A mgmt function that determines attitudes and opinions of organization’s publics, identifies its policies with the interests of its publics, and formulates and executes a program of action to earn the goodwill of its publics

Public Relations

PR vs Advertising

• Focuses on firm, not product• Generates goodwill, not sales• More credible• Little control over content• Lower cost• More publics

– Internal: employees, stockholders– External: press, govt, business community

Steps in PR

• Determine public attitudes

• Identify policies & procedure with public interest

• Develop & execute communications program for public understanding & acceptance

PR & Promotion

• Marketing Public Relations (MPR)

• PR activities to support marketing objectives

How?

• Build mktplace excitement b4 media advtg breaks

• Create advtg news when there is no product news

• Introduce product with little/no advtg

• Provide value-added customer service

• Build brand-to-customer bonds

• Defend products at risk & give consumers reasons to buy

• Subset of PR • Short-term • Press

• May be positive and negative– Negative publicity originate from external sources

Publicity

• By deeds, not proclamation• Controlled by firm, not beholden to another party

GOALS1. Merchandising orientation– Geared towards direct sales• e.g., celebrity opens a new branch

– Likens promotions

2. Entertainment orientation– Aimed at goodwill, awareness, & image– No immediate sales

3. Educational/community involvement orientation– Enhance quality of life

OBJECTIVE• To create an image of a specific corporate

personality in the minds of the public • Treats firm as product

CORPORATE vs PRODUCT ADVERTISING1. Focus on less tangible object (the co.)2. Desired response less specific

Corporate Advertising

TYPES

1. Advocacy– Firm wants public to know where it stands on issue– Usually, media refuse to accept PR message– Purchase ad space to present point of view

2. Special Situation– Related to corporate giving

• e.g., public TV programs sponsored by firm– Improve image thro’ choice of program

3. General Image

– Largest category of corporate advertising

– Enhance basic image

– No specific target

What is News?• Proximity: Does the news effect the outlet’s audience?• Impact: How much does the news effect the outlet’s

audience? More impact = Higher news value.• Unusualness: Is the news different from the ordinary?

More unusual = Great news potential.• Timeliness: How current is the news?• Prominence: Who is involved?• Conflict: Tension = News

6 Ways to Maximize Effectiveness

• Measure What Matters• Think in Campaigns• Develop Branded / Strategic Content• Leverage Successes• Harness Web 2.0• Evangelize Public Relations as Biz Dev Tool

Measure What Matters

• Ad equivalency measurements and fat clip books are meaningless to law firms.

• Reach is not as important as credibility.

• Where’s the RFI? “Relationships From Investments”

Think in Campaigns

Focus on a narrow, niche issue Position yourself as an “expert” Create blogs, white papers, webinars, podcasts, etc. around the issue

Benefits: Strategic Easy to Measure & Manage Relevant to ExCom Attracts Clients Material for Reprinting and Distributing

Widgets

VideoSharing

Tagging

SocialNetworks

RSS Podcasts

PhotoSharing

Micro Blogs

MessageBoards

Chat Rooms

Blogs

Social Media

SOCIALMEDIA