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by Peter
Granat
Senior
Vice President, MediaMap
 Executing
a
successful integrated marketing
program,
one that consistently
generates qualified leads that the
sales force can convert to closed
deals, is like planning a
successful dinner. It takes
all of the right ingredients,
mixed together at just the right
time and in just the right
proportions, to create a delicious
feast that your guests will not
only enjoy, but also remember -
and want to come back for when
next invited.
It's the same way with marketing.
Except in the case of finding new
customers and maintaining their
loyalty, the ingredients don't
include things like caviar, prime
rib, and a good bottle of wine.
Instead, they include a number of
separate program elements, mixed
and matched to create a
comprehensive marketing plan that
results in the visibility required
to contribute to overall growth.
These program elements sometimes
include advertising, direct mail,
educational seminars, trade show
participation, and special events.
It sometimes includes public
relations, but not always. This is
a big mistake. Neglecting to
make PR a significant part of the
integrated marketing mix is akin
to forgetting to send out
invitations for your dinner event.
In a nutshell, planning marketing
campaigns without building overall
awareness for your organization
through public relations could
result in total campaign failure.
Public relations can add
tremendous value to a company's
overall marketing plan by creating
the visibility and validity that's
necessary to fuel all other
marketing activities. A
prospect will be more likely to
open a direct mail piece, attend a
special event, listen to a sales
pitch, or actually buy a product
if they just read about the
company in the Wall Street
Journal, saw its CEO speak on CNN,
noticed the company winning awards
and praise from a trade
publication, or read an article
authored by the company (just like
this one, which was placed using
PR).
In order to build a successful
public relations program, the
first step is making a commitment.
Recognize that there will likely
be some short-term wins, but also
realize that if company sticks
with PR over the long haul, the
benefits will be lasting and
measurable. And being
committed doesn't just mean
earmarking funds. It also
means partnering with PR
executives, whether an in-house
team or from an agency, so that
they are well informed of all
corporate initiatives and have the
tools they need to succeed.
With the right information in
hand, a well-informed and astute
PR practitioner will design a plan
that can meet any number of
corporate goals, while at the same
time integrating into the overall
marketing plan. These goals
can include things like helping a
company increase the number of
leads generated on a day-to-day
basis; increasing the value of
these leads, so that the sales
cycle shrinks and the average
sales price grows; and building
corporate credibility, so
shareholders and potential
shareholders believe in the
company's leadership and mission.
The Essentials
A
PR program will vary depending on
a company's goals, but there are a
few essential elements you should
consider. They include:
A steady news stream -- A company
must always be looking for
opportunities to release
"news" to the press.
This could include new or enhanced
products or services, new customer
wins, or partnership
announcements. By putting
out a minimum of one or two
announcements a month, and by
working closely with the media to
ensure the news is covered, a
company can rest assured that it
will be consistently visible in
industry trade publications, local
and regional publications, and, as
the company's stories become more
compelling, in the business press.
The constant press coverage will
create the perception that the
company is one to watch.
Executive visibility and thought
leadership -- It's critical to
position companies and its
executives as visionaries; PR is
one of the most effective ways to
achieve this objective.
Winning industry awards that
recognize a company's growth as
well as its products and services,
writing thought-provoking articles
for targeted publications,
speaking independently or on
panels at industry events, all are
ways to demonstrate the company's
leadership position. A good
PR plan will identify the awards,
publications and industry events
to target. It will also have
a plan in place to secure those
opportunities and leverage the
results. They all tie into
one another to gain maximum
exposure and benefit.
Media and analyst relations --
Staying in front of targeted
industry analysts and reporters is
key, and goes beyond the kind of
coverage a company can get by
consistently issuing news.
It's also essential to track the
planned reports and articles that
reporters and analysts are
constantly writing, and to secure
inclusion in those pieces.
To be successful, a PR
practitioner must identify the
opportunities; interact and build
relationships with reporters and
analysts to determine their needs,
and then provide the necessary
follow-up to secure results.
Failure could put a company at a
disadvantage, especially if their
competitors are successful.
A Seamless Integration
Successfully
executing on the plan is the
final, crucial step. And as
with the successful dinner, it
takes the right tools to achieve
optimal results. In this case, the
required tool is a Communications
Management (CM) solution. A
CM solution allows communications
professionals to manage
relationships and activities with
press and analysts, distribute
targeted messages to these groups,
and measure and analyze the
results of those activities. It
will also provide real-time media
research and a central location
for PR and marketing professionals
to collaborate.
Organizations that have a strong
public relations program in place
to support overall marketing
initiatives, and who use a CM
solution to guide their efforts,
are in prime position to build the
awareness they need to grow their
business. Indeed, a successful PR
program isn't just a side dish.
It's an essential ingredient that
completes the recipe for marketing
success.
As
MediaMap's Senior Vice
President, Peter Granat speaks
to corporate communications
officers and leading agency
executives across the
nation,
helping to improve clients'
relationships with the media.
Since joining MediaMap in 1992,
Peter has pioneered media
research
and communications
management tools.
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