The Goals Of Public Relations

Public Relations

Public Relations, also known as PR, or community relations, is a tricky topic to explain. Particularly in recent years the want for “Good PR” has really become a top priority. A large number of major colleges offer both upper and lower level classes in Public relations with themes ranging from campaigns to writing. However precisely what really is Public Relations and what does it do?

Most broadly, Public relations is all about establishing and retaining public image. Public Image is the way the community sees and responds to individual, product or idea. Public image is especially important for various groups from commercial enterprises to non-profit organizations, people of high-profile, educational institutions, governments, countries, and even sports teams. One definition of PR is the administration of communication between the these groups and the community (also known as stakeholders). Everything in PR is directed toward the desired public. Defining where PR comes from and what is does might assist to clarify its function.

The history of Pr can be very substantial but enjoy one small selection. The most widely regarded founder of Public Relations was Edward Bernays, nephew of Sigmund Freud, who is most famous for an incident in 1929. As part of one of the first PR campaigns known as the “Torches of Liberty Contingent”, Bernays, secretly employed by the American Tobacco Company, inspired women to march in the New York City Easter Day Parade smoking cigarettes. This destroyed the earlier social taboo of female smokers, meant a substantial payment for Bernays and a favorable shift in public opinion to smoking within the guise of gender equality. One of the first instances of PR with positive commercial outcomes for the tobacco industry.

To understand Public Relations you also need to understand its goals.PR goals can be divided into four groups:

1) Create, maintain, and defend reputation

2) Enhance status

3) Present a positive image

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi30SReUUMw[/youtube]

4) Create good will (for the group, item or idea)

A unique distinction of Public Relation is that it is different from advertising. Particularly because PR is depicted by a 3rd party resulting in free but uncontrolled publicity, credibility, and unpredictability of price and results. PR can be significantly more challenging and time intensive that typical advertising. To accomplish its goals, those people in the PR business have a diversified tool box and procedures. They consist of Press Releases, in the form of newsletters, reports, brochures. Social Media Outlets like blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. Press Kits that involve various sorts advertising material. Other methods are publicity stunts, talk show circuit, speeches, visits and “AstroTurfing”.

Among the Procedures that PR employ are:

1) Identifying all relevant factors

2) Establishing goals

3) Outline tactics

4) Interaction with the desired public

5) Feedback from the public

6) Modify and adapt as necessary

One specific aspect of Public Relation is “spin”. Spin refers to the action of portraying an event through a lens of bias. This means selective representation in the amount and manner of facts displayed to the public. The individuals that take on this job are known as “spin doctors” and they normally use anything from cherry picking to euphemisms to non-denial as their methods.

Public Relations is further divided into various sub-categories

Financial – involves current as well as potential investor and analysts

Consumer/lifestyle – to educate and build relationship with current or future consumers

Crisis – to deal with accidents, disasters, mistakes or wrongdoing

Industry – to promote relationships within industry whether products or for employees

Government – to deal with the public view in all situations

As a result of this complete practice, Public Relations can easily and often does deliver the desired results. The results can be free good publicity and that brings into greater awareness and elevated exposure, sales and image. And so do not take PR for granted as a strong instrument to build or destroy.

Article Source: sooperarticles.com/business-articles/goals-public-relations-154674.html

About Author:

Find out more about Phoenix Public Relations and Advertising today! Author: Colter McLane