This post continues the discussion on what public relations entails. It discusses the strategic dimensions of PR in greater detail than Part 1. So, THE SHOCKING TRUTH OF PR is uncovered!

 Market research

PR professionals identify what the needs and wants of stakeholders are through mechanisms such as market research. They then investigate how issues uncovered by market research and other forms of stakeholder interaction impact on and have the potential to impact on an organisation.

 The excellent PR professional will then, most likely in collaboration with other senior organisational employees, conceptualise what the organisation can do to resolve stakeholder issues. This includes by changing the way the organisation operates and how it communicates, or relates, to its stakeholders.

 Another part of this is the dimension of what the organisation can do to enlighten its stakeholders if the organisation has determined that, really, it is quite happy with the way it is operating.

 Issues and crisis management

Issues management is, at its very strategic core, about organisations operating more in line with stakeholder expectations, as well as how it communicates with stakeholders on an ongoing basis. (Issues management should not be a ‘one-off’. It should be applied on a day-to-day basis as a core part of an organisation’s operations).

 The process can also be applied on a one-off basis. In this case, a potential issue or, worse, impending crisis, has been identified and then strategies are put in place to minimise organisational reputational damage. This may mean the organisation stopping or altering the activity/behaviour that was leading to the issue/crisis, or it may mean that communication strategies are put in place to mitigate the potentially negative reputational impact.

 Crisis management is when the s^#* has actually hit the fan and the communication professional has been brought in to minimise the reputational damage and to maintain, as much as possible, the quality of relationships the organisation has with its stakeholders.

 Corporate social responsibility

 At its core, public relations and CSR do pretty much the same thing: motivate organisations to operate more in line with community/stakeholder expectations. PR professionals, then, are ideally placed not just to communicate about an organisation’s CSR, but to help put in place and direct organisational behaviour that truly makes a positive difference to the local and global communities in which it operates.

 Change management and employee communication

As noted, public relations is very much about evolving the behaviour of an organisation. This requires change and it certainly involves directing communication to all levels of an organisation. It is no cliché to say that employees of a brand are its greatest potential brand advocates. Without their support the brand is doomed.

 Strategy

Finally, of course, when really this is first activity (but I have put it here just to be perverse), the overarching strategic activity of the public relations leader is devising a communication strategy for an organisation and managing its implementation. This includes most aspects of an organisation’s positioning and branding.

 Don’t let marketers fool you into believing they should be running the P&B show. They don’t have their eye on the big picture. Relationships are there for them to exploit to make money for an organisation. Reputation is a commodity to marketers, not the critically important licence to operate/exist that it is for public relations professionals.

 Some of the higher level communication that the PR professional also facilitates is government, NGO, regulator and industry association relationship management.

 Some of the basic strategic principles that are often applied in a public relations strategy include:

• Forming strategic alliances with complementary organisations. This enhances ‘client’ organisation credibility, enhances the reach of communication by using the alliances’ communication mechanisms and can lead to greater ROI
• 3^rd party credibility – associating an organisation with credible stakeholders who will speak positively on the ‘client’ organisation’s behalf
• Utilising direct, unmediated communication with stakeholders, balanced against the benefits that mediated communication can have through media or non-organisational spokespeople. Non-mediated communication can be controlled more effectively but its reach may not be as large or credible as mediated (e.g. media) communication
• Thought leadership (i.e. round tables, white papers, op-eds for media placement).

 Conclusion

Obviously I have focused more on the strategic characteristics of public relations and how its application benefits both business and society. Equally, however, it can be used as a manipulative methodology and one very much focused on making organisations money at the expense of quality relationships and positive organisational reputation. That is the commercial reality, as much as it undersells the strategic potential of the discipline. And as much as it disappoints me.

 Still, at least public relations professionals know that our discipline can serve a cause much more significant than purely a mercenary one. I believe that each of us has an opportunity to make a difference by always striving to play the higher, or the bigger, game. Think global, act local. Or focus on the circle of influence.

 Whatever the aphorism, we can make a difference. As human beings and as business professionals. Let’s not forget that.

[For those on LinkedIn and in the Innovative, Marketing, Sales...etc  group, a discussion on this post can also be found here.]

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