Believe it or not, some clients in Croatia still require communication strategies of 70, 100 and even 150 pages. This eventually turns out to be a doctoral dissertation instead of a clear strategy that shows the direction of PR actions. A few years ago, a colleague told me how the financial mechanisms in Norway (EEA Grants) try to fit their communication strategies on just one page. One page consists answers to three questions: what our current PR image is, what kind of image do we want and how to achieve it.
An example of the right approach to PR and marketing philosophy was given back in 1977 by Mike Markkula. He co-founded Apple Computers with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. He summed up his vision of Apple’s development in a document called “Apple’s Marketing Philosophy.” The document has three points.
No. 1: Empathy
We will strive to truly understand the needs of our customers better than any other company. We will create products that people will love and will provide great costumer experiences.
No. 2: Focus
We need to focus our efforts on creating simple products and eliminating everything else. “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” This maxim became the principle of Jobs’ design philosophy.
No. 3: Imputation
“People really value a book by its cover.” That is why we need to present all Apple products in a creative, professional way with easy-to-understand and memorable messages.
It is the total sum of what should be taught in any marketing or PR education. If you do business based on these principles, you will not fail.