| Public relations is fundamentally the art and science of | | | | the organization. In the words of the Public Relations |
| establishing relationships between an organization and | | | | Society of America (PRSA), "Public relations helps an |
| its key audiences. Public relations plays a key role in | | | | organization and its public adopt mutually to one |
| helping business industries create strong relationships | | | | another." |
| with customers. | | | | Experienced public relations agencies have formulation |
| Public relations involves supervising and assessing | | | | press releases into which they can plug the company |
| public attitudes, and maintaining mutual relations and | | | | news, as well as a targeted list of publications for their |
| understanding between an organization and its public. | | | | industry. Truly good public relations agencies generally |
| The function of public relations is to improve channels | | | | have a good working relationship with key reporters, |
| of communication and to institute new ways of setting | | | | boosting their chances of getting coverage. Some |
| up a two-way flow of information and understanding. | | | | public relations agencies deal only with large, |
| Public relations is effective in helping: | | | | established clients, while smaller boutique public relations |
| * Corporations convey information about their products | | | | agencies specialize in certain areas. |
| or services to potential customers | | | | At present public relations as a career option exists in |
| * Corporations reach local government and legislators | | | | private companies or government institutions that |
| * Politicians attract votes and raise money, and craft | | | | actively market their product, service and facilities. |
| their public image and legacy | | | | Public relations training courses are widespread in |
| * Non-profit organizations, including schools, hospitals, | | | | educational institutions. According to the U.S. Bureau of |
| social service agencies etc. boost support of their | | | | Labor Statistics, there were 122,000 public relations |
| programs such as awareness programs, fund-raising | | | | specialists in the United States in 1998 and |
| programs, and to increase patronage of their services | | | | approximately 485,000 advertising, marketing, and |
| Public relations in present times employs diverse | | | | public relations managers working in all industries. |
| techniques such as opinion polling and focus groups to | | | | Most public relations practitioners are recruited from |
| evaluate public opinion, combined with a variety of | | | | the ranks of journalism. Public relations officers are |
| high-tech techniques for distributing information on | | | | highly trained professionals with expertise and |
| behalf of their clients, including the internet, satellite | | | | knowledge in many areas, for example shareholder |
| feeds, broadcast faxes, and database-driven phone | | | | management during a crisis, the evolving role of the |
| banks. | | | | in-house public relations professional, account |
| As public image is important to all organizations and | | | | management skills for public relations, an introduction to |
| prominent personalities the role of public relations | | | | financial public relations, an introduction to consumer |
| specialist becomes pertinent in crisis situations. Public | | | | public relations, an introduction to public relations |
| relations agencies provide important and timely | | | | software etc. |
| transmission of information that helps save the face of | | | | |