Make it happen. Those were the words that marked the beginning of chapter 20, the last chapter in David Meerman Scott’s book, The New Rules of Marketing and PR. This chapter was a useful reminder of how to implement all the facets of this book in the most beneficial way to your company.
Social media will help get you out there. You need to know your audience and you need to know how to brand your message or product to you audience. After reading this book I see the importance of taking the time to get to know and discover your target audience. By putting yourself in their shoes, you will be able to deliver information to target them better. Beyond this it is important to create strong content that will deliver your message or products intent. The important is to find something that works and develop it.
David Meerman Scott’s summary of advice to readers was something we should all keep in mind. While there are numerous tools and strategies that can be used in the social media realm that can benefit you organization, you do not have to use each and every one. These tools may work better in bits and pieces. What reaches one organizations audience may not reach another organizations audience, just as one organization may enjoy blogging over podcasting and vice versa.
I think this book can seem overwhelming with a seemingly endless realm of social media opportunities. But it is important to stay focused on what will work for your organization and what will work for you. I found this book to enlighten me on how several of the PR and marketing tactics can be used, now all I have to do is find innovative ways to implement them myself. Be creative, draw in your audience, make the content stand out, but most importantly do what works for you!
Social Media has become the new tool that PR and Marketing practitioners use to reach their audiences. The purpose of these efforts is to target your audience and deliver an effective message that not only reaches them but also is successful. David Meerman Scott talks about using podcasting and video to your advantage in chapter 18 of his book, The New Rules of Marketing and PR.
Podcasting is an additional tool of social media that can be used yet again deliver your message and reach your audience. Podcasting has several advantages. First it is easy for organizations to do because it is fairly simple and has minimal costs. Second it is convenient for consumers because they can download it for free and listen to it anywhere or time they want.
Organizations should take note. This is a wonderful way to reach their consumers, market their product, distribute information, and gain sales. The Student Loan Network has experienced the advantages of podast success firsthand. The purpose of this company is to provide a guide to student loans and financial aid. It reaches out to students and parents to provide advice and its services.
This company also hosts a Financial Aid Podcast. Through this podcast the Student Loan Network has been able to reach out to its audience by offering advice and information on a variety of topics pertaining to their services. Their program has been the most popular show on financial aid or college-bound students. By using podcasting they have created an effective and simple way to reach their audience. Beyond this they have done so in a way that appeals to one of their target audiences, college students.
David Meerman Scott highlights that another important advantage of podcasting is that audiences tend to trust it because it is another human voice. Usually it is people within the organization that talk on podcasts, which make them more credible and don’t come off as being another PR or Marketing message. Podcasting is still new but it is important for organizations to realize the positive advantage they can gain from utilizing this social media tool.
In response to an article in PR Week, Risk Comes With Social Media’s Rewards, by Alexandra Bruell I write this post. Social Media is a tool that I am practicing and coming to understand the importance of in my classes. I realize that with evolving PR and marketing social media needs to be utilized to reach your audience. Read the article here.
The article makes reference to Facebook and MySpace two social networks that play a prevalent role amongst today’s society. Facebook began as a social network amongst college students, spreading its network to high school students, and then making its network available to anyone on the Web.
The concept of social media is still evolving and while there are risks that come with any social media network, I think this article neglects to show the benefits. The power of Facebook is scary. It is one of the most influential and recognizable networks available today.
While any organization that chooses to use this should proceed with caution, it also necessary for PR and marketing practitioners to have a working knowledge of social media networks. Facebook and MySpace is a tool that should be used to maximize your messages potential to reach the audience.
Recognizing the benefits of these networks, organizations should also remember a couple of things. Facebook is still constantly evolving. Changes and additions are made weekly to this site. Until Facebook establishes what works and the functions it intends to keep it is not 100 percent safe. Like any other network it is difficult to monitor what is being said about your organization. In addition to this you must be aware of what is being said, and continue efforts to be putting positive messages out about your organization.
While the criticisms of social media networks such as Facebook and MySpace are high people need to realize the newness of this networks. Yes there are lots of improvements that can and need to be made to protect and monitor organizations along with maintaining professionalism. Facebook is still in a transition phase of a network that once only functioned for college students and is now trying to appeal to all audiences. Until appropriate changes are made the site can be utilized by willing organizations.
In my blog I have previously discussed the change previous PR and marketing rues have undergone in recent years. Along with the new rules of PR and marketing, come the new rules media relations. Following the new rules of media relations allows your organization to ensure that your message is being put in the right hands. In Chapter 16 of David Meerman Scott’s book, The New Rules of Marketing and PR, these rules are discussed.
If reports and journalists have our organizations news they are more likely to publish it. So it is our job to make sure they get it. The media is on a constant search for something new, and if you’re Web site, blogs, media rooms, etc stand out and are content rich then it will be noticed amongst the media.
