Why PR matters in a down economy

The top 10 reasons why public relations matters, especially in a down economy are as follows:

1. Credibility: With public relations, unbiased decision-makers can tell your story for you. Be it traditional media, Web-based communications, word-of-mouth, etc., the personal nature of the communications between individuals adds a layer of credibility. Research points that it is more believable because the communicator is speaking honestly and is unlikely to have an ulterior motive (i.e. they are not trying to sell you something).


2. Value: Public relations provides better ROI than most other forms of communication. Sometimes a simple phone call to an editor can result in a story that reaches numerous people and is worth thousands of dollars.


3. Perception: No other form of communication can persuade and change public opinion more effectively than public relations.


4. Trust: Consumers are constantly looking for trustworthy sources now because there is so much negativity surrounding the economy. PR professionals are trustworthy sources for companies and consumers.


5. Message strength: Public relations allows you to say many things that you can't communicate in an advertisement or on a billboard. A feature story, press release, blog post, etc., can tell a much deeper and broader story.


6. Relationships: Due to the declining state of most traditional media venues, there’s a need for PR pros with solid editorial connections that can also work well with a newsroom staff, understand how the media operates, understand AP Style, and know what makes a good story for readers/viewers/listeners.


7. Short-term versus long-term: Don't sacrifice long-term marketing objectives because of short-term financial problems.


8. Facts & speed: These go hand-in-hand in this day and age, and it behooves PR pros to make sure the facts are checked and that trustworthy sources are used — inaccuracy can be fatal when so much emphasis is placed on transparency.


9. Don't play hide and seek: Be seen and be heard - in good and bad times. It will build trust, credibility, and relationships - and will pay you back tenfold when the economy improves.


10. Bite into market share: There is no better time than now to bite into your competitor's market share.

Remember to invest when others aren’t – by staying engaged with your audience through PR. More important, your company is building relationships that will grow and pay off even more when times are good! Let PROFIT Communications know how we can help your company ‘stand at the ready’ in these challenging economic times using PR strategies and tactics.

Bonus Point Source: PRWeek US – April, 2009

Why People Go Online

If idle hands are the devil's workshop, the Internet is a pretty 'hot' place!

According to Ruder Finn (one of the world's largest PR agencies), 100% of the US Internet users surveyed in Q2 2009 went online to pass the time.

Top 10 reasons that US Internet users go online [% of respondents]

1. Pass time 100%
2. Educate self 96%
3. Connect with others 92%
4. Research 89%
5. Share 86%
6. Be entertained 82%
7. Keep Informed 79%
8. Discuss 76%
9. Be part of a community 72%
10. Work (business) 69%

Source: Ruder Finn, 'Internet Index,' 6/29/2009

The least common intentions when logging on were to make purchases, manage finances, comparison shop and join causes.

"Intent is the new demographic," said Kathy Bloomgarden, Ruder Finn co-CEO. "Delving deeper into the underlying motivations of online behavior is critical to developing proactive strategies."

Overall, the agency divided online activities into six categories, listed from most common to least:

• Learn
• Have fun
• Socialize
• Express oneself
• Advocate
• Do business
• Shop

Men were more likely than women to go online for business, entertainment and to keep informed on news and current events.

Women, in turn, were more likely to use the Internet to advocate for a cause or issue, express themselves and socialize.

More than two-thirds (69%) of young adults ages 18 to 29 posted comments on social networking sites, 55% played games and 50% went online "specifically to rage against a person or organization."

Seniors were nearly twice as likely as young people to manage their finances, and 65% of seniors went online to be part of a community.

PR Bonus Point Source: www.eMarketer.com

The Truth Behind Six Social Media Myths

It's no longer possible to resist social media, writes B.L. Ochman for BusinessWeek. However, it's important to recognize six social media myths before jumping in:

1. Social media is cheap, if not free. While many of the tools come at no cost, effectively incorporating them into a marketing program requires skill, time and money.
2. Anyone can do it. Many people claim to be "social media gurus," but hype doesn't compare to experience.
3. You can make a big splash in a short time. Social media can drive traffic if people care about your brand-otherwise, be patient.
4. Your can do it all in-house. To be successful, you need strategy, contacts, tools and experience - "a combination not generally found in in-house teams."
5. If you do something great, people will find it. Until you can drive traffic to your content, no one will know it's there.
6. You can't measure social media marketing results. There are several methods that measure the effectiveness of social media, including Google Trends, Twitter search, Google Analytics, BackType and Compete.

Reprint from pr blotter - PR Tactics, April 2009