There is a lot of confusion about the difference between community relations and public relations. We recently hopped on a Zoom call with McKeeman Communications, one of the leading PR firms in Raleigh, North Carolina, to find out how the two overlapped and where the similarities ended. We also asked a few questions about how to best implement a community relations program.
Q: Is community relations the same as public relations?
McKeeman Communication: There is some crossover between the two, community relations is the work your business does to garner goodwill in the community, for example, choosing to donate lunch to teachers during teacher appreciation week. Public relations – usually done by PR firms – is how you package up and present your work and goodwill to an audience, such as the media, i.e., writing a social media post about your work so a wide audience can see.
Q: Why is it important to prioritize community relations?
McKeeman Communication: There are a plethora of benefits of community relations for companies, both large and small. Ask any of the PR firms in Raleigh, and they will tell you that doing good for your neighbors and those that support you not only builds brand awareness and loyalty but also shows that you want to be a trusted and active part in your community. Another, often unexpected, outcome of getting into the community is that it instills a sense of goodwill in your employees and can actually improve teamwork, morale, communication, leadership, and productivity.
Q: What are some ways to invest in my business’ community?
McKeeman Communication: Aside from the obvious of making a donation, you can also participate in local events, such as passing out Christmas gifts or feeding your local junior sports teams. You may also allow employees a certain amount of days each year that they can devote to working for the charity of their choice. If budget is a concern, you can host toy drives, share animal shelter social media posts, and other goodwill opportunities on your social pages.
McKeeman Communications was founded more than two decades ago by Kim McKeeman. Today, the company stands as one of the most trusted PR firms in Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina. Offering social media, crisis management, and other services, McKeeman Communications has built a reputation of going the extra mile for each client.