What George Washington Taught Us About PR

George Washington was the 1st President of the United States, as we know; however, as a man of the battle field and politics, he gained quite a bit of wisdom. Now, he didn't actually teach us things about franchise public relations but he did have quotes that are very applicable for PR.

1. "To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace." The idea of being ready for war is not only applicable for a nation and a military but also is great for business. Every business will have some sort of crisis, some are big & make the news, while others are never heard of. Regardless, every business will have one and therefore, it is wise to be ready for it, whatever the crisis may be. Having a crisis communications plan in place is essential for a business; if you do not have one, the time you need one will be too late. 
2. "It is better to be alone than in bad company." Being the 1st POTUS ever, George Washington had the huge task of defining the role of the office; this meant that he had a large reason to be careful in public. People were likely excited about what the President was doing at all times because he was the first. He understood that the people you keep around you will be a direct representation of the person you are. Brands in today's world recognize this too, especially when they look at their social media presence. 
3. "Truth will ultimately prevail where there is [sic] pains to bring it to light."One of the roles of franchise PR is to protect the image of a company or person. Images and reputations can be damaged by false accusations from other companies or individuals (defamation, libel, slander, etc). This can tie into a crisis communications plan as well. 
4. "Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable; procures success to the weak, and esteem to all." When in the PR world, being disciplined is key; this does not necessarily mean being dull and legalistic, it means being focused and not compromising on what you believe to be true. It can be easy to fall to "shady" behaviors, especially if they are lucrative, such as bribes and such. Also, PR requires good creativity and persuasion, one must be disciplined to succeed at these. 

Look around, there are PR lessons everywhere, at least our Chicago PR agency thinks so. If your business is looking for a PR agency to help it grow and protect it, then contact All Points PR.