Management that Neglects Public Relations - Research Paper Example

The effectiveness of public relations strategy in marketing Research methods in public relations Introduction Public relations can be defined as any type of unpaid communication carried out to create a good image of a particular firm and its product in the market. This is a practice that is planned and generated by an organization with the sole purpose of establishing a favorable opinion from the public. The project also targets to capture the public's trust of the product as well as create good relations with the organization. In this research, we try to determine the relevance and effectiveness of public relations as a marketing strategy. Many organizations consist of management that neglects public relations. This could be as a result of a stereotype of the ineffectiveness of public relations as a marketing strategy. After this research therefore, we shall be able to see the pros and cons of applying this strategy. Literature review To create a favorable public image, public relations managers have the obligation to make plans and also design programs that improve an organizations reputation. Public relation as compared to any other advertising strategies have the ability to greatly influence an organizations success if applied properly. As a way of communicating with your target market, the marketer here may be trying to sell a new product or just inform the public about the firm. The management involved should therefore be well informed about the composition and relevance of public relations. As mentioned earlier, public relations is basically involved with publicity and an attempt to create better community relations. In our communities for example, we have individuals who are concerned with organizations or companies initiatives. These people who are in charge are at times the directors of investor relations in more established, publicly held firms. These companies therefore have direct contact with the public and are therefore aware of their importance. Such companies have a greater advantage to their competitors as they get the consumers views and ideas directly with no intermediaries or assumptions. In an earlier survey, it has come to light that public relations place in marketing is changing in accordance to the deterioration of advertising and the rise of public relations. American marketing strategists argue in support of public relations and point out that poor implementation or marketing strategies by business people have left public relations as the only most appropriate method of maintaining and establishing a brand in the market. Publicity is a concept in public relations. This is mostly mentioned and mostly promoted through the media. Therefore, organizations are not in a position to affect or control the message passed by the media as they do in advertising. The information displayed to the public is therefore in the hands of writers and reporters. An organization hence requires maintaining good terms with the media since the media is in a position to ruin an organizations reputation through exposure of inappropriate misconducts by a firm or spread rumors about poor substandard goods. To better understand the concept better, lets observe an organization that aims at promoting their brand in a circus. If the acting PR organizer decides to paint a sign to inform the public of the coming occasion, that’s advertising. On the other hand, if the sign is put placed at an elephants back and later presented to the people, that’s promotion. If coincidentally, the elephant stumps over the mayors flower bed then, here well observe some publicity. If later you manage to get him laugh about the incident, then that is public relations. Apparently, you manage to convince those at the circus the benefits of the product and they purchase a lot, that's sales. Strategic public relations and brand development Leslie McKerns of McKerns Development, in order to promote a brand, you ought to communicate in details the importance and value of your brand to all that you are targeting. This message should reach all those associated with this product through the process of public relations and advertising. In maintaining a brand in a market, the marketer should understand that this is among the essential techniques applied in product development. Therefore, the organization should avoid causing irrelevant surprises to the customers such as abandoning an already founded environment. This will inconvenience to the customer and the expected consumer move is a switch to a more reliable brand. This is one mistake that should be avoided since as research has shown, it is easier to win new customers that to win back those that had deflected to other brands. Tools required in public relations. Just like any other effective marketing strategy, public relations has tools that are required for it to be effective. These tools can also be referred to as the public relations resources. Speeches: This is a process whereby the organization implementing the public relations strategy finds specialists to present to the public what the product is all about. This speech must cover all details including the relevance of the product and the organization too. This kind of public relations is best displayed in shows and circuses. Special Events: A firm may also prefer to hold events in social areas whereby they are sure of a good turn out of people. Some organizations do this through sponsoring special projects or by merely being part of them. When a firm pays charity to a certain project in a community, chances are that more people will want to be associated with the company and what better way to do this apart from purchasing the company's product. Written material: this is any written material that is displayed to the public to raise awareness of a specific product. These are not the most reliable sources of public relations as stereotypes; lazy and illiterate individuals will either lack interest or will not get the message being passed around. News: this is a form of reported information that is new to the recipient. News could be passed in newspapers, magazines or through the television. A public relations department may therefore choose to adapt any of the above to promote their product. Audiovisual Material: this is