As an adviser to fixed-wireless and hybrid fiber-wireless ISPs, I know that most companies in this space are growing like crazy, creating all sorts of pressures on the people that run them.
Some of the scariest pressures may be the reputational risks that result from your success.
Companies in this industry are stretched thin. Many have a one-person marketing department focused on leads and sales, not public affairs and PR. Senior execs are focused on difficult management and technical challenges.
Meanwhile, companies in this sector are up against the aggressive tactics of Big Telecom, Big Cable, rural co-ops, and municipal internet advocates.
Is there a risk that successful attacks on your reputation could flatten your growth curve for years to come? Here are three key secrets for success in PR and public affairs, and how they relate to your business.
1. It’s OK to start small.
You don’t have to achieve mass awareness to build your reputation. In the digital age, you can be very targeted. There might only be 50-100 people who need to know your public affairs message. That’s very doable.
For one fast-growing ISP, we produced a series of press releases focusing on short lists of key reporters and editors in key states and communities. The resulting news stories are creating a “halo” that’s going to add to their growth momentum and inoculate them from criticism.
Another company is sending simple monthly emails of no more than 150 words and a few photos to a small, targeted list of state and federal policymakers, highlighting network upgrades and community services. This is a great way to create fresh, positive associations with a small but very important audience.
2. Make the message stick.
The average American is exposed to almost 2,000 messages per day and has an attention span of just 8 seconds. How do you break through?
It’s definitely a challenge, but the key is making your messages and content as simple and resonant as possible. Employ the power of snappy phrases, powerful data points, and appealing human stories. And always, always include visuals, whether they are icons, photos, video clips, charts, or maps.
For WISPA, an association of wireless-centric internet service providers, it was only five years ago that I was brought on to help with PR, and the group had little public messaging beyond what it published in FCC filings. We created content to explain the sector with simpler phrasing, strong visuals, and member spotlight stories, such as how WISPs were partnering with local schools and agri-businesses. The Carmel Group reports of 2017 and 2021, which I helped edit and produce, were chock full of easy-to-grasp charts and explanations.
While WISPA’s advocacy efforts have been a team effort, I am convinced that the world has become more familiar with fixed-wireless and hybrid ISPs because of this one tactic. It also contributed to policy wins that have unlocked a wealth of new money-making opportunities for entrepreneurial ISPs.
3. Be systematic and persistent.
There are two antidotes to the perennial problem of not having enough staff to do PR well: a) starting small (see #1 above); and b) be persistent and systematic. Choose just one or two tactics – such as email newsletters and social media posts, supported with more photos – and commit to a schedule. Create a content calendar with key messages you need to communicate over the coming months. Schedule bimonthly coordination calls among your business strategists, marketers, and PR pros. Create a simple process for preparing and distributing news announcements.
Then repeat, repeat, repeat. Just keep being systematic and persistent, and the calls will start coming to you.
These are just a few of my favorite PR secrets and how they apply to fixed-wireless and hybrid ISPs. Have you discovered any that work well for you?
Want to bulletproof your reputation with policymakers and the media while protecting and growing your business pipeline? Follow me on LinkedIn; sign-up for my e-newsletter for free PR advice; or reach out and let’s talk.