Public Relations versus Marketing Vs Advertising
· Marketing: is the selling of a service or product through pricing, distribution, and promotion. Marketing ranges from concepts such as free samples in the hands of consumers to buzz campaigns
· Advertising: is a subset of marketing that involves paying to place your message in more traditional media format, from newspapers and magazines to radio and television to the internet and outdoors
· Public Relations: is the marketing of an organization and the use of unbiased, objective, third-party endorsement to relay information about the organization’s products and practices.
· PR can play an expended role in marketing.
Product Publicity:
Introducing a revolutionary new product: this can be done by creating more awareness of the product.
Eliminating distribution problems with retail outlets: often the way to get shelf space is to have consumers demand the product: Product publicity can be extremely effective in creating consumer demand
Small budget and strong competition: advertising is expensive. Product publicity is cheap. Often publicity is often the best way to tell the story.
Explaining a complicated product: the use and benefits of many products are difficult to explain to mass audiences in a brief ad.
Generating new consumers excitement for an old product: repackaging an old product for the media can serve as a primary marketing impetus.
Trying the product to a unique representative
Creating an identity
Third-Party Endorsement:
This one refers to the tacit support given a product by a newspaper, magazine, or broadcaster who mentions the product as news. In recent years, one practice that has drawn journalist scorn is that of organizations using well-known spokespeople.
Building a Brand
In order to achieve that you should:
1. Be early: it is better to be first that to be the best
2. Be memorable:
3. Be aggressive: the bets example would be from ipod
4. Use heritage: use past stories and success.
5. Create personality: the bets organizations are those that create personalities for themselves.
Integrating Marketing with Public Relations:
Article Reprints:
1. Plan ahead, especially if an article has major significance to the organization and you believe it might be positive.
2. Select target publics and address the recipients by name and title. This strategy ensures that the reprint reaches the most important audience.
Trade Show Participation:
· Analyze the show carefully
· Select a common theme
· Make sure the products displayed are the right ones
· Consider the trade books
· Emphasize what’s new
· Consider local promotional efforts
· Evaluate the worth.
Use of Spokespersons: these one must be articulate, fast on their feet, and thoroughly knowledgeable about the subject. When these criteria are met, the use of spokespersons as an integrated marketing tool can be most effective.
In Kind Promotions: when a service product, or other consideration in exchanging for publicity exposure is offered, it is called as in-kind promotion.
Purposes of Public Relations Advertising:
Mergers and diversifications: when a company merges with another, the public needs to be told about the new business lines and divisions.
Personnel changes: presenting staff members in advertising not only impresses a reader with the firm’s pride in its workers but also helps build confidence among employees themselves.
Organizational resources: the scope of a company ‘s services also says something positive about the organization
Manufacturing and service capabilities: the ability to deliver quality goods on time is something customers cherish.
Growth history
Financial strength and stability
company customers
organization name change
Trademark protection
Corporate emergencies
Twenty-First-Century Integrated Marketing:
Television Brand Integration:
The latest phenomenon in television is to integrate products into the fabric of what is being presented on the screen.
Infomercials: these ones remain strong because they work.
Word-of-Month Marketing: buzz marketing: this practice began with teenagers, who appeared to be popular.
Television and Movie Product Placements: Product placements in films are proliferating at a rapid rate.
You name it:
· Song placements
· Sports teams
· Blogs
Friday, November 23, 2007
Chapter 16: Public Relations Writing
Writing for the eye and the ear
Public practitioners must understand the difference between writing for the eye and the ear. Some structure for writing for readers (eye) while we have other structure for writing to target the listeners.
Fundamentals of Writing:
The idea must precede the expressions: think before writing. Ideas must satisfy four criteria:
They must relate to the reader
They must engage the reader’s attention
They must concern the reader
They must be in the reader’s interest.
Don’t be afraid of the draft: the writer should prepare a rough draft. Writing how matter how good can usually be improved
Simplify, clarify: the simpler the better. Writing requires judicious editing , copy must always be reviewed with the eye toward cutting.
Finally, writing must be aimed at a particular audience: the writer must have the target group in mind and tailor the message to reach that audience.
