How to Make PR Effective?

According to a market research company, Vietnam is home to nearly 40 PR and event companies and hundreds of advertising companies, with an annual growth of 30 percent. The rapid development of PR companies is attributed to the economic recovery which leads to higher demand for popularity of corporate products and services. Economic and corporate columns are now an integral part of any newspaper. This is also the quickest and most effective business form because it requires moderate investment and moderate difficulty as it only provides corporate information to the press.

Therefore, the word or information associated with PR becomes very familiar to all correspondents and news agencies. Some newspapers even have PR information department to boost corporate information activities. PR-disguised information and articles are also published in different forms. PR courses are usually lectured by senior PR experts (as Vietnam has no true PR specialists in the meaning) from famous PR companies Max Communications, Galaxy, Venus, XPR and Mai Thanh, Masso Group, T&T and Viet PR. This is reportedly a good start for PR novices.

Some brands make incredible successes thanks to effective and professional PR campaigns. Outstanding names include Viettel, Mobifone, Vietnam Airlines, Jetstar Pacific, Vietravel, PICO Plaza, Vinamilk and Kinhdo. Actually, PR activities are reportedly making significant contributions to the successfulness of these brands. PR, as a quickest vehicle to link companies with readers, is proven to save 20 percent - 40 percent of popularity costs in comparison with advertisement. Arguably, this is the time of PR and this vehicle is the direct and fastest connector of companies and consumers.

The role of PR in the development of a company is undeniable but how to make PR effective, avoiding running misleading and exaggerating information is a big concern of many people. Many elderly readers said they could guest the content of a new article on a newspaper if they skipped it in another newswire. Readers find it difficult to find the content accuracy of an article because it may be blown up by newswires.

In fact, most of PR information is taken from press releases from PR companies or PR units of companies and the content of such information depends on capability of PRmen and news writers. Good news is useful for readers but inaccurate or compromising news will flatten the prestige of the newspaper. A good newspaper is built on the trust of readers but it will be left behind for excessive commercial purpose. It is very difficult to rebuild a news agency. A foreign journalist remarked that company news cover most area of newspaper in Vietnam. It is very easy to publish all sorts of company news.

According to Mr Nguyen The Ky, Director of Journalism - Publication Department under the Central Propaganda Bureau, all enterprises have to inform their activities and reporters will have to process the information in line with the “rule of the press: quick, accurate, responsible, public and healthy.” Reporters must not exaggerate the information and deceive consumers and readers. They must understand that understand that PR news is always new and influencing and it is a desire and welcome of readers.

On the business side, Mr Nguyen Minh Man, Director of Communications Department, Vietravel Company, said: As PR requires responsiveness and regularity; thus, to ensure effective PR activities, a company needs a PR unit to convey all information of the company as it knows what the company has and what it wants. However in certain campaigns or events, the company can outsource event companies to complete its jobs. But, this way usually takes very high costs and sometimes does not bring in expected results.

Before entering into a contract with PR firms, a company must clearly determine its PR targets and know what it wants from this service provider, especially its competency, experience and financial capacity. Mr Le Dai Nam, Director of Opentour Tourism Joint Stock Company, said: The hiring of a PR firm will reduce the work for the company but the outsourcing company will not be able to respond new information effectively and accurately because some information is not open to outsiders. It is the best to combine different PR methods.

Besides according to Mr Nam, customers and readers should also be intelligent and knowledgeable consumers to screen information content as well as choose trustful newspapers.

It will be very effective if PR information is burning, valuable and market-orienting matters. Most importantly, the information must treated in accordance journalism standards and bring in a new angle of views for readers in the international integration process. Hence, according to Mr Ky, companies should have to think of methods to increase the value for customers when they provide information, and journalists need to equip knowledge as well as code of conduct. Then, the bilateral relationship between businesses and the press will reach the “win-win”.