Course Development Team

Head of Programme : Dr Brian Lee Chin Hin

Course Developer(s) : Ho Tjin Charn Bernard
Technical Writer : Wong Ling Ming, ETP
Video Production : Eric Lau, ETP
Instructional Designer : Maryam Arabi, ETP

© 2020 Singapore University of Social Sciences. All rights reserved.

No part of this material may be reproduced in any form or by any means without
permission in writing from the Educational Technology & Production, Singapore
University of Social Sciences.

ISBN 978-981-4700-23-8

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How to cite this Study Guide (APA):

Ho, T. C. B. (2020). COM301 Public relations (study guide). Singapore: Singapore

University of Social Sciences.

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 Table of Contents

  
  
Table of Contents

Course Guide  
1.  Welcome..................................................................................................................  CG-2

2. Course Description and Aims............................................................................  CG-4

3. Learning Outcomes..............................................................................................  CG-6

4. Learning Material.................................................................................................  CG-7

5. Assessment Overview..........................................................................................  CG-8

6. Course Schedule.................................................................................................. CG-10

7. Learning Mode....................................................................................................  CG-11

Study Unit 1: Introduction to Public Relations  

Learning Outcomes.................................................................................................  SU1-2

Overview...................................................................................................................  SU1-3

Chapter 1: Defining Public Relations...................................................................  SU1-4

Chapter 2: Putting Public Relations to Work....................................................  SU1-15

Chapter 3: In-House Public Relations and Public Relations Agencies..........  SU1-21

Summary.................................................................................................................   SU1-28

Formative Assessment..........................................................................................  SU1-29

Study Unit 2: The Public Relations Planning Process  

Learning Outcomes.................................................................................................  SU2-2

Overview...................................................................................................................  SU2-3

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Defining Problems and Setting Goals...............................................  SU2-4

Chapter 2: Public Relations Strategy..................................................................  SU2-12

Chapter 3: Putting Plans into Action.................................................................. SU2-15

Summary.................................................................................................................   SU2-29

Formative Assessment..........................................................................................  SU2-30

Study Unit 3: Public Relations Tools  

Learning Outcomes.................................................................................................  SU3-2

Overview...................................................................................................................  SU3-3

Chapter 1: Working with the Media – Part I.......................................................  SU3-4

Chapter 2: Working with the Media – Part II.................................................... SU3-20

Summary.................................................................................................................   SU3-29

Formative Assessment..........................................................................................  SU3-30

Study Unit 4: Public Relations in Practice  

Learning Outcomes.................................................................................................  SU4-2

Overview...................................................................................................................  SU4-3

Chapter 1: Areas of Specialisation in Public Relations – Part I......................... SU4-4

Chapter 2: Areas of Specialisation in Public Relations – Part II.....................  SU4-13

Summary.................................................................................................................   SU4-28

Formative Assessment..........................................................................................  SU4-29

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 List of Lesson Recordings

List of Lesson Recordings

Core Concepts in Public Relations............................................................................. SU1-4

Roles and Functions of Public Relations................................................................. SU1-21

The Public Relations Planning Process.....................................................................  SU2-4

Writing Good News Releases.....................................................................................  SU3-4

Social Media and Public Relations........................................................................... SU3-20

Employee Relations......................................................................................................  SU4-4

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List of Lesson Recordings

iv
 Course
Guide

Public Relations
COM301  Course Guide

1. Welcome

Presenter: Bernard Ho Tjin Charn

This streaming video requires Internet connection. Access it via Wi-Fi to

avoid incurring data charges on your personal mobile plan.

Click here to watch the video. i

Welcome to the course COM301 Public Relations, a 5-credit unit (CU) course.

This Study Guide will be your personal learning resource to take you through the course
learning journey. The guide is divided into two main sections – the Course Guide and
Study Units.

The Course Guide describes the structure for the entire course and provides you with an
overview of the Study Units. It serves as a roadmap of the different learning components
within the course. This Course Guide contains important information regarding the
course learning outcomes, learning materials and resources, assessment breakdown and
additional course information.

Each Study Unit will feature case studies to show how public relations professionals plan
and carry out public relations efforts to effectively build relationships for organisations
with internal and external publics, to raise awareness for certain issues, to manage public
perceptions of organisations and related issues, and so on.

i
https://d2jifwt31jjehd.cloudfront.net/COM301/IntroVideo/COM301_Intro_Video.mp4

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COM301  Course Guide

The author of this paper acknowledges with sincere appreciation the contribution of Mr.
Benjamin Tan, Account Manager, Black Dot Pte Ltd who contributed to the development
of the case studies in this Study Guide. Black Dot is a Singapore-based boutique
public relations consultancy specialising in media outreach, event sponsorships and
strategic business consultancy. Mr. Tan is also in charge of Business Development and
Diversification at the consultancy. He was formerly a producer at Yahoo! Southeast Asia
and a Content Manager for Singapore Telecommunications Limited.

Each case study offers examples of best practices of public relations efforts widely used by
various organisations. Students are encouraged to research the relevant and related topics
to find reference materials to read beyond this study guide, to take time to work through
the activities after each topic and to conduct their own research using suggested search
words and terms presented at the end of each chapter.

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COM301  Course Guide

2. Course Description and Aims

COM301 Public Relations provides an introduction to the field of public relations through
a study of industry-based and relevant theoretical concepts, best practices and case
studies. Students are then expected to demonstrate their ability to understand the concepts
and apply the knowledge that they have gained in the course.

The course will begin by guiding students through an examination of the definitions, goals
and objectives of public relations. The course will also offer a comprehensive look at the
public relations’ planning process that includes examining how problems are defined;
how goals and objectives are set; how target publics are identified; how strategies are
formulated; and how action plans are implemented and evaluated.

The course also takes students through a discussion of the tools of public relations, and
the various practice areas within the field of public relations as practiced in modern and
dynamic for-profit and non-profit organisations.

Students will also learn how the Internet and the widespread use of social media has
impacted best practices in public relations in today’s evolving social and economic
landscapes.

Course Structure
This course is a 5-credit unit course presented over 6 weeks.

There are four Study Units in this course. The following provides an overview of each
Study Unit.

Study Unit 1 – Introduction to Public Relations

This study unit provides students with a definition of public relations; introduces core
concepts to them; examines the relationship between public relations and marketing; as
well as defining various roles and responsibilities of public relations practitioners.

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COM301  Course Guide

Study Unit 2 – The Public Relations Planning Process

This study unit helps to explain the planning process that is carried out for public relations
campaigns. It also discusses how problems are researched and defined; how publics are
segmented; how goals and objectives are determined, and how public relations campaigns
are evaluated.

Study Unit 3 – Public Relations Tools

This study unit examines the common communication tools used in public relations
efforts, and the appropriate writing techniques that are used for those communication
tools.

Study Unit 4 – Public Relations in Practice

This study unit examines the various areas of specialisations in public relations practices
such as Corporate Relations, Consumer Relations, Employee Relations, Government
Relations and Media Relations.

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COM301  Course Guide

3. Learning Outcomes

Knowledge & Understanding (Theory Component)

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• Analyse the various public relations concepts and its key dimensions.
• Examine the variety of roles public relations plays to establish and promote effective
relationships with its various publics.
• Apply various public relations theories.
• Discuss various public relations principles.

Key Skills (Practical Component)

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• Prepare for effective communication plans for implementation as a public relations

practitioner.
• Solve public relations problems and issues.
• Recommend effective public relations messages for actual cases.

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COM301  Course Guide

4. Learning Material

The following is a list of the required learning materials to complete this course.

Required Textbook
Lattimore, D. (2012). Public relations: The profession and the practice. New York: McGraw-

Hill.

Recommended Readings
Wilcox, D. L., Ault, P. H., & Agee, W. K. (2014). Public relations: Strategies and tactics.

London: Pearson.

Newsom, D., VanSlyke Turk, J., & Kruckeberg, D. (2013). This is PR: The realities of public

relations. Kentucky: Wadsworth Cengage.

Schenkler, I., & Herrling, T. (2004). Guide to media relations. Upper Saddle River, N.J:

Pearson Prentice Hall.

Websites:
http://iprs.org.sg

http://ipr.org.uk/reputation

http://ethicalcorp.com

http://www.issuemanagement.org

http://www.instituteforpr.org

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COM301  Course Guide

5. Assessment Overview

The overall assessment weighting for this course is as follows:

Assessment Description Weight Allocation

Assignment 1 Pre-Class Quiz 01 4%

Assignment 2 Pre-Class Quiz 02 3%

Assignment 3 Pre-Class Quiz 03 3%

Assignment 4 TMA01 20%

Assignment 5 TMA02 20%

Examination Short answers and essay 50%

questions

TOTAL 100%

The following section provides important information regarding Assessments.

Continuous Assessment:

There will be continuous assessment in the form of three pre-class quizzes, and two tutor-
marked assignments (TMAs). In total, these continuous assessments will constitute 50
percent of overall student assessment for this course. The two assignments are compulsory
and are non-substitutable. These assignments will test conceptual understanding of
both the fundamental and more advanced concepts and applications that underlie
public relations. It is imperative that you read through your Assignment questions and
submission instructions before embarking on your Assignment.

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COM301  Course Guide

Passing Mark:

To successfully pass the course, you must obtain a minimum passing mark of 40 percent
for each of the two TMA components. That is, students must obtain at least a mark of
40 percent for the combined assessments and also at least a mark of 40 percent for the
final examination. For detailed information on the Course grading policy, please refer to
The Student Handbook (‘Award of Grades’ section under Assessment and Examination
Regulations). The Student Handbook is available from the Student Portal.

Non-graded Learning Activities:

Activities for the purpose of self-learning are present in each study unit. These learning
activities are meant to enable you to assess your understanding and achievement of
the learning outcomes. The type of activities can be in the form of Review Questions,
Application-Based Questions or similar. You are expected to complete the suggested
activities either independently and/or in groups.

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COM301  Course Guide

6. Course Schedule

To help monitor your study progress, you should pay special attention to your
Course Schedule. It contains study unit related activities including Assignments, Self-
assessments, and Examinations. Please refer to the Course Timetable in the Student Portal
for the updated Course Schedule.

Note: You should always make it a point to check the Student Portal for any
announcements and latest updates.

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COM301  Course Guide

7. Learning Mode

The learning process for this course is structured along the following lines of learning:

a. Self-study guided by the study guide units. Independent study will require at
least 3 hours per week.
b. Working on assignments.
c. Classroom Seminar sessions (3 hours each session, 3 sessions in total).

iStudyGuide

You may be viewing the iStudyGuide version, which is the mobile version of the
Study Guide. The iStudyGuide is developed to enhance your learning experience with
interactive learning activities and engaging multimedia. Depending on the reader you are
using to view the iStudyGuide, you will be able to personalise your learning with digital
bookmarks, note-taking and highlight sections of the guide.

Interaction with Instructor and Fellow Students

Although flexible learning – learning at your own pace, space and time – is a hallmark
at SUSS, you are encouraged to engage your instructor and fellow students in online
discussion forums. Sharing of ideas through meaningful debates will help broaden your
learning and crystallise your thinking.

Academic Integrity

As a student of SUSS, it is expected that you adhere to the academic standards stipulated
in The Student Handbook, which contains important information regarding academic
policies, academic integrity and course administration. It is necessary that you read and
understand the information stipulated in the Student Handbook, prior to embarking on
the course.

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COM301  Course Guide

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 1
Study
Unit

Introduction to Public Relations

COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

1. Define the essential elements of public relations;

2. Explain the components of public relations;
3. Analyse how PR contributes to a firm’s communication efforts;
4. Explain how PR differs from marketing and advertising;
5. Define the publics in PR efforts;
6. Categorise the qualities and skills required of PR practitioners;
7. Outline the roles and activities of PR departments;
8. Describe the services provided by a PR agency;
9. Discuss the pros and cons of using a PR agency versus having an in-house PR
department.

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

Overview

W e often hear that organisations use public relations efforts to address problems
they may have with their customers. Even restaurants have “public relations
officers” to handle queries from restaurant patrons. Similarly, many people think that
public relations is all about cutting ribbons, throwing lavish parties to woo customers
and investors. Little wonder that many people think that public relations is only about
finding ways to please customers. So what exactly is public relations all about? This Study
Unit aims to provide good working definitions of public relations so that misperceptions
are corrected. This is done through an examination of the core concepts, the goal and
objectives, and the functions and tools of public relations.

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

Chapter 1: Defining Public Relations

Academics and practitioners have clear definitions of public relations. Most of these
definitions look at the elements and practices that are essential parts of public relations
campaigns or communications effort. Good definitions certainly include the planned or
desired outcomes of those public relations campaigns and efforts.

Lesson Recording

Core Concepts in Public Relations

1.1 What is Public Relations?

Textbooks by different authors will offer a variety of definitions of public relations. Public
relations efforts can help companies communicate and build relationships and because of
the wide scope of this subject, it is hard to give it a singular definition. Some may define
it from a communication perspective, some from the publics’ angle, and yet some from
an organisation’s viewpoint. What is key are the communication efforts to publics that
influence and help shape the publics’ opinions and perceptions of an organisation or an
issue.

Public relations is often defined as the planned and sustained effort to establish and
maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics. It
is also often described as a management function that identifies, establishes and maintains
mutually beneficial relationships with key publics that will impact the success of an
organisation.

Such definitions show that public relations:

• Is a management function;
• Is organised, continuous and not haphazard;

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

• Enables the organisation to be understood by key publics, i.e. groups of people who
affect, or are affected, by its activities.

Core Concepts in Public Relations

To better understand the nature of public relations, it will be good to examine some
fundamental concepts that underline this discipline.

Reputation and Credibility

Consumers of products and services often make their buying decisions based on the
positive experiences and opinions of their own or of others. The positive word-of-
mouth reviews that companies get help to grow their competitive advantage and their
businesses. Public relations practices help companies better establish, and communicate,
their reputations and credibility to stakeholders on whom their success will depend on.
Companies that deliver good products and services will always have good reputations,
and have the credibility to maintain the trust of its customers.

Two-Way Communication

In a world dominated by the use of social media and the Internet, organisations can no
longer use one-way communications alone to communicate with key stakeholders. With
social and online media, a variety of publics can give their feedback to communications,
and their positive or negative responses will certainly guide communicators to
immediately adjust their messages or their choice of media. Online feedback is useful for
communicators to know whether they have reached the correct publics, whether their
messages have been understood, and whether the publics have behaved in a desired way.

Deliberate, Planned and Sustained Performance

Successful companies know that for communications to be effective, they have to reach
the right target publics, be understood clearly, and to cause the desired behaviours in the
target publics. Public relations efforts will fail if not enough research and preparation is
done prior to the communications being carried out. For communications to achieve these

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

parameters, they have to be well thought-through, planned for specific time-frames, and
be carried out sustainably.

Management Function

Communications, reputation management and relationship building efforts are strategic

management functions that need to be planned and done at a managerial level, not left to
junior employees alone. Employees in most organisations will also know that initiatives
that are not supported by top or senior management will usually not materialise, or be
carried out. Public relations efforts, just like the various business or communications
efforts undertaken by an organisation will require resources like manpower and money
to be first committed, before they can be effectively carried out.

Propaganda

Meaningful and effective public relations would never be regarded as propaganda.

Propaganda is a means of gaining support for an opinion, creed or belief and has to do with
emotional appeals for political or philosophical causes, with which many people may not
knowingly agree to begin with. The receivers of propaganda messages often have little to
gain and it may be used for good or bad purposes for the people behind the propaganda.
Propaganda, like advertising, is inflexibly biased in favour of its subject or topic. Good
public relations, on the other hand, is usually factual, unbiased and free of deception.

Publicity

The publicity that an organisation or an issue gets can either be good or bad, depending
on the resulting news articles that are published. Such publicity is considered to be
uncontrollable, as the way a news story is written is solely decided by reporters, writers
and their editors. Public relations practitioners know this and will always aim to create
opportunities for good publicity for the organisations that they work for.

Publicity arises from the information provided by an organisation, which is then

considered as a news source. The information that is used by the news media in the stories
that they publish shows that the information used has news value. It is an uncontrolled
method of placing messages with the media because the news source does not pay the

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

media for placement or publication. Thus, news sources have no control over whether the
information is actually used, when it is used, and how it will be eventually used by the
news media.

The news media may use the information as given, change some details, or change how
it is presented, sometimes without identifying the original news source. To the readers,
listeners, or viewers, of such news stories, the medium carrying the information is the
source.

Components of Public Relations

Public relations is used in different ways by organisations to achieve different

communications and relationship building objectives. Because of this, public relations
practitioners may be involved in a wide range of activities either for in-house public
relations departments, or for clients of public relations agencies, that include the
following:

• Counselling
• Research
• Media Relations
• Publicity
• Employee / Member Relations
• Community Relations
• Public Affairs
• Government Affairs
• Issues Management
• Financial Relations
• Industry Relations
• Development / Fund Raising
• Multi-Cultural Relations / Workplace Diversity
• Special Events
• Marketing Communications

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

Because of these components of public relations practice, public relations practitioners

can inform and educate management; create understanding between organisations and
their publics; and create a hospitable environment within which an organisation can do
its business.

1.2 Roles and Functions of Public Relations

For public relations practitioners to be effective in their work, they will need to have the
knowledge, skills and experience to be able to do a variety of work. The nature of the work
that they do, will reflect the kinds of communications and relationship building efforts
that are carried out, usually with clear desired outcomes in mind.

Counselling and Advising Top Management

The top management usually are focused on operational matters, building the business
and on increasing profits. They may not necessarily understand how best to communicate
with diverse publics, or how best to build relationships with key stakeholders. Public
relations practitioners, being the domain experts in communications and relationship
building are then in the best position to counsel and advise top management on
communication directions, on how to establish relations with key external stakeholders,
on how best to approach and handle a business issue involving customers, and so on.

Creating Goodwill and Understanding

Organisations know that their success rests on the goodwill and understanding of
customers, business partners and other important external stakeholders. Businesses select
business partners that they understand and can trust; consumers buy products made by
brands they like. These dynamics underline how important it is for companies to create
goodwill and understanding with key publics in the way they do business, as well as in
the way they build relationships through good communications.

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

Shaping and Influencing Attitudes and Opinions

Attitudes are a combination of the thoughts and emotions people have of certain subjects
and issues. Once these people verbalise or articulate those thoughts and emotions, they
are then offering their opinions. The attitudes and opinions that people hold of various
topics that are eventually shared by people are very powerful, because such attitudes
and opinions can in turn influence the attitudes and opinions of others. Public relations
practitioners appreciate the importance of this, and as such, most of the communications
that they produce will always seek to shape and influence attitudes and opinions of their
target publics.

Handling the Organisation’s Communications

Public relations practitioners constantly learn and apply their public relations knowledge
and skills from a best practices approach. Such an approach means that they can
either learn from the way other organisations carry out their communications in similar
situations, or they can learn from carrying out their own communications and relationship
building efforts. As they carry out their plans, they can monitor results, which provide
them with the insights to make adjustments to their plans, if needed. Given the specialised
knowledge required and the complex dynamics of communications and relationship
building involved, public relations practitioners are the most suitable people to handle an
organisation’s internal as well as external communications.

Corporate Image and Reputation

Companies place importance on establishing, maintaining and protecting their

organisation’s corporate image and reputation because competitors can copy a product,
price, or distribution strategy, but not a well-defined corporate image. It is difficult for
a company to control how people think or change the mental image that people have of
it. This mental image is really a perceived reputation of the company that people hold. It
cannot be easily controlled or changed, unlike the corporate brand and identity.

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

It is easy for people to confuse the concept of image with the closely related concept of
identity. While these are related concepts, there is a fundamental difference between them.
Corporate image can be defined as the picture that people have of a company, whereas
the corporate identity refers to the sum total of all the forms of tangible expressions that
a company uses to define its brand. An image comprises the set of meanings by which
an object is known and through which people describe, remember and relate to it. It is
a combination of a person’s beliefs, ideas, feelings and impressions about an object. The
corporate image should reflect the identity of an organisation.

The good or bad reputation of an organisation depends on the information that it gives
about itself. Even if the information is easily understood, there is no assurance that the
information provided will create a positive image in the minds of its target publics. There
are various external factors that also influence the image of an organisation. These include
the conduct of company employees; how rumours can be created and spread; as well as the
unpredictable and inconsistent ways in which members of the target publics pay attention
to selected information from an organisation.

It is clear to public relations practitioners that if an organisation desires to have a good

corporate image and reputation, it will have to:

• Deliver on its promises

• Be socially responsible
• Be transparent
• Be consistent
• Display good corporate behaviour

Audiences are able to judge if a company can live up to its slick advertisements and
brand promotion campaigns. Organisations are often judged by their actions and not by
their claims or intentions. If a company claims that its brand values include being caring
and fair, then it should not be violating manpower laws, producing harmful products, or
practising discriminatory hiring policies.

