What is Public Relations?

Being a Public Relations major I am commonly asked the question, “What is public relations?” I decided that this would be the perfect place to share with many of you what public relations truly is. I went straight to the source on PRSA’s website and found great information. Here is what I came up with!

“Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.”

For a better understanding of what that statement truly means I want to break it down piece by piece according to PRSA’s standards.

Simple and straightforward, this definition focuses on the basic concept of public relations — as a communication process, one that is strategic in nature and emphasizing “mutually beneficial relationships.”

“Process” is preferable to “management function,” which can evoke ideas of control and top-down, one-way communications.

“Relationships” relates to public relations’ role in helping to bring together organizations and individuals with their key stakeholders.

“Publics” is preferable to “stakeholders,” as the former relates to the very “public” nature of public relations, whereas “stakeholders” has connotations of publicly-traded companies. 

To me public relations is simply the process that is responsible for the image or the face of an organization and its publics. Public relations professionals provide a strategic plan to achieve this appearance. What does public relations mean to you? Do you have any questions about publics relations and what public relations professionals do? I would love to hear your comments and questions!