I'm a passionate believer in the strategic use of communications to gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
It doesn't matter whether you're a company, a brand, an author, a politician, a religious institution or not-for-profit organisation with a cause or issue to promote - public relations should sit at the heart of your marketing and corporate communications efforts.
Nor does it matter whether your audience is made up of mainstream/lifestyle niche/B2B consumers, select key influencers or small stakeholder groups, government or community - PR is still the most effective way to establish, build, nurture, enhance and leverage those who are important to the success of your business (or cause or issue etc).
I say this because the other day I was talking to someone about how PR, when strategically developed and cleverly maintained, forms the bedrock of a company or organisation's overall communications effort.
Then the lightbulb went off! Ahhhh - bedrock. Bed...(here comes the link):
Think of PR as a bed.
Yep, that's right. A Bed. The legs, the base and mattress collectively represent a company or organisation's public relations effort. Rock solid. It can be basic or fancy, but the bottom line is it's stable and holds everything together.
The doona* (or duvet) represents advertising and your other 'push' marketing communications. Vitally important at particular times. It adds colour and warmth and it's nice to snuggle under. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
A bed without a doona is a bit bare. You can sleep on it, sure, but sometimes it's nice to have a few blankets!
A doona without a bed though, is...well...somewhat useless.
What's your bed like? Is it solid, with a framework that keeps everything together, or is it limp like a scrunched-up doona on the floor?
(Remember, it's your bed and you're the one who has to sleep in it!).
