â–¶ PR Pros Wired Up: Results of a recent study released by Global Alliance suggest that PR professionals worldwide are increasingly dependent on digital media. In addition, demonstrating the tangible value of public relations to management and overcoming a challenging macroeconomic climate have become chief goals within the industry. Among the study’s additional findings:
• According to respondents, the greatest opportunities for PR practitioners are using social/digital media to reach audiences, to establish greater functional roles within their organizations and to prove a greater need for PR in recessionary and post-recessionary times; and,
• The greatest threats to PR’s livelihood, as voted by respondents, are the failure to stay current and challenges to the reputation of PR itself.
Source: Global Alliance
â–¶ Americans and Brits Feeling the Heat: A third of the U.S. and U.K.’s combined workforce lives in fear of losing their jobs, according to a recent survey by Stromberg Consulting, conducted by Braun Research. The fear hasn’t had a debilitating effect on worker productivity—more than half of U.S. respondents and 40% of U.K. respondents are working harder as a result. The study also found that:
• Only one-third of the “fearful” employees surveyed would recommend their companies to others as enjoyable places to work. Of the respondents with “little to no fear,” nearly half would recommend their employers to others;
• Almost two-thirds of those who report little to no fear are willing to recommend their company’s products and services. Only 37% of those who report high levels of fear are willing to recommend their company’s products and services;
• Corporate reputations are on the decline, as employees who strongly fear losing their jobs are more likely to have (and share) negative views about their company’s futures; and,
• One in 10 fearful employees say they are less enthusiastic about servicing customers.
Source: Stromberg Consulting
â–¶ Digital Marketing Hits the Convention Floor: The exhibition sector is making practical use of digital media in their everyday activities, according to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research’s Digital & Exhibiting Marketing Insights 2009 study. Exhibition management professionals generally use social media more extensively than corporate exhibitors, who tend to use the networks more fragmentally, across several events. In addition:
• Respondents dedicate 10% of their exhibition production budget to digital marketing sponsorship tactics;
• 46% of respondents measure the effectiveness of their digital marketing efforts;
• Event activity sponsorship (16%) and speaking opportunities (16%), followed by e-mail marketing/advertising (14%), are the exhibition sponsorship options respondents perceive as providing the greatest ROI; and,
• 72% of respondents feel the integration of digital marketing into the promotion of exhibition programs increases the effectiveness of the overall effort.
Source: CEIR
â–¶ Businesses Can Make a Difference, Say Consumers: A new joint research poll conducted by Waggener Edstrom and RT Strategies finds that most consumers believe that successful businesses are capable of addressing social issues.
According to the survey, which was distributed to 511 consumers and 320 marketing professionals nationwide last month, 86% of consumers and 92% marketers believe that companies can successfully organize to address social issues. Other key statistics include:
• More than 70% of consumers and marketing professionals believe there already are companies making a positive change in society through the products they sell;
• When asked for key attributes of both businesses and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), consumers indicated that businesses rank high in innovation, nimbleness and a focus on results, while NGOs rank highest on fairness and low cost; and,
• If they wanted to start over and make a difference in the world, 56% of consumers say they would want to be a business leader.
Source: Waggener Edstrom and RT Strategies