SYBMS PUBLIC RELATIONS NOTES

WHAT IS PUBLIC RELATIONS?

Public relation is very simply put, encompasses the techniques and processes via which you
manage and mould how, when, and in what way you communicate your message to a desired
audience so as to have maximum impact.
Public Relations is a dynamic business tool which can transform the performance of any
company, be it public or private limited ormultinational. It is an important part of marketing mix
and widely used tool for publicity.
Public relation is all about reputation i.e. what you say, how you say, what others say about. It is
a two way communication process between an organization and public.In order to be able to
affect the attitudes, behaviour and perceptions of the audience, it is necessary to communicate
your message in no unclear terms.
Investing on Public relations will help the organisation to achieve its objective effectively and
smoothly. Public Relations is not creating good image for a bad team. Since false image cannot
be sustained for a long time. Though the organization product or services are good it need an
effective Public Relations campaign for attracting, motivating the public to the product or service
or towards the purpose of the programme. It is not only encourage the involvement from the
public and alsoresulting in better image.
An effective Public Relations can create and build up the image of an individual or an
organisation or a nation. At the time of adverse publicity or when the organisation is under crisis
an effective Public Relations can remove the "misunderstanding
Public relations involves:
i) a two way communication process between an organisation and its public
ii) communication with a view to changing the mindsets of the public in a
certain direction
We can therefore define public relations as a form of communication used to
persuade or influence people using ethical means. It is important to understand that
communication here,i.e.in public relations is are receiver phenomenon.
It is controlled not by the sender but rather by the receiver or, in other words, the audience. For
e.g. if the speaker is gifted and delivers a speech effectively in Hindi but the audience does not
understand Hindi, no real communication takes place
.
The aim of public relations by a company often is to persuade the public, investors, partners,
employees, and other stakeholders to maintain a certain point of view about it, its leadership,
products, or of political decisions. Common activities include speaking at conferences, winning
industry awards, working with the press, and employee communication.

Why
DEFINITIONS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS:
Public Relations is the deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual
understanding between an organization and its publics.
- Institute of Public Relations, USA
Public relations is the attempt by information persuasion and adjustment to engineer public
support for an activity, cause, movement or institution.
- Edward L. Bernay
PR is a philosophy and function of management expressed in policies and practices which
serve the public to serve its understanding and goodwill
- The Public Relation society of America (PRSA)
HISTORY OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
Many historians credit IVY LEEwith being the originator of modern crisis communications.
But Edward Bernay, nephew and student of Sigmund Freud, is generally regarded as the
father of Public Relations.
In the United Kingdom Sir Basil Clarke (18791947) was a pioneer of public relations.
The First World War encouraged the development of public relations as a profession. The
committee of Public Information ( also known as the CREEL Committee) was started by many
PR professionals including Ivy Lee, Edward Bernay , Johan W. Hill and Carl Byvoir.
US Congress had been investigating Rockefeller's work on behaIvy Lee, who has been credited
with developing the modern news release (also called a "press release"),
He emphasized news value over ads or publicity stunts and believed companies must strive to
earn public confidenceHe espoused a philosophy consistent with what has sometimes been
called the "two-way street" approach to public relations in which PR consists of helping clients
listen as well as communicate messages to their publics
In the words of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), "Public relations helps an
organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other.
In practice, however, Lee often engaged in one way propagandizing on behalf of clients
despised by the public, including Standard Oil founder John D. Rockefeller.
Shortly before his death, the US congress had been investigating Rockefellers work on behalf
of the controversial Nazi German company IG Farben

Edward L Bernay
Edward L Bernay was the profession's first theorist.He drew many of his ideas from Sigmund
Freud's theories about the irrational, unconscious motives that shape human behaviour.
He authored several books, including Crystallizing Public Opinion (1923),Propaganda (1928),
and The Engineering of Consent (1947).
He taught first course on Public RelationsHe saw public relations as an "applied social
science" that uses insights from psychology, sociology, and other disciplines to scientifically
manage and manipulate the thinking and behavior of an irrational and "herd like" public.

