Hello, welcome to another class. In this class we are going to be learning about PUBLIC RELATIONS, The meaning, importance and methods of public relations.
Table Of Contents
- Meaning Of public relations
- Importance of public relations
- Methods of public relations
- Charitable ventures.
- Revision Questions for Students.
Read Also
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- Advantages and disadvantages of television Advertising
The Meaning Of Public Relations
The British institute of public relation define public relations “as a planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organization and the public”. Public relation is the maintenance of a favorable relationship between an organization and the general public.
Public relation can also be defined as the activities of a corporation in building and maintaining sound and productive relations with special publics such as customers, shareholders and with the public at large, so as to adapt itself to its environment and interpret itself to the society. In a summary, public relations is the image building done by an organization to give the public favorable impression about its aim and policies.
Importance of Public Relations
Now let’s look at the main importance of public relation in commerce:
- Public relation ensures the maintenance of a favorable relationship between an organization and its publics.
- It helps in maintaining good personal relations with the employees
- Public relations helps to increase the Good Will of a company.
- One of the aims is to advertise the products of the organizations
- Another importance of public relation is that It helps to build the image of a company or organization.
Methods of Public Relations
Public relations is a conscious effort made by an organization to establish and maintain good relationships with its customers or stakeholders.
Some of the Methods of Public Relations include the following:
1. Press releases: This comprise news items, feature articles, notices relating to the company’s activities published in newspapers, journals, magazine etc.
2. Trade Fairs And Exhibition: Trade fairs and exhibition is another methods of public relations. These are organized display of goods and services to promote sales, generate interest and create opportunity for interaction with the public.
3. Exhibition: Exhibition is a medium through which organizations display their products to members of the public in selected places. E.g, muson center at onikan or national theater at iganmu, both in Lagos State. It is a special event where the goods are well arranged with the price tags fixed on them. The main reason is to create awareness for the products of the company. Exhibition is sometimes used for one line of goods, e.g, art exhibition.
4. Trade Fairs: Trade fairs are large national or international exhibition which may be held annually or at much longer intervals. Many local and international firms do participate in a trade Fair.
An organization would participate by booking and setting up a stand to promote its products. Samples of their product can be displayed to appeal to the motions of the potential buyers. An example of trade fair is in the Lagos International trade fair that normally takes place at the trade fair complex along badagry expressway.
Difference between Trade Fair and Exhibition
Trade Fair
- Trade fairs always held outdoors
- They are large in scope because they attract more firms
- It may involve outright sales of products
- Wide varieties of goods are involved.
Exhibition
- Exhibition may be held indoors.
- Exhibition is limited in scope because they attract fewer firms.
- It may not involve outright sales.
- It is sometimes used by one industry or one line of goods.
Free Samples / Gifts: Manufacturers of products give free goods regularly as samples or gifts to their customers to maintain Goodwill. These gifts may be in form of money or materials, e.g, clocks calendars, pens and pencils that may improve the public image of the company. The gifts will have a logo of the company printed on them.
Cinemas: An organization can show special films in order to arouse the interest of the customers so to build or boost the image of the company.
Television And Radio: Television is the most glamorous of all the media. Since both radio and the television have large audience, an organization may establish a good image for itself by sending information and news items through them. Musical jingles and documentary films can also be presented, which go a long way to boost image of a company.
Feature Articles: A feature article is a medium of public relations which is concerned with the publication in the national dailies or magazines information about the company’s product, it’s quality, uses and benefits. Also included information about the caliber of management team, investment capital and profitability.
Seminar, Workshops and Conferences: An organization can organize seminars and press conferences to highlight its various activities to the general public. This will bring the company closer to the consuming public and it will boost their image.
Provision of after Sale Services: The company can create for itself a favorable impression in the minds of their customers by rendering customer services. By listening to the customers complaints, their patronage may be retained. Some services like installation, servicing or maintenance are public relations tools.
Sponsored Programmes: To build a good image for itself, a company can sponsor programmes like sporting competition, live telecast of sporting events, e.g, football match. There are various examples like the Coca-Cola challenge cup and Pepsi professional football leagues in Nigeria.
Social Responsibility: By participating in local community affairs and contributing financial to community project or development, the image of a company can receive a boost. Some firms provide the community with social amenities like schools, roads, hospitals and electricity.
Charitable Ventures
A firm can contribute financially to charitable organizations. They can donate money to motherless children homes. Spinal cord injury society, disabled home, etc.
Revision Questions
- What is public relation?
- What are the methods of public relation
- What are the differences between trade fair and exhibition?
- State the importance of public relations.