Catering to your audience is imperative to produce sales, but catering to you media is another important tactic in getting your message to your audience. Just like consumers, the media needs the message to be catered to them. David Meerman Scott emphasizes the importance of targeting your pitches in ways that would appeal to specific journalists or medias.
Another way to ensure that your message is getting to appropriate medias is by forming relationships with them. If you comment on their blogs, participate in conversations with them, send them information that is personal, etc you may become a part of their network, which will beneficial to them and your organization.
To get our message to the media, thus getting it out to the greater public, we need to follow the new rules of media relations. As discussed above organizations must get their information out there, and make it easily accessible to the media. By blogging, pitching to bloggers and journalists, finding positive reasons to send out news releases, and establishing an impressive online media room you can aid your organization by making it ways for the media to find your message.
In an effort to shift the markets purchases in their direction organic companies are encouraging consumers to “think green.†Consumer’s outlooks on products and the decisions that go in to purchasing product have changed over the years. With recalls and warnings about so many products on the rise, consumers have become wary of their purchases.
The Organic industry realizes that this is their chance to market consumers and rise above. It is imperative that the organic industry act quickly and efficiently during this time. They have realized the potential of their products during this time, now they need to feed it to consumers. Read the article here.
Caution is key during this time. So many companies deem their product “all natural†or “healthy†but since the rise of the Web information about these so call products is out for them to read. Consumers have become very informed about products on the market, and if not careful truly organic products may shed in bad light.
Marketers need to be aware of this when reaching out to their audience. It is up to them to not only sell the product but inform consumers about what they are buying. Organic Industries need to keep in mind that in this scenario knowledge is power. Consumers want to trust the products they are consuming. Since the rise of health and environment awareness consumers need to be assured they are making the right choice. The organic industry can use this to their advantage.
My suggestions to the organic industry are not only take advantage to rise, but also doing things to cater towards their buyers. Consumers believe that knowledge is one of the main contributing factors in determining whether to purchase a product or not. Marketers and PR practitioners should center their strategies on this.
The organic industry needs to get their information and benefits of their product out to consumers. They should create a blog talking about the advantages their organic products have over others in the market or put out press release warning consumers about the effects of using inorganic products. If these companies get the word out their consumers will begin to see it and it will begin to effect their purchasing decisions.
Since the new rules of PR have kicked in full force and technology is playing such a large role in consumer’s retrieval of information in today’s society, PR and Marketing practitioners must do everything they can to get their message to their audience. In order for an organization to generate business they must get their message heard. Beyond this an organization needs to produce a message that will be effective on their audience. A news release is one good strategy to do this.
In chapter 14 of David Meerman Scott’s book, The New Rules of Marketing and PR he talks about the importance of using news releases to directly reach your audience. The reformed direction PR has taken allows us to directly relay information to our audiences. This is another useful tool that practitioners can use to create a positive relationship between the consumer and your organization. It is also a tool that can be used to generate sales and provide consumers with knowledge.
News release are still vital in the media world, but it is also imperative to get find any chance you get to distribute news release directly to your buyer. The Internet makes this task easy because millions of people surf the Web to get the information they are looking for. David Meerman Scott really put this concept into context for me.
It is important to use anything and everything your organization is doing to create a news release and thus relay information directly to your buyers. It has been such a powerful change that news releases have taken. Now we are able to communicate and establish this direct relationship with our audience. Organizations themselves have the opportunity to positively affect their business. By making your message content rich, establishing an effective message that will compel consumers to respond, and putting organization information out there when ever the chance arises are strategies that could enhance your organization and drive your consumers to purchase.
In an effort to brand and provide better public outreach, the council of Better Business Bureaus (BBB), a non-profit organization launched a $1 million campaign. The purpose of the PR efforts was to encourage consumers to use the BBB databases before making purchases or charity donations. The focuses of the strategies used in this campaign were to establish brand consistency, re-design their Web site and provide media outreach. Read the article here.
The need to present brand consistency to consumers was an imperative step for BBB. They needed to show a united front in branding in order to captivate their audience and create a firm association with this organization. If you have an inconsistent branding, like BBB did between US and Canada it can create major gaps and miscommunication. It is important that you are giving viewers an image that they will know anywhere. BBB needs their consumers and audience to see their logo and immediately think BBB. Creating an effective consistent brand will aid your organization in product recognition and awareness.
The next step in BBB’s campaign was to re-design their Web site. This is important for any organization to take. Drawing traffic to your organizations Web site is an important step in today’s competitive technology based world. A good Web site will not only draw in the consumer but also encourage them to buy your product. In order to accomplish this Web site must not only have an attractive design but consistent, concise and effective content.
