Building strategic PR relationships drives strong reputation management.

In PR, engagement season lasts longer than Valentine’s Day; we’re engaged with our clients, vendors and media each and every day. Why? Because building PR relationships is one of the cornerstones of our industry and we believe it’s an essential part to solidifying strong reputation management.

So how can you build long-term PR relationships when Match.com and eHarmony can’t do it for you? Always be helpful, says Lauren Fimbres Wood of i.d.e.a. Provide material, ideas and suggestions that can’t be found elsewhere. Adding personalized value is vital to achieving your ultimate ROI goals and sustaining your brand’s reputation for the long haul.

But that’s not all that needs to be done.

Reputation management relies heavily on the relationships built between:

1. Your Audience. The best way to build relationships with your audience is to be transparent and focused. Treat your audience like they matter and they will be your best and most reliable brand ambassadors. Listen to their feedback and respond accordingly. Social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter are easy ways to establish an ongoing relationship with your target audience.

2. Your Influencers. Sending a press release isn’t going to get you far when your influencers are bombarded with papers and emails. But good content will. Always keep this in mind when attempting to establish relationships with people who matter. Quality has a bigger impact than quantity.

3. The Media. Don’t just contact media when you need something from them. Read their articles. Tune in to their shows. If you see something you like, tell them. Offer stories of value. Building a PR relationship doesn’t mean you have to be friends, but it does mean you have to be involved.

There is a common misconception that hype creates good PR. It doesn’t. The only way to sustain a long-term, stable reputation is to invest time and energy into making meaningful connections with valuable content. How have your PR relationships helped with your PR strategies? Leave a comment and let us know.