Final Project

Final Project: Media Relations, Marketing, & Technology Management

By: Tracey L. Osborn Saint Leo University

Final Project ABSTRACT: A significant portion of business that is often over looked is media relations. According to CoQUDWK radio-time, or t-v time just like any other business that needs to keep its doors open. It is 7KH PHGLD DUH not LQ the job of the media to tell good stories about our schools, but they can. Before EXVLQHVV speaking OLNH with someone from the media it is useful to prepare a worksheet that includes at HYHU\RQH the very HOVH least a statement of what happened, the steps you plan to address the crisis, and a 3XEOLVKH contact person UV QHHG and telephone number that they can call for further information. WR VHOO Marketing SDSHUV is related to a media plan, because both focus on presenting the company in a good light. However marketing takes that a step forward and focuses on actually

SURPRWLQJ RU VHOOLQJ WKH VFKRROV VHUYLFHV WR WKH FRPPXQLW\ 7HFKQology plans should align with the educational and strategic plans of the company. In a school-based technology plan, a school describes its expectations, goals, content, and actions concerning the integration of technology in education.

Final Project INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this report is to discuss the media and marketing plans and technology management. The paper sets out to identify and describe the strategies that a principal or manager would employ to assist the school and outside community to share the school's mission, creating a positive image for the school in the community working with the media. In addition to discussing media plans, the paper also seeks to define and explain marketing plans and the importance of technology management within a firm. Media Relations A significant portion of business that is often over looked is media relations. According to Conrath, The media are in business like everyone else. Publishers need to sell papers, radio-time, or tv time just like any other business that needs to keep its doors open. It is not the job of the media to tell good stories about our schools. Although they can (and do) certainly do that . When dealing with the media it is important to

FRQVLGHU WKH PHGLDV DJHQGDs. Conrath also suggests that it would be useful to hire a person from the media itself to deal with the media; always be forthright and honest in your communications; and meet personally with news people if your organization is experiencing a crisis (2009). According to Conrath before speaking with someone from the media it is useful to prepare a worksheet that includes at the very least a statement of what happened, the steps you plan to address the crisis, and a contact person and telephone number that they can call for further information. It is very imperative to go into a media meeting being fully prepared with a written statement (Conrath, 2009).

Final Project Even if the school has a public relations person, the manager is ultimately responsible for what happens. If a negative article appears in the local paper, the principal or manager will have to face the problem. The manager should work with the respective public relations officer in establishing their own media contacts. Having solid contacts within the media will be helpful if and when a media crisis occurs (Conrath, 2009). Why is a media plan important? According to Carr, Strategic marketing and school public relations programs can alter the perception, budgets, and increases in student achievement within a district 2008). The media can be a valuable medium for building a positive image and by establishing positive relationships with media contacts an organization can practice damage control when necessary. A planned, systematic communications program also helps school leaders build a bank of good will they can draw upon when times get tough &DUU . According to Carr, Many superintendents tend to think of their top communications officer simply as a press secretary or media spokesman, but this outdated model limits the leverage districts can gain from a more comprehensive approach . Communicating with the media is important. 2rganizations that maintain positive relationships with the members of the public who determine their success or failure typically enjoy better results in terms of public opinion and other business outcomes. The communication flow has to be two-way, however. Leaders need to listen and respond, not just talk &DUU . In addition to building a positive image, media relations can also help with

damage control. 0HGLD UHODWLRQV DUH FULWLFDO WR WKH IXWXUH RI DQ\ EUDQG 7KH\ PXVW EH

