Getting Your Message Through the Holiday Clutter Many companies rely heavily on holiday promotion to influence consumers, but with so much competition out there, how can you rise above the rest and ensure your message is loud and clear? With the busy holiday season upon us, consumers are preparing to purchase gifts, entertain crowds and travel to visit loved ones. Many will make related decisions based on information they find online or have downloaded to their iPods. For communications professionals anxious to get their message seen and heard, it's critical to connect with consumers via mainstream media where they access most of their information. With the right creative initiatives, a holiday public relations campaign will not only attract your intended audience, but also ensure your company stands out from the competition.
The following are a few media outlets to consider:
Most importantly, know your audience and create content to match their needs. |
Top Communications Trends of 2007
As 2007 comes to a close, marketers and public relations professionals look back on a year of extreme innovation and change that is forcing many to forgo traditional tools and rethink how to communicate with target audiences. The past year brought a continued explosion of Web 2.0: Web-based communications, such as social-networking sites, wikis and blogs that aim to facilitate creativity, collaboration and sharing between users. Unlike campaigns of the past, which relied heavily on traditional media outlets (print and broadcast), today's programs must cater to a new type of consumer - one that creates their own content, stimulates news themselves and drives percetion changes by a quick click. Today's consumers demand immediate access to information and crave interactivity. In order to remain competitive and current, organizations must adapt their communications plans accordingly. Blogging has quickly become the Web's exclusive publisher, allowing anyone with access to a computer to become an expert, attract an audience, gain notoriety and influence opinions. Having a voice in the "blogosphere" -- whether it is on an already established blog or through your own -- has an impact and can be a necessity depending on your audience. But marketers must continue to adhere to a code of ethics while integrating these new ways of communicating. Scrutiny arose over exposed "flogs" or fake blogs being posted by companies and corporate executives. YouTube, wiki and other video and content-sharing sites have enabled otherwise unknowns to become overnight celebrities. Organizations can now deliver their messages for free by posting public service announcements or other videos on such sites. Now, more than ever, viral marketing campaigns are an integral part of many organizations' marketing programs. One carefully crafted message can spread through Web sites like MySpace, Twitter and Friendster at light speed and impact the way people think. For example, companies and organizations are now issuing press releases to such social media sites to put them directly in the hands of consumers, rather than depending on a third-party media outlet. As Web 2.0 continues to establish the new practice of PR 2.0, marketers and public relations pros must pay careful attention to the rapidly developing technology and how these innovations continue to change the way we communicate and how we perceive messages. Best regards, |
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