any material that passes the message through oral basis or visual themes. Creating public relations here will involve the use of televisions or songs designed to capture the public's attention. Other tools include websites and social cause. Websites have a wide range of audience in today's era of improved technology and research. Social cause involves getting involved in community activities and also giving back and assisting where possible. Research questions To meet our objectives, we shall have to base our argument to address the following questions. RQ1: How do public relations affect the performance of a brand in a market? RQ2: What is the relevance of public relations in my company? RQ3: How can we improve the public's perspective of our product? Hypothesis H1. Public relations is more effective as a marketing strategy as compared to marketing. If implemented correctly, this strategy is most likely to increase sales volume of a brand by a bigger proportion. Research has shown that as long as the concerned firm has the public relations objectives at hand and knows what it aims at getting from the campaign, it's not likely that such a firm will fail. More sources have informed that the major objectives of companies adapting this strategy are as follows: To try and maintain a long term and healthy relationship with the clients and also win new ones. To generate repeated sales by buyers. This is to encourage the already loyal customers to remain brand loyal. To maintain mutual understanding and earn the publics trust. H2.There are a number of secrets management should apply in order to build good public relations. While many organizations managers neglect public relations and classify it as an ineffective strategy, PR often tends not to bare fruits as a result of poor planning and implementation. This happens as a result of poor managed activities and incompetent personnel holding positions they're not qualified in. therefore for PR marketing strategy to be effective, the following must be given high priority. Proper planning and organizing the public relations activities and campaigns that have been set to be implemented. The management should therefore avoid underrating this strategy and put an effort and pressure in order to achieve the set goals and objectives. Public relations is also limited in many organizations in terms of the PR set budget. This department tends to be allocated substandard financial assistance to cater for its activities. This case is repeated in many firms since little or no importance is given to this department. This however needs to change for any organization that wants to grow and improve in terms of sales and returns through improving their relationship with the public. Organizations should also announce any change that takes place in the management. This will avoid confusions and undue surprises. Such fundamental details should therefore be availed to the public and anyone associated with the company through news or addressed in talk shows. A firm that wants to build its relations with its customers and potential customers must be willing to involve itself in social work and activities and also assist in social causes. H3. The public will always admire to be associated with an organization that is on a good cause. Method Sampling The target population comprises or the general composition of members of the society, the young, middle aged and the old. We shall therefore research on a soft drinks company to view the different responses from different age groups. Let's observe Coca Cola Company that decides to hold a rally with an aim of raising money to assist victims of HIV and AIDS. The company sells t-shirts to promote the cause and finances for the whole project. Research has indicated that in such a situation, members of the public will want to assist or become part of this project. Therefore, the company will end up meeting its objective of assisting tackle a key issue in society as well as win customers in the process. Preview measures H1. Public relations is more effective as a marketing strategy as compared to marketing. Indicators of successful PR Achievement of public relations objectives. Example of empirical referent. Did we manage to improve our company's image Strongly agree – 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10- strongly disagree Creation of long term relationships with clients. Example of empirical referent. Do I plan to purchase again from this company Strongly agree – 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10- strongly disagree H2. There are a number of secrets management should apply in order to build good public relations. While many organizations managers neglect public relations and classify it as an ineffective strategy, PR often tends not to bare fruits as a result of poor planning and implementation. Indicators of influential purchases Relevance of public relations in marketing strategies. An example of empirical referent. This company's involvement influenced me to make a purchase. Strongly agree – 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10- strongly disagree Proper time and finance management in public relations. An example of empirical referent. Public relations has greater influence to a company's success than advertising. Strongly agree – 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10- strongly disagree H3. The public will always admire to be associated with an organization that is on a good cause. This results in increased sales and creation of a credible company image. Indicators of increased sales Company's earned trust. An example of empirical referent. This company can satisfy my product needs. Strongly agree – 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10- strongly disagree Company's product is of high quality. An example of empirical referent. I think I will purchase this product. Strongly agree – 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10- strongly disagree References: 1. Caponigro, Jeff (2000). The crisis councellor A step-by-step guide to managing a business crisis. New York: McGraw-Hill/ Contemporary Book 2. Bernays, Edward (1945). Public Relations. Boston, MA: Bellman Publishing Company. 3. James E, and Todd Hunt (1984). Managing Public Relations. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.  Read More