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WDNHQ VHULRXVO\ DQG KDQGOHG SURIHVVLRQDOO\ $YDLODEOH 0DUNHWLQJ A big mistake that companies tend to make in a media crisis is excluding the news media when the bad news goes public (Lentini, 2009). When communication is shut down between the organization and the media, the media are left to their own devices to fill in the silence with rumors and speculation during a crisis. A company that chooses not to communication looks insensitive and uncaring; at worst, it appears to have something to hide (Lentini, 2009). Another mistake that is typically made during crisis control is placing lawyers in charge of crisis management. That may seem counterintuitive, since many crises involve death, injury or damage to property and these things tend to generate lawsuits. But lawyers can be the very worst choice for leading a crisis management effort because they are hard-wired to avoid lawsuits /HQWLQL . Lawyers typically shut down any communication efforts or tie them up with restrictions and legal terminology when openness and clarity are actually required. Of course a legal expert does have their place on the crisis management team, but as an adviser with no more say than the other team members (Lentini, 2009). As mentioned earlier, the manager is ultimately responsible for media relations, and it is important to establish contacts with the media. It is important to only use those contact in real a crisis though, because overreacting all the time can actually damage UHODWLRQV ZLWK FRQWDFWV Poor relationships can muddy up the waters and cost the client dearly when quick action is genuinely needed 'RPLQLDN . However, during a crisis, meeting and talking to the media can be affective. According to Lentini, One of the simplest and most effective methods for defusing a crisis is for the company

Final Project spokesperson to express genuine concern and apologize for any disruptions, damage or loss of life . Marketing Marketing and a media plan are related, but they are different. According to &RQUDWK Marketing your school is different than establishing a media plan . As pointed out earlier in this report, a media plan is directed at developing ways to communicate with the media in your area. Examples include: communicating with the local paper, the television station or the radio broadcasters (Conrath). Establishing good relationships with those media outlets and the people who work for them is critical to PDLQWDLQLQJ \RXU VFKRROV UHSXWDWLRQ LQ WKH FRPPXQLW\ 2009). Marketing is related to a media plan, because both focus on presenting the company in a good light. However marketing takes that a step forward and focuses on actually promoting or selling the schoolV VHUYLFHV to the community. According to Conrath, perhaps the most famous formula for marketing any product or institution is the Four Ps of Marketing The four Ps of Marketing include: Product: Identifying it and describing it; Price: Setting it (in the business world)justifying it in the educational world; Promotion: Selling your product or service to your community; Production: Carrying out your mission as set in your marketing plan. These four concepts embody what marketing is all about (Conrath, 2009).

The vision RI PDUNHWLQJ KDV FKDQJHG RYHU WKH \HDUV In the 1950s, marketing theorists began to claim a greater role for marketing in the management of firms 4XHOFK and Jocz). Marketing used to be focused more on the business, now it is focused on the consumer. Management expert Peter Drucker stated, in 1954, Fifty years ago the typical

Final Project attitude of the American businessman towards marketing was that the sales department will sell whatever the plant produces. Today [their view] is increasingly: It is our job to produce what the market needs (Quelch and Jocz). What can be drawn from this change in marketing is that companies must create value for customers and see the business from WKH FXVWRPHUV point of view. (Quelch and Jocz). Marketing plans should be customer focused. Focusing on the customer help firms develop the products that customers need. Also by focusing on the customer, the firm can figure out what mediums to use in order to reach their target markets. An

emerging source for advertisements is the internet. )RU H[DPSOH 7KH ZHE LV D SRZHUIXO marketing tool. In the first four days after it premiered on YouTube, a new Levi Strauss short Web film called "Jeans Jump" attracted 1.4 million viewers not to mention the attentions of David Letterman and Ellen DeGeneres. They haven't run any segments yet, although the video has made its way onto "Good Morning America" and "Countdown With Keith Olbermann." (Wicks, 2009). The company website, e-mail, and online websites can be effective marketing resources. (YHQ LI IDOOLQJ DG SDJHV KDYH VKUXQN WKH QHZV KROHV DW PDJD]LQHV DQG newspapers, new-PHGLD RXWOHWV IURP EORJV WR <RX7XEH FUDYH FRQWHQWCallahan, 2009). In considering marketing a specific target, it is important to figure out which mediums to use. According to Wicks, brands that want to be competitive with their peers and also reach out to a certain demographic are finding that print ads, outdoor signage and TV campaigns are no longer the only way to go . Unfortunately marketing budgets are typically the first to get cut. The cost of online ad spend in comparison to other

