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Why
Public Relations?
Taken from odwyers.com
Written by Fraser P. Seitel
Public relations.
Who needs it?
That's the question posed by organizations and individuals, when
confronted with the prospect of actually paying for PR work.
The short answer, of course, is that everyone "needs PR"
– good PR, that is. Leon Hess, the late owner of the New York
Jets, used to delight in telling interviewers that his oil company
"didn't need public relations."
Sorry, Mr. Hess, but like it or not, your firm, just like every
other, has PR, whether you want it or not.
The fact is the smallest non-profits to the largest multinational
corporations maintain relations with a myriad of publics –
contributors, customers, suppliers, distributors, neighbors, competitors,
government, media, neighbors and so on.
Your "PR" is the sum total of the opinions these groups
have of you and your organization. If your name is unknown or your
reputation questionable, your success will suffer, relative to better-known,
better-respected competitors. That's why everyone needs good PR.
What constitutes "good PR?"
That answer can be summarized in a single word, "credibility."
As the Chinese proverb puts it, Credibility takes years to build
but can evaporate in an instant.
Time and again, many organizations, including the largest and most
powerful in the world, have suffered tarnished reputations and tattered
credibility because they mismanaged the PR aspects of problems or
opportunities.
On the other hand, the smartest individuals and institutions recognize
what proper public relations can help accomplish.
PR introduces your identity.
Just as every business needs a thoughtful business plan, so, too,
does every organization require fundamental literature that describes
strengths, philosophy, products and benefits. Facilities booklets,
product brochures, annual reports, biographical summaries, or a
comprehensive website all serve as beneficial PR literature.
The quality and breadth of knowledge that such literature communicates
reinforces the credibility of the organization and, in effect, serves
as a written, introductory "calling card."
PR gets you noticed.
Former CBS journalist and later National Public Radio commentator
Daniel Schorr once noted, "If you're not in the media, for
all intents you don't exist." Every organization can benefit
from publicity – good publicity, that is.
Gaining media attention, like any other marketing discipline, requires
a strategic focus on key media targets, followed by a sound implementation
plan. Local media, in particular, are receptive to the announcement
of new divisions, officers, products and locations.
It makes sense for every organization, regardless of size or scope,
to maintain positive relations with local and trade press.
The media don't like fair weather friends. Rather, what gets an
organization noticed over time is a steady concern for and correspondence
with interested press.
PR enhances your role in the community.
Achieving community – or even societal – recognition isn't
difficult, as long as individuals are willing to speak out and participate
in community and public affairs.
Speeches before local and national groups on topics of relevant
societal concern offer immediate recognition.
Such speeches are easily arranged and eagerly appreciated by forum
organizers. Contributing money to local charities and, more importantly
contributing organizational time and human resources to local events
can also instantly enhance an organization's standing in the community.
The old term, "corporate social responsibility," remains
an essential one in fortifying organizational credibility. Not unimportant,
the networking aspects of such involvement also can lead to new
business.
PR takes charge in crisis.
Heaven forbid that Mike Wallace or Geraldo ever show up at your
front door. But if they do and you already have established a solid
PR foundation for the organization, you'll be better prepared than
most.
In crisis, the key PR principles are to be honest and available.
That's what President Nixon wasn't in Watergate and President Clinton
wasn't in Monicagate. Both suffered irreparable credibility loss
as a result.
A smart CEO in today's 24/7 communications marketplace will always
assess legal advice, on the one hand, and PR advice, on the other,
before making decisions in a crisis. Often today, how one immediately
responds in the Court of Public Opinion is equally important to
how one responds ultimately in the Court of Law.
So in a crisis, savvy PR counsel is a necessity.
PR enhances credibility.
Finally, PR can be eminently more valuable, to say nothing of a
lot cheaper, than advertising. Advertising plays a key role in branding
the identity of an organization or its products or services.
But people expect advertising content to be positive, because you
pay for it. There are no such guarantees with publicity.
The news media – as opposed to the advertising media –
are supposed to be objective, indifferent, and neutral. So when
an organization receives a glowing review from a newspaper or commentator,
it is implicitly "endorsing" the subject.
Thus your credibility is enhanced far more than it would be from
a paid ad. The practice of PR has become big business in the 21st
Century.
Nonetheless, the fact remains that there are still individuals and
industries and institutions that neither understand the value or
power of PR work.
That's why it's important that those who practice the profession
understand its worth and spread the word.
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