Professional Documents
Culture Documents
E.A.RODOPOULOS
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PUBLIC RELATIONS NOTES...........................................................................1 MARKETING VIEW OF PR..............................................................................3 PROGRAM PLANNING...................................................................................7 COMMUNICATION.........................................................................................8 CRISIS MANAGEMENT.................................................................................10 EVALUATION...............................................................................................11 PUBLIC OPINION AND PERSUASION............................................................13 THE AUDIENCE AND HOW TO REACH IT.....................................................14 CORPORATIONS..........................................................................................16 THE BUSINESS MEDIA RELATIONSHIP......................................................17
P.R. is a promotional tool , PR supports marketing objectives. 1. Tools for PR ( marketing view) are 1.1. Press relations 1.2. Corporate communications 1.3. Lobbying 1.4. Counseling 2. PR practitioners , in contrast with marketers ,work for the whole company /organization . 3. The marketing oriented P.R. can contribute to the following tasks 3.1. Assist in the launch of new products 3.2. Assist in repositiotioning a mature product 3.3. Build up interest in a product category 3.4. Influence specific target groups 3.5. Defend products that have encountered public problems 3.6. Build the corporate image in a way that projects favorably on its products. 4. As other promotional activities are more costly ( advertising) PR is becoming a better tool 5. Major tools in P.R. 5.1. News 5.2. Speeches 5.3. Events 5.4. Public service activities 5.5. Written material 5.6. Audio-Visual material 5.7. Corporate identity media 5.8. Telephone information services 6. The major Decisions in marketing PR are 6.1. Establishing Marketing Objectives 6.1.1.Build awareness 6.1.2.Build credibility 6.1.3.Stimulate the sales force and dealers 6.1.4.Hold down promotional costs 6.2. Choosing the PR messages and vehicles 6.2.1.Create news than finding news 6.2.2.Create events 6.3. Implementing the marketing PR plan 6.4. Evaluating the PR results 6.4.1.Exposures 6.4.2.Awareness/comprehension/attitude change 6.4.3.Sales and profit contribution PR definitions PR is the deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organization and its publics
PR process
Components of PR
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
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7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Public affair Government affair Issues management Financial relations Industry relations Development /Fund raising Multicultural relations/ workplace diversity Special events Marketing communications
The idea of using all form of human communication drama and stotytelling among them to influence the behaviour of other people.
Press agentry It is an extension of the activities of those who, in ancient civilizations , promoted athletic events , built an aura of myth around emperors and heroes Publicity Consisting mainly of the issuing of news releases to the media about the activities of an organization or individual Counseling
Four models of PR
Press agentry /publicity source- receiver Public information source- receiver Two way asymmetric source receiver with feedback Two way symmetric group group with feedback
Why PR is growing
PR is cost efficient PR has won over management The penalties of poor PR are viewed each night on the 8:30 news PR is no longer measured by the ink and /or time PR is becoming more specialized PR tools are becoming more complex Markets are going international glabalization Principles of PR management Tell the truth Prove it with action Listen to the customer Manage for tomorrow Conduct PR as if the whole organization depends on it Remain calm, patioent and good humored
What is ethics
Ethics refers to the value system by which a person determines what is right or wrong, fair or unfair , just or unjust.
PR practioners have the added dilemma of making decisions that satisfy 1. public interest 2. employer 3. professional organizations code of ethics 4. personal values and norms
Personal assessment in PR Some years before a good PR has to go through journalism.
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Research knowledge
Negotiation knowledge
Negotiate with activist publics Help management understood opinions of publics Use conflict resolution theories with publics
Persuasion knowledge
Persuade a public that your organization is right Use attitude theory in a campaign Get publics to behave as your organizations wants. PR is a staff function ( difference between line and staff line managers can delegate authority , set goals, etc in comparison with the staff that they suggest , recommend , advise) PR Firms
Services Providers
Executive speech training Research and evaluation Crisis communications Media analysis Community relations Events management Public affairs Brand and corporate reputation Financial relations As cost increase PR firms tend to be acquired by advertising firms keeping some times the NAME of the company. As big advertising firms on their effort to vertically expand create and organize PR firms ACCOUNT SUPERVISORS EXECUTIVES are the ones who take care of an account ie of a big company.
