Part Two: Who's on First, What's on Second

Definitions are easy, right? Wrong. As I stated in my previous posts, defining PR is not as simple as looking it up in the dictionary, or referring to the premier professional group, the Public Relations Society of America.

Merriam-Webster.com defines PR as “the business of inducing the public to have understanding for and goodwill toward a person, firm or institution,” while PRSA states “Public relations helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other.”

Neither definition is very helpful, and could leave the reader completely clueless about PR’s practical application. So, to help us get our arms around these definitions, let’s ask a few of my favorite questions:

Who?

PR involves a variety of groups or “publics” including employees, vendors, customers, investors, the community, government officials and let’s not forget the media - this list isn’t comprehensive, but I think you get the idea.

What?

This is probably one of the hardest questions to answer. Clearly we all communicate, but when it comes to PR the bigger question is what is being communicated. PR informs audiences about the items of importance to them. It can help the publics understand a situation, product or service, and allows the company to learn what those publics are saying.

When?

Timeliness is next to godliness in PR. In order for information to reach the audience, it has to be delivered and received at the proper time - announcing new witch costumes for Halloween on Nov. 1 screams “bad timing.”

How?

There are a variety of traditional and nontraditional channels for sending and receiving messages. Traditional media, such as, television, radio and print, and social media, including social networks, blogs and wikis are just some of the tools PR uses to communicate. As technology evolves so does the way PR reaches people. PR has to adapt to ensure all audiences are being reached where they are most accessible.

Why?

This is my favorite question. Good communication makes for great relationships, and PR is all about relationships, whether it be building, maintaining or growing – relationships are the key.

Now that I’ve answered these important questions, I’d like to bring up one key factor that relates to every aspect of PR: relevancy. Whenever answering any of these questions, you have to consider if what you’re sending is relevant to who you’re sending it to, and if the method it’s sent by is the most appropriate avenue for the targeted public. Failure to communicate in a relevant manner, will almost always guarantee a failure to build relationships.

Writers have spent countless pages explaining what I’ve outlined above. Understanding the who, what, when, how and why of PR is vital to creating a clear and concise elevator speech. In my next post, I will reveal what I’ve developed from working through this exercise. Is there something I’m missing? I’d appreciate your input, so we can have the best explanation possible.