Flesch Readability Formula:
Flesch gave seven suggestions for making writing more readable:
1. Use contractions such as it’s and doesn’t
2. Leave out the word that Whenever possible
3. Use pronouns such as I, we, They and you
4. When referring back to noun repeat the noun or use a pronoun. Don’t create eloquent substitutions.
5. Use brief, clear sentences
6. Cover only one item per paragraph
7. Use language the reader understands
· Avoid big words
· Avoid extra words
· Avoid clichés
· Avoid latin
· Be specific
· Be active
· Be short
· Be organized
· Be convincing
· Be understandable.
The Beauty of the Inverted Pyramid
The first ties of the story is the first one or two paragraphs, which include the most important facts. From there, paragraphs are written in descending orde of importance, with progressively less important facts presented as the article continues thus the term inverted pyramid.
The News Release:
Relaeses are poorly written
Releases are rarely localized
Releases are not newsworthy
The News Release News Value:
Have a well defined reason for sending the release
Focus on one central subject in each release
Make certain the subject is newsworthy in the context of the organization, industry, and community.
Include facts about the product, service, or issue being discussed
Provide the facts factually with no puff, no bluff, no hyperbole
Rid the release of unnecessary jargon
Include appropriate quotes from principles but avoid inflated superlatives that do little more than boost management egos
Write clearly, concisely, forcefully.
News Release Style
Capitalization: most leading publications use capital letters sparingly so should you. Editors call this a down style only the most important words begin with capital letters.
Abbreviations: avoid abbreviations as much as possible to avoid confusions.
Numbers: spell out numbers zero through nine and use figure for 10 and up.
Punctuation: use punctuation to clarify the writer’s thoughts, ensure exact interpretations and make reading and understanding quicker and easier.
News Release Essentials:
Rationale: there must be a well defined reasons for sending the release. You must answer the two critical questions: What’s new? And So What?
Focus
Facts: facts about product and service is essential
No puffery: avoid some taboo terms
Nourishing Quotes: include quotes but make them count.
Limit jardon
Company Description: or boilerplate must be included
Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation must be verified.
The Media Kit:
The Biography
The background
Fact sheet and Photos and So one.
Public practitioners must understand the difference between writing for the eye and the ear. Some structure for writing for readers (eye) while we have other structure for writing to target the listeners.
Fundamentals of Writing:
The idea must precede the expressions: think before writing. Ideas must satisfy four criteria:
They must relate to the reader
They must engage the reader’s attention
They must concern the reader
They must be in the reader’s interest.
Don’t be afraid of the draft: the writer should prepare a rough draft. Writing how matter how good can usually be improved
Simplify, clarify: the simpler the better. Writing requires judicious editing , copy must always be reviewed with the eye toward cutting.
Finally, writing must be aimed at a particular audience: the writer must have the target group in mind and tailor the message to reach that audience.
Flesch Readability Formula:
Flesch gave seven suggestions for making writing more readable:
1. Use contractions such as it’s and doesn’t
2. Leave out the word that Whenever possible
3. Use pronouns such as I, we, They and you
4. When referring back to noun repeat the noun or use a pronoun. Don’t create eloquent substitutions.
5. Use brief, clear sentences
6. Cover only one item per paragraph
7. Use language the reader understands
· Avoid big words
· Avoid extra words
· Avoid clichés
· Avoid latin
· Be specific
· Be active
· Be short
· Be organized
· Be convincing
· Be understandable.
The Beauty of the Inverted Pyramid
The first ties of the story is the first one or two paragraphs, which include the most important facts. From there, paragraphs are written in descending orde of importance, with progressively less important facts presented as the article continues thus the term inverted pyramid.
The News Release:
Relaeses are poorly written
Releases are rarely localized
Releases are not newsworthy
The News Release News Value:
Have a well defined reason for sending the release
Focus on one central subject in each release
Make certain the subject is newsworthy in the context of the organization, industry, and community.
Include facts about the product, service, or issue being discussed
Provide the facts factually with no puff, no bluff, no hyperbole
Rid the release of unnecessary jargon
Include appropriate quotes from principles but avoid inflated superlatives that do little more than boost management egos
Write clearly, concisely, forcefully.
