5 ways to revitalize your image

As government organizations continue to slash spending and cut budgets, it gets harder and more imperative to stand out and clearly communicate how you help your customer meet their mission while reducing costs.

Public relations and marketing initiatives can help you make sure your prospects hear you, see you, and understand why they need you. Here are five tips to consider that can help you revitalize your image this year.

1. Fine tune your message to resonate with 2013 priorities. Think strategically and focus on how you help your customers solve real problems.

2. Deliver this message consistently through all of your materials. Maybe it’s time for a new brochure or marketing materials, a website facelift, a new blog page from your executives, a new tag line or mission statement. Make sure your message is relevant and your communication educates your audience on how you can help them meet their very tough and very real challenges of today.

3. If you don’t have consistent public relations efforts in place, that should be a priority for 2013. Tell your story through the publications your customers read and trust. Educate them on how you can help solve their problems. Provide examples of success stories in the government marketplace. This is an excellent tool to establish your executives as thought leaders in their area of expertise, as well.

4. Initiate PR and marketing campaigns with the publications and events that are most relevant for your customers, to communicate your message and integrate your brand with a trusted resource. Stay true to your trusted publications that you’ve used in the past, but branch out in search of new publications and new opportunities for your clients that align with their mission and their needs.

5. Be present. Attend networking events, visit customers; face-to-face interaction is really important in these challenging times. Your customers need to know you and know they can trust you. Virtual interaction is not enough.