The Byline: PR and Marketing Insights from Eiler Communications

Everything on my resume screams pre-med. I think I was bred and expected by my parents to become a doctor but as soon as I entered college, I took control of my own future and chose to fulfill my desire to learn about public relations and the social media.

Now why would any parent-loving child want to do that? Because I think one of the most important things in life is building relationships with other people, and as we all know, communication is the key to element to any working relationship. I wanted to learn how to better communicate, professionally.

It’s tricky. PR builds relationships with a range of professionals, analysts, trade, businesses and regional media. You have to know how to reach the right media outlets –specific writers and editors- with the right message at the right time. It is like the liaison in between the company/business and the media. The way I see it is this, in order for a company to get it’s product/service to its buyers, they need to go through the media and it’s not always easy to get the attention that you want. In today’s world, there is so much media and news going on it’s hard to create an identity and finding your niche market for yourself/company/product/technology/service/etc. but that’s where PR comes in.

I’m finding out that there is much to learn about communication in this field, we communicate through so many different channels such as blogs, search engines, phone, social networks such as facebook, my space, linked in, and twitter, e-mails, news releases, newsletters, and basically, if information can flow through it, we use it.

Developing skills for communication is exactly what I’ve come here to learn about, therefore, I couldn’t be happier interning here at Eiler Communications, a PR firm that specializes in media relations, social media and professional writing.

Connie

CEO of Eiler Communications Larry Eiler gave a presentation at Eastern Michigan University entitled PR in Marketing: How the Lines Are Blurring as Technology Grows as a Driver. Here is a brief recap…
I. PR in the Marketing Mix
• PR has always been a key component of any quality marketing program
• It has some inherent advantages that gain it recognition as an authoritative independent source
• Third-party veterans of user, analysts
• It use to be one separate element in the mix
• Now it is everywhere because technology has made a new breed of journalist
• The content may be used in any marketing technique
• The Lines between advertising PR and other techniques have blurred
• A company’s reputation depends on trust. Truthful PR stories can build that credibility

Phil

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I’ve had the pleasure to work with a diverse group of companies to help them become better known in their respective industries. In doing so, our firm has employed every conceivable traditional public relations tactic and some non-traditional ones.

While we’re calling and emailing media, securing speaking engagements, writing byline articles, conducting blogger relations and managing crises for our clients, it’s easy to forget about internal communications. If a company is introducing a new product, hiring a new CEO or going after a new type of customer, we advocate that public relations strategies be integrated with focused, internal communications strategies in order to maximize overall business results.

The disciplines of external vs. internal communications have been so specialized that owners of the functions all too often operate independently. Smart companies integrate the functions. They might not reside in the same department or under the same leader, but they work together to achieve exponentially larger results than either could achieve alone.

Southwest airlines’ Nuts About Southwest blog is a great example of an integrated tactic as it achieves greater online visibility while providing a forum for employees. Greater visibility and presence in cyberspace is certainly a public relations goal, and greater employee engagement is certainly an internal communications goal. Together, they help Southwest achieve the ultimate business goal of growing profits.

Posted by Linda

What has happened to moral values in our times? There has been lots of buzz about the lack of such. Where do we learn our code of ethics, our upbringing, our religion, education and example set by our influencers?

Each of us certainly should maintain a personal code of ethics but also a professional code of ethics. I applaud Dean David Mielke at EMU School of Business for his institution of Ethos Week. Students at EMU will have the opportunity to hear various speakers on the topics of business ethics.

What is also sad at the same time is that this subject even needs to be addressed. What has happened to moral fiber and values of our society?

One of my staff, when discussing this issue said this is “capitalism on steroids.” The pervasive thought is that you can have anything that you want and it does not matter how you achieve it.

Perhaps it is time for each of us to think about how we can turn the current direction of society and make ethical issues of high importance.

Posted by Sandy

Achieving success with a PR firm hinges on two-way communication. A PR agency is meant to be an extension of your organization and an effective PR campaign is not executed in a vacuum. Constant communication and dissemination of information between the agency and the client are vital to success. Over the course of 20 years in this business the successful agency-client relationships are the ones that follow these guidelines:

Work with the agency from the beginning to establish clear expectations for the PR program and a clearly defined and timely approval process for materials.

Provide the agency, in a timely manner, information needed to obtain results - access to company executives and referenceable customers, information on the customer’s application of the technology, information on new products, new business relationships and other newsworthy events and functions.

Include the agency as a strategic member of the sales and marketing team. Include agency members in sales and marketing meetings, copy the agency on sales and marketing materials to be used with customers or that reference important events which may influence the company.

Maintain a constant flow of open, honest communication between the agency and the client in order to address opportunities and problems, as well as successes and concerns.

Work with the agency in a collaborative relationship, with the client as the technology expert and the agency as the public relations expert.

Posted by Sandy

Public relations is the art of managing communication between an organization and its key constituents to build, manage, and sustain a positive, realistic reputation.

It is developing rapport and good will through a two way communication process, and fostering positive relationships between an organization and its target constituents.

Having directed the business operations of our PR firm for 20 years, it strikes me that every one of us could benefit by conducting our relationships with others by being honest, cordial, credible and always reputable. That does not always happen.

We strive to produce positive PR results for our clients with those qualities and performances in mind, why not let those practices fill our everyday lives. Twenty years of cultivating excellent vendor relationships has paid off in spades. I’ve had vendors turn around printing projects in hours, duplicate DVDs while I wait as well as many others going above and beyond. People recognize and reward those that treat them well.

It’s not that hard to be nice and smile. My grandmother used to say, “Sugar goes farther than salt.”

What would our world be if each of us took heed?

Posted by Sandy