure that we are doing well internally. That our employees are satisfied, we cannot be as popularly said, “light in the street and darkness in the house.” It would also be very difficult and unbelievable to persuade external audiences if employees are unhappy and unmotivated. Here the need to practice what is preached is revealed. It is necessary to develop the pride and identification of employees with the company, but we will not discuss this point now because of its importance, it deserves a unique space.
We need to make sure that our customers are receiving a high-quality product that we fulfill our service promises, as well as the legal, fiscal and environmental regulations of the country, as applicable for your company.
In the same way, we must make the same effort to communicate it well. “WHAT DOES NOT COMMUNICATE DOES NOT EXIST.”
SEARCH FOR THE COINCIDENCE OF PRIVATE INTEREST WITH THE PUBLIC. Here is a great challenge, finding the link between the interests of your company and those of society or your target audiences. It is about building a new model of relationships with our environment, companies that care about communities, including in their agenda the generation of social profitability, while society integrates and participates directly in the generation of their well-being.
The purpose that is sought through PR is to persuade, that is why they call it the persuasion industry, however, finding the point of coincidence between what the company wants and its environment is a task that requires analysis, consultation, and planning.
In summary, if your company, among other strategies, makes sure you do it well and make it known and, to match the interest of your organization with the interest of your target audience, the success of your PR plan is guaranteed.
