The Public Relations Profession

Writen by Mary Anne Winslow

The delicate balance of public relations personnel is difficult at best. It includes a wide variety of responsibilities all which require a special type of skill and personality. Dealing with the public, is highly jeopardous position for any company. The unique role of public relations takes a specific type of personality and the ability to choose words carefully, reflecting fully on their effect on the listeners.

Public Relations Defined

The practice of public relations is typically a method of promotion related to an organization's overall promotional plan. Combined with other advertising/marketing material, public relations is a communications effort, designed to favorably influence others' attitudes or perceptions towards your organization or business. When used correctly, public relations can be as effective as advertising, yet costs much less. According to the Foundation for Public Relations Research and Education, public relations is defined as "a distinctive management function which helps establish and maintain mutual lines of communications, understanding, acceptance, and cooperation between an organization and its publics"

Role of a PR Professional

Accomplished through information gathering and strategic planning, public relations has become an objectives oriented job in the organization. In its role as a management function, the practice of public relations involves much more than simple publicity and creativity. The role of public relations professionals could include tasks such as finding out how people feel about a company, or how management would like the public to see the company. It could also include duties involving the planning of an exhibition, organizing a conference, writing or making a speech, writing a press release, or editing an in-house newsletter. More commonly, public relations professionals lead in the development of a broad communications strategy. The public relations professional offers the effective management of communication efforts within the organization, bridging the gap between the organization and its publics.

Public relations is summarized as "the management function which evaluates public attitudes, identifies the policies and procedures of an individual or an organization with the public interest, and plans and executes a program of action to earn public understanding and acceptance". The skill set of a public relations specialist should consist of the following:

1. Communications strategy development

2. Executive communications planning and counsel

3. Media contact and relationship building

4. Investor relations

5. Industry analyst relations

6. Crisis communications

Conclusion

In order for a company to successfully bridge the gap between the organization and its publics, it must plan and strategically develop its communications, most commonly accomplished with a public relations professional. Whether that professional is a staff employee or a paid outside consultant or service, that individual or company is very crucial to gaining the publics awareness and acceptance of the organization and what it stands for. Situations can be managed, whether good or bad, it is all about how public relations are planned and executed.

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