Public Relations: Tool of the Communication Mix.
Public relations is a management activity that attempts to shape the attitudes and opinions held by an organisation’s stakeholders.
It attempts to identify its own policies with the interests of its stakeholders and formulates and executes a programme of action to develop mutual goodwill and understanding. Through this process relationships are developed which are in the long-run interests of all parties.
The CIPR defines public relations as:
Public relations is… about reputation – the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you.
Public relations practice is… the discipline which looks after reputation, with the aim of earning understanding and support and influencing opinion and behaviour. It is the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics.
Public Relations Methods
Public relations does not require the purchase of airtime or space in media vehicles, such as television or magazines. The outcome is that these messages usually carry greater perceived credibility than those messages transmitted through paid media, such as advertising.
There is a low level of control over PR messages.
As no media time has to be purchased the costs of public relations are very low compared to the other tools of the mix.
The main methods are: Media Relations, Publicity and Events, Lobbying, Sponsorship, Crisis Management, Public Affairs, Industry Relations, Issues Management.
PR tactics
Press conference . Interviews/ editor one-to-one’s . Press releases
Competitions . Advertising . Research-based reports
Consumer Surveys . Good quality photography . Lobbying
Quality literature . Media relations . Speaker platforms
Industry forums/ conferences/exhibitions
Award schemes . Events – e.g. new product launch
Newsletters – internal and external
Stunts . Photocalls
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