K Cobb Marketing

Everything You Do Is PR—Behave Accordingly

You are always representing your business, and people have lots of ways to spread the word about you. Peer-to-peer marketing is the norm now, and in a world of commenting, rating, and reviewing, your reputation and your brand have become one and the same. Public relations isn't all about press releases and media, it’s about how you manage your interactions. Old-school bad behavior can still result in a poor business reputation--both offline and online.

Here are some recent examples and their PR consequences.

Bad PR Experience #1

Recently, a friend was having breakfast with his family at a restaurant in town. He’s a member of a local non-profit board, and that organization is currently involved in changing their policies. The restaurant owner chose this moment to tell my friend that she disapproved of the upcoming changes—all while my friend was attempting to enjoy his scrambled eggs.

PR Consequences: My friend told me (and others) about the experience—souring our opinion of the restaurant. He also told me he will not eat there again. Then he went on a friend’s YELP account and gave the restaurant a low rating because he found the owner “meddlesome.”

Bad PR Experience #2

A woman from a neighboring store came into a dress store I was visiting, to talk with the store’s owner. Their conversation involved a third store owner that apparently wasn’t living up to their expectations. It was a loud encounter that ended up driving me (and two other patrons) from the store. PR

PR Consequences: I told my friends about this encounter. I will not shop there (or at the other store) again. Three viable customers were driven from the store due to carelessness. Shortly after this experience, I saw a comment on Google Places about one of these stores that simply said, “Stay away, store owner is a gossip.” (I heard one of the store owners three days later lamenting about poor sales—gee, I wonder what could be wrong?)

Good PR Experience #3

I’m at Nordstrom in downtown Portland to buy shoes. I hate buying shoes. I tell the hostess, I want comfortable shoes and I don’t want to spend $500. I want a sales clerk who doesn’t try to upsell me or force me to try on things I don’t want. And I’m in a hurry.” Unfazed, she walked me directly to Melinda and repeated what I had said. Melinda proceeded to find exactly what I wanted, at a price I could afford. I was in and out of the store in 20 minutes with two pair of $60 shoes.

PR Consequences: I’m telling you the real name of the store and salesperson, because I want them to know how much I appreciate the service—and I want you to shop there too. I have told this to many friends. I went on Yelp and Google Places and bragged about this experience. Thanks Melinda!

You are your business—behave accordingly. 

Kerry Cobb

K. Cobb Marketing

kcobb@kcobbmarketing.com

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