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Fundamentals of Public Relations MCM 401

Lesson 26

PUBLIC RELATION'S ROLE IN MARKET EDUCATION

Overview

As public relations play a vital role in proving support in marketing; it is imperative that students should be

apprised with its role in market education. Simultaneously we will also study the importance of public

relations in providing support and help in the exports keeping in mind the global perspectives. We will also

study the latest trends in public relations and will discuss the restructuring of the role of public relations in

modern days.

How To Educate Market

2 Kinds of Market Education

·To prepare the market in Advance.

·For Products & Services already on the market.

2 Kinds Of Markets

·People who sell your product. -- SELLERS

·People who buy your product.-- BUYERS

Effects Of Market Education Strategy

· It helps to minimize sales resistance.

· Makes easier for sales force to achieve `adequate distribution' prior to advertising.

· It helps to reduce the cost of advertising.

· It makes advertising more effective because market is always well aware of the product or service.

How To Educate Market Techniques To Be Applied

·A media relations campaign ranging over press, radio and TV as appropriate.

·Testing of prototypes by potential users.. This often means providing material for media relations.

·Special slides, videos, CD's, for presentations to dealers, customers & the media.

·Work visits for dealers.

·Special campaigns aimed at particular opinion leaders.

·Production of printed material needed to support these activities.

How To Educate Market Test marketing Program Tactics.

·Training sales staff.

·Providing sales people with counter-top demonstration units e.g. slide video.

·Works visits.

·Dealer conferences with presentations of product & advertising.

·Distribution of dealer magazines. ( If available )

·Trade press receptions.

·Picture stories of the pack, stills from TV commercials & details of media schedules.

How Can PR Help Exports

There is an old English proverb

"One half of the world does not know how the other half lives."

Important Points To Consider

·Determine & Identify any adverse or resistant behavior.

·Identify markets where sales are possible.

·Determine priority markets.

·Analyze opportunities for using PR.

·Define Methods.

Fundamentals of Public Relations MCM 401

Typical Questions To Determine Methods

What should be done?

·Support an existing agency subsidiary or licensee.

·Back up traveling overseas sales force.

·Prepare grounds for entry into new foreign market.

·Determine that not only market demand can be satisfied but that you are welcome.

·Keep on repeating the PR criteria of media relations that your material must be of interest and value to the

target public.

Usual Acceptable Methods

Publishing Promotional literature.

External house journals.

Sales tours.

Use of Videos or CD ROMs.

On the spot service.

Trade fairs & Exhibitions.

Public Relations Trends

Need To Re - Evaluate

What it is and where it is going?

·To find a balance between a) Communications products manufacturing b) strategic counseling & training

of all members of organizations for their responsibility --- since relationship-building is everyone's job.

·PR has to broaden its view of the world we live in & of the institutions that employ us.

·To provide strategic advice to understand the business we are in not only the public relations part , but

the business itself.

New Names For PR

·British practitioners now call PR as "REPUTATION MANAGEMENT".

·Burston Marsteller largest PR firm "PERCEPTION MANAGEMENT"

·Some even call it "BRAND MANAGEMENT" and add "INTEGRATED COMMUNICATION" as

the new name.

Restructuring PR Roles.

Corporate downsizing & subsequent outsourcing is considered to be the order of the day. According to John

Budd PR needs to be "Re - invented rather than re- engineered."

PR now has to emphasize on 2 major functions.

·Editorial ... like PR communication, will attend to high priority, high profile & high leverage needs of the

organization.

·Public policy and programming ...similar to PR management role. It is the heart, soul & nerve centre of the

operation."

Organizational Changes

The important point is that should these organizational changes be in "management & editorial" as per

John Budd or in "Strategy & execution" as opined by Harold Burson.

However,

2 ways of organizing PR functions have emerged.

·In house corporate model, if the company is national or international in its scope. ( A mix of strategist &

tactics)

·A small core of specialists with outside contracting for regional or smaller companies. (primarily

strategist with tactics services bought)

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