It is said that perception is reality. Well, public relations (PR) helps drive perception, making the specialty incredibly important. Specialists in PR take an organization or situation and craft a concept of how to play up its strengths while downplaying its weaknesses. PR specialists then craft a plan that uses print media, television, Internet, networking and other forms of contact with the public to promote that concept. They may also attempt to raise the organization's or its product's profile. With situations or crises, they may try to minimize the level of publicity to a carefully controlled amount.

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Just because you have a clear concept of your organization and what its goals and offerings are does not mean that the public---and your prospective client or customer---does. It can be very hard to look into your organization from the outside to see how you look to others. Even if you can get a sense of that, how do you convey that vision in words, phrases and images others will understand? That is where PR comes in. PR is the buffer or lens between your organization and the outside world that helps you be seen clearly and in the best light.

Understanding and Value

If those in the outside can't see you clearly, then they can't understand you and what you have to offer. They can't answer such questions as "What's in it for me?" or "How valuable is it to me?" because they have nothing on which to base value or worth. PR can help to create the understanding that allows them to determine the value of what you bring to the table and what it's worth to them.

Perception

Perception is what separates you from the competition. You and your competitor can offer the exact same product for the exact same cost, but you create the perception in their mind that you provide better support or your product is more exclusive or exciting. Which one would the customer choose? Your product, because you have created the perception of something "extra" that makes your product more valuable. PR is the medium that discovers what "extras" your product can bring to the table that people want and then puts the plan in action to make that perception a reality in the minds of your perspective customers.

Crisis Management

Good PR can be the difference between all-out panic and controlled response when it comes to crisis management. PR can shift focus away from issues causing irrational alarm and place it on tangible and constructive issues that are important in finding a solution. For example, when there is an outbreak of an illness, a lot of misinformation goes out among the public and grows into a panic that is not based on fact or reality but on hearsay and half-truths. PR can get in and shift the focus onto facts, truths and appropriate responses, putting the situation under control and calming down the public. This allows for action that addresses and solves the crisis.

Source:

Why You Need PR; Alfred J. Lautenslager

Resource:

Survey: Importance of social media, and public relations, on the rise; Public Relations Society of America, November 13, 2009