| There's a fallacy that most public relations firms do PR. | | | | the general public or a niche market. The results from |
| Essentially they do publicity. How's that possible, you | | | | the credible poll can be used as an ideal story line for |
| ask? Well, this according to marketing gurus and | | | | the media. A case in point is Berlitz Canada which |
| what's stated in Wikipedia (as follows): "Public relations | | | | carried-out a poll, through Harris/Decima during several |
| and publicity are not synonymous but many PR | | | | days in March 2008, via an online panel, sampling 1,277 |
| campaigns include provisions for publicity. Publicity is the | | | | adult Canadians about the benefits of being bilingual or |
| spreading of information to gain public awareness for | | | | multilingual - especially with regards to career |
| a product, person, service, cause or organization, and | | | | advancement opportunities. The results were exploited |
| can be seen as a result of effective PR planning." PR, | | | | by being turned into a publicity feat which formed |
| then, is the creative strategy of a story. It's focused on | | | | additional exposure Berlitz wouldn't have otherwise |
| its intended audience and with the full utilization of the | | | | received in the traditional sense. |
| tools at its disposal, such as press releases, speeches | | | | Customer Care in an Ideal World |
| and public service activities amongst others, can | | | | What is the meaning of paying a PR firm to glorify |
| determine what and how people talk about a | | | | your reputation along with your product or service if |
| company, a brand, a product. | | | | you can't deliver on your promises. Today's consumer |
| Steve Jobs and the new Mac successfully got placed | | | | is not simply sophisticated but with the swift access to |
| on the cover of more than 30 magazines in the year | | | | the Internet he/she can vent their frustration online |
| the product launched. That's referred to as "publicity". | | | | through Twitter, blogs and plenty more social media |
| However, the real challenge was crafting the storyline | | | | sources. Much is touted by companies about customer |
| of the Mac - along the story of Steve Jobs. That's PR | | | | service/relations but surprisingly only a few actually |
| work at its finest. | | | | deliver on their promises. At the outset, it appears that |
| Press Releases in Tune with the Times | | | | many lack a vital customer relations policy including |
| The words "Press Release" or "Press Statement" go | | | | inadequate staff training and coaching. Picking up the |
| back a long while when such written communication | | | | telephone and calling certain companies can |
| were printed and released to the press to spread their | | | | sometimes lead to an exasperating experience. People |
| noteworthy news. These days the more common | | | | love to hate the phone tree encounter where you |
| term used is "News Release" since it has a broader | | | | have to go through a maze of menus until you |
| meaning. Materials are now posted online, either via | | | | eventually get to speak to a human - assuming you're |
| newswire services, within a company and to other | | | | lucky. It shouldn't have to be that way. Dealing with a |
| non-paid and to some extent, paid sources. As for the | | | | company's customer service center should be an |
| term "Media Release", it's like a brief newspaper article | | | | efficient and pleasant event. Companies should place |
| that is sent to media outlets to gain their interest and if | | | | toll-free numbers in visible and large type on their labels. |
| they accept it, they will then publish a story about it. | | | | Calls should be answered on the first or second ring |
| Demystifying the Roles of PR and Marketing | | | | and no phone tree. The trained person who handles |
| In the same way that PR and Publicity are not equal, | | | | the calls should be congenial, apologetic and |
| same goes for the former and marketing. Marketing is | | | | non-argumentative. Amex and Apple are two such |
| interested in the understanding of the consumer to | | | | companies which seem to have achieved this. Hire |
| meet his/her needs/desires, the goals of the company | | | | mystery shoppers to gauge your service performance |
| and to help the company find a way to profitably meet | | | | and report their experience/feedback. |
| those needs. Public relations, on the other hand, works | | | | What's Next? |
| to build relationships with various sources, reduce | | | | PR, the New Media and Talent for Hire Over the |
| conflict and improve cooperation between a company | | | | years, clients have become more demanding of their |
| and its intended audience. Marketing focuses on selling | | | | service providers. They have come to expect more |
| and packaging products or services, whereas, public | | | | personalized interaction, customized solutions, timely |
| relations is more about reputation, crisis and image | | | | results and most certainly a "bang for their buck". PR |
| management as well as brand building. As the | | | | firms are expected to be more transparent, |
| renowned marketing strategist Al Ries succinctly | | | | specialized in particular fields, rather than general |
| stated, "PR builds brands. Advertising maintains brands | | | | practitioners, and embrace the de-facto new media |
| once they are built by PR." Clever public relations will | | | | sources - the online social media which is nowadays |
| undoubtedly create a healthy environment for | | | | being integrated with PR. This includes blogging, |
| marketing. This requires a team with innovative minds. | | | | Twittering, social networking and viral marketing |
| Marketing and PR, therefore work best when they are | | | | amongst others. That is to say, be in the forefront of |
| treated as separate organizational functions. | | | | new fields of media and communication which will be |
| Nonetheless, they must coordinate in a team effort to | | | | fully utilized in the business of influencing perceptions. |
| make certain they are working to achieve the same | | | | In addition, one other notable trend is towards |
| objectives. Advertising is an effective marketing tool | | | | widespread audio and video production and |
| and frequently used in conjunction with PR, sales | | | | communication. From podcasting to mobile video, audio |
| promotion and personal selling strategies in a marketing | | | | and video will predominate in our world. PR has |
| mix. | | | | traditionally been all about effective written |
| It's the Image Silly | | | | communications. While that will remain important, the |
| Any seasoned PR practitioner will tell you that a | | | | new skills required to be part of a society driven by |
| favorable corporate reputation and image are an | | | | other media forms will be critical. With the plethora of |
| essential part of their mission whether it's to retain, | | | | multinational and boutique PR firms out there, |
| recapture their clients' credibility or to promote a | | | | differentiation in the delivery of services, personalized |
| favorable impression for a public company's existing | | | | service and focus in niche markets/industries will be |
| and potential investors. Companies, however, should | | | | the determining core value equation. |
| too be proactive and focus on their behavior instead | | | | Hiring the right practitioners should include candidates |
| on words alone. As for brand building and awareness, | | | | with a variety of business experience especially in |
| a PR firm can implement a great brand story and | | | | marketing, negotiations including strong written |
| distribute it through the appropriate target media which | | | | communications. Additionally, prospective PR |
| will be perceived as authentic and unbiased as | | | | practitioners should possess soft skills, common sense, |
| opposed to a paid advertisement. | | | | a flair to think laterally and be someone who gets |
| To retain the shine on one's brand assets, companies | | | | excited by ideas. A communications or marketing |
| are encouraged to frequent online chatter where | | | | degree should be considered an asset rather than a |
| people exchange gossip and views. Prevention is | | | | pre-requisite. |
| undoubtedly better than cure. By spotting problems | | | | PR practitioners need more skills today than at any |
| early you could seize on an impasse before it spreads | | | | time in the past because there are more tasks, more |
| further and tarnishes your reputation. | | | | media and more tools. Hence, a comprehensive |
| Survey Says! | | | | in-house training program, as well as outside |
| To offer a noteworthy rationale for media exposure, | | | | educational encouragement and support, should be |
| depending on the industry one's in, companies should | | | | part of a firm's perquisites to their staff. The fact of |
| consider hiring a polling firm to conduct a survey about | | | | the matter is, companies that invest in their employee's |
| some worthwhile trend which is relevant to their | | | | education and training receive loyalty and better results |
| product or service and which would be of interest to | | | | from them. |