GROWTH OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

Public relations is a 20th-century phenomenon, barely 100 years old.In the 21st century, the field
is evolving and improving every day.As 20th century rolled on, big business came back into
style.Smart companies such as General Electric, General Motors and AT&T learned that it takes
both words and actions to earn a good reputation.
Several reasons can be attributed for the growingpopularity of Public Relations profession :
Growth of Corporates:
Business was growing day by day, that gave a raise to many impediments. The needs to
face challenges like managing reputation, target customers, employees and effect
communication gave arise to Public Relations.
Globalization
Globalisation is purely an economic process - it has deep social, cultural and
environmental consequences. Public relation plays a vital part in communicating about
integration of national economies, capital flows , foreign direct investments etc.
Internal communication:
Employees are important to every organization .They need to be communicated
regularly about the latest developments in the organization which keeps them motivated
and also give them a sense of belonging which leads to productivity and profitability. This
requirement is fulfilled by Public Relations
Growth of Media
The media has been growing rapidly in the last decade or so. The number of vehicles or
mediums to communicate has also increased. Public Relations thus is an effective
means of communication through the growth of media.

GROWTH OF PUBLIC RELATIONS IN INDIA

The growth of public relations in India can actually be seen at different stages.
During the first World War (1914-1918), British government in India set up a Central
Publicity Board.
This was the first organised PR/Information set-up of the Government of India.
It was later called the Central Bureau of Information, which later changed to the Bureau
of Public Information, and functioned as a link between the Government and the Press.
The government had started realizing that a set up was needed to know what the media
thought and wrote about them. Soon after Independence (1947), the government of India
set up a full-fledged Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
A systematic and organised practice of public relations began with the Indian railways much
before we attained independence.
The Great Indian Peninsular (GIP) Railways as it was known then, for example, carried on
a campaign in England in the 20s to attract tourists to India. The importance of public
relations was known to the British and they made well use of it.PostIndependence theGovt
of India set up the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting , employing professionals to look
after the functions of PR
It was not only the government but slowly the private sector in India also woke up to the
need of public relations. PSUs like ONGC , BHEL, NTPC, Indian oil, VSNL etc played a
significant role in giving a professional status to PR .
Tatas set up their Public Relations Department in Mumbai in 1943.There were other
companies too such as Dunlop,Unilever and others which did many public outreach
activities. Infact the Tatas also came with a course on public relations in 1958.

PUBLICS IN PUBLIC RELATIONS

It is important to understand that communication here, i.e.in public relations is a receiver
phenomenonTherefore, the most important aspect of public relations is to focus on the key
public or in other words, the people who will receive the communication or who are target
audience.
Traditionally the term publicsmeansany group with a common interest. In PR perspective
publics and target audience are synonymous
Publics is your board of directors, employees, shareholders, vendors,
Customers, dealers, NGO, Govt , media ..The need, desires, interest of each one of the
publics is different Understanding and communicating the right message is indeed a vital skill.

INTERNAL PUBLIC
The Employees who work for an organisation are termed as the Internal publics.More often
they are ignored. Regular communication with them is important as they are the BRAND
AMBASSDORS of the organization Regular information about the organisationkeeps them
motivated and gives them a sense of belonging.Proper and regular communication should be
devised by the PR personnel
Requirements for an Effective internal PR
To build a team and to achieve corporate objectives
It is important for the employees /internal publics to be well versed with the policies
and objectives of the organizations.
Free flow of information should be cascaded from top management to the employees
. PR person should ensure that a climate conducive to the free flow of information is
created.
PR person should ensure that there is an understanding between the top
management and employees.
To facilitate the growth and advancement of the employees regular training programs
should be organized by the company.
PR person must ensure that management values feedback from the employees and
keep open channels of communication.

