Understanding PR

At its core, public relations is about influencing, engaging and building a relationship with key stakeholders across numerous platforms in order to shape and frame the public perception of an organization. Public relations also encompasses the following:

Anticipating, analyzing and interpreting public opinion, attitudes and issues that might have an impact, for good or ill, on the operations and plans of the organization.

Counselling management at all levels in the organization with regard to policy decisions, courses of action and communications – including crisis communications -- taking into account their public ramifications and the organization’s social or citizenship responsibilities.

Protecting the reputation of an organization.

Researching, conducting and evaluating, on a continuing basis, programs of action and communications to achieve the informed public understanding necessary to the success of an organization’s aims. These may include marketing; financial; fundraising; employee, community or government relations; and other programs.

Planning and implementing the organization’s efforts to influence or change public policy.

Setting objectives, planning, budgeting, recruiting and training staff, developing facilities — in short, managing the resources needed to perform all of the above.