Core Concepts of Marketing by John Burnett - HTML preview

CHAPTER 8

COMMUNICATING TO MASS MARKETS

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Nevertheless, public relations looms as one of the most misunderstood and mistrusted

elements in marketing. Consequently, management may provide marketing in general with

full support, ample scope, and time for planning, but often does not establish a role for pub-

lic relations. Public relations may be brought in belatedly at advanced stages of marketing

process as a peripheral area with no real purpose.

Obtaining a good working definition of public relations requires an acknowledgement

of the concept's core elements. Four such elements emerge. First, the ultimate objective of

PR is to retain as well as create goodwill. Second, the successful procedure to follow in public relations is to first do good. and then take credit for it. Third, the publics addressed

by the PR program must be described completely and precisely. In most instances, PR programs are aimed at multiple publics that have varying points of view and needs. Conse-

quently, the publics served should be researched just as carefully as the target audiences

for an advertising campaign. Finally, public relations is a planned activity. There is an intel-

ligence behind it.

The definition that encompasses all these considerations, and was coined at the First

Assembly of Public Relations Associations in 1987, follows:

Public Relations practice is the art of social science in analyzing trends, predicting their consequences, counseling organization leaders. and implementing planned programs of action, which serve both the organizations and the public interest. 7

SALES PROMOTION AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

209

TABLE 8.4

Types of Sales Promotion Techniques

Audience/Technique

Description

CONSUMER

Price Discounts

Temporary reduction in price, often at point of purchase.

Coupon offers

Certificates redeemable for amount specified.

Combination offers

Selling two products in conjunction at a lower total price.

Contests

Awarding of prizes on the basis of chance or consideration.

Rebates

Refund of a fixed amount of money.

Premiums

Tangible reward received for performing an act, normally a purchase.

Trad ing stamps

Certificate awarded based on purchase amount.

Sampling

Providing the product either free or for a small fee.

EMPLOYEE

Orientation program

Introducing

employee to company facts.

Fringe benefits

Extra incentives provided by company to employee.

Institutional promotion

Messages portraying compa ny in a positive lig ht.

Motivationa l programs

Temp orary incentives, e.g., contests, prizes, or awards.

DISTRIBUTOR/DEALER

Contests

Temporary incentives offered for specific performance.

Trade shows

Central location where products are displayed/sold.

Push money/dealer loaders

Money offered for selling specified amounts of product.

Trade deals

Dealers receive special allowances, discounts, goods, or cash .

Public Relat ion's Publics

A public may be

to exist whenever a group of people is drawn together by definite inter-

ests in certain areas and has definite opinions upon matters within those areas. There are mallY

publics, and individuals are frequently members of several that may sometimes have conflicting

interests. For example, in the case of a school bond vote, a voter might be tom between feel-

ings as a parent

as a member of a conservative economic group opposed to higher taxes;

or an elderly couple,

no children now in school, might be parents of a teacher.

Public relations must be sensitive to two general types of publics: internal and exter-

nal. Internal publics are the people who are already connected with an organization, and with whom the organization normally communicates in the ordinary routine of work. Typical internal publics in an industry are the employees, stockholders, suppliers, dealers, cus-

wmers, and plant neighbors. For example, employees want good wages and working

conditions, opportunities for advancement,

a secure retirement. Customers want a depend-

ab le supply of quality products provided at a fair price and supported by convenient serv-

ices. Stakeholders want dividends, growth, and a fair return on their investments.

External publics are composed of people who are not necessarily closely connected

with a particular organization. For

members of the press, educators, government

officials, or the clergy mayor may not have an interest in an industry. The leaders of th e

industry cannot assume any automatic interest and, to some extent, must choose whether

to communicate with these groups.

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