Introduction
Public Relations (PR) is one tricky field to enter. As PR personnel themselves say, “If you can’t take a rejection and it keeps you up at night, then might as well find another job”. The field has been expanding as the demand for PR is on the rise. Every public and private sector demands Public relations. Besides organization, individuals too now need to hire a PR agency for betterment. So let us understand the 10 points of information before you can get into PR.
Definition
Public Relations is an agency that helps you maintain a positive reputation in the market. It is the earned type of media that ensures to put out the aims of the company in a way it will be appreciated. To do the same, they use several tools and strategies.
Types
PR is broadly divided into 2 types- In-house PR and External PR. In-house PR is solely developed inside the company. It is a department that works only for the company it has been built into. They look not only into the issues and publicity of the firm. But they help maintain healthy relations between the coworkers and Heads. External PR agencies are independent bodies. They have serval clients based on contracts.
Mutual bond
PR agents have close contacts with reporters from media organizations. It is considered a mutual bond as the agency requires word with people. Reporters require news before the daily deadline. Though this relation is said to have a bad reputation yet ensures benefits for bother parties. A good bond is when the journalist inspects the story (news from the company) to be worthy. The PR agent makes sure their story is worth writing.
Responsibility
As mentioned in the beginning, the job of a PR personnel is to maintain a positive image. The company’s reputation becomes their responsibility. Every PR agent can have two types of situations to handle.
- Positive enforcement: Here, the agent comes up with tactics and stories to get better word of mouth. E.g., Volvo trucks made a video of a three-year unboxing the model of their new truck. The Video went viral and grosses as the highest viewed video of the day.
- Crisis Management: If the company makes a mistake, the PR personnel must come up with ways to manage the crisis and rebuilt the lost reputation.
Tools
All PR agencies use tools to accomplish their duty. Some of these include writing a Press release, forming an online presence and social media management, and using strategies and so on, RACE (Research, action, communication evaluation)
Skills
Every PR person needs to develop certain skills such as effective writing for speech, web Press release, etc., planning, communication, quick decision making, team coordination, and managing panic. These skills are needed the most during crisis management. Hence make sure to build on these skills.
Importance of research
This one of the most important departments of Public Relations. Without research, you are just a person lost in Amazon. Let me give you an example of failed research. Ford Pinto’s model failed in Brazil as Pinto was slang for tiny male genitals. The company failed to conduct cultural research leading to product failure.
PR and Marketing
As much as these 2 fields are different yet, interdependent. Marketing focuses purely on boosting a product/service of the company, while PR works on the company as a whole. The brand first builds a reputation through Public Relations, the marketing then boosts their products.
PR v/s Advertising
Often people confuse these 2 terms. The mere difference between them is advertising is paid and controlled media while PR is earned. Advertising can work with repetitive engrossment, but PR makes the company earn its name.
Career
A Public Relations firm is not about agents. There are several other opportunities one can look at. For example, Publicist, copywrites, event panners, research, etc. These careers will be discussed in another article.