BBB’s website was another tool to draw uniformity to their brand. Beyond this it is a tool that they can utilize get their organizations name out there and generate business. If done right, I believe that this is the most influential and effective tool in BBB’s campaign. It was essential for them to make Web design improvements as well because they were dealing with so many customer complaints. With a new and improved Web site they can fix the broken relationships and frustrations of previous consumers and pursue new relationships through a more effective web design.
Overall I felt that BBB took appropriate steps to fix their brand inconsistency and regain a reputable persona among consumers. I feel that the strategies they took to improve will help them to maintain positive consumer relations, as well as draw in new consumers. BBB’s PR efforts will also improve BBB brand consistency, creating brand recognition that in turn will generate more business.
Today when a buyer wants something, they want it now, and they want it with ease and convenience. When on this quest for information or a product the first place that they turn is the Web. Knowing this it is important to have your organizations message easily available and accessible.
After reading chapter 13 in David Meerman Scott’s book, The New Rules of Marketing and PR, I realized the importance of the content on the Web and the influence it has over buyers in the buying process. To be effective on the Web you have to make sure that you are drawing your audience in, instead of letting them skip over your page. You have to make your message available to them when they want it. You must draw your audience in at the beginning and then keep them interested enough to make a sale. The problem is many people don’t realize the importance of content on the Web and catering to your audience.
Beyond being readily available and hooking your buyers to purchase your organizations product, your Web must also deliver a message that reaches all of your buyers. Not everyone’s appeals, desires, and needs are the same. In order to be most effective in the buying process your content must contain messages that will appeal to different and diverse audiences. You don’t want to make your content exclusive to a specific audience because it could turn other potential buyers away.
I realize the importance of Web content has been emphasized constantly throughout David Meerman Scott’s book. But the point is content can make or break the buying process. As much as I have heard “remember your content†over and over I still find myself focusing on so many other aspects of a site. Content should come first. It is vital for the Web to convey and organizations purpose. Content is a simple yet unbelievably important tool. It is imperative to utilize and embrace content in order to connect and encourage your audience to buy.
In an effort to create buzz in the teen market Seventeen Magazine has joined fashion company Southpole to launch a reality series to air online. The series will be featured over a seven-week span. It is based on a contest entitled, “The Ultimate Seventeen Intern.†The goal of the series is have three interns compete in numerous tests to determine the best intern. Viewers can vote online for their favorite intern and the winner of this reality series receives $ 5,000 in scholarships and a wardrobe from the South pole line. Read the article here.
The purpose of this online series is to create buzz amongst their teen market. “The program allows us to fully engage out teen market through a powerful medium,†said Janice Welles, who is the director of marketing and advertising for Southpole.
This is yet another example of the new tactics of PR being utilized to reach a younger audience. Today’s youth uses the Web for practically everything they do. They best way to get them to recognize you is to use the Web to reach them and put your organizations name out there. Seventeen and Southpole have realized the importance of doing so in order to create buzz.
Seventeen and Southpole are putting a large emphasis on Online PR and Marketing. They have realized the importance and impact the Web can have on audience. I think that taking these initiatives will aid them in achieving their goals. I am encouraged that the online series will be effective because so many TV shows are now offering their episodes free online. The ability to watch these shows on the Web is drawing in tons of viewers who don’t have time to sit down and watch their favorite TV show at the designated time anymore.
While I am still a bit skeptical of how well a strictly online series will do amongst teens, I am curious to see the outcome. Regardless talk of the series alone will create buzz, and for those who teens who tune in to watch the series it will bring the brand and name directly to them and hopefully successfully convey the intended message of these organizations.
After reading chapter 9 in David Meerman Scott’s book, The New Rules of Marketing and PR, I realized the importance of utilizing content on the Web. This chapter really got me thinking. How many times have I passed over a Web site because it had no substantial content? How many times have I looked at a Web site but never read a word? The truth is there are several sites I don’t read due to poor content.
David Meerman Scott points out that design is important but without having a content-rich Web site it is useless. This advice seems so simple, but understanding and implementing it is what could make your Web site stand out from the rest. Through this book and my classes at Auburn University I have seen how important social media is. Having a poor Web site is unacceptable, because the Internet is where so many people go first to receive information.
In my Style and Design class this semester we are designing our own Web site. After reading this chapter it all clicked. “But what really matters is the content, how the content is organized, and how it drives action from buyers,” says David Meerman Scott. So many people fall into the trap of worrying themselves with a trendy and stylish Web design, or features that set their Web site apart from others. But without efficient content how will your Web site benefit you or your organization?
I am guilty of letting design be the focus of my efforts. While a pretty Web site may attract an audience, the Web site will serve no purpose if the content is poor. The purpose of a Web site is to not only get your viewers attention, but also serve the purpose of the organization, person, or product the Web site it geared towards.