News Release Style
Capitalization: most leading publications use capital letters sparingly so should you. Editors call this a down style only the most important words begin with capital letters.
Abbreviations: avoid abbreviations as much as possible to avoid confusions.
Numbers: spell out numbers zero through nine and use figure for 10 and up.
Punctuation: use punctuation to clarify the writer’s thoughts, ensure exact interpretations and make reading and understanding quicker and easier.
News Release Essentials:
Rationale: there must be a well defined reasons for sending the release. You must answer the two critical questions: What’s new? And So What?
Focus
Facts: facts about product and service is essential
No puffery: avoid some taboo terms
Nourishing Quotes: include quotes but make them count.
Limit jardon
Company Description: or boilerplate must be included
Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation must be verified.
The Media Kit:
The Biography
The background
Fact sheet and Photos and So one.
Chapter 15: Internatioanl Relations
International Relations
Operating Around the Globe :
The actions of individuals and organizations in one part of the world are felt instantly by people around the globe. As a consequence, multinational corporations must be sensitive to how their actions might affect people of different cultures in different geographies.
Multinational companies consider many challenges:
The French riots to protest proposed changes in the employment policies.
The Muslim restaurant owners protests in the street of Bombay to demonstrate against the American Military actions in Afghanistan.
All foreign companies operating internationally must constantly reinforce the notion that they are responsible and concerned residents of local communites. Smart multinationals also support local causes and incorporate international audiences and celebrities in their philanthropic efforts. In order to win friendship and support in other countries, multinational corporations must think “globally and act locally.”
Hopscotching the World for Public Relations
Public relations have become a global phenomenon. Major political shift toward democracy throughout the world, coupled with the rapidity of worldwide communications and the move to form trading alliances of regional nations have focused new attentions on public relations.
Canada: the Canadian public relations are the rival of American practice in terms of its level of acceptance, respect, and maturity. The Canadian public realations society formed in 1948 is very active representing more than 1.600 public relations professionals in 16 member societies throughout the country.
Europe: the emergence of a more unified Europe through the formation of the European Community in 1992 has major implications on the practice of public relations in Europe. The headquarter of the institute of public relations is in London; it is the largest professional organization in Europe.
Latin America: as far as public relations are concerned, the scene is more chaotic then in the United States, Canada, or Europe. This field in most highly developed in Mexico because it started in 1930’s. Mexican coporations all have communication and public relations departments.
Japan: Public relations in Asia have experienced sharp growth. In Japan the practice of public relations is contrary to the nation’s cultural heritage. PR was established after the Second World War and it differs from the one of the west.
China: after a number of false starts, china holds great potential for public relations expansion. China is the fastest growing economy that is the reason why PR will be called to help differentiate these enterprises from the competition. All of these developments suggest that the public relations business in china has only just began and will enjoy a bright future in the 21st century.
Asia: Public relations also have begun to take root. It is important to remember that every Asian country is different, and PR practice differs from the one of the United States. PR in India is largely a subordinate of the marketing function.
Eastern Europe: In the new democracies of Eastern Europe, there are 370 millions consumers that is the reason why PR is largely expanding.
Russia: Although capitalist Russia has suffered fits and starts, the practice of public relations has been steadily developing.
Africa: the practice of PR is growing in many African countries.
Middle East: the practice of PR is very different from the one in the United States, even terrorist groups have adopted Public Relations tools to spew out their messages.
Communicating to the Global Village
Communications media around the world gave truly converted the globe into one large village united by satellites and internet technologies. What happens in one corner of the globe is instantly transmitted to another.
Operating Around the Globe :
The actions of individuals and organizations in one part of the world are felt instantly by people around the globe. As a consequence, multinational corporations must be sensitive to how their actions might affect people of different cultures in different geographies.
Multinational companies consider many challenges:
The French riots to protest proposed changes in the employment policies.
The Muslim restaurant owners protests in the street of Bombay to demonstrate against the American Military actions in Afghanistan.
All foreign companies operating internationally must constantly reinforce the notion that they are responsible and concerned residents of local communites. Smart multinationals also support local causes and incorporate international audiences and celebrities in their philanthropic efforts. In order to win friendship and support in other countries, multinational corporations must think “globally and act locally.”
