Strategy; Public Relations Consultant; Digitalization
Public relations consultants are more and more necessary for businesses to boost their public relations and reputation in the age of digitization. Media Buffet Consultant was established in 2017 and offers its clients services, particularly in PR initiatives involving the media. As a result, Media Buffet's goal and objective are to support the growth and competitiveness of beginning businesses.
The purpose of this study is to determine how the media is connected to the public relations consultant strategy in the digital era. utilizing a qualitative methodology and methods for gathering data such as in-depth interviews, observation, and document analysis. The findings demonstrate that in the digitalization era, public relations strategies lead to PR consultant strategies that increase brand and company awareness by fostering favorable impressions and solid partnerships. Thus, the plan is created by strengthening media connections through the development of communication and content management abilities, the news value of each event's strength, the caliber of press releases, and the SEO optimization strategy.
The emergence of the Public Relations Consultant industry growing rapidly in the 20th century in the United States cannot be separated from the increasing importance of corporate communication needs both internally and externally for companies that provide growth services. Public Relations Consultants are providers of certain technical and creative services by a person or group of people who have expertise based on the experience and training they have previously obtained, and in carrying out these functions they have a legal corporate identity. The total or principal income received by the Public Relations company is wages or professional payments for services provided by customer or client parties based on consulting contracts (Vusparatih, 2013).
Public relations activities play a very important role in maintaining the image of a company. The function of public relations is to build good relations between intercompany management and also with customers or customers, so as to create a good understanding and understanding, with the aim of growing a good image of the company itself (Khairunnisa, 2016).
PR Consultant services have sprung up in Indonesia in line with the development of the business world which is beginning to understand the need for Public Relations activities to maintain the company's survival. Several PR consulting companies established by national public relations practitioners include: Inke Maris PR, Fortune PR, Agrakom PR, Maverick, Intermatrix, IPM, Kiroyan Partners (Magdalena, 2010). In fact, PR Consultants in Jakarta are progressing much faster than other cities (Erlita, 2015). A PR consultant is a company that works for a number of clients. The client can be an organization, business entities, individuals or groups that use the services of "professional services" at a PR consultant for a certain project program, certain event or event related to promotion, publication, and to overcome a particular problem or problem at a relevant institution it can be in the form of consultation/advice (advice) or planning and up to its implementation (execution) which has been agreed for a certain period of time with the terms agreed upon by both parties (Ruslan, 2010).
Media Buffet is a Public Relations Consultant that was established in 2017. The founder of this PR consultant is Bima Marzuki who is also the Chief Executive Office (CEO). These consultants specifically target their clients from start-up companies. Startup companies are companies that are still new in the pilot period, for companies in the field of technology and information that are developing in the internet world (Alrizal, 2018). Based on the company's vision and mission, Media Buffet has concerns about startup companies that do not use the right way of communicating with the public. In this case in a relationship with the media. In the development in the era of digitalization, it is not difficult to get information, because the networked media will quickly report to the public if there are events. Digitization is a change process of an organization that involves people, processes, strategies, structures, through the use of technology and business models to improve performance (Westerman, Calméjane, Bonnet, Ferraris, & McAfee, 2011). With this digital transformation, companies will carry out various innovations that change companies whose goal is to be more effective and efficient in running their business (Westerman, Bonnet, & McAfee, 2014).
So one thing that PR consultants do in this digitalization era, is to establish good relations with the media by utilizing technology, this is an added value in itself so that it is more trusted by corporate clients who use their services. This means that good relations with the media will be able to provide good opportunities for partnerships for the PR consultants themselves in the midst of a very competitive PR consultant competition, so a good relationship with the media brings advantages for the PR consultants. Public Relations Consultants emphasize providing counseling services and professional strategic planning compared to the communication tactics created by press agents and publicity agents (Cutlip, Center, & Broom, 2011). Because the work of Public Relations as much as 80% in the implementation of its PR activities related to the media. So this research focuses on how is the Strategy of Public Relations Consultants in the digitalization era in relation to the media?
