26. public relations theory & practice... pr project (helping-hand health fund)

… 19 May 2014 …

PUBLIC RELATIONS REPORT…for 6% Premium Increase

Prepared byAngela p. genders

For Healing-Hands Health Fund1011 Eagle StreetBrisbane, 4000QueenslandAustralia

Table of Contents

1.0. Company Description & Details …page 1

2.0. Letter to the Head of PR (…Introduction) …page 2

A4 Personal Letter to Fund Members… …page 3 A4-Sized Media Press Advertisement… …page 3 Webpost… …page 3

3.0. Media Examples …page 5

Җ 3.1. PR-Media 1: Mail-out Letter …page 6- 3.1.1. Description of Media …page 7

Җ 3.2. PR-Media 2: Newspaper-Insert …page 8- 3.2.1. Description of Media …page 9

Җ 3.3. PR-Media 3a: Company-Blog/Social-Media Pages …page 10- 3.3.1. Description of Media …page 11

Җ 3.4. PR-Media 3b: Twitter-Tweet …page 12- 3.4.1. Description of Media …page 13

4.0. Conclusion …page 14

5.0. Referencing …page 15

Assessment 3Public Relations Report

Swinburne UniversityBch Business (Public Relations)

[PUB20002] Public Relations Theory &Practice

Angela p. gendersStudent ID: 7588690

eLA: Emily NugentDate: 19 May 2014

… Helping Hand Health Fund …

1.0. Company Description & Details:

Our Company Name is: Helping Hand Health Fund

Our Company Logo is:

Head Office: Helping Hand Health Fund

1011 Eagle Street

Brisbane, Qld. 4000

Toll Free: 1800 398.111

Telephone: 07 3398.1111

Fax: 07 3288.0000

Website: www.helping-hand.com.au/

Email: [email protected]

(…We have offices in all major cities)

2.0. Letter to the Head of PR (…Introduction):

… Page 1 …






… Page 1 …

19 May 2014

Mr Roland Schmidt

Public Relations Manager

Helping-hand Health Fund

1011 Eagle Street

Brisbane, Qld. 4000

RE: Impending Increase by 6% to Monthly Premium/Fee

Dear Roland,

As of 1 June 2014 our Company’s premium/fees are set to increase by 6% per month.

I don’t envisage this to cause the Company any great disruption or mass exit of Fund

Members. We have been serving Australia for close to 30 years and in that time have

grown from strength to strength in our Fund Members. It has also been some 5 years

since we have deemed it necessary to raise our premium/fees.

Whilst we continue to meet the needs of our Fund Members in all areas of healthcare

and keep our hand firmly linked with theirs, we can only continue to grow.

We remain one of the most affordable Health Funds in this country even with our 6%

increase. The three areas of Media I recommend to inform our invaluable members of

this augmentation to the premiums are as follows:

• A4 Personal Letter to Fund Members

• A4-sized Media Press Advertisement

• Web-Post

- Blog

- Tweet from Funds Twitter Account

… Page 2 …

A4 Personal Letter to Fund Members…

This form of communication will ensure all Fund-Members are personally advised in

writing of the impending 6% increase of premium/fees. (…example attached)

A4-Sized Media Press Advertisement…

This will be by way of a single insert flyer to be included in all States Sunday-

Newspapers. It will be a coloured insert-sheet and we will take the opportunity to

recruit new members by way of a “special offer”. (…example attached)

Webpost…

- Blog to be posted to the Company’s-Blog/Social-Media

- Tweet from Funds Twitter-Account

These two forms of communication of our Announcement regarding our 6% increase

are directed to our Millennial’s – Generation-X Members.

---

By selecting these 3 Media options we are able to target our project’s key audience,

which is every Helping-Hand Fund Member, as well as targeting New-Members.

Consideration was given to the following media options, cost and effectiveness was

the weight given to eliminate them.

• 20-30 second radio commercial

• A4 media release

• Podcast (40-60 seconds)

• Design plan for intra/internet sites

… Page 3 …

Our goal is to maintain a high standard of health care support, being an affordable

investment to our Fund Members. Our objective is to maintain our current level of

Members and alleviate any concerns they may have about the increase in that of

premiums/fees, whilst encouraging New-Members to join Helping Hand.

At the completion of a 2 month period (01.06.2014 31.07.2014) I will submit a

report to you evaluating the responses and membership figures to our 6% increase and

new member recruitments.

• Member Letter (Julie from Head-Office has been selected to document all

responses by mail, email, and telephone) – will collect data from each State.

• A4 Media Press Advertisement (each State Office Receptionist will document all

responses and submit to Julie)

• Blog & Tweet (Mathew from Head-Office will be tracking online reaction and use)

With all these measures in place we will continue to deliver outstanding

Health/Medical support to our current Members and grow our New-Membership.

I trust Roland this all meets with your approval and on your confirmation, and/or any

additional invaluable suggestions, will implement the above discussed immediately.

