Key Public Relations Tools
Marketers have at their disposal several tools for carrying out public relations. The key tools available for PR include:
- Media Relations ;
- Media Tours ;
- Newsletters ;
- Special Events ;
- Speaking Engagements ;
- Sponsorships ;
- Employee Relations ;
- Community Relations and Philanthropy;
Before choosing among the various tools marketers should begin by identifying their targeted audiences (e.g., target markets) and key messages they wish to send. These should align with the messages and audiences identified for the product being promoted or corporate goals for non-specific product promotions, such as corporate image promotions.
The key messages are used in the development of public relations materials and supporting programs described below. The purpose of key messages is to provide a consistent point of view over time and across numerous PR methods that reinforce product positioning (i.e., customer's perceptions) and reach the desired target audience. Each of the PR tools listed above is discussed in detail in our tutorial Types of Public Relations Tools.
Additional PR Activities
In addition to serving as means for helping to achieve marketing objectives, public relations professionals may undertake additional activities, aimed at maintaining a positive image for an organization. These activities include:
Market Monitoring. Monitoring public comment about a company and its products is becoming increasingly important especially with the explosion of information channels on the Internet. Today monitoring includes watching what is written and reported in traditional print and broadcast media and also keeping an eye on discussions occurring through various Internet outlets such as forums, chatrooms, blogs and other public messaging areas. Marketers must be prepared to respond quickly to erroneous information and negative opinions about products as it can spin out of control very quickly through the new technology channels. Failure to correct misinformation can be devastating to a product or company’s reputation. It should be noted that specialized monitoring services can be contracted to help companies keep track of “buzz” about the company and its products.
Crisis Management. Marketers need to be prepared to respond quickly to negative information about the company. When a problem with a product arises — in fact or substantiated only by rumor — a marketer’s investment in a product and brand can be in serious jeopardy. Today, with the prevalence of the Internet and wireless communications, negative information can spread rapidly. Through monitoring marketers can track the issues and respond in a timely fashion. To manage response effectively, many companies have crises management plans in place that outline steps to take and company spokespeople to speak on behalf of the company should an event occur.
The Benefits of the PR Professional
While some marketers may prefer to handle their own PR tasks, many others will seek the assistance of outside PR professionals rather than attempt to handle these activities themselves. Skilled PR professionals offer many advantages for marketers with their two most important being:
1)their ability to understand and unearth good stories about a company and its product;
2)their knowledge of the media market may place them in a better position to match stories to the news angles media reporters look for.
Vocabulary
1. include [nklud] включає
2. exposure [ksp ] вплив
3. require[rkwa] вимагати
4. payment [pemnt] оплата
5. persuade [pswed ] переконати
6. employees [mpliz ] співробітники
7. leadership [lidp] лідерство
8. decision [dsn]рішення
9. winning [wn] виграш
10. gospels [gsplz] євангеліє
11. disagreement [dsgrimnt] розбіжність
12. antecedents [æntsidnts] передування
13. attract [ trækt] залучати
14. outreach [atri] сягати далі
15. explosive [ ksplsv] вибуховий
16. degree [dgri] ступінь
17. credible [krdbl ] правдоподібний
18. rests [rsts] належить
19. credibility [krdblti] достовірність
20. influence [nflns ] впливати
21. sources [ssz] походження
22. coverage [kvr] охоплення
23. judgment [ mnt ] судження
24. impact [mpækt] вплив
25. reader [ rid] читач
26. perceive [psiv] сприймати
27. outlet [atlt] ринок збуту
28. mentioning [ mnn ] відзначати
29. cases [kesz] випадок
30. efforts [ fts ] зусилля
31. suggest [sst ] пропонувати
32. costly [kstli] дорогий
33. hires [haz] наймання
34. handle [hændl ] поводитися
35. holds [hldz] утримування
36. significantly [sgnfkntli] значно
37. delivery [dlvri ] доставка
38. carefully [ kefli] ретельно
39. conveys [knvez] передає
40. feature [fi ] особливість
41. scramble [skræmbl] видирання
42. reinforcing [rinfs] зміцнення
43. disposal [dspzl] роспорядження
44. align [ lan] рівнятися
45. achieve [iv] досягати
46. increasingly [nkrisli ] все більше і більше
47. print [prnt] друкувати
48. broadcast [brdkst] транслювати
49. occurring [ kr ] що відбувається
50. erroneous [rnjs] помилковий
51. failure [felj ] провал
52. respond [rspnd] реагувати
53. arises [razz ] виникає
54. rumor [rum] чутка
55. jeopardy [ pdi]небезпека
56. prevalence [ prvlns] поширеність
57. wireless [wals ] радіо
58. issues [uz ] випуск
59. occur [ k] відбуватися
60. entice [ntas] переманювати
61. targeted [tgtd ] цільові
62. releases [ rlisz ] релізи
63. events [vnts ] події
64. areas [erz] район
65. target [tgt] мета
66. serious [srs] серйозний
67. coverage [kvr ] охоплення
68. crafted [krftd] створений
69. delivered [dlvd ] доставлений
70. mentioned [mnnd] згаданий
71. extent [kstnt ] обсяг
Literature cited
1. http://www.knowthis.com/public-relations/what-is-public-relations
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_relations
3. http://marketing.about.com/od/publicrelation1/u/publicrelations.htm