Research methods
This study uses a qualitative approach. Qualitative research can encourage understanding of the substance of certain events. Thus, in this study it is not only used to fulfill the wishes of the researcher in order to get an overview/explanation, but can help to get a more in-depth explanation. So researchers need to equip themselves with adequate knowledge about the problems they are researching.
In collecting data, researchers conducted in-depth interviews by collecting data or information by meeting face to face with key informants and informants in order to obtain complete and in-depth data. Interviews were conducted repeatedly intensively (Ardianto, 2011). This study uses 1 (one) key informant and 2 (two) informants. In this study, researchers are required to absorb the views of the informants themselves by collecting data in the form of detailed stories from the informants who they reveal as they are, according to the language and views of the informants (Harnawansyah, 2019).
In data processing, the authors began to process the temporary data collected and then the data obtained were analyzed simultaneously. Data processing starts from data reduction, data presentation and data interpretation and drawing conclusions.
While the data validity technique is done by triangulation that the author uses in this study is source triangulation and method triangulation. Source triangulation is done by comparing or re-checking the degree of trustworthiness of information obtained from different sources. While method triangulation is an attempt to check the validity of the data or check the validity of research. Method triangulation can be done using more than one technique. Triangulation that uses a combination of data source and method triangulation techniques will form like a circle (Anggito & Setiawan, 2018). The circle can be started from finding any source data and then checked by using other sources with other methods.
Results and Discussion
1. A brief history of Media Buffet
PT. Communication Integrity which is well known as a Public Relations Consultant company is a new company in the world of Public Relations Consultants. The founder is Bima Marzuki who has experience as a reporter and presenter in various Indonesian national media such as Kompas TV, SCTV, Berita Satu and other media. During his time as a journalist, Bima Marzuki as a Key Informant witnessed the birth of Startups in Indonesia such as Gojek, Bukalapak, Tokopedia, Olx and others. He saw the weak communication between the company and the public and seemed to stutter. So the introduction of the company's brand to the public is slow. Meanwhile, these startups will become economic actors in Indonesia. Another problem arises when many PR consultants do not want to help startups because their services are limited. Seeing this phenomenon, in 2017 Bima Marzuki ventured to create a PR Consultant named Media Buffet. Initially, this company only had one assistant employee with their first client being Tokopedia in 2017 who had a crisis management challenge. After handling Tokopedia properly, Media Buffet's name skyrocketed and attracted many other companies that used the services of Media Buffet's PR Consultants such as Viu, Google, Amartha, Kormo, Paxel, ZAP and others.
Media Buffet's PR consultant has a vision, among others: Advancing and helping the Startup Industry to grow well in Indonesia. While its mission is: Helping Startups to communicate well to the public, helping Startups to introduce their Brand to the public and helping Startups to establish good relationships with Media Actors.
2. Media Buffet Public Relations Consultant Strategy in the Digitalization Era
increase the visibility of the brand (as well as the organization). Public Relations Consultants use internet-based media assistance, especially with various benefits. The PR trend in Indonesia is 80% in the implementation of PR activities related to the media, so it is a distinct advantage for Media Buffet whose founder has a journalistic background. The media are PR partners in a consultant to carry out their work. A PR consultant is a company that works for a number of clients often covering different sectors, although one of the characteristics of modern PR consultants is to increase their specialization in certain sectors. PR consultants will not only conduct campaigns, they will also help design and measure their success (Morissan, 2008).
Seeing the need for PR is getting higher and competition in the business world is getting tougher, Public Relations is required to be able to establish communication and relations in all aspects, both internal and external to the company. The aim is to establish good relations with external companies so that information from the company to the public can be quickly established and minimize the possibility of a crisis due to incorrect information received by the public. In addition to being a Public Relations Officer, he is required to be able to establish good relationships with all stakeholders, PR must also have strong analysis and sensitivity in order to create activities that can help companies gain public sympathy, or simply promote themselves in public. Communication that is established in this case is with media stakeholders is two way communications, as referred to as the Two-Way Symmetric Model. In this model, PR applies two-way reciprocal communication, where the organization in this research is a Media Buffet Consultant with the Media as partners who seek to adapt themselves for the common good. Open to the negotiation process so that long-term relationships are established. Communication serves as a means of negotiation and compromise in realizing problem solving that is "win-win solutions".
