The Growing Importance of Ethics in PR

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article |Ethics in PR|The Growing Importance of Ethics in PREthics have always been important in PR, but they have officially become more important than ever. The world is changing by a significant degree, and so is the public relations industry. Nearly every single PR organization follows a code of ethics. These can either be company policies that they will follow when working with clients or rules from a proper board. PR Council, PRSA, Institute of PR, ICCO, and Global Alliance are just a few of the boards that offer their own code of ethics.

However, the rising importance of ethics raises an important question about why it is becoming so important. And to answer that, it is best to look at what ethics really mean for PR firms in general.

What Is Ethics?

Simply put, Ethics are rules or principles put into place that every individual who is working in the firm will have to follow. These rules guide PR professionals in a way that allows them to act responsibly and treat their clients with fairness. These principles also happen to be very strict, as people who do not follow the rules set out by a board are blacklisted from the industry.

However, the perception surrounding PR firms and professionals alike is much less positive. Despite various ethics boards having their own rules in place, people have mixed feeling about them, to say the least. A 2018 global report on ethics and its evolution found that over 57% of participants in the US thought that PR, as a field, was unethical. This report tends to stand out compared to the 44% of individuals worldwide who believed the same.

Why Is Ethics In PR Important?

Despite what many have come to believe about PR in general, ethics is the glue holding everything together. A few reasons why Ethics in PR is important:

Helps Sustain the PR Profession

One of the most important reasons why ethics exist in the PR space is to promote healthy competition. If ethics were no longer part of the equation, healthy competition could very well go out the window. Firms will start a race to the bottom as they try to gain the upper hand regardless of the cost.
Without proper Ethics, companies will start relying on underhanded tactics to get ahead of each other. Aggressive procurement tactics and spreading misinformation are just two of the many dangerous ways companies will try to get ahead. As a result, PR firms, their clients, and their employees will suffer. The ethics boards strongly advise against unfair competition in the industry, as no one benefits from it in the long run.

Improves Relationships with Clients

Another important thing to understand about PR firms is that they rarely ever work independently. Whenever they work with another company, they become an extension of their beliefs and morals. And if they happen to act in a way different from their employer, that could be bad news for the entire industry.

With a proper code of ethics in place, PR firms will always be sure to represent their clients according to their public image. The PRSA code of conduct specifies various instances where professionals who act out of the interests of their employer will be violating their regulations.

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Maintains Positive Public Perception

Although most PR firms act as an extension to various companies, they also represent the greater industry. Therefore, their actions can carry consequences for other PR firms, where ethics comes into play.

The ICCO has even created its 10-point Helsinki Declaration, where it details the ethical standards that companies will have to meet to continue working under the board. This massive change came because of a major scandal, which included various PR firms. Buzzfeed chronicled the rise of such firms that were using unsavory methods to benefit their clients.

How is the PR Industry Changing?

Media consumption and the PR landscape, in general, are shifting so rapidly that it is hard for most companies to keep up. The shifting tide of PR is especially dangerous when considering how slow some boards of ethics can be when updating their rules.

The Rise of Convincing Sponsored Content

One of the major changes coming to social media and people’s consumption of it was the rise of paid content. According to the same global report of 2018, 64% of surveyed professionals believe that most people will not be able to tell the difference between content owned and paid for. What is more worrying is that 60% of the professionals believe that people will not care.

Therefore, if a PR agency has not aligned itself with a board of ethics, it will be under heavy fire from the public that cannot distinguish between fake and real news.

The Changing Multi-Media Landscape

70% of professionals believe that the PR industry as a whole will be changing drastically within just five years. 36% of these professionals believe that their firm is not ready for such a change, whereas the rest believe they are. The factors that are influencing this change are paid influencers, branded content, and fake news.

All of these three things can prove to be detrimental to a PR firm. Only with a proper ethics board on its side can PR agencies survive such a drastic change. Furthermore, the code of conduct board has the power to properly investigate the possibilities of PR firms engaging in such convincing under-handed tactics.

How Can PR Firms Prepare for the Future?

The future for PR firms is looking a little bleak, considering how quickly the industry is changing. Over time, fake content will be almost indistinguishable from curated content, putting PR firms in a difficult position. If PR firms focus on their code of ethics or align themselves with a specific board, they can better prepare themselves for such a future.

5 Reasons Why Selling Custom Bags Is One of the Best Ways to Grow Your Brand

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article |Custom Bags|5 Reasons Why Selling Custom Bags Is One of the Best Ways to Grow Your BrandCustom bags are a great solution for issues many retailers face. When creating the bags, the companies place their logo and slogan on the materials. This places their information in front of the consumer more often and encourages them to continue shopping with the business. Many consumers are going green these days, and reusable bags are a better solution for customers who don’t want to use plastic or paper bags for their products.