Regards

Angela GendersPublic Relations Department

… Page 4 …

… Page 5 …

3.1. P

Assessment 3Public Relati

Angela p. genStudent ID: 7

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R-Media 1… Letter to Members advising of 6% increase to Premium/fees effective 01.06.2014.

ons ReportSwinburne University

Bch Business (Public Relations)[PUB20002] Public Relations Theory &

Practice

ders588690

ear Valuable Helping-

elping-Hand Health F

amily health cover to y

e offer an assortment

ur commitment to you

ast 5 years. However, w

remium/fees of 6%, ef

e will continue to pro

o maintain a healthier,

lease contact us if you

hone, email, or online-

ours,

teve Reinhardt

eneral Manager

RE: 6% Increase - Effective 01.06.2014.

Hand Member,

und, for close to 30 years now has been delivering affordable

ou and your family.

of Health Cover designed to suit your budget and personal needs.

has ensured that we have not raised our membership fees for the

e now find it necessary to implement a monthly increase to

fective 01.06.2014.

vide the services you require for yourself and your family needs

happier lifestyle.

have any questions regarding the necessary increase, either by

chat on our website.


… Page 6 …

3.1.1. Description of Type of Media Used & Why…

The first Media-Example selected is a company letter, addressed personally to each

Fund-Member and sent by conventional mail. One reason the medium was selected is

that our company has no age restrictions on employment and as such this particular

form of communication particularly is appreciated by the more mature fund members.

It is a letter presented upon official company letterhead, individually typed and

personally signed by the general manager.

Neither an email nor blog can compare to such an official company document. It is an

individual document to an individual fund member, giving a feeling of importance.

Whilst the journey of a letter such as this takes time and there are costs in its

preparation and delivery through conventional mail. Those costs are absorbed by a

company willing to help acknowledge the technology restrictions of its older clients,

and keep them informed of Fund changes.

Although this form of communication is beholdant of the more traditional

“hierarchal” channel of communication, each individual has within them both a

“child” and a “parent’ aspect. And although this medium is utilised moreso to

embrace and acknowledge the more mature-aged members of Helping-Hand Health

Fund, every individual, irrespective of age, still derives encouragement from the

proverbial personal acknowledgement and communication “from a person of

authority”, and enjoys finding traditional-mail within their letterbox.

Whilst the electronic age is here, not all people have chosen to embrace it, so this

form of communication still has its place in our world of communication.

… Page 7 …






… Page 7 …




AngelStuden

3.2. PR-Media 2… A4 Paid Press Advertisement – Newspaper Insert

a p. genderst ID: 7588690


… Page 8 …


A colourful Flyer in Print Media was selected for our second Media-Example, as one

of our Membership Demographics is those of the Baby-Boomers. Whilst technology

has been embraced by many in this group, the Sunday Paper is still somewhat a

religion/habit with them. You will be assured of touching base with many.

Generation-X is also a group that can be reached with this Media, to some extent. As

they are the Generation sandwiched between Traditional-Media and Technology, and

therefore, despite their adapt utilisation of modern-technology, still hold the

Traditional-Media Audience/Demographic within that of the Sunday-Paper

Another reason this media was selected is “colour” attracts attention from people of

all ages. Even a young child will be attracted to this colourful flyer and hand it to their

parents.

This media was also selected because it is a hard copy document that can remain in

the home and in a person’s focus for some time, unlike a form of media, for example,

upon the internet, blogs, facebook, twitter, is only there whilst it remains upon a

screen.

Also New-Membership was part of the design of this Public Relations initiative. This

Media provides opportunity to feature a “special offer” by way of a gift voucher to

encourage new members. At the same time, our Company wanted to advise the

general public of our 6% increase in Premium/Fees. The first in over 5 years.

… Page 9 …






… Page 9 …

3.3. P

Assessment 3Public Relati

Angela p. genStudent ID: 7

Hi Everyone,

After 30 years of Health-Care Services in Australia,

Helping-Hand unfortunately announces a 6% increase

to monthly Premium/Fees. This is due to the rise in providing you with

Quality Health-Care Services during a difficult economic-time with the

growing cost of living within the Australian climate. This is the first rise

we have had in over 5 years, can you believe that?! We have managed to

stay-off having to pass on the increases which came with the GFC to our

Triple-H Family, but couldn’t manage to protect you from the

Government Budget-Changes to HealthCare.

Helping-Hand continues to grow and will continue to support our

Members to maintain a healthier-you! Whether it is an individual or

family need, we remain one of the most affordable Health-Funds

tailored to meet your needs always.

Visit our website at www.helping-hand.com.au and get a free quote if

you’re looking to change to a better, more supportive Fund. And join by

31.07.2014 and receive a $150 gift voucher. –Don’t miss out everyone!

Stay Healthy!

-H.H.H

Comments:

POSTED: 12 May 2014

R-Media 3a… Company Blog/Social-Media Pages

ons ReportSwinburne University

Bch Business (Public Relations)[PUB20002] Public Relations Theory &

Practice

ders588690


… Page 10 …

Login

Follow

Create a Blog

Comment


Blogging has become an invaluable tool for that of Company’s Worldwide. Not only

is it a two-way symmetrical form of communication, yet it is a casual, conversational

style allowing a company’s clients and customers to feel as though they have built a

relationship and friendship with their respective Health-Fund.

