PUBLIC RELATIONS

By

J. M. Kilungu

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Public Relations

Definitions

 Public Relations practice is the planned

and sustained effort to establish and
maintain goodwill and mutual
understanding between an organization
and its publics (IPR).

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Cont.

 Public relations practice is the art and

social science of analyzing trends,
predicting their consequences,
counseling organizational leaders, and
implementing planned programmes of
action which will serve both the
organization's and the public interest
(MS).
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The Publics of Public
Relations
 Publics Defined
Publics are those groups of people
internally and externally, and institutions
with whom an organization
communicates or interacts.

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 SHAREHOLDERS
COMPETITORS CUSTOMERS

POTENTIAL
EMPLOYEES EMPLOYEES
SUPPLIERS

FINANCIERS

GOVERNMENT
COMMUNITY

Diagram: An organization's Publics

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Relations

Has To Do With:
 Understanding one another
 Helping one another
 Business friendship
 Meeting each other’s needs
 Communicating
 Sharing experiences
 Promoting one another
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PR is Concerned with:

 Analyzing trends
 Predicting consequences
 Advising organizational members
(counseling)
 Implementation of planned programmes
 Serving a public interest

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What PR is not

 Free advertising
 Part of the marketing mix
 About creating a favourable image
 Propaganda (biased information to gain
support for a cause, creed, belief)
 Conning the press, twisting editors arms,
or bribing the media to public stories
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Types of Relationship

 Active or passive
 Good or bad or neutral
 Superior to inferior (by rank)
 Equal to equal
 Benevolent, friendly, suspicious, jealous,
hostile (by sentiment)

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Organizational Objective

 To change where it is bad

 To activate where it is passive
 To establish where it is non-existent
 To abolish where it brings more problems
than happiness

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Objectives of Public
Relations
 To create the true image of an
organization
 To correct misconceptions (by publishing
facts, policies etc)
 To secure and keep good suppliers
 To win the goodwill of community and
neighbours

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Cont.

 To keep the government informed about

an organization's work
 To win goodwill of the employees
 To inform and serve consumers
 To improve labour relations
 To render public service

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THE PR TRANSFER
PROCESS
 The role of PR can be demonstrated by
the model of PR transfer process.

HOSTILITY SYMPATHY

PREJUDICES ACCEPTANCE

APATHY INTEREST

IGNORANCE KNOWLEDGE

Diagram: The PR Transfer Process

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PUBLIC RELATIONS
ACTIVITIES/FORMS
1. NEWS RELEASES
2. INTERVIEWING
3. PHOTOGRAPHY
4. NEWS CONFERENCES
5. PRESS PARTY
6. PUBLICITY
7. CLIPPING SERVICES
8. LISTS AND DIRECTORIES
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CONT.

9. FEATURES ARTICLE
10. REPORTS AND PROPOSALS
11. BRONCHURES AND PRINTED
MATERIALS
12. FIRMS, SLIDES, RADIO, AND
TELEVISION
13. SPECIAL EVENTS
14. EXHIBITIONS
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Promoting Public
Relations
Ways and Means
 Advertising in newspapers
 Use of Radio and Television
 Organizational magazines, journals, and
newsletters
 Exhibitions/fairs
 Use/circulation of printed materials

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Cont.

 Sponsorships (for arts, sports,

fellowships, expeditions etc.)
 Audio visuals (slides, video cassettes)
 Spoken word (over a meal or drink, in the
office, on telephone, in a workshop etc).

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Role of the Executive
Assistant
 Supporting Executives in whatever they
do on behalf of the organization

 Participating in internal and external PR

programmes

 Promoting the organization through

executive dressing, decent talk to
visitors, prompt attention to guests.
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Role of the Executive
Assistant
 Enhancing departmental and employee
relations

 Enhancing business relations between her

office and partners

 Decent living in the community

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Role of the Executive
Assistant
 Enhancing the office image through
plants and decorations
 Personally introducing and marketing
one’s organization to the public.

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