Transcript The PUBLIC
The PUBLIC CONSUMER RELATIONS/ MARKETING Preview Public relations can help the organization take smart risks and avoid the bad ones Judith Rich No longer can retailers, manufacturers and service providers simply respond to complaints from their customers; sophisticated public relations techniques must be applied to understand the needs of consumers and solicit their comments There is increased awareness in knowledge and productivity Consumer Relations in focus Consumer relations is the bridge between the consumer and the manufacturer, providing the right response when a multitude of things go wrong and ultimately helping the company to thrive under any situation Teaming PR with Marketing PR and marketing work together to help an organization respond to a very significant public – the consumers of their products PR is involved in marketing by: 1. Promoting the value of unseen technology 2. Using current events to reshape attitudes 3. Increasing awareness of the product’s benefits through relationship marketing, IMC etc PR activities not covered in marketing Internal publics such as employees, stockholders, and management Reputation or image building External publics [other than consumers] such as government and suppliers Crisis management Public opinion change and social issues Issues management The starting point PR activities are introduced into marketing in the area of consumer relations PR activities are integrated into the overall marketing plans because no amount of PR can make up for a inadequate distribution network; poorly taste food Always DELIGHT THE CUSTOMER – David Pogue Smart, thriving companies constantly listen to their customers and act upon what they hear. Applying PR techniques to Marketing Imagination is the limit when it comes to applying PR techniques to marketing; hence you get clichés like ‘total solution provider’ and ‘innovative technology leader’ Hewlett-Packard PR can help in the following areas: 1. Product and service design through informal research 2. PR can help extend product life cycle by developing events to support the products 3. PR, and the information provided can assist in making marketing decision on product distribution Continue in next slide Applying PR techniques to Marketing Ever thought of branded news? 4. Communication through media relations, community relations, facility tour, event management 5. The CEO becomes the marketing spokesperson during special events as the launch of new product line, crisis [Bill Gates & Microsoft antitrust suit in US] 6. Guerrilla tactics could come handy through usage of nontraditional communication vehicles; sometimes it can be hit-and-miss 7. Integrating disciplines of media relations, trade shows, special events are useful [see next slide] Challenges of Consumer Relations Lack of common sense by consumers Lack of understanding from consumers who used the product wrongly yet blamed the manufacturer There is little manufacturer can do if safety instructions are ignored Trust is all the PR man can bring to the issues Consumers are insatiable Know your consumers Three challenging indexes: 1. Your consumer might change traditional consumption patterns 2. Economic and social shifts might open up new audiences 3. Your brand may no longer resonate with your consumers PR and Consumer Affairs Consumer information and education Generally satisfied, but not always served Unfair and deceptive practices Handling consumer complaints Integrating ‘click’ with the ‘brick’ The corporate liaison Let us examine them bit by bit Consumer information and education While it is agreed that consumers lack adequate information for making purchasing decision, there is the strong issue of consumer misuse of products A satisfied consumer will arithmetically inform others, while a dissatisfied consumer will geometrically inform others Consumers value message more if comes from the media than from company representatives Generally satisfied, but not always served 65% of consumers feel that businesses care more about selling them products that already exist, rather than coming up with something that really fits consumers’ lifestyle Mass produced product do not work and behave like those that are custom designed Unfair and deceptive practices Damage occur to buyer-seller relationship when products and services are promoted using deceptive and unfair means Voluntary self regulation is important Industry watchers should equally assist PR practitioners need to be careful not to mislead or dupe the gatekeepers to the consumers – the media Handling consumer complaints To effectively handle consumer complaints, note the following: 1. The complaint should be solicited 2. All complaints should be logged when received 3. The complainant should be notified at receipt and progress made so far 4. Action to resolve the complaint should follow quickly 5. Affected company personnel should be notified promptly and their response monitored 6. Ongoing analysis of any complaint should be done to forestall future occurrences Integrating ‘click’ with the ‘brick’ Don’t be lost in the technology malady, where the ‘click’ is the real business Emails and company websites are the new means of contact, therefore they should have an autoreply facility New technologies are changing how people do business and relate with each other So set up device to monitor failures from the ‘click’ so it doesn’t ‘brick’ up The corporate liaison The consumer affairs role is becoming the that of consumer spokesperson to management They solicit consumer opinion and make management aware of the effects various decisions would have on the consumers The in house ombudsman must balance the needs of the actual customers, the demands of consumer activists, and the goals of the organization Task Is the consumer really king? How loyal are the consumer to the brand? What is branded news? Provide answers to the attached flashcard items See Case Study in page 273