Almost every public relations program must identify and reach opinion forming groups and individuals. In almost all campaigns there are three pivotal points on which tactics are built: the opinion former targets, the consumer or primary user targets, and the media targets. There may also be trade and industry targets.
A prime target is one which you must reach; the secondary target is one which you should reach. In Britain the prime consumer target is the housewife, particularly the housewife under 35 years of age and with at least one child under five years old. She has to spend the household money and her good opinion of products means sales.
Writing PR proposals and reports
As a public relations consultant it is assumed you can write and speak with skill and authority. Proposals and reports are business documents. They should be easy to read, fluent and logical in presenting the facts, ideas and rationales.
- A summary of the situation and why public relations is needed
- Achievable strategy
- Creative approaches
- Targets
- Tactics
- Operational techniques
- How achievement will be measured
- Fees and expenses
- Conditions of the service offered.
Consumer public relations
For the near future public relations work in the consumer field is apt to continue to be the major area for in take of new employees. While financial PR, industrial PR and public affairs are all growing, there will probably remain more opportunities in the consumer area for new entrants.
While manufacturers say what they like about themselves through advertising, favorable public opinion for their products or services is earned. The earning of a good reputation is really what consumer public relations is all about.
Public opinion is not just one view held by society; it is made up of many positive and negative opinions by individuals and groups throughout the country. When the negatives outweigh the positive, then dramatic things may happen. White sliced bread versus whole meal bread is a simple example of this change at work. Public opinion turned slowly against bread in general because it was considered 'fattening'. Bread sales slumped. In recent years, nutritional and health education publicity has convinced an ever growing number of people to eat whole meal bread because fiber is good for their health. Bread sales have increased for this kind of loaf. It is now possible to buy whole meal bread in most village shops as well as in towns and cities.
Big manufacturers too often lag behind in knowing what the public wants in spite of their marketing departments. The employees in such departments are often out of touch with changes in public opinion, relying instead on research data which may not be framed in a context most likely to discover what changes of attitude are occurring in consumer habits.
Reaching the consumer
There are a number of ways you will reach the consumer. These ways are often referred to as vehicles or methods in public relations practice, because it is through them that messages may be sent to consumers. Many of these methods are used throughout the practice of public relations. Practitioners often feel that the number of methods open to them is limited, but as communications grow and change so new methods develop. For example, with TV came video tapes and with radio a whole new system for sending recordings out using the voice rather than the written word.
Public relations people quickly learn to develop expertise in press relations if they want to stay in their jobs. If you handle a consumer product for a manufacturer you deal with members of the press on an hour to hour basis. They may call you for product details or information about the company which makes the product. Consumer interests' writers may want leaflets about your product and how to use it. You will see journalists to explain your client's work and products. You may hold or attend press conferences to announce news or show a product range.
