The Importance of Listening in PR
Listening is an undervalued trait in a business environment that is built on speed and a mentality of, "just get it done." The use of social media channels as marketing content delivery channels has increased the speed of business up dramatically.
Case in point: look at what Facebook's news this week, announcing they will no longer use the "fan" approach to users engaging with brands. Instead, consumers will now "like" a brand.
This move is large due in part to the tremendous volume of brands leveraging Facebook as a PR foot soldier.
Why are they relying on Facebook?
Well, there are 400 million people on Facebook and the channel is slowly but surely becoming the single biggest destination on the web for consumers other than Google.
So, what does all this have to do with listening?
Well, too often brands will launch a social media "strategy" that's based on what they want to tell their target audience and not what their audience wants to hear.
That thinking is more along the lines of direct mail, i.e. force feeding of messaging versus providing value to your audience.
When speaking to my clients and developing strategic communications programs for them (that may or may not include social media channels as a delivery mechanism), I always listen to them first:
- Who is your target audience?
- What are their pain points?
- What do they want in the form of engagement from your company?
- What value-add can you provide them?
- How far are you willing to engage with them if you do decide to use social media channels as a content delivery vehicle?
These are all simple questions, but are often overlooked when developing PR programs.
Listening is a cyclical thing. If the client listens to their audience, and the PR counselor listens to the client, a strategic program can be developed that is based on audience needs and is executed as such.
Additionally, and more importantly, the program will have a listening component built into it so it remains fluid and on the pulse of your clients' and their audience's needs.
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