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

The Benefits of a Positive Corporate Reputation

So what are the benefits that companies can enjoy when they have built a positive
corporate reputation? The following are some compelling reasons:

• Financial Value. Investors are likely to be attracted to an organisation with a solid

reputation. Loans from banks can be more easily obtained and possibly, at better
interest rates.
• Marketplace Value. From a company’s standpoint, a company with a good
reputation will be sought after by others for partnerships, joint ventures or mergers.
From a marketing perspective, it will be easier for a reputable company to launch
a new product or capture a new market segment.
• Human Resource Value. A company with a positive reputation is better able to
attract, recruit and retain more capable employees.
• Customer Value. Consumers will have their own ways on how they form opinions
about companies. A company with a good image or reputation is more likely to
gain new customers and earn the loyalty from existing ones, than a company with
a poor reputation.

Corporate Identity and Corporate Brand

The corporate identity or brand is the sum of all information and experiences about a
company that is communicated through a name and related identities. It is associated with
the way in which a company tangibly presents itself to its target audiences. The corporate
identity is also an expression of the personality of a company, which can be experienced
by anyone. It is seen through the behaviour and communications of the company, and its
aesthetic is expressed through various forms, such as its logo, tagline, corporate colours,
staff uniforms, and so on. The corporate identity can be measured as a perceptual result
among internal and external target audiences.

As an organisation operates, it may communicate and interact with various stakeholders

in different ways. Its actions may be classified as follows:

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

• Behaviour. The company’s corporate identity is shaped by the behaviour of the

company.
• Communication. Companies essentially communicate through verbal or visual
messages.
• Symbolism. This is closely linked with the other expressions of corporate identity.
It gives a tangible indication of what the company represents, or what it aspires to
represent.

These elements form the corporate identity mix. They are the tools by which the company
expresses its personality. The company’s personality can be considered as the tangible
expression of a company’s self-perception. This means that the company must understand
itself well enough to be able to present itself clearly through its behaviour, communication
and symbolism.

Specialist Areas in Public Relations

As a broad-based discipline, there are many specialist areas within public relations that
practitioners can work in. These include the following:

Corporate Relations

Corporate Relations is an area that involves the management and the promotion of
the company’s image. This includes the coordination and management of relationships
between the organisation and its various target publics. Public relations practitioners
working in this specialisation will help to coordinate all of the company’s communications
so that it can speak with one voice to the news media and to a variety of external publics.

Community Relations

Public relations practitioners working in this area will orchestrate the company’s
interaction with the community. This is done through the holding of open houses, tours
and the organising of employee volunteer efforts designed to reflect the supportive nature
of the company to the community. Public relations practitioners working in this area also
manage corporate sponsorships, and screen and evaluate philanthropic proposals.

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

Consumer Relations

This is a public relations specialist field which helps to soften the ground for marketers to
promote and sell the organisation’s products and services. This is achieved through the
holding of supporting activities for current and potential customers. The activities that
can be held range from product promotions to consumer advisory services.

Employee Relations

Public relations practitioners working in Employee Relations will focus on reaching the
employees through a variety of internal communication tools such as newsletters, the
company’s Intranet and through the organising of social activities, to gain the employees’
full support for the company’s goals and policies.

Government Relations

This is a public relations area of specialisation that requires practitioners to coordinate

activities with the legislators and lawmakers of the country where they operate. The
responsibilities will include working with various government ministries, statutory
boards and other state agencies to ensure that the company’s activities gain the
endorsement and support from the relevant government bodies.

Investor Relations

Public relations practitioners working in this field focus on the management of relations
with the investment community. Their target publics also include the company’s past,
present and potential shareholders. This is an area that will highlight the importance of
the public relations practitioners’ personal contacts with securities analysts, institutional
investors and private investors.

Media Relations

This is a public relations specialisation that involves the coordination and the management
of relationships with the print, electronic and broadcast media. The responsibilities of
public relations employees in this area will include arranging press interviews; writing

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

news releases and related news materials; organising news conferences and answering
media inquiries and requests in order to gain favourable news coverage for the company.

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

Chapter 2: Putting Public Relations to Work

You have seen how public relations can be defined in various, yet similar ways. Now let us
look at what public relations is, and what it is not, and to see how public relations practices
are applied in practice.

2.1 Comparing Public Relations with Marketing and Advertising

Given that there are numerous loosely-related definitions of public relations, it is not
surprising that people often confuse public relations with marketing and advertising.
The following definitions and explanations will help to highlight the similarities and
differences, and to give students greater clarity on the discipline.

Marketing

Marketing is the process of conceiving, planning and executing a work plan that helps
a company to bring its products to market. This plan will involve decisions that will
affect the pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas, goods and services to create
opportunities for value exchanges in the form of buying and selling, for example, that will
satisfy individual and organisational objectives.

Advertising

Advertising involves the purchase of broadcast time or print media space to publicise a
product or service and to complement other public relations efforts. The emphasis is often
on selling, which differs from what public relations initiatives can provide. Advertising
is better placed to succeed when previously organised public relations activities have
created knowledge and understanding of a product or service that is being promoted.

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Public Relations

Public relations aims to garner free publicity to sell or promote a company and its
products and services. Unlike advertising, public relations is concerned with informing,
educating and creating understanding through the dissemination of information. It is
more comprehensive than advertising in that it involves communications for the total
organisation that targets all its publics. Advertising on the other hand is limited to the
marketing function. In public relations, the term “free publicity” refers to the fact that the
organisation does not have to pay to get its stories published in the news media since
journalists are the ones deciding on whether to write the stories or not. Ultimately, public
relations requires time and money commitment from an organisation.

Public Relations and Marketing

Public relations and marketing can be differentiated from the fact that public relations
works on the long-term goals of building positive relationships with consumers, suppliers,
competitors and other publics. It aims to build and maintain a hospitable environment
for an organisation. Public relations helps to soften the grounds for marketers to promote
and sell the organisation’s products and services. This specialist area of public relations
is often referred to as Marketing Public Relations or Consumer Relations. Consumer
Relations is often described as helping to raise awareness, to inform, to educate, to gain
understanding, to build trust, to make friends and to give people reasons to buy and
finally to create a climate of acceptance for the company’s products and services.

Public relations is the on-going communications activity by an organisation that is

intended to support and develop awareness of the brand rather than trigger an immediate
buying activity. It will build its effect on sales slowly, as its main function is to make
the other communication tools more credible to the customer. It is less likely to have an
immediate effect, as it reaches the customers when they are not in a buying situation. The
positive relationships a company develops through public relations with its consumers
and other publics are a means to an end.

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Thus, public relations efforts help to create a conducive environment for the marketing
effort to be more effective. Public relations is able to address the following publics and
issues not associated with marketing:

• Internal publics such as employees, stockholders, and management;

• Reputation or image building;
• External publics, other than consumers, such as government and suppliers;
• Crisis management;
• Public opinion change and social issues;
• Issues management.

Marketing, on the other hand, is concerned with the quality, availability, and affordability
of the product or service. Its focus is clearly on selling. Its primary goal is to build and
maintain a market for a company’s product or services.

Public Relations and Marketing: Similarities

Public relations practitioners and marketing personnel will encounter problems

concerning their areas of work, as their responsibilities often overlap. Different
organisations usually place different emphasis on public relations in the marketing
activity. Adding to the confusion between public relations and marketing are their
similarities, in that both are needed by the organisation in order to remain competitive;
both involve building and maintaining relationships; and both use similar communication
tools to reach the publics.

Public relations is often confused with promotion, which is a key concept in the marketing
discipline. As related disciplines, they are quite distinct but both complement each other
and are often used together in promoting a company's products or services. Overall, public
relations is a more inexpensive component in the marketing communication programme,
especially when compared to advertising. So if budgets are modest, a public relations
activity will be used.

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

Public Relations and Marketing: Differences

Public relations:

• Anticipates and addresses a broader array of issues and publics, while marketing
focuses on the marketplace and customers.
• Creates mutual understanding through a two-way dialogue; there is no overt hard-
selling. Marketing is persuasive in intent and the purpose is to sell.
• Saves money for the organisation by building mutually beneficial relationships.
Marketing makes money by encouraging or promoting sales.
• Is concerned with building relationships and generating goodwill in all publics.
Marketing is concerned with customers and selling products and services.

Public Relations and Advertising

Advertising aims to persuade people to take a desired action, while PR aims to

create mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics. It works almost
exclusively through mass media outlets and is addressed to external audiences, primarily
consumers of goods and services. It is easily identified as a specialised communication
function and is also often used as a communication tool in public relations. The primary
function of advertising is to sell goods and services.

Public relations, on the other hand, relies on a number of communication tools such
as social media, special events, speeches, news releases, feature stories, and so on.
It often presents its messages to specialised external audiences, such as shareholders,
vendors, community leaders, environmental groups, etc., and internal audiences such
as employees. Public relations is broader in scope, in that it deals with the policies
and performance of the entire organisation, from the morale of employees to the way
telephone operators respond to calls. Public relations is often used to support advertising
campaigns. Ultimately, public relations helps an organisation to thrive in complex,
competitive environments. This involves having to understand and to deal with economic,
social and political factors that can affect the organisation.

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

2.2 The Publics of Public Relations

The term “publics” used in public relations refers to groups of people, from within an
organisation and found externally, with whom an organisation communicates or interacts
with. Public relations activities are seldom directed at a “general public”. They are aimed
at carefully selected groups of people who are found within the broader public. That said,
the publics of one organisation may differ from those of another organisation.

There are a variety of reasons for defining publics. The first is to help identify all the
possible groups that are relevant to a public relations programme. Another reason is so
that the public relations practitioner can establish priorities within available budgets and
resources. By defining the publics, public relations practitioners can also select the relevant
media to target and to use suitable techniques to engage the targeted publics. And finally,
public relations practitioners can craft messages that are easily understood messages and
accepted.

The following are some examples of groups of publics:

• The community;
• Current and potential employees;
• Suppliers of services, materials, and distributors;
• Investors;
• Consumers;
• Opinion leaders.

Public relations practitioners often consider the news media as a target public. Strictly
speaking, the news media are a means of communicating with target publics. But, if the
company has a specific problem or issue with members of the news media, a public
relations plan can be carried out specifically to target the news media as an external
public. Media personalities and celebrities such as columnists and presenters may also be
included among targeted opinion leaders.

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

2.3 Qualities and Skills Required in Public Relations

Public relations practitioners are skilled communicators who are called upon to raise
awareness for a variety of issues, to establish relationships with different and diverse
stakeholders, to offer solutions to challenging situations, and so on. So it is not surprising
that practitioners need to have excellent written and spoken communication skills;
creative skills; organising skills; people-handling skills; and problem-solving skills.

One important skill that public relations practitioners must have is the ability to carry
out research. Research is a fundamental part of the planning, programme development
and measurement process. Before practitioners can plan a campaign, they must collect
and interpret information gained from research. Research is important because it
guides management to make campaign decisions and to develop strategies for effective
communication plans. Research also provides a way for practitioners to evaluate and
measure a campaign once it has ended.

Different types of research methods can be used to find different information. The choice
of research methods used will depend on the subject matter and the situation to be
researched. Typically, how the research is conducted will depend on the time and budgets
available and the urgency of the required information.

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Chapter 3: In-House Public Relations and Public

Relations Agencies

Lesson Recording

Roles and Functions of Public Relations

3.1 In-House Public Relations – The Voice of the Organisation

All for-profit and non-profit organisations will have different departments taking care
of different responsibilities in order for the organisation to be run efficiently. Human
Resource specialists will focus on the hiring, training and retention of employees. Finance
specialists will focus on the overall earnings and expenses of the organisation. Employees
working on communications will focus on both internal and external communications and
relationship building with various stakeholders.

In-House public relations work will include the following areas:

• Media Relations;
• Issues and Crisis Management;
• Executive Communications;
• Social Media Tracking;
• Blogger Relations;
• Community Relations;
• Employee Communications;
• Promotions;
• Cause-Related Marketing;
• Public Affairs / Government Relations;
• Investor / Financial Relations;

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

• Annual Reports;
• Marketing Research and Analytics;
• Product and Brand Advertising;
• Direct Marketing;
• Corporate Reputation Management.

3.2 Public Relations Agencies

Public relations agencies are companies that offer public relations services to clients in
different industries for a fee. They are hired external consultants who help the in-house
public relations practitioners with various communication needs. Often, client companies
do not have in-house public relations practitioners; hence the public relations agencies are
hired to work in this area. The public relations agency may work on a project for a fixed,
short-term period, or be engaged on an annual basis for a monthly retainer fee basis.

Public Relations Services offered by Public Relations Agencies

Public relations agencies offer a wide variety of services to clients that include the
following:

• Marketing Communications;
• Executive Speech Training;
• Research and Evaluation;
• Crisis Communication;
• Media Analysis;
• Community Relations;
• Events Management;
• Public Affairs;
• Branding and Corporate Reputation;
• Financial Relations;
• Speciality Services, e.g. Content Development for Digital Media.

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

Advantages of Using Public Relations Agencies

Clients of public relations agencies often choose to engage public relations agencies
because of the objectivity offered by an external party when dealing with internal
company matters, as well as external challenges. The public relations agencies may also be
able to offer skills and expertise that the client company may not have. Client companies
can also tap into the extensive resources, and network of overseas offices that public
relations agencies have. Public relations agencies will often have special problem solving
skills and credibility gained through working for different clients, in different industries,
and in different circumstances.

Disadvantages of Using Public Relations Agencies

As outlined above, there are good reasons why many companies choose to engage
public relations agencies to help them with their communication efforts. However, public
relations agencies do not come without some shortcomings. These include the fact that
the public relations consultants from public relations agencies may only have a superficial
grasp of a client’s company and challenges. The consultant may also lack the full-time
commitment needed to tackle some tasks, as his/her time is charged on an hourly basis.
There are high costs of engaging external consultants to consider.

Given that the public relations consultant is an external member of the communication
efforts, there will certainly be a need for frequent and prolonged briefings. With external
consultants involved, there may also be resistance from employees. There must also be
clear and strong directions from the client, but unless the client has a good working
knowledge of public relations, such clear directions may not be forthcoming. Finally, there
will always be a need for full information by the public relations agency, and confidence
from the client to share sensitive information, which may be lacking.

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

CASE STUDY

Putting in Place a Public Relations Programme

As organisations grow, they will need to consider using public relations for the first
time in their existence at some point. This is because they will need to compete with
other organisations for the attention of various publics and stakeholders. This will
invariably take place within a more fragmented and niche media landscape. The
following case study is a good example of how an organisation used public relations
for the first time. The client in the following case study is not named to respect client
confidentiality.

Who was the Client?

The client was a Singapore-established Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) that

was established in 2003 to respond to human tragedies and disasters in the Asia Pacific
region. The organisation also offered sustainable development projects that helped to
uplift and empower communities.

What was the Challenge?

As the NGO grew, it underwent organisational changes beginning with its Executive
Committee. The NGO also started to realise that it needed to communicate such
changes that it was undergoing as it carried out its work to gain and maintain goodwill
with its numerous stakeholders, including organisations and individual donors. It
had little experience carrying out professionally run public relations campaigns, so
it decided to engage a public relations agency to help it develop and execute a PR
programme.

The NGO had used some PR tactics in the past, but only at the last minute, or
immediately after a crisis. There was little planning and longer-term engagement of
audiences. The NGO certainly needed more positive new media coverage. Given the
interesting scope of the work of the NGO, the PR agency recommended highlighting

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

the various interesting stories of how adversity was overcome in the various disasters
and human tragedies that the NGO dealt with on a regular basis. The PR agency
recommended highlighting the stories about the different personalities involved in
the various disaster scenarios that it was involved in; those helping, and those being
helped in the disasters.

What was the Strategy?

The goal was to raise public awareness of the NGO and to enhance its branding.
The intention was to educate the public on the work that the NGO did, and for
stakeholders to know what the organisation offered in terms of disaster relief and
sustainability efforts. The recommended strategy was to undertake pro-active public
relations activities, with an aim of building relationships with donor organisations
and individuals and to target donations.

The approach was to plan for activities to engage mainstream news media and social
media. The PR agency set out to develop and pitch feature stories about the work
that the NGO had carried out and about the personalities from the NGO and those
personalities benefitting from the NGO’s efforts. Speaking engagements at various
related NGO events for the directors from the NGO were also arranged to establish
its thought-leadership credentials.

What was the Outcome?

As a result of the PR agency’s meticulous planning and execution of its PR plan for
the NGO, more people became aware of the work done by the NGO, and about its
re-branding exercise through the increased news media coverage gained. Through
its use of recommended PR tactics, the NGO was better able to create conversations
and to obtain useful feedback with various stakeholders. An online facility that made
donations easy was also implemented for the NGO’s website. This not only improved
public awareness of the NGO, but had also improved the donation process.

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

Activity 1.1

Refer to the above case study, and answer the following questions:

1. What are some reasons why organisations may need to implement a public
relations programme?
2. What were some communication challenges that needed to be overcome in
the case study?
3. What other public relations activities would you recommend for the client
in the above case study?
4. What publicity efforts, and on which social media platforms, would you
recommend for the above case study?

Read

Public Relations – The Profession & The Practice

Chapter 1. The Nature of Public Relations

Chapter 3. A Theoretical Basis for Public Relations

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

Search Words

We encourage you to do further reading and research of the lessons learnt in this Study
Unit using the following search words:

Public relations campaigns; management function; reputation; credibility; two-way

communication; propaganda; publicity; counselling; research; goodwill; attitudes;
opinions; corporate image; corporate reputation; corporate identity; marketing;
advertising; publics; and public relations agencies.

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Summary

This Study Unit examined the definitions of public relations and looked at the various
concepts that underline the discipline. It discussed the roles and functions of public
relations and examined what public relations initiatives are used for. It also examined the
various specialist areas within this broad-based discipline. The Study Unit also compared
public relations with advertising and marketing, and also looked at the advantages and
disadvantages of using public relations agencies. A case study that highlights how an
organisation used public relations concludes the Study Unit.

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

Formative Assessment

1. Public relations is often defined as the planned and sustained effort to establish and
maintain __________ between an organisation and its publics.
a. a unique selling proposition
b. goodwill and mutual understanding
c. industry dominance
d. a high public profile

2. Successful companies know that for communications to be effective, they have to

__________, be understood clearly, and to cause the desired behaviours in the target
publics.
a. buy the correct media space
b. reach the right target publics
c. conduct research on their messages
d. analyse what their competitors are saying

3. Publicity from news coverage is considered __________ as the way a news story is
written is solely decided by reporters and their editors.
a. obsolete
b. controllable
c. uncontrollable
d. negatively

4. Public relations practitioners, being the domain experts in __________ are in the best
position to counsel and advise top management on communication directions.
a. communications and relationship building
b. media buying
c. media analysis

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

d. linguistics

5. The __________ refers to the sum total of all the forms of tangible expressions that a
company uses to define its brand.
a. company motto
b. corporate image
c. corporate reputation
d. corporate identity

6. If an organisation desires to have a good corporate image and reputation, it will have
to __________.
a. set aside a budget to pay for third-party endorsements.
b. dominate its media channels.
c. deliver on its promises.
d. have an active philanthropy programme.

7. Public relations is more comprehensive than advertising in that it involves

__________ that targets all its publics.
a. communications for the total organisation
b. buying air-time and media spaces
c. getting into commercial contracts with bloggers
d. developing sales-related communications

8. Marketing is concerned with the quality, availability, and affordability of the ______.
a. raw materials
b. product or service
c. operational processes
d. Production facilities

9. Public relations practitioners need to have excellent __________; creative skills;

organising skills; people-handling skills; and problem-solving skills.

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

a. negotiation skills
b. artistic taste
c. written and spoken communication skills
d. observation skills

10. Clients of public relations agencies often choose to engage public relations agencies
because of the __________ offered by an external party when dealing with internal
company matters, as well as external challenges.
a. opinions
b. objectivity
c. discounts
d. publicity

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

Solutions or Suggested Answers

Formative Assessment
1. Public relations is often defined as the planned and sustained effort to establish and
maintain __________ between an organisation and its publics.
a. a unique selling proposition
Incorrect. The concept of a unique selling proposition is a function of
marketing, not public relations. Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter 1, Topic 1,
What is Public Relations?

b. goodwill and mutual understanding

Correct. Public relations efforts are undertaken by organisations to build
goodwill and understanding. Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter 1, Topic 1,
What is Public Relations?

c. industry dominance
Incorrect. Public relations efforts are undertaken by organisations to
primarily build goodwill and understanding, not establish industry
dominance. Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter 1, Topic 1, What is Public
Relations?

d. a high public profile

Incorrect. Public relations efforts are undertaken purposefully by
organisations to build goodwill and understanding, not to establish a high
public profile for its own sake. Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter 1, Topic 1, What
is Public Relations?

