HOUSE JOURNALS:Possible Publics Of House Journals, Exhibitions & PR

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Fundamentals of Public Relations MCM 401

Lesson 21

HOUSE JOURNALS

Overview

In this lecture we will explain the importance of house journal, its history, types and its application and

utility in the public relations practice. We will also explain different publics and furthermore cover the role

of public relations in customer relations with its different aspects. We will also briefly touch the subject of

exhibitions and seminars, its different kinds, aspects and different purposes.

House Journals

This is more or less a 150 year old PR Medium or a form of public relations. These have been given

different names like, house organs, employees' newspapers, company newspapers or newsletters also.

However, before we study the purpose and types we will study the employee response to such a publication.

·Do the employees welcome such journal?

·Do they regard it rather cynically as something imposed by management?

·Are employees invited to contribute to the contents? Reader participation Very important.

·Are employees (Readers) critical letters permitted/printed?

·Does it look like it interests the employees or it only satisfies the vanity of the management?

Types Of House Journals.

·Sales Bulletin Normally exchanged between a sales manager & sales staff which could even be weekly.

·Newsletter A digest of news for busy employees like management, technicians and also acts as external

communication.

·The magazine This contains feature articles & pictures and its frequency can be monthly or quarterly.

·Tabloid newspaper It resembles a popular newspaper.

·Wall newspaper This is a very useful form of staff communication who are contained in one location

like a factory, a store or a hospital. It will be something like a poster something like used by Pakistan /

British rail for its stations etc.

Possible Publics Of House Journals

The Trade.... Distributors which can be educated about a company and its products.

Users. Formulators, designers,& others who could be shown how to use products such as materials,

components or ingredients.

Professionals.... To whom Products & services of interest can be described and explained.

Patrons ....The in-flight magazine are a good example, or like the ones supplied to hotel guests.

Customers.... Journals issued or sent to customers, generally free of charge.

Opinion Leaders.... Those who matter need to be informed.

How PR Can Conduct Good Customer Relations.

Basically public relations depend on 2 major requirements for good customer relations.

·Quality products or services.

·Responsible acceptance of after market needs.

Secret Of Good Customer Relations.

·To determine what customer wants & would like.

·What problems of product or services need to be addressed?

Fundamentals of Public Relations MCM 401

·What doubts the product or services raise?

·Attractive and smart Packing has to be designed

·The after market policies have to be seriously devised and implemented.

The After Market ( After Sales )

·Can your customers find spares and / or service agent easily?

·Do you train service engineers?

·Do you provide them with explanatory manual?

·Does your product carry an explicit, well illustrated service manual?

·Does the guarantee with your product has complicated & infuriating exclusion clauses?

Exhibitions & PR 4 Aspects.

·Participation in a public or trade exhibition.

·Public relations support for a participant.

·Exhibitor's promoter's public relations.

·Public relations exhibition.

Special Characteristics

Following characteristics need to be kept in mind.

·Attractiveness.

·Visibility.

·Personal Confrontation.

Exhibitions & PR

Public Relations Support to the participants.

Following is the main service of support public relations can provide in an exhibition to the participants.

·Contact the Exhibition officer to offer support.

·Identify & approach the Chief guest for visiting the stand during the tour.

·Ensure coverage in the media.

·Make available company's important officials in the press conference of the exhibition.

·Secure exclusive media coverage during exhibition.

·Advise, inform & advise export promotion department about your product.

·Producers of relevant Radio & TV programs are invited to provide information about future products.

Exhibition Promoter's Public Relations.

Following support public relations can provide to a promoter of an exhibition;

·Organize PR activities like press conference, issue of news releases to announce future exhibitions.

·Release a diary of all upcoming exhibitions.

·Cooperation with government exhibition agencies, which circulate information about exhibitions.

·Seek advance information from exhibitors.

·Cooperate in arrangements for the official opening.

·Arrange full press coverage of the official opening.

·Release "curtain raisers" for the upcoming exhibitions.

·Maintain a PR office throughout the exhibition.

Fundamentals of Public Relations MCM 401

·Coordinate with exhibitors for any special activity.

·Produce an end of exhibition report on exhibitor's comments.

Various kinds Of PR Exhibitions.

·Portable Exhibitions Modular, which could be taken apart and moved to site.

·Permanent Exhibitions Usually at company premises but can be at trade centers as well.

·Mobile Exhibitions Moving from place to place, floats etc.

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