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Regional PR Experts Share Strategies and Successes in Integrating Public Relations and Direct Marketing at PDMA May 21st Breakfast Symposium.
A team of Philadelphia public relations experts spoke before a room of direct marketers and answered the question “What’s PR Got to Do With It? – The Impact of Public Relations on Direct Response Marketing” at a recent symposium presented by the Philadelphia Direct Marketing Association (PDMA).
Presenters included Ellen Toplin, president, StarToplin; Steve Rosen, president, StarPR; Dave John, senior vice president, direct marketing, The Star Group; Jeff Guaracino, Vice President, Communications, Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC); Gary Frisch, president, Swordfish Communications. Linda Barba, associate, Project Marketing, Inc. served as symposium moderator. Toplin opened the discussion by addressing what public relations (PR) is not, and how strategic PR is about creating and directing the dialogue with one’s constituent groups across the array of communications channels available in today’s marketing – including the complete range of online media. Toplin emphasized the importance of qualitative and quantitative assessments and how direct marketers and PR pros can work together to drive client results. Rosen highlighted three successful case studies and offered strategies that contributed to each success. For client Margaritaville Shrimp, for example, Rosen stressed that PR played an important role in drawing consumers to visit them online through a contest offering a trip anywhere in the world. The pitch: Where is your Margaritaville? The integration of public relations strategies and tactics into Margaritaville’s traditional direct marketing campaign lead to measurable results, including “astronomical” coupon redemption. Discussing the $641 billion travel and tourism industry, Guaracino explained that advertising is not what influences most travel choices – some times it is a write-up in the newspaper. But often times, too, PR extends and supports the reach and frequency of the advertising and plays a key role in sales. Leveraging publicity to the fullest in 2007, Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation launched a summer travel package that generated so much attention in the media that, as a result, 72% of travelers surveyed responded that they read an article about Philadelphia. Further, of the group surveyed, 38% of those who read a travel article in the newspaper or a magazine planned a trip – with 58% visiting Philadelphia. In addition, 2,500 new visitors visited www.gophila.com. Frisch shared helpful tips on how to INCITE the best practices of public relations: Intelligence – Do research, focus groups, interviews New ideas – Develop plan tactics, establish objective Creativity – Press kits, Websites, ads Implementation – Distribute release, post information on Website Tracking – Number of Website hits, tickets sold, ad equivalency, nature of coverage Evaluation – What did we do wrong? Right? Additionally, Frisch emphasized that public relations can have a dramatic impact on a direct response campaign when strategies are aligned with overall marketing objectives and managers from all levels within the organization are on board. |
