How to Create Emotional Connection in Public Relations Strategy

Public Relations (PR) is the practice of managing how others think and feel about a brand. When it comes to feeling, it has something to do with emotion. Therefore, emotion plays an important role in public relations. 

Apart from that, PR strategy also aims at maintaining a good relationship between customers and brands. A good relationship is based on good communication, which can happen when both sides have a strong emotional connection.  

How to Create Emotional Connection in PR Strategy 

A strong emotional connection can increase your PR ROI, ultimately generating sales and also customer loyalty. Here is how to create an emotional connection in your PR strategy: 

1. Create Empathetic Content 

Most people prefer to engage with content they can relate to. So make sure you create empathetic content that your audience can really see themselves in. This shows how much you understand and care about them. 

When they feel understood, they start to feel endeared to the brand and will eventually trust your brand. In this way, you can connect with people's desires, anger, sadness, and happiness, which helps develop customer loyalty. 

After they feel understood, they may also share your content with their friends and family who can also relate to that content. These people can be your next potential customers, potential investors, and even journalists from other media outlets.     

2. Be Unique 

People love exclusivity. Instead of trying to fit in with your competitors, strive to be unique and give your audience and customers something they cannot find anywhere else. That way, they are more likely to be loyal to you and spread the word. 

This uniqueness is not always about a valuable product or service, but can also be about your interesting, valuable and exclusive insight. 

If you give this kind of insight away for free, it will increase the likelihood that your audience will share it with those closest to them. They will be happy to be the first in their circle(s) to share this insight.        

3. Use Killer Humor 

Emotion is not always about being sad or happy, but also about funny things, like a relatable joke.  

When you create a PR campaign, try to make an inside killer joke that only your audience can relate to. This way, they will feel a special emotional connection to your brand. 

4. Engage by Asking 

Next, ask your audience for their opinion on a hot topic. Ask them which side they are on and why. This will make them feel valuable because you value their opinion. 

Besides engaging with them, this can also be one of your free research tools when planning a new product or service. You will understand their desires and their personality. 

5. Take Care of Your Employees 

Every business today deals with customers who are stressed or even anxious, which can cause emotional exhaustion in the employees who deal with customers every day. 

This can lead to an inability to emphasize or even sympathize with others, including your customers. No matter how great your PR campaign is, it will be a waste if your employees cannot treat them well. 

So keep your employees energized by treating them well. For example, give them awards, give them exposure on the brand's social media, give them extra vacation days, etc. 

Yes, you also need to build an emotional connection with your employees as this will affect how they treat customers. 

Emotion plays a huge role in public relations. By having a strong emotional connection, your brand can be the one that your customers cannot live without. No matter what others promise them, they will always come back to you.