Action: The Only Real Communications Measure That Matters

The goal of a communications effort (e.g., marketing, public relations) is to inspire people to action. If it's not, it has failed. The bottom line is this: action is the only communications calculate that counts.Advertising and public relations can prompt action in various ways. An effective advertisement could plot, beguile or arouse. A person can be motivated by these feelings to buy or use a product or service.Public relations can produce a positive environment and make interest for a product or service. Information accounts, evaluations or other protection by way of a credible third party can inspire visitors to investigate or buy a company's wares.Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer conducted a highly productive communications strategy to aid the launch of its anti-impotence treatment buy viagra online. Public relations created media coverage that legitimized the matter of impotence problems and prompted men to find aid for the situation. Publicity for Viagra converted into millions of prescriptions.Pfizer's advertising efforts helped to increase the impact of the public relations campaign. Pfizer developed some famous commercials presenting former senator and presidential candidate Bob Dole. The dubious commercials extended the national conversation about erectile dysfunction and further improved Viagra's sales.Is Your Communications Campaign Motivating People?There are many ways to assess whether a communications plan is encouraging individuals to action. A few of these include:* Sales Or Service Utilization: The amount of people using or buying a product or service.* Web site Visits: How many visits to a Web site created by a communications campaign.* Event Attendance: The amount of people attending a function in response to campaign-related messages.* "Buzz": Perhaps the communications campaign is generating commentary in regards to the product or service in informal channels (e.g., blogs, podcasts, chat rooms and word-of-mouth ).The simple truth is, action = success, inaction = disappointment. When it comes to communications description, action may be the most critical criterion.( c) 2005 Fard Johnmar