| Recently, a colleague of mine told a story about how | | | | way. Effective PR assists the overall marketing effort |
| management at his organization had arbitrarily decided | | | | by maintaining relationships through gauging awareness, |
| to change the title of his department from "Public | | | | attitude, mitigating crises, controlling damage, enhancing |
| Relations Department" to "Marketing Communications | | | | opinions or through other specific objectives not |
| Department." Surprised? You should be, but not just | | | | directly linked to sales. |
| because they changed the department title on a whim. | | | | The Whole Picture. Organizationally, marketing is |
| What's surprising here is that management failed to | | | | usually a line management function, the first level of |
| realize that marketing and public relations are really | | | | management, with supervisory or team responsibility |
| two very distinct management functions, each | | | | for individuals and tasks. Line management operates in |
| ultimately having a significant effect on the organization | | | | real-time and works closely with the workforce to |
| as a whole. It's an all-too common mistake in today's | | | | contribute to the goals of the organization. Public |
| business environment, and an easy one to make. Both | | | | Relations, on the other hand, is a staff management |
| are very similar in structure: they work to identify | | | | function and one that provides counsel and other |
| audiences, segment those audiences and set | | | | services to support line functions. |
| objectives. The purpose of public relations is not, | | | | Not All PR Practitioners Are Spin Doctors. I know that |
| however, to promote goods or services to increase | | | | when I said "enhancing opinions" you thought "Ah-ha! |
| sales, as marketing does. | | | | They really are only letting us hear what they want us |
| This isn't to say that public relations and marketing don't | | | | to hear." The fact is that most PR professionals |
| work together. In fact, to achieve organizational goals, | | | | subscribe to a code of ethics, one that truly values and |
| organizations should make use of both functions. Each | | | | promotes honesty. What true PR professionals do is |
| makes its own special, but complimentary, contributions | | | | work at establishing and maintaining mutually beneficial |
| to building and maintaining the relationships necessary | | | | relationships between an organization and its |
| for an organization to thrive. | | | | audiences, those folks on which the success or failure |
| The Differentiating Factor Marketing always aims at | | | | of the organization depends. |
| an exchange, usually one that involves money. It is the | | | | In the end, it's easiest to say that while marketing |
| management function that identifies needs and wants | | | | focuses on exchange relationships with one public |
| (consumer demand), offers products and services to | | | | (customers), public relations covers a broad range of |
| satisfy those demands and causes some kind of | | | | relationships and goals with numerous audiences, such |
| transaction that delivers those products and services in | | | | as employees, investors, governments and special |
| exchange for something of value. It's the exchange | | | | interest groups. |
| between two parties bit that distinguishes this function | | | | The point is, whether you think you need some really |
| from PR. | | | | good marketing or a great public relations campaign, |
| It's All Relative. Of course, public relations may, and | | | | you can't get away without using both. |
| should, assist in this process, but does so in a different | | | | |