Public relations is a planned programme
to maintain effective relations between your business
and other groups who can influence your overall success.
These groups include:
Customers
Employees
Investors
Suppliers
Central and local government
The community
In the context of sales and marketing
management, the first four groups listed above are
the most important. Public relations uses a range
of communication activities to ensure that each of
these groups has a correct understanding of your business.
These communications serve to improve:
Customers awareness and understanding
of products and services through product public
relations.
Understanding amongst customers and
suppliers of the business through corporate public relations.
Relationships with the financial
community through financial communications and,
Relationships with employees through
internal communications.
Many of the communications described
above depend on effective relationships with the press.
Press
relations are therefore an important
element of public relations.
Your public relations staff
should ensure that everything the press sees or hears
is controlled and is consistent with the image plan.