Public

Relations
What is Public Relations?
• According to the Public Relations Society
of America (PRSA), public relations is a
“strategic communication process that
builds mutually beneficial relationships
between organizations and their publics.”
Public Relations is an essential activity that
provides companies in highly competitive
business environment with a powerful tool
for brand image and awareness.
What is Public Relations?
• Public Relations is definitely not the same
as advertising, because it does not involve
any payment for brand exposure. It also
consists of a series of continuous activities
and interactive communication to reach,
influence, persuade, impress, and make
friends with many different, but important
publics.
What is Public Relations?
• Why is Public Relation so valuable as an
IMC strategy? First, public relations
activities require very little money,
compared to advertising to reach a large
number of people. But there is a big
downside. The content cannot be
controlled. Media publishers, online or in
traditional media, are never obligated to
print or display exactly what you provide
them.
What is Public Relations?
• Second reason that makes public relations
valuable as an IMC strategy is
believability. People do not trust
advertising messages and promotional
offers. They know companies are
persuasive and are always trying to
influence their attitudes about a product or
service.
What is Public Relations?
• The third valuable aspect of public
relations is the unlimited availability of
distribution options. Traditional medias
was limited by the number of pages in a
newspaper or magazine. The audiences
may not be as large, but online distribution
of content is more targeted, focused, and
relevant for everyday life.
Functions of Public Relations
• The 12 functions or activities of public are:
press releases, media conferences,
company spokesperson, crisis
management, content development,
executive speechwriting, sponsored events,
community activities, trade shows and
exhibits, social media management,
corporate advertising, and internal
publications.
Functions of Public Relations
• Press Releases – It’s an old term, but still
used today. No longer limited to a piece of
paper, press releases (also called media
releases) are now distributed digitally, as
well as in a printed form. And with social
media, a text message, image or video
performs the same purpose as traditional
press release. Anything that gets information
out fast, accurately, and completely is now
part of the publicity process.
Functions of Public Relations
• Media Conferences – It is a tradition, as well
as an essential public relations strategy, to
share brand and company information with the
media, but in a way that is always controlled
and managed. The normal press conferences is
designed to give everyone in the media an
equal opportunity to communicate with a
designated spokesperson, but all at the same
time. This mean that media competitors have
equal access to the information.
Functions of Public Relations
• Company Spokesperson – In a large
company, the unifying voice is a CEO,
President, or Vice President, but most likely it
will be the designated Public Relations
Manager. This is done for 2 reasons First,
individuals with professional training or
experience with media relations are more
effective in dealing with media reporters.
Second is that a “single source” eliminates the
problems associated with receiving different
answers from multiple company employees.
Functions of Public Relations
• Crisis Management – These public relations
nightmares are happening with greater
frequency and severity. Digital media is the
catalyst, especially with the ability of
smartphones to capture everything on video
and immediately distribute the content.
There is no hiding place anywhere. Quick
and decisive action is usually required, but
large corporations cannot always respond
with the answers the people expect.
Functions of Public Relations
• Content Development - These types of
news content stories are designed more for
maintaining relationships with individual
members of the media than for generating
specific coverage. The content of these
factual items has a different purpose,
which is to demonstrate the knowledge,
expertise, and leadership of the company.
Functions of Public Relations
• Executive Speechwriting – The writer has
to completely understand the purpose and
motivation for the speech before the first
word is ever created. Like any good
storyteller, the speech writer must begin
with a strong introduction. Next the
speechwriter has to develop the main idea
and guide everyone through the content.
Functions of Public Relations
• Sponsored Events – Facts about what is
happening when, and the purpose of the
event, need to be communicated in a
simple, concise, and helpful way. The type
of event doesn’t matter, either a brand-
oriented or company-sponsored event, but
how to find more details or ask questions
must be from a single source at the
company.
Functions of Public Relations
• Trade Shows and Exhibits – The purpose
of a trade show for a company or brand is
to meet as many new prospects as possible,
as well as strengthen relationships with
existing clients or buyers. Information
about the company, or brand, is always
available at consumer shows and exhibits,
but usually is inexpensive and simple.
Functions of Public Relations
• Community Activities – Whenever a
company has a manufacturing facility,
large warehouse, distribution center, or
executive office within a community,
active public relations is required. The
public relations department is compelled to
be a good corporate citizen and participate
in most of the local activities within the
community.
Functions of Public Relations
• Social Media Management – Social media
is an important part of everyday life,
especially for Millennials and Gen Z. This
is not an easy task, since companies are an
unwanted participant in the
communication.
Functions of Public Relations
• Websites and Blogs - Corporate websites can
present a problem for individual brands. Public
Relations make decisions about the layout, style
and design of the website. So, the best situation
is always to have an independent brand website
with backlinks to the corporate homepage.
Blogs are different. Blogs are require daily
attention and careful listening to the comment
being posted. This is truly a very important
function for the image of a company.
Functions of Public Relations
• Corporate Advertising – The purpose is
typically to build, improve, or maintain the
reputation or image of the company. But,
there are other motivations, such as to
impress investors, attract international
customers, or even influence government
officials. The topics can range from
diversity of products offered and
contributions to the industry to community
projects, social good, and philanthropy.
