Defining Public Relations

Defining Public Relations

There are many different definitions for public relations but my definition is: A way of communicating to the public primarily directed at gaining the public trust or understanding. Public relations normally deal with issues rather than products or services.

Public Relations involve communicating both ways between an organization and the public. It requires that one analyze and understand the attitudes and behavior of the public. Only then can an organization undertake an effective public relations campaign. Many small business owners such as me prefer to handle issues on its own while big companies hire separate PR companies to handle their public relations issues for them. In the end no matter what option a company chooses, the head of the company has final responsibility.

Some of the main goals of public relations are to create, maintain, and protect the organization's reputation, enhance its prestige, and present a favorable image. Studies have shown that consumers often base their purchase decisions on a company's reputation, so public relations can have a definite impact on sales and revenue. Public relations can be an effective part of a company's overall marketing strategy. In the case of a for-profit company, public relations and marketing should be coordinated to be sure they are working to achieve the same objectives.

Another major public relations goal is to create good will for the organization. This involves such functions as employee relations, stockholder and investor relations, media relations, and community relations. Public relations may function to educate certain audiences about many things relevant to the organization, including the business in general, new legislation, and how to use a particular product, as well as to overcome misconceptions and prejudices. For example, a nonprofit organization may attempt to educate the public regarding a certain point of view, while trade associations may undertake educational programs regarding particular industries and their products and practices.

Public relations require a knowledge, based on analysis and understanding, of all the factors that influence public attitudes toward the organization. While a specific public relations project or campaign may be undertaken proactively or reactively (to manage some sort of image crisis), the first basic step in either case involves analysis and research to identify all the relevant factors of the situation. In this first step, the organization gains an understanding of its various constituencies and the key factors that are influencing their perceptions of the organization(Nucifora,2000).

In the second step, the organization establishes an overall policy with respect to the campaign. This involves defining goals and desired outcomes, as well as the constraints under which the campaign will operate. It is necessary