2. Successful companies know that for communications to be effective, they have to

__________, be understood clearly, and to cause the desired behaviours in the target
publics.

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

a. buy the correct media space

Incorrect. Public relations practitioners use many means to reach target
audiences, and will not rely on bought media alone. Refer to Study Unit 1,
Chapter 1, Topic 2, Core Concepts in Public Relations.

b. reach the right target publics

Correct. PR practitioners set out to effectively reach their target publics for
their communications efforts to be considered successful. Refer to Study
Unit 1, Chapter 1, Topic 2, Core Concepts in Public Relations.

c. conduct research on their messages

Incorrect. Research such as message testing is not a necessity for all public
relations messages. Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter 1, Topic 2, Core Concepts
in Public Relations.

d. analyse what their competitors are saying

Incorrect. The messages from an organisation’s competitors may have little
bearing on the effectiveness of its own communications. Refer to Study Unit
1, Chapter 1, Topic 2, Core Concepts in Public Relations.

3. Publicity from news coverage is considered __________ as the way a news story is
written is solely decided by reporters and their editors.
a. obsolete
Incorrect. Mainstream news media coverage is still essential to reaching the
most number of audiences. Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter 1, Topic 2, Core
Concepts in Public Relations.

b. controllable
Incorrect. Reporters and editors are fiercely independent and will only report
and write the news without interference. Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter 1,
Topic 2, Core Concepts in Public Relations.

c. uncontrollable

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

Correct. Organisations and individuals cannot control the way news

reporters and editors report and write the news. Refer to Study Unit 1,
Chapter 1, Topic 2, Core Concepts in Public Relations.

d. negatively
Incorrect. Publicity from news coverage is most often presented objectively,
and hence would be considered desirable to have. Refer to Study Unit 1,
Chapter 1, Topic 2, Core Concepts in Public Relations.

4. Public relations practitioners, being the domain experts in __________ are in the best
position to counsel and advise top management on communication directions.
a. communications and relationship building
Correct. A key goal of public relations efforts is effective communications
and relationship building. Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Roles
and Functions of Public Relations.

b. media buying
Incorrect. Media buying is a key role for advertising executives, and it is
unlikely to be carried out by public relations executives. Refer to Study Unit
1, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Roles and Functions of Public Relations.

c. media analysis
Incorrect. It is more important for public relations practitioners to be experts
in communications, than to be experts in analysing the media. Refer to Study
Unit 1, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Roles and Functions of Public Relations.

d. linguistics
Incorrect. Public relations practitioners need only be fluent in one language
to be able to to communicate effectively. Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter 1,
Topic 3, Roles and Functions of Public Relations.

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

5. The __________ refers to the sum total of all the forms of tangible expressions that a
company uses to define its brand.
a. company motto
Incorrect. A corporate identity is made up of several elements, not just
the company motto. Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Roles and
Functions of Public Relations.

b. corporate image
Incorrect. The corporate image is the intangible mental pictures and
impressions that people have of a company. Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter
1, Topic 3, Roles and Functions of Public Relations.

c. corporate reputation
Incorrect. A company’s reputation is determined by many factors not directly
related to its corporate identify. Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter 1, Topic 3,
Roles and Functions of Public Relations.

d. corporate identity
Correct. Elements of corporate identity includes company logos, corporate
colours and other tangible forms of expression. Refer to Study Unit 1,
Chapter 1, Topic 3, Roles and Functions of Public Relations.

6. If an organisation desires to have a good corporate image and reputation, it will have
to __________.
a. set aside a budget to pay for third-party endorsements.
Incorrect. A good corporate image and reputation cannot be bought. Refer to
Study Unit 1, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Roles and Functions of Public Relations.

b. dominate its media channels.

Incorrect. Even companies that use numerous media channels cannot ensure
that they enjoy good corporate reputations. Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter 1,
Topic 3, Roles and Functions of Public Relations.

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

c. deliver on its promises.

Correct. A company that does what it says it will do will be trusted by its
stakeholders. Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Roles and Functions
of Public Relations.

d. have an active philanthropy programme.

Incorrect. Companies that have failed their customers cannot escape bad
publicity even if they have corporate philanthropy programmes. Refer to
Study Unit 1, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Roles and Functions of Public Relations.

7. Public relations is more comprehensive than advertising in that it involves

__________ that targets all its publics.
a. communications for the total organisation
Correct. Public relations efforts aims to build relationships and goodwill
for the whole organisation; it is not solely focused on selling products.
Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Putting Public Relations to Work.

b. buying air-time and media spaces

Incorrect. The purchase of air-time and media spaces are not areas that public
relations practitioners traditionally focus on. Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter
2, Topic 1, Putting Public Relations to Work.

c. getting into commercial contracts with bloggers

Incorrect. Public relations practitioners seek to engage the news media and
bloggers not through payment or commercial contracts. Refer to Study Unit
1, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Putting Public Relations to Work.

d. developing sales-related communications

Incorrect. Public relations efforts seldom focus solely on sales efforts alone.
Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Putting Public Relations to Work.

8. Marketing is concerned with the quality, availability, and affordability of the ______.

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

a. raw materials
Incorrect. Marketers are focused on delivering finished products and
services. Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Putting Public Relations
to Work.

b. product or service
Correct. Marketers look at developing ways to better market their products
and services. Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Putting Public
Relations to Work.

c. operational processes
Incorrect. Marketers deal with markets issues, not operational issues. Refer
to Study Unit 1, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Putting Public Relations to Work.

d. Production facilities
Incorrect. Marketers do not handle production matters. Refer to Study Unit
1, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Putting Public Relations to Work.

9. Public relations practitioners need to have excellent __________; creative skills;

organising skills; people-handling skills; and problem-solving skills.
a. negotiation skills
Incorrect. This skill may be useful to have, but not an absolute must-have.
Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter 2, Topic 3, Qualities and Skills Required in
Public Relations.

b. artistic taste
Incorrect. This is not an essential skill to have for public relations. Refer to
Study Unit 1, Chapter 2, Topic 3, Qualities and Skills Required in Public
Relations.

c. written and spoken communication skills

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COM301  Introduction to Public Relations

Correct. Written and spoken communication skills are critical given the
amount of communications that needs to be done. Refer to Study Unit 1,
Chapter 2, Topic 3, Qualities and Skills Required in Public Relations.

d. observation skills
Incorrect. This skill may be useful to have, but not an absolute must-have.
Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter 2, Topic 3, Qualities and Skills Required in
Public Relations.

10. Clients of public relations agencies often choose to engage public relations agencies
because of the __________ offered by an external party when dealing with internal
company matters, as well as external challenges.
a. opinions
Incorrect. Clients are more interested in objective observations, not opinions.
Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter 3, Topic 2, Advantages of Using Public
Relations Agencies.

b. objectivity
Correct. Objectivity allows clients to have a clearer and better
understanding of complex situations. Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter 3,
Topic 2, Advantages of Using Public Relations Agencies.

c. discounts
Incorrect. Clients value objective and effective advice over discounts to fees.
Refer to Study Unit 1, Chapter 3, Topic 2, Advantages of Using Public
Relations Agencies.

d. publicity
Incorrect. Clients seek objective advice, not random publicity. Refer to Study
Unit 1, Chapter 3, Topic 2, Advantages of Using Public Relations Agencies.

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 2
Study
Unit

The Public Relations Planning

Process
COM301  The Public Relations Planning Process

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

1. Explain how problems are researched and defined;

2. Discuss how goals and objectives are set by communicators;
3. Analyse how PR practitioners identify and segment target publics;
4. Describe how strategies are developed in relation to messages, the media and
actions;
5. Explain how action plans are conceptualised;
6. Analyse how strategies are turned into tactics that are implemented in a
campaign;
7. Explain the importance of the evaluation process.

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Overview

W e looked at various definitions of public relations in Study Unit 1, which

also discussed the desired outcomes of public relations campaigns such as
the building of goodwill and mutual understanding between organisations and their
target publics. For public relations campaigns to be successfully carried out and for them
to be effective, a good deal of methodical research and other planning efforts have to be
executed by experienced public relations practitioners. This Study Unit will explain the
planning process involved in typical public relations campaigns, from the research and
conception stage at the beginning, to the evaluation stage at the end.

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COM301  The Public Relations Planning Process

Chapter 1: Defining Problems and Setting Goals

Besides analysing trends and predicting outcomes, public relations is about achieving
deliberately planned objectives. All public relations activities can be planned and
evaluated. These efforts are not done haphazardly or carried out on an ad-hoc basis.
Thus, the planning process that is carried out by public relations practitioners to address
perceptions, communication problems and issues facing an organisation is an important
aspect of public relations that needs to be studied.

Lesson Recording

The Public Relations Planning Process

1.1 The Planning Process

For companies embarking on a public relations campaign, it is essential that it first defines
its problem, which could likely be a perception or communication challenge. To do this
effectively, it needs to follow a planning process that will comprise various stages. A
typical planning process may comprise four stages, as follows:

• Problems and Issues Definition Stage. In this stage, public relations practitioners
ask the “Where are we now?” question and use research to fact-find to identify the
problems and issues facing the organisation. Research provides the information
required to understand the needs of publics and to develop effective messages. This
is the stage where the organisation will derive a problem statement.
• Planning Stage. Public relations practitioners ask the “Where do we want to be and
how do we do it?” questions in this stage. This stage follows once the problem
has been identified. To address the problem, this stage involves setting the public
relations goal and objectives; identifying the target publics for the public relations
programme; developing a strategy to achieve the objectives; working out the action

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plan based on the strategy; and determining the budget for the plan. Planning is
referred to as the central function of management; it is the process of setting goals
and objectives and determining ways to meet them.
• Implementation Stage. In this stage, public relations practitioners look at the timing
to carry out a campaign and how to go about organising it. This stage involves
taking steps to implement the programme. Implementation plans are drawn up
that give enough lead-time to organise the events. These plans include listing down
the tasks necessary to organise the events, drafting the schedule and identifying
the persons responsible for the various tasks. Critically, this stage involves crafting
communications that are related to the message strategy, i.e. making messages more
appealing and persuasive to the targeted publics.
• Evaluation Stage. This is where public relations practitioners ask “How did we do?”
Like all well-planned programmes with clear objectives, there is a need to evaluate
the success of the programme. There are two areas for evaluation, namely whether
the event was successfully organised and implemented, and whether the public
relations objectives of the programme were achieved. Measurement, or evaluation,
is becoming increasingly important in the public relations profession. Clients
should expect accountability from public relations practitioners. Measurement
techniques provide a means for demonstrating to management that public relations
plans are achieving objectives and contributing in a meaningful way to the success
of the organisation.

Research

The first step in the public relations process is research. Public relations practitioners
are able to define the public relations problem at hand through research. It also allows
practitioners to do a meaningful situation analysis, so that they can understand the
internal and external environments of the organisation. It is an integral part of the
planning, programme development and measurement process. In simple terms, research
is a form of listening.

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Before public relations professionals can develop an effective communications

programme, they should gather, collect and interpret data. Research is essential because
it guides top managers as they make policy decisions and map out strategies for
various communications programmes. Research also provides a way for public relations
practitioners to evaluate and measure a programme once it has been completed.
Meaningful measurement can lead to greater accountability and credibility with senior
management.

Different types of research can be used to accomplish an organisation’s objectives and meet
its information needs. The choice of research method will depend on the specific subject
and situation. Usually, time and budgets are key elements to be considered, together with
the perceived urgency of the situation.

Advantages of Using Research

The following reasons provide a good outline of the advantages of using research:

• Establishing credibility with management. Clients require facts, not guesses. A

frequent criticism of public relations practitioners is that they often do not link
communications issues to business outcomes. Research makes sure that these two
elements are linked.
• Formulating strategy. A significant amount of money can be spent pursuing the
wrong strategies. By carrying out good research, an organisation will have access
to good directions in which strategies will work best to fulfil their communication
and relationship building goals.
• Defining audiences and segmenting publics. Detailed data about the demographics,
lifestyles, characteristics and consumption patterns of various target publics helps
to ensure that messages reach the proper audiences.
• Monitoring competition. A company’s competition can be monitored by using
surveys that require consumers to provide feedback on competing products.
Content analysis of the competition’s media coverage, and reviews of industry
reports in trade journals can also be done as the competition is monitored. The

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monitoring of the competition helps an organisation adjust its marketing and

communication strategies to compete against a competitor’s strengths and to
dominate on its weakness.
• Generating publicity. The results of polls and surveys can be used to generate
publicity for an organisation. This will depend on what those polls and surveys
had set out to discover. For example, some companies can garner publicity for
newly launched products by citing interesting findings from telephone surveys
done when a product is newly launched.
• Testing messages. Public relations practitioners can determine through research
which of their messages will be the most relevant to a target public.
• Preventing crises. A majority of organisational crises are caused by internal
operational problems rather than by unexpected natural disasters or external issues.
Research can often uncover underlining issues and public concerns before they
become publicly-acknowledged bad news.
• Measuring success. Research methods are used during the evaluation period of a
public relations campaign to find out whether or not the time and the money spent
on any given campaign had accomplished stated objectives.

Types of Research

There are different types of research methods that are used to gather data and information
in public relations practices. These research methods include the following:

• Primary Research. New and original information is generated and uncovered

through originally designed research that aims to answer a specific question.
Examples of primary research include in-depth interviews, focus groups, surveys
and polls.
• Secondary Research. This is a research that looks for existing and relevant
information in various sources such as books, magazine articles, electronic
databases, online articles, and so on.

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Another way of categorising the types of research is by distinguishing between the

qualitative and the quantitative aspects of research that can be carried out.

• Qualitative Research. Qualitative research gives researchers deeper insights and

a better understanding of situations and target publics. The findings from such
research may not be easy to extrapolate and therefore, are often referred to as 'soft
data' but they provide practitioners with early warnings of potential problems with
the research.
• Quantitative Research. This kind of research is often more expensive and
complicated, but it allows for greater extrapolation of data uncovered to large
populations. The findings from such research methods are sometimes known as
'hard data'.

1.2 Planning
The second step of the public relations process that follows the research or public
relations problem definition step is the programme planning step. Before public relations
professionals plan any public relations activity, they must give enough thought to which
steps should be taken in order to accomplish the organisation's objectives. A good
public relations programme should support an organisation's business, marketing and
communications objectives and be strategic in its approach. A public relations practitioner
must think about a situation, analyse what can be done about it, creatively conceptualise
the appropriate strategies and tactics and determine how the results will be measured. The
coordination of multiple tools, such as the use of news releases, special events, webpages,
social media sites, press kits, news conferences, media interviews, brochures, newsletters,
speeches and so on, must also be spelt out in plans to achieve specific results.

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Benefits of Planning

There are many benefits of planning for public relations efforts. These include:

• Having a more integrated plan. Planning can ensure that there is more integration
within the organisation between, for example, the public relations and marketing
efforts, as well as the overall corporate goal and mission. Without planning, for
example, the public relations objectives may contradict the marketing objectives.
• Having carefully thought-out strategies and tactics. Planning ensures that the
problems and objectives are clearly defined. The strategy and tactics may then be
more carefully thought through as they have to address the problems identified and
achieve stated objectives.
• Having more credibility and therefore better support and endorsement from
management. Planning increases the credibility of plans as public relations efforts
can then be substantiated with facts and statistics, is more focused and defined, and
can be evaluated. This will in turn enable public relations employees to get better
support and endorsement from the management for their plans.
• Gaining more proactive decisions from management and enables proactive public
relations efforts. With well-defined plans, guess-work decisions that can create
problems in future can be avoided.

1.3 Elements of a Public Relations Plan

A well-defined public relations plan should be comprehensive and detailed, such that
all relevant aspects are considered and covered. For the public relations plan to be
comprehensive, it should have the following elements:

• Situation Analysis. Public relations professionals cannot set valid objectives

without a clear understanding of the situation that led to the conclusion that there
was a need for a public relations plan in the first place. The situations that often
precede a need for public relations programmes include the organisation having
to overcome a problem or negative situation; the organisation having to conduct

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a specific one-time project; or that the organisation needs to reinforce an ongoing

effort to preserve its reputation and regain public support.
• Objectives Setting. Once the situation or problem is understood, the next step is to
establish objectives for the public relations plan. A proposed objective should be
evaluated by asking the following questions: Does the objective effectively address
the situation? Is it realistic and achievable? Can success be measured in meaningful
terms? Professionals usually state an objective in terms of programme outcomes
rather than inputs. Objectives should not be based on the means, but rather on the
ends to be achieved. A poor objective, for example, is to “generate publicity for a
new product.” Publicity is not an “end” in itself; the actual objective is to “create
consumer awareness about a new product.”
• Audience Identification. Public relations plans are usually directed towards specific
and defined audiences or publics. Public relations practitioners usually target
specific publics through market research that identifies key publics based on the
demographics and psychographics of targeted publics. Some organisations may
identify the news media as a 'public.' For some public relations plans that seek
media endorsements or that try to change the news media's perception of their
organisations, or an issue, editors and reporters may then become a useful target
'public.'
• Strategy Development. A strategy statement describes how a campaign may
achieve objectives. It provides guidelines and themes for the overall programme.
Strategy statements provide a rationale for planned actions and programme
components. Public relations professionals outline one general strategy, or several
strategies, to suit the objectives and the target publics.
• Choice of Tactics. Tactics form the work that needs to be outlined in the plan.
They describe, in sequence, the specific activities that will support the strategies
to be used and achieve the stated objectives. Tactics will rely on a variety of
communication tools to reach primary and secondary publics with key messages.
• Programme Calendar or Timetable. The programme calendar helps the public
relations professional to decide on when a campaign should be conducted, to

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determine the proper sequence of activities, and to compile a list of steps that must
be completed to produce a complete programme. All these aspects are important
to keeping the programme effective.
• Budget Setting. Organisations usually establish an amount that they can afford for
the overall programme, and then ask the public relations professionals or external
consultants to craft a programme plan that fits within the budget.
• Programme Measurement. The evaluation element of a plan is linked to the stated
objectives of the programme. Objectives must be measurable in some way so that
clients or employers can see that the programme can accomplish its purpose. The
evaluation criteria should be realistic, credible, specific and aligned to client or
employer expectations. The measurement section of a programme should restate
the objectives and list the measurement methods to be used.

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Chapter 2: Public Relations Strategy

The success or failure of public relations campaigns usually rests on whether there was a
thoroughly thought-through plan. More importantly is the question of whether there was
a solid strategy guiding the plan. This section will look at how strategies are developed,
and how they guide public relations plans to successfully achieving stated objectives.

2.1 Developing the Strategy

The strategy for a public relations plan answers the questions “What should we say?”,
“Which media should we use?”, and “What should we do?”. The strategy is the idea,
approach, or general plan to provide guidelines and themes for the overall programme
to achieve a goal. It is the guiding principle, the big idea, the rationale behind the tactical
programmes. Strategies are developed to address the issues identified in a programme
plane. A public relations plan may have one strategy or several strategies, depending on
the objectives and the target publics. Without a unifying strategic plan, actions can develop
on a haphazard basis. An overall strategy will be supported by the following:

• A key message strategy or theme;

• A media strategy through which the message will be delivered;
• An action strategy that spells out the event or events for each medium or key public.

The message strategy is an important part of the strategy development process. Messages
are created based on what the public relations professional wants to say to his target
publics. To make the message more appealing, public relations professionals have to keep
in mind the demographics and psychographics of their target publics. Their messages
should have the right tone and be written at a level that their target publics would
easily understand. Messages can be crafted through slogans, taglines, themes, visuals and
graphics, and colours. Memorable messages can be in written or spoken forms.

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Messages can be made more memorable by using slogans and taglines that are created
from key messages. These are then included in marketing collaterals in the form of
printed materials such as posters, newsletters, corporate advertisements, and so on.
For messages to be effective, key messages have to be consistently communicated and
reiterated throughout the programme in all publicity materials.

Slogans should be catchy, memorable, and be no more than five words long. Most
programmes will have one central message encapsulated in a slogan. Sometimes, there
may be several messages, possibly one for a specific target public. But such messages must
complement and support each other. Otherwise, there will be too many messages and the
campaign will come through as being fragmented and out of focus, as if it were trying to
achieve too many things at the same time. There are many ways to develop compelling
messages. They include:

• Taking existing articulated perceptions into consideration. For example, a target

audience may regard an organisation’s products to be old-fashioned.
• Defining the changes to be made to those perceptions. For example, if the products
have been substantially upgraded, then there is a need to say that loudly and clearly.
• Identifying elements of persuasion. Public relations professionals work on being
persuasive by using favourable facts. For example, if the organisation has won
numerous innovation awards, then this fact can be shared or emphasised.
• Ensuring that messages are fact-based, credible and deliverable through public
relations efforts.

When public relations professionals talk about media strategies, the media mentioned
invariably refers to the channels of communication used to reach the target publics to
convey desired messages. It should be distinguished from the intention of targeting the
news media as a key public. In deciding a media strategy, the choice of media will depend
on whether target publics are reached or served; whether the media being considered can
effectively convey key messages; whether the audience profiles of the media match the
target publics the programme intends to reach; and the costs involved.

