Visit PRSA 2015 International Conference sponsor Shocase in the Product & Exhibit Hall.*
The lines between marketing disciplines are blurring. One could argue there is no longer reason to label a great idea as PR, advertising or social. Consumers don’t care about these labels and neither should marketers.
For PR people, this blurring of lines between communications professionals creates a great opportunity. The role of public relations is to find and engage with key audiences. PR strives to find messaging that resonates and motivates target audiences to do a desired action.
For a marketing campaign to succeed, all marketing disciplines must use a common and effective message platform. Brands that deliver consistency in their entertainment value, style and depth of knowledge, create a strong level of trust with their audience that often leads to increased sales and other desired behaviors.
At the same time, the process must constantly be reevaluated. This too is an asset of public relations. PR has always led stakeholder engagement and PR folks are used to “earning” content and developing and revising messages and tactics that hit the mark at any given time.
The new opportunity for PR lies in reaching outside its comfort zone. Collaborating with other marketing groups provides greater insight to what is driving consumer behavior and allows PR to support marketing campaigns across all platforms.
Having real-time information on how consumers are interacting with a brand allows marketers to continually strengthen their outreach. With this approach, a brand can fully understand their target audience and deliver content that establishes strong personal relationships with their consumers.
This is especially important as marketing becomes more integrated. PR must be prepared to support and amplify messages in an ad campaign. Social media experts must help drive engagement in tandem with experiential marketers. New digital opportunities will arise and, through collaboration, all of marketing must create content that drives consumer engagement across all applications.
Forward-looking clients and brands will develop teams of experts from different marketing disciplines to develop integrated campaigns with common goals. This will require like-minded experts that work well together and leave their egos at the door. These experts will have a good understanding of each other’s capabilities and a willingness to let subject-matter experts do their jobs. Collaboration will begin at the start of the planning process, continue throughout the campaign as consumer feedback is obtained and persist through the measurement of results. Marketers that resist this type of collaborative approach won’t realize ultimate success. Today’s most successful marketing campaigns could not have happened without integrated teams working in tandem. It doesn’t matter where the great idea comes from, it only matters that the full potential of that great idea is met.
Ron Young is the founder and CEO of Shocase, a professional market network designed exclusively to connect the world of marketing. With Shocase, marketers can find partners and talent across all marketing disciplines, build teams and win business.
* This is a sponsored post.
