This weekend, it was warm enough to go to the river and enjoy some fun in the sun with my dog and husband. After splashing in the waves and eating sushi on the shoreline, I thought of a few PR lessons from the experience to share. Here are 3 lessons from a day by the beach we can apply to public relations.
What can a day at the beach teach us about PR?
3 PR Lessons from a Day at the Beach
- Make Connections
Getting to this part of the river is unique; you have to cross a hydroelectric dam with a security guard that requires showing ID and passing a screening process. Since we’ve made the trip so many times, we’ve gotten to know the officer and crossing the river isn’t a problem. A good PR lesson to learn from this experience is that getting to know people you work with frequently is beneficial and important; all relationships built on mutual benefit need proper tending.
If making a connection with the security guard wasn’t enough, we even recognized people at the beach when we got there! It shows getting to know people by name and building a friendship is a great way to make connections.
- Leave Places Better than You Found Them
There’s a saying in public parks, “Pack it in, pack it out.” We not only remembered to take all of our trash with us when we left, but I noticed a sign on the way out that this piece of sand was up for adoption by, “Adopt-A-Shoreline.” By taking ownership of this piece of land and cleaning it up, a local business has a great opportunity for some extra publicity. Have you ever adopted a road, shoreline or highway for this purpose?
- Remember to Say, ‘Thank You’
While at the beach, I spent time training my beagle to go in the water. He’s always been afraid, but each summer he makes steady progress toward learning how to swim. Each time he entered the water, I rewarded him with a treat to let him know I appreciated his effort. A warm ‘thank you’ or a handwritten note seems to be a lost art and is one of the many important PR lessons. Sending a reporter a thank you note after they do you a favor will go a long way in cultivating long-term relationships.
Making connections everywhere you go, leaving places better than you found them and remembering your manners are important PR lessons I learned from the beach. Can you think of any others?
Photo Credit: Beth Adan
Special Offer: Complimentary Consultation
Three Girls Media, Inc. is a public relations and social media management agency founded in the heart of California’s Silicon Valley with a team in the Seattle area. We love working with small and emerging companies across the nation to raise their brand awareness and name recognition. We offer a complimentary 30-minute phone consultation with our CEO and can answer your questions and discuss your specific marketing needs.
Call 408-218-2391 or Contact us today to arrange yours!