| Some companies spend millions of dollars annually on | | | | objectives and target marketgroups. The strategies |
| advertisement and publicitywithout knowing the return | | | | and tactics used should also incorporate some form |
| on those investments. With limited financial resources, it | | | | ofmeasurement for the results achieved. After all, an |
| isimportant that the company understands whether it is | | | | increase in awareness of the companyor products is |
| getting maximum mileage out oftheir advertising dollar. | | | | surely a good sign, but ultimately, if these do not impact |
| Companies send out thousands of "no brainers" | | | | on the top andbottom line, these campaigns would be |
| publicity mailings, not worth their time,energy and | | | | hard to justify and sustain. |
| money. Some spend thousands of dollars in | | | | Another way to get maximum punch out of the |
| newspapers and televisionpublicity campaigns, which | | | | publicity campaign is to benefit others. |
| confuse the consumers. Others launch | | | | For instance, the information should help the viewers in |
| telemarketingprograms but instead irritate the | | | | lifestyle, body, mind and spirit. |
| customers with nuisance calls. | | | | Target the publicity campaigns to educate, fill a need |
| Your advertisement needs to stand out and make an | | | | and change the quality of life. Theyshould be selfless |
| impression. Better still, it should bedesigned such that | | | | rather than selfish, offer benefits rather than features |
| the reader or viewer can clearly grasp the central | | | | and giving ratherthan taking. |
| theme or idea behindthe advertisement, and also take | | | | In a crisis, the communication and public campaigns |
| note of the call to action. | | | | play a crucial role and can make orbreak the |
| An ineffective advertising campaign is like taking | | | | company's reputation. Both in good and bad times, |
| Viagra, it gives you short-term thrilland excitement but | | | | company needs toeffectively communicate to their |
| does not cure your long term impotence. Depending on | | | | target audience. A crisis merely increases the |
| the nature ofthe business, companies should consider | | | | intensityof the communication and accentuates the |
| deploying a mix of public relations, directmarketing and | | | | need to communicate the organization'spublics about |
| advertising programmes to convey their key | | | | those decisions and any subsequent corrective actions |
| messages to their targetaudience, rather than just | | | | that are taken. Theorganization also needs to keep all |
| depend on the advertising vehicle alone. | | | | the key business associates and staff apprised of |
| For a person, a healthy and balanced diet, regular | | | | itsvarious publics' reactions. In some instances, such as |
| exercise and a happy family life arevital to staying in | | | | the well-known Tylenol tamperingcase, effective public |
| the pink of health. Just as a person should adopt a | | | | campaigns can actually enhance an organisation's |
| holistic approach tostaying healthy, likewise, a company | | | | reputation. |
| should employ an integrated, | | | | Thus you may have a better mousetrap, but if you do |
| multi-prongedcommunications strategy as part of its | | | | not effectively promote yourmousetrap, how are your |
| marketing approach. | | | | customers going to beat a path to your door? |
| All publicity campaigns should have clearly identified | | | | |