Hopscotching the World for Public Relations
Public relations have become a global phenomenon. Major political shift toward democracy throughout the world, coupled with the rapidity of worldwide communications and the move to form trading alliances of regional nations have focused new attentions on public relations.
Canada: the Canadian public relations are the rival of American practice in terms of its level of acceptance, respect, and maturity. The Canadian public realations society formed in 1948 is very active representing more than 1.600 public relations professionals in 16 member societies throughout the country.
Europe: the emergence of a more unified Europe through the formation of the European Community in 1992 has major implications on the practice of public relations in Europe. The headquarter of the institute of public relations is in London; it is the largest professional organization in Europe.
Latin America: as far as public relations are concerned, the scene is more chaotic then in the United States, Canada, or Europe. This field in most highly developed in Mexico because it started in 1930’s. Mexican coporations all have communication and public relations departments.
Japan: Public relations in Asia have experienced sharp growth. In Japan the practice of public relations is contrary to the nation’s cultural heritage. PR was established after the Second World War and it differs from the one of the west.
China: after a number of false starts, china holds great potential for public relations expansion. China is the fastest growing economy that is the reason why PR will be called to help differentiate these enterprises from the competition. All of these developments suggest that the public relations business in china has only just began and will enjoy a bright future in the 21st century.
Asia: Public relations also have begun to take root. It is important to remember that every Asian country is different, and PR practice differs from the one of the United States. PR in India is largely a subordinate of the marketing function.
Eastern Europe: In the new democracies of Eastern Europe, there are 370 millions consumers that is the reason why PR is largely expanding.
Russia: Although capitalist Russia has suffered fits and starts, the practice of public relations has been steadily developing.
Africa: the practice of PR is growing in many African countries.
Middle East: the practice of PR is very different from the one in the United States, even terrorist groups have adopted Public Relations tools to spew out their messages.
Communicating to the Global Village
Communications media around the world gave truly converted the globe into one large village united by satellites and internet technologies. What happens in one corner of the globe is instantly transmitted to another.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Chapter 14 Consumer Relations
1. Consumer Relations Objectives
v Keeping old consumers: most sales are made to establish consumers, to keep them happy, and to respond to consumers' concerns.
v Attracting new customers: every business must work constantly to develop new consumers. The prices and quality of competing products are similar.
v Marketing new items or services: customer relations techniques can influence the sale of new products.
v Expediting complaint handling: few companies are free of complaints. Consumes protest when appliances do not work, errors are made in billing, or deliveries are not made on time.
v Reducing costs: to most campanies, an educated consumer is the best consumer.
2. Consumer Generated Media
Publicity to consumers about the products and services revolved around the mass media. The internet has given the consumer a voice in town through blogs, message board, public discussions, forums, online opinion, etc.
3. Office of the Ombudperson
Research indicates that only 4 percent of dissatisfied consumers will ever complain. There are many others with the same complaint who never say anything. At many companies, the most immediate response to complaints has been the establishment of ombudspersons offices. The term describes officials that investigate complaints about abuses committed by public officials.
4. The Consumer Movement
Legislation to protect consumers first emerged in the united states in 1872, when congress enacted the Criminal Frauds Statute to protect consumers against corporate abuses. By the early 1960s, the movement had become stronger and more unified. President John kennedy proposed that consumers have their own bills of rights containing four basic principles:
v The right to safety
v The right to be informed
v The right to choose
v The right to be heard
5. Federal Consumer Agencies
There are many agencies for consumers such as: Justice Department, Federal trade Commision, Food and Drug Administration. ….
6. Consumer Activists on the Internet
The consumerism movement has attracted a host of activists in recent years. Consumers union was formed in 1936 to test products across a wide spectrum of industries.
v Keeping old consumers: most sales are made to establish consumers, to keep them happy, and to respond to consumers' concerns.
v Attracting new customers: every business must work constantly to develop new consumers. The prices and quality of competing products are similar.
v Marketing new items or services: customer relations techniques can influence the sale of new products.
v Expediting complaint handling: few companies are free of complaints. Consumes protest when appliances do not work, errors are made in billing, or deliveries are not made on time.
v Reducing costs: to most campanies, an educated consumer is the best consumer.
