MODULE 3

PUBLIC RELATIONS

"Public Relations is the planned effort to influence opinion through good

character and responsible performance, based upon mutually satisfactory two-
way communication". It is "the deliberate, planned and sustained effort to
establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organisation and its
public”.

 Public relations (PR) is the set of techniques and strategies related to

managing how information about an individual or company is
disseminated to the public, and especially the media.
 Its primary goals are to disseminate important company news or events,
maintain a brand image, and put a positive spin on negative events to
minimize their fallout.
 PR may occur in the form of a company press release, news conference,
interviews with journalists, social media posting, or other venues.
 Every individual or entity operating in the public eye faces the spread of
information about them or their practices to the public.
 While public relations is an industry unto itself, any attempt to portray
oneself in a certain way to others can be considered a form of public
relations.
ROLE OF PUBLIC RELATION

1. Press Relation: The public relation department is in contact with the media to
present true facts and a correct picture about the company. Otherwise news can
be distorted if taken from other sources. This department present the
information in a positive manner in the press.

2. Product Publicity: The public relation department make special efforts to

publicise the new products. This department manages sponsoring of such events.
They arrange sports and cultural events, news conferences, seminars and
exhibitions.

3. Corporate Communication: With the help of newsletter/annual reports,

brochures, articles and audio/visual materials, the public relation department
communicate with the public and the employees. Speeches by the company’s
executives at a meeting of trade association or trade fairs can really boost the
company’s image.
4. Lobbying: The organisation has to deal with government officials and
different ministers with respect to policies related to business and the economy.
The public relation department try to maintain a healthy relationship with
association of commerce and industry.

5. Counselling: The public relations department advised the management on

general issues, which affect the public. The company can build goodwill by
contributing money and time for certain causes like, environment, children’s
right, education, wildlife etc.

6. Helps in achieving marketing objectives: Public relation department help in

achieving marketing objectives such as building awareness, building credibility,
stimulates sales force and lower promotion cost.

SCOPE OF PUBLIC RELATION

In the words of
Edward Bareney,
“Public Relations are
an
attempt by information
persuasion and
adjustment to engineer
public support for an
activity, cause,
movement or
institution”.
Every corporate
organisation nowadays
aspires to win the
trust of the general
public in regard to the
items and services that
they are promoting on
their websites. As a
result, public relations
has a very broad
range of applications
in a competitive
environment. It is
possible to divide the
field of public relations
into
five distinct categories.
They are a group of:
In the words of
Edward Bareney,
“Public Relations are
an
attempt by information
persuasion and
adjustment to engineer
public support for an
activity, cause,
movement or
institution”.
Every corporate
organisation nowadays
aspires to win the
trust of the general
public in regard to the
items and services that
they are promoting on
their websites. As a
result, public relations
has a very broad
range of applications
in a competitive
environment. It is
possible to divide the
field of public relations
into
five distinct categories.
They are a group of:
In the words of
Edward Bareney,
“Public Relations are
an
attempt by information
persuasion and
adjustment to engineer
public support for an
activity, cause,
movement or
institution”.
Every corporate
organisation nowadays
aspires to win the
trust of the general
public in regard to the
items and services that
they are promoting on
their websites. As a
result, public relations
has a very broad
range of applications
in a competitive
environment. It is
possible to divide the
field of public relations
into
five distinct categories.
They are a group of:
In the words of Edward barney, “ Public Relation are an attempt by information
persuasion and adjustment to engineer public support for an activity, cause,
movement or institution.”

Every corporate organisation nowadays aspires to win the trust of the general
public in regard to the items and services that they are promoting on their
websites. As a result, public relations have a very broad range of applications in a
competitive environment. It is possible to divide the field of public relation into 5
distinct categories. They are group of:

1. CUSTOMERS: The purpose of public relations is to convince consumers, to

establish an image of the firm, its products, and its services, among other things.
It aids in the decision making process of the brand’s consumers. Brands that
have developed long-term relationships are more likely to have loyal customers.
Customer retention is critical since customers are increasingly migrating from
one competitors offering to another. Customer retention is attainable via the use
of public relations.