Functions of Public Relations
• Internal Publications – This public
relations functions includes writing,
production, and distribution of many
different types of publications such as
monthly newsletter, employee benefits, or
a brochure about the company’s history.
The goal is to generate pride and
enthusiasm for the company by describing
and displaying accomplishments of its
products, people and organization.
Building Relationships
• Since the primary purpose of public
relations is engaging with multiple publics
though contact, interactive communication,
and the distribution of information,
corporations, small businesses,
entrepreneurs, organizations, and even
individuals must have a plan that supports
the needs and requirements of each group.
Building Relationships
• Customer Relationship – It is a
responsibility of a brand to listen to its
customer before, during, and after
purchase. When something is wrong with a
product, or it is not working correctly, the
reason must be determined and a
reasonable solution provided. That is the
only way to insure customer satisfaction
and maintain customer loyalty.
Building Relationships
• Media Relationships – Media relations are
the foundation of publicity. The
publications of media sources that best
serve your customer base or industry are
the one you are most concerned about
influencing, as well as building long-term
relationships with over the years.
Building Relationships
• Industry Relationships – Company
executives and managers often give
speeches, or participate in a panel at
private workshops and seminars. These can
involve a number of different industry
organizations or associations, but most are
national and held only a few times a year.
Building Relationships
• Employee Relationships – Employee
relations often involves the Human
Resource Department and includes a wide
array of public relations methods. The goal
here is being an active and helpful member
of the local business and living
environment.
Building Relationships
• Supplier Relationships – Maintaining a
good working relationship with these
suppliers is not only a productive business
strategy, but also a method of promoting
the image and reputation of the company
and its brands. There are plenty of great
ideas for improving the distribution and
marketing of products and services that
come from the suppliers.
Building Relationships
• Community Relationships – If a company
wants to support a particular charity or
social issue, it allocates money for that
purpose. Participating in a local charity or
cause enables members of the company to
actively get involved with the community
and provides exposure opportunities in the
news media.
Building Relationships
• Government Relationships – Industry
associations, corporations, and individuals
develop public relations strategies to
influence legislators at both the state and
federal levels. The purpose is to get laws
passed that favor a particular position,
relax restrictions, or provide tax incentives
involved with planning, manufacturing,
distribution, and marketing of products or
services.
Brand Publicity and IMC
• How does public relations support IMC?
Are they two separate communication
activities, or can they work together in
harmony for a common purpose? The four
most important situations where publicity
facilitates brand marketing are identified:
new product introductions, brand news and
information, event/program, sponsorships,
and promotional activities.
Brand Publicity and IMC
• New Product Introductions – Since the
launch date for a new brand is established
months in advance, there is plenty of time
for the public relations staff to prepare
their materials. This includes planned
involvement in social media campaigns,
promotional events, industry activities, and
exclusive launch events.
Brand Publicity and IMC
• Brand News – Product improvements are
another potential topic. The media appeal
or attractiveness varies. At one end of the
spectrum, there are innovative and useful
product features, while at the other end,
there are mundane and unimportant
product facts.
Brand Publicity and IMC
• Event/Program Sponsorship – Event
sponsorship is a major part of any brand
visibility strategy. And, this requires a
strong, coordinated public relations
program to maximize the exposure value
from the event. Everything from venue and
location signage to promotional materials
and advertising will display the brand
name and logo.
Brand Publicity and IMC
• Promotional Activities –Promotions do not
have much appeal to the media, unless
there is an unexpected twist or unusual
aspect that is radically different. Publicity
of promotional activities includes
everything from sweepstakes to rebates,
and nearly everything else in between.
Measuring Effectiveness
Four methods for measuring the
effectiveness of public relations activities
include:
• equivalent media value
• image and attitude surveys
• marketing metrics
company stock prices.
Measuring Effectiveness
• Equivalent Media Value – The calculation
of media value for public relations is very
similar to the procedure used for brand
visibility proposals, such as product
placement or location naming rights. The
amount of space devoted to the publicity,
or length of time for television, is
evaluated based on the cost to place an
advertisement in the same position.
Measuring Effectiveness
• Image and Attitude Surveys – Advertising
agencies have always used image and
attitude studies to demonstrate the long-
term effectiveness of their media
campaign. The entire purpose is to study
the movement or monitor the changes over
much longer time periods.
Measuring Effectiveness
• Marketing Metrics – The three key
performance indicators (KPIs)for marketing
management usually include total unit sales,
gross profit, and share of market. These
measurements represent the traditional
categories for monitoring and measuring the
results of marketing programs and activities.
IMC strategies contribute to marketing
metrics, but they are not automatically linked
to success or failure.
Measuring Effectiveness
• Company Stock Prices - This is the
ultimate indicator of success. It is not an
objective for the Advertising or Public
Relations Departments, but rather for the
areas of corporate communications and
investors relations. Plain and simple, stock
price is an excellent way to motivate
portfolio managers and institutional
investors to buy. Thus, relationship with
the financial media play an important role.