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The action or programme strategy refers to the range of actions that will best deliver
key messages, that will suit the media selected, and that will best engage with the target
publics. When public relations practitioners are deciding on the message, media and
action strategies, an important consideration is whether all these elements of strategies
will enable the programme to reach and influence target publics and achieve the
objectives.

The discussion above helps to highlight that strategies provide the overall framework for
which a series of actions or tactics in the action plan can be developed to form a coherent
and mutually supporting programme. Strategies define the means for achieving objectives
and tactics for a public relations programme. Tactics, on the other hand, refer to elements
at the operational level, i.e. the actual events, the media selected, and methods used to
implement the strategy for the plan. The tactics used also include the direct actions that
you take to implement the plan. They are the specific and concrete activities that are related
to the objectives and strategies of the public relations plan.

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Chapter 3: Putting Plans into Action

As soon as a compelling strategy has been developed for a public relations programme, it
will be time for the plan to be put into action. For public relations, this usually means the
crafting of persuasive messages to be disseminated to various target publics. The intention
is for the messages to ultimately effect changes in the attitudes, opinions and behaviours
of the target publics.

3.1 Taking Action and Communicating

The third step in the public relations planning process is the communication phase. It
is also referred to as the implementation stage. This is the step in which the campaign
objectives are achieved through communication tools. This is the step where public
relations professionals answer the question “How do we say it?” A programme’s tactics
may be in the form of news releases, news conferences, special events, brochures,
viral marketing, speeches, newsletters, webcasts, posters, and so on. The goals of
communication for a public relations campaign are to inform, to persuade, to motivate, or
to achieve mutual understanding. When planning a message on behalf of an employer or
client, public relations professionals must consider a number of variables. They include
the following:

• Getting attention for messages. Public relations practitioners provide information

and messages to the news media and through controlled media such as newsletters
and brochures. The intended audiences are then exposed to the messages in various
forms.
• Getting messages distributed without changes. Information and messages from
organisations are often filtered or altered by media gatekeepers, such as editors and
writers. The ideal is for the messages to remain unchanged as they are transmitted
through various media.

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• Getting acceptance for messages. Public relations practitioners know that audiences
may have strong or biased views as they receive messages. The ideal here is for
the audience to not only retain messages, but also accept them without too much
resistance.
• Getting audiences to change attitudes. Here, the intention is for the audience to not
only believe the messages, but that they also make verbal or mental commitments
to alter their behaviours as a result of their acceptance of the message.
• Getting audiences to change overt behaviour. The goal here is for target publics to
actually change their behaviours by taking action to purchase a product and to use
it after having paid attention to, and thought about, a message.

Increasing Audience Understanding

The target publics of any public relations campaigns will always face numerous sources
of messages, most of which they will ignore. There are some ways that public relations
practitioners can gain the attention of target publics. These include ways to make messages
easier to understand. They include the following:

• Making use of symbols, acronyms and slogans. Messages can be made clearer and
simpler through the use of symbols, acronyms or slogans. These act as short-forms
to capture the essence of meanings so that the ideas contained in the messages can
be shared through various communication media without losing their meanings.
• Not using jargon. Public relations practitioners should not use technical and
bureaucratic jargon since it may complicate messages and may negatively affect the
receiver’s ability to understand it. A news release may be perfectly appropriate for
an engineering publication serving a particular industry, but the same information
must be written in simpler terms for the readers of a daily newspaper.
• Not using clichés and hype words. Clichés and hype words are highly charged
words that have connotative meanings. Such words can pose problems, and the
overuse of clichés and hype words can seriously undermine the believability of a
message.

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• Not using euphemisms. Euphemisms are words that hide information or blunt
the tone of words. Public relations practitioners should use favourable words to
convey a message, but avoid using euphemisms as the clarity of messages may be
compromised.
• Not using discriminatory language. Public relations practitioners need to be
vigilant and check messages to delete words or phrases that may have undesirable
gender, racial and other sensitive connotations.

3.2 The Implementation Plan

At the communication stage, public relations practitioners need to work out the tasks
and steps needed to organise or develop the events or activities, as well as the actual
implementation schedule of the programme. These are usually presented in the form of a
table that is usually referred to as the implementation plan.

Implementation Schedules

The implementation schedule for the whole programme will comprise a list of events,
normally arranged in sequential order, and will include an indication of the time period,
and duration and frequency of activities. The implementation schedule will also list the
tasks or steps taken to organise each activity. This will list the tasks and deadlines for each
step or task, as well as the person or persons responsible for doing the task in the remarks
column provided.

Benefits of Implementation Plans

An implementation plan is useful to have because it provides an overview of work

activities; it facilitates the prioritising of tasks or steps, especially in cases of last-minute
changes; it facilitates the on-going monitoring and evaluation of the public relations
efforts; it establishes accountability and proper management of the campaign; and it
provides the easy reporting and accessing of information.

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Action Plans

Contained within a good implementation plan will be an action plan that will help
public relations practitioners know how to carry out their public relations campaigns. The
implementation covers activities, including planning and preparation activities, while an
action plan focuses on activities more relevant to a specific public relations event that will
be carried out. A good action plan will include the following considerations:

Media Titles

Public relations practitioners usually would list the key media titles that they would like to
pursue to get a story or quote into publication for their organisation. Even small businesses
have a good chance of being mentioned in key news media titles if they are newsworthy.
Public relations practitioners also identify smaller publication and broadcast titles to
target. Smaller news media titles may cover a story in a different way than the larger or
overseas news media, offering public relations practitioners more media channels to reach
readers, viewers and listeners.

Business Messaging

Public relations practitioners take pains to know their own organisations well, so that they
always have their key messages to share. They need to have all the relevant information
on hand, and to note the key information about their businesses that they want to be
published. This will help public relations practitioners to stay focused and know the most
important story angles and ideas to pitch when they need to contact the news media.

Newsworthy Items

Before public relations practitioners issue a press release, they will need to check if their
story is newsworthy. It must have a good news angle in order for the news release to
get media attention and to get published. One way for public relations practitioners to
know what is newsworthy is for them to see how their targeted news editors or reporters
had covered news in the past. By studying the angles of stories those reporters had
previously covered, public relations practitioners can edit their news releases to appeal to
those reporters. A newsworthy story angle would include things like the special benefits

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of a product or service, groundbreaking innovations, the latest industry trends that the
organisation is leading or following, new business practices, and other attention-getting
information. More importantly, a news angle should not be self-promoting, since reporters
are not obligated to promote your organisation for others.

Opportunities

Public relations practitioners sometimes get their organisations to participate in various

events, so that key executives from their organisations can meet potential customers while
increasing their chances of being mentioned in the news media. Such events may include
charitable functions, industry-specific organisation meetings, or other activities where
target audiences may be present. Organisations can also consider giving presentations and
creating their own events. The leadership being demonstrated in organising such events
may certainly gain the attention of the news media.

Awards

Public relations practitioners also look out for various industry, technology, service, and
Internet-based awards that their organisations can aim for. The intention here is to build
credibility and raise awareness for an organisation through the recognition for various
prestigious or high-profile industry awards.

Potential Partners

Organisations need to be aware of the relevant organisations, businesses and groups

that may be interested in partnering with them on various events, marketing campaigns,
charitable functions, and other activities. This is one effective way that organisations can
build news media awareness quickly and more cost-effectively through working with
larger, more well-known businesses.

Content

Public relations practitioners need to always have on hand various reports, articles, blogs,
newsletters, and so on that they can offer to the news media and their target publics. By
providing relevant information quickly and regularly, organisations can establish their

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expertise in a particular field, increase credibility, build their customer base, and create
new media relationships.

Timeline

Once public relations practitioners have decided on a public relations goal and objectives,
they will develop a schedule and timeline for each of the activities in their publicity
plan that would indicate work to be done by the day, week, or month. It would be good
for public relations practitioners to use suitable methods to track the progress of their
campaigns. This can be done by reviewing the publicity activities and results at regular
stated intervals, so that suitable changes can be made for future campaigns.

3.3 Evaluating the Programme

The fourth step in the public relations planning process involves the evaluation of
campaign results against stated objectives established at the start of the planning process.
The following are relevant questions that can be asked to guide the evaluation process:

• Was the activity or programme well planned?

• Did the recipients of the messages understand them?
• How could the programme strategy have been more effective?
• Were all the primary and secondary audiences reached?
• Were the desired organisational objectives achieved?
• Did any unforeseen circumstances affect the success of the programme or activity?
• Was the programme or activity carried out within budget?
• Which steps might be taken to improve the success of similar future activities?

Evaluation Planning – Evaluating the Programmes

It is important for public relations programmes to be evaluated so that the programme

can be assessed to see if it needs adjustments while it is being planned. Evaluation will
also enable public relations practitioners to assess if the programme objectives have been
met after it has been implemented. As such, public relations personnel use a mix of

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measurement techniques, many borrowed from advertising and marketing, to provide

more thorough evaluation. The key areas that public relations practitioners will measure
include the following:

• Message distribution and media placement. This is done through the measurement
of media impressions, Internet hits, advertising equivalency, systematic tracking,
information requests, and cost per person or audience attendance.
• Audience awareness, comprehension and retention of messages. Public relations
practitioners measure these parameters by conducting baseline studies that
measure audience attitudes before, during and after a public relations campaign.
• Changes in attitudes, opinions and behaviour. The goal of any public relations
campaign is to accomplish organisational objectives. For example, the objective of
a rock band is not to get media publicity, but really to sell tickets for its concert.
The objective of a company is to sell its products and services, not just to get media
impressions. That is why public relations efforts are evaluated so that they can help
an organisation achieve its business objectives.

Public relations practitioners know that evaluation can be carried out during the
preparation stage, the implementation stage, and the post-implementation stage of the
public relations campaign.

Preparation Stage

This is where evaluation is carried out while the public relations programme is still being
planned. At this stage, a key task is to ensure that there is enough information available for
planning. For example, public relations practitioners will need to check that all problems
are addressed, that all key publics are included, that there is sufficient information given
to the media, and so on. In addition, public relations practitioners will need to check that
the appropriate strategies and messages are used to meet objectives. They would also need
to ensure that the quality of PR tools used is comparable with those used in other public
relations campaigns.

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Implementation Stage

Evaluation can also be carried out as the public relations programme is being
implemented. At this stage, evaluation will take the form of media content analysis, which
assesses media publicity by the number of columns, minutes of broadcast, position of
articles, accuracy of content, and use of key words, for example. Attendance at events, the
number of enquiries through hotline numbers, the responses to direct-mailers, as well as
hits on websites can also be measured and evaluated. Evaluation at this stage will also
look at the number of people who have been exposed to a campaign message, as well as
comparing actual campaign costs with the campaign budget.

Post-Implementation Stage

After a public relations campaign has ended, public relations practitioners can evaluate
the impact of the campaign by looking at whether the public relations objectives have
been achieved. If carried out at this stage, evaluation methods will consider the changes in
the levels of awareness and understanding of messages by target publics, the changes in
attitudes and opinions of target publics, and the changes in behaviour of target publics.

The evaluation methods that are used in all the above mentioned stages can comprise
formal and informal research through the following:

• Market observations;
• Audience feedback;
• Surveys;
• Changes in buying behaviour;
• Responses to response slips, etc.;
• Changes in attitudes, opinions and awareness levels;
• Changes in trackable behaviours;
• Media coverage.

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Public Relations Planning Checklist

With the amount of responsibilities and tasks that public relations practitioners have to
undertake, many of them would create checklists to help them ensure that their plans take
into consideration all aspects of the public relations campaign that they hope to execute.
A typical checklist would look like the following:

• A goal statement that addresses the identified problem;

• Goal and objectives that focus on the issues mentioned;
• Listing objectives that are action-oriented and specific to key publics;
• The key target publics are listed;
• Target publics are well-described;
• The formulated strategy will achieve stated goal and objectives;
• The themes or slogans represent the strategy, the events, activities, and tools that
are planned;
• The action plan provides the details of the events, activities, and tools outlined in
the strategy;
• The action plan gives complete and relevant details;
• The implementation plan includes full details for the events, activities, and tools
indicated in the action plan;
• The evaluation methods are well-described and well-suited to evaluate whether the
goal and objectives are achieved.

Effective Evaluation

For evaluation efforts to be meaningful and effective, public relations practitioners need
to evaluate elements of the public relations campaigns that include media coverage,
online media, stakeholder reactions, responses from publics, benchmarking against clear
campaign objectives, and focus groups. In evaluating these elements, public relations
practitioners need to ask critical questions of those areas.

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Media Coverage

• How much coverage did you receive?

• Was the tone of the coverage positive or negative?
• Which media titles did the coverage appear in? Where in those titles? Who were
the audiences of those titles?
• Were the desired visuals used?
• Were key messages picked up?
• Were your spokespeople quoted?
• Were the mentions of campaign the focus of the coverage, or a side mention?

Online Media

• How many visitors saw your content?

• How long did they spend on the site?
• What pages did they visit?
• Did they hit specific landing pages?
• What was their bounce rate?
• What was the conversion rate, from mere visits, to purchase, for example?

Stakeholders

• How did stakeholders react to the campaign messages?

Responses from Publics

• How many letters, emails or calls were received as the result of the campaign? Was
it higher or lower than usual?
• What was the tone of public feedback?
• What questions did the publics ask?

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Benchmarking

• Can market research or polling be carried out before, during or after the campaign?
Did campaign communications cause improvements or changes over time in the
attitudes of target publics?

Focus Groups

• Can focus group sessions be conducted after activities are implemented to get
feedback on possible changes in awareness, attitudes or behaviour in publics? This
should be done to see if public relations objectives have been met.

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CASE STUDY

Planning a Public Relations Campaign

Who was the Client?

The client was a multi-national liquor company with a long and illustrious history
making and selling high-end, luxury alcoholic beverages. It targeted mainly high net-
worth clientele in the top one percent of society in the markets that it had a presence.
The client in the following case study is not named to respect client confidentiality.

What was the Challenge?

The client already had a global marketing plan, but this was proving not to be
very effective for the local market. The client dealt with fine liquors that catered to
consumers in a very niche and high-end market. The challenge for the public relations
agency was to gain news media coverage for both the company and its products. Thus,
the public relations agency had to find ways of getting news media coverage, while
having to deal with an established company that was not very flexible as a client.

It did not help that the public relations agency’s client was rather set in their ways, and
was not familiar with the local news media environment. The client’s expectations of
likely news coverage were also not realistic. Very often, the client’s news releases that
were issued in Europe were not suited for the local context, and could not be quickly
re-distributed without extensive re-writing.

What was the Strategy?

With a goal of raising the client’s profile with the local media, the approach was to first
send Singapore-based editors and journalists overseas at the client’s expense to get
stories about the liquor culture and products of the client. The idea was to cultivate
relations with the local news media through interesting activities held overseas. These
activities included meal-pairings and tastings that featured the client’s products with
the cuisine of the country that the activities were being held in. Cellar masters from

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the client’s company were also invited to give master classes on how the client’s fine
liquor products were produced to local journalists.

What was the Outcome?

The planned activities held overseas and locally were well received by the local media,
resulting in numerous story articles about the client’s products and related cuisines
that were featured. These stories appeared in mainstream news media that included
print and broadcast platforms. These news media stories that were coveted by the
client certainly gave more coverage of key messages from the client.

Activity 2.1

Refer to the above case study, and answer the following questions:

1. What do you think were some obstacles encountered in the public relations
planning process for this case study?
2. Would you have proposed another strategy for this case study? Why?
3. What do you think are real communication constraints for this client’s
industry?
4. Are there any news angles that you see from this case study besides the food
and beverage, and luxury lifestyle angles?

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Read

Public Relations – The Profession & The Practice

Chapter 5. Research: Understanding Public Opinion

Chapter 6. Strategic Planning for Public Relations Effectiveness

Chapter 7. Action and Communication

Chapter 8. Evaluating Public Relations Effectiveness

Search Words

We encourage you to do further reading and research of the lessons learnt in this Study
Unit using the following search words:

Issues definition; public relations plans; programme evaluation; research methods;

primary research; secondary research; qualitative research; quantitative research;
strategies; objectives; tactics; jargon; clichés; euphemisms; themes; slogans; awareness;
attitudes; opinions; behaviours; benchmarking; and focus groups.

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Summary

This Study Unit looked at the public relations planning process, and examined the
elements and components of the planning process. The components of the public relations
programme that were studied include conducting research for understanding situations
and problem identification, strategy development for campaigns, goal and objectives
setting, setting programme activities and tactics, and programme evaluation for a public
relations campaigns. This Study Unit concludes with a case study on how a public
relations agency’s client used planning to its advantage to implement a programme for a
rather niche industry.

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Formative Assessment

1. For companies embarking on a public relations campaign, it is essential that they first
__________, which could likely be a perception or communication challenge.
a. address their audiences
b. inform the news media
c. define their problems
d. inform their government regulators

2. Companies undertake research so that they can do meaningful __________, so that

they can understand the internal and external environments of the organisation.
a. communications planning
b. media analyses
c. tactics planning
d. situation analyses

3. A good public relations programme should support an organisation's __________ and

be strategic in its approach.
a. business, marketing and communications objectives
b. design philosophy
c. research and development efforts
d. use of technology

4. Public relations plans are usually directed towards __________ audiences or publics.
a. broad and inclusive
b. mass media-centred
c. specific and defined
d. general and easily-reached

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5. A strategy statement describes how a campaign may achieve objectives by providing

__________ for the overall programme.
a. a specific budget
b. dedicated staffing
c. a “big idea” and theme
d. sample ideas

6. To make the message more appealing in message strategy development, public

relations professionals have to keep in mind the __________ of their target publics.
a. demographics and psychographics
b. preferences and habits
c. negative opinions
d. past experiences

7. The __________ refers to the range of activities that will best deliver key messages,
that will suit the media selected, and that will best engage with the target publics.
a. evaluation phase
b. action strategy
c. research phase
d. audience analysis

8. One way for public relations practitioners to increase audience understanding of PR

campaign messages is to make use of __________.
a. symbols, acronyms and slogans
b. industry jargon
c. scientific terms
d. social media

9. Even small businesses have a good chance of being mentioned in key news media
titles if they have information to share that are __________.

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a. hyped-up
b. sales-centric
c. entertaining
d. newsworthy

10. Public relations practitioners measure audience ___________ of messages by

conducting baseline studies that measure audience attitudes before, during and after
a public relations campaign.
a. responses and understanding
b. awareness, comprehension and retention
c. collation and sharing
d. preferences and opinions

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Solutions or Suggested Answers

Formative Assessment
1. For companies embarking on a public relations campaign, it is essential that they first
__________, which could likely be a perception or communication challenge.
a. address their audiences
Incorrect. Companies cannot address their audiences first without
understanding the issues that need to be solved. Refer to Study Unit 2,
Chapter 1, Topic 1, The Planning Process.

b. inform the news media

Incorrect. Companies should not be in touch with the news media unless
they have already dealt with their problems already. Refer to Study Unit 2,
Chapter 1, Topic 1, The Planning Process.

c. define their problems

Correct. Companies need to understand its problem before they can
develop solutions to its problems. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 1, Topic
1, The Planning Process.

d. inform their government regulators

Incorrect. Again, companies need to understand their problems first before
approaching external parties. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 1, Topic 1, The
Planning Process.

2. Companies undertake research so that they can do meaningful __________, so that

they can understand the internal and external environments of the organisation.
a. communications planning
Incorrect. Communications can only be planned after research has been
carried out. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 1, Topic 1, Research.

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b. media analyses
Incorrect. To better understanding their environments, companies carry out
research on their situations, not focus on the media. Refer to Study Unit 2,
Chapter 1, Topic 1, Research.

c. tactics planning
Incorrect. The first goal of research is to analyse the situation, not decide what
tactics to use for a PR plan. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 1, Topic 1, Research.

d. situation analyses
Correct. Companies carry out research as a first step in analysing their
situations. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 1, Topic 1, Research.

3. A good public relations programme should support an organisation's __________ and

be strategic in its approach.
a. business, marketing and communications objectives
Correct. Good PR campaigns should cater to the business, marketing and
communications objectives of companies. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter
1, Topic 2, The Planning Process.

b. design philosophy
Incorrect. A company’s PR programme would more likely focus on business,
marketing and communications objectives than its design philosophy. Refer
to Study Unit 2, Chapter 1, Topic 2, The Planning Process.

c. research and development efforts

Incorrect. Public relations programmes are not developed to support a
company’s research and development efforts. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter
1, Topic 2, The Planning Process.

d. use of technology

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Incorrect. A company’s use of technology is independent of its public

relations efforts. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 1, Topic 2, The Planning
Process.