2. DEALERS: Dealers act as a connection between producers and buyers,

bridging the gap between them. Dealers with high level of motivation push them
ahead for sale, while dealers with low levels of drive push things forward for
sale, sometimes even for rival’s products. The job of public relations is critical in
keeping the motivation for the marketing of a company’s goods and services up
and running.

3. COMMUNITY: The community as a whole requires the advantages of the

goods and services. However, people with not know that the goods and services
are for the benefit of the community unless and until they are informed of this
fact. The company’s eco-friendly, environmentally friendly and healthy product
and/or manufacturing process idea should be effectively articulated. It can only
be accomplished via public relations. In order to effectively promote items and
services, public relations is one of the most critical tools available for advancing
them ahead.

4. EMPLOYEES: Organizational employees are the cogs in the wheel of business

movement, from examination through the maturity and then to the end of the
product’s life cycle. An employee is responsible for the production of the
products, as well as its marketing and after-sales care. The notion of public
relations highlights the need of creating relationships with workers in order to
achieve the organization’s objectives without experiencing any difficulties.
Employees who led and motivated by a power pack public relations campaign
are more effective at marketing the organization’s products and services than
those who are guided and motivated by an advertising and sales promotion
programme.

5. STAKEHOLDERS: Stakeholders are either the business’s owner or investors in

the company. Public relations may be used to inform the public about the
company’s performance and future prospects, which is beneficial to everyone
who want to ensure the safety and profitability of their business investments.
Although it may not directly promote a product for sale, it may indirectly result
in budgetary allocations for executing company promotional activities that are
appropriately financed, so directly increasing the advertising of a product or
service for sale.
What does a Public Relations Officer?
A Public Relations officer, takes care of the relation between the organization/
individual and the public. To do the same, they take up quite a load of work:
 They write press releases, and decide when to announce important
decisions that will affect the image of the client.
 Carry out fundraisers and events, which will help in elevating the
positive side of the organization.
 Help in effective and positive communication between their clients and
the public, which includes the media.
 They maintain the image of their client and keep up their identity.
 During situations where the client is not available for comments or is
unable to deliver one, they represent the client.
 They keep up the buzz about the client on all media possible.
 Manage crisis and damage control if there are serious situation, which
might harm the image of the client.

ADVANTAGES OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

Public relations offer several advantages, which are not found with other
promotional options. Public relations is considered to be a very reliable form of
promotion. One of the important aspects of public relations is that it establishes
credibility for a product by capitalizing on the influence third-party — the media.
For example, a positive story about a new product in the business section of a
local newspaper may have greater impact on readers than a full-page
advertisement for the product since readers perceive the news media as
presenting an impartial perspective of the product. Due to the well-structured
public relations campaign, the target market gets exposed to a more detailed
picture than received from other forms of promotion. Although public relations
is not exactly done at a low cost but when compared to other promotional efforts
it is less expensive.

DISADVANTAGES OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

Just like everything in this world although public relations have advantages it
also has many disadvantages. It can’t make sure whether the message has been
delivered effectively. For example, a marketer may spend several hours talking
with a magazine writer, only to find that their company is never mentioned in
the article. While other promotional messages are carefully crafted and
distributed, public relations generally conveys information to a person (say a
member of the news media) who then further recrafts the information .The end
result is that the final impact or rather information may not be precisely what
the marketer planned. With public relations there is always a chance that a news
event might get bumped because of a more critical breaking news, such as severe
weather, serious crime or wars. In some areas of the world the impact of
traditional news is fading forcing public relations to find new and better ways to
reach their target market.

Types of Public Relations 

Public relations is often divided into different agencies or departments. Each
department is specifically suited to handle a specific aspect below:

 Media relations is the emphasis of forging a strong relationship with

public media organizations. A media relations team often works
directly with external media by directly delivering them company
news, providing validated content sources, and being accessible for
public comment on other news stories.

 Production relations is closely related to the direct operations of a

company. This department supports broad marketing plans and is often
related to specific, one-time endeavors such as the launch of a new
product, a special campaign, or management of a major product
change.

 Investor relations is the oversight of the relationship between the

company and its investors. This aspect of public relations handles
investor events, oversees the communication of the release of
financial reports, and handles the complaints of investors.

