Advertising
Public relations professionals utilize advertising-i.e., information placed in the media by an identified sponsor that pays for the air time or space-to reach specific audiences other than an organization's customers. The reasons for doing so are (1) to express a point of view different from what is carried by the media as news, and (2) to present so-called "institutional" advertising that attempts to influence public opinion about the sponsoring organization.
Community Relations
Organizations and the communities in which they are located have multifaceted relationships. They could range from strictly business, such as zoning or environmental issues, to matters that affect the community's quality of life, such as corporate support for social and charitable causes. Public relations professionals are often called upon to manage these relationships.
Crisis Communications
Proactive responses to critical situations are crucial to maintaining organizational stability and credibility with publics. It is the role of public relations people to create crisis management plans for the organizations they represent, based on a deep understanding of the news media and the public opinion environment accompanying a crisis.
Development
Organizations like museums, universities, hospitals, educational institutions, social service organizations and other nonprofit groups have ongoing needs for financial support through philanthropy from the public, businesses and foundations.
Employee Communications
Demand for improved quality and increased productivity has dramatically altered the way visionary organizations communicate and motivate their employees. Public relations professionals plan and implement successful internal communications programs that meet or exceed the expectations of management and utilize the most efficient, cost-effective methods for reaching workers.
Investor Relations
A company's relationships with public financial markets are based on the complete and accurate disclosures of news that could impact the value of the company's securities. The role of investor relations professionals is to create and nurture mutually beneficial relationships between a publicly held company and its shareholders and others in the financial community. Investor relations professionals have sound knowledge of corporate finance, accounting, Wall Street, stock exchange financial reporting requirements, business journalism, Securities and Exchange Commission regulations, and much more.
Issues Management
Public policy issues are constantly evolving. Public relations professionals engaged in issues management take active roles in helping to shape public policy issues before they reach legislative or regulatory bodies for clear definition. An effective issues management program requires early identification of issues with the potential to impact an organization, and a carefully conceived, strategic response to capitalize on or mitigate their consequences.
Lobbying
Individuals who work as registered lobbyists attempt to influence the regulatory and legislative decisions made at all levels of government. They use a variety of public relations strategies, have a deep understanding of the legislative process and how governments function, and are generally well acquainted with lawmakers and government officials.
Media Relations/Publicity
Companies, government agencies, nonprofit corporations and other organizations make news every day. One role of public relations professionals is to develop mutually beneficially relationships, based on trust, responsiveness and accuracy, with the news media, in order to facilitate placement of news items before the reading, listening and viewing publics.
Public Affairs
In addition to the news media, organizations may have an interest in matters that relate to public policy issues, the organization's role as a corporate citizen, and civic volunteer service by employees. Public relations practitioners in this specialized area serve as liaisons with government units, execute community improvement programs, and serve as a focal point for the organization's involvement in civic and community affairs.
Special Events
Special events are complex communications opportunities that draw upon a broad range of public relations talents. Each special event is unique, with highly targeted audiences and message objectives. The role of public relations is to create and carry out events that capture the public's attention and achieve the organization's communications objectives all within a stringent framework of financial accountability.
Marketing Communications
Marketing is a complex process that leads to attracting and satisfying customer needs in order to meet a company's economic objectives. A number of steps have to take place to achieve this exchange of money for a product or service. In addition to helping shape the environment within which transactions take place, public relations professionals often are called upon to integrate a variety of strategies and tactics from public relations, advertising, marketing and sales promotion under the umbrella term of marketing communications.
