Public
Relations, Marketing and Integrated Communications in the Information
Age
Public
Relations means creating, shaping, publicizing, enhancing
or changing public perceptions of a person, company, industry or
brand. It is one of the "three sisters" of business development: Advertising, Marketing and PR.
Public Relations is the most highly leveragable of the three facets of successful go-to-market or corporate communication expenditures, as a well-placed
article in an industry publication or local newspaper can be invaluable
to the introduction, growth or special program of a business or
nonprofit organization. Public Relations often
supports fund-raising programs and business growth and branding
initiatives.
There are a number of areas of specialization in the field of Public
Relations. An effective public relations plan should be aimed at
reaching specific “publics” and stakeholders. Activities
may include:
- Customer
or client relations
- Employee
relations
- Event
management
- Government
relations
- Investor
or shareholder relations
- Media
or press relation
Utilizing
Public Relations to meet corporate goals, organizations
often benefit from the depth and breadth of PR practitioners'
experience in:
Appearances
and presentations
Crisis management
Community Outreach
Media training and coaching
Reputation management
Speechwriting
Strategic planning