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Archive for the ‘Public Relations’ Category

Public relations professionals serve a variety of functions within a company or organization.

While the specific tasks vary, central to all these functions is careful and tactful communication tailored specifically to the audience, whether that audience is consumers, other industry members, investors or the media.

It is the public relations representative’s responsibility to maintain positive relationships between the employer and all those with whom the employer interacts.

Consumer Interactions

Much of the success of a company depends upon how the consumer sees the company.

If a company projects an air of indifference toward its clientele or if the company has a reputation for dishonesty, consumers will not only avoid the company themselves but will actively campaign among their friends, family and associates to discourage them from patronizing the company.

It is the public relations officer’s role to ensure that the company conveys to its clients a genuine interest in their needs and that the clients believe they are dealing with a trustworthy company.

The public relations office will participate in the formation of company policy for dealing with customer complaints. PR personnel may also write and distribute a weekly newsletter to clientele.

Media Interactions

As the dissemination of information becomes more efficient, the necessity of managing a company’s public profile becomes more important.

Public relations officers are responsible for providing the media with press releases to promote company actions that are likely to increase customer support.

For example, if the company implements a new, greener production method, the public relations officer would write and issue a press release emphasizing the company’s eco-friendly approach.

Conversely, if the media report a fact that is likely to reflect poorly on the company, the public relations officer would write a press release to diminish the damage.

Industry Interactions

Although dealing well with the consumer and with the media is essential to the success of a company, so too is dealing well with other industry members.

Despite the competitive nature of virtually all markets, interaction and sometimes collaboration among industry members is necessary for furthering the cause of the industry itself.

For example, if government regulations are hindering the productivity of the industry, collaboration between industry members can create political pressure that may result in a change of the regulations.

Thus, a public relations officer must also maintain a healthy relationship with other industry members by issuing communications on topics of mutual interest.

In the fast-paced world of business, Public Relations (PR) is critical to success, reputation management and awareness.

Every Fortune 500 company you can think of has a PR department, and many also use PR agencies to ensure their brand is presented in a way that is consistent with the company’s mission and values.

PR focus can be proactive or reactive, and good PR plans have a lot of both.

What do PR People Do?

When you watch a business executive talking about a recent company development, or answering questions about a company scandal, you can bet the exec has been thoroughly trained on what to say by his PR team.

PR people control the “brand” of a company. They write press releases and announcements that make people see the company in a positive light, and they mitigate negative publicity by reacting quickly to any criticism.

Preparation

To prepare for a career in PR, you can take two routes. The first is formal education.

A marketing degree with a concentration will teach you all the basics and the standards of the industry. Today, however, many PR pros have backgrounds in other fields, and have been steered into a career in PR.

If you like strategizing on how to promote a company or product, you should read as much as you can about the industry.

In-House PR

Once you’ve decided that a career in PR is for you, there are three common paths of PR careers. The first is to join an in-house PR team.

In-house PR typically manages the activities of the organization and works with creative agencies to develop messaging and distribute it through various media channels.

In-house PR is a good way to get PR experience for those without a formal background. Read the rest of this entry »

Public relations is an exciting field, but finding a job can be tough. The U.S. Department of Labor expects there to be more public relations specialists available than the industry demands over the next few years.

Here are some tips to make sure you stand out in the crowd when looking for that special public relations job.

1. Browse websites that service the public relations industry. Many of them have current job listings around the country.

2. Use any source where available jobs are listed, as public relations specialists are needed in a wide variety of fields.

Industries such as health care, advertising, manufacturing, hotels, government, politics, retail industries and many high-profile businesses use public relations specialists.

3. Look for jobs in cities that have a high concentration of public relations specialists because of their proximity to the press and business associations, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Washington, D.C.

4. Consider becoming either an independent contractor or incorporating. The public relations industry is expected to grow in the next several years as companies are being scrutinized more for ethical practices.

5. Network by joining local chapters of national business organizations, such as the Chamber of Commerce.

Offer your public relation services pro bono (free) to organizations that you are personally affiliated with, such as groups that help abused women and children, animal rights groups, or other non-profit agencies that will appreciate your generosity while giving you exposure.

6. Research video software that allows you to send video and audio emails to prospective clients, and purchase a list of public relations executives along with their personal email addresses from one of the large list companies like Dun & Bradstreet, Hoovers or Infousa.

Imagine the impact of a PR executive watching and listening to you tell him the value your public relations expertise can offer to his company.