Practical Steps for Small Marketing Departments

In the competitive arena where businesses vie for attention, blending branding with public relations (PR) stands out as a strategic powerhouse. This combination can dramatically enhance a brand’s resonance, authenticity, and visibility. But what are some practical, easy-to-implement PR tactics businesses can use to leverage this synergy? Here’s a closer look at a few suggestions from the Sutherland Weston PR and Branding teams for actionable first steps.

Understanding the Symbiosis

Branding is the essence of your business’s identity—its values, personality, and promises to customers. Public relations manages and communicates this identity to the public, shaping perceptions and building relationships. Together, they weave a narrative that not only reaches the audiences most important to you but also connects with your audience, fostering trust and loyalty.

1. Storytelling That Resonates

First Step: Document Your Brand’s Journey – Begin by writing down your brand’s origin story, including the challenges you’ve faced and milestones you’ve achieved. (Check out our story here!) This narrative becomes the backbone of your storytelling, ready to be shared through press releases, social media, and your website, engaging your audience with authenticity.

2. Community Engagement

First Step: Identify Local Opportunities – Start by listing local events, charities, or businesses that align with your brand values. Reach out to these organizations to explore partnership or sponsorship opportunities. Engaging with your community in meaningful ways can significantly elevate your brand’s local presence and reputation.  At Sutherland Weston, we’re passionate about being a part of the great Bangor community and happy to lend our talents to local non-profit efforts — and a side benefit? Participating is often a great team-building opportunity for employees. 

3. Thought Leadership

First Step: Share Your Expertise – Pick a topic you’re knowledgeable about and write a short blog post or record a brief video sharing your insights. This content doesn’t have to be perfect; it just needs to offer value to your audience. Sharing your expertise positions you as a thought leader and builds credibility. Hey! Just like I’m doing here with this article, right? 

4. Leveraging Social Proof

First Step: Gather and Showcase Testimonials – Reach out to your satisfied customers and ask for testimonials. Even a simple quote can be powerful. Feature these testimonials prominently on your website and social media channels. (We’ve got testimonials on our home page, check them out!)  This social proof acts as a trust signal to potential customers, showcasing the positive experiences others have had with your brand. In fact, according to a BrightLocal study, 70% of customers make decisions based on positive online reviews.  

Merging branding with PR offers a rich opportunity for small businesses to amplify their voice and connect more deeply with their audience. By taking these initial steps in storytelling, community engagement, thought leadership, and leveraging social proof, businesses can craft a compelling brand narrative that resonates on a personal level, building a loyal and engaged community around their brand. 

With a few simple, and easy-to-accomplish steps, you let authenticity and visibility to be your allies in carving out your brand’s place in the market. Want to know more? Feel free to give me a call. ~Elizabeth