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- * PUBREL.TXT
-
- PUBLIC RELATIONS
-
- * This section can assist tremendously when you prepare to introduce
- your venture to its various publics.
- * "Now gongs and drums, banners and flags are used to focus the
- attention of the troops. When the troops can be thus united, the
- brave cannot advance alone, nor can the cowardly withdraw. This is
- the art of employing a host." -- Sun Tzu, "The Art of War"
-
- OBJECTIVES
-
- Position (Company) at the leading edge in providing XXX (product /
- service for industry or market segment)
-
- Increase (Company) awareness and name/brand recognition among managers/
- buyers/customers in XXX (prospective companies/industries/markets).
-
- Communicate on a regular basis with three target publics:
-
- * Major trade, business, and local publication editorial staffs
- * Key management personnel in the existing customer companies
- * Employees and sales representative organizations
-
- STRATEGIES
-
- Develop a sustaining public relations effort, with ongoing contact
- between key editors and top-level personnel.
-
- Develop a regular and consistent product/service update program for the
- major target medias, keeping key editors abreast of XXX enhancements and
- XXX new product/service introductions.
-
- Develop an internal newsletter which can cover key sales successes,
- significant marketing and manufacturing events, technical support and
- product development stories. Internally, the newsletter would be
- targeted to all company personnel and sales representatives; externally
- the piece would be targeted to key customers and prospects.
-
- Develop a minimum of four technical articles written by key executives
- to be placed in XXX and XXX (publications) within the next XXX months.
-
- Establish contact with editorial staffs for the purpose of being
- included in product "round-ups" -- product/service comparisons vis-a-vis
- Consumer Reports where competing products/services are compared. This
- exposure builds credibility and market acceptance.
-
- * See "Bacon's Publicity Checker" at your local library for a
- directory of publications and editors suited to your business
- purposes.
-
- COMPANY BACKGROUNDER
-
- Produce a complete company backgrounder on (Company) to be used as the
- primary public relations tool for all target media editorial contact.
- This is also effective for inclusion in press kits, dealer kits and
- sales packages. The backgrounder would include sections on the
- following broad subjects:
-
- * Overview of the Market: size; characteristics
- * The Market need in 19XX, present & future
- * The Company
- History
- Management Philosophy
- Brief sketches of Top Executives
- * The Products /Services
- Market niches
-
- MAJOR SALES ANNOUNCEMENTS
-
- Major contract agreements representing sales volumes of over $XXX should
- be written up and released to selected media as soon as practical after
- the signing of papers. Ideally, these would be joint announcements.
- Concurrently, a shortened version of the release should be mailed to all
- internal and external sales organizations.
-
- PRESS RELEASES
-
- Develop a series of press releases on the entire product line/service
- area. Prepare press releases for each new product/service introduction,
- technical development, participation in a major event,
- awards/recognition for product/personnel excellence/performance, etc.
-
- * Include an 8x10 black & white glossy photo of your product or of
- an interesting demo of your service -- editors will likely pick up
- your news release sooner with a photo.
-
- EDITORIAL VISITATIONS
-
- Over the next XXX months invite the most influential reporters and
- editors from XXX and XXX (publication and or broadcast media names) for
- a visit to (Company). During the visit, each of the editors would
- receive a complete facility tour, product briefing, and an opportunity
- to interview the chairman, president, product designer and marketing
- manager. If logistics or timing is a problem with the interviews, then
- these could possibly be arranged at the major trade shows.
-
- TRADE SHOWS
-
- Use trade shows as another method for maintaining a high profile with
- the editors of key target media. If a major product/service
- announcement is feasible at one of the shows, care should be taken to
- plan the announcement well in advance. However, since the major
- publications send their editors to the major shows, an opportunity
- exists to schedule, in advance, key personnel with selected reporters
- and editors. These mini-interviews can be used in lieu of the above
- described editorial visit, or as opportunities to give editors a company
- or product update from a chief executive's point of view.
-
- INTERNAL/EXTERNAL NEWSLETTER
-
- Produce a four-page, black-and-white (2-color/4-color) newsletter to
- serve as an informational piece for internal personnel, the sales force,
- and key customers. Include sections covering each major department or
- organization within (Company) (Sales, Marketing, Manufacturing, R&D) and
- a message from the executive staff. Highlight major developments such
- as XXX (key sales stories, successful customer applications/uses/
- installations, significant marketing events, and product development
- news).