PUBLIC RELATIONS : MEANING,TOOLS,COMPONENTS AND FUNCTIONS

·         PUBLIC RELATIONS
ADVERTISING AND SALES MANAGEMENT

·         DR SHASHI AGGARWAL

·         MEANING OF PUBLIC RELATION

1.     THE TERM PUBLIC RELATIONS IS AN EXPRESSION OF PUBLIC OPINION

2.     ART AND SCIENCE OF DEVELOPING RECIPROCAL UNDERSTANDING AND GOODWILL

3.     IT IS THAT OPERATING PHILOSOPHY BY WHICH MANAGEMENT SETS UP POLICIES DESIGNED T SERVE BOTH IN THE COMPANY AND PUBLIC’S INTEREST

4.     BASIS OF COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES WHICH MGMT EMPLOYEES TO ACHIEVE GOOD RELATIONS WITH THE PUBLIC AND THESE TECHNIQUES INCLUDE PUBLICITY,PROMOTION,EXPLOITATION AND ADVERTISING

·         IN BROADER TERMS,” PUBLIC RELATIONS IS TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN AN ORGANIZATION AND ITS PUBLIC TO COMMUNICATE A COMPANY’S VIEWS,OBJECTIVES AND PURPOSE WHILE AT THE SAME TIME MONITORING FEEDBACK AND CORRECTING THE PUBLIC ATTITUDES AND REACTIONS

·         PUBLIC RELATION

1.     IS PLANNED EFFORTS AND MANAGERIAL FUNCTION

2.     SPEAKS OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AN ORGANIZATION AND ITS PUBLIC AND EVALUATES THE PUBLIC ATTITUDES AND OPINIONS ABOUT AN ORGANIZATION’S POLICES AND PROCEDURES AND ACTIONS AS THEY RELATE TO PUBLIC.

3.     THE MAIN OBJECTIVE IS NOT TO SELL THE PRODUCT BUT TO CREATE FAVOURABLE IMAGE OF THE COMPANY AND IMPROVE

·         DEFINITION

·         INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS  OF AMERICA:

·         PUBLIC RELATIONS IS THE DELIBERATE,PLANNED AND SUSTAINED EFFORTS TO INSTITUTE AND MAINTAIN GOOD RELATIONS BETWEEN A COMPANY AND PUBLIC

·         BRITISH INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS : PUBLIC RELATION PRACTICE AS THE PLANNED AND SUSTAINED EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN GOODWILL AND MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE ORGANIZATION AND PUBLIC.

·         MEANING OF PUBLIC

1.     PRESS : PRESS THAT GIVES FAIR AND EQUITABLE COVERAGE IN THE NEWS GIVEN AND GIVES OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT VIEW POINT OF THE COMPANY

2.     THE FINANCIAL COMMUNITY :

3.     THE LOCAL COMMUNITY

4.     THE GOVERNMENT

5.     THE SUPPLIERS

6.     THE STOCKHOLDERS

7.     THE CUSTOMERS

8.     THE EMPLOYEES

·         FEATURES

1.     PUBLIC RELATIONS IS AN ACTIVITY TO GET SUPPORT FROM PUBLIC. FOR THIS SUPPORT OF SHAREHOLDERS,EMPLOYEES,CONSUMERS AND SOCIETY IS NEEDED

2.     SOMETIMES THE PUBLIC DEVELOP NEGATIVE ATTITUDE ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION AND THAT CAN BE CHANGED THROUGH PUBLIC RELATION

3.     IT IS AN EFFORTS TO SATISFY DIFFERENT GROUPS BY MEETING THEIR EXPECTATION

4.     EVERY ORGANIZATION WANTS TO SET UP THEIR GOODWILL. FOR ESTABLISHING GOOD REPUTATION IT IS ESSENTIAL TO ENGAGE IN DIALOGUE

5.     IT IS ON GOING ACTIVITY.

6.     IS RECOGNIZED IN THE FORM OF  A SPECIALIZED ACTIVITY, THAT IS WHY BIG ORGANIZATION ESTABLISH PUBLIC RELATION DEPARTMENT SEPARATELY

·         COMPONENTS

1.     HUMAN RELATIONS

2.     EMPATHY

3.     PERSUASION

4.     DIALOGUE

• FUNCTIONS

·         PRESS RELATIONS : NEWS PRESENTED IN SUCH A MANNER THAT IT CREATES POSITIVE IMAGE OF THE ORGANIZATION

·         CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS “ COMMUNICATING WITH TE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL MEDIA TO PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING OF THE ORGANIZATION AND ITS ROLE TO THE PUBLIC

