Public Relationship (PR) - Principles of Event Management

Notes 28 Pages

Bengaluru City University

Bachelor of Business Administration

Contributed by

Tabeed Malpani

MESIOM - GMP

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Principles of Event Management
Unit 4
Public Relationship(PR)
Meaning of Public Relationship
Public relations involves managing the image and reputation of the organization
in the eyes of the public through publicity, opinion, awareness, education, sales,
relationships, branding etc.

"Public Relations is the deliberate, planned and sustained effort to establish and
maintain mutual understanding between on organization and its publics."
- Institute of Public Relations, USA

"Public relations is the attempt by information persuasion and adjustment to
engineer public support for an activity, cause, movement or institution."
-Edward L. Bernays

"Public Relations is a combination of philosophy, sociology, economics,
language, psychology Journalism, communication and other knowledge's into a
system of human understanding.
- Herbert M. Baus

NATURE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

It is difficult to figure out what form and nature of PR the organization will
Managing
Image and
Reputation
Branding
Publicity
Openion
Awareness
Sales
Relationships
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need. The approaches are many but the time constrains and budget limitation
will prevent the organization or the PR person from pursuing all the avenues at
one and the same time. It would be better to decide about specific jobs which
are relevant to particular PR programmes for an organization. In any kind of
human activity may it be in industry, commerce, education, health, local
government or social service, they need to understand and use public relations
and communication. Public relations involve two-way communication between
an organization and its public. It requires listening to the constituencies on
which an organization depends as well as analyzing and understanding the
attitudes and behaviours of those audiences. Only then can an organization
undertake an effective public relations campaign.
Public relations should be seen as a management function in any organization.
An effective communication, or public relations plan, for an organization is
developed to communicate to an audience (whether internal or external publics)
in such a way the message coincides with organizational goals and seeks to
benefit mutual interests whenever possible. Form of communication that is
primarily directed to image building and that tends to deal with issues
rather than specifically with products or services. Public relations uses publicity
that does not necessitate payment in a wide variety of media and is often placed
as news or items of public interest.
It would be better to make a checklist to find out exactly what organization
wants and what the PR person himself wants to achieve.

1) Extent of PR function: To what extent the organizations uses public relation?
The PR function should be recognized as central to good management and able
to act as a unifying force within the organization and in the way it's itself. This
way a schedule of activity can become campaign and a campaign can become a
programme.
2) Level of PR function: This depends on the nature of business or services
being provided by the organization. The point to think is corporations can be
longer operating in an environment of confrontation. They must have the
acceptance of the government and the citizens. Moreover in handling sensitive
issues, corporate management cannot do away with social, cultural, economic
and political ethos existing in the community.
3) Target public: 'How to handle the target public' is a frequently raised question
for PR person. It has been acknowledged by the management that the PR person
is a necessary link between the management and the various public (audience).
4) Maintaining goodwill: In the long run goodwill always pays. In the early
days business and industry could function in total secrecy without public
scrutiny. In the present competitive society all sections of the economy i.e.
private or public are under constant public gaze. It is equally important to guard
the reputation earned.
5) Evaluation of work: PR person should always evaluate himself in his work
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environment. He should always appraise his own competence, acknowledge
potential weakness and thereafter seek expert advice. One should be aware of
and be sensitive to cultural environment or which one is working, While
improving his professional capability a public relation person has to recognize
his organizations responsibility.
6) General areas of objectives: It is mainly known as which and what are the
particular PR objectives to achieve. It mainly consists of changes we want to
bring about. Terms like market standing, innovation, work performance and
attitude and Public responsibilities are mainly in PR.
7) Communication skills: Managing the strategy and skills of communication
are an integral part of business policy and decision making Ultimately. PR is
involved in the management of organization behaviour and also of the public
important to them. PR decides about the methods and media of communication
and when and how to use the target public.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

