Media play an important role in business, especially in service industry. Service industry use media, such as internet, newspaper, and TV, to spread all information about their service quality and activities to customers. When I worked in department store, SHIN KONG MITSUKOSHI, media was an important tool which could let our customers know when we have discount and what kind of discount they have. Most of customers get our promotion information from Newspapers and internet, and then they will come to visit department store because of our promotion.
Actually, building relationship with media is not very easy. There is too much complex factors effect media environment. For example, before having special activities, we need to invite the reporters to know our activities and we have to let them feel this activity is special. They will report your activities and directly impact customers’ impression. That’s the reason why the service industry always spends much time and money building good relationship with mass media.
I agree with you that service industry needs media relations in promoting its products and developments. SHIN KONG MITSUKOSHI puts its discounts information to newspapers and internet would be a good way to connect potential customers. Since you didn’t mention what tools are they using in the internet, but I recommend they can use facebook or any local social media networking website to reach customers at the right time. That would be an easy and fast way to reach as many people as you can. Even they can put some coupons in the facebook and say everyone can print out the coupon and get a free gift if shopping at SHIN KONG MITSUKOSHI.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that it is hard to build up a good relationship with traditional media. It is really hard to make them feel we are special so they can report our events to potential audiences. However, there is one way I think may be practical to attract those reporters to come. Showing them what you have done in the internet including the big numbers of fans from facebook and the activities through in the facebook. It could make reporters feel audiences would like to know more activities from this company.