·         PRODUCT PUBLICITY : SPONSORSHIP DONE TO PROMOTE PRODUCTS

·         LOBBYING : DEALING WITH THE LAW AND MAKERS AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO WORK OUT FAVOURABLE LAW OR REGULATIONS FOR THE INDUSTRY OR THE ORGANIZATION

·         COUNSELLING :- GIVING INPUTS TO THE MGMT ABOUT PUBLIC ISSUES,IMAGE AND COMPANY’S POSITION IN DIFFICULT AS WELL AS GOOD TIME

·         BUILDING A PERFECT PUBLIC RELATIONS PROGRAMME

1.     PUBLIC RELATION AUDIT :- EXAMINING OF COMPANY PERCEIVED BY PUBLIC. THIS INFORMATION IS COLLECTED THROUGH QUESTIONNAIRE

2.     CORRECTION OF PUBLIC RELATION WEAKNESSES : APPRAISALS REVEALS THE FLAWS IF ANY IN THE COMPANY’S TREATING THE FLAWS

3.     SETTING OF PUBLIC RELATIONS OBJECTIVES :OBJECTIVES NEED TO BE DEFINED CLEAR, OBJECTIVES COULD BE : TO BRING ABOUT 20%  RISE IN COMPANY ‘S SHARES.TO ESTABLISH CLOSE RAPPORT WITH FINANCIAL COMMUNITY ,TO KEEP THE EMPLOYEES  SATISFIED.

4.     FORMULATION OF PUBLIC RELATIONS PROGRAMME

5.     CARRYING OUT THE PROGRAMME

6.     DETERMINING THE PROGRAMME EFFECTIVENESS

·         TYPES OF PUBLIC RELATIONS TOOLS

·         MEDIA RELATIONS : TECHNIQUES ARE USED TO PROMOTE COMPANY.ITS PRODUCT TO THE VARIOUS MEDIA CHANNELS LIKE TV,NEW PAPERS,MAGAZINES,INTERNET.PR PROFESSIONAL S TRY TO GAIN MEDIA ATTENTION BY PITCHING INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ITS PRODUCTS,FEEDBACK BY CUSTOMERS,NEWS FROM THE COMPANY.

·         VISITS AND TOURS : SPECIALLY ARRANGED VISITS AND TOURS TO COMPANY PLANTS,OFFICES,COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SITES,FOR THE FINANCIAL COMMUNITY AND LOCAL COMMUNITY ARE OF IMMENSE IMPORTANCE TO CREATE GOOD IMPRESSION ABOUT THE COMPANY

·         AUDIO-VISUALS : VEHICLES LIKE FILMS,DISPLAYS,EXHIBITS,CONFERENCES,MEETING BULLETIN,CLASS ROOM LECTURING AIDS TO PORTRAY THE PRESENT STATUS AND THE FUTURE PROGRAMME.IT HIGHLIGHT THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE COMPANY

·         COMMUNICATING NEW DEVELOPMENT WITH PRESS RELEASES:

1.     NEWSPAPERS,MAGAZINES,RADIO TV ARE IMPORTANT CHANNELS FOR COMMUNICATING WITH CUSTOMERS,INVESTORS AND COMMUNITY.

·         MAKING EFFECTIVE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA : PARTICIPATING IN SOCIAL MEDIA GIVES  THE OPPORTUNITY TO MONITOR ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE COMPANY AND FINE TUNE PUBLIC RELATION STRATEGY IN RESPONSE. MONITOR REFERENCE ABOUT PRODUCT OR COMPANY ON FACE BOOK,TWITTER OR PRODUCT REVIEW. BY ENGAGING THE DIALOGUE ONE CAN HELP TO BUILD POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND MANAGE COMPANY’S REPUTATION

·         NEWLETTERS : USED BY MARKETERS TO MAINTAIN REGULAR COMMUNICATION WITH THEIR CURRENT AND POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS. THESE NEWS LETTERS CAN BE SENT THROUGH REGULAR MAILS OR EMAILS.

·         SPONSORSHIP : IS AN INDIVIDUAL OR A GROUP THAT SUPPORTS AN EVENT ACTIVITY. IT IS USED TO BUILD GOODWILL AND BRAND RECOGNITION

·         EMPLOYEE COMMUNICATION : THE EMPLOYEES ARE KEPT  ABREAST WITH DEVELOPMENT OF  COMPANY INFORMATION,NEW OR EXISTING PRODUCTS,SALES INCENTIVES ETC

·         SPECIAL EVENTS :PERFORMED TO CATCH THE MEDIA ATTENTION AND AROUSE PUBLIC INTEREST