When it comes to the 4Ps, we are usually used to talking about the traditional 4Ps in marketing—product, price, placement, and promotion. And rarely do we mention the 4Ps in PR, which are a rather interesting framework and an attempt to describe the activities of a PR manager comprehensively.
Of course, with the development of Digital PR, the boundaries between PR and marketing are gradually blurring, promoting the symbiosis of these two departments and creating synergies in getting results - many of the efforts to measure PR are aimed at identifying the impact of PR activities on the company's business results.
There are international frameworks, such as the Barcelona AMEC principles, and local ones, such as our TrackPR from Semantrum, which includes conversion data from Google Analytics; these approaches actively promote a data-centric approach to analyzing the actions of public relations departments.
And finally, the PR department should also be interested in product development, assessing its competitiveness in the market through the price, forming sales and promotion strategies (traditional 4Ps in marketing), but the 4Ps framework for PR is interesting to consider in itself.
So, the 4Ps include Publicity, Public perception, Promotion, and Persuasion.
1. Publicity
Publicity is often called the cornerstone of public relations, but usually, it is about unpaid publicity, i.e., not paid promotion, but what is called Earned Media in the traditional PESO model. These are comments and materials about the company/brand initiated by the media themselves as part of a reaction to a certain news event. It means creating interest in the organization's story on the part of the media.
Methods of creating publicity include:
Building and maintaining relationships with journalists, editors, and influencers in relevant industries.
Creating and distributing press releases
Organizing press conferences and other events
Thematic reports and company stories
Feedback management, referral programs
Creating and maintaining communities in social networks, online and offline
2. Public perception
Public perception is the constant monitoring and management of how a brand or public figures are perceived by the public. Sometimes, this item includes Protection - protecting the brand's reputation through proactive reputation management and resolving image crises.
Public perception management methods include:
Conducting surveys and market research
Media monitoring and tracking of mentions in social networks
CSR projects and support of public events
Conducting crisis communications
Creating brand or public personality stories
Strategic partnerships and co-branding
3. Promotion
Promotion involves actively increasing brand awareness and creating a positive image through various communication channels and PR activities, including paid advertising.
The methods of promotion in PR include:
Creation and implementation of an SEO strategy
Paid advertising in social networks
Paid sponsorship of events
Placement of paid materials, special projects
Paid projects with influencers
4. Persuasion
In essence, the task of this area is to use strategic communication to make the audience accept a certain point of view or perform a desired action. This aspect of PR is crucial because it turns passive awareness into active participation, shaping the public discourse around a product, person or issue. The power of persuasion can lead to tangible results, such as a change in public policy, increased sales, or increased brand loyalty.
Tools and techniques for persuading an audience include:
Creating emotional stories about the brand
Creation of consistent messages and information messages across all channels
Collaboration with influencers with relevant values
Feedback management and user cases
Interactive content and lead generation
Here, ethical communication must be emphasized. These communications are built on the principles of honesty and transparency, the absence of manipulation and misinformation, nondiscrimination against stakeholders, and based on the brand's real values.
This comprehensive 4P approach allows public relations professionals to manage both proactive brand promotion and reactive measures (e.g., crisis management) within a single strategy, ensuring that all public relations activities are consistent and effective.
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