ELEMENTS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

When we talk about elements in relation to P.R, we mean what constitutes public relations. As earlier enlightened, P.R looks at building and maintaining image, be it of a person, a group or an organisation. Today’s subject looks at what goes into the art of image building; a complement to the functions of P.R.

1. Public relation is a planned activity. This is because the functions executed in P.R are intentional and an organization has the intention of doing it. It is designed to influence, gain understanding, provide information and obtain feedback vis-à-vis an organization and its publics.

Public Relations is a planned activity

2. P.R is a management function that establishes and maintains mutually beneficially relationship between an organization and its publics on whom its success or failure depends. As a management function, it looks at anticipating, analyzing and interpreting public opinion, attitudes that might impact on the operations of the organization.  Counselling management at all levels of the organization (Board, senior management, functional management) with regards to policy decisions, course of actions and communication taking into account the public interest or the organizations corporate social responsibilities. 

Public Relations as a management function

 

3. It concentrates on reputation building, damage prevention and control. As I have always echoed, P.R concerns itself with image building and maintenance; creating a perfect picture to the general public about one’s entity or corporation. Whenever there is a crisis, the P.R practitioner prevents the crisis from damaging the corporation’s reputation. And when the crisis has done some damage, the practitioner comes in to mop things up. An example is the Melcom case in Ghana in 2015. After the Melcom building had collapsed maiming and injuring citizens, the P.R.O of the company came in to do what we term as damage control.

4. It is a two-way communication. This is either between an individual and the public, a group and its publics or an organization and its publics. It is communication between two entities to foster excellent relationship in order to achieve an individual, group or an organization’s objectives. An example is Ex-President John Mahama of Ghana (individual) and his relationship (communication) with citizens of the country (publics) on whom he once rose to the high office of president.

Public Relations is a two-way communication

5. It applies to every member of the community. No one is exempted from the practice. This is to say that everyone is a stakeholder in the practice of image building and promotion be it commercial and non-commercial organizations, governmental and non-governmental organizations. For example, Ghanaians are stakeholders in the promotion of their cultural heritage or anything Ghanaian to the rest of the world.

TEAM - Together Everyone Achieves More

 

In all image stands out as a fulcrum/pivot to building relationships; a major tool for societal advancement. In our next article, we will be looking at the body of P.R as a management concept. Your comments and views are welcome in the comment section below. And for further consultation or questions, please email to elcommglobal@gmail.com. 

Also read: PUBLIC RELATIONS FUNCTIONS