PR & Marketing: A Perfect Match
Effective Business Development Plans Utilize Both Public Relations and Marketing Efforts
A common misconception in the business world is that public relations and marketing are the same and that an effective business development plan can be successful by incorporating one of the two options. However, organizations should incorporate both elements to maximize brand awareness. To understand how both roles should be balanced within an organization’s business plan, it is imperative to clearly define public relations and marketing and to explore what tactics and tools are used in the two different fields.
Defining Public Relations:
Public relations is literally the act of establishing relationships with the press (print and broadcast media) to promote a particular organization. Accomplished through a variety of tactics, the most common approach is to disseminate press releases to specific contacts at relevant media outlets. Editors at these publications are flooded with phone calls and emails every day, so public relations practitioners use their expertise to effectively differentiate an organization and tie the news in with the outlet’s coverage. Public relations practitioners also provide editors with background information about the organization to ensure they have all the elements needed to develop a strong article.
In addition to press releases, public relations practitioners also develop bylined articles and organizational literature (i.e. press kits, sales presentation, Web site content, case studies), coordinate special events, forge strategic partnerships, arrange for involvement at speaking engagements, offer media training programs, and some even handle crisis communications. Public relations practitioners are direct extensions of the organizations that they serve and work as mouthpieces to establish a business’ credibility and presence in the marketplace.
Defining Marketing:
On the other side of brand management is marketing, which incorporates consumer research to effectively position a product/service within the public eye to drive awareness and to create a demand. A big element of marketing is researching and anticipating what consumers’ needs are now and what they will be in the future. Marketing involves such tasks as coordinating efforts with advertisers, foreseeing market trends, and developing direct mail materials, promotional literature and signage solutions.
A Holistic Approach to Brand Management:
Research has shown time and time again that buyers must see, hear or read about a product or service numerous times before taking action. For organizations to reach their target audiences multiple times, they need a plan that involves public outreach. This plan can include everything from participating in community events, securing media coverage and creating a direct mail campaign, to advertising in magazines, hosting speaking engagements, and securing award nominations in their target industries. Each of these tactics, as well as many others, are accomplished through marketing and public relations campaigns.
As the business world becomes more complex and credibility among organizations becomes increasingly difficult to establish, creating a positive image is of the utmost importance in defining and differentiating one company from the next. When properly coordinated, public relations and marketing campaigns will work synergistically with one another. As organizations take advantage of these efforts to realign their business plans, profitable results, customer trust and increased brand visibility can be expected.
