INLS 131: MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION AGENCIES PUBLIC RELATIONS IDEAS

Use these to jog your creativity!

1. Internet Pages
   1. Professional "look and feel"
   2. Use of logo (Branding)
   3. Links to useful sites with annotations for added value
   4. New ideas posted daily or weekly - to encourage frequent use
   5. Interactive mechanisms -- email, request or opinion forms

2. Print Advertising
   1. Classified Ads
   2. Cooperative Advertising (shared cost with vendor or other interested party)
   3. Customized advertising columns (purchase of column subscription to run as an ad)
   4. Magazine advertising (longer shelf-life, better for color but expensive)
   5. Newspaper ads (can be reprinted and used as handouts, mailers, or to include in other mailings; can do a version on website)
   6. Newspaper or magazine inserts (can test effectiveness by offer of free gift or discount
   7. Yearbook ads
   8. Yellow pages (billed monthly to phone)

3. Broadcast Advertising
   1. Radio ads or public service announcement (match the demographics of your customer base with those of the radio station)
   2. Television ads (we're talking big money here)

4. Sales Tools
   1. Brochures or pamphlets (to provide additional information)
   2. Bulletin boards and signs (possibly with tear-off coupons)
   3. Business cards for all professional employees
   4. Direct mail (expect a one or two percent return)
   5. Door hangers (use Boy/Girl Scouts for delivery and donate to the organization for service contribution)
   6. Fliers or circulars (in packages, at trade shows, in "take-one" racks, on bulletin boards, as handouts, etc.)
   7. Letterhead (purchase or create good business stationary; include logo)
   8. Postcards (good for announcements, reminders, or as coupons)
   9. Video tapes

5. Reminder Advertising
   1. Advertising Specialties with name and logo (e.g., pens, key chains, paperweights, matches, coffee mugs and the like)
   2. Balloons
   3. Billboards
   4. Bumper stickers
   5. Bus and/or taxi ads
   6. Bus shelter signs
   7. Buttons
   8. Calendars (pocket, desk, poster or wall)
   9. Decals
   10. Exterior building signs (invest in good legible sign)
   11. Grocery store cart signs
   12. Moving billboards on cars, trucks, buses
   13. Place mats (perhaps as co-op with others for local restaurant)
   14. Point of Purchase Signs (also in waiting rooms to announce services offered)
   15. Signs at sporting events (even Little League)
   16. Telephone hold messages
   17. Telphone pole and light post signs
   18. T-shirts

6. Attention Getters
   1. Loudspeaker announcements
   2. Search lights (alert news media)
   3. Sidewalk signs
   4. Signs draped on the building (the higher, the more visible)
   5. Signs and banners towed by airplanes
   6. Skywriters
   7. Symbols (life-sized replicas)
   8. Window signs

7. Packaging
   1. Envelopes (rubber stamps with message and logo)
   2. Folders and binders (printed, embossed or foil stamped)
   3. Mailing labels (enlarge label for advertising slogan)
   4. Package inserts
   5. Print on box/container (e.g., "guaranteed," "easy to use," "New")
   6. Stickers
   7. Tape or ribbons (printed names, logos, symbols on packaging tape)

8. Personal Sales
   1. Business networking (clubs, networking groups, trade associations)
   2. Business lunches
   3. Demonstrations (shopping malls, trade shows, workshops)
   4. Home parties
   5. Door-to-door canvassing (leave business card)
   6. Personal letters (works best for highly targeted markets -- write a series and do follow-ups)
   7. Proposals (demonstrate understanding of client's needs and package to show confidence and credibility)
   8. Sales calls (use with selected potentially high profit customers and be persistent -- usually take several calls)
   9. Talks and presentations (speak with authority -- remember "rule of 3")
   10. Telemarketing
   11. Trade fairs/Product exhibitions
   12. Seminars (no more than one hour, less preferable: 40 minutes (or less) with useful info on product or service; 5 on sales pitch and rest for Q & A -- make follow-up appointments)

9. Public Relations and Publicity
   1. Charitable events
   2. Charitable giving (for goodwill, publicity and/or recognition)
   3. Community involvement (service organizations, boards of directors, or provide employees for such efforts)
   4. Employee events (bowling leagues, parties, picnics)
   5. Free information (can be used to develop a prospect mailing list)
   6. Grand openings/ Anniversary celebrations (free food and small gifts or special offers, much publicity)
   7. Greeting cards (1st day of spring, Thanksgiving, Birthday (if you know it), etc.)
   8. Memberships in organizations (Associations, Chambers of Commerce)
   9. News releases (brief, one page, double-spaced on new events, people, milestones -- sometimes can get an item in paper with quick call to reporter if relationship has been fostered)
   10. Newsletters (requires a commitment, but might be able to purchase a generic newsletter from a professional service that can be personalized)
   11. Personalities (use of local celebrities)
   12. Special events (annual ... contest with proceeds to charity, bike repair clinic, tours, holiday activities -- try for publicity)
   13. Sponsorships
   14. Thank you letters
   15. Tours

10. Sales Incentives
    1. Contests
    2. Discount coupons
    3. Discount premium books
    4. Free trials (ex., one hour of free consultation)
    5. Gifts and premiums
    6. Multiple purchase offers
    7. Price specials (family or student rates, senior or group discounts)
    8. Rebates
    9. Referral incentives (finder's fees)
    10. Sampling
    11. Special sales (midnight madness, crack of dawn with free breakfast, sidewalk sale)
    12. Tie-ins with other products (offer product or service as price to radio or TV show for negotiated number of mentions of business, distribut brochure in someone else's packaging, small sample attached to another product)
    13. Two for one offers (better than 50% off)