 Internal relations is the public relations branch between a company and

its employees. Internal relations pertain to counselling employees,
 ensuring all workers are satisfied with their working conditions, and
mediating issues internally to avoid public disclosure of
dissatisfaction.

 Government relations is the connection between a company and related

governing bodies. Some public relations departments want to forge a
strong relationship to provide feedback to politicians, sway decision-
makers to act in specific ways, and ensure fair treatment of the
company's clients.

 Community relations is public relations focused on brand and

reputation within a specific community. The community could be physical
(i.e. a specific city) or non-physical (i.e. the dog-owner community). This
branch of public relations keys in on the social niche of the community
to align itself with its members.

 Customer relations is the bridge that connects the company and

its customers. Public relations often involves handling key relationships,
conducting market research, understanding the priorities of its
customers, and addressing major concerns.

In-House PR Departments
An in-house PR department is a PR unit that functions as a part of an
organization and is not independent. Simply stated, this means that the PR
department is housed right there in the business facility and is only in place to
assist that particular organization's PR needs. Let's look at some of the
advantages and disadvantages of in-house PR departments.

Handling PR in-house means having people on your staff who take care of your
PR activities. PR is a full-time job — often involving overtime — for at least one
person and preferably several. To manage all the necessary PR functions well,
you need to hire someone who has:
 Excellent writing and editing skills for all types of materials.
 Tact and diplomacy to work with different types of personalities and
handle difficult or sensitive situations.
 The ability to plan events and keep track of the details.
 Knowledge of social media platforms and the comfort to use them
regularly.
Ideally, you can hire several people with different expertise. For example, one
could have experience with many of the PR functions, while the other writes and
promotes the company's blog and monitors, posts and responds to posts on
various social media platforms.
PR Agencies
A PR agency is an independent, functioning unit designed to serve multiple
businesses by helping them to bridge the gap between the business and the
public. PR agencies are in place to not only promote their clients but to help the
public gain a positive perception of the organization. Since these agencies are
independent, they must typically have several employees that are able to
spearhead PR initiatives for different organizations at the same time. 
A competent PR agency should be able to perform the following tasks (at a
minimum): 
 Create press releases 
 Write or edit speeches 
 Be well-versed in handling PR crisis situations 
 Write blogs 
 Create pitches and proposals 
Let's take a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of a PR agency. 

PR Agency Advantages
One advantage to a PR agency is that they have more people. Since PR agencies
have an expansive number of employees, it allows them to have multiple
perspectives on how to improve their clients' relationship with the public. 
PR agencies also have a strong list of contacts. A successful PR agency has the
power to contact many influential members of the media, which can only be
beneficial for organizations seeking to improve relations with the public. 
Another advantage is knowledge of the industry. A reputable PR agency will have
extensive knowledge and expertise in knowing how to get the job done for their
clients. 

PR Agency Disadvantages
Obviously, there are also disadvantages of PR agencies. First is price. Since PR
agencies are independent with multiple employees, it can be costly to obtain
their services. They also tend to provide only a generalized, or non-specific,
understanding of the problem. Because they deal with many clients at once, PR
agencies may only understand the general problem that their individual clients
are facing without knowing the entire scope of the problem, which could lead to
unsatisfied consumers and the public. 
Another disadvantage is a PR agency's investment of time. PR agencies often
charge clients according to their time worked. If PR agencies are unable to fix the
problem quickly, then there is the possibility that more time is needed, which
equals more money paid.
PUBLIC EVENTS

A public relations event is your opportunity to showcase your company, client, or

products or services to the general public. With a PR event, the press is there and
the pressure is on. More than ever, you want to be professional, presentable, and
engaging.

