The Philosophy of Publicity
Did you know that great philosophers have tackled the topic of publicity? It’s true. A couple of centuries back, Immanuel Kant developed a so-called “publicity test” in which he said, “All actions relating to the rights of other human beings are wrong if their maxim is incompatible with publicity.”
Don’t worry about reading that sentence seven times to try to understand what he said. I already did that, and what I think he means is, “If you don’t want anybody to know about it, don’t do it.”
That’s one side of publicity. It begins by having a good story to tell, not by having a bad story to avoid telling. For contractor purposes, that gets back to the honorable work that you do – providing service with integrity, offering quality products that you back after the sale, maintaining a commitment to your customers and so forth. From these positive exchanges, you lay the groundwork for positive publicity.
Next comes the organized effort. That’s actually called “public relations,” which involves a disciplined approach to seeking publicity. The goal is to generate a positive feeling for your company and a positive image in your community.
Some think this is “feel-good” stuff, and it is if you’re sponsoring a blood drive, toy drive or food drive. But publicity can also build on your image of integrity and professionalism such as when you provide media releases on safety tips after bad weather. People don’t “feel good” if you’re warning them about faulty generator installation, the dangers of carbon monoxide or the risks of frozen pipes. But they do respect the person who speaks to them candidly and offers expert advice.
So, embrace causes that people in your community respect and build warm feelings in the heart. Tap into the concerns of area residents and offer assurances for what they should do. And you’ve got two great angles for your own philosophy of publicity.