Publicity- How Businesses Targeting Pharmaceutical Companies Do it Correctly?
The development of effective Publicity Strategy to target Pharmaceutical Drug manufacturers and formulation companies is a complex task, which goes through identifying the target audience, determining the objectives, designing a message, choosing right media to communicate the message, collecting feedback and evaluating the success of the campaign.
Publicity is non-personal stimulation of demand for a product, service or business by placing commercially significant news about it in a published medium or obtaining favourable presentation of it upon radio, television, or stage that is not paid for by the sponsor. The crucial aspect of publicity is that it should emanate from a neutral and impartial source such as editorial material and is not paid for by the sponsor. To achieve the aim of credibility it should not raise any doubts regarding interested sponsorship. Publicity and public relations have a lot in common. In fact, publicity is one of the tools of public relations.
Why anyone uses Publicity?
Publicity for business can be extremely valuable in building credibility and awareness. News story given in an appropriate magazine is an endorsement that can reach a wide audience for very little cost. Publicity for business is a highly cost-effective strategy that can build awareness about products or services. It may drive prospects to the company website. Using publicity one can educate the market about problems and offer solution to come out of that problem. Publicity can be one of the lowest-cost tool but generate highest ROI on long term.
Publicity has a vital role in disseminating information regarding new products; warranty terms; product ‘replacement policies and customer service arrangements; new R & D findings; successful bids or contracts won; contributions made to the promotion of sports, culture, and technology; employees’ welfare, policies; dealer training and promotion activities; membership of top and senior employees in governmental and international bodies; community development programmes; promotion of company trade mark and slogans; and issues of public interest and welfare from time to time.
A large sized organisation is vulnerable to rumours and damaging stories. Organised publicity and public relations activities help in correcting misinformation and providing an opportunity to the public to view a firm in its right perspective.
How businesses can use Publicity?
Newsworthiness of the event or an activity to be publicised and good relations with the media act as the prerequisites for good publicity. Media, including Publishers of magazines, require news for their readers/ viewers and businesses want credible promotional tool. Through publicity both get what they want.
Businesses can get news stories/interviews in trade journals, industry sites, newspapers, magazines, etc. They may write self-authored stories published on websites or in industry publications. They can try and get speaking engagements on radio, television, etc.,
Need for Planning
Like any other marketing communiation method Publicity also require a sound plan to succeed. With significant potential for doing good to the corporate promotion efforts, publicity needs to be systematically planned and suitably handled.
Also a coordinated effort is needed to manage the mishaps and negative occurrences as well as to prevent rumours and damaging stories from circulating about a company.
Measuring Effectiveness of Publicity
Ratings received on corporate image studies carried out by independent bodies, awareness of the company’s efforts, and the change in attitudes of the public towards the company are the major methods through which the effectiveness of publicity can be measured. Both periodic surveys as well as before and after-event surveys can be conducted to gauge the level of exposure, awareness and the type of opinions and attitudes held by public.
Publicity when used in an integrated way with other elements of the promotion mix adds punch and provides considerable mileage to a firm’s promotions efforts.
If you have in-house facility to do Publicity in a right manner you can do so. Other wise you can use support of any agency like Blue Heaven. We will help you to conduct your Publicity campaign using our 29+ years of experience and expertise in Marketing and Advertising field. You can contact us here.