Here are a few tips to help you plan an effective PR event from the start:

1. Set a goal for your PR event.

Why are you holding the event? The question sounds simple enough, but it’s
really important, and the answer needs to be specific. The answer shouldn’t just
be to promote the latest product.
Be crystal clear and go deeper with goals that can be measured. For example, if
the aim is to promote the latest product, then how do you plan to achieve that?
What’s the benchmark for success ” a minimum number of units sold? A certain
number of attendees using the event hashtag? When you spell out your goals and
benchmarks, you can more easily create an event plan to achieve them.
2. Be timely when kicking off your PR event.
When are you holding the event? Is it on the day of a product release or several
days before? If it’s the latter, do you have a social media strategy in place to keep
the interest alive until the actual release day?
Here’s another thing to think about: Is the event held on an appropriate day for
the press? Ideally, you want to hold the event on a relatively slow day when
there isn’t a whole lot of other things going on. That is, don’t plan your PR event
on the same day as a high-profile sports game, or another major local event. If
you do, attendees and the press might attend those instead of your event.

3. Invite the media to your PR event.

A PR event is all about building publicity. Sure, you can build your own publicity
by live streaming your event and creating other social media content ” but you
also need the press on your side. Here are a few tips to get the press to your
event:
◦ Think local. Unless your company is very well known, it likely won’t
attract established news outlets like CNN, Forbes, or Huffington Post.
Instead, you can reach out to local and city press, who are more likely to
cover your event.
◦ Reach out directly to individual journalists and reporters. This is a better
approach than contacting news outlets via their contact or tip pages. Big
media companies receive hundreds of potential stories to cover daily, and
your event will likely be overlooked.
◦ Build relationships. Journalists do play favorites. With this in mind, it
helps to have these people in your inner circle. Build relationships with
members of the press, comment on their stories, and suggest face-to-face
meetings.

4. Pick a venue for your PR event.

A PR event is also about creating a good impression. This is especially important
if many attendees are first-time visitors. With this perspective, a lavish venue
that’s also a landmark will be far more memorable than, say, a generic multi-
purpose room at a school or city hall.
The venue also needs to be practical. Is there sufficient space and outlets for the
press to gather and set up their equipment? The same applies if you’re hosting an
outdoor event. On top of that, you should also prepare for bad weather with tents
and canopies on standby. The venue layout needs to be charted out ahead of time
to create designated spaces for staff, the press, and general attendees.
The venue is a reflection of the event eas a whole. If you want to make a grand
statement and get people talking, then you need an equally grand venue. Here’s
how to get started finding the best venue online.

5. Provide food and drinks for the PR event.

The purpose of the event is to garner brand exposure. Even so, you want the
conference to be about fun and having a good time. Having food and drinks
creates a festive social scene and attracts attendees.
This creates a positive vibe and gets everyone in good spirits by the time you
begin making your speeches, presentations, and announcements.
If your budget allows, consider a buffet. If all you can afford are light
refreshments, that’s fine as long as you provide foods that promote conversation
and small talk. This includes beverages like sparkly champagne and mini
sandwiches. If the venue has a bar, hire a mixologist who can create delicious
cocktails for guests.
Food also helps with your social media presence. Have you noticed that people
often upload images of their meal on Instagram? If you serve food that’s
appetizing and visually presentable, then attendees will likely snap a picture and
share it on social using the event hashtag.

6. Make your PR event social.

The promotion doesn’t begin and end at the event. It’s an ongoing endeavor that
includes a vibrant social media presence. Use a combination of Facebook,
Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social networks to create hype and anticipation.
Also use your blog, YouTube channel, and newsletters to get the word out. This
includes before, during, and after the event.
You can also use Instagram or Snapchat to send out pics, GIFs, and short videos
of the PR event. As for the event hashtag, continue to use it for at least one week
after the event or release of a product or service. All the accumulated social
media material (including user-generated content) can be useful for promoting
the next event.

ISSUE MANAGEMENT AND CRISIS

In the field of crisis public relations there is an important distinction between

issues management and crisis situations.
Issues management involves assessing and proactively resolving any policy and
communications issues that can negatively affect the public’s perception of a
company or an organization. Crisis PR experts deal with sensitive issues on a
daily basis, identifying them and determining strategic options for moving
forward. Crisis situations on the other hand are different. Unlike issues, crises
pose a serious threat to a company’s reputation as soon as they arise. Crises are
unpredictable events that require an immediate reaction. Therefore it is so
important for every organization to have a designated person who could act
as Crisis Manager in the event of an emergency. Knowing the difference between
issues and crisis management is important. In the age of social media and the 24-
hour news cycle, any issue has the potential to escalate to the level of a crisis.
Both situations require a quick and coordinated response, but need to be
approached differently.
Take a close look at your company and identify any current issues that may
potentially develop into a crisis. Be proactive: assign roles and responsibilities
within your organization and write down procedures that should be followed
during a crisis scenario.
Remember, the best way to minimize the financial and reputational damage in
the event of a crisis is to have a comprehensive crisis PR plan in place at the
ready.

