Introduction to PR

What is PR?
To generate free advertising
by pumping out
lots of
press releases?
Think!
Definition 1:
“Public Relations is a management function that
identifies, establishes and maintains mutually
beneficial relationships between an organisation
and the various publics on whom the success or
failure depends”
- Cutlip and Center, Effective Public Relations
What is PR?
What is PR?
Definition 2:
"Using the news or business press to carry positivestories about your
company or your products; cultivating a good relationship with local press
representatives"
- Entrepreneur
Definition 3:
“ Public Relations is the planned and sustained effort to establish and
maintain goodwill and understanding between an organisation and its
publics”
– Chartered Institute of Public Relations
What is PR?
A basic definition of public relations is
“To shape and maintain the image of a company,
organization or individual in the eyes of the client's
various "publics."
What is a "public" exactly?
A public, in PR terms, is anyone who ever has or ever will form an opinion about the
client.
Summary
Public Relations is…
• A management function
• Two-way or interactive
• Relationships are long term rather than short term
• Deliberate
• Planned
• Public Interest
The PR Process
Public relations activity has seven steps:
1. Analysis of the situation
2. Definition of problem areas
3. Identification of pertinent publics
4. Establishment of specific objectives
5. Planning of program
6. Implementation of program
7. Periodic evaluations of progress
Measuring The Effectiveness of PR
Meaningless:
• Number of releases
• Number of impressions: the clip book
• Number of event attendees
Meaningful:
• Qualitative and quantitative research to measure
opinion before and after change
• Message recall
• Comparison to competitors
Advantages of PR
• Credibility
• Cost
• Avoidance of clutter
• Lead Generation
• Image Building
Key Activities in PR
• Media Relations
• Corporate PR
• Public Affairs
• Investor Relations
• Strategic Communications
• Issues Management
• Crisis Management
• Internal Communications
• Community Relations /
CSR
• Copywriting
• Publications management
• Events Management
• B2B
Key PR Tools
• Media Relations
• Media Tours
• Newsletters
• Special Events
• Speaking Engagements
• Sponsorships
• Employee Relations
• Community Relations and Philanthropy
Before choosing among the various tools marketers should begin by
identifying their targeted audiences (target markets) and key messages they
wish to send.
Press/ Media Kit
• Executive profiles
• Quick facts about an organization, such as its company history
• Photographs
• Detailed product descriptions; even samples
• Recent press releases
• Business card of PR representative
Strategic Public Relations
What is Strategic Public Relations?
• The strategic objective of an effective PR programis to manage the many
different publics' awareness and opinion of the organization and its
management team
• It is a concerted, continual effort to maintain positive, self-sustaining
relationships with the people who influence the marketplace. Who drive
public opinion
• A strategic public relations firm will focus on:
1. cultivating long term relationships with key stakeholders
2. generate positive instead of negative press
3. Be a knowledge partner
Handling Crisis Communications
There are many kinds of potential PR crises. For businesses,
governments and organizations, they can be broken down into
four basic categories:
• Natural disasters
• Technical problems
• Human error
• Executive
Ready for a TV interview?
• Be prepared with a few simple, key messages
• Think like a reporter; prepare answers for questions that are likely to arise
• Use the "blocking and bridging" technique to steer answers in the right
direction. For example, use the phrases: "Now that's an interesting
question…" followed by "what's important to remember is…" or "the real
issue today is…“
• Never lie to a reporter or say "no comment." Better to say you're "carefully
reviewing" all the facts
• For TV interviews, look comfortable and feel conversational, but never
mistake an interview for a conversation
Writing a Great Press Release
What is a press release?
• A press release is pseudo-news story, written in third person,
that seeks to demonstrate to an editor or reporter the
newsworthiness of a particular person, event, service or product
• Press releases are often sent alone, by e-mail, fax or snail mail.
They can also be part of a full press kit, or may be accompanied
by a pitch letter
Trends in Public Relations
Trends in Public Relations
• Blogs
• Social Media Press Releases
• Fan Pages – social networking
• Linkedin – professional networking
• Discussion Forums
• RSS Feeds
• Podcasting
• Search Engine Optimization
Challenges
• Identify as a management function and not just a ‘cost’ centre
• Difficult to measure PR benefits
• Misunderstood or under valued
• PR consultant should be more of a ‘knowledge partner’
• Results are not always immediate
Questions