Marketing and Sales Guru

Often times, marketing and public relations get lumped into one category. While the two categories have been growing more and more similar with the Internet and companies being able to do their own marketing and PR, there are still a few differences to keep in mind. Also important to remember is the existing differences between advertising, PR, branding, and marketing. These four components of business are all interrelated and need to work together to ensure that a business is successful. In order to understand how to use each of these components, you must first understand how to identify them.

Marketing is more closely related with selling than public relations. While the ultimate goal of both marketing and PR is to gain customers and business, PR is more focused on the relationship aspect of the buying process that a buyer goes through. Moreover, PR helps to maintain the relationships with current users and new customers, whereas marketing is primarily focused on gaining new business. PR also helps to maintain and build relationships between the company and the public.

Some state that public relations is all about building relationships. While that is true, PR also has a dual purpose in a company: to help maintain relationships, as noted above. Once marketing has helped to instill recognition of a company in a buyer’s mind, it is PR’s job to foster these relationships and ensure they continue to grow in a positive manner. This can be done through communication, honesty, and engagement of those audiences.

Reading materials from other blogs to see what my take on this was, I came across a few things that made me wonder: ‘What is the difference between marketing and PR?’ Other bloggers were stating that the difference between the two were that marketing asks buyers to take an action, whereas PR does not. (I disagree.) Some were stating that marketing has nothing to do with relationship building. (I disagree here, too.)

So, what does differ between PR and marketing? I think perhaps it boils down to the bottom line: marketing aims to increase sales and overall company performance. While that is an outcome desired from having great PR, that is not what drives companies’ PR. We do PR because we want to have another side to our companies that customers can see, talk to, and engage with. This PR side of our companies is a more personified and honest interpretation of our company that does away with the advertisements and marketing seen in our other business objectives. While we would love for this tactic to earn us more business, we know the ultimate PR goal is to build relationships with our customers, potential customers, communities, and general public.

Marketing, on the other hand, is looking to convince customers of something, whether that be that our company is awesome or that our competitor is not; we are trying to force-feed customers and buyers the beliefs we want them to hold. This is more difficult than what PR does, which is to allow customers to make their own interpretations of our company (with a little help). We want to put our company in the best light, but there is only so much we can do without reverting back to marketing or advertising. With public relations, customers are given more to go off of, and can create a message or idea of their own in terms of what our company means to them.

Public relations, then, is seen as more credible than marketing. When a customer comes to a conclusion on their own, it is easier to believe and it makes more sense to them than the overdone methods of advertising and marketing. There is a very fine line between marketing and PR that is being ever blurred with the available online tools. The Internet has made it easy to perform tasks that were once labeled marketing and are now classified as PR, such as distributing press releases to the public.

When it comes down to it, customers will embrace the company they like more. Getting a customer to like your company more cannot easily be done with marketing, though it is possible. It is easier for them to like your company when they hear about you from someone else (PR), when they read about you in a newspaper article written by the paper’s staff (PR), when they see your press conference on the news (PR), or when they see the news at your awesome fundraiser event (PR).

What do you think the difference between PR and marketing is?

Public Relations may be a bit intimidating, especially having never done it in practice, but know that everyone starts somewhere. The best thing to do: exactly what you’re doing now. You’re here, perhaps by mistake, but more likely because you want to know more about PR and how it can help you, your brand, company, product, service, cause, etc. PR really is applicable in all those areas, and it simply requires that you get started. (Looking for a definition of PR? Try this: What is Public Relations? | Brief Overview and Definition)

Here are some PR basics you should know and become familiar with:

1. The Press Release. While people think this is all there is to PR, this is simply one of the small pieces that make up the entire PR arsenal. This is a tool meant to assist you in your PR efforts and will help you to spread your message. For some tips on writing a press release, check out: 3 Important Things to Consider When Writing a Press Release

2. The Press/Media Kit. This is your company’s calling card. Use this packet of information to ask the media for coverage, share your expertise with others, and to give an overall introduction to who you are. Predominantly, these are used when sending a pitch to media to give the reporter, journalist, or writer more information on the company. It is also a collection of materials a company uses to send to prospective customers and clients. This can include a number of things, but normally includes company information and history, services offered, press coverage, and team players (key executives, etc.). It can also include advertising materials such as flyers, newspaper ads, or cards. (Here are some effective ways to use your media kit.)
3. Social Media. This includes the blog, social networking tools, forums, and wikis. These are all things you monitor, create copy for, and need to be a part of (so long as it makes sense to use for your company, situation, and audience.) Social media is a wonderful tool to utilize for most companies, and for a majority of the companies that do use it, it is a relatively low investment of funds. It does require time, especially if you want to see results.

   If you’re on the fence about implementing it into your own PR mix, and for more information on determining social media’s role for you, try reading: Public Relations & Social Media | Make Sure it Fits in Your PR Mix.

4. The Public Relations Plan. This is a pivotal component to your overall PR efforts. Moreover, it contains all of the pieces (with their individual pieces) above. This also takes time, and requires that you actually plan to have success in this area. This term may be a bit misleading, as it implies that plans are a one time thing that you do and walk away from. They are very much the opposite. A plan is created when you have a specific goal or objective in mind and need to create a plan in order to better define the strategies and tactics that you will use to reach that goal. From there, it requires maintenance, improvement, and perhaps termination if you find that the goal has been reached and the campaign is over.