“According to a Hubspot Survey, 57% of companies have acquired customers through

blogging in both 2011 and 2012 and new leads were valued as higher quality

compared to leads gained from outbound marketing strategies like trade shows, direct

mail and telemarketing”. (Miller. 2013. www.electricpr.com.)

As the Company’s clients/readers have built a relationship, and gotten to know us

through our Blog, this is therefore the ideal forum in which to inform our technology-

based-demographic of our new 6% membership/fees rise. As it is less traumatic and

shocking to be told of such a budget shift from that of a “friend”, as opposed to that of

a “Company”.

The direction of traffic to the Blog remains the same as what we implemented when

we first launched it. All Facebook, Twitter, Company Websites, etc., our entire

digital-footprint hyperlinks to the Blog.

We already have in place the fact that our email signature includes the website URL

and have set-up our webmaster pages within search-engine directories the likes of

Yellow-Pages, Google, Bing and Yahoo.

… Page 11 …






… Page 11 …

http://www.electricpr.com/

… Page 12 …

3.4. PR-Media 3b… Tweet from Company Twitter-Account






… Page 12 …


The direction of web-traffic to the Helping-Hand Health Fund Twitter-Account is the

same as that mentioned within the above Blog-Description.

We ensure we maintain favourable SEO (search engine optimisation), and double-

check that all of our web-link include the Twitter-Account Hyperlink.

Previous Market-Research has shown that regular Twitter, Facebook, and Social-

Media posts spark interest and exposure, and thus that of the likelihood of ‘sharing’

within our Publics. Exposure means increased traffic. And therefore we must ensure

that this initial post is backed up by our Social-Media Manager with ongoing Tweets,

to answer any questions that may be within the minds of our members, alleviate any

concerns, and hence create hash-tags to encourage conversation.

Once again, this ideal online-forum of communication is directed towards that of our

technological-clientele, and henceforth reaches our younger demographic within the

Millennial’s and Generation-X’ers.

… Page 13 …






… Page 13 …

4.0. Conclusion…

Therefore, as you can see from the above Media-Examples Roland, we cover a wide

variety of Traditional Print-Media, to Online Social-Media, which encompasses

communication to all of our Company’s Membership-Demographic. From those of

the Technologically-savvy Millennial’s, to that of the moreso Luddite-traditional

Baby-Boomers.

Buy utilising the chosen Public Relations approach, we also alleviate any discomfort

or concerns our current-members may have with the 6% membership/fees rise.

Reinforcing the fact that we not only provide a “full range coverage” for all family

shapes, sizes, models and requirements, whilst still remaining one of the most

affordable Health-Funds upon the market, and fortifying our Market-Positioning,

within our strength and size, at the same time being stable and supportive.

Simultaneously, we can use this opportunity to recruit new members to Healing-

Hands, those to whom may either be dissatisfied with their current Funds, are looking

to sign-up to a Fund, and of course, those whom are members of Funds who will be

implementing a higher than the recommended 6% price rise. We do this not only

through our solidity and reliability within the marketplace, yet also through offering

the membership incentive of a free $150 gift-voucher to nudge any fence-sitters

along.

If you at any time have any questions, comments, or recommendations, they would be

most welcomed and most certainly applied. So please feel free to contact me at your

convenience to discuss your reactions to the Media-Report.






… Page 14 …

5.0. References…

• Bupa. 2014. Bupa, Find a Healthier You. Official Website. Bupa Australia Pty Ltd.

5 May 2014. http://www.bupa.com.au/

• Kotler, P. 2014. Principles of Marketing. Fifteenth Edition. Pearson. England. 27

March 2014.

• Mahoney, J. 2013. Public Relations Writing. 2nd Ed. Oxford. Australia. 27 March

2014.

• Medibank. 2013. Medibank, For Better Health. Official Website. Medibank Private

Limited. 5 May 2014. http://www.medibank.com.au/

• Miller, KC. 2013. 5 surefire ways to direct traffic to your website. ElectricPR. 18

May 2014. http://electricpr.com/wp/5-surefire-ways-to-direct-traffic-to-your-

website/

• Westfund. 2014. Westfund Private Health Insurance. Official Website. Westfund

Pty Ltd. 5 May 2014. http://www.westfund.com.au/

• Flyer Image: http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_13kkpm6GCn1qboii5o1_400jpg






… Page 15 …

http://www.bupa.com.au/

http://www.medibank.com.au/

http://electricpr.com/wp/5-surefire-ways-to-direct-traffic-to-your-website/

http://electricpr.com/wp/5-surefire-ways-to-direct-traffic-to-your-website/

http://www.westfund.com.au/

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_13kkpm6GCn1qboii5o1_400jpg

26. public relations theory & practice... pr project (helping-hand health fund)

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