Public Relations instead of Marketing

Utilize public relations instead of paying for marketing efforts.

Articles in the press are more likely to be read than ads. People percieve ads consciously as advertising and therefore are less likely to notice them. However, more people than just your target audience read press reports.
Additionally, press reports are more credible than advertisements, as they are written by (independent) journalists, wheras ads are designed by advertising specialists.

In an article in the press your company or organization can be represented in detail - including pictures. In an ad, this is more difficult and only possible with a lot of money.
Press reports are free, whereas ads can be very costly. With the right PR, you can not only make your firm or organization known to the public, but also your products and services. You get the opportunity to build a distinctive and credible image, which will help you gain more customers, clients or members - especially in the long run.

Ads on the other side might increase awareness, but do not build credibilty. But how will being famous help you, if people do not trust you, because you lack credibilty?

Make sure the media report about you and not about your competition. You can for example feed the media with material, such as press releases. Organize interesting events, to which you will invite the media. You can organize a run for a good cause, hold an open house in your organization or as a company you can support a non-profit organization (NPO). Make sure that all events support the purpose of your organization or your company's goals. If you support an organization, you should make sure that the organization and your company are a fit. It makes little sense to support a non-smoking organization when you are a tobacco shop.

Publish a short press release with a picture for every event you organize. It is worth much more when the regional daily newspaper publishes a note on your event, than any marketing in form of an ad.

iPad marketing vs. WePad marketing

Apple's iPod lacks a lot of things that are considered standard with other laptops, such as USB ports, connections for screens, multitasking ability or support to Flash. However, the German WePad comes up with all this and even more. Should Apple start to get worried?

The WePad GmbH, who markets the WePad, is a joint project of the Neofonie GmbH and the 4tiitoo AG. The sale of the WePad is supposed to start this summer - much cheaper than the iPad: 570 € for the WePad 3G 32GB, wheras the iPad 3G 32 GB will cost around € 730. Even though the WePad's battery life of six hours is less than the iPad's with 10 hours, the display of the WePad is bigger than that of the Apple iPad, the WePad has a faster processor, more RAM and even a webcam that the iPad completely lacks.

All this sounds as the WePad could outdo the iPad easily. When the WePad was presented to the public for the first time everybody thought it was a joke, as there was only a video presentation running on the device. The rush to the first presentation was enormous - the frustration and confusion before and after as well. The press event was poorly prepared and the device was only delivered a few minutes before the press conference.

Or was the disaster at the presentation just a publicity stunt of the company WePad GmbH? No, certainly not, as a video of the strange WePad performance in Berlin shows - including an error message at 1:31. This PR disaster the anticipation has to WePad but very troubled.

WePad's CEO so far mostly invested in social marketing. On Facebook all the news of the company are posted and the website www.wepad.mobi also tries to draw more attention to social networks. Thus, Facebook already registered over 19,800 people who like the WePad. Fans of a device that nobody had ever held in his or her hands. What are you reminded of when you hear that? Maybe a tiny bit of the marketing strategies of Apple?

But what will happen with the fans if the company goes on like this with their public relations work? At the end, once enthustiastic fans will turn to the brand - before the WePad reaches the market.

The two managing directors of WePad GmbH presented their device to bloggers and the press again - this time it worked!

So there is still hope that the middle-class company with the WePad will still land the absolute hit and lever out Apple's iPad. With the Open Office suite installed, it is definitely an alterantive to the iPad that only runs on Apple software.

Some people seem to think life is all about the I, and the Me, Me, Me We beg to differ. To us, the power of many beats the power of one.

Read more: http://www.geek.com/articles/chips/will-apple-hunt-down-german-wepad-tablet-over-the-pad-trademark-20100415/ # ixzz0mEy3x3XJ

Marketing and PR

"If a young man meets a girl and tells her what a great guy he is, then it’s advertisement. When he tells her, how beautiful she looks, it's promotion. If she decides to take him, because she has heard from others that he is a great guy, it’s public relations. "/ Alwin Münchmeyer

On the Internet nowadays marketing and public relations cannot be separated anymore. Beyond the Internet, however, many companies still have a marketing department and a separate PR department.
Through the Internet, especially blogs and Internet communities, boundaries between marketing and PR dissolve. Therefore, it is important for companies to recognize that marketing and PR go hand in hand now.

Local marketing

For small and medium businesses well thought out, regional marketing (local marketing) is a great chance. Even with a small budget effective results can be accomplished. Of course different measures, such as local public relations, advertisements, direct marketing, local sponsoring, as well as a well thought out pricing policy should be combined. A well-balanced marketing mix will make it possible to increase the volume of sales.