EXTERNAL PUBLIC
External publics in a broad category are customers, vendors, shareholders, potential
employees, community , NGO, Government etc.External publics constitute as an
important audience for the company with whom the communication is important.
A two way smooth channel of communication between the organisationand its
external public is essential .Each industry has its own set of external public

BASIC PUBLICS are :

1. Customers
2. Shareholders
3. Potential employees
4. Community
5. Suppliers and Vendors
6. Distributors and Dealers
7. Opinion Leaders
8. Government
CUSTOMERS
Consumers who use a product or service of an organisation.They can be categorized into
numerous demographic segments such as Age, Religion, Sex, marital status , income group
and so on.Customers cannot be ignored and taken for granted .
The management of an organisation must regularly communicate to its customers about
various activities .Customer queries should be answer promptly .
Regular information should be sent to customers such as letter, circulars etc. as this helps
in strengthening the relationship
SHAREHOLDERS
Shareholders invest in the company and hold shares.All important information such as
dividends , share transfer application and procedure , AGM s, statutory notices, circulars etc.
POTENTIAL EMPLOYESS
PR is about reputation and it is important to enhance the corporate image thereby
encouraging more employees to join the company .
SUPPLIERS AND VENDORS
They are the backbone of an organisation.Communicating with them through seminars,
visits etc. is important as they are a strong link between the customers and the company
DISTRIBUTORS & DEALERS
The dealer is a trader who carries out business activity with the company and they need to
be communicate regularly on process , policies, norms etc.Tools such as in house journal,
seminars , dealers meets should be held regularly as this is one of the medium of
communication about the company .
OPINION LEADERS
Individuals with the necessary skills set , knowledge , personality , position with in a certain
group exercise influence on others.They could be a opinion leader of one product while for
other he / she may be customer.Their opinion influences others thus can be critical.
One has to carefully select the media through which one can reach them as these opinion
leaders may be widely dispersed.
GOVERNMENT
Several companies dealings are covered by the Government and its various departments,
so its important to have regular communication.Companies should maintain relations with

Registrar of companies, labourdepartment , sales tax, exercise department , import and

export department etc
Therefore, the most important aspect of public relations is to focus on the key public or in other
words, the people who will receive the communication. Let us consider the following list of
products/services and public who use these
.
Product / Service
Public
Hospitals Patients
Merchants
Customers
Schools Students
TelevisionViewers
Radio
Listeners
Insurance companies
Policy holders

Objectives of Public Relations

The objectives of Public Relations are as follows :
1. Information: In complex business organizations , effective decisions depend upon
collection, storage and supply of information. Information receiving and giving is a
continuous process in organizations . To convey to the public plans , programmes and
policies of the organization
2. To influence: The object of transmitting information is to change the behavior of the
recipient . Communication is aimed at influencing , persuading , motivating or activating
people towards desired goals.
3. To develop better understanding: There are always regular between employeeemployer , consumer manufacturer, shareholder management , citizen govt due to
misunderstanding and misconception. The most important managerial function is to
bridge the gap is possible only through communication without it, mutual understanding
cannot be achieved
4 To discourage mis- information: The objective of communication is not only to pass
and exchange policies , rules , orders , procedures and objectives but also to avoid
distortion in communication . This objective includes discouraging the spread of
mis- information , rumors, gossip and release of emotional tensions by the workers
5

To build image of the organization: PR basically works towards building a good image
of the organization in the eyes of the public . A good reputation creates a positive impact
on all aspects related to the organization.