Final Project methods is still by far the cheapest and, some would say, most effective way to convey \RXU PHVVDJH )ODQGDFD Technology Management Imagine a secure web based platform where teachers and students can create weekly news broadcasts, make spreadsheets that provide simultaneous viewing, and even tap into real-time classrooms abroad so students can discover different cultures and have real-time conversations with foreigners 3DVFRSHOOD Web 2.0 tools, or secondgeneration tools, including blogs, podcasts, wikis, video streaming, and interactive Web sites. The original purpose of the Internet was to facilitate access to a large body of information that was housed in facilities around the world and not easy to get to, according to Susan Brooks-Young, a Web 2.0 consultant and former school principal and DVVLVWDQW SULQFLSDO LQ &DOLIRUQLDV (Pascopella, 2008).

Technology is an important part of any business. :K\ IRFXV RQ WHFKQRORJ\" Because it gives you the tools to stay afloat and chart a course forward for when the economy turns around. (Inge, 2009) Various conditions and variables determine the use of technology in education (Vanderlinde, 2008). Technology plans serve as an outline for what education with technology should look like. A school-based technology plan can be defined as a school document that contains elements concerning the integration of educational technology or as a document that contains activities to bring the new technology curriculum into practice 9DQGHUOLQGH Technology plans should align with the educational and strategic plans of the company. In a school-based technology plan, a school describes its expectations, goals, content, and actions concerning the integration of technology in education. The document

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contains strategic elements HJ ZKDW DUH WKH VFKRROV ambitions) as well as operational elements (e.g., which steps shall we take to realize our ambitions) (Vanderlinde, 2008). A good technology plan can describe the outcomes a school hopes to achieve, the overall philosophy of technology, and explore how technology will enhance teaching and learning (Vanderlinde, 2008). The technology plan should include elements that align with the company vision statement, enhance professional development, improve technology skills, technology curriculum, hardware and software, funds, etc (Vanderlinde, 2008). A school based technology plan is a vital step towards the practical implementation of integrating technology in education (Vanderlinde, 2008). According to 9DQGHUOLQGH 7HDFKHUV LQ schools which have an explicit technology plan that stresses shared goals use educational technology more regularly in their classroom . There is a difference between 7HFKQRORJ\ 3ODQQLQJ DQG 3ODQQLQJ IRU 7 HFKQRORJ\ 7KH ILUVW concept focuses on the hardware, software and support issues that arise as technology is introduced in schools, whereas the second concept underlines that the starting point for a school is a shared vision on teaching and learning enabled by technology rather than the technology aspects mentioned in the first concept. The first concept refers to administrative tasks, and the second to instructional and curricular concerns (Vanderlinde, 2008). It is important for schools to question their core philosophies of learning and instruction and identify how technology can support their vision. 7KH VFKRROV vision on good education is the core of a school-based technology plan and, without such a vision, teachers are prone to limit their thinking DERXW WHFKQRORJ\ WR ER[HV DQG ZLUHV RU isolated computer skills (Vanderlinde, 2008). Just like developing relevant media and marketing plans, technology planning is an ongoing process. Technology plans have to frequently be updated because technology

Final Project is constantly changing. Teachers and students need to be able to gain confidence, experience, and skills with the educational technology. In other words, a technology

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SODQ LV D G\QDPLF ZRUNLQJ GRFXPHQW DQG FRQWLQXRXV LPSURYHPHQW and revision of such a plan is as important as the development of the technology plan itself (Vanderlinde, 2008). It is not enough to develop and revise a relevant technology plan, it is also LPSRUWDQW WR LPSOHPHQW LW DSSURSULDWHO\ It seems that a shared vision on education and the use of technology for educational purposes, in combination with the joint process of working on a technology plan, have potential benefits for successful technology curriculum implementation (Vanderlinde, 2008). A technology plan provides insightful consideration of how technology fits into the organization and contributes to its reform goals (Vanderlinde, 2008) An additional concern LV How much technology is enough and how often does it need to be replaced? Such questions continue to be a challenge for many nonprofit organizations, according to two reports :DOODFH NPower Seattle and NPower Indiana, two affiliates of the national technology-assistance organization, have developed 12 benchmarks for a stable and secure technology environment at nonprofit organizations. The recommendations cover topics such as replacing old machines and operating systems, network and data security, and password and back-up procedures (Wallace, 2008). During the summer and fall of 2007, NPower Seattle conducted assessments at 117 nonprofit organizations in the Puget Sound area. Only six of those charities -5 percent -- met every benchmark. Thirty percent missed five or more (Wallace,

Final Project 2008).Of the 34 organizations that NPower Indiana assessed, only one group met all 12 benchmarks (Wallace, 2008).