The 8 key categories of issue management vs. crisis management

In a management context, that difference, and why it is important, falls under
eight key categories.

Choice
Issue management is designed to allow you to explore all possible choices, weigh
the benefits of each option, and make an informed decision. Typically the more
you explore the issue the more possible choices open up. For example you might
analyse the communication benefits of a media release versus a press conference
versus a one-on-one interview and the options of newspaper versus radio versus
television versus social media. In a crisis the choices become fewer rather than
more as the situation develops. When a television news crew and the media pack
are waiting outside your door, the options of media release versus a press
conference versus a one-on-one interview no longer seem to apply.

Certainty
When facing an issue you can research all the facts, analyse the views of key
stakeholders, and obtain independent expert opinion to ensure nothing has been
overlooked. In a crisis you often have to make decisions without knowing all the
facts, when it is still unclear exactly what happened and why, let alone who was
responsible and what it will cost. But you still have to go with that you do know.

Urgency
Closely related to choice is the question of time. In issue management you
usually have time to fully assess and make the best decision. In a crisis you are
frequently under pressure to make a decision right now. In fact the best decision
might be the one you should have made 30 minutes ago.

Cost
When you are facing an issue, potential cost is an important consideration. It
might, for example, be cheaper to simply cease manufacturing a troublesome
product than to publicly defend the product or to implement restrictive new
regulatory requirements. However it is recognised that as an issue deteriorates
potential costs tend to increase. Your own issue management plan, implemented
in your own time frame, will generally be less expensive than the plan imposed
on you by regulators. By contrast, cost is usually not an immediate consideration
when facing a crisis. If heavy equipment is needed to rescue men from a mine
collapse; or if you have to undertake costly medical tests; or if you need to hire a
bulldozer to stop leaking chemicals reaching a river; no-one will say “but there’s
no provision for that in this year’s budget.” Cost in a crisis is most often a
secondary consideration. It’s only when the crisis is over that lawyers and
accountants start to argue about the dollars.

Continuity
Issue management is a normal executive activity, done according to schedule in
office hours while business continues. A crisis, by definition, is outside normal
experience, it causes top executives to drop all other priorities, and it may
severely disrupt continuity of the organisation’s core business.

Time
Issues can extend over months, years or even decades. Take for example the
issue of anti-smoking, or the campaign against whaling. Crises generally have a
more explicit time frame and eventually come to an end. Although it may not
seem like it at the time to the people involved crises, like emergencies, do tend to
have a beginning, a middle and an end. However the impact of the crisis,
particularly financial or reputational, may persist for much longer. Think of the
Exxon Valdez disaster in Alaska or the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of
Mexico.

Impact
An issue is an identified event or trend which could have a significant impact on
the organization. That impact is often measured in terms such as market share,
reputation, community concern, licence to operate, recruitment, financial cost,
regulatory compliance, stock price, capacity to retain and expand business, and
so on. Some of those same impacts may apply in the longer run to a crisis, but
much more importantly a genuine crisis is an event which has already happened
and threatens life, property or the environment, or threatens the capacity of the
organization to carry on business or achieve its strategic objectives.

Outcomes
It’s when you consider outcomes that the difference between an issue and a
crisis becomes most stark. The purpose of issue management is to identify
potential problems early and develop proactive plans to work towards planned
outcomes which are positive for the organization. By contrast, despite the
theorists who claim that a crisis is both a threat and opportunity, the reality is
that a crisis typically endangers the entire organization, and the primary
objective is to minimise damage and help the organization survive. In other
words, not planning to avoid danger at sea, but scrambling desperately to save
the ship after it has struck an iceberg.