4. Public relations plans are usually directed towards __________ audiences or publics.
a. broad and inclusive
Incorrect. Audiences for PR plans have to be specific and well-defined. Refer
to Study Unit 2, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Elements of a Public Relations Plan.

b. mass media-centred
Incorrect. PR plans do not just focus on publics that use the mass media. Refer
to Study Unit 2, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Elements of a Public Relations Plan.

c. specific and defined

Correct. Audiences for PR plans have to be selected and clearly defined.
Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Elements of a Public Relations
Plan.

d. general and easily-reached

Incorrect. If there are specific objectives to be met, audiences must be
specifically selected. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Elements of
a Public Relations Plan.

5. A strategy statement describes how a campaign may achieve objectives by providing

__________ for the overall programme.
a. a specific budget
Incorrect. Good strategies are guided by a good idea, not by budgets. Refer
to Study Unit 2, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Elements of a Public Relations Plan.

b. dedicated staffing
Incorrect. Strategy statements look at ideas, not at staffing levels. Refer to
Study Unit 2, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Elements of a Public Relations Plan.

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c. a “big idea” and theme

Correct. A good strategy will be guided by a good “big idea” and theme.
Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Elements of a Public Relations
Plan.

d. sample ideas
Incorrect. Strategy statements have to have a specific guiding idea; they do
not provide sample ideas. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Elements
of a Public Relations Plan.

6. To make the message more appealing in message strategy development, public

relations professionals have to keep in mind the __________ of their target publics.
a. demographics and psychographics
Correct. In developing PR strategies, it is important to bear in mind the
demographics and psychographics of audiences. Refer to Study Unit 2,
Chapter 2, Topic 1, Developing the Strategy.

b. preferences and habits

Incorrect. These are elements that are more likely targeted for changing,
rather than providing guidance for message development. Refer to Study
Unit 2, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Developing the Strategy.

c. negative opinions
Incorrect. The psychographic and demographic profiles of audiences provide
better parameters for strategy development than the negative opinions of
audiences. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Developing the Strategy.

d. past experiences
Incorrect. The past experiences of audiences do not have a significant bearing
on message strategy development. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 2, Topic 1,
Developing the Strategy.

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7. The __________ refers to the range of activities that will best deliver key messages,
that will suit the media selected, and that will best engage with the target publics.
a. evaluation phase
Incorrect. The evaluation take place after activities have been carried out, not
before. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Developing the Strategy.

b. action strategy
Correct. The action strategy guides the activities to be carried out to meet
specific programme objectives. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 2, Topic 1,
Developing the Strategy.

c. research phase
Incorrect. Research is carried out in as part of the planning phase, not
independently of it. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Developing
the Strategy.

d. audience analysis
Incorrect. Audience analysis is part of the research process, and only plays a
component part in strategy development. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 2,
Topic 1, Developing the Strategy.

8. One way for public relations practitioners to increase audience understanding of PR

campaign messages is to make use of __________.
a. symbols, acronyms and slogans
Correct. These are short-forms to capture the essence of meanings. Refer
to Study Unit 2, Chapter 3, Topic 1, Increasing Audience Understanding.

b. industry jargon
Incorrect. The use of industry jargon will decrease rather than increase
audience understanding. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 3, Topic 1, Increasing
Audience Understanding.

c. scientific terms

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Incorrect. Using scientific, rather than common terms, will not increase
audience understanding of PR campaign messages. Refer to Study Unit 2,
Chapter 3, Topic 1, Increasing Audience Understanding.

d. social media
Incorrect. The use of social media does not necessarily aid in increasing
audience understanding of PR messages. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 3,
Topic 1, Increasing Audience Understanding.

9. Even small businesses have a good chance of being mentioned in key news media
titles if they have information to share that are __________.
a. hyped-up
Incorrect. Information that are hyped-up will not be covered by news media
titles. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 3, Topic 2, The Implementation Plan.

b. sales-centric
Incorrect. News media will not consider sales-centric information as being
newsworthy. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 3, Topic 2, The Implementation
Plan.

c. entertaining
Incorrect. Information that is entertaining is not necessarily newsworthy and
may not be covered by news titles. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 3, Topic 2,
The Implementation Plan.

d. newsworthy
Correct. News media titles are only motivated to report on newsworthy
information. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 3, Topic 2, The Implementation
Plan.

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10. Public relations practitioners measure audience ___________ of messages by

conducting baseline studies that measure audience attitudes before, during and after
a public relations campaign.
a. responses and understanding
Incorrect. This is an incorrect sequence for audience recall of messages. Refer
to Study Unit 2, Chapter 3, Topic 3, Evaluating the Programmes.

b. awareness, comprehension and retention

Correct. These elements spell out the most common way people remember
messages. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 3, Topic 3, Evaluating the
Programmes.

c. collation and sharing

Incorrect. Audiences will not collate or share messages unless they are
motivated to do so. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 3, Topic 3, Evaluating the
Programmes.

d. preferences and opinions

Incorrect. These elements incorrectly reflect the way messages are retained
by audiences. Refer to Study Unit 2, Chapter 3, Topic 3, Evaluating the
Programmes.

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 3
Study
Unit

Public Relations Tools

COM301  Public Relations Tools

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

1. Describe the finer points of writing for the media;

2. Show how to produce PR media kits;
3. Explain why and how media conferences are held;
4. Explain why and how media interviews are secured and held;
5. Define and explain how social media can be used appropriately in PR efforts.

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Overview

P ublic relations practitioners work hard at communicating and building

relationships with key stakeholders for the organisations that they work for. For
them to be able to do well in their jobs, they need to know how to plan and evaluate
their campaigns, to know how to communicate effectively, and to know how to work
with the news media to get their messages out to their target publics. Fortunately for
such professionals, there are many tools that they can use to effectively get their messages
across to various audiences. This Study Unit will look at some of those tools and provide
suggested guidelines on how best to use them for public relations work.

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Chapter 1: Working with the Media – Part I

The media mentioned in this Study Unit, by and large, refers to the news media. The news
media comprises media professionals who function as gatekeepers of information on the
political, societal, economic and environmental landscapes where they operate. They are
driven to be first to report on news and developments that affect their readers, viewers
and listeners. To work well with such media professionals, it is good to understand how
they do their work, and to emulate the way they write.

Lesson Recording

Writing Good News Releases

1.1 Writing for the Media

The News Release

A news release is a brief document that provides information to the news media so that
they can develop a possible news story. It contains information that the organisation
wishes to give to the news media for publication. Information from the news release is
usually shared through the news media to external publics. A professionally written news
release can help create a positive image for the organisation.

There are many reasons why news releases are written. They may be written when an
organisation intends to secure publicity for an event, or for an announcement of a merger;
when it desires to explain its position on a major issue; and when the organisation needs to
build good media relations, and to update the news media about its organisation, products
or services. Organisations will only prepare news releases about information that they
think the news media will value and use.

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Types of News Releases

There are different types of news releases that can be used for a variety of purposes. They
include the following:

• Announcement Release: These are brief news releases that are used for making
important announcements, such as mergers, earnings, price changes, new products
or events.
• Spot News Release: Spot news releases are made in response to situations usually
beyond the control of the company. For example, an electric utility power plant is
damaged by a storm; a fire that has occurred in a factory; or when an aircraft has
been hijacked. Such occurrences are considered spot news. Organisations will need
to provide the facts on the situation as they become available.
• Response Release: There are times when news about a company reaches the mass
media from sources other than from the company itself. For example, a consumer
group may issue a report critical of the company; the government may announce an
investigation into company pricing practices; a research group may publish a major
study that may be critical of the company’s industry. When such things happen,
reporters will expect an official response. The company will then have to provide
brief statements or news releases giving the company’s statements in detail.
• Feature Release: A feature release is written as a feature article, similar to the ones
found in trade magazines or newspapers. Information for feature releases can be
found in the research and development efforts of a company. For example, a new
production process that improves efficiency or helps reduce pollution would make
an interesting topic for a feature release.
• Picture Caption Release: This is a news release that comes in the form of a
photograph that is accompanied by a caption or description of what is depicted in
the photograph. The intention here is to let the picture tell the story, guided by a
briefly worded description.

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• Digest of a Report: This is a news release that summarises the findings of a detailed
study into a topic. For example, the way home buyers make the purchase decisions,
or the way households manage their savings and investments can be studied. Such
releases will provide news editors with relevant information for trend stories that
readers find useful.
• Video News Release: This is essentially a news release on video that may be between
30 and 60 seconds long. It is a persuasive visual tool that can help get exposure on
television. It is used when companies have breakthrough stories, new perspectives
on issues, or unusual footage that the news media may find difficult to obtain. This
can be an expensive tool, but is increasingly being used since these can be uploaded
directly to the Internet.

News

The goal of a news release is to have a company’s information delivered to target publics
shared through the news media’s editorial content. News releases cannot be considered
as a form of advertising. The best way for companies to get their information published in
the news is to provide editors with information in a form that they can readily recognise as
being newsworthy and in a usable news style. If it is not real news, or that it is not written
in a good news writing style, then public relations practitioners will not offer such news
releases to editors because news professionals will not use such news releases.

News Values

Public relations practitioners are always advised to think like a journalist when writing
news releases. This is helpful as journalists know what has news value and what is
considered newsworthy. For something to be considered newsworthy, it should have one
or more of the following values:

• Proximity. This is where there is great local interest or local impact to readers;
• Relevance. This refers to topics that have significant impact on readers;

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• Timeliness. Events that are currently unfolding are considered timely and will be
covered by the news media;
• Prominence. This is where a development involves important people;
• Accuracy. News have to be valid and correct, not based on unsubstantiated market-
talk;
• Revelation. This refers to information that reveals something that is not widely
known;
• News Continuity. This refers to information that shows further developments from
a current news item;
• Human Interest. These can be stories about characters and personalities that give
readers nice, warm feelings when read.

Writing Good News Releases

Public relations practitioners know that news should be relevant and customised to each
medium and audience. They know that they should not use one news release to send to
different types of media as it is not as effective or efficient and creates additional work for
editors. It is more productive to carefully target news releases to a few media and develop
the relationship with the selected media, rather than to send out countless generic releases.

The news media have to work within tight constraints of space, due to the limited space
in newspapers, and within constraints of time, due to the rigid broadcast timetables of TV
news programming. The news that a public relations practitioner has to offer on behalf
of his organisation will invariably have to compete with many other news releases for
news coverage. The following outlines qualities that a well-written news release should
possess:

• It is informative;
• It is timely, topical and fresh;
• It is credible and authoritative;
• It is presented in an interesting and attention-getting manner;
• It is professionally written;

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• It shows that the organisation is sure and clear of their facts;

• It gets to the point quickly;
• It provides the “What”, “Who”, “Where”, “When”, “Why”, and “How”
information;
• It uses language that is targeted at audience's comprehension level, through simple
and short sentences, that are free of superlatives and that are accurate.

Components of a News Story

A news story typically will have the following factors:

• Who. The company, brand, or subject of the news release;

• When. This refers to the timing of the news. Usually, news should be about current,
but can also be about future events;
• What. This refers to the developments mentioned in the news that are happening;
• Where. This provides information on locations relating to where the news is
happening;
• Why. This covers the reasons behind the news developments.

Structure of a Short News Story

The structure of a news story is different from that of other literary forms. In a news story,
all the important information will be presented first, and not in any chronological order.
News stories come in three main parts, namely the headline, the lead paragraph, and the
body text.

Headlines are written so that busy people can just glance through the newspaper and
obtain the essence of the day’s news quickly. Headlines together with lead paragraphs give
readers the highlights of news stories. If the headlines do not have any news value, people
are less likely to read the rest of the story. In the case of news releases, public relations
practitioners are writing headlines to get the editors’ and not the public’s attention, and
editors tend to be more attracted to topics with real news values.

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News stories do not end with a formal conclusion. In a news story, there is no build up
to a climax that is similar to a feature writing style. The writer summarises the story to
its principal facts and presents them in the lead paragraph. The body of a news article
explains in more detail the facts covered in the lead, and each paragraph is of diminishing
importance towards the end of the article. This is what is usually termed as writing in
the “Inverted Pyramid” style, which highlights the most interesting facts higher-up in the
story.

The Inverted Pyramid writing style means that information in the news story will remain
relatively intact even if the editor must shorten the story to fit the available space, or when
the reader stops reading, or the story jumps to another page, in which case, many readers
will discontinue reading. With this approach, the first paragraph succinctly summarises
the most important parts of the story and succeeding paragraphs fill in the details in
descending order of importance. Paragraphs are short, usually no more than 50 to 60
words, because big blocks of type on narrow-width columns have a grey, dull look and
are difficult to read.

Writing the Lead Paragraph

The lead paragraph should grab the attention of the editor and should be interesting
enough for the editor to want to read on. It has the freshest and most interesting facts
of the story. Public relations practitioners avoid having long introductions in their lead
paragraphs. The opening paragraph should summarise the whole story by giving the
subject, location, organisation and brief highlights. The substance of the news release
should be effectively covered in the first few paragraphs so that if the release has to be
shortened from the bottom of the article, the essence and important parts of the story will
remain intact.

In making the news release interesting to editors, public relations practitioners decide on
a story angle by thinking about topics that would interest their audiences. Public relations
practitioners can include all important points that support a good news angle to use as
a hook to build the media’s interest in the news release. The news release should also

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be edited and re-edited to make it more interesting and more concise. If a good headline
cannot be extracted from the first paragraph, then the news release is likely to be badly
written. The lead paragraph helps to elaborate on the headline, so both must be well-
written.

Essential Information to include in a News Release

The following are suggested items that must be included in a news release:

• The company’s logo;

• The company’s name and address, usually appearing on the top-left, or bottom of
the document;
• The date of the news release, usually mentioned in the body text;
• The source of information, usually the company’s public relations professionals’
names and their contact details given at the bottom of the page;
• Notes to editor to provide useful instructions, usually on a separate sheet.

Basic News Release Format

There are variations of news release formats in use because of different house-styles that
are used by different organisations and news media. The following is a typical format for
a news release:

• A4-sized, one to three pages long, on single-side printing;

• Double-spacing, with space on both margins for editing;
• No indentation for the lead paragraph; subsequent paragraphs can have line
spacing between paragraphs;
• Quotation marks for quoted speeches;
• Numerals and symbols can follow the Associated Press (AP) style;
• The headline, written with active verbs and giving the essence of the news story;
• Date to be indicated in the top-right of the news release, or mentioned in the body;

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• “News Release”/ “For Immediate Release” / “Embargoed until” instructions to be

indicated at the top-left of the page;
• Continuation page indication at the end of the first page. Alternatively, the news
release can just be paginated accordingly;
• “Ends” to indicate the end of the news release.

Some Common Mistakes

Initially, public relations practitioners will find some difficulty in writing news releases.
Some common mistakes include news releases that do not offer any real news; that are not
written in the Inverted Pyramid style; that are not formatted properly; that are embargoed
when they should not be; and that do not offer any contact details or information for
follow up. As public relations practitioners write news releases, they will need to be on the
lookout for factual inaccuracies; ambiguity; information that is too technical, or fraught
with industry jargon.

Timing of News Releases

Public relations practitioners have to be sensitive to editorial deadlines. Editors and

reporters work under constant deadline pressures. Because old news is no longer
considered to be news, a news release should never arrive late as it will certainly not be
used. Thus, the timing of the news release is critical for it to make any impact. There are
many considerations that affect the timing of news releases. These include the following:

• Information should not be released too far in advance of an event because it may
become lost on an editor's desk or, if published, may be forgotten before the event
occurs;
• News releases should not be issued too close to an event, as this can be a problem
if editors do not have enough notice to prepare for coverage for the event;
• The time of the day can be an important factor too. This will differ between media
organisations;

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• An embargo is a request not to print a story before a stipulated date and time. An
editor may not obey this unless there are legal reasons. Public relations practitioners
should avoid using this, unless they are dealing with government-related, market-
or policy-sensitive issues.

1.2 Producing Media Kits

A media kit is a special package comprising a news release and other information related
to an event or to be used for a news conference. It is a collection of printed materials that
can help reporters do a better job at reporting a story. Media kits can be useful for other
occasions if the recipients find it valuable enough to keep as a reference tool.

Media kits are often distributed in conjunction with an event, for example, at news
conferences. It is designed to answer the most likely questions that the news media may
ask about the event or an issue. The media kit will provide sufficient information that
the news media will need to understand a subject and report on it. The information is
normally given in a folder that will carry the company's logo, and that uses the company's
stationery. Media kits can also be in downloadable, electronic forms as well.

Purpose of Media Kits

The primary purpose of a media kit is to help the news team, for example, journalists and
editors, to report the story pitched by public relations practitioners more thoroughly. From
the reporter’s perspective, although not everything in the media kit will be used by the
news team, there may be something in the media kit that may be the item that will allow
reporters to add interesting information or to present a slightly different perspective from
the angles that other newspapers that are covering the same story might have.

Reporters are almost always pressed for time. They seldom have the luxury to research
or explore additional sources of information. Therefore, a media kit should provide
reporters with useful additional information and insights. Important considerations when
preparing a media kit include the following:

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• Weigh carefully how much information is required. Provide information that

is simple, factual and relevant to audiences. Provide story ideas, local angles,
interesting infographics and information based on thorough research;
• Journalists do not appreciate being overwhelmed by too much copy text and too
many photos, so public relations practitioners need to be discerning when choosing
what to include.

The information given in the media kit:

• Must be accurate and thorough and answer the journalist's most fundamental
questions about the event, subject or issue;
• Must have sufficient background information to allow the editor to select a story
angle;
• Must be balanced and objective and not be like an advertisement for the company;
• May offer opinion and value judgements but from quotes from credible sources;
• Must be based on facts;
• Must be visually interesting.

Media Kit Contents

The media kit should provide information about the company and other related
information that will be useful and relevant to the news media. The following are pieces
of information that may be included:

• The name of the organisation, its address and phone or fax numbers, and names
and telephone numbers of employees to be contacted. It is good practice for public
relations practitioners to include their name cards in media kits;
• A news release must be included in the media kit, if the media kit is used for a news
conference. The news release should provide information on the “who”, “what”,
“where”, “when”, “why”, and “how” of the announcement being made;
• A backgrounder that contains all the information the recipient may possibly want
about the organisation. It can provide additional information about the product,

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service, topic, or event that is the subject of the news release. For example, if a new
product or service is being launched, a separate information sheet that outlines
the product or service’s development since inception, and the reasons for that
development can be provided;
• A fact sheet about the organisation. This is written in outline format that provides
additional information for reporters to draw upon in describing the group
responsible for the announcement. It should be a concise compilation of key
highlights about the organisation;
• A supplemental fact sheet that provides additional information outlining the
segment products, services and geographic regions;
• Biographies. This provides biographies about the company’s key executives such
as the president, CEO, and those involved in the programme being announced.
Information such as credentials, honours won, membership, participation and
involvement in professional business, government and industry organisations; and
colleges and degrees, should be mentioned;
• Feature story. Feature stories are included in media kits to give editors ideas of
the types of stories they can write about the organisation or the products that are
being sold. They also can use excerpts from the feature story, with attribution to the
company or an individual that may be quoted;
• Quotes sheet. These contain quotable quotes that editors can use in their stories.
Quotes add colour to a news story; they can turn an otherwise dull article into an
interesting, readable news piece. Public relations practitioners are keen to attribute
quotes to well-known company officials or external experts as the media are also
interested in these personalities;
• Speeches. If the media kit is to be distributed at a major convention or conference,
or where a company executive is giving a speech, then copies of that speech should
be included in the media kit;
• Pamphlets and Brochures. These are printed materials that will highlight or help to
tell the story. They can be produced by the organisation that is holding the news
conference and should be included in the media kits;

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• Reprints. Important stories that have been written about individuals or the
organisation, or in which company officers have been quoted as business and
industry leaders, should be reprinted and included in the media kit. Reprints are
especially important because they can be considered third-party endorsements of
the firm and its leaders;
• Photographs. Include photographs or digital photographs of the leading
individuals whose biographies are contained in the kit. Where relevant to tell the
story, other photographs should be included that would illustrate products, services
or facilities. Reproducible graphics can also be included in formats preferred by the
newspapers or magazines. These can include logos, charts and graphs.

1.3 Organising News Conferences

A news conference is usually held by an organisation when there is important and
significant news to announce, or when there is news that would attract major media
and public interest. It is a setting where many reporters may ask questions to an
assembled panel of company officials. It also allows all attending media the opportunity
to hear the announcement at the same time. Before deciding on whether to hold a news
conference, public relations practitioners need to consider the reasons for holding the
news conference.

They need to consider if it is really necessary to hold one. They also need to consider if the
news that is being announced is important enough to justify inviting numerous reporters
to attend the event. More importantly, they need to consider if the objective of holding
the news conference can be achieved by other means, such as through the issuing of a
news release instead. The following is a suggested list of times when it is appropriate to
organise a news conference:

• When an announcement of considerable importance to a large number of people in

the community needs to be made;
• When a matter of public concern needs to be explained;

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• When reporters have requested access to a key individual, and it is important to

give all media equal access to that person;
• When a new product or an invention is to be unveiled, demonstrated and explained
to the media;
• When a complex issue or situation is to be explained, and the media need access to
someone who can answer their questions.