The importance of public relations are as follows-

1.PR is all about building relationships to advance, promote, and benefit the
reputation of you yourself, your department and institution.
2. PR is about communicating your message to gain allies, advocates,
supporters, etc in the community and the institution.
3. It aids in marketing the department for recruitment purposes and can lead to
improved quality of student applicants.
4. it demonstrates to funding agencies that are making a difference and actually
have results.
5. It can improve the reputation of an individual department.
6. it can also serve the greater physics community by convincing the public.
7. It can lead to strong community and industrial partnerships, and even
financial support.
8. It has a great appealing power and responses. The information, which the
highly public mass communication picks up becomes at a premium for the
readers and audiences at that point.
Therefore it is the greatest characteristic of PR to bring an effect which creates
needs by shaking up the targeted consumers' minds, who receive the
information.
9. It has inexpensiveness of the cost. The cost to carry out the PR activity
always occurs, but you can control the expense if you compare it to the other
ways of advertising

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LIMITATIONS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

The limitations of PR are:

1. PR cannot totally Whitewash Tarnished Image
PR changes the produced minds; misunderstandings wrong impressions,
misinterpretation but certainly not change the tarnished image into a solid gold
block.
Example Mutual Fund Companies, Money multipliers and after amassing the
money, they down the shutters. Many well known real estate companies
indulged in selling the same flat to so many NRIs who never checked the truth
behind dealings.
2. It can't hide anything in the Best Interest of the Company
The company as a family should not leak out weaknesses because competitors
are always wanting to en-cash on these matters. Reliance in India is only private
sector company known as "Fortune 5000" the internal division between:
brothers Anil and Mukesh has spoiled the name of founder namely Dhirubhai
Ambani.
3. Public Relations cannot create Reputation out of nothing
The PRO public relation officer cannot create a reputation or goodwill unless
there is little of it. A totally hopeless company is a hopeless company. A person
can be called as shamefully person if he has least possible shame. As he is
totally shameless he is shameless. That is a poison and cannot be converted into
nectar.
4. PR fails to have Valued Public Opinion
Public relations do not value public opinion in the same way some people draw
money on a bank where they have no money. Technically a person can draw the
money from the bank from his account even if there is no balance which is
called as overdraft. Intelligence lies in withdrawing your own money that is to
your credit in the account.
5. Public Relations demands Public Speaking
Public relations reaches good conclusions to create 'mutual understanding PR is
a great art of moving with the current but not against. To influence public mood,
public view, line of thinking the PR has to go along and then it can be bent as
and when it is very opportunistic and viable.
6. PR is a very difficult discipline to understand and conduct successfully
A strategy supported by the professional knowledge of the media will be needed
to get the media where one can get high responses to promotions
7. It is hard to predict the responses of the audience.
However, the responses of the PR last around 3 days to 1 week at most. A
business plan will be necessary that utilizes the media exposure well without
getting influenced by the needs which temporally went up.
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8. Draws end users who have bad quality
It draws the end users who have bad quality and you haven't had before into
your business as your business is introduced in the media. There fore the claims
that your business never had before might take place or it often happens that the
problem of the product is picked up on. The PR may end up with a result that
gives the opposite effect, unless the management which involves the assessment
of risks is done.

MEDIA/ MEDIA RELATIONS/MEDIA SELECTION

Media relations involve working with media for the purpose of informing the
public about an organizations mission, policies and practices in a positive,
consistent and credible manner. It means coordinating directly with the people
responsible for producing the news and features in the mass media. The goal of
media relations is to maximize positive coverage in the mass media without
paying for it directly through advertising.

Media relations refer to the relationship that a company or organization
develops with journalists, while public relations extend that relationship beyond
the media to the general public.

Working with the media on behalf of an organization allows for awareness of
the entity to be raised as well as the ability to create an impact with a chosen
audience. It allows access to both large and small target audiences and helps in
building public support and mobilizing public opinion for an organization. Its
all done through a wide range of media and can be used to encourage two-way
communication.