2. Consumer Generated Media
Publicity to consumers about the products and services revolved around the mass media. The internet has given the consumer a voice in town through blogs, message board, public discussions, forums, online opinion, etc.
3. Office of the Ombudperson
Research indicates that only 4 percent of dissatisfied consumers will ever complain. There are many others with the same complaint who never say anything. At many companies, the most immediate response to complaints has been the establishment of ombudspersons offices. The term describes officials that investigate complaints about abuses committed by public officials.
4. The Consumer Movement
Legislation to protect consumers first emerged in the united states in 1872, when congress enacted the Criminal Frauds Statute to protect consumers against corporate abuses. By the early 1960s, the movement had become stronger and more unified. President John kennedy proposed that consumers have their own bills of rights containing four basic principles:
v The right to safety
v The right to be informed
v The right to choose
v The right to be heard
5. Federal Consumer Agencies
There are many agencies for consumers such as: Justice Department, Federal trade Commision, Food and Drug Administration. ….
6. Consumer Activists on the Internet
The consumerism movement has attracted a host of activists in recent years. Consumers union was formed in 1936 to test products across a wide spectrum of industries.
Chapter 13 Government Relations
Two Prominent Departments
Even before the war on terrorism, the most potent public relations voices in the federal government, exclusive of the president, were the US department of state, first, and Defense, second, after September 11, 2001, the communication Importance of both increased, but their relative positions were reserved.
The State Department:
The State Department like other government agencies has an extensive public affairs staff, responsible for press briefings, maintaining, secretary f state homepage content, operating foreign press centers in Washington, New York. The State Department consolidated USIAS" 6.352 employees of whom 904 are foreign services personnel and 2.521 are locally hired Foreign Service nationals overseas.
In the 21st century with American motives for the war on terrorism challenged around the world, the former USIAs mission is to support the national interest by conveying an understanding abroad of what the United States stands for has been modified to include new challenges:
v Build the intellectual and institutional foundations of democracy in societies around the globe
v Support the war on drugs in producer and consumer countries
v Develop worldwide information programs to address environmental challenges
v Bring the truth to any society that fail t exercise free and open communication.
The communication initiatives of the State Department to spread the gospel of America are far reaching, among them: radio, film and television, internet, media, publication, and exhibition.
The Defense Department
The importance of Department of Defense communications has been intensified in wartime. The DOD s public affairs network is massive 3.727 communicators in the Army, 1.250 in the navy ect…
The President
Mr. Reagan and his communications advisors followed seven principles in helping to manage the news:
Plan ahead
Stay on the offensive
Control the flow of information
Limit reports access to the president
Talk about the issues you want to talk about
Speak in one voice
Repeat the same time many times.
The Presidents Press Secretary
Some have called the job of presidential secretary the second most difficult position in any administration. The press secretary is the chief public relations spokesperson for the administration.
A good press secretary speaks up for the press to the president and speaks out for the president to the press. He makes his home in the pitted no man s land of an adversary relationship and is primarily an advocate, interpreter, and amplifier. He must be more the president s man than the press. But he can be his own man as well.
Lobbying the government
Three factors according to experts affected lobbying:
rapid growth in government
Republican control of both the white house and congress
wide acceptance among corporation that they need to hire professional lobbyists to secure their share of the federal budget
Government relations people are primarily concerned with weighting the impact of impending legislation on the company, industry group, or client organization.
Objectives:
1. To improve communications with government personnel and agencies
2. To monitor legislators and regulatory agencies in area affecting constituent operations
3. To encourage constituent participation at all levels of government
4. To influence legislative affecting the economy of the constitutions area, as well as its operations
5. To advance awareness and understanding among lawmakers of the activities and operations of constituent organizations.
What Do Lobbyists Do
1. Fact-finding: the government is an incredible storehouse of facts, statistics, economic data, opinions, and decision making that generally is available for the asking.
