What is public relations?
Public relations professionals shape an organization’s image. They build the brand, spread the organization’s message and minimize the effect of negative publicity.
Their job is to generate positive publicity for their client and enhance their reputation, you are trying to convince an audience, inside your building or town, and outside your usual sphere of influence, to promote your idea, purchase your product, support your position, or recognize your accomplishments.
Public relations is a strategic communication process it that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics, is the process of passing information and understanding from one person to another.
In simple words it is a process of transmitting and sharing ideas, opinions, facts, values etc. from one person to another or one organization to another.
The different elements of communication are:
- SENDER: Is the person who sends his ideas to another person.
- RECEIVER: Is the person to whom the message has been sent.
- MESSAGE: The idea, feeling, suggestion, guidelines, orders or any content which is intended to be communicated is message.
- Noise: It is the hindrance in the process of communication.
- MEDIUM: Is the immediate form which a message takes.
- CHANNEL: Is that which is responsible for the delivery of the chosen message. For example post office, internet, radio.
- FEEDBACK: This is important as it determines whether or not the decoder grasped the intended meaning and whether communication was successful.
INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION
Most companies use a wide variety of media to communicate with their employees, shareholders, customers and the general public. The actual communication medium is typically determined by the content and goal of the message and to which group you are speaking. It’s important for companies to focus both on internal and external communication.
What Is Internal Communication?
Internal communication is any information shared with employees and shareholders, including the company’s board of directors or stockholders. Internal information, such as a company policy change, is typically kept prívate should be planned and are meant to influence the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of members of your company’s team. It is how a company builds a relationship and understanding with its employees at all levels. It can drive productivity, loyalty, innovation and belief in the company so all employees understand how they play a role in the overall success of the organization.
What Is External Communication?
External communication is any communication to clients, prospective customers and the public outside of your organization. External messages may include information about new products or about a company initiative. External messages are usually released to gain customers, build the company brand or influence how the public thinks about your company. Your external communications can help maintain a relationship with the community as well as help your company collect information from customers and potential customers. External communications also include connections to vendors, suppliers, funders and other business partners your company may provide with products or services.