Features of a News Conference

A news conferences is a structured event that is:

• A meeting between the organisation or newsmaker and journalists;

• Usually 30 to 45 minutes long, with a 15-minute long question and answer session;
• Possibly arranged on short notice, depending on the situation on hand;
• Controlled by the organisation as it sets the rules;
• Managed by a chairperson;
• An occasion for the top management of the company to give a brief or statement
on a subject or issue of importance;
• Held at a suitable venue for seated guests to receive information;
• When questions are taken, and answers are provided;
• Where simple refreshments are served.

News Conference Guests

Public relations practitioners who have good working relationships with the news media
will know which relevant editor or reporter to invite. More than the required number of
editors and reporters are usually invited in order to get a desired number to attend the
news conference. Several days’ notice should be given to the news media, with a telephone
follow-up nearer the day of the news conference.

The public relations practitioner must ensure that representatives of each media are
taken care of individually. The news conference can offer opportunities for interviews
and photo-taking, especially if there is a well-made backdrop on display. Radio and

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TV interviews for key spokespersons are given separately as they require different
environments. An alert public relations practitioner will anticipate and meet the different
needs of the journalists from different media, whether it is lighting, sound, photo-angles,
or the setting up of interview niches for one-on-one interviews.

Timing

For the daily newspapers, the best time to hold a news conference is in the late morning
as this gives enough time for the news professionals to get the story out the next day. If a
news conference is to be held after lunchtime, it may be too late for print and TV news. A
news conference should also not be held during important national events such as when
Parliament announces the national budget or on National Day due to the competition for
the news media’s attention by these high-profile events.

Venue

When selecting a suitable venue, public relations practitioners need to look into certain
considerations, including the venue’s proximity to public transport, to easily accessible
locations and so on. This is because reporters will not attend the news conference if it is
located too far away from their offices. If they need to spend a significant time commuting
to-and-from a news conference venue, they may just decline the invitation. The usual
locations used for news conferences are company boardrooms and hotel function rooms.
The location should offer suitable audio-visual, and public-address audio equipment for
the event.

Media Kits

Media kits are usually produced for news conferences in mind. The media kit should
be neatly produced and contain relevant information. It should contain copies of the
news release, speeches, relevant background information, biographies and photographs,
corporate brochures and special write-ups on the announcement or event. The media kit
can either be given to the journalists at the beginning or at the end of the news conference.

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Preparing for a News Conference

The conference must be planned with a clear structure in mind, with the opening
statements given by the chairperson, and speeches and presentations by the appropriate
company officials. The public relations practitioners from the organisation will also have
to decide on the appropriate length of time for the news conference to be held.

A chairperson for the news conference has to be appointed beforehand, and this should be
someone who is already media trained, and not necessarily a public relations practitioner.
The chairperson's basic role is to announce the structure of the news conference, manage
the reporters’ interactions with the panel members, field the difficult questions, and ensure
that questions are directed correctly to persons on the panel most capable of answering
those questions.

The panel members of the news conference should comprise senior management from the
company, namely the Chief Executive Officer or an equivalent official. The senior official
is expected to give the opening statements or briefs. Public relations practitioners have
to decide on how to prepare messages for the news conference. These messages will be
included in all prepared texts for spokespersons to use at the news conference. Public
relations practitioners will also need to prepare reference materials to be used, as these are
notes about relevant facts and figures and it would certainly be useful to have on standby.
To prepare panel members to face the news conference, public relations practitioners may
offer the following advice:

• Be business-like but friendly;

• Be calm and composed;
• Scan the audience and acknowledge media guests with a smile;
• Bear in mind the rules and structure of the news conference;
• Keep the opening statements concise;
• Pick journalists who are known to be supportive to ask the first question;
• Maintain the company’s position on a topic or issue consistently;
• Project honesty and confidence at the event;

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• Keep watch over the time.

Public relations practitioners have to be involved with the organising and holding of news
conferences because they are trusted by management to competently hold such events,
and because the media knows and respects them. They also enjoy good rapport with the
news media and will know what reporters attending the news conference would want
from attending the news conference.

They will also need to lead the panel members of the news conference to rehearse
answering potentially difficult questions, and to discuss which questions to avoid
answering. Such rehearsals would help company spokespersons to avoid speaking 'off
the record' and to avoid talking about confidential or sensitive company information.
Rehearsals need to be done at the actual venues, and should be video-recorded and
reviewed. This is useful in helping public relations practitioners observe and advise the
panel members on the most appropriate body language to use at the event.

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Chapter 2: Working with the Media – Part II

We have examined how news releases are written, and how media kits and news
conferences are prepared as useful media engagement tools. We will next examine how
public relations practitioners prepare their spokespersons for media interviews with the
news media, and how their management makes a positive or favourable impression for
themselves and their organisations through those interviews.

Lesson Recording

Social Media and Public Relations

2.1 Media Interviews

Media interviews provide spokespersons from various organisations with good
opportunities to tell their stories, and to clarify or to defend their positions in complex
situations. Companies should not turn down requests for media interviews, as reporters
may still proceed to run the story without the company’s input.

Once an interview request from the news media is received, the public relations
practitioner in charge should find out what the reporter hopes to report on, and what likely
questions he/she will ask. It will also be important to know the sources of the reporter's
information that has led to his/her questions in the first place. It will be good to know
the audiences the reporter is writing for, if the reporter wishes to interview any other
spokespersons for his/her story, and the duration of the interview.

For media interviews to be handled professionally, public relations practitioners need to

set ground rules for the interviews. They should already be familiar with the media title
to begin with. They should also develop the key messages for their spokespersons to
use. Prior to the interviews, the public relations practitioners should send to the reporter
helpful and relevant background information that may be helpful in guiding the reporter

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to cover the story in a certain way or angle. More importantly, they should rehearse with
the spokesperson if the topic for the media interview is a potentially sensitive or difficult
one

Interview Pointers

Public relations practitioners rely on the following pointers to help them make the most
of media interview opportunities:

• Be prepared to be asked for an interview on short notice;

• Create opportunities for spokespersons to make a positive impression;
• Be familiar with the news media doing the interview and the studio set-up;
• Find out who will do the interview, whether the interview is recorded or live, and
the format of the broadcast. Make sure that the spokesperson is also familiar with
the interviewer’s previous interviews;
• Prepare notes to have information ready for anticipated questions, and to rehearse
prepared answers.

Broadcast Interviews

Media interviews done on TV or radio require a little more preparation because of the
unique nature of television and radio. As television interviews are visual in nature, the
dressing, grooming and body language of the interview subject play an important part in
how a positive impression is created. The spokesperson being interviewed should speak
without looking into the camera or noticing the microphone position. Instead he or she
should look at the interviewer asking the questions. Spokespersons also need to be wary
of their reactions as long as the cameras and microphones continue recording.

Preparation for radio interviews are very different from television interviews. Facial
expressions, gestures and postures cannot be seen by listeners, unlike in TV broadcasts.
Instead, the vocal and speaking skills of the spokespersons will be tested, as they focus on
their diction, intonation, stresses and rhythm of their speech as they answer questions, or
as they converse with the interviewer.

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Other Media Tools

We have provided an in-depth discussion on some key media tools above already. We will
next take a brief look at some additional tools that are used by public relations practitioners
to engage the news media. The additional media tools include the following:

Facility Visits

These involve taking journalists for a tour of the company's facilities. This may involve
bringing them to interesting locations, such as a manufacturing plant or a plantation. Such
visits will take time and require careful preparation, so such visits have to be newsworthy
to the invited news media. Such visits help to educate the news media about the company
and its operations by giving journalists useful background information, and allowing
them to have a closer look at facilities and operations. A productive visit for reporters
will have news value; will be targeted at the right journalists; have a clearly defined and
rehearsed programme; be complemented by a well-prepared media kit; and be managed
and supported by well-trained employees acting as guides.

Media Lunches

Journalists are often invited for lunch meetings to introduce them to top management
or senior staff. These are good opportunities for journalists to obtain useful background
information about the company, related industry trends, and so on. Used at the right time,
media lunches can help build good working relationships between company officials and
journalists. This tool should not be over-used as journalists will not attend lunches that
have no work or information value for them.

Feature Stories

Feature stories may be written by public relations practitioners themselves or by writers

commissioned by them to produce topical stories for a publication. Such stories can be
pitched to the news media if they have news value or offer information on important
industry trends. This is done to establish the company as an authoritative voice for the
industry that it operates in.

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Pitch Letters, Media Invites and Letters to Editors

Pitch letters are written to persuade an editor to report on an event, or to get a producer to
cover the story. Pitch letters should be brief, capture interest and get to the point quickly.
Pitch letters are sometimes called media invites or media advisories because they inform
reporters and editors about upcoming events and story opportunities by providing brief
“who”, “what”, “why”, “where”, “when”, and “how” details. Media invites are usually
not more than one page long. Letters to editors are letters written and sent to news
media editors providing the organisation’s response or opinions on a subject or an issue.
When such letters are published, it can be an effective way of countering or clarifying
information on related news coverage, opinion columns or published letters from the
public.

2.2 Using Social Media

The early form of the Internet, often referred to as Web 1.0, was based on a basic
communication model where information was transmitted from messenger to receiver.
Although websites still perform that function, the second generation of the Internet, or
Web 2.0, offers a far more interactive experience where users have numerous tools to
communicate with each other, and to share both visual and text information in real-time,
round-the-clock, every day of the week. Given the way this caters to social interactions
online, the term “social media” was coined and has since entered mainstream use.

Social media is a collective noun that includes online technologies and practices that
people use to share both visual and text-based information that offers opinions, insights,
experiences and perspectives with other online users. It is no surprise that the growth
of social media and social networks has fundamentally impacted public relations
practices. With the highly interactive nature of social media, public relations practitioners
understand that they need to tune in to online conversations to better manage the
relationships between their organisations and their stakeholders.

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Organisations continue to find it challenging to manage online conversations. With

the widespread use of social media around the world, organisations must accept that
everything they do will be scrutinised and critiqued. With the importance of good
governance and corporate social responsibility, social media actually helps companies
practise being more transparent and accountable to all stakeholders. The following
provides reasons why social media is an impactful tool for public relations:

• Public relations practitioners are heavy users of the Internet and online tools. They
disseminate information widely to all stakeholders as well as rely on the Internet
for research;
• Social media offers useful functionalities, such as easy updating of material, instant
distribution of information, an infinite amount of space for information, and ready
interaction with online users;
• Online public relations initiatives can be interactive and affordable. Such
characteristics make sense to decision-makers who have to make an impact with
stakeholders and yet be careful with expenditure in competitive business situations.

Social Media and Public Relations Practices

Public relations efforts help organisations to connect with, and to influence potential
consumers. In addition to carrying out media relations programme to connect to reporters
from target newspapers and broadcast stations, public relations practitioners should also
target the relevant bloggers, online news sites, and online publications that reach targeted
publics who are interested in information about their company or its industry.

Social media allows public relations practitioners to communicate directly and

interactively with their stakeholders. They have the ability to reach out to target audiences
in more direct and controlled ways to make positive impressions. The following lists the
considerations for public relations practitioners to help them build online media relations:

• Reporters may be doing online research on companies and products, so it is

important that they can easily find such information online through Google for
example;

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• If companies maintain a blog, reporters who cover the industry will find the blog;
• Pitch to selected bloggers because coverage in important blogs will be noticed by
mainstream media;
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive and user-friendly online newsroom.
Include videos and photos in the online newsroom;
• Start online conversations with online news media by telling them how an
organisation solves customer problems;
• Follow and post on blogs of targeted reporters;
• Be familiar with the online news media that interests your organisation and
customise your pitches to suit that news media’s needs and audiences.

Social Media Platforms

People use the Internet for a wide variety of reasons, from doing detailed research on
products and services, joining lifestyle interest groups, supporting political campaigns,
reviewing products and discussing hobbies and passions, and so on. The technologies and
tools that form social media provide numerous ways for users to express themselves and
to interact with each other. The following is a list of the types of social media platforms
that have varying degrees of popularity with online users:

• Social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram help people
build social networking communities to exchange information;
• Blogs provide a means for online users to share their hobbies with the online
community and to build an active community of readers who provide feedback to
the blogger’s writings;
• Video- and photo-sharing sites like YouTube, Flickr and Vimeo make it easy for
users to share and comment on their own or others’ photos and videos;
• Chat rooms and message boards enable users to meet online and to discuss topics
of interest through a variety of discussion threads;
• Wikis are websites that users anywhere can write, edit and update on any
information of interest to them.

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CASE STUDY

Holding a News Conference

Who was the Client?

The client was a major financial institution in Singapore who owned the rights to one
of the largest mass-participation sports events in the country.

What was the Challenge?

The public relations agency’s client was a sponsor of this major sporting event in
Singapore. The client operated a hotel. The organisers of the sporting event needed
a hotel venue, but the client’s hotel did not have rooms large enough for a news
conference. The participants of sports event had to be present at the news conference,
and given the large scale of the event, there were many of them.

Some of the participants were also reluctant to attend the news conference for a variety
of reasons. The public relations agency had much to do, including preparing the
participants to speak at the news conference; it had to develop questions and answers
to anticipated questions about the sports event from the news media. Among the
participants of the sports event were key sports personalities including a Southeast
Asian Games gold medalist.

Most public relations agencies have no issues managing news conferences. It is

the management of editors, journalists and spokespeople with different agendas,
different timelines and different temperaments that will always pose challenges.
Some reporters invariably look for difficult story angles regardless of the information
provided to them by public relations professionals.

What was the Strategy?

Given the challenges outlined above, the public relations agency recommended
providing more time for one-on-one interviews for the various sports personalities
that would be participating in the sports event. With a rather tight deadline to the

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news conference, there was little time for formal media training of the athletes to
be carried out. Instead, comprehensive briefing documents were produced for the
various sports personalities who were interviewed by the news media.

What was the Outcome?

The news conference, as expected, was carried smoothly enough. The journalists
who were present were more keen to conduct their own interviews and did not
ask too many questions at the news conference. At the one-on-one interviews, the
sports personalities were asked the anticipated questions. And when they were asked
particularly tough questions, the sports personalities were guided to give appropriate
answers by the public relations professionals present who knew the likely angles those
reporters would pursue.

Activity 3.1

Refer to the above case study, and answer the following questions:

1. What are good reasons for companies to organise news conferences?

2. What aspects of this case study, in your opinion, were particularly
challenging for the public relations agency to handle?
3. What aspects of this case study would appeal to the local news media to
develop stories and news articles?
4. Would you recommend any other public relations means, instead of a news
conference, to announce the news for this case study?

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Read

Public Relations – The Profession & The Practice

Chapter 9. Social Media and Traditional Media Relations

Search Words

We encourage you to do further reading and research of the lessons learnt in this Study
Unit using the following search words:

News release; publicity; news; news values; news release format; inverted pyramid
writing style; The 5 “Ws” and 1 “H”; literary forms; headline; lead paragraph; news release
embargoes; online media kits; biographies; feature stories; news conference; TV and radio
interviews; Web 2.0; and social media networking.

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Summary

This Study Unit examined the challenges that public relations practitioners face when
building good working relationship with the news media. To do this, public relations
practitioners need to understand the concept of news, how news reporters write their
stories, and how public relations practitioners should write news releases. This Study
Unit also looked at how headlines and the lead paragraph can best be written to gain
the news media’s attention. In addition to the news writing aspects, the Study Unit also
examined various media relations building tools such as news conferences, media kits,
media interviews; media tours and lunches, and the impact and use of social media. A
case study on how a news conference was organised by a public relations agency for a
client concludes the Study Unit.

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Formative Assessment

1. A __________ is a brief document that provides information to the news media so

that they can develop a possible news story.
a. news release
b. backgrounder
c. biography
d. Frequently Asked Questions

2. The goal of having a news release is to have a company’s information delivered to

target publics shared through the news media’s __________.
a. advertisements
b. editorial content
c. social media networks
d. links with bloggers

3. All the important information in a news story will be presented early in the news
article, and will __________.
a. be edited such that only interesting information is presented.
b. not be presented in any chronological order
c. be offered to the originators of the news for their review
d. complement other news stories in the newspaper

4. The __________ should grab the attention of the editor and should be interesting
enough for the editor to want to read on.
a. boilerplates
b. quotations
c. lead paragraph
d. contact information

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5. A __________ is a special package comprising a news release and other printed

materials related to an event or to be used for a news conference.
a. video news release
b. media kit
c. podcast
d. company brochure

6. A __________ is usually held by an organisation when there is important and

significant news to announce, or when there is news that would attract major media
and public interest.
a. public seminar
b. open house
c. news conference
d. road show

7. __________ provide spokespersons for various organisations with good

opportunities to tell their stories to the media, and to clarify or to defend their
positions in complex situations.
a. Frequently Asked Questions
b. Print advertisements
c. News releases
d. Media interviews

8. __________ may be written by public relations practitioners themselves or by writers

commissioned by them to produce topical stories to pitch for publication.
a. Annual reports
b. Product brochures
c. Feature stories
d. News releases

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9. __________ is a collective noun that includes online technologies and practices that
people use to share both visual and text-based information that offers opinions,
insights, experiences and perspectives with other online users.
a. Social networking
b. Social media
c. Social channels
d. Social interactions

10. The technologies and tools that form social media provide numerous ways for users
to __________ and to interact with each other.
a. protect their privacy
b. gain access to private information
c. express themselves
d. control the flow of information

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Solutions or Suggested Answers

Formative Assessment
1. A __________ is a brief document that provides information to the news media so
that they can develop a possible news story.
a. news release
Correct. Editors and reporters are more likely to use news releases that
mimic the way news stories are written. Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 1,
Topic 1, Writing for the Media.

b. backgrounder
Incorrect. Backgrounders provide company information that may be used in
news articles; they do not contain the main news that needs to be pitched.
Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 1, Topic 1, Writing for the Media.

c. biography
Incorrect. Biographies provide background information on personalities, not
the main news stories. Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 1, Topic 1, Writing for
the Media.

d. Frequently Asked Questions

Incorrect. News editors do not expect Frequently Asked Questions to provide
news stories. Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 1, Topic 1, Writing for the Media.

2. The goal of having a news release is to have a company’s information delivered to

target publics shared through the news media’s __________.
a. advertisements
Incorrect. Advertisements do not result from the pitching of news releases.
Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 1, Topic 1, Writing for the Media.

b. editorial content

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Correct. PR practitioners aim to have the information from their news

releases to be published as news articles. Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 1,
Topic 1, Writing for the Media.

c. social media networks

Incorrect. News media use social media networks to draw traffic to their
mainstream news platforms, not so much to publish detailed news stories.
Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 1, Topic 1, Writing for the Media.

d. links with bloggers

Incorrect. News releases are targeted at the news media, not so much to
bloggers linked to news media. Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 1, Topic 1,
Writing for the Media.

3. All the important information in a news story will be presented early in the news
article, and will __________.
a. be edited such that only interesting information is presented.
Incorrect. News editors do not edit news based on such subjective criteria.
Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 1, Topic 1, Writing for the Media.

b. not be presented in any chronological order

Correct. Important details are always presented first, with information of
lesser importance being presented later in the article. Refer to Study Unit
3, Chapter 1, Topic 1, Writing for the Media.

c. be offered to the originators of the news for their review

Incorrect. News editors will not offer their unpublished news articles to be
reviewed by sources before the news articles are published. Refer to Study
Unit 3, Chapter 1, Topic 1, Writing for the Media.

d. complement other news stories in the newspaper

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Incorrect. Although news stories are categorised by sections, editors do not

publish stories to complement a selected theme. Refer to Study Unit 3,
Chapter 1, Topic 1, Writing for the Media.

4. The __________ should grab the attention of the editor and should be interesting
enough for the editor to want to read on.
a. boilerplates
Incorrect. Editors may not pay too much attention to boilerplates. Refer to
Study Unit 3, Chapter 1, Topic 1, Writing for the Media.

b. quotations
Incorrect. News editors look out for good headlines and lead paragraphs, not
so much for quotations. Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 1, Topic 1, Writing
for the Media.

c. lead paragraph
Correct. A good lead paragraph must have the most important information
to compel the editor to read on for more information. Refer to Study Unit
3, Chapter 1, Topic 1, Writing for the Media.

d. contact information
Incorrect. News editors review headlines and lead paragraphs to determine
if they want to use the news release, not the contact details. Refer to Study
Unit 3, Chapter 1, Topic 1, Writing for the Media.

5. A __________ is a special package comprising a news release and other printed

materials related to an event or to be used for a news conference.
a. video news release
Incorrect. A video news release cannot hold any printed materials. Refer to
Study Unit 3, Chapter 1, Topic 2, Producing Media Kits.

b. media kit

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Correct. Media kits very neatly package relevant information for editors
and reporters to use. Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 1, Topic 2, Producing
Media Kits.

c. podcast
Incorrect. A podcast is not a package that can comprise a printed news
release. Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 1, Topic 2, Producing Media Kits.

d. company brochure
Incorrect. Company brochures are not produced to hold news releases. Refer
to Study Unit 3, Chapter 1, Topic 2, Producing Media Kits.