1. Indirect Marketing for Your Company

Custom bags provide the company with indirect marketing opportunities, and anyone who sees the bags will know the company name. The more people see the bags, the more likely they will take the steps to find out what the company is and what it has to offer consumers. This could increase foot traffic for the business and help them close more sales. Businesses can learn more about custom bag manufacturing by contacting a vendor now.

2. Customers Get A Reusable Bag

The added bonus of providing these bags to their customers is that the bags are reusable, and customers will reuse bags over and over for as long as the bags last. They can use them for storing items, going to the market, or even carrying items they have just purchased. The size of the bags defines how useful they will be for the customers, and the design determines how long the bags will last. If the company wants customers to use the bags frequently, they will choose materials that are durable and withstand heavy weights and frequent uses.

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3. They Are Inexpensive

Custom bags for the company will not present a higher cost, especially when ordered in bulk, because they will provide wholesale tote bags at low prices. Bulk orders provide a steady supply, allowing the company to give these bags to several customers each day.

Some retailers sell the custom bags for a minimal fee that allows the customers to use the bags for their groceries and prevents them from using other bag selections. The durability of the bags is the element that will appeal to the customers most often.

4. Eliminate Plastic Waste

Plastic waste has become a major problem for the oceans as more plastic is ending up in the water and having a negative effect on marine life. Companies that do not provide plastic bags for customer use do not generate plastic waste, and they won’t face the scrutiny of these negative effects.

5. More Appealing to Eco-Friendly Customers

Eco-friendly customers prefer non-plastic bags for their groceries and other items, and they will want to use the custom bags each time they visit the store. These opportunities make it possible for shoppers to use eco-friendly bags for their shopping trips, and they can avoid the hazards of paper or plastic bags on the environment. If the retailer sells the custom bags, they can make a little extra money, and the consumers get an eco-friendly alternative to the traditional bagging options.

Business owners could see a wealth of benefits by using custom bags for their customers. The products have their name and logo on them and keep the information in front of customers. Many businesses could increase residual earnings by selling the bags to their customers for a small fee. By offering custom bags, the company gets indirect marketing opportunities and makes a great impression on eco-friendly customers.

Budget-conscious promotions ideas for your business

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article |Budget-conscious promotion ideas|Budget-conscious promotions ideas for your business Marketing tips that pack a punch without breaking the bankMarketing tips that pack a punch without breaking the bank

The internet, social media, and technology have transformed business promotions over the last thirty or so years. Once companies were limited by traditional (and often expensive) marketing channels like TV, radio, print, and billboards, today, companies can pull on the vast reach and power of online marketing to help spread their message.

From viral marketing to online seminars and conferences, there are now almost limitless opportunities for firms to reach out into wider markets and find new clients.

If you’re looking for ways to improve your company’s marketing read on for some ideas that could help spread your message better and further than ever before without putting a strain on your finances.

Up your social media game and start connecting with your clients

These days consumers expect companies to have both a website and also a presence on social media, so you should target the major channels – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. To be effective on social media takes time and patience, but you should follow some basic guidelines for the best chances of success:

  • Ensure you use the same tag across all channels, i.e., the forward-slash address on account pages
  • Post quality content regularly that will appeal to your market
  • Remember your market – they are your reason for being online
  • Use attention-grabbing headlines and back it up with similarly high-interest content
  • Use video if possible (video has the highest engagement rate online)

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Attend conferences and events – or hold your own

Networking is one of the most important parts of running a business. If you have a wide variety of quality contacts, you’ll find it much easier to spread the word about your company and will likely end up opening doors and discovering opportunities that might pass you by otherwise.

Attending events or conferences is a great way to meet like-minded professionals working in your industry. Even better is to organize your own event – either delivered online or in a more traditional, real-world hosted event. If you’re new to event planning and organization, a company like The Vendry will help you every step of the way to ensure things go as smoothly as possible.

As the old saying goes, “it’s not what you know but who you know that counts,” so get out there and start building your contact list.

Don’t forget real-world promotions matter too

The online arena is great for expanding your marketing reach locally, nationally, and even internationally but don’t forget the importance of offline promotions too. So everything you send out from your firm should feature at least your logo, tagline, address and key contact details. Note, this also applies to email communications, press releases, etc.

Another great and very effective way to use real-world promotions is to invest in promotional items. As mentioned earlier, anything you send out should feature at least your logo, and promotional items offer a good way to do so. Of course, some promotional items can be very expensive. And since you’re looking for budget-conscious options, you can limit yourself to custom t shirts, keyholders, and calendars, as those are usually budget-friendly.

