2 ways great operations can get you press – and 10 companies that do it
Operational efficiency is at the heart of any successful business. Our founder’s recent article at Forbes.com examined how operations affect cash flow; what we’d like to do in this post is show how operations can help you stand out from the competition by reaching and influencing your target markets through the press.
We’ve found 12 companies, small and large, which used operational success to get relevant press. They performed tasks and provided services better and faster; or they added or expanded services and products. We found that tech companies, a grocery store, Chick-fil-A, and a PR firm got good press by being better and faster. Walmart, an accounting firm, a pharmacy, and other companies added or expanded services to get the press they wanted.
Perform faster & better
We’ve all been at those restaurants where the food comes amazingly quick…but the meal was terrible or the waiter was rude. Conversely, everyone can remember great food that took so long your hair got gray.
The restaurant industry is one of many which relies on an operational formula of quality and speed. Chick-fil-A is the consistent fast-food winner with this formula. This summer, it the customer approval list for fast-food chains and earned a USA TODAY profile.
The same success formula is true for a number of other industries which are heavily reliant on operational efficiency to create success:
- Even before the pandemic, some grocery stores recognized that some customers don’t want to spend hours driving to the grocery store, walking around the store, standing in line, and driving back home. Michigan’s Niles Martin’s Super Market launched Groceries to Go in 2019, earning press in the regional paper months before ordering groceries for pickup or delivery became the norm.
- ServiceNow, SalesForce, and other technology companies were highlighted in Fortune last year for quickly creating apps which helped thousands of clients adjust to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Crisis communications firms help clients create powerful and fast messaging to protect brand reputation and recognition. This is normally done behind the scenes. However, Levick Strategic Communications was in The New York Post after being hired to handle press and messaging for the board of directors of the recently collapsed Florida condo. A spokesperson told the Post that Levick is handling “important communications” with the press while board members “focus on…search and rescue.”
Add or expand new offerings
Adding new products or services, or expanding current offerings, are common business tactics. They can increase net profit, reduce cash flow challenges, and expand your target market. They can also, as the below examples prove, secure great press for companies large and small.
Let’s start with the big companies. Government contractor Peraton got a lot of press by purchasing two other contractor operations earlier this year. The company quadrupled in size, adding both new services and expansions on current services.
Accounting giant Grant Thornton, LLP likewise earned solid press when it hired Linda Miller as a principal of its expanded fraud and financial crimes practice. Miller is a former government employee who specializes in keeping a close eye on taxpayer money. She was most recently on the committee tasked to oversee five trillion dollars in pandemic relief. Her op-ed on relief oversight landed in a top government contractor outlet, and the press release announcing her hire was republished at Yahoo News.
Getting press is easier at a large company. Walmart recently got national media attention when its delivery services were expanded to service local businesses. But small businesses can use this same operational formula to secure valuable press. One New York-based health and wellness company did this multiple times over the last few years. An orthopedic firm added a new location in Pennsylvania, and a California pharmacy continues to expand its technological capabilities. A non-profit example is a Virginia library which recently opened a business center and a waffle shop for patrons.
How can your operations get you in the press?
From good Yelp reviews to getting in USA TODAY, there are many ways your operations can become marketing and branding opportunities. Contact us today to see how your operational success can become the path to reaching and influencing your target markets.