Public Relations: Breaking down the mystery, Part I, What Exactly is Public Relations?

Public Relations can elevate awareness of your brand, improve the image of your company, help your business navigate through a crisis and even launch a new product. Too often public relations can be a fuzzy concept for companies, with management only tapping into the arena when something goes wrong or when someone needs a press release. Used well, however, public relations efforts can be your secret sauce to generating targeted messaging and awareness about your company.

A public relations practice can encompass a number of services:

• Media Relations
• Crisis Management
• Media Training
• Community Outreach
• Social Media Management
• Crafting Company Stories
• Event Planning and Product Launches
• And yes, writing press releases!

Not every company will need every one of these skill sets, but together they form a complete service package. 

So how do you begin? First you and your Public Relations team must work on your Public Relations Strategy. State your challenge or goals, identify your target audience and then determine what action you want people to take or what you want them to know about your company. From there, a unique story and messaging is crafted in a way that inspires people to action or understanding, and then the story is shared with the right audience.

How is the story shared? There are lots of tools: media relations, grass roots campaigns, social media initiatives, community relations, partner relations… it all depends on your company and goals. This is where your Public Relations Team will advise and consult with you.

For tips on how to choose the right Public Relations Company see our blog, Public Relations: Breaking down the mystery, Part II, How to Choose the Right Public Relations Team.