PR consultant Media Buffet positioned the Media as their friend, more than just a co-worker, and didn't even hesitate to take reporters out to eat or come to a concert together.
This happens because Media Buffet creates a very comfortable situation that journalists also turn to Media Buffet's PR Consultants as their friends. This is referred to from the statement of Informant one as Media Buffet's PR Consultant who explained that Media Relations is simply divided into two, namely those whose purpose is for the company and there is also the goal of establishing closer or closer relationships which can be in the form of chats or hangouts. Usually the PR consultant Media Buffet starts a personal relationship with the media through chat technology, starting from just giving a kind of birthday prayer, for example. So that in time, for example, there is a certain event, the relationship that exists will be like a close friendship.
The key informant also stated the same thing: “if there is a birthday media, we will give a proper gift or at least give a birthday greeting, and chat with the media. Chat together. No company interest.
Just make them like our friends." When it is formed whose name is
media relations whose relationship is a two-way communication relationship. Even further, the key informant explained that many of the journalists then communicated via whatsapp asking if there were new startups that needed to be covered and others. So the reporters actually asked them for help. So the relationship is not just transactional. Furthermore, Key Informant stated that Media Buffet consultants can attend an event, for example, there is a certain concert together. That's where there is a close relationship with the media.
The position of the media is very important to conduct publicity related to third party company information (clients) in shaping its image in the eyes of the public. The relationship is not only limited to working relationships but also involves a sustainable harmonious relationship by making journalists as friends/friends.
Media Buffet is a PR consultant who is concerned with changing PR trends towards digitalization. In this digitization process, the process and all data are in digital format, so it is very possible for organizations to monitor and manage their performance more accurately with the help of Key Performance Indicators. All important company information can be more easily shared across the organization to increase transparency and can be used to assist decision making. Therefore they have different ways to help companies create brand awareness in public. Key Informants also said that many PRs are only concerned with carrying out conventional activities, many of them do not understand that PR work is very closely related to the media and is now entering the digital era where the narratives formed can have an impact on searches on Google pages. Key Informant's explanation is as follows:
"If the scope of PR in Indonesia is actually still traditional, it means 80%
PR work is still through Media Publicity, 20% of which can be divided into internal communication, community, a little social media and Kris. So the portion is still very small, in Indonesia the work is still traditional but wants to crawl to digital. That's why there are many discussions related to 4.0, Big Data. But what happens is that it's all still being discussed, because most of the homework in Indonesia usually still doesn't understand. For example, Pitch Story defines what media relations are like, creating content that has news value but also what the company wants to sell can be.”
Media Buffet tries to understand the needs of current PR activities by analyzing a strategic activity that is also designed through the discussion of digital content, how this news narrative can appear on the first page of Google search. What does our digital look like to listen to people's opinions through social media through social listening. Because many PR crises are currently sourced from social media, for example Tokopedia, traveloka. What is digital PR, which makes Media Buffet consultants create a PR Strategy to increase reputation and awareness on digital platforms. So Media Buffet combines media Publicity with SEO Optimization Strategy.
The benefits are detecting potential issues related to brands on the internet, responding to issues early so as to prevent crises, disseminating content publicly so that public awareness increases. According to Key Informants:
"There's a lot of analysis. First we listen carefully, listen
what kind of company do you want and what kind of situation outside. Then we also need to check with outsiders whether or not the condition is like this. For example, we check what their digital process looks like using tools, then we check what public opinion they have with them. Either from the media or power of mouth. We also analyze their company, what kind of industry they are in, which will lead to a number of conclusions and will later be made as a strategy. From all of that, we can know SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats) as the basis for the PR strategy.”
