When it comes to public relations (PR), broad publicity surely matters a lot. At the same time, when brands have to get closer to people and form specific community bonds "targeted publicity" may be useful.

 

So, what’s a reasonable option that helps targeting? The answer could lie on creating some sort of intimacy, or, in other words, enhancing community relations between a brand and its target audience.

 

It’s always engaging to show that behind a successful brand, whether that’s big or small, there are always people.

Many may think of businessmen as ruthless robots in suits. However, the reality is that they are as much human as anyone else.

There are many ways to enhance community relations and shape or reverse negative opinions. 

 

Good planning is essential.

Here are some bullet points that provide information about enhancing community relations, by also highlighting the benefits of doing it successfully.

 

 

Communities can be about many different things. Broadly speaking, we can say that they include groups of individuals linked together via issues, interactions, geography or a unique sense of identity.

 

Residents, community associations, sports leagues, online networks, cancer survivors, environmental activists and religious groups are only some examples of community segments.

 

There is a plethora of available choices when it comes to forming partnerships or other kinds of connections. What this means is that depending on the purpose, you can utilize those groups’ needs to fulfill your business needs or vice versa.

 

Brainstorming and planning inside an office about community relations is needed. However, things don’t end there.

Being active and visible to the society is one way to ensure that any interactions will be even more engaging.

 

 

Face to face communication is intimate and authentic, and that’s the reason why it is many times more appreciated. Apart from being cooperative superficially, it’s good to always to seek advice and at the same time ask for feedback.

 

Engagement is linked to consistent and ongoing communication. Making a one-off nice impression is not enough as far as enhancing community relations.

 

Community members feel the need to understand and comprehend company’s policies and the reasoning that leads to those policies. 

Any form of interaction is more effective when it is tangible, straight and clear; hence there should be a common language or a common background or a common understanding between both parties.

 

This is an advantage of having established strong community relations, rather than tactic.

 

Different types of businesses can be trustworthy, credible and competent when they are known to have associations with leaders. And leaders can be found in many types of communities. There are key opinion leaders, influencers and role models for many different subjects.

 

 

Apart from benefiting from those leaders’ work, established or emerging leaders can also flourish by cooperating with businesses. So, make sure to somehow stress that this is a win-win process.

OneTeam’s people are aware of the fact that community relations should include a company’s interactions with the society that surrounds it. The key is to find or build #trust and #support. We constantly attempt to connect strongly with communities and make partnerships with stakeholders, by reinforcing a two-way communication and always mutual respect.