Ch. 9 Public Relations
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the use of information to influence public
opinion
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PR is part of the marketing and promotional
mix
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it must work in conjunction with advertising
and marketing strategies
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| ex. if Walmart runs a PR campaign touting "made in America" products" it better sell "made in America" products (and be prepared to answer questions if it doesn't) |
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Advertising and PR
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| 1. Media approach |
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PR looks for publicity (free messages)
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has more contact with media gatekeepers (a media contact list/media relations) |
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goals are often different - ex. change
attitudes, create goodwill, show support for a particular point of view
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| 2. control and credibility |
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PR has less control over the message,
it can send suggested copy but media outlets ultimately create the copy
as they see fit
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if the media delivers your message, it
is more credible than if you deliver it yourself (perceived bias)
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Trends
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| it's not just for large corporations anymore |
| media intensity |
| issue orientation |
| complexities of large corporations |
| global reach |
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The core of PR
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| 1. the need to understand "publics" |
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translating information into understandable
terms
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using tone - conveying the same information
to different publics
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publics to consider
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| customers |
| employees (various levels) |
| government |
| community |
| industry |
| supply/demand chain |
| media |
| stockholders |
| donors/investors |
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| 2. Analysis of publics |
| a. what publics are important (most important) to my organization? |
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both now, and in the future
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| b. what do these publics think? |
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why do they think that way?
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is the way they think changing? why(or
why not)?
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public OPINION - not necessarily based
on fact, often a perception or belief open to persuasive argument
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| c. what would we like them to think? |
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| d. how best do we persuade them to change (or reinforce) their thinking? |
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| e. is this a one time or long term communication? |
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| f. how do we measure public opinion? |
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polls, focus groups, surveys (inside or outside) |
| g. how do we evaluate effectiveness? |
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process evaluation - how effective was
the PR department in getting the message out?
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outcome evaluation - did the PR campaign
meet its goals?
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was the cost justified to achieve those goals? |
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The role of ethics
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| PR is often perceived as "spin" or half-truths |
| PRSA Code |
| a note: it is improper to give gifts to the media in order to get coverage |
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| The tools: |
| 1. News releases |
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information (a news story) that an organization
wants to make public through the media
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a news release should make the media's
job easier, not yours!
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| be concise (time/space issues) |
| be precise (make sure the content answers relevant questions about the story) |
| emphasize (an editor wants to know why this story is newsworthy) all the material we learned in the broadcast journalism section - newsworthiness, leads etc. fits here |
| if you can do these three things well, a news editor is more likely to use your news release (in some form) rather than toss it |
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| Format: |
| a.Masthead (letterhead) - an identifying logo, this helps the editor identify who you represent, as you become familiar and credible, the masthead helps single out your news release from the others |
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| b.Slug |
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1) date
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2) contact info
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| (prioritize by ease of contact, for local release, phone # should come first) |
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3) release time
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"for immediate release"
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embargoed - "for release after..."
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| c. Dateline - geographic location - |
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| d. Lead - usually a summary or hard news lead. The lead paragraph should be able to tell the story |
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| e. Supporting information - additional info that fleshes out the story (don't go overboard, one page is almost always sufficient) |
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| f. Boilerplate - background info about the organization that is included as part of every news release |
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| g. end que (###) |
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| Other issues: |
| is this a release for print or broadcast? |
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if broadcast, things like phonetics are
important to include
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| video news releases (VNRs) - as cost of video goes down, VNRs are more cost effective, though TV news is reluctant to use them. It may be better suited for other publics. |
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| How do you know if a news release is successful? |
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if the info gets out, it doesn't matter
if the news release is used as is, or is "mined"
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| 2. letters |
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Why am I writing the letter?
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| explanation (ex. how something works or a process) |
| answering complaints |
| raising funds |
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Is there something I want the reader
to do after reading the letter?
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| p. 352, Figure 9.3 |
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letters should take a more direct, personal
approach than news releases
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(generally, writing to one, not a mass)
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| be concise |
| be precise |
| be aware of tone - be personal and professional |
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how?
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| be straightforward |
| don't attempt to be humorous |
| avoid reference to personal feelings |
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ex. "I know you are upset because
..."
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| but, use personal pronouns (you) |
| use active voice, not passive |
| avoid technical language |
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if you have to refer to rules/regulations
etc. spell them out clearly
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| Format |
| p. 350, Figure 9-2 |
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| 3. Other written media |
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for these options, the same questions
can be asked - what purpose? what public? what proposed result?
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Each of these may require special skills
or outside help (ex. desktop publishing or web design)
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| a. newsletters |
| can be internal or external |
| regular or periodic |
| can be low quality - photocopies or high quality - 4 color glossies |
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| uses: |
| building morale |
| providing new information: updates, policy changes, new hires etc. |
| addressing employee concerns |
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| humor may be okay |
| Why should someone read this? |
| Is there anything you want them to do? |
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| b. pamphlets and brochures |
| usually external |
| non-periodic |
| published for a specific purpose |
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must generate interest (why read?) |
| anything from assembly instructions to new product introductions to new policies to issue advocacy etc. |
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| c. annual reports |
| a legal requirement for stock-issuing companies |
| may be quarterly or semi-annually |
| even if not a legal requirement, many organizations still produce them |
| tells how an organization is doing and where they are going |
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highlights opportunities (and challenges) |
| includes an executive summary - key points that someone can read to get a sense of what's inside |
| usually has to convey financial information/data |
| must be aware that several publics will read these but from vastly different perspectives |
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ex. stockholders vs. employees
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| d. websites |
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must be:
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| user friendly |
| easy to navigate (links, loops) |
| easy to load |
| easy to find contact info |
| easy to learn the web address |
| software compatible - esp. if there are audio/video files |
| easy to access - are there times when traffic might be heavy? |
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| 4. news conferences, speaking engagements |
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| key questions: |
| who will represent the organization? |
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who is qualified?
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who is capable?
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| when will they be held? |
| where will they be held? |
| who is the audience? |
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who is invited?
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what resources are available ? (overheads, powerpoint, Internet access, VCRs, DVDs etc.) |
| are there legal issues involved? |
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| Crisis management |
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you never know...
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| natural disasters |
| equipment or human failure |
| crime |
| lawsuits |
| accidents |
| environmental issues |
| financial scandal |
| product tampering |
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and on and on...
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| How should you respond? |
| 1. state the issues |
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focus on people (those who are affected) |
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be accurate
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be honest
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be simple
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| 2. define problem areas |
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tell how the problem is being addressed
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be open to criticism if legitimate
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prepare for tough questions
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| 3. identify new issues as the arise |
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be timely
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give updates as needed
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| 4. keep moving forward |
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don't dwell on the past
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| overall, |
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find the right people
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speak with a unified voice
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keep focused
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remember core principles
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don't be afraid to say "I don't
know"
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consult with legal representation as
needed
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