2. Interpretation of government actions: a key function of the lobbyist is to interpret for management the significance of government events and the potential implications of pending legislation. Often a lobbyist predicts what can be expected to happen legislatively and recommends actions to deal with the expected outcome
3. advocacy of a position: advocate a position on behalf of clients
4. publicity springboard: multiplicity of media
5. Support of company sale: a lobbyist who is friendly with government personnel can serve as a valuable link for leads to company business.
Do It Yourself Lobbying
Know the subject and status of the legislation: lobbyists must demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the legislation on which they seek action.
Know the position of the legislator and the staff: consider the persons background and biases
Represent a key constituency: votes
Be available and eager to please: make herself available whenever the legislator needs to talk.
Have influential backup at the ready: identify important local opinion leaders.
keep your word: never lie
know how the system function: common sense
Emergency E lobbying:
The internet has become a pivotal tool. The more e-mail grew as a direct communications electioneering mechanism, the more voters used the new technology voice mail, caller, ID, satellite dishes, remote controls, and digital programming, to shut out political messages.
Chapter 11 Employee Relations
- In the 21 century, employee relations matter lot. Today with few employees to do more work, staff members are calling for empowerment, for more of a voice in decision-making.
Dealing with the Employee Public
Just as there is no such thing as the "general public", there is also no single "employee public". The employee public is made up of numerous subgroups. A smart organization will try to differentiate message and communications to reach these segments. There are three hard questions about the way it conveys knowledge to the staff.
Is management able to communicate effectively with employees?
Is communication trusted, and does it relay appropriate information to employees?
Has management communicated its commitment to its employees and to fostering a rewarding work environment?
The biggest problem is that employees do not know where they stand in the eyes of management.
2. Communicating Effectively in Sea of Doubt
There are five principles that reinforce effective communication:
v Respect: employees must be respected for their worth as individuals and their values as workers.
v Honest Feedback: by talking to workers about their strengths and their weaknesses this helps employee know where they stand.
v Recognition: employee feels successful when management recognizes their contributions.
v A Voice: everyone wants their ideas to be heard and to have a voice in decision-making.
v Encouragement: money and benefits motivate employees up to a point, but encouragement is more important than money.
Milton Moskowitz identified six criteria:
v Willingness to express dissent: employees want to feed back; they want access to management.
v Visibility and proximity of upper management: enlightened companies try to level trunk distinctions; they eliminate status and hierarchy.
v Priority of internal to external communication: smart organizations always release pertinent information to employees first.
v Attention to clarity: employees do not read benefits booklets.
v Friendly tone: the best company gives a sense of family.
v Sense of humor: people are worried about keeping their jobs.
3. Credibility: The Key
Employees cannot be conned because they live with the organization. They generally know what is going on inside the organization; they want to hear the truth. research indicated that trust in organizations increase if management: communicated earlier and more frequently, demonstrated trust in employees by sharing bad news as well as good news, and involve employees in the process by asking for their ideas and opinions.
4. S H O C the Troops
How does management build trust when employee morale is so brittle?
SHOC stands for: strategic, honest, open, and consistent.
All communication must be strategic: most employees want to answer two questions: where is this organization going? What is the my role in helping us et there?
All communication must be honest
All communication must be open: there must be feedback
All communications must be consistent: must keep the communication.
5. Employee Communications Tactics:
Internal Communication Audits: the internal communication audit is the most beneficial form of research on which to lay the groundwork for effective employee communication. it starts by in depth interviews with both management and communicators. Audits help determine staff attitudes and their job.
Online communication: the age of online communications has ushered in a completely new set of employee communication vehicles from e mails and voice e mails. This communication has the capacity to reach employees in their offices as well as their homes.
The intranet: in many organizations, the intranet has overtaken over print communications. Still it has to satisfy the following:
Consider the culture
Set clear objectives and then let it evolve
Treat it as a journalistic enterprise
Market, market, market
Link to outside lives
Senior management must commit
Public Publication
Employee Annual Reports
Bulletin Boards
Internal video
Face to face communication
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Chapter 9 Print Media
Print Media Relations
Number One Medium
Despite the growth of the internet and electronic media, print still stands as the number one medium among public relations professionals. The reason behind this is related with the fact that many departments at newspapers and magazines use news releases and other publicity vehicles compared with the limited opportunities on network and cable TV. Despite their circulation problem, newspapers still dominate the nation’s news schedule, specifically electronic news directors and bloggers who check news online. To conclude, even in the wired 21st century, print still sets the media agenda.
