Public relations is defined as a tool used by institutions to establish beneficial relationships. It involves four key steps: identifying existing relationships, evaluating those relationships, designing policies to improve relationships, and implementing those policies. The document then provides overviews of important public relations figures and milestones, and the various services provided by public relations practitioners, which include publicity, lobbying, political communication, image consulting, and event coordination.

1. Public Relations:
What is it, how did it come to be, and what’s the
big deal?
Welcome to this module on public relations!
Here you will learn what public relations is and how to distinguish it from
advertising. You will also learn about key public relations figures and their
contributions to the field. And finally, you’ll learn about the different services
provided by public relations’ practitioners.
You know, it’s more than the hand shaking and backslapping that some people
think it is.
Click the next button to get started.

2. To better understand public relations, we’ve broken it down
into four separate but related components. Click on any of
the images below to learn more about each subject.
Public Relations Public Relations
Defined Figures and Milestones
Public Relations Differences from
Services Advertising
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3. Public Relations Defined
While public relations has been loosely defined for much of
history, it is helpful to think of public relations as a tool for
leaders in business, government, and other institutions used
to establish beneficial relationships with other institutions
and groups.
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4. Public Relations Defined
Beyond interpersonal skills, public relations involves four necessary steps to
accomplish its goals:
1. Identify Existing Relationships: institutions need to develop many
relationships or constituencies (publics).
2. Evaluate the Relationships: practitioners should research and identify how
well these relationships are working.
3. Design Policies to Improve the Relationships: practitioners need to
recommend policies to make these relationships work.
4. Implement the Policies: institutions need to set up and implement policies
intended to personalize and benefit their image.
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5. Public Relations Figures and Milestones
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6. Public Relations Services
Public relations deals with publicity and promotion,
but it also involves less visible activities including:
lobbying, political communication, image
consulting, financial public relations, contingency
planning, polling, and events coordination.
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7. Public Relations Services
Publicity and Promotion:
Publicity and promotion involves rallying support for
a cause, creating an image, or turning a problem into
an asset.
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8. Public Relations Services
Lobbying:
Lobbying involves having practitioners whose
specialty is representing their clients to legislative
bodies and government agencies. Clients include
trade associations, corporations, public interest
groups, regulated groups, and regulated utilities and
industries.
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9. Public Relations Services
Political Communication:
Political communication involves having consultants
to advise candidates in public office. Most services
include campaign management, survey research,
publicity, media relations, and image consulting.
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10. Public Relations Services
Image Consulting:
Image consulting involves grooming corporate
spokespersons and chief executives to handle and
meet with reporters and the press.
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11. Public Relations Services
Financial Public Relations:
Financial public relations involves bringing not only
the principles of public relations to the table but also
the complex regulations governing the promotion of
securities in corporate mergers, acquisitions, new
issues, and stock split.
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12. Public Relations Services
Contingency Planning:
Contingency planning involves relying on designing
programs to address problems that can be expected
to occur.
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13. Public Relations Services
Polling:
Polling involves conducting public opinion sampling.
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14. Public Relations Services
Events Coordination:
Events coordination involves coordinating a broad
range of events, including product announcements,
news conferences, and convention planning.
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15. Differences from Advertising
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16. ASSESSMENT

17. Public Relations Defined
Of the characteristics below, which elements best meet the defining
elements of public relations? Check the circle next to those you think
best meet these criteria.
o identify relationships o constituencies
o social science o evaluate relationships
o design policies o implement policies
o mass medium o one-way street
o hand out circulars o interpersonal skills
o puffery o regulation
o management tool o elevator pitch
o business leaders o government
o beneficial relationships o psychological theories
o corporate identity o cherry picking
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18. Public Relations Defined
Of the characteristics below, which elements best meet the defining
elements of public relations? Check the circle next to those you think
best meet these criteria.
 identify relationships  constituencies
o social science  evaluate relationships
 design policies  implement policies
o mass medium o one-way street
o hand out circulars  interpersonal skills
o puffery o regulation
 management tool o elevator pitch
 business leaders  government
 beneficial relationships o psychological theories
 corporate identity o cherry picking
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19. CREDITS
Thumbnail images obtained from www.google.com.