A group of individuals having a definite impact or likely interest in an organisation’s capability, to attain its targets, is termed as public. Public relations (PR) comprise of various events or shows, created to foster a better image of the organisation or of the products offered by the organisation.
“Public relation is an extensive process of communication to establish and continue the constructive relations between the organisation and its stakeholders or society”.
Organisations have to create a distinct position in today’s world of business, marked by cut throat competition. so as to continue the current group of consumers and add-on new consumers. It is also important to form and retain a good reputation in the minds of the public. A public relation campaign represents and communicates about an organisation, its products and services and its overall perforrnance, in order to build and establish a positive image among its consumers and media, in the most effective manner. This reputation assists in building a strong association with its buyers. This strong association developed with the buyers helps in increasing sales of the products.
Types of Public Relations
The principal tools used by public relation campaign are as follows:
- Press, Radio and TV/Media Relations: PR and media relations principally undertake the job Of communicating Or declaring about an organisation and its products through various media vehicles namely; radio, TV, newsletter, newspaper, magazines and internet. To generate and gather media coverage, PR executives present particular stories about organisations, their goods and services and the concerned spokesperson/authority, with the help of media. Creating attention-grabbing yet appropriate stories and communicating them through media, is the base Of such media coverage. It is very important for PR professionals to know that media do not ask for any type of payment to place a story and only attractive and worthy stories are placed in media.
- Media Tour: Media tour helps in advertising and promotion of new and innovative products. It is a where a spokesperson of an organisation visits all major cities to launch a nee,’ product. The spokesperson participates in radio and television talk shows and organises interview sessions with different media (print as well as internet) reporters. Public influencers like bloggers are also invited in interview sessions. A spokesperson can be anyone having a reliable connection with the target audience. He may be an employee of the organisation or any expert or celebrity hired by the organisation for such purposes. Generally, media tour is utilised in case Of launch Of a new book, where writer or author travels across nation to promote its latest publication.
- Newsletters: Advertising agencies establish correspondence (on regular basis) with their existing and prospective customers, by using newsletters. These newsletters are addressed to end users, trade buyers or business clients and are send through postal services Or emails i.e. e-newsletters. Through newsletters, marketeB try to provide information about the products and promotions and some interesting content to customers. For example, a newsletter offered by a book shop may include new book reviews, description of online or in-store promotion methods, and description of online book chats.
- Special Events: A range of events including grand receptions, parties, elegant dinners, stunts, etc., comprise of special events. These events are created specifically for a particular group of audience, for example, a strawberry festival targeting growth in tourism and regional agricultural activities or a program targeting students for college saving plans. Stunts include events specially conducted to attract customers and media. For example, in the National Ice Cream month, preparing world’s largest ice cream, grabs the attention of local ‘Sdents and also creates interest in media like news channels and key newspaper publishers.
- Sponsorships: Association with a specific group or activity enables the organisation to build a positive image and brand acceptance. The sponsor, who helps the marketer to accomplish its goals, reaches target audience and is in accordance with the financial budgets of organisation, should be selected by the marketer. Starting from the local institution level (like theatre or an centre) to the level of Olympics, various local, regional, national and international sponsorship options are available. Many organisations striving for sponsorships, furnish data on various levels, comprising of details about the audience which is part of the event, level Of exposure, signage, printed T-shirts, public declarations, Other occasions, etc.
- Employee Communications and Relation: Several organisations exchange information on a uniform basis with their employees so as to keep them aware about the latest corporate events/happenings, incentive plans corresponding to sales figures, employee related matters and also notify them about various new products and services to be launched. Several ways are used to be in contact with the employees like printed and online newsletters, emails, intranet, etc, Large scale organisations have the public relations department functioning simultaneously with human resource department to establish better communication system with the employees.
- Website Development: Website has been a useful tool for marketers to build up a relationship with the target consumers. Website development has been an area, which consumes lot of time and requires technical expertise. But these days, the technical hassles have reduced and many user-friendly website development applications are available. These applications help in instant and easy creation as well as updation Of web pages. Due to invention of these applications, internet is now used differently. Now-a-days, websites act as a medium, through which every individual can put forth hiv’her viewpoints, whereas, earlier it was only a place to promote and provide necessary information about various products and services and a platform for e-commerce.
- Market Monitoring: With the outbreak of various information vehicles on the internet, it has been further important to observe each remark or opinion stated about the firm and its products and services. Organisations should keep a close watch on conversations taking place on various blogs, social media, chat corners, public messaging sites, forums, etc., and also on content Of conventional print and broadcast media. In case Of any negative remarks and wrong information being propagating about products, the marketers should be quick in to such issues before they get unmanageable due to latest technology avenues.
- Customer Service: An organisation’s customer service department provides customers the necessary assistance Or service before, throughout as well as after a purchase. Marketers use customer service as an important tool towards understanding how a product will be valued by a potential custorner. For example, organisations issue a toll-free number to motivate customers and Other business clients to register their grievances and problems. This distinct information should be widely circulated within the organisation. Public relation personnel should respond properly to these grievances so as to refrain the disappointed customers from becoming part of rival groups.
Importance of Public Relations
Following points highlight the impoflance of public relations:
- Credibility: Public relations have the benefit of reliability and credibility. The various PR tools (stories or news articles) are primarily believed in comparison to advertisements. People generally believe that media professionals gather such crucial information and write these stories or news articles on their own.
- Low Cost: The different communication media used by public relations are relatively less expensive. These communication vehicles are cheaper than the expenses incurred in producing commercials or ads. Media placement charges are very low and also the tools sent to media executives for inspection are particularly less costly. In rulity, are hardly any PR tools that are featured or broadcasted through payment of additional fees by the client.
- Not Compete with Other PR Tools: Since, PR tools are commonly featured as write-ups or stories, they do not compete with other public relations communication tools. But promotions and advertisements broadcasted through different media are compared with other promotions or commercials.
- Effective: Communication mechanisms of public relations are beneficial in establishing a good reputation in the minds of various stakeholders about the goods and services or any other data offered by an organisation.
Limitations of Pub1ic Relations
Few limitations of public relations are as follows:
- May not Appear in Media: The different communication vehicles of public relations may not be featured in media, particularly those which are to be scrutinised by media personnel.
- Incapable to Link Messages: The messages given by PR communication mechanisms are not linked with the organisation even If those being heard, seen or read by the public.
- Fail to Achieve the Objectives: These tools can fall short of the expectations or goals set, for which they were formulated by the organisation. In such cases, it may remain unknown to the organisation, as determining the efficacy of public relations is quite a complex process.
- Brief Life: These tools have a brief life, as for having desired impact on the target audience, frequent changes are made though providing new and better information.
- Incapable Of Changing Perception: Altering the perception Of potential customers about a particular product Or service Or any Other business dealt by the organisation is quite complicated. Number Of communication tools need to be used for a considerable amount of time in order to change the perceptions of consumers.