CH9: Public Relations Management

Question 1

What is public relations and why is it important?

Answer 1

Public relations (PR) is the strategic management of communication between an organisation and its publics. Definitions by Coombs, IPRA, and PRISA emphasize relationship-building, goodwill, and effective communication. PR helps improve productivity and reputation by engaging both internal and external publics.

Question 2

What are the main responsibilities and focus of a PR practitioner?

Answer 2

PR practitioners manage communication processes, including media relations, writing, editing, speech delivery, content production, and training.

PR managers focus on strategy and stakeholder engagement, ensuring that all messaging aligns with organizational goals.

Question 3

What are the functional areas of PR and what do they involve?

Answer 3

PR functions include research (gathering audience insights), planning and advising (strategic decision-making), and organising (coordinating communication activities).

Question 4

How does PR differ from marketing?

Answer 4

PR focuses on building relationships and reputation through earned media, while marketing promotes products to drive sales. PR is measured by reputation and goodwill, whereas marketing is measured by sales and market share.

Question 5

What is the RACE model in PR and how is it implemented?

Answer 5

The RACE model includes Research, Action/Planning, Communication, and Evaluation. Research gathers audience data, planning sets SMART goals, communication delivers strategic messages, and evaluation measures outcomes.

Question 6

What methods are used to evaluate PR effectiveness?

Answer 6

Evaluation includes:
media monitoring,
social media tracking.
coverage analysis,
market surveys,
public interviews,
impressions,

These methods assess reach, impact, and perception of PR campaigns.