The Influence of Advertising and Public Relations on Growth of Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises in Benue State

Abstract

Advertising and public relations are two marketing promotion tools for effectiveness in business endeavours. It is on this premise that this research investigates how advertising (Ad) and public relations (PR) strategies are used by small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) in Benue State. Survey research design has been adopted with questionnaire and oral interview used in collecting relevant data. The Test of Hypothesis was done using Pearson Product Moment Correlation. Findings generally indicate the awareness and adoption of advertising and public relations by SMEs where results from the Test of Hypothesis also affirm that growth of small and medium scale enterprises in Benue State is influenced by the application of advertising and public relations strategies. Results, therefore, indicate that the calculated value of 0.258 is greater than the critical rvalue of 0.195 at 0.05 alpha levels with 514 degrees of freedom, However, findings indicate that there exist a considerable number of challenges to effect fe utilization of Ad and PR strategies. The study, therefore, concludes that there is effective utilization of PR and Ad for the growth of in Benue State. On this premise, it is recommended among other things, that managements of small and medium scale enterprises should step-up their utility in the knowledge and awareness they already have on the relevance and use of PR and Ad strategies as only then, a significant and tangible growth will be recorded.