6. Better Internal Relations: Communication improves better employer employee

relations . House journals , internal communication , intranet and other publications
promote good understanding by mutual exchange of ideas.
7. Overcoming prejudices: A good Pr helps in overcoming suspicions , prejudice ,dislike of
the public. It may also help in developing positive attitude towards companys product e.g.
Cadbury India used extensive PR after the worm controversy
8. To develop social conscience : A good PR based on ethical grounds raises the social
conscience of corporate. A sincere CSR intiative by organization can be supported by PR
through media to garner support for a just cause e.g. Mahindra & Mahindra has Nanhi Kali
project etc

Eight Basic principles of Public relations Practice:

1. PR Deals with facts and not fictions
2. PR is public not personal services
3. PR practitioners must have the guts to say no to client or to refuse a deceptive
program
4. PR cannot afford to be a guessing game
5. PR practitioners should alert and advise, so people wont be taken by surprise
6. The PR field requires multi- disciplinary applications
7. Intuition is not enough
8. PR practitioners should never lie to the news media, either outright or by
implication
PR Personnel
There is no magic formula for forming a PR agency.Public relation is a two way
communication
PR should be seen as a management function and form of communication that is
primarily directed to image building and deal with issues rather than specifically with
products or services.
In- House PR
A Pr dept can be within the organization or the organization may choose to hire the
services of PR experts from outside as consultants
The dept within the organisation is called as In-house PR
It is eyes , ears and voice of the orgnaisation
Every one should be well informed about the organisation.

Functions of a Public Relations Department.

The broad functions of the PR department include the following:
1. Framing the PR policy
A PR policy is written statement that outlines the rules , regulations programmes
to be followed while taking a PR decision . Developing and recommending PR
policies to the management with various functional areas of management is
another important area of the department.
2. Corporate Identity
Corporate identity refers to strive to achieve the Image of the company Build a
reputation with the public Developing and initiate programme to build positive image
thus building corporate identity
3. Corporate Publicity
Corporate publicity refers to image that a company strives to achieves in order to
build a reputation with the public .Publicize the activities of the corporate . PR
should prepare all financial statement and policies to be given to media houses ,
press etc.
4. Product Publicity
This includes announcement of new product launches, providing appropriate
communication to the public
5. Government relations .
Government bodies are crucial to the organization since they provide necessary
permissions. The PR department has to maintain relations with various government
departments such as Regulators, Police, Sales Tax etc.
6.Community relations
Community relations include activities relating to the welfare of the community
including health, employment , health, education, rural and urban development
programme. This includes ecological and environmental issues
7. Employee relations
Employees are Internal customers. The PR department role is to publicize in house
journal and Dissemination of information relating to health and safety ,industrial
relations and employee welfare programme

8.Shareholder relations
The PR department has to undertake activities to regularly inform the shareholders
about the activities of the company and also attract potential investors .This includes
preparing annual report ,quarterly reports arranging for annual general meeting etc.
9. Corporate Philanthropy
This includes CSR activities, Donations ,Scholarship Sponsorship
10. Others
Other functions include Interactions and liasoning on behalf of the company with
industry , associations , company events, celebrations , seminars , meeting etc.
A PR personnel is the face of the company. PR is a delicate art which requires a high
degree of skill and experience. Should be constantly on call and available to handle
emerging situations as quickly possible Effective response are crucial for PR
Qualities of a PR personnel
1. PR personnel should have excellent writing skills for expressing message
clearly and persuasive
2. 2.Confident communication and presentation skills
3. 3.Creativity and initiative
4. Good organizational ,planning and time management skills
5. The ability to work well as a part of the team and with all kinds of client
6. Flexibility and multitasking
7. Resilience to cope with rejection or criticism of your ideas
8. Accuracy and attention to detail
9. Interest in media
10. Honesty, trustworthiness , ethics
11. Goal oriented , being nice to people , enthusiasm, persistence

