1. INTRODUCING PUBLIC RELATIONS
meAnINg, cOMpoNenTs aNd SCoPE oF pR

2. Definition
PR is a leadership and management function that helps achieve organizational objectives, define philosophy and facilitate organizational change. Public relations practitioners communicate with all relevant internal and external publics to develop positive relationships and to create consistency between organizational goals and societal expectations. Public relations practitioners develop, execute and evaluate organizational programs that promote the exchange of influence and understanding among an organization’s constituent parts and publics - Lattimore et al (2004)

3. Definition
Public relations is the management function that establishes and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and the publics on which its success or failure depends
PR focuses on relationships
PR focuses on publics
PR focuses on public opinion
PR focuses on goodwill
Follow this link and see a relationship breach:

4. Definition
PR involves a variety of programmes designed to promote or protect a company’s image or its individual products
It acts synergistically along with advertising and other marketing communications tools
PR is usually unsponsored and unpaid
It is a corporate armour that the company can wear which would protect the company during adverse times
PR is essentially defensive and proactive

5. Press relations or press agency
Public Relations
Press relations or press agency
Creating and placing newsworthy information in the news media to attract attention to a person, product, or service.
Product publicity
Publicizing specific products.
Public affairs
Building and maintaining national or local community relationships.
Lobbying
Building and maintaining relationships with legislators and government officials to influence legislation and regulation.
Public relations (PR) build good relations with the company’s various publics by obtaining favorable publicity; build up a good corporate image; and handle or head off unfavorable rumors, stories, and events.
PR departments may perform any or all of the following functions:
Investor relations
Maintaining relationships with shareholders and others in the financial community.
Development
Working with donors or members of nonprofit organizations to gain financial or volunteer support.

6. What is involved in Public Relations
Issues management
Financial and investment relations
Development/ fund- raising
Minority relations/ multicultural affairs
Special events
Marketing communications
Corporate communications
Counselling
Research
Media relations
Publicity
Employee/member relations
Community relations
Public affairs
Government affairs
Promoting goodwill
Countering negatives

7. The Role and Impact of PR
Public relations can have a strong impact on public awareness at a much lower cost than advertising can.
Rather, it pays for a staff to develop and circulate information and manage events.
Despite its potential strengths, public relations is occasionally described as a marketing stepchild because of its sometimes limited and scattered use.
The point is that PR should work hand in hand with advertising within an integrated marketing communications program to help build brands and customer relationships.

8. Public Relations Practitioners’ work
Developing relationships based on two-way communication
Influencing groups, policies and issues
The publics in public relations
Using communication skills effectively
Distinguishing public relations from related fields [communication, corporate communication, public information, public affairs, advertising]
Important component of the entire communications mix of any organization

9. Merits and demerits of using PR
Very credible and inexpensive
PR can hold down promotion costs
Difficult to quantify PR benefits
Lack of control
‘Deft’ management required

10. Major Public Relations Tools
PR Tools
News
Special events
Written materials
Audiovisual materials
Corporate identity materials
Public service activities

11. PR Publics
A public is a group of people with certain common characteristics
It could be large – students, blue-collar workers, a community
It could be small – board members, faculty
It could be institutional – NUC, NLS, Glo
Different organizations have different publics who are called stakeholders because they have interest in the organization
Every organizations have publics they deal with anytime

12. Types of PR publics Functional Enabling Diffused Normative Traditional
Internal and external
Non-traditional
Latent, aware and active
Intervening
Primary and secondary
Domestic and international

13. A typical PR publics for AUN

14. PR Functions Programming Relationships Writing and editing Information
Production
Special events
Speaking
Research and evaluation

15. Management and Leadership Functions of PR
They perform these roles to advance socially responsible behavior
Leadership involves doing the right things and making the right choices
Management involved doing things right
The PR man is leader and a communication manager aimed at meeting organizational goals.
He advances Socially Responsible Behavior [SRB] which can avert crisis among labour, customers, stakeholders, activists
Monitor various publics & opinion about the organization through strategic planning/decision making

16. How do PR people get their job done?
Using clout of the agency by virtue of being a space buyer
Cultivating relations with media and leveraging that when required
Communication that is newsworthy and which media would be glad to carry

17. PR media

18. PR media

19. Jobs in PR Product publicist Investor relations Information officer
Community relations officer
Employee relations officer
Special events management
Public affairs manager
Issues management
Educational public relations
Public relations agencies and consultancies

20. PR Nuggets It must first put its own house in order
PR must have the respect of employees and community
Management must justify its profits and prove that it is not profiteering
Work for the community as an able corporate citizen
Every action must be based on truth said at the right time under the right circumstances

21. More PR Nuggets Customer complaints and redressal
It is an opportunity to cement relations with the customer
Very important in the service and hospitality industry
Combating rumours / falsehoods
Confront and disclose facts in leading media
Give the positive side of the story
Capitalize on rumour to your benefit
Rumour can be dismissed as ridiculous

22. And more PR nuggets PR changes attitudes.
Institutional ads which present facts do not change attitudes
You need to involve the reader by emotionalizing the information
Biased information shall bring in more resistance than acceptance
Credibility of media as an unbiased reporter must be maintained. Since most media have their own editorial policies, ensure to follow it.

23. Task to be accomplished
You have applied for a public relations position with AUN. The institution has never employed a public relations person before but they decided to hire you. During the interview, the president admits she is not sure what public relations is, but she is fairly sure she wants the person she hires to plan promotions and stage events that will attract new customers, write stories that will get free space and time in the local media and start an employee publication and other relevant program that should occupy the public relations portfolio

24. Questions
Do the responsibilities outlined by the president indicate that she understands how public relations functions can be utilized most effectively?
Use the overview given in these slides to help the president understand public relations better.
What will be your plan for an effective public relations program? Base your support on the functions of PR outlined in one of the slides
What are the marketing communications tools?
Your organization have been accused wrongly, what should we do?

25. The End