This document provides guidance on public relations strategies for consumer relations and international public relations. It discusses researching an organization's reputation and consumer audiences. The document recommends organizations call consumer groups proactively, empower employees to help consumers, and control media conversations. For international PR, it advises researching a company and country context, starting small, networking with local leaders, and offering an olive branch through cultural exchange programs.

1. Pubic
relations
471

2. Consumer relations
research
• Organization’s reputation has higher impact.
• Not just its real reputation
• How is it perceived
• Review sites
• How do they get along with consumer groups?
• This can prevent a problem from turning into a crisis
• Companies are so afraid of bad reviews, they forget about
ways to get good reviews. This is a chance to play
offense.

3. Consumer relations
audience research
• Company employees
• Customers
• Professionals
• Middle class
• Working class
• Minorities
• Others
• Consumer Groups & Publications
• Community Leaders
• Media

4. Consumer relations
objective nuances
• Prevent a situation from becoming a crisis.
• Increase positive reviews.
• Improve response times.
• Empower employees to help consumers so PR people
don’t have to douse flames.
Social media, social media, social media, social media, social
media, social media, social media
Fight lawyers

5. Consumer relations
seven programming
nuances
• Employer employees to help.
• Create an ombudsman who has teeth to throw you under
the bus. Be self reflective.
• Call consumer groups before they call you.
• Have an educational system in place for consumers. Even
if they never use it, you can refer to it when bad things
happen.
• The more you play offense, the less you play defense.
• Control media, and take conversation offline.
• Have FAQ to anticipated questions.

6. International pr
research nuances
Client Research: Reputation of company and industry in said
company.
Opportunity Research: Can the company do what they say
they can do?

7. International pr
research nuances
Audience Research: Know the turf
• Politics
• Economic
• Environmental
• Cultural
• Who has the power to get stuff done? Chances are it’s not
the same as here in the states.

8. International pr
objectives
• Awareness
• Acknowledge
• Accept
• Start small
• Give yourself time

9. International pr
programming
• Offer olive branch
• Cultural exchange is a great way to do that
• Network the room, and meet with key leaders
• This is a great way to create news and feature
opportunities with awards programs, celebrations or other
events.
• Participate in the holidays of the nations where you are
visiting
• There is interest in Western thinking, but that has to be a
two-way street

10. International pr
programming
• You need uncontrolled media to validate
your work
• You need a web presence that backs up
what you claim to be
• Your expertise can be great controlled
media, but that trust isn’t earned until you
offer the olive branch

11. International pr
programming
• Verbal and nonverbal cues are different
• You’re evaluated on your thoughts and
how you handle the cultural differences.
• Effort matters.