Communication and management skills

Introduction:

An individual, a family, and the society are engulfed in the cobweb of management skills and   pubic relations in every step of life. One is not actively aware of it. In this materialistic era of industrialization and internet civilization, public relations have not left any part of one’s life untouched. It creates better or worse effects. Public Relations is good in parts. It takes away one from the truth. Profiteering and Public Relations are alternative beats of the same heart. From the topics covered in James E. Grunig’s book, “Managing Public Relations,” one gets an idea of the domain of Management of Public Relations. The Public Relations Manager in any Organization is the key man; he has to present the best of the Organization, in all aspects to the individuals and

Institutions he is called upon to deal.

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Theme:

The theme of any public relations exercise is ‘how to bell the cat.’ How to win over the other party to your view point! How to sell your product to the customer! How to face the competition! These challenges form the syllabus for public relations managers. The topics covered in the book are extensive and intensive. The book has enough resources for both the students and the professionals. It does the job of a knowledgeable teacher. Both the theoretical and the practical aspects are well taken care of. The Four Public Relations models defined by Grunig, deal with the core issues related to this topic.

Main ideas/ techniques:

The listing of the topics covered and enumerated is fairly long, but if one keeps out its printout, in the form of a pocket-guide, it will prove useful. The topics are, the concept of pubic relations, origin and contemporary structures of public relations, public relations and public responsibility, professionalism in public relations, elements of public relations management, defining and choosing goals and objectives, identifying organizational linkages and publics, budgeting and decision making, evaluation research, legal constraints, media relations, employee and member relations, community relations, public affairs and government relations, relations with active publics;

consumers, environmentalists and minorities, financial public relations, promotion, fund raising and public communication campaigns, public relations writing, press releases, catering to the press, using radio, television and videotape, preparing to speak, brochures, fact sheets and  direct mail, newsletters, newspapers and magazines, photographs and illustrations, slides and multimedia representations, films, exhibits and special events, annual reports and financial writing, public relations advertising, lobbying and toward a mature profession. So, that is public relations. Interesting and many times, annoying, because it is to deal with the public of various types of emotions, tempers and opinions.

Evaluation:

It is not possible to evaluate the issues involved in public relations within the perimeters of this small article. An effort has been made to discuss the most important aspect of it, in the prevailing conditions today-- the management of media. Media is broadly categorized into print media and electronic media. In first flush of enthusiasm, all like media attention. But handling the media attention is not that easy. Mostly if anything adverse is reported, the readers and viewers believe it immediately.

Contradicting the adverse reports is not an easy job; it is both expensive, and at times it invites further media wrath. News papers are published everyday. TV channels give the reporting 24 hours of the day. From where one can bring the enormous resources to meet the adverse challenge? The section of the viewers who have seen the adverse reports may not see your clarifications. They say, a lie reported from a platform a thousand times, becomes the truth. That is the position one would face while dealing with the media. It is necessary for you to evaluate whether the money that you are spending on image building exercise is hitting the right spot. A good press release is no guarantee for bettering the image. It may lead to both positive and negative results.

People want to read what they want, not what you want. Every press release, every advertisement must have the sense of timing. You can’t advertise refrigerators for the Eskimos. You don’t advertise for woolen garments during summer, unless it is a heavy discount sale, and the people get attracted to the discount aspect. Pubic Relations, in the developing countries, is yet to take off. In the context of globalization, no business establishment can survive in isolation.

The consumer is the king now, with so many brands of identical products available in the market. Fresh products arrive to provide stiff competition as for quality and cost both. It is not enough, what you produce is the best product. People need to know that it is the best product, and why it is the best product, in comparative terms. “Once you start promoting your business, don’t stop. A sustainable public relations strategy is a long-term endeavor. It can take months to capture the attention of targeted media venues. Plus, it’s important to remind the press about your business on a regular basis, so they don’t forget about you.”(Public….)

In Western countries, public relations are part of the top management function. It is the part of the agenda of the Board meetings. Management formulates its public relations policy. Continuous efforts are made by the public relations men to keep the organization on the high pedestal from the point of view of the public. Maintaining popularity is equally important as achieving the popularity.

“We even shadow our own communications tactics trying to monitor their impact on audience perception -- tactics such as face-to-face meetings, Internet and email, hand-placed newspaper and magazine feature articles and broadcast appearances, special consumer briefings, news releases, announcement luncheons, onsite media interviews, facility tours, brochures and even special events like promotional contests, financial road shows, awards ceremonies, trade conventions, celebrity appearances and open houses -- each designed to impact individual perception and behavior.”(The Fundamental…)

Conclusion:

"Now this soap has the juice of lemon, which nourishes your skin!” says an advertisement. Well, did you not know that lemon juice is good for your skin and in that case why don’t you squeeze a lemon get some juice and put it in the bucket of water and use it directly? Why buy the costly soap, just for the sake of lemon juice? And yet you buy! Why?-because the model engaged by the Company in the television advertisement has told you so. You pay for the soap and for their advertisement costs!  Yes, this is managing public relations!

References Cited:

Grunig, James E. Book: Managing Public Relations

Hardcover: 565 pages

Publisher: Harcourt Brace College Publishers (January 1984)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0030583373

ISBN-13: 978-0030583377

Article: Public Relations Strategy on a Tight Budget

www.startupnation.com/articles/1241/1/public-relations-strategy.Retrieved on December 9, 2007.

Article: The Fundamental Premise-Public Relations-

ezinearticles.com/? Public-Relations:-The-Fundamental-Premise&id=17377 – Retrieved on December 9, 2007.

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