Why Consistency Matters

“Life is a perpetual instruction in cause and effect.” --Ralph Waldo Emerson Emerson called consistency the hobgoblin of little minds, but when it comes to public relations, consistency is THE most crucial key to success. Why? Because we live in a world of cause and effect. The number of people who know about your company is a result. Your company’s reputation is a result. The way people feel about buying from you is a result. What people associate with your product is a result. All of these things stem from the communications activities you undertake on a regular basis. And if you undertake no communications activities on a regular basis, your public perception will reflect that too. In that sense, public relations is a lot like exercise. If you do it effectively and steadily you’ll see good results. If you do it sporadically or not at all you won’t. As a PR counselor and advisor, people often come to me because they’re unhappy seeing their competitors, who have a lesser product or service, garner the lion’s share of attention in their industry or town. When people are unhappy with the fruits of their tree, the solution is often found down in the roots. The first thing I look at is what they have done to build a robust PR program that incorporates all the audiences that matter most. • TIP: What feedback do you get from people when you tell them where you work? Have they heard of you? Do they sound positive, neutral or negative? Consider consistent PR as an important tool in making improvements.