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HFKQRORJ\ SODQV FDQ DOVR EH FRVW HIIHFWLYH In the short term, there are a number 7 of green business initiatives that are not only good for the environment, but also can deliver almost instant cost savings. Slashing travel and expense budgets can be a start, and an investment in a teleconferencing and/or Web conferencing solution can help drive costs down further (Schmuland, 2009). A virtualization solution, for hardware or servers, can lower costs associated with equipment, electricity and space. With a low total cost of ownership, a virtualization solution can help IT departments maximize their return on investment and cost savings across the enterprise (Schmuland, 2009). CONCLUSION Media relations is often an over looked aspect in business. According to Conrath, 7KH PHGLD DUH or t-v LQ time just like any other business that needs to keep its doors open. It is not the job EXVLQHVV OLNH of the media to tell good stories about our schools, but they can. Before speaking with HYHU\RQH HOVH from the media it is useful to prepare a worksheet that includes at the very least someone 3XEOLVKH UV QHHG of what happened, the steps you plan to address the crisis, and a contact a statement WR VHOO SDSHUV, telephone number that they can call for further information. Marketing is person and radio-time, related to a media plan, because both focus on presenting the company in a good light. However marketing takes that a step forward and focuses on actually promoting or VHOOLQJ WKH educational and VFKRROV strategic plans of the company. In a school-based technology plan, a VHUYLFHV WR WKH FRPPXQLW\ 7HFKQRORJ\ SODQV VKRXOG DOLJQ ZLWK WKH

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school describes its expectations, goals, content, and actions concerning the integration of technology in education.

Final Project References Callahan, S. (2009, February 9). Marketers stay in the conversation with PR. (cover story). B to B, 94(2), 1-32. Retrieved August 15, 2009, from Business Source Premier database. Can a flippant approach to media relations have a positive effect?. (2009, March 11). Marketing (00253650), Retrieved August 15, 2009, from Business Source Premier database. Carr, N. (2008, August). Why Communication Matters. American School Board Journal, 195(8), 44-45. Retrieved August 14, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database. Conrath, R. (2009). Module Four: The Media--Matching the Message with the Medium. EDU 651 Communication Skills and Technology for Education Leaders Dominiak, M. (2008, October 6). Manage the Crisis Before It Occurs. Television Week, pp. 12,12. Retrieved August 14, 2009, from Business Source Premier database. Flandaca, D. (2008, August 28). Don't become a dinosaur in the new age of social media. New Media Age, pp. 17,17. Retrieved August 15, 2009, from Business Source Premier database. Inge, J. (2009, June). How to use a technology plan to survive-and to thrive. Hotel & Motel Management, 224(6), 18-18. Retrieved August 12, 2009, from Business Source Premier database. Lentini Jr., A. (2009, June). After it Hits the Fan. Risk Management (00355593), 56(5), 42-47. Retrieved August 12, 2009, from Business Source Premier database.

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Pascopella, A. (2008, May). Web Tools: The Second Generation. District Administration, 44(6), 54-58. Retrieved August 16, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database. Quelch, J., & Jocz, K. (2008, Winter2008). Milestones in Marketing. Business History Review, 82(4), 827-838. Retrieved August 16, 2009, from Academic Search Premier database. Schmuland, D. (2009, March). Examine long-term IT plans for near-term productivity gains. Managed Healthcare Executive, 19(3), 27-28. Retrieved August 16, 2009, from Business Source Premier database. Technology Curriculum and Planning for Technology in Schools: The Flemish case. (2008, April). TechTrends, Retrieved August 12, 2009, from E-Journals database.