Your Message, Your Story and What You are Trying to Accomplish Using the Internet

In this age of internet savvy consumers, and blogging it makes complete sense to use these avenues to further your public relations and marketing reach. Think about You Tube and other websites where anyone can post videos on just about anything. These are now becoming new and valid avenues for public relations.

A company's website, should always have a page for current company information including press releases, recent events, new products, and services, and possibly an online newsletter and other pertinent information that consumer's can use to make an educated decision. Having a website today is pretty much standard and if consumers want to research your company or find out more about you, this is where they will look.

But now let's talk about blogs. Blogs have taken the internet by storm.

People now have the opportunity to post their thoughts and complaints on the web. Blogs are also changing the face of online business. Consumers now have the power to influence a much larger circle of peers. People share negative consumer experiences just as often as positive experiences are shared. Blogs can almost act like an online referral source for happy customers.

On the downside many businesses now face the problem of negative press floating around inside search engine results as well as a trail complaints and accusations left by disgruntled customers. The internet can work both ways, for the good and the bad. In most cases if your business or organization is on the up and up and truly cares about its customers, these types of negative hits will likely be few and far between.

Blogs can also be an effective way to manage public relations. Every company should have a blog on or connected to their company website. Consumers should have the opportunity to ask their questions and voice their complaints directly. Responding to these issues will both relieve unnecessary bad press and win back some of your dissatisfied customers. Remember the rule of customer service, in most cases the customer just wants to be heard. Depending on the how the situation is handled, they will accept that you made a mistake. It is how you handle that mistake that can break the deal.

LESSON 4 Key Terms

1. Blog - a Web site, usually maintained by an individual, with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video.