Internal and External PR

Many a times the organization is so busy in putting the messages "out there" that it
tends to forget its employees...They assume that their employees will know
everything about them.. but this does not happen all the time.
Its always nice to know something from the people in the house rather that
outsiders.. isn't it?
PR is given much importance as compared to that of marketing, which is that of
boundary spanning i.e. they care for the interest of the organization internally and
externally PR helps in guiding the management of the organization at times. PR
facilitates communication between the internal subsystems and external audiences.
Due to all this the PR department involves a higher status in the organizations.Thus
problems and issues that arise within the organization should be tackled properly,
and the use of PR should be made in the organization effectively.
Internal and external PR are like two sides of a coin .Both are an integral part of
Corporate CommunicationThey have objective which cannot be met with out the
help of each other

Internal PR
Internal PR is the corporate glue that binds teams together reinforces pride in
working for an organization , encouraging employees to work a wee bit harder to
beat competition.Internal PR is the conduit or link between the management and
staff for flow of information.
Internal communication is considered a vital tool for fastening an organization,
enhancing employee morale , promoting transparency and reducing attrition It can
start from the spread of false rumors to demotivation among employees to a gradual
destruction of the companys brand image.

It may also lead to the slow death of the organization.

Communicating effectively with employees involving them enables an organization
to get an effective workforce, that understands where the company is heading to and
helps them achieve the goal .Employees are the best tools of word of mouth
publicity .
Effective internal public relations helps to improve the outside image of the
organization which eventually increases productivity and consequently, profit
Newsletter, rewards and recognition, intranet , training programs , employee
engagements , video conferencing, etc. are used to communicate with employees.
Internal PR keeps the channels of communication with in an organization open and
motivates the staff.
Well- planned and delivered internal communication can drive the culture of an
organization.
The Best communication strategies for your business should incorporate the
following
1. Integration
2. Keeping it brief
3. Be straightforward
4. Address your target
5. Make it personal
6. Make it memorable
7. Use multimedia
8. Focus on being result oriented
1- Integration
Connecting the current communication as to what is happening in the
company and other modification that employees are being affected by
2 -Keeping it brief

Make sure that your message is as simple as possible dont overcomplicate it

3 Be straightforward
Be straightforward in your communication dont be vague
4- Address Your Target
Just as it is required in marketing for any product externally the target audience .
You need to send the message according to the requirement of the target
audience
5- Make it personal

Help your employees to understand they are affected personally.

When people know that whats in for them they respond quickly
6- Make it memorable

Ensure that the message is striking enough to stand out from the many
communication that they receive every day.

7- Use Multimedia

In order to communicate the message across use different media and methods
such as video conferencing, Intranet etc.
8- Focus on being result oriented

Make an assessment of how effective your communication are and devise followup strategy

By communicating effectively , you ensure that employees are with you all the
way till you achieve your goal.

PR Personnel

A PR personnel is the face of the companyPR is a delicate art which requires a high
degree of skill and experience.Should be constantly on call and available to handle
emerging situations as quickly possible
Effective response are crucial for PR

Excellent writing skills

Confident communication and presentation skills

Creativity and initiative

Organizational & Planning skills

Team player

Multi tasking

Flexibility

Resilience to cope with rejection

Accuracy and attention to detail

Interest in media

Honesty, trustworthiness , ethics

Marketing and PR

Marketing became an every day word in 1980

Marketing and Public relations both are major external functions of the firm and
both share a common ground in regard to product publicity and consumer
relations.At the same time, however they operate on different level and from different
perspectives and perceptions.
The traditional view is that marketing exists to sense, serve and satisfy customer
needs at a profit.Public relations exist to produce goodwill in the company various
publics so that the publics do not interfere in the firm profit making ability.

Difference between marketing and PR is:

Marketing

Public Relations

Marketing promote the transfer of

goods and services from the
producer and provider to the
consumer

Public relation help the organization

and its public adapt mutually each
other

Marketings immediate goal is sales Public Relation immediate goal is

mutual understanding or position of
the organization with its publics

Marketings implicit goal is profit

Public relations implicit goal is

positive perception s and
predisposition

Marketing measure of success is

the number of sales or revenue it
generates

Public relations' measure of

success is expressed public
opinion or other evidence of public
support .