Marketing and Public Relations. What is the difference?
Some find it difficult to distinguish between marketing and public relations, perhaps because of the convergence – more or less common – of their respective tasks. Additionally, to their placement in comparisons about the most important or the most useful to the business. In contrast, they have very different roles to play, so that they complement each other, and there is no conflict at all.
In this article, we will talk more about the difference between marketing and Public Relations, also the connection between them. Let us help you find out what they do to your business.
What is Marketing:
The set of activities and processes aimed at discovering the wishes of the customer (consumer). In addition, it is the process of generating ideas to develop the products and services provided by the company. All of these efforts are aimed at satisfying the consumers. Also, to realize the short-term financial benefits of the company.
According to the American Marketing Institute, the definition of Marketing: “the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large”.
Some define marketing as the art of selling, but sales are considered part of the process, not the entire process.
From a social perspective, marketing is a link between the materialistic needs of a society and its response to economic patterns by providing a product or service to customers.
What is Public Relations?
Public Relations is a modern term, used to express various services aimed at reaching out to the public and strengthening links between the institution and its audience.
According to the British Institute of Public relations (BIPR), the definition of Public Relations: “the deliberate planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organization and its publics”
In addition, according to the Personal Retirement Savings Account, “Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.”
– PRSA
The “media lexicon/dictionary” defined it as: “sustained and targeted management efforts to building sound and meaningful relationships based on interaction, persuasion and mutual communication between the institution and its audience.
Firstly, to achieve the objectives that serve the interests of the parties concerned.
Secondly, to achieve social and environmental harmony between them through internal self-critical activity to correct the situation, along with the external activity that uses all available means to publish, explain, and interpret different facts, information, and ideas. And finally, the application of all methods of doing so by qualified individuals to carry out its various activities”.
Both marketing and public relations are key activities in organizations.
For more comprehensive details and differentiation points, we list their importance as follows:
The importance of Marketing:
– Develop the world economy and provide jobs in all areas of expertise.
– Allows for a change in the company’s policies. As well as adjusting its strategy to changes over time
-It attracts new clients.
– Marketing preserves the reputation of companies in the market
-Through marketing, information about the company is presented to consumers.
For example company address, products and prices, networking channels, contact information.
– Expects, studies, and manages the wishes of customers and clients.
The importance of Public Relations:
– Public relations for domestic audiences achieve a variety of humanitarian services, to their domestic (local) audience to their benefit.
– Intensifies and strengthens social responsibility among the public.
-Public relations research shows the real trends of the public, as well as their desires and needs.
– Gains the trust and faith of suppliers, intermediaries, agents, customers, consumers, shareholders, and government services in the organization. As a result, linking the public and private interest.
– Prepare public opinion to accept new ideas and opinions.
What are the goals of both marketing and public relations?
Marketing Goals:
– Profit
– Growth
– Staying in the market
– Promoting brand awareness
– Creating a broad online reputation
– Obtaining more clients
– Increased rate of interaction
– Building a large audience base
Public Relations Goals:
– Learn more about the audience’s point of view.
– Provide the foundation with all developments in public opinion.
– Strengthening the organization’s place in the minds of their audience. Additionally, protecting the organization from harmful rumors.
– To gain the trust of the workers in the organization. Along with raising their cultural and social level, in addition to raising their spirit and morale.
– Creating a positive image of the organization in the eyes of society.
Marketing characteristics:
– The process of marketing is considered to be a renewed and evolving process.
– Marketing focuses on people’s wants and needs.
– Creating competitiveness is a major characteristic of marketing
Public Relation characteristics:
– Fundamental diversity in the Organization
– Propose a planned desired effect at a specific time and in a particular manner
– Inclusive. To clarify, its activity is not limited to one field but extends to all.
-Political and economic fields and all institutions in their forms and types
To acknowledge the roles of the Marketing and Public Relations employees, you’ll need to learn what type of activities they perform:
Marketing Activities:
1- Identify the target market.
2- Study of characteristics and behaviors of potential clients.
3- Provision of information to guide the company’s efforts to produce services and goods that best meet the needs of customers as soon as possible for the targeted market sector.
4- Company orientation towards the product promotion.
5- Developing the capacity of salespeople to use methods to convince customers to buy their product.
6- Guiding institutions to identify ways to measure customer satisfaction.
7- Development of appropriate pricing policies.
Public relations activities:
1- Supervision of the Foundation’s radio and television programs.
2- Organizing trips and tours and facilitating visits.
3- Attendance at the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Foundation, as well as the meeting of the Production, Distribution, Marketing, Sales, along with other 67xecutive Sections.
4-Attendance at sales and distribution conferences.
5- Representation of the Foundation at trade union meetings.
6- Conducting out public opinion research.
7-Participation in the official launching of the Foundation’s projects.
8- Arrange the visits of foreign dignitaries to the institution.
What is it like working in Marketing Management, and Public Relations?
Working in the Marketing department:
The marketing mix is usually seen in terms of the four elements (product, price, place, and promotion) but in this modern digital era, marketing strategy goes beyond sales calls and magazine ads.
Today, marketing departments use new and innovative strategies to reach consumers, often responsible for activities such as digital marketing management, influence marketing, and social media marketing.
The company’s marketing strategy and activities may include:
– Direct marketing
– Sales e-mail campaigns
– Digital marketing management
– Social media marketing
– Trade fairs
– Advertisements
– Marketing through influencers
Working in the Department of Public Relations:
Unlike marketing, PR relies on acquired media (thinking about news stories) and not paid media (thinking about advertising) to enhance and build the company’s image.
With current communication technologies, PR professionals use a combination of traditional and digital strategies to connect with key audiences and influencers to enhance the company’s image.
The company’s Public Relations strategy and activities may include:
– Publicity
– Media relations
– Crisis communication
– Social media strategies
– Seminars
– Social media
– Internal communications
– Activities and events
To summarize,
A large number of people confuse marketing with Public Relations. Although there are similarities, there are also major differences.
Perhaps the most important difference is their primary focus, while Public Relations focuses on the development of relationships between the organization or individuals and the public to improve the image of the company in the market, in addition to improving the customer image.
As a result, Marketing will focus on promoting products and services to raise brand awareness and improve revenue.
In fact, there is no conflict between their respective functions. Due to this, the main goals – selling products and making people love the company – are very tangled.
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