All the Little Details in Creating Relationships

Ever wondered how people become friends? The process of that lifelong bond between two people stems from the very first impressions and moments that are shared. In PR, relationship building is the essence of our job. Without relationships, there can be no communication and inevitably, no PR.

Businesses are built on relationships and recently, my time with Exa has re-established the importance of communicating the value one places in each relationship. By effectively and genuinely communicating appreciation, relationships can grow stronger as arguably, people care for those who care about them.

6 Building Blocks for Relationships

Make the Other Person Feel Important & Do It Sincerely

Dale Carnegies’ book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People” outlines the following six ways to make people like you.

            

      1. Become genuinely interested in other people.

2. Smile.

3. Remember that a person's name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in  any language.

4. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.

5. Talk in terms of the other person's interests.

6. Make the other person feel important - and do it sincerely.

At Exa, I have been creating a media list and entering client details into our Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. CRM is a concept we learn in both PR and Marketing units. CRM enhances goodwill, credibility and profitability of the organisation where both the organisational goals and customer satisfaction are achieved.

Entering the details of media contacts onto the excel spreadsheet

Christina placed importance on inserting the correct details of contacts into the system. I was given a pile of our clients’ business cards and meticulously entered and checked the name, job titles and contact details of each client. The process ensures that with the correct details, we can easily write a letter, email or give a call to our client. CRM is a system that allows our client’s details and features to become easily accessible to staff members so Exa can be consistent in communicating with clients. Furthermore, we can show that we value them in remembering their names and details.

If someone was important to you, every detail of them becomes more vivid. Value is transferable. When Exa expresses how they value a client through remembering the little details about them, our clients value us and trusts us because they feel respected and important.

Strong relationships in PR can enhance success and lessen the impact of crisis. Exa in Perth has over 50 clients and that number continually rises. Exa teaches me that every relationship is valuable and that I should always remember the little details of clients/stakeholders because Maya Angelou once said that, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Until next time,

Evelyn