Types of Media/ Media Used In Public Relations

1. Print Media
It is a form of mass communication in form of printed publication. They are
usually the most visible outlets on college campuses, especially school
newspapers, magazines, and in the local community.

2. Press Release
The press release is the most common material provided to media outlets. These
documents provide a brief description of an upcoming activity, whether it is
rush or a service project.

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3. Photographs

It is a picture got by making use of the cameras. It gives a visual presentation
which is more appealing. There usually two types of photographs in publicity
portrait snots, where people pose for the camera and smile.

4. Cases Histories/ Studies
Case studies which shows a good image of the company are shared with the
media/ investors, community etc. Books on making of Asoka and so on.

5.Advertorials (Advertisement+ Editorial)
It helps in having a control over message, pay lesser than an advertisement. it is
a strategic tool, but should not be used too often.

6. Interviews/(features Meeting Journalists)
A press release will encourage a reporter to do more, such as conduct a full
interview with chapter members or write a feature article on an upcoming
project. while doing sponsorships one should try to brand it with the event
simultaneously.

7. Brochure
A booklet published by the organization which contains the organizations
background, its ethics, vision, mission, its past, present and future projects etc.
eg brochure given to new employees to give them a gist or the organization.

8. Internet
This one medium which has helped transform the whole business of marketing
and public relations. In a way, it gives any organization the ability to promote
without having to rely solely on other media outlets. websites and e-mail are the
two most common methods to use the Internet for PR purposes.

9. Website
A website should not only be designed to serve as a resource for members, but it
should also present a positive message to non-members by Just browsing
through. Brief descriptions of history, past projects and activities, and long-
standing relationships with other organizations may give an outsider a positive
impression of the fraternity. Like the newsletter, information for members
shouldn’t just inform, it should also encourage involvement and develop
enthusiasm.

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10. E-Mail
Today, this has become the most common method used for communication
between fraternity members. It can also be used to promote fellow Students and
others, but it should be used carefully.

11. Audio And Visual:
This division includes any audio or audio/visual presentation or program which
serves a public relations objective. Audio presentation-any sound-only program,
including telephone hot lines and other recorded messages, radio programs,
public service announcements and audio news releases. Audio/visual
presentation- any internal or external audio-visual presentation using still
illustrations, with or without sound, using one or more projectors. Film or video.
Any film or video which presents information to an organization's internal
audiences.

12. News And Publicity:
News is something that interests many people today. From the point of view of
the times of India, that means the national readers of the times of India and the
metropolis readers of the Bombay times, etc. From the point of view of the
Indian express, it means all the people interested in hard-core content and no
masala. Every medium has a news standard of its own, and that is the criterion
that goes by ln attempting to address to the public through that medium.

13. Special Events:
Special events are acts tor news development. The ingredients are time, place,
people, activities, drama, and showmanship. One special event may have many
subsidiary events, such as luncheons, banquets, contests, speeches, and many
others, as part of the build-up.

14. Written Speech
The type written or printed text of a speech given to achieve a public relations
objective.

15. Internal Newsletters And Publications
ICICI has their internal newsletters, in which information about the company,
its profits, employees etc. Is given

16. Corporate Advertising
If you have a belief that the image of the company is good i.e. trustworthy,
reliable one, then you can use that as a pr tool.
Eg. Aditya Birla Group, Om Kotak Mahindra Etc.

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Media Management

Media management is a term used for several related tasks throughout post-
production. In general, any task that relates to processing your media is
considered to be media management, such as capturing, compressing, copying,
moving or deleting media files. The various steps which have be followed in
managing the media are:-

1. Have a strategy.
One should always tailor their strategy for every public relations opportunity.
The PR analysts must think about the audience he wants to reach and how to
create excitement. An effective part of his strategy should be to enforce his
organization's core messages in all news releases.

2. Have a good story.
A news story must have a compelling beginning, middle, and end. Journalists
recognize a strong story within seconds, so he has to tell his story quickly and
efficiently.