6. A __________ is usually held by an organisation when there is important and

significant news to announce, or when there is news that would attract major media
and public interest.
a. public seminar
Incorrect. A public seminar is not the correct forum to announce company
news. Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Organising News
Conferences.

b. open house
Incorrect. An open house is not the correct forum to announce company
news. Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Organising News
Conferences.

c. news conference
Correct. News conferences are useful to have when making important
announcements to many news titles when warranted. Refer to Study Unit
3, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Organising News Conferences.

d. road show

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Incorrect. A road show is not the correct forum to announce company news.
Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Organising News Conferences.

7. __________ provide spokespersons for various organisations with good

opportunities to tell their stories to the media, and to clarify or to defend their
positions in complex situations.
a. Frequently Asked Questions
Incorrect. Frequently Asked Questions are static documents and would not
be useful if not read. Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Media
Interviews.

b. Print advertisements
Incorrect. Print advertisements are static presentations and may not be the
best way for spokespersons to get their views across. Refer to Study Unit 3,
Chapter 2, Topic 1, Media Interviews.

c. News releases
Incorrect. News releases are useful tools to present printed information, not
as a means to present a media interview. Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 2,
Topic 1, Media Interviews.

d. Media interviews
Correct. Media interviews allows a trained spokesperson to give the
organisation’s side of the story through a more lively, non-static way. Refer
to Study Unit 3, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Media Interviews.

8. __________ may be written by public relations practitioners themselves or by writers

commissioned by them to produce topical stories to pitch for publication.
a. Annual reports

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Incorrect. Annual reports are not the correct platforms to present a

company’s topical stories. Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 2, Topic 2, Other
Media Tools.

b. Product brochures
Incorrect. Product brochures are not the correct platforms to present a
company’s topical stories. Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 2, Topic 2, Other
Media Tools.

c. Feature stories
Correct. Feature stories are other informational tools that can be shared
with the media to get media coverage. Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 2,
Topic 2, Other Media Tools.

d. News releases
Incorrect. News releases are not the correct tools to produce topical stories
for pitching. Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 2, Topic 2, Other Media Tools.

9. __________ is a collective noun that includes online technologies and practices that
people use to share both visual and text-based information that offers opinions,
insights, experiences and perspectives with other online users.
a. Social networking
Incorrect. Social networking does not refer to social media platforms. Refer
to Study Unit 3, Chapter 2, Topic 3, Using Social Media.

b. Social media
Correct. The widespread use of social media has significant implications
on how public relations efforts are carried out. Refer to Study Unit 3,
Chapter 2, Topic 3, Using Social Media.

c. Social channels

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Incorrect. Social channels does not refer to social media platforms. Refer to
Study Unit 3, Chapter 2, Topic 3, Using Social Media.

d. Social interactions
Incorrect. Social interactions does not refer to social media platforms. Refer
to Study Unit 3, Chapter 2, Topic 3, Using Social Media.

10. The technologies and tools that form social media provide numerous ways for users
to __________ and to interact with each other.
a. protect their privacy
Incorrect. More often than not, users want to share information of themselves
in their interactions with others online. Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 2, Topic
3, Using Social Media.

b. gain access to private information

Incorrect. Online users usually cannot access protected online data. Refer to
Study Unit 3, Chapter 2, Topic 3, Using Social Media.

c. express themselves
Correct. This is the immediacy and interactivity that people relish for their
online activities. Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 2, Topic 3, Using Social
Media.

d. control the flow of information

Incorrect. Users cannot really control the free-flowing online information that
is freely exchanged. Refer to Study Unit 3, Chapter 2, Topic 3, Using Social
Media.

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 4
Study
Unit

Public Relations in Practice

COM301  Public Relations in Practice

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, you should be able to:

1. Outline the corporate relations practice;

2. Apply PR tactics in consumer relations;
3. Explain the importance of PR in employee relations practice;
4. Identify the types of government relations practice;
5. Define and explain media relations tactics.

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Overview

C ompanies turn to public relations practitioners to help them communicate with

target publics, build relationships with key stakeholders and to effectively
manage and protect their hard-earned reputations all at the same time. We have seen how
this is possible because of the concepts that underpin public relations. Public relations
practitioners armed with the relevant knowledge, skills and experience will be able
to conceptualise and execute effective public relations campaigns in different business
and operational areas. This Study Unit will examine these areas of specialisation that
companies can pursue for a variety of desired outcomes.

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Chapter 1: Areas of Specialisation in Public Relations –

Part I

We can see that public relations strategies and tactics offer companies the best way to
communicate, build relationships, manage issues, alter perceptions and to build goodwill
with a wide variety of stakeholders. All organisations operate in complex environments,
and have to deal with very different and diverse stakeholders and publics. As public
relations practice evolves, new areas of specialisation will emerge. But this Study Unit will
confine its in-depth discussion to Corporate Relations, Consumer Relations, Employee
Relations, Government Relations and Media Relations.

Lesson Recording

Employee Relations

1.1 Corporate Relations

Today, companies operate in increasingly complex and dynamic environments, with
technology leading new product introductions, ever-shorter product life-cycles, and
companies restructuring to better compete in fragmented markets. Over time, these and
other changes will add to the evolving challenges that companies will face.

Fortunately, public relations practices can help companies better cope with these constant
and drastic changes to the business environment. Corporate relations practices help
organisations anticipate and adapt to external environments and trends; effectively
manage the company’s image and reputation, to build a more conducive operating
environment, and eventually enhancing the company’s overall reputation.

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So, corporate relations is a public relations function that enables public relations
practitioners to manage their companies’ reputations; to create and maintain their
organisation’s corporate image; and to better develop and sustain goodwill from key
stakeholders towards the organisation.

Public relations practitioners perform two roles in corporate relations, namely a portrayal
role and a protection role. A portrayal role is where the public relations practitioner
communicates corporate policies and practices that reflect the organisations’ values,
activities and behaviour. The protection role is a proactive role where the public relations
practitioner protects the company’s identity, image and reputation. Whatever the role,
corporate relations help to do the following tasks:

• Raise awareness of the company;

• Build confidence in it from stakeholders;
• Establish a positive image for the company;
• Overcome problems from bad or negative news;
• Correct misperceptions about the company;
• Manage the company’s corporate identity to be clear and consistent.

Corporate Relations Responsibilities and Job Titles

Corporate relations professionals work on a wide variety of responsibilities that may

include any of the following areas of specialisation:

• Media Relations;
• Employee Relations / Internal Communications;
• Community Relations;
• Consumer Relations;
• Financial / Investor Relations;
• Marketing Communication;
• Crisis Communication.

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Public relations professionals working on corporate relations initiatives will have a variety
of job titles, including the following:

• Public Affairs. This title is often used by public relations professionals working in
government bodies;
• Corporate Communications is a common job title for employees working on
communications for a company;
• Marketing Communications employees work on efforts that focus on consumer
public relations, in support of their marketing department;
• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) employees work on initiatives that relates to
building community relations and developing social responsibility strategies and
programmes.

Corporate Relations Tools and Tactics

Corporate relations specialists work hard at building the company’s brand. The corporate
identity can be distinguished through the following tools and tactics:

• A company logo and name;

• Company stationery, such as letterheads, business cards, envelopes, etc.;
• Corporate advertisements;
• Company brochures, videos and website;
• Company publications such as newsletters, annual reports, special reports, etc.;
• Office décor and environment;
• Employees’ uniforms;
• Participation in sponsorship and volunteer activities;
• Special events such as facility visits and open houses;
• CEO speeches and interviews.

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1.2 Consumer Relations

Companies appreciate how important it is to have good relations with their consumers.
Frequently, employees handling consumer affairs are divided into groups responsible
for certain functions, such as complaints handling, marketing publications, consumer
education, and so on. The goal of consumer relations is to improve the organisation’s
relationships and communication with consumers by managing consumer issues and
conveying the results to management.

The relationship between the consumer and public relations practitioner is a natural one
because consumers are one of the important publics to which organisations must respond.
Therefore, public relations practitioners must have ways to help them work efficiently so
that they are sensitive and responsive to the needs of consumers.

Understanding Consumers

Companies are better able to manage their consumer relations when they have a good
working knowledge of their consumers. It is difficult to find an area that is not affected by
consumers’ expectations in some way, from the product itself and packaging, to how the
product is described and the selection of communication tactics. In order for organisations
to better understand their consumers, they need to know the following considerations:

• Evolving consumer habits. Consumers will be influenced by changing times and

environments and their purchasing habits will change along with these factors.
• New consumer segments are created with changes in technology, society and the
economy. In many countries, changes brought about by immigration patterns have
led to a significant increase in consumers of other racial backgrounds. In order to
effectively reach these new consumers, additional consumer research, marketing
in foreign languages, adapting products and using non-traditional communication
vehicles, will have to be undertaken.
• A company’s brand may no longer resonate with consumers. Brands come and go
with changes in consumer demand for their products. The intense competition in

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the mobile phone market can attest to the rapid emergence and disappearance of
brands that can no longer hold their consumers’ interests when they do not offer
enough product innovations.

Consumer Information and Education

A key concern in consumer advocacy is that consumers lack information for making
purchasing decisions. Satisfied consumers tell five to eight people on average about their
satisfaction with a purchase. But angry consumers are more likely to take their complaints
to public forums like blog sites, on top of telling between 10 and 16 of their friends and
acquaintances why they were let down by a product or service.

Thus, consumer relations departments have responded by providing simplified

warranties, clarified product instructions and educational programmes to help consumers
select the right products for their needs and to know how to use them properly. The
following are typical tools that help build consumer relations:

• Launch events;
• Product literature, such as brochures, newsletters and pamphlets;
• Market education in the form of training sessions for dealers and the sales force;
displays at trade exhibitions; seminars, conferences and workshops; and sponsored
educational materials like educational brochures;
• Corporate gifts bearing the company’s name and logo;
• Contests;
• Company or product videos;
• Sponsorships.

Customer Complaints

Customers’ complaints must always be handled quickly and effectively. But this cannot
be the organisation’s only response to consumers. Public relations practitioners must find
ways to improve two-way communications between an organisation and its consumers. It
is not the most pleasant task to handle complaints but customer dissatisfaction should be

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viewed positively as an opportunity for the company to strengthen its relationship with
customers, as well as to improve its product or services.

Industry experts recommend that companies should always make it easy for customers
to complain or send their feedback. One good way is to have online feedback channels on
the company’s website. Other tools include providing printed feedback forms or customer
hotlines. The following are recommended guidelines suggested that will facilitate quick
and consistent processing of consumer complaints:

• Seek consumer feedback or complaints whenever possible;

• Record all complaints and feedback when they are received;
• Explain how the problem will be handled to complainants;
• Action to solve the problem in the complaint should be carried out quickly;
• Departments who are involved with the complaint should be notified promptly and
their responses monitored;
• Complaints should be analysed to prevent a recurrence of the problem.

1.3 Employee Relations

Employee relations is also known as Internal Public Relations; Organisational
Communications; or Internal Communications. This is an area of specialisation that
creates and maintains internal systems of communication for organisations. Employees
work in organisations with specific cultures, so effective employee communications will
depend on the presence of a positive organisational culture, through clear communication
policies, programmes and assisted by positive organisational policies.

Good employee communications will help employees stay well informed about their
organisations and encourage them to readily express their views to management.
Companies should put in place good employee relations practices to build good relations
with their employees because their employees are their best ambassadors. Such practices
also foster loyalty in employees; and they improve work attitudes and productivity.

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Good employee communication lines should always be to facilitate two-way

communications. This encourages all employees to participate freely to exchange
information. Employee relations are most effective when the management is honest,
sincere and open; when actions are more important than words; when employees are the
first to be informed of company developments; when management leads by example; and
when management gives employees a sense of belonging and involvement.

Employee Communications

Employee communication is a specialisation of public relations concerned with

promoting effective communications among employees and between top management
and employees. It is important to have good employee communication because it:

• Generates support among employees for corporate goals and objectives;

• Builds employee morale, enhances job satisfaction and boosts productivity;
• Helps employees better understand company problems;
• Generates pride among employees for being part of a company;
• Gives employees a sense of involvement.

The Flow of Internal Communications

The flow of communications within a company will typically occur in the following ways:

• From management to employees. The information that is often communicated

this way includes new company policies, employee benefits, company news; the
introduction of new senior employees and so on.
• From employees to management. This way of communication may be encouraged
by forward-looking management which welcomes feedback from employees in the
hope of improving the company. This type of communication will often take the
form of questions and answers that are exchanged.
• From employees to employees. This will often take place in the form of feedback
and exchanges of information between departments, often used by different
departments within an organisation when they collaborate.

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• The company grapevine. This is an informal channel of communication between

employees. It is used by employees when they feel insecure and when information
is lacking. From a public relations perspective, it needs to be properly managed
because of the influence it exerts on employees.

Communication Policy for Employee Relations

Successful companies are well-advised to craft good communication policies to foster

employee relations. A typical policy will guide the company to fulfil the following:

• Employees are kept informed of corporate goals, objectives, plans, activities,

problems and accomplishments;
• Employees are encouraged to confidently provide management with input,
information and feedback on their experiences, insights, feelings, and reasons;
• Management is open and honest with employees about negative, sensitive or
controversial issues;
• Important events and decisions are communicated to employees first, before an
internal issue becomes public knowledge;
• Every manager or supervisor is urged to discuss with his/her subordinates, the
latter's progress and position in the company.

Public Relations and Human Resource Roles in Employee Communication

The function of the Human Resource Department is to recruit, train and motivate
employees. Employee communication is often carried out by the human resources
department and public relations practitioners offering to assist with the writing and
dissemination of messages. In such cases, public relations is made subordinate to the
human resource function.

It is short-sighted to think that employees only need to be informed about their training
and their jobs. Other functions need to be communicated too. The finance department
might want to explain the year-end financial results to employees; the marketing
department might want to inform and motivate employees about a new product; and so

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on. This is where the expertise and services of public relations practitioners will certainly
be helpful.

The Role of Public Relations in Employee Communication

Public relations serves certain key functions in employee communications. One key
function is that it helps companies to formulate an integrated internal communication
strategy that will convey important messages essential for the well-being of the
organisation and its employees. It can help the company avoid creating confusion
from any arising conflict as a result of having different messages issued from different
departments. Through the experience dealing with communication issues, public relations
practitioners can also counsel the various line managers about the potential impact of their
decisions and actions on employees.

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Chapter 2: Areas of Specialisation in Public Relations –

Part II

The last two areas of specialisation in public relations that this Study Unit will look at are
Government Relations and Media Relations.

2.1 Government Relations

The term government relations discussed in this Study Unit refers to both public relations
work conducted by the government to promote support for its policies and laws, as well as
public relations work conducted by private or non-governmental organisations to ensure
good relations with the government and regulatory bodies that govern its industry. We
will look at government relations as carried out by the government first.

Public Relations conducted by the Government

In most democracies, the public regards the government as existing to serve the needs of
citizens. A democratic government needs to govern by consensus and with the support
of its electorate. Government bodies employ public relations specialists to promote their
policies, disseminate news about their governing successes or crises, assist with the
smooth daily operations or with crisis management, implement campaigns that address
social issues and help develop long-range plans and visions. Many aspiring public
relations professionals often start their public relations careers working on government
relations campaigns.

Governments engage in public relations work because democratic governments are

accountable to their citizens. For governments to effectively administer laws, they
will need citizen participation and support. With the rising standards of living, the
expectations and aspirations of citizens also change and such citizens would want
a better understanding of government policies and their workings. The news media
seeking to provide better coverage on government matters will also require and demand

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transparency and information from the government. In the light of these factors, the
objectives of government public relations are as follows:

• To keep the public informed of the services and the functions provided, so that the
public may participate and gain from these services and functions;
• To educate the public on new policies, laws and reforms;
• To win consent and support for new laws, policies and reforms;
• To overcome apathy and ignorance towards new and complex functions of
government;
• To provide the publics with mechanisms for feedback and government policies;
• To build a pool of support for the government.

Increasing Importance of Government Public Relations

The government increasingly sees the public affairs activities of ministries as vital to
meeting their organisational objectives. Hence, most government ministries and statutory
bodies today have public affairs departments. Public relations consultancies are often used
by government ministries to complement their own public affairs departments.

Functions of Government Public Relations

One key function of government public relations is to explain government policies

affecting the general public and specific target groups, so as to limit misunderstandings
and to correct perceptions that the government may be high-handed in its governance.
Aligned to this, is the need to develop and implement community programmes to
earn public support. This can sometimes be done by promoting government views to
community leaders and interest groups. Hence, governments value the importance of
public feedback as this shows that the electorate has a stake in running the country. By
letting citizens have a say in the running of the country, the government is able to get
public support and overcome apathy.

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Another function of government public relations is image management. This is done

by promoting government ministries, statutory boards and government agencies as
responsive and responsible organisations. Such efforts will help the government to
establish good relations with community leaders and the public at large. To manage
its image, governments will rely on building media relations to develop credibility and
public confidence through effective media coverage of events. This is done by using the
news media as agenda-setting platforms to publicise policies and test public reactions on
national issues.

Government Public Relations Tactics

Public education campaigns are a vital part of government public relations in Singapore.
The government plays a major role as an agent of change in a country like Singapore.
Planned and sustained public campaigns are organised to educate the public to change
negative social habits and to adopt new attitudes. In most campaigns, many different
channels of communication are used and messages are programmed in as many different
formats as possible to reach large audience groups.

The government also uses media placements through holding news conferences and
issuing news releases that announce government initiatives. The news media also pro-
actively engages the government to get information to develop stories of national interest.
Government officials also help to earn goodwill for the government when they accept
invitations to officiate at functions organised by public or private sector organisations.
Such events also serve as platforms for government officials to share their views and to
give further exposure to government policies.

In order for the government to govern effectively, it also needs to facilitate feedback
channels. This is especially important before policies are implemented because the
government needs to gain public acceptance for all its policies. Essentially, all citizens can
give their feedback on national policies and issues to government representatives such as
Members of Parliament, grass-root leaders, Feedback Units, and special committees set
up to deal with specific issues.

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Challenges facing the Government

Governments face numerous challenges in governing their countries. A key challenge

is how to deal with or overcome public apathy. Governments usually target the general
public in their communications, but the public is often disinterested, or put-off because
of unresolved personal issues, or just lack the basic knowledge of policies and issues.
Governments also have to always deal with emerging global, regional or national scale
issues that have a significant impact on citizens in an increasingly globalised world.

In a wired world, the government will need to compete with an immense amount of online
clutter to communicate policies to very niche and diverse audiences. It also has to make
sense of massive amounts of facts and data, and to simplify that data for the man-in-
the-street. Modern governments also have to deal with themselves as large governing
machineries in their day-to-day operations, and yet exercise sensitivity as they deal with,
and publicly address certain national issues.

Public Relations conducted by Organisations

Government relations is also a specialised component of corporate communications. This

function is so important that many companies, particularly in highly regulated industries,
have separate departments to deal with government relations. This is because the actions
of government bodies can severely impact the operations of such regulated businesses.

Government relations specialists in such companies are usually called public affairs
officers. They have a number of responsibilities including the gathering of information,
the dissemination of their managements’ views, and cooperating with the government on
projects of mutual benefit.

As the eyes and ears of a business or industry, practitioners in government relations spend
a considerable amount of time gathering and processing information. They monitor the
activities of many legislative bodies and regulatory agencies to keep track of emerging
policies or of policies that are likely to be changed. This intelligence gathering enables a
corporation or an industry to plan ahead and, if necessary, adjust its policies or provide
information that may influence the nature of government decision-making.

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Objectives of Fostering Government Relations by Companies

Companies seek to build better relations with government bodies to foster good and
mutually supportive ties with government. They also do it to increase awareness and
understanding among lawmakers of the company’s activities and operations of the
organisation. Having a close working relationship with the government will enable
companies to better monitor legislators and regulatory agencies in areas affecting the
organisation’s operations.

Companies know the importance of building a relationship with government bodies

because the government is the most important external force that affects the organisation’s
operations. Government activities have a tremendous impact, both positive and negative,
at every level on all organisations. In the business and economic spheres, the government
plays a variety of roles as a pursuer, defender and provider of social and economic goals.
In order for organisations to operate smoothly, businesses must be prepared to deal with
the government in any of these spheres. Organisations are also affected by regulations
on buildings, zoning, health, safety, employment, social security, wages, levies, taxes,
advertising standards, and so on.

Functions of Public Relations with Government

Companies need to constantly engage the government through public relations in order
to stay competitive and efficient. Such engagements could involve the following proactive
roles:

• Promoting the company as a business worthy of government support; positioning

the company as a good corporate citizen; and sharing industry feedback with
government and pressure groups.
• Reporting on trends in government policies that affect organisations and advising
management on the appropriate actions to be taken.
• Establishing good relations with government leaders by supporting government
policies and demonstrating civic-mindedness; seeking government endorsements

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of the company’s operations; and offering the company’s feedback before new
government policies are implemented.