Objectivity
Variety of skills and expertise Extensive resources Offices spread Special problems solving Credibility
Disadvantages
Not thorough understanding of clients business or needs Lack of full time commitment Need for prolonged briefing period Resentment by internal staff ( they think that they are not able to assess a particular job) Need for strong direction by top management Need for full information and confidence Costs Fees and charges Basic hourly fee plus expenses Retainer fee
Questions to be asked
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1. What is the problem 2. What kind of information is needed 3. How will the results of the research be used 4. What specific public should be reached 5. Should the organization do the research or hire an outside consultant 6. How will the research data be analyzed reported or applied 7. How soon are the results needed 8. How much will the research cost Using research Achieve credibility with management Define audiences and segment publics Formulate strategy Test messages Help management keep in touch Prevent crises Monitor the competition Sway public opinion Generate publicity Measure success Research techniques Organizational materials Library methods Online resources Online networks www content analysis interviewing focus groups copy testing scientific sampling Questionnaire design The problem of semantics Avoid biased wording Timing and context Political correctness The answer categories Questionnaire guidelines Ways of reaching respondents Mail questionnaires Telephone surveys Personal interviews
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Before any PR activity can be implemented , it is essential that considerable thought be given to what should be done and in what sequence to accomplish an organizations objectives.
PROGRAM PLANNING
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Essence of the message Nonverbal support.
Audience It can be done through public segmentation for specific and well defined publics Strategy A strategy statement describes how an objective is to be achieved , providing guidelines and themes for the overall program. Tactics It describes the sequence of the activities that put the strategies into operation and help the achievement of stated objectives Timetable Timing of a campaign Scheduling of tactics Compiling a calendar Budget Evaluation
Issues management is a proactive and systematic approach to a. predict problems b. anticipate threats c. minimize surprises d. resolve issues e. prevent crises. The process is defined as five basic steps 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Issue identification Issue analysis Strategy options Action plan Evaluation
Communication is the implementation of a decision, the process and the means by which objectives are achieved. The goals of the communication process are to inform , persuade, motivate or achieve mutual understanding. For effective communication : 1. 2. What constitutes communication and how people receive messages How people process information and change their perceptions
COMMUNICATION
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3.
A PR perspective
What kinds of media and communication tools are most appropriate for a particular message.
1) The message must be a) Appropriate b) Meaningful c) Memorable d) Understandable e) Believable 2) Objectives to the communicator a) Message exposure b) Accurate dissemination of the message c) Acceptance of the message d) Attitude change e) Change in overt behavior To be successful , a message must be Received by the intended individual or audience. It must get the audiences Attention .It must be Believed. It must be Remembered . It must be Acted Upon. Failure to accomplish any of these means the entire message fails.
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Believing the message
Avoid discriminatory language
Do members of the audience perceive the source as knowledgable and expert on the subject?
Entropy = the messages continually lose information as media channels and people process the information and pass it on to others.
What is crisis ?
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CRISIS MANAGEMENT
It is the situation characterized by surprise, high threat to important values and a short decision time 2. An extraordinary event or series of events that adversely affects the integrity of the product ,the reputation or financial stability of the organization; or the wealth or well-being of employees , the community , or the public at large. Examples of crisis situations : Microsoft, Nike, McDonalds
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Be accessible Monitor news coverage and telephone inquiries Communicate with key publics.
List of proposed strategies Attack the accuser Denial Excuse Justification Ingratiation( persuasion) Corrective action Full apology Some times organizations do not adopt appropriate strategy due to some constrains. G.Cameron has developed 1. a contingency theory of conflict management which tries to explain why agencies don not always engage in two way communication 2. accommodative strategies when confronted with crisis Some variables that have to do with this theory are 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. managements moral conviction that the public is wrong moral neutrality when two contending publics want the organization to take sides on a policy issue legal constraints regulatory constraints prohibition by senior management against an accommodative stance possible conflict between departments of the organization on what strategies to adopt.
EVALUATION
It is the systematic assessment of a program and its results. It is a means for practitioners to offer accountability to clients and to themselves ____J.Bissland
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Objectives
1. PR personnel and management should agree on the criteria that will be used to evaluate success in attaining objectives 2. Do not wait till the end of the program to determine what to evaluate Checklist for basic evaluation 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Was the activity or program adequately planned? Did recipients of the message understand it? How could the program strategy have been more effective? Were all primary and secondary audiences reached? Was the desired organizational objective achieved? What unforeseen circumstances affected the success of the program or activity? Did the program or activity fall within the budget set for it? What steps can be taken to improve the success of similar future activities?