Objectivity in the Media
Securing positive publicity through the media still lies at the heart of public relations practice. This strengthens the idea of attracting publicity which is related with the fact that publicity is more credible than advertising. To attract publicity positively you have to establish a good relationship with the media.
Journalism is described as not objective by some. The total objectivity is impossible; everybody have biases and perceptions. The relationship between media and public relations people should be friendly. However, there is a major difference between the media and its organization:
The reporter wants the story whether bad or good
Number One Medium
Despite the growth of the internet and electronic media, print still stands as the number one medium among public relations professionals. The reason behind this is related with the fact that many departments at newspapers and magazines use news releases and other publicity vehicles compared with the limited opportunities on network and cable TV. Despite their circulation problem, newspapers still dominate the nation’s news schedule, specifically electronic news directors and bloggers who check news online. To conclude, even in the wired 21st century, print still sets the media agenda.
Objectivity in the Media
Securing positive publicity through the media still lies at the heart of public relations practice. This strengthens the idea of attracting publicity which is related with the fact that publicity is more credible than advertising. To attract publicity positively you have to establish a good relationship with the media.
Journalism is described as not objective by some. The total objectivity is impossible; everybody have biases and perceptions. The relationship between media and public relations people should be friendly. However, there is a major difference between the media and its organization:
The reporter wants the story whether bad or good
- Organizations on the other hand, want things to be presented in the best light.
The Internet Factor
The internet has ushered in a wide age of journalistic reporting. Others claim that it is responsible for the collapse of journalistic standards and the ascendancy of rumor mongering.
Dealing with the Media
In order to have a good relationship between the media and the organization, first an organization must establish a formal media relations policy. Second, an organization must establish a philosophy for dealing with the media, keeping in mind the following principles:
a reporter is a reporter
you are the organization
there is no standard issue reporter
threat journalists professionally
do not sweat the skepticism
do not buy the journalist
become a trusted source
talk when not selling
do not expect news agreement
do not cop attitude
never lie
read the paper
Attracting Publicity
Publicity through news releases and other methods are more powerful than advertising. Publicity differs from advertising [costs money]. The benefits of paid advertising include the following communications are content, size, location, research, and frequency.
Value of Publicity
Publicity makes a lot of sense in the following areas:
Announcing a new product or service
Reenergizing an old product
Explain a complicated product
Little or no budget
Enhancing the organization reputation
Crisis response
Pitching Publicity
The activity of trying to place positively publicity in a periodical of converting publicity to news is called pitching. The following notes will help understand it:
Know deadlines
Generally write do not call
Direct the release to a specific person or editor
Determining how the reporter wants to be contacted
Do not badger
Use exclusive but be careful
When you call do you own calling
Do not send clips of other stories about your client
Develop a relationship
Never lie
Online Publicity
Many vehicles form the nucleus of online publicity:
News releases
Announcements
Links
Newsletters
Libraries
Public appearances
Promotions
Events
Dealing with the wires
Wires services are compulsory vehicles for distributing news. The three paid wire services are PR Newswire, Business wires, and market wires. The public relations professionals must consider the following:
Always include headlines
The lead is critical
Identity the stock symbol
Include contact names and numbers at the end
Specify timing
Specify targets
Check for accuracy
Measuring Publicity
There are five services that help measure the results of the publicity
Media directories
Press monitoring bureaus
Broadcast transcription services
Media distribution services
Content analysis services
Handling print interviews
For an effective interview, there are ten dos and don’t to follow
do your homework in advance
relax
speak in personal terms
welcome the naïve question
answer questions briefly and directly
do not bluff
state facts
if the reporter is promised further information provide it quickly
there is no such thing a being off the record
tell the truth
Process Conference: Press conferences are not all the time the good idea, they can be regarded as suicidal. However, if the organization has real news to communicate, it can then organize conferences.
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