In the past, companies tended to react to changes in government policies after new laws
have been passed. Today, companies realise that they can best engage the government
through the following considerations:

• Organisations need to understand government processes; know how laws are

passed; know who are influential law makers and law enforcers. There are more
than 60,000 people employed by government ministries in Singapore, and this
number already excludes those working in statutory boards, quasi-government
agencies and the military.
• Organisations need to understand the political arena and acquire connections
with government bodies. Governments usually publish directories of government
spokespersons and public relations officers in government ministries and statutory
boards.
• Public relations practitioners need to know government protocol. For events that
are attended by government officials, companies have to follow strict protocol with
regard to the order of precedence or ranking of officials, and seating arrangements
so that important guests are given the correct level of respect.
• Organisations need to stay abreast with developments in government. Public
relations practitioners need to know what is happening and then organise
programmes that will be supportive and aligned to government policies. This
knowledge will also encourage them to confidently participate in government
campaigns or schedule events in conjunction with government initiatives.
• Organisations can invite government officials to attend company events as this is
often seen as government endorsement of the organisation’s activities and ensures
adequate media publicity.

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2.2 Media Relations

There is an increasing need for companies to be transparent and readily communicative as
they compete to gain the attention and respect of their key stakeholders. Public relations
practitioners know that successful publicity programmes depend very much on the
relationships between public relations practitioners and journalists. When public relations
practitioners take the time and make the effort to establish good personal relations with
journalists, they are more likely to gain positive news coverage for their organisations.

The public relations practitioners’ role is to manage the interactions between the
organisation and its wider environment through communications, and the media is an
important channel of communication. The news media is largely uncontrollable but a
very influential channel. The news media is an important public and has to be managed
properly as it:

• Gives feedback to the organisation through the way it reports the news;
• Informs and influences the organisation's key publics’ decision-making;
• Reaches wide audience groups;
• Is credible as it is an independent source of information;
• Can shape public opinion;
• Can pose a threat through giving negative media coverage.

A good media relations programme is important in many areas of public relations work,
such as corporate relations, consumer relations, employee relations, crisis communication,
and so on. To be able to work effectively with the news media, public relations
practitioners must know their own organisations and industries well, and they must also
know the local and foreign media that are operating in their country.

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A Friendly Relationship

Public relations practitioners need to be proactive in educating and helping the news
media learn about their organisations and their industries. This is an on-going process
with each side giving the other what it needs, for example, public relations practitioners
seek media publicity for their organisations; and the media seeks good news stories. Public
relations professionals need to communicate with the media all the time, feeding it and
keeping it updated with information with the hope of creating opportunities for good
publicity for their organisations.

Public relations practitioners aim to build relationships with the news media that are open
and cooperative. Public relations practitioners must take the initiative and seek every
opportunity to use the media as a channel to get messages out to their key publics. They
also help the news media to be more accountable for its reporting by giving feedback that
are both positive and negative about media stories. But there must be an understanding
and acknowledgment on both sides that news reporting and news stories have to be
objective.

A Conflicting Role

Public relations practitioners facilitate the flow of information and communication

between the organisation and the media and thus to its key publics. They are the
middlemen between the organisation and the media, and it is ultimately a conflicting role.
The organisation's and the media's interest often clash. The media wants to report what
it perceives to be true and objective, while the organisation desires reports that present it
in a positive light. The media's definition of news is also quite different from that of the
organisation.

Public relations practitioners are loyal to their organisations and as such, they need to
look after the interests of their organisations. At the same time, they also need to respect
the media and its needs as well. Journalists, on the other hand, are often under stress of
deadlines and cannot cater to the various organisations’ need to embargo or treat certain
news with extreme sensitivity. Often, the journalist may publish reports with incomplete

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information, resulting in misreporting or reporting errors. As a result, organisations’

executives often end up mistrusting the media. Public relations practitioners have to deal
with this and work towards building trusting relationships.

Who are the News Media?

Communicators should have a good idea of the key players in the local media industry.
The Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) offers a full list of media
organisations operating in Singapore. The media organisations include Singapore Press
Holdings, which publishes a wide variety of newspapers and magazines in Singapore. It
also has two radio stations, manages outdoor advertising and has a stake in the publishing
arm of MediaCorp, Singapore’s main television and radio broadcaster. The other large
media organisation is MediaCorp which operates the main television and radio stations
in Singapore.

Publications like the Asian Wall Street Journal (AWSJ) and the International Herald
Tribune (IHT), distribute their Asian editions through Singapore. There are also numerous
international publications that have representatives based in Singapore, such as the Wall
Street Journal (USA), New York Times (USA), Forbes (USA), Financial Times (UK), Der
Spiegel (Germany) and Asahi Shimbun (Japan). The Japanese, Americans and Germans
form the largest group of foreign correspondents in Singapore. Companies such as
Reuters, CNBC Asia and the Dow Jones Group have their regional headquarters located
in Singapore.

There are also numerous foreign broadcast media that operate their satellite broadcasts
from Singapore, such as BBC Worldwide Channels, CNBC Asia, China Central Television,
Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, ESPN Star Sports, National Geographic Channel Asia.

Wire agencies are foreign news media that cover news in other countries and distribute
the news via digital transmission. They are often interested in regional news and
developments that have a regional or global impact. Wire agencies with operations in
Singapore include Bloomberg News (USA), Reuters (UK), Agence France-Presse (AFP),
Xinhua News Agency (China) and Bernama (Malaysia).

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Hierarchy in Media Organisations

The following lists the job titles of top positions in the news media beginning with the
editor-in-chief, down to newly-hired reporters, called rookies:

• Editor-in-chief;
• Editor;
• Managing Editor;
• Deputy Editor;
• News Editor / Foreign Desk Editor / Sports Editor;
• Correspondents;
• Journalists;
• Staff/Feature Writer;
• Rookies.

Building News Media Contacts

It is important for public relations practitioners to know the reporter on the beat or news
desk relevant to their industries. If they are establishing contact for the first time with the
news media and do not know who the reporters or journalists are, then the first step is to
call the News Desk to establish who the News Editor is. They should then find out who
is the reporter assigned to the news desk, call the reporter if necessary, and choose the
right pitch or positioning for their story. In this regard, it is important for public relations
practitioners to know the reporter’s full name, news desk that he/she is working at, the
reporter's years in the industry and his/her past experiences.

Public relations practitioners can build and maintain their media contacts by providing
good stories, by making regular calls to provide useful information, to organise lunches
and visits when appropriate, and to educate the reporters on their organisations and their
industries regularly. It is both important and useful to remember that reporters like to be
kept updated on industry developments by their sources.

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Media Publicity

Before an organisation can embark on getting media publicity, it should start by

conducting a media audit or survey to assess the publicity that it had gained in the past. It
should also aim to get its management's commitment to work well with the news media.
The organisation should also appoint an official spokesperson and to conduct media
training for that person. Organisations should also conduct media monitoring to research
what is being said in the media about its organisation and its industry.

An organisation makes itself known to its key publics and builds relationships
by publicising itself. Publicity results when information about the organisation is
disseminated and when the mass media is used as the channel of communication for such
information. Organisations need media publicity to:

• Gain exposure;
• Get the attention of their target publics;
• Influence opinions and project a good corporate image of themselves;
• Gain support for their policies, plans, products and services.

Is Media Publicity really Uncontrollable?

The news media is often considered as uncontrollable because, unlike paid advertising,
organisations cannot dictate what stories to be covered and how they should be covered.
Reporters are often offended when public relations practitioners ask them to suppress a
story. This is similar to asking a journalist to betray his/her public trust. To work well with
the news media, public relations professionals must understand that the role of the media
is to inform and educate; to serve the political and economic system; to entertain; and to
remain profitable in order to remain independent.

Through the efforts of public relations practitioners, the media receives a constant flow
of free information. Facts that journalists might not have acquired otherwise become
available in packaged form, for example, through the media kit. The reporter or editor can
then decide on whether the information he/she has is newsworthy and worth publishing.

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Therefore, the organisation as the originator of the news, can set the agenda, and through
careful management, influence the media on what stories to write.

Media Gatekeeper

Media gatekeepers are professionals who are positioned within a communication

organisation or network and who control the messages flowing through the
communication channels. In news organisations, the editors are often the gatekeepers
who:

• Decide what is news;

• Decide whether to take the whole story or parts of it, or develop it in a different
direction;
• Firmly guard their independence or impartiality;
• Avoid developing stories that are too commercial or that favour one organisation.

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COM301  Public Relations in Practice

CASE STUDY

Building Consumer Relations

Who was the Client?

The client was a local events management company that owned the rights to one of
Singapore’s largest mass participation events.

What was the Challenge?

The pervasive use of social media in the sharing of news means that organisations
will continue to face challenges in having to deal with tech-savvy end-customers. The
client was often mentioned in various online fora and complaints on social media
about it could be chanced upon. The client was wary of this and the potential for
public relations problems to surface on social media. So the challenge for the client
was for it to manage social media posts and interactions, on a case-by-case and needs
approach.

What was the Strategy?

The public relations agency recommended to the client to use an issues management
approach. This involved finding out and understanding the issues that led to
customer complaints. The recommended strategy also included the developing of a
crisis plan, as well as cultivating direct interactions with consumers through various
social media platforms. A key document that was produced was a Frequently-Asked-
Questions (FAQs) document about past issues. A dedicated Facebook page was also
set up as a platform for two-way communications. This approach helped the client
distinguish attempts by customers to get free slots through dubious complaints, from
genuine customer appeals for information or redress.

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COM301  Public Relations in Practice

What was the Outcome?

The client had set out to run its event smoothly with the right public relations
communication tools, and to achieve the targeted number of participants. The
intention was to gain and maintain goodwill from previous and potential participants,
as well as various interested stakeholders. With the help of the public relations agency,
the client was able to effectively manage issues and customer complaints as they arose,
and was able to prevent various issues from turning into very public relations crises
for the client.

Activity 4.1

Refer to the above case study, and answer the following questions:

1. How can companies effectively use social media to build relationships with
stakeholders? What companies should avoid using social media?
2. What were the relationship building challenges that needed to be addressed
in this case study?
3. Would you recommend using traditional news media to the client in this case
study? How can the use of traditional media complement the use of social
media platforms?
4. In addition to Facebook, what other social media platforms would you
recommend for the client to use in this case study? Why?

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COM301  Public Relations in Practice

Read

Public Relations – The Profession & The Practice

Chapter 9. Social Media and Traditional Media Relations

Chapter 10. Employee Communication

Chapter 12. Consumer Relations and Marketing

Chapter 14. Public Affairs: Relations with Government

Chapter 16. Corporate Public Relations

Search Words

We encourage you to do further reading and research of the lessons learnt in this Study
Unit using the following search words:

Corporate relations; stakeholders; job-titles; corporate reputation; corporate image;

consumers; consumer habits; consumer segments; consumer advocacy; brands; internal
communications; two-way communications; company grapevine, corporate goals;
communication policies; democratic government; government accountability; citizen
apathy; globalisation; government legislation; law makers; government regulations;
publicity programmes; media publicity; news editors; news reporters; uncontrolled
media; and media gatekeeper.

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Summary

This Study Unit presented an in-depth examination of some areas of specialisation of

public relations, namely Corporate Relations, Consumer Relations, Employee Relations,
Government Relations and Media Relations. It examined these areas of specialisation by
discussing related underlining concepts, the purposes, tools and techniques, the public
relations outcomes and the issues related to these areas. A case study highlighting the way
a public relations agency helped a client to successfully carry out its consumer relations
effort concludes the Study Unit.

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Formative Assessment

1. Public relations practitioners perform two roles in corporate relations, namely a

__________ role and a __________ role.
a. portrayal, protection
b. champion, hero
c. objective, balanced
d. supporting, complementary

2. The goal of __________ is to improve the organisation’s relationships and

communication with consumers by managing consumer issues and conveying the
results to management.
a. consumer relations
b. media relations
c. investor relations
d. corporate relations

3. __________ is an area of specialisation that creates and maintains internal systems of

communication for organisations.
a. Consumer relations
b. Employee relations
c. Corporate relations
d. Community relations

4. It is important to have good employee communication because it __________ for

corporate goals and objectives.
a. raise awareness among consumers
b. engages government regulators
c. generates support among employees

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COM301  Public Relations in Practice

d. communicates with investors

5. Governments engage in public relations work because democratic governments are

__________.
a. free to do as they please
b. accountable to their citizens
c. selective of who they are accountable to
d. keen to always make positive impressions

6. By letting citizens __________, the government is able to get public support and
overcome apathy for its policies and laws.
a. have a say in the running of the country
b. have access to sensitive state information
c. have a role in legislation
d. control how policies are made

7. Companies know the importance of building good working relations with

government bodies because the government __________ that affects the
organisation’s operations.
a. is the least important external force
b. is the most important source of funding
c. makes business referrals
d. is the most important external force

8. Companies need to constantly engage the government through public relations in

order to understand government processes and to __________.
a. know how laws are passed
b. prevent laws from being changed
c. introduce new legislation
d. initiate new government processes

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COM301  Public Relations in Practice

9. The news media is an important public and has to be managed properly as it is

__________.
a. an important ally that can be engaged
b. credible as an independent source of information
c. useful as a promotion tool
d. controllable as a means for organisations to spread messages

10. Before an organisation can embark on getting media publicity, it should start by
conducting __________ to assess the publicity that it had gained in the past.
a. a focus group for consumers
b. an in-depth industry study
c. a media audit or survey
d. a survey on public opinion

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COM301  Public Relations in Practice

Solutions or Suggested Answers

Formative Assessment
1. Public relations practitioners perform two roles in corporate relations, namely a
__________ role and a __________ role.
a. portrayal, protection
Correct. PR practitioners need to help their organisations portray good
values, and at the same time, to protect the organisations’ reputation. Refer
to Study Unit 4, Chapter 1, Topic 1, Corporate Relations.

b. champion, hero
Incorrect. The roles PR practitioners play are the portrayal and protection
role. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 1, Topic 1, Corporate Relations.

c. objective, balanced
Incorrect. This is incorrect as PR practitioners play portrayal and protection
roles in their work. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 1, Topic 1, Corporate
Relations.

d. supporting, complementary
Incorrect. This is incorrect as PR practitioners play portrayal and protection
roles. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 1, Topic 1, Corporate Relations.

2. The goal of __________ is to improve the organisation’s relationships and

communication with consumers by managing consumer issues and conveying the
results to management.
a. consumer relations
Correct. Consumer relations efforts focuses on handling consumer issues.
Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 1, Topic 2, Consumer Relations.

b. media relations

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COM301  Public Relations in Practice

Incorrect. Media relations focuses on relationships with the news media.

Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 1, Topic 2, Consumer Relations.

c. investor relations
Incorrect. Investor relations focuses on relationships with the investment
community. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 1, Topic 2, Consumer Relations.

d. corporate relations
Incorrect. The aim of corporate relations is to help the company speak with
one voice and to project a consistent corporate image. Refer to Study Unit 4,
Chapter 1, Topic 2, Consumer Relations.

3. __________ is an area of specialisation that creates and maintains internal systems of

communication for organisations.
a. Consumer relations
Incorrect. The aim of consumer relations is to develop good relations for the
organisation with its consumers. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 1, Topic 3,
Employee Relations.

b. Employee relations
Correct. PR practitioners work with HR executives to develop internal
communications programmes. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 1, Topic 3,
Employee Relations.

c. Corporate relations
Incorrect. Communications for corporate relations targets mainly external,
not internal, publics. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Employee
Relations.

d. Community relations

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COM301  Public Relations in Practice

Incorrect. Community relations target external publics, and would not rely
on internal communications to relay messages. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter
1, Topic 3, Employee Relations.

4. It is important to have good employee communication because it __________ for

corporate goals and objectives.
a. raise awareness among consumers
Incorrect. Employee communications are targeted at employees, not
consumers. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Employee
Communications.

b. engages government regulators

Incorrect. Employee communications do not engage government regulators.
Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Employee Communications.

c. generates support among employees

Correct. Good employee communications help to inform and motivate
employees. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Employee
Communications.

d. communicates with investors

Incorrect. Investors are engaged through investor relations, not employee
relations. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 1, Topic 3, Employee
Communications.

5. Governments engage in public relations work because democratic governments are

__________.
a. free to do as they please
Incorrect. Democratic governments are accountable to citizens because the
citizens vote them into power. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 2, Topic 1,
Public Relations conducted by the Government.

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b. accountable to their citizens

Correct. Citizens need to be aware of, and understand, government laws
for them to be supportive of the government. Refer to Study Unit 4,
Chapter 2, Topic 1, Public Relations conducted by the Government.

c. selective of who they are accountable to

Incorrect. Democratic governments are accountable to all their citizens,
regardless of their status. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Public
Relations conducted by the Government.

d. keen to always make positive impressions

Incorrect. Democratice governments need to be truthful to their citizens for
whom they are accountable, that includes sharing news that may put the
government in bad light. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Public
Relations conducted by the Government.

6. By letting citizens __________, the government is able to get public support and
overcome apathy for its policies and laws.
a. have a say in the running of the country
Correct. Elected governments are more effective when they take a more
consultative approach to governing. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 2, Topic
1, Functions of Government Public Relations.

b. have access to sensitive state information

Incorrect. Governments are unlikely to share sensitive state information
with the public. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Functions of
Government Public Relations.

c. have a role in legislation

Incorrect. Legislation, or the function of making laws, are made by elected
representatives, not by citizens. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 2, Topic 1,
Functions of Government Public Relations.

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COM301  Public Relations in Practice

d. control how policies are made

Incorrect. Democratically elected governments control the way policies are
made; citizens do not control this process. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 2,
Topic 1, Functions of Government Public Relations.

7. Companies know the importance of building good working relations with

government bodies because the government __________ that affects the
organisation’s operations.
a. is the least important external force
Incorrect. Government laws can affect all levels of a company’s business and
operations. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Objectives of Fostering
Government Relations by Companies.

b. is the most important source of funding

Incorrect. Governments rarely fund private enterprises. Refer to Study Unit
4, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Objectives of Fostering Government Relations by
Companies.

c. makes business referrals

Incorrect. Governments do not refer business to private enterprises. Refer
to Study Unit 4, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Objectives of Fostering Government
Relations by Companies.

d. is the most important external force

Correct. The laws and regulations set by the government will impact the
company’s operations and business in numerous ways. Refer to Study Unit
4, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Objectives of Fostering Government Relations by
Companies.

8. Companies need to constantly engage the government through public relations in

order to understand government processes and to __________.

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a. know how laws are passed

Correct. Companies need to know how laws are passed as these laws
will impact their businesses. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 2, Topic 1,
Functions of Public Relations with Government.

b. prevent laws from being changed

Incorrect. It is unlikely that individual companies can prevent laws from
being changed. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Functions of Public
Relations with Government.

c. introduce new legislation

Incorrect. Only elected members of parliament can introduce new legislation.
Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Functions of Public Relations with
Government.

d. initiate new government processes

Incorrect. Companies outside of the government cannot initiate new
government processes. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 2, Topic 1, Functions
of Public Relations with Government.

9. The news media is an important public and has to be managed properly as it is

__________.
a. an important ally that can be engaged
Incorrect. The news media are fiercely independent and will not aligned itself
with news-making companies. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 2, Topic 2,
Media Relations.

b. credible as an independent source of information

Correct. The news media’s independence is its strength and reason for
its credibility with companies. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 2, Topic 2,
Media Relations.

c. useful as a promotion tool

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Incorrect. The news media cannot be used as a promotion tool from a public
relations perspective. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 2, Topic 2, Media
Relations.

d. controllable as a means for organisations to spread messages

Incorrect. The news media will only operate independently and cannot be
used by news-making companies to spread messages. Refer to Study Unit 4,
Chapter 2, Topic 2, Media Relations.

10. Before an organisation can embark on getting media publicity, it should start by
conducting __________ to assess the publicity that it had gained in the past.
a. a focus group for consumers
Incorrect. A focus group for consumers is not the correct platform to assess
past news media publicity about the organisation. Refer to Study Unit 4,
Chapter 2, Topic 2, Media Publicity.

b. an in-depth industry study

Incorrect. An in-depth industry study is not the correct platform to assess
past news media publicity about the organisation. Refer to Study Unit 4,
Chapter 2, Topic 2, Media Publicity.

c. a media audit or survey

Correct. Media audits or surveys help an organisation to better understand
how the news media perceives it and how the news media has reported
on its news in the past. Refer to Study Unit 4, Chapter 2, Topic 2, Media
Publicity.

d. a survey on public opinion

Incorrect. A survey of public opinion is an incorrect approach to finding out
the media’s perceptions and past reports about the organisation. Refer to
Study Unit 4, Chapter 2, Topic 2, Media Publicity.

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