With increased globalisation, the management of company reputations and social corporate responsibility issues will remain to be of importance throughout 2017.

Public Relations helps raise, sustain and protect a company’s reputation and creates a favourable buying environment, but it is a means, not an end in itself. If you do not have the right product, in the right place, selling to the right customer at the right time, PR will not work miracles. It will support your bottom line, but not create it.

Technology has brought about the globalization of markets and the development of worldwide networks, but it has also increased competition. PR can be used to educate your customers, prospects and partners and it can differentiate your firm’s products and services to help you stand out from the crowd.

And whilst PR campaigns should be planned at a global level, they need to be acted out at the local level. If you haven’t undertaken PR previously, keep things simple, stay focused on your customers and use PR to support your sales strategy. Target one key geographical market at a time, grow that market and then reinvest in the next one.

And don’t forget, globalisation is not just about large companies as the internet makes it possible for small companies to trade worldwide. There is no better tool than public relations for helping firms to punch above their weight.