What is Public Relations?

Definitions

Public relations is about reputation - the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you.

Public relations is the discipline which looks after reputation, with the aim of earning understanding and support and influencing opinion and behaviour. It is the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics.

Different types of PR

There are many different communications functions covered by the Public Relations umbrella.  If you’d like to know your B2B from your B2C, how crisis management really can protect your business or what exactly financial PR is, take a look at our Jargon Buster for full explanations.

What services do PR consultants provide?

Many consultants will offer to provide (or advise) on a ‘full service’ which may include:

  • media relations
  • marketing (of products, services and issues)
  • copy-writing
  • press office
  • online PR
  • media/presentation training
  • sponsorship
  • event & conference management
  • research
  • evaluation
  • corporate identity
  • strategic planning
Our ‘Jargon Buster’ explains what many of the most commonly used PR terms actually mean so you can feel confident when talking about your public relations requirements.