Community Relations
Building relationships that matter.
Public Relations
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Community Relations
Community Relations is the work you do to benefit your community. Public Relations is how you let everyone know about it.
That may sound cynical but it doesn’t have to be. Authenticity and Consistency are the cornerstones of our Community Relations work, paving the way for your business to hold a meaningful place in your community.
Taking an active role in your community. “Community” is a vague term that is relative to the size of your business.
An enterprise level company with a global reach might direct their efforts towards causes on a macro level.
A mom and pop corner store will belong to a smaller community but will also be able to directly engage with their neighbors on a human level.
This genuine relationship building is not the result of some marketing campaign, but an organic process that can inspire real loyalty.
Donating a percentage of profits is worthy, and we always encourage this as a good starting point.
But why stop there? When you genuinely invest in your community, everybody wins.
Internal Planning
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Community Relations is a fancy way of saying “getting people to like you”; and few things influence a company’s overall likability than how it is perceived as treating its employees.
Not only do happy employees perform better and stay longer, they make the public feel good about you and your company, and consumers consistently demonstrate a strong preference for companies that are deemed to be Good Bosses.
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How can a company that builds volleyball courts on its campus NOT be good?
This isn’t about tricking people or trying to present a false front.
It is about having employee-friendly policies and giving your employees the tools to positively engage with their own communities.
External Planning
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It is easy to say “you should positively engage with your community” but the actual work takes thoughtful planning and a sincere commitment to follow through.
Many companies opt to provide community support through donations or sponsorships.
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We believe this on its own falls short of the most important element of Community Relations: reciprocity and human connection.
A meaningful Community Relations Plan will not be limited to financial contributions but will also present pathways for building genuine and sustainable relationships.
Strategy & Momentum
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Today’s consumer is more informed and more opinionated than ever. They care about social issues and they expect you, the business community, to care as well.
They want to know that you have opinions and they expect you to leverage your platform to aid and support social movements.
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Unfortunately, the pervasiveness of hashtags has made many consumers skeptical, perhaps rightfully so.
How many times have we heard one CEO or another claim to “stand with” a group or individual and yet when the cameras are gone it’s back to the status quo.
The public isn’t fooled and is increasingly hostile to the practice of what has been dubbed “performative activism”. Against this backdrop of public disaffection, a company can distinguish itself by expressing authentic beliefs backed with sustained action.
Let us work with you to design a realistic (and hopefully enjoyable) action plan, while our social media manager translates your hard work into sustainable brand momentum.