Some techniques as computerized news-clips analysis, survey sampling, correlation with sales. On the basic level there are compilations of message distribution and media placements, the second level measurement of audience awareness, comprehension and keeping in mind the message, measurement of changes in attitudes ,opinions and behavior. MEASUREMENT OF PRODUCTION Simply way to count how many news releases, feature stories, photos letters and the like are produced, other way to see quntity and quality of releases. MEASUREMENT OF MESSAGE EXPOSURE 1. Media impressions 2. Hits on the net 3. Advertising equivalency 4. Systematic tracking 5. Requests and 800 # 6. Cost per person 7. Audience attendance MEASUREMENT OF AUDIENCE AWARENESS We have to measure whether target audience groups actually RECEIVED the messages directed to them , whether they paid ATTENTION , whether they understood the messages, whether they have retained those messages. We can measure the comprehension of the message the day after recall ie participants are asked to view a specific TV program or read a particular news story and then they are interviewed to learn which message they remembered. MEASUREMENT OF AUDIENCE ATTITUDES It can be done via Baseline study.( measurement of audience attitude before, during and after PR campaign) MEASUREMENT OF AUDIENCE ACTION The tools of PR are a means not an end. MEASUREMENT OF SUPPLEMENTAL ACTIVITIES 1) COMMUNICATION AUDITS a) Analysis of all communications activities b) Informal interviews with managerial personnel c) Informal interviews with community public 2) Pilot tests and split messages 3) Meeting and event attendance 4) Newsletter readership a) Content analysis b) Readership interest surveys c) Article recall d) Advisory boards
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Public opinion is the sum of individual opinions on an issue affecting those individuals. Public opinion is a collection of views held by persons interested in the subject. Some researches have found that : 1. 2. 3. 4. Opinion is highly sensitive to events that have impact on the public ( as a whole or in segments) Public opinion does not anticipate events , it reacts to them. Events trigger public opinion Events can swing public opinion from one extreme to the other.
Types of leaders Formal opinion leaders( elected officials , CEO etc) Informal opinion leaders ( role models, important persons) The flow of opinion Two step theory of communication __ P.O. is really formed by the views of people who have taken the time to sift information, evaluate it and form an opinion that is expressed to others. The multiple step flow model__ can graphically illustrated by a series of concentric circles. In the epicenter of action are opinion makers etc. The role of Mass media The information reaches the publics through media. Examples can be the interviews after a soccer game , articles about a product etc.
Framing Theory
How the journalists select certain facts , themes ,trearments and even words to frame a story.
Cultivation Theory
The events are repacked and transformed to more logical and interesting things to readers.
Persuasion
Aristotle mentioned ethos. Logos ,pathos being translated to source credibility , logical argument , emotional appeal.
Persuasion is used to
1. 2. 3. 1. 2. Change or neutralize hostile opinions Crystallize latent opinions and positive attitudes Conserve favorable opinions Audience analysis ____ beliefs , attitudes , concerns , lifestyles , psychographics. Source credibility ____ The three factors ( expertise , sincerity, charisma). Using celebrities appears to be problematic due to increasing number of endorsements can mix public who is doing what, overexpose of a celebrity , endorsers action undercut the product or service.
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3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Appeal to self Interest ____ Publics become involved in issues or pay attention to messages that appeal to their psychic or economic needs.( Maslow theory) Clarity of message ____ Messages have to be clear and understandable. Timing and Context _____ A message is more persuasive if environmental factors support the message or if the message is received within the context of other messages and situations with which the individual is familiar. Audience Participation ___ involvement and participation Suggestions for action ___ The people endorse an idea if they are accompanied by a proposed action from the sponsor. Content and Structure of message ___ Some techniques can be used to make messages more persuasive such as 1. Drama 2. Statistics 3. Surveys and polls 4. Examples 5. Testimonials 6. Mass media endorsements 7. Emotional appeals.
Propaganda
Propaganda is the deliberate and systematic attempt to shape perceptions , manipulate cognitions and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist. Advertising and PR messages use some techniques such as : Plain folks Testimonial Bandwagon Card stacking Transfer Glittering generalities
The public is increasingly visually oriented Fervent support is generated for single issues Heavy emphasis is placed on personality and celebrity Strong distrust of authority and suspicion of conspiracy exist. The international audience for public relations is expanding swiftly
Some general guidelines exist for matching audience and media 1. Print media are the most effective for delivering a message with details 2. TV has the strongest emotional impact of all media 3. Radios greatest advantages are flexibility and ability to reach specific targets , lower cost, audience exposure 4. The on line media used as supplemental method of reaching a gena\erally well educated , relatively affluent audience.