Think about branded vehicle livery

Using livery on company vehicles is one of the most effective and cheapest ways to get your company out there and in the minds of prospective and existing clients. Better yet, using branded vehicles is a form of mobile advertising, meaning your company image will go everywhere you go.

How Restuarants Can Grow Their Clientele

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article |How Restaurants Grow Their Clientele|How Restuarants Can Grow Their ClienteleEveryone loves to go out and eat. Food always seems to taste better when someone else cooks it. Restaurants have been seeing a dip in customers due to the changes of the world, but there are great ways for you to get yourself out there and grow your base of clients with a little bit of effort despite what is happening around the globe. With the colder weather coming and more people wanting to come indoors, there are a lot of opportunities for growth. Here are a few ways for a restaurant to grow their client base.

Offer Entertainment

If you have the space, offer entertainment to your diners. Some people are still not comfortable bar hopping and going from place to place so they would rather stay in just one location. That’s good for you because it means that diners will stay put and spend more money. Just make sure they are not sitting all night because you are going to want to turn those tables, so create an incentive where they can move to the bar and enjoy cocktails as new patrons come in and eat.

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Offer Nightly Drink Specials

Happy hour can go on into the night. Late night happy hours are a huge hit, and you will get patrons to give up their tables and move to the bar to enjoy those specials after they eat. House spirits can be put on special, or if you have a sponsor, the sponsored liquor can be on special that will make guests more inclined to order those drinks. People may still want to eat a bit, so having a few bar food items on happy hour will also drive up sales as guests order drinks and food.

Offer a Rewards Program

Getting guests to become repeat customers is easily done with a rewards program. The more you buy and visit, the more points and free things you can earn. Companies like Rewards Network reviews restaurants to see what services they can offer for guests to earn points. Rewards Network found that guests in a rewards program spend 13% more than other diners. Rewards Network can also show you which of your items sells the best so that you can ensure it is always available to your diners.

Change Up Your Menu

People get bored rather quickly with things, and food is no exception. It is always a great idea to keep those “staple” items on your menu that you know are always a crowd pleaser, but other items can change with the seasons. Soups can be replaced with salads in the spring and more earthy foods can be placed on the menu for the fall. Switching things up every few months allows for your food to always seem fresh and new, and everyone is always looking to eat the next big thing. Pair your food with seasonal wines and a seasonal drink menu, and you will be seeing guests coming in to see what you have created next.

Why You Should Use Truck Advertising for Your Business

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StrategyDriven Marketing and Sales Article |Truck Advertising|Why you should use truck advertising for your businessIf you use a vehicle for delivering goods or want to find a way to really make your brand stand out, truck advertising may be the marketing strategy you haven’t thought of.

Whether you’re a non-profit, a physician, or even a hairstylist, advertising your business on the side of a car or truck could help you reach new audiences.

Truck side advertising is incredibly versatile, and here’s everything you need to know about how the strategy can work for you.

What is truck advertising?

As the name suggests, truck advertising is a strategy in which you use a custom vehicle wrap to advertise your brand on the side of a truck. You could either rent space on a truck from another business or use one of your own delivery trucks to do the job. When the truck is out delivering items, your brand messaging has the chance to travel far and wide on a daily basis. You can do truck advertising to promote your business in the local area or even take your message overseas to reach new target audiences.

It’s essentially like a practical billboard on wheels. The truck can still do what trucks are supposed to do, all while getting you more exposure. You don’t need to cover the entire truck or trailer, either. Sometimes just the back of a van can be covered. If a truck is stuck in a traffic jam, you’ll have plenty of people reading your advertisement on the back of a truck to pass some time… Who knows, you could provide the exact service they’ve been looking for!

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Why you should use truck advertising

When it comes to marketing campaigns, the cost typically continues for however long the campaign lasts. With truck advertising, once you’ve paid for the vehicle wrap, that’s all the costs over with. You have the flexibility to run your campaign for a short, or as long as you’d like, without having to worry about the ROI metrics day by day.

A study by Identify Yourself found that 75% of people favor the opinion of brands they see on trucks. As these vehicles are always on the roads and take up quite a prominent space on the horizon, people tend to believe the brand they’re advertising is more professional or better established than others on the market.

There’s also some hidden psychology that can boost your brand’s reputation when using truck advertising. The American Trucking Association reports that 91% of people notice truck side advertising while driving. When you see a brand on a truck, you automatically assume the truck is carrying the brand’s products. If people see truckloads of your brand traveling around, they’ll think you’re hugely successful and more trusted. All of this creates more brand positivity and loyalty for your business.

If you’ve ever been drawn in by an out-of-home advertisement, just think how successful the same could be for your brand. Truck advertising is pretty affordable – especially if you’re using your own truck – so there’s no reason not to try it.