3. Know your audience.
A person wouldn't follow up on a potential business opportunity without
knowing something about their business, so he should not call the news media
blindly. Before he pitch to any media outlet, he should study their work, read
the publication, watch the show, and listen to the radio broadcast. He must get
familiar with the characteristics of the media outlet he is targeting Find out
about their main audience and their likes and dislikes. (Internet message boards
are good for this.)

4. Invest in relationships.
The more the PR analysts has knowledge about the media organization and his
target editor, the better and more confidently he can pitch to them. Building
relationships now means editors will be more likely to take his call when he has
got an important story to tell Best of all, even if they can't offer coverage on this
particular story, they may refer to another reporter who can. As with any
relationship, building trust is critical. He has to be upfront about what he can
and can't do.

5. Think before speaking
Everything he say to a reporter is on the record, regardless of disclaimers. The
PR analysts is representing his organization at all times. The impression that he
give has a definite impact on how the media views the organization.

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6. Monitor your media coverage.
Media coverage shows the PR analysts. As a media relations expert, the end
goal is always positive media coverage for the organization. When the
organization is spotlighted in major media outlets, it helps in bringing attention
and respect to the business.

7. Look for a unique angle.
He should look for personal stories that can encourage news media interest. For
instance, in a local school board is considering Linux to save money, he can
focus the story on the human interest angle. Unusual stories and angles that
affect a media's audience are more likely to get media coverage than mundane
ones.
8. Know the story inside and out. (Completely)
He has to research his story carefully. This allows him to revise his pitch if the
editor has specific needs. He also must be able to answer any questions that the
editor may have.

9. Be persistent.
There is a fine line between being persistent and annoying, but if he has a good
story and knows his audience, it is fine to make contact attempts until he gets
feedback from a reporter.

10. Follow up.
Many potential leads are lost because public relations people fail to follow
through. If a reporter tells the PR analysts to call back another time, he has to
make sure he does Also, if a reporter doesn't answer to his email immediately,
he should not assume they are not interested. They might not have had time to
respond to the large volume of emails they receive.

11. Be creative.
Infusing the media relations plans with innovative thinking produces stronger,
more effective results, so he has to avoid recycling the same old news releases
and fact sheets.

12. Find information
The PR analysts must make an outside research. Interview an industry analyst.
Get another perspective. This investigation can lead to the information for a
great story.

13. Study and adopt good writing skills.
The PR analysts must use a journalistic approach. He must look carefully at
reputable publications. He should study different types of stories. Features,
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appointment announcements, news articles, and opinion pieces can all be useful
in his public relations campaign. Often, the most important information is in the
lead and that the rest of the story follows.

14. Eliminate jargon and techno-speak.
Buzzwords and complicated words must be avoided. He should write with clear
language, and avoid words which are another sign of weak writing

15. Expect results.
Media coverage means increased visibility, which exposes the organization to
more prospective Customers. 1he more people you can reach, the better the
impact will be on your organization.

Finally, the success of your media relations efforts means success tor you in the
dynamic, engaging, challenging, and creative business of public relations.
Roles of Media.
1.Build a personal contact file.
The PR analysts must keep a list of 100 media contacts who PR analysts
personally knows. They inturn should be willing to take his call when he has a
story to publicize.
2. Follow up –
PR analysts should call everyone to whom he send his press release several
times each, if necessary. If he does this he will get coverage.
3. Become the "go-to guy."
He has to show the press that he is the one to call for expert interviews
in your particular field.
4. Don't limit yourself-
PR analysts must broaden your outreach.
5. Offer an exclusive –
If it's important for the her analysts to get into a particular publication,
offer the editor an exclusive on the story.
6. Go where the cameras already are. Instead of trying to get media to cover his
event, he has to make noise at an event they're already covering.
Example: Domino's Pizza gets national TV coverage by bringing free pizza to
the post office on April 15 to feed last-minute taxpayers standing in line.
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Public Relationship (PR) - Principles of Event Management

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