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Media relations
PR practitioners have to remember 1. that editors , reporters at all are : Busy Pride for making their own decisions Editors and PRs work together 2. That PR have to remember that Their job is to inform the public The PR story wiil be judged by it self Pr role continue after the acceptance of the story.
Print media
Newspapers Some points to be remembered about : 1. A commercial institution 2. The organization of newspapers Created events or news happen. Newspapers some times create news and some times news happen.
PR opportunities in newspapers
1. Material submission 2. Invitation to news conferences must be include facts sheet 3. Editors must have background information before they publish their story 4. The journalists and editors are not aware of everything. Magazines They differ from newspapers in content, time frame and methods of operation. Articles are in more depth , color is used and sometimes are of different interest in comparison with newspapers that deal with whole family-.
General interest News magazines Womens interest Mens interest Senior market
Special audiences magazines Trade journals Company and organizational magazines Internal External
Radio Sound and rock and roll Speed and mobility are making radio unique Urgent messages are on the air asap Loose program structure ( in comparison with TV) Radio goes everywhere Flexibility among listeners High technology is involved
PR opportunities in Radio
1. 2. 3. Newscasts Community calendars Actualities
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4. Talk shows 5. Editorials 6. Disc jockey shows 7. Community events 8. Public service announcements TV Color , sound and rock and roll Cable tv , satellite tv
Pr opportunities in TV
1. Guest appearances on news and talk shows 2. Protest demonstrations 3. Video tapes for news shows 4. General interest films What to do News release and story proposals Video news Program ideas MOTION pictures sponsored films
The big business operations multinational corporations, conglomerates affect the environment , control the employment of thousands of workers, and have an impact on the financial and social well being of millions .Bigness brings remot6eness , the popular phrase THE FACELESS CORPORATION it is a clich and it represents the public distrust over them. General Electric Co., sees four factors that must be taken into consideration whenever a management decision is made : 1. Political How do government regulations and other pressures affect the decision 2. Technological do we have engineering knowledge to complete the goal 3. Social what is our responsibility to society 4. Economic will it make a profit
CORPORATIONS
Human Factor
A successful company must conduct relations with its employees with a responsible , companssionate policy. Public thinks of big business as greedy , cold, with no social values. Especially in case of massive lay-offs public criticism is getting hard to fight. What can happen when business overlook the human factor ? The lesson is clear : before a company takes an action affecting the public , its management should attempt to view the move through the eyes of others.Similarly if the companys employees believe that management is treating them unfairly , their work suffers and internal tensions develop. However , due to the advance of the technology , and for companys survival lay-offs might be used and in some cases the new technology might annoy customers. ( example of the new telephone centers with the pre recorded voices The lines are busy , our first available officer will serve you soon
CONSUMERISM
The Latin presept caveat emptor let the buyer beware is long gone. Business are required to produce goods and services , of safe , acceptable quality on honest terms, and good terms of payments . Consumerism is a significant and growing force in the conduct of business. The consumer movement developed during the past three decades because far too often business firms were cought either cheating their customers or carelessly giving them inferior products. Ralph Nader a Washington lawyer was one of the first consumerism activists. One of the ways the consumers can react to a company is the boycott
PRODUCT RECALLS
Recalls of defective products from the purchasers are the most visible and frequently very expensive aspect of corporate relations with customers.
Corporate citizenship is a basic tenet of business and industry for several reasons 1. Many business executives have realized that to reduce government regulation they must take the initiative and voluntarily exercise a sense of social responsibility. 2. Business and industrial leaders realize that they can survive and prosper only in a stable socity that provides safety , security and economic well being for its citizens. 3. Corporate citizenship enhances a companyw reputation and its ability to market goods and services.
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COMMUNITY RELATIONS
Following the Think globally , act locally business have to take care of the affairs with the community in which they work with.
School supports , research support , grants etc One good example of corporate public relations is the one of the Japanese firms working in the US. Company financial contributions to community and national social programs and institutions are closely related to community relations. See the PR insights , give some examples.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Two primary targets for a companys financial information are 1. Stockholdres 2. Financial analysts.
The terms , marketing communication , marketing public relations, integrated marketing communications are often used. 1. Product publicity product publicity is more effective than an expensive advertising campaign. 2. 3. 4. 5. Informations Bureus School Promotions Cause- related marketing Corporate sponsorships
EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATIONS
Health and social issues 1. Use of drugs 2. Smoking 3. Sexual harassment
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