Media Buffet does publicity in an effort to manage relations, namely managing relations with the mass media as institutions and journalists as mass media workers, by means of Media Buffet making personal relations with the media and continuing to provide information to the media every month and trying to manage relations with the media well . Then Media Buffet also developed strategies: (1) continue to develop PR materials for mass media, (2) use various existing media to convey messages to the public, (3) build and maintain contact with mass media, (4) position the organization as a source of information. reliable information for mass media, (5) positioning the organization's leadership as a spokesperson, (6) always coordinating with other parts of the company so that they always get the latest information.
According to the second informant, as a journalist who has a close relationship with Media Buffet, there are differences in Media Relations activities carried out by Media Buffet and other Consultants. Furthermore, informant 2 described Media Buffet as a friendly PR consultant and different from other consultants.
He said in his interview as follows “Actually, from the beginning Media
The media email buffet is different. They have their own characteristic that they use the body of the email to give greetings to the media, so it's like there's already a standard. If it's the others, you can see that they're giving out invitations, there's no need for a press release, just give it to me." This is where good content management skills are needed starting from small things.
How to manage the content of communication content according to Key Informants is explained as follows.
Public relations consultants are more and more necessary for businesses to boost their public relations and reputation in the age of digitization. Media Buffet Consultant was established in 2017 and offers its clients services, particularly in PR initiatives involving the media. As a result, Media Buffet's goals and objectives are to support the growth and competitiveness of beginning businesses.
The purpose of this study is to determine how the media is connected to the public relations consultant strategy in the digital era. utilizing a qualitative methodology and methods for gathering data such as in-depth interviews, observation, and document analysis. The findings demonstrate that in the digitalization era, public relations strategies lead to PR consultant strategies that increase brand and company awareness by fostering favorable impressions and solid partnerships. Thus, the plan is created by strengthening media connections through the development of communication and content management abilities, the news value of each event's strength, the caliber of press releases, and the SEO optimization strategy.
The closeness of journalists with Medi Buffet's PR consultant was explained by informant 2, namely; "I think if you give greetings and such, yes they must be
trying to be friendly to the media. Because after all, this media is a PR consultant partner, so the relationship must be really guarded.” So Media Buffet is always trying to create other opportunities from its client partners. Then in this way it provides an opportunity to offer cooperation between its clients and the media. So the way of communication is either by cellular communication medium or directly by approaching it with a personal approach.
So it can be said that the consultant strategy is generally carried out by building a more intense relationship with the media by developing communication and communication skills in content management, the strength of the News Value of each Event, the quality of the Press Release. The function of the relationship with the media or Media Relations. Media Relations is indeed part of the PR function that must be done perfectly. This relationship can provide benefits such as building an understanding of the duties and responsibilities of the company and the mass media, building mutual trust that benefits each other, as an effective means of obtaining accurate, honest information so that it can provide useful information and knowledge to the public. Media Relations Strategy, combining media publicity with SEO Optimization Strategy and creating key word narratives for client companies. This is a combination of online marketing strategies that aim to display the client's website on the first page of Google. SEO is closely related to how the Google algorithm works.
Conclusion
Media Buffet is a Public Relations Consultant that was established in 2017. The founder of this PR consultant is Bima Marzuki who is also the Chief Executive Office (CEO). These consultants specifically target their clients from start-up companies. In the era of digitalization, providing services to clients, especially in PR activities, especially those in contact with the media, considering that as many as 80% of PR activities are related to the media. The strategy is forged by building a more intense relationship with the media by developing communication and content management skills, the strength of the News Value of each Event, the Quality of the Press Release, combined with the SEO Optimization Strategy. This relationship can provide benefits such as building an understanding of the duties and responsibilities of the company and the media, building mutual trust and mutual benefit.
Post a Comment for "Media Buffet Public Relations Consultant Strategy in the Digital Age"