Public image account for 65 percent of the brand value for most of the business. If an incident happens or the organization’s credibility breaks down, it affects the whole business cycle and its associates. A company image takes around 6 to 7 years to overcome its negative reputation. Therefore, it has become critical for a corporation to invest in the right public relations strategies to maintain an excellent relationship.
What Is Public Relations?
Public Relations (PR) is a strategic method of communication used to establish mutually beneficial ties with corporations, individuals, and organizations.
A specialist in Public Relations Develops and uses direct and indirect media and other media to develop and maintain a positive brand image and a strong relationship with the target audience.
Public relations is a strategic management mechanism for the release and distribution of information relevant to organizations to the public to preserve the company and its brand’s favorable reputation. The emphasis of this process is –
- What details should be made available,
- Where will it be made up,
- When it is to be published,
- Which media should be used to distribute the information (usually collected or freely used press).
Objective Of Public Relations
Public relations aim to maintain the brand’s positive reputation and maintain a strategic relationship with the public, prospective customers, partners, investors, employees, and others that create a positive image and make the brand appear trustworthy, competent, significant, and meaningful.
Functions Of Public Relations
Public relations are separate from advertising. PR firms do not buy advertising and do not rely on enticing paid advertisements. Their primary role is to promote the brand through publishing content in magazines, newspapers, news channels, websites, blogs, and TV programs.
The use of paying or free media for advertising has its benefits because information about such outlets is not bought. It has a third-party validation and is thus not regarded by the public with skepticism.
The roles of the PR manager and the PR agencies include:
- Prepare, evaluate, and interpret public opinion and attitudes to the brand and draft policies that affect free or compensated media.
- We are preparing strategies to support every campaign of the brand and new editorial content.
- Reading and transmitting media communications.
- Speech writing. Speech communication.
- Planning and execution of special activities on public and media relations.
- Online content (internal and external sites). Web content writing.
- Creating a crisis plan for public relations.
- Control the brand’s social media presence and respond to public feedback on websites of social media.
- Advise the company’s staff on procedures, course of action, duty, and obligation of the organization.
- Dealing on behalf of the corporation with policy and legislative agencies.
- Dealing with public groups and other organizations on social and other organizational policies and government legislation.
- Handling investment partnerships.
Types Of PR
PR can be divided into seven groups according to the roles in the departments. The criteria are:
Media Relations: Building good ties with and serving as a source of information for media organizations.
Links with investors: handle investors’ activities, issue financial reports, and regulatory disclosures and control investors, analysts, and media inquiries and concerns.
Government Relations: Identification and implementation of policies such as corporate social responsibility, fair trade, consumer rights, employee protection, etc.
Community relations: Dealing with the social aspect of the brand and establishing a positive social niche reputation, such as protecting the environment, education, etc.
Internal relations: Advising the company’s workers about procedures, courses of action, duty, and accountability. Cooperation during particular product launches and activities with them.
Customer Relations: Handling the target market and consumers. Conducting market research to learn more about consumer desires, perceptions and preferences, and production techniques to influence them across profitable media.
Marketing Communication: Support marketing efforts related to product launch, unique campaigns, brand awareness, image, positioning.
Advantages Of Public Relations
- Credibility: The public trusts the message from a trustworthy third party rather than the service advertised.
- Reach: A definite plan in PR will attract multiple news organizations and introduce them to a broader society.
- Cost-effectiveness: PR are a cost-effective strategy in contrast to paid advertising for a broad audience.
Disadvantages Of Public Relations
- No direct control: Unlike paid advertising, the material transmitted by the advertising is not regulated directly. It is the most significant risk in public relations activities.
- Hard to assess success: The efficacy of a PR campaign is very difficult to calculate and evaluate.
- No Guaranteed Results: A press release is not guaranteed because it is not paid for by the company. The media company publishes it only because it thinks its target audience may like it.
Importance of PR
Public relations has today become a significant problem for many reasons, with over 68 percent of the valuation of most businesses is based on their public identity:
The brand reputation builds up.
The brand image is enhanced when target customers are made aware of it via a third-party media outlet. A good strategy for public relations allows the company to create its identity as it wishes.
It is opportunity-based
The brand takes advantage of public relations strategies like Google was in the Ebola donation coverage.
Such incentives also draw many influencers to share their followers’ brand story.
Fostering Product Principles
PR is used to send positive messages that are consistent with the value and image of the brand. This builds the reputation of the brand.
Enhancing Public Relations
PR tactics are used to prove that the brand is part of the business and the target market. It establishes a positive bond between the brand and the public.