| Public relations (PR) is an often misunderstood and | | | | of all its customers - some more obvious than others. |
| under-valued management tool. To many it is seen | | | | This means: |
| as just another form of advertising while others | | | | - Identifying all potential customers |
| dismiss PR as dealing with journalists and sending out | | | | - Identifying and responding to their needs |
| press releases. In fact, PR can play a central role in | | | | - Communicating with them |
| the achievement of specific objectives at all levels of | | | | Responding to your customers' needs |
| an organisation's work by focusing, reinforcing and | | | | - What do your customers want from you? |
| communicating an effective message. | | | | - What do you provide that your rivals don’t? |
| Used properly, public relations is an excellent and cost | | | | - What is your Unique Selling Point (USP)? |
| effective method of improving the image of an | | | | - Is your market aware of your company's USP's? |
| individual, organisation or product. It is about ensuring | | | | Communicating with your customers |
| that your audience (customer) receives and accepts | | | | - How do your existing customers hear about new |
| the message you wish to project. | | | | developments, projects and |
| Public relations involves many other disciplines and it | | | | contracts? |
| can have an impact on every aspect of an | | | | - How do potential customers hear about your |
| organisation. It is about projecting the right message | | | | organisation? |
| and as such, it can involve press relations, advertising, | | | | - Are you quoted in the press, more or less |
| marketing, sponsorship, exhibitions, local community | | | | frequently than your competitors? |
| events, the environment and public affairs. | | | | - Do you monitor your communication material to |
| Communication is the key to public relations - | | | | ensure that it is relevant and effective? |
| communicating the right message to the public, | | | | - What do your employees think of your |
| employees, shareholders and other specific target | | | | company? |
| audiences. | | | | - Is your belief in the organisation the same as your |
| PR defined | | | | public image? |
| The Institute of Public Relations defines public | | | | The process of reviewing communication in an |
| relations as | | | | organisation is often referred to as a "communications |
| `the planned and sustained effort to establish and | | | | audit". |
| maintain good will and mutual understanding between | | | | Some PR facts |
| an organisation and its customers.' | | | | - PR is about presenting a positive image |
| Why use PR? | | | | - PR is about managing reputations |
| A company can survive without PR, but with a | | | | - Customers take notice (and are willing to believe) |
| planned PR programme the company can expect | | | | a news story in a magazine |
| better results and an enhanced reputation. | | | | - What someone else says about you is at least |
| Obviously no amount of good relations can hide a bad | | | | ten times more believable than what you say about |
| product or protect an unethical company. For public | | | | yourself |
| relations to succeed the organisation must be | | | | - Used properly and to complement other parts of |
| credible. PR alone cannot cure a terminally sick | | | | an organisation's activities, PR can actually save |
| organisation. What it can do is help to promote a | | | | money! |
| positive corporate reputation and to minimise the | | | | Why should you use PR? |
| damage that occurs when something does go wrong. | | | | Use PR because: |
| What happens if you don't use PR? | | | | - It creates a good image |
| No matter how good you are, if you don't | | | | - It makes people more keen to do business with |
| communicate with your public, you won't put your | | | | you |
| message across. You will lose out to your rivals who | | | | - It improves your standing in your own market |
| are using public relations more aggressively to ensure | | | | - It makes it easier to attract, and retain, a high |
| effective communication. | | | | calibre of workforce |
| It is not possible to abdicate from a public image. If | | | | - It puts you in the media when you want to be |
| you are not managing the information by which people | | | | there |
| form their opinions, their view of your company will be | | | | - It allows you to control the message |
| based solely on what they hear from other | | | | - It allows you to create the image you wish for |
| (uncontrolled) sources. In short, if you do not manage | | | | your company |
| your reputation, others will do it for you. | | | | - It gives you ‘licence’ to change your |
| You cannot quantify what you lose if you don't use | | | | working practices – increase costs etc, |
| PR, but companies that do use it can see the benefits | | | | - It can help to minimise the damage when things |
| in increased awareness of themselves and their | | | | go wrong |
| products. Companies feel effective PR working for | | | | How important is corporate identity? |
| them in many ways: | | | | The answer is very. A strong, positive corporate |
| - Better staff recruitment and retention | | | | identity can enhance your company across all its |
| - Greater market share | | | | operations, while a poor or negative identity will be |
| - Customer recognition and loyalty | | | | equally effective in weakening your reputation. A |
| - Motivated sales force | | | | good image can take years to build, but it can be |
| - Shareholder satisfaction | | | | quickly tarnished by negative publicity. Great care, |
| In other words a structured PR programme helps a | | | | and effort, is needed to foster and protect an |
| company operate more successfully on all levels of | | | | organisation's reputation. |
| business. | | | | A strong corporate identity results in people trusting |
| Cultivating a good public relations image is worthwhile | | | | in the value of you and your products and/or |
| and having a bad image or even no image at all in the | | | | services. They are happy to deal with you and give |
| eyes of your market can have disastrous | | | | you their custom. They will come back to you time |
| consequences. | | | | and time again if you gain their loyalty. Your |
| In order to operate more effectively and efficiently an | | | | reputation is enhanced and this in turn helps to |
| organisation needs to recognise and meet the needs | | | | reinforce your corporate identity. |