Marketing/PR – Marketing Plan 08

June 1, 2008

Topic: Brief Overview and Recommendations

Public Relations, Marketing, and Advertising: A Brief Overview

Public Relations: Defined

Public relations (PR) is the managing of outside communication of an organization to create and maintain a

positive image. Public relations can involve popularizing successes, downplaying failures, announcing changes,

and many other activities.

In Random House Unabridged Dictionary, public relations is defined as the art, marketing, quantitative, and

visual technique, or profession of promoting goodwill between an organization (or an individual) and the public,

employees, customers, etc.

However, the following may be the most descriptive definition so far:

"Public Relations is a set of management, supervisory, and technical functions that foster an organization's ability to strategically listen to, appreciate, and respond to those persons whose mutually beneficial relationships with the

organization are necessary if it is to achieve its missions and values." (Robert L. Heath, Encyclopedia of Public Relations).

Essentially, PR is a management function that focuses on two-way communication and fostering of mutually

beneficial relationships between an organization (in this case, MCC) and its publics (prospective and current

students; local business, civic, and government leaders; and the citizens of MCC’s service area).

Marketing vs. Advertising: What’s the Difference?

Review of formal definitions:

Marketing: The systematic planning, implementation and control of a mix of business activities intended to

bring together buyers and sellers for the mutually advantageous exchange or transfer of products.

Advertising: The paid, public, non-personal announcement of a persuasive message by an identified sponsor;

the non-personal presentation or promotion by a firm of its products to its existing and potential customers.

Martin Community College

1161 Kehukee Park Road

Williamston, NC 27892-8307

Phone 252-792-1521

Fax 252-792-0826

www.martincc.edu

Explanation of how marketing differs from advertising:

Marketing is a process that takes time and can involve hours of research for a marketing plan to be effective.

Think of marketing as everything that an organization does to facilitate an exchange between company and

consumer, organization and public.

Advertising is a single component of the marketing process.

It's the part that involves getting the word out concerning your business, product, or the services you are

offering. It involves the process of developing strategies such as ad placement, frequency, etc. Advertising

includes the placement of an ad in such mediums as newspapers, direct mail, billboards, television, radio, and of

course the Internet. Advertising is the largest expense of most marketing plans, with public relations following

in a close second and market research not falling far behind.

The best way to distinguish between advertising and marketing is to think of marketing as a pie, inside that pie

you have slices of advertising, market research, media planning, public relations, product pricing, distribution,

customer support, sales strategy, and community involvement. Advertising only equals one piece of the pie in

the strategy. All of these elements must not only work independently but they also must work together towards

the bigger goal.

Marketing and Public Relations Recommendations for MCC

In order to promote MCC more effectively and efficiently, I suggest the following for consideration:

1. Increase department’s budget in order to successfully accomplish marketing/PR goals and objectives.

2. Target advertising to better promote community services, fundraising events, educational programs.

3. Reduce the amount of funds spent on miscellaneous “community advertising” (i.e. – community

magnets, county guides/maps, sheriff/police department calendars, and school spirit give-away items).

4. Increase public relations with local businesses, state agencies, and non-profits for partnership in and

sponsorship of community-related events hosted by MCC or developed by its staff/faculty committees.

5. Create and maintain a current database of MCC alumni, faculty and staff to build a career network for

students, generate student success stories for website, and/or distribute to local media for reference

and possible interviews/speaking engagements (similar to a Speaker’s Bureau).

I recommend Martin Community College accept this marketing plan and the suggestions made herein as an

effort to streamline how advertising dollars are spent and target its program promotions and student

recruitment activities. Along with this proposal, I’ve attached the strategic marketing plan for Fiscal Year 2009.

Sincerely,

Lucretia King Director of Marketing and Public Relations Martin Community College