   The main point here is that the PR plan is a blueprint for your next moves, how you plan to acheive those moves, and what the results were so that you can create an ever better plan to follow. Remember, though, that all of your efforts will have been done in vain if you don’t measure and analyze your ROI! Return on investment is often the only reason companies conduct PR activities, and even if it isn’t the only reason, you still need results to show to your board, investors, and shareholders to get future backing. This is such a large part of constructively creating better plans, yet companies often opt out of doing this step. This is especially important when measuring the effectiveness of your social media use. (For tips on measuring your social media ROI:Public Relations Strategies | 5 Ways to Measure Social Media ROI (Return on Investment) For a step-by-step breakdown of the PR plan: 6 Characteristics and 7 Components of a PR Plan That Works)

The key to using all of the above together in a successful and pertinent manner is to ensure that you do your research before just jumping in. To be successful and to create a productive and effective campaign, be sure to define your needs and the needs of your buyers. Additionally, be sure you can define your tactics and strategies well so that you can effectively carry them out!

Good luck on your PR adventures!

I recently read the Marketing Gurus by Chris Murray (highly recommended), and a topic that really stuck out to me was the concept of renovating a business, product, idea, solution, etc., instead of innovating a completely new one. The latter route seems to be the more popular of the two. The book review that this concept came from is a few years old (2004), and was written by Sergio Zyman titled Renovate Before You Innovate.

Here are some reasons I gathered from the book (and from my own experience and education) that help to reiterate this point:

- Companies often times look at only innovating a new product. What they do in turn is ignore (or forget) that innovation means revamping and creating anew to benefit customers, consumers, and the business. “When it comes to identifying organic growth opportunities, an amazingly large percentage of companies are one-trick ponies, focusing only on coming up with new products, excluding anything else. What’s worse, the emphasis is often on quantity over quality.”

- Customers are the only thing that matter. No matter what you tell them, what you sell, or what you do, nothing matters but what they think. As such, it is important to take into account the following benefits that your product offers your customers: (you may remember this from your marketing or consumer behavior classes)

1. Emotional benefits – how your product or service made them feel.
2. Functional benefits – what makes your brand superior over your competitors, in their minds.
3. Attributes – the things that benefit the above benefits.

- Horizontal growth is less productive and beneficial to a company than vertical growth. Spreading your resources thin can make it hard to do business. “Trying to grow a business through innovation means spreading resources horizontally, developing new brands, new customers, and new directions. It’s a tremendously risky and expensive path to take.” (pg. 270)

Overall, there are many reasons to renovate something you have to make it better instead of spreading yourself, your brand, and your company so thinly. Instead, build your brand and products vertically, ever improving their quality. While the concept of “new” can generate you some buzz, longer lasting buzz will be generated when you show buyers that you are dedicated to creating a better product from what they’ve already fallen in love with. Lastly, create effective measurements so you can see where your renovations have been successful and not.

Creating a public relations plan takes time, knowledge, and understanding of your company or client needs and wants. Here are some steps to ensure you capture those wants and needs in the plan creation process and that you create a plan that is relevant and useful to your company or client.

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

1. Know your company’s or client’s current situation. This is essential to knowing where the company now stands, where the company is able to go, what the company’s market/industry looks like, and what direction the company is headed. This helps to put things in perspective.
2. Know your resources. This can be a part of the first step, as it is a part of the situational analysis needed to understand where your company or client currently stands. This can help you better build your tactics and strategies while considering the budget, time, and other resource limitations the company or client may have.
3. Know your objectives and goals. Also essential to the PR plan having success, you must know where the company hopes to go. Like driving with no directions, a PR plan with no goals or objectives is an aimless action with no knowledge of what could come, or even what results are desired. Be sure that the PR plan’s objectives are in line with the rest of the company’s overall objectives, and ensure that they are clear to all involved.
4. Know and define your target audience(s). This means that you’ve defined your target buyer audiences and target media audiences. Each audience will need a different message and a different approach. Knowing these audiences will help you to frame your strategies and tactics so that you can effectively reach the people you hope to reach.
5. List messages and strategies you will use to reach the target audiences you defined. These should be in line with the goals and objectives listed earlier; if they are not, the plan is already off to a somewhat bad start. Know that your strategies and messages also need to relate to one another, otherwise there is some disconnect happening that needs to be addressed.
6. Define the tactics you will use to make the strategies you’ve listed a reality. These tactics will take the messages and strategies listed and make them happen. If, for example, a strategy is to enhance a company’s brand awareness, tactics could include community outreach, social media use, press conferences, etc. There first needs to be a strategy defined before tactics can be addressed and assigned to a message.
7. Create a time-line for implementation. This needs to be realistic but also challenging. Remember that there should be no lapses in the PR plan where press releases are being sent out, events are taking place, or media are being engaged. There needs to be constant reminder to the public that the company is alive and well, and that can be done with constant information being sent out.
8. Delegate obligations and responsibilities to your team or your client’s team to ensure all parts of the PR plan are completed. This helps to ensure that everyone is on board and that everyone knows their own responsibilities and duties. This is crucial to seeing the PR plan come to fruition. This step should be done with everyone involved so that no one feels over-burdened, left out, or given too much responsibility. This can also help to give everyone the feeling of responsibility since the plan was created with everyone together and not just one person’s say.
9. Create measurements of results/ success. To know if your plan is effective, create measurements and benchmarks for the tactics you implement. This is a place for the PR team to gauge the success of the plan and to see if goals were realistic. Creating measurements can also help to show what could have been done with the expertise and estimations of a PR firm or team.
10. Review the plan after implementation and conclusion of the plan. This is the time when all who helped to create and carry-out the plan can come together and share their thoughts on what went well, what didn’t go so well, and what could be done differently in the future. This needs to be done to ensure that future plans have a chance of being successful. This step can help to encourage group members to continue working for the company’s success by giving everyone a chance to talk and contribute to the next planing.

The key to remember when creating a PR plan is that all plans are going to be unique and different for each company, and even within the same company, they will be different for each plan objective/goal. Do your homework before creating a plan, and be sure that you work closely with the company or client to make the plan a success.