Basic HTML Version
PUBLIC
RELATIONS
2.1
–
COMMUNICATION
BEFITTING
THE
FUTURE
OF
THE
LABEL
INDUSTRY
With the theme for this year’s FINAT Congress being ‘Label Your Future’, it seems fitting to share with you duomedia’s far-sighted
approach to communication. Or as FINAT’s PR agency calls it, Public Relations 2.1. Managing Partner Anja D’Hondt of duomedia
shares eight principles to ensure that FINAT continues to influence the media agenda. 8 Principles that could also be adopted at
company level.
Principle 1 – Community building
In the business world, a community is a group of organizations and companies that share the same values, and one of their main
goals should be to contribute to the prosperity and growth of their community. Being part of a community doesn’t mean ticking off
set ‘community tasks’. You can contribute just by working hard, doing a good job, and doing the right thing by people. In return,
your community members will recognize your efforts.
One of the overarching goals of the PR progamme is to ensure that FINAT makes a positive contribution to the labeling community.
In addition to the media outreach work, we’ve been hitting the social media channels to help FINAT interact with the labeling
community, as well as other related communities.
Principle 2 – Value-based communication
Every company needs clear values and should live by them in their daily operations. It is also really important that values are
embraced by everyone in the organization. We’ve been helping FINAT express the organization’s values – and those of the
membership – through thought leadership pieces on how to improve the labeling industry.
Principle 3 – Spiritual motivation
Adverts, direct mailers and even articles aren’t enough on their own to mobilize stakeholders. You have to engage with them and
move them – motivate them to join your community. Essentially, it’s about generating an emotion to spur involvement – and this is
what we’re trying to achieve in promoting FINAT’s activities. We want non-member labelling companies to join the organization, so
that FINAT grows even stronger and more representative of the labeling community.
Remember, if you conduct your business in an honest and genuine way, you’ll eventually build a loyal group of followers who want
to support what you’re trying to achieve.
Principle 4 – Horizontal relations
When it comes to respecting opinions, people believe their peers more than any anyone else in the supply chain, especially the
organization or company selling the product / service. This is why we’re so keen that FINAT members promote the organization to
non-member companies. If they hear first-hand from a like-minded member company how they’re benefitting from their involve-
ment with FINAT, they’re far more likely to join. And when they do, the community gets bigger and stronger, and all the member
companies benefit.
Principle 5 - Authenticity and integrity
This is all about your image reflecting your true values and identity, and adopting an ethical code of conduct. And, crucially, this is
about all staff conducting themselves in the same way. So from FINAT’s perspective, it means all members acting appropriately and
responsibly to protect and enhance the reputation of the organization. In turn, member companies benefit from being part of a
trusted and respected organization.
Principle 6 – Glocalization
From a commercial perspective, the world is getting smaller – which means you need to think global but act local. From FINAT’s
point of view, we want to reach out to as many companies and related organizations across the globe as possible.
This is why when we draft a news release or case study etc, we often translate and re-purpose them for local markets. We’ve found
that this investment pays big dividends. From a long-term, relationship-building perspective, translated documents show we’re
interested in editors’ local markets. And from a commercial perspective, translated communications save editors’ time and money,
and ultimately are more likely to be published.
Principle 7 – Corporate social responsibility
For any organization, it’s very important to show how that it makes the effort to look beyond its own interests and support
organizations, charities or people directly. This should be a genuine activity, and not used as PR stunt.
Principle 8 – Ongoing innovation and creativity
A company or organization that sticks to the same products and principles for too long will eventually fail. In today’s digital era,
consumers’ and businesses’ needs change quickly. Also, technology is evolving at a rapid pace. So it’s really important that
companies constantly innovate and explore new technologies and creative ways of working. This is one reason why FINAT is
targeting its social media output. We have to move with the times. We appreciate that not everyone is a fan of Linked-in, Facebook
or Twitter. But from a communications perspective they’re crucial, cost-effective platforms for publicizing FINAT’s activities.
In summary, if we all adhere to the above principles we’ll continue to generate goodwill and credibility for FINAT. It’s a lot of effort
but well worth it – a strong, positive reputation is one of the most valuable and powerful assets FINAT can have.
35
FINAT YEARBOOK
2013
|