PUBLIC RELATIONS

PUBLIC RELATION Public relations (PR)

is a management function which deals
with public issues. An important
component of public relations is
publicity. Publicity deals with news
coverage of events relating to
companies products and services
Meaning of PR A systematic act of
building an image of a
product/service/idea/company among
the target group/general public/stake
holders through a welldesigned
promotion on a regular basis.

Objectives of PR
Promoting goodwill
Promoting a product or
service
To give information to
internal employees
Helps to overcome
negative publicity
Lobbying
Give advice and council

Tools of PR

Press release
Exclusive stories
Company newsletter
Interviews and press
conference
Sponsored event

Public relation strategies

Proactive PR strategy

1.Public relation audit

2.Public relation plan
a)Situation analysis
b)Programme objective
c)Programme purpose
d)Communication
e)message

Reactive PR strategy
a)Public relation audit
b)Weak area identification

Public Relations Process

ResearchAn initial fact-finding stage defines the problem
areas and differentiates between publics.
PlanningOnce the facts have been gathered from the
various publics, decisions must be made regarding their
importance and potential impact on the organization. After
these decisions are made, strategies must be developed to
enable the organization to achieve its goals.
Action and CommunicationStrategies are implemented
as new organizational policies and/or projects. Messages
are then constructed to reach target publics.
EvaluationOnce a public relations campaign is developed
and implemented, it should be followed by an evaluation of
its effectiveness in meeting the criteria that were set. The
results of the evaluation are used both to assess the
effectiveness of the effort and to plan future action.

Behavoiural Public Relations

Model
. Goals
Determine your goals.
1

2. Stakeholders
Identify the stakeholders required to achieve goals.
3. Desired Behaviors
Definethe desiredbehavior. This is one of the most
challenging steps, because people often have a difficult time
pinpointing the behavior that reflects their goals. From a PR
perspective, people often want to define the behavior as
"They will understand our product/service/offering". It is
important to reach past that point: what does it look like if
they understand our service? What will peopledo?

Behavoiural Public Relations

Model
4. Research
Steps 4 & 5 often happen simultaneously. Research
is only helpful if you ask the right questions.
5. Latent Readiness
It is important to understand each stakeholder
group's natural affinity and barriers to the desired
behaviors. There are both psychological barriers
and structural affinities and barriers. Barriers need
to be overcome. Affinities need to be leveraged.

Behavoiural Public Relations

Model
6. Key Messages
Although messages can't contradict each other,the
message for each stakeholder group needs to be
appropriate, meaningful, memorable, aesthetic, and
credible.
7. Strategies & Tactics
Philip Lesly identifies that 8% of a population is
considered an opinion leader on an issue. They are open
to discussion and willing to change their opinion.
Moreover, since they are 'opinion leaders', those
individuals have the ability to sway the rest of the
population. Reach out to and build relationships with
those individuals.

Behavoiural Public Relations

Model
8. Behavioral
Change
There arefour
components to
making the behavioral
change, which can be
used independently or
in any combination.
Obviously, the true
power is using them
all:

Coalition Campaign
Robin and Stacy identified the
three parts of a successful
coalition campaign:
Identify the problem
Personalize the problem
Communicate the action that
eliminates the problem
Theother three components
are:
Enforcement (or Mandate)
Engineered Solution
Social Reinforcement

Behavoiural Public Relations

Model
9.Implement
Based on the available resources,
prioritize the tactics.
10. Evaluations
Because goals and desired behaviors
were set at the outset, evaluations
are simple. Compare out the
outcome to the initial behaviors. Did
it work? Did behaviors change?

Persuasion
Persuasion is part of the dominant
view of Public Relations as being
about persuasive communications
on behalf of clients.
Persuasion can be used to:
change or neutralize hostile opinions
crystallize latent (or already existing
positive) opinions and positive attitudes
conserve favorable opinions

Persuasive Messages Moving People to Act

Such messages often include information that appeals to an
audiences self-interest. Theme examples:

Make/Save Money
Save Time
Avoid Effort
More Comfort
Better Health
Cleaner
Escape Pain
Gain Praise
Be Popular
Be
Loved/Accepted

Keep Possessions
Protect
Family/Reputation
Be Stylish
Have Beautiful Things
Satisfy Appetite
Be Like Others
Avoid Trouble/Criticism
Be an Individual
Be Safe/Secure
Make Work Easier

Persuasive Message
Techniques
Throughout history these devices have been used:
Drama helps create
Testimonials using

interest and engage an

audience
Statistics stats impress
people. Use of numbers can
convey objectivity, size, and
importance in a credible way
that can influence public
opinion
Surveys and Polls like
stats, can impress but people
should read the fine print
Examples- opinions can be
bolstered and be more
persuasive if supported by
examples

celebrity endorsers or
victims/survivors can
humanize message

Endorsements

credibility through third

party endorsements (can
be, for example, doctors,
celebrities, national
organizations, or media
through editorials)

Emotional Appeals

fundraising letters or
commercials from
nonprofit groups use this
persuasive device a lot

Research on Persuasion

Positive appeals are generally more effective than negative

appeals for message retention and compliance.
Radio and TV messages tend to be more persuasive than
print, but if the message is complex, better comprehension
is achieved through the print media.
Strong emotional appeals and fear arousal are most
effective when the audience has minimal concern about or
interest in the topic.
Logical appeals, using facts and figures, are better for
highly educated, sophisticated audiences than strong
emotional appeals.
Self-interest can be a strong motivator.
A celebrity or attractive model is most effective when the
audience has low involvement, the theme is simple, and
broadcast channels are used. An exciting spokesperson can
attract attention to a message that may otherwise be
ignored.

Two way symmetrical Communications Model

THE 20 GREAT TRUTHS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

1. The long-term security of the organization is far

more important than the short-term expediency.
2. Perception is reality, facts notwithstanding.
3. Unfulfilled expectations create most PR problems.
4. Planning and preparation are invaluable. When
disaster strikes, its too late to prepare a crisis plan
or build a legacy of trust.
5. The value of research is inestimable.
Every planned PR program should start and end
with research.
Every PR plan should evolve from research.
Research should be conducted every step of the
program.

THE 20 GREAT TRUTHS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

6. PR needs to always play its position and let other
departments play theirs.
7. Communication must always follow performance.
8. PR frequently turns on timing. Knowing when to act is
as important as knowing what to do.
9. If your client, product or organization is challenged:
Dont ignore the challenge.
If the challenge is unfair, fight back as hard as you
can.
If the challenge has merit, fight for corrective
actions.
10. The media/PR relationship will never be better than
professional. There are no favors for free lunches.

THE 20 GREAT TRUTHS OF PUBLIC

RELATIONS
11. Ad hoc pressure groups wont give up or go away. You
have to deal with them or they will consume you in the
media.
12. PR has to be involved from the beginning to have
maximum impact.
13. Full and complete disclosure and communication is
the best way to keep from getting greedy when
entrusted with the publics money.
14. Doing the right thing is more important than doing
the thing right. There is no such thing as corporate
ethics. People are either ethical or they arent, and
these people determine the ethics of the organization.
15. If you have to say something, the truth is always
best.

THE 20 GREAT TRUTHS OF PUBLIC

RELATIONS
16. Appeals to self-interest are seldom
unrewarded.
17. Involvement in the planning stages provides
ownership and support.
18. If top management is not sold, the project will
never succeed.
19. Absent trustworthy information, people
assume the worst. Rumors thrive in the vacuum
of no information.
20. Most negatives can become positives with a
little creative effort and a lot of hard work.