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PR Manager Execution of public relations at this level results in a management position that affords the public relations practitioner the opportunity of being sensitive when coming into contact with both internal and external publics, whose collective views constitute public opinion. The public relations manager needs to be well positioned so that he or she is responsible to top management and serves all departments of the organization. Ideally, the public relations manager should have board director status as it is in the world‘s most successful companies. Refer to guide for diagrams
The PR manager There can be a number of titles given such as Director of Public Affairs, Communications Manager or the position could be affixed with two functions such as public relations and advertising officer. • PR Manager’s Responsibilities These are defined as: • Settings targets or defining objects for PR operations • Estimating the working hours and other resources that need to be cost • Deciding priorities that will control the choice of publics, media to reach them, timing of operations, and best use of manpower and other resources such as equipment. • Deciding the feasibility and carrying out the declared objectives in the light of available funds existing staff and equipment.
The four-fold specialist task of the PR Manager 1. To manage and maintain a correct image of the company‘s/ organizations polices products, services and personnel. 2. This monitor outside opinion and conveying this intelligence to management. 3. To advise management of communication problems, solutions and techniques. 4. To inform publics about policies, activities, products, services and personnel so that the maximum knowledge and understanding is won.
COOPERATION BETWEEN PR MANAGER AND MANAGEMENT. Cooperation should be on the following lines: • The PR manager should be a competent and professional practitioner so that he or she is respected by management as an expert in that particular field. • The PR manager should set up internal lines of communication. Know everyone and be known by everyone, this promotes the PR mangers confidence, so that information can be obtained from all sections of the organization. • The PR manager should create external lines of communication, so that he or she is regarded as a reliable source of material. Outside sources of information may also be needed, often in order to achieve feedback. • The PR manager must keep the top management well briefed for interviews, speeches, and public occasions.
The management must engage willing to media; The PR manager must to arrange rehearsals before press receptions, and television familiarisation sessions before TV appearances. • Management must keep the PR manager fully informed – preferably in advanced and by direct contact – which means that the PR manager must have access to management. In order to cooperate effectively, the PR manager needs to be positioned so that he or she is responsible to top management and serves all departments of the organisation or the company. Ideally, the PR manager should have board director status, as happens in the world‘s most successful companies. Refer to diagram in guide
The PR Department's Activities The following list describes what is carried out by a PR manager and his / her staffs differ from organisation to organization and there can be many variations. The work for the year may consist of any or all of the following: • Writing and distributing news (press) releases, photographs and feature articles of the press, compiling press lists. • Maintaining a media information service. • Arranging press, radio and television interviews for management. • Briefing photographers and maintaining a picture library • Editing and producing external journals aimed at distributors, users, customers, etc. • Writing and producing print such as educational literature, company histories, annual reports, induction literature for new staff, educational posters for schools, etc. • Commissioning audio-visuals such as synchronised slide presentations and video tapes together with distribution, cataloguing, showing and maintenance. • Commissioning and organising PR exhibitions and displays including provision of vehicles. • Commissioning and maintaining forms of corporate identity and house styling such as logos, colour schemes, print house style and typography, livery of vehicles, distinctive clothing, etc. • Handling PR sponsorships • Organising works or similar visits,
Attendance at appropriate meetings of the board and meetings of production, marketing, sales and other executives. • Attendance at sales and dealer conferences. • Representations of the company at trade association meetings. • Liaison with PR consulting if one employed. • Training staff. • Commissioning options surveys (or other research). • Supervising advertising – liaison with advertising agency – if this comes within the PR department. • Liaison with politicians and civil servants. • Official openings of new premises – arrangements for VIPs, guest and press • Arranging visits by royalty, MPs, VIPs, foreign visitors. • Celebrating centenaries, Presidential, Mayor for Industry, etc. • Organising feedback of press cuttings, radio and television transcripts and monitoring and other and other reports from outside. • Analysis of feedback and evolution of the results of efforts in relation to the declared objectives.
Advantages and Disadvantages of PR Manager and Department Advantages: Generally, it can be said that irrespective of whether or not a PR consultancy is retained, the advantages of having an in-house PR unit which is run by a PR manager provides the following benefits: 1. Is familiar with his or her own organisation. 2. May also have specialist knowledge or experience of the trade, industry or subject with which the organisation is concerned. 3. Can easily establish lines of communication inside the organisation and so get reliable information quickly. 4. Is on the spot and can act swiftly, or get quick decisions in an emergency. 5. Is in a strong position to give management day-to-day advice.
Disadvantages While it is advisable for any organisation to have a qualified PR manager, there can be disadvantages: 1. The PR manager could be so close to the organization, or so enthusiastic about it, as to be biased. This could be reflected in his or her writing, to the disadvantages of the organization. The media are very cynical about this sort of thing. Similarly, if the mistakes are made of mixing PR with other activities, such as advertising, marketing or sales, the media will be very suspicious of material coming from, for instance, a ‘publicity manager’ or a ‘publicity department‘. Advertising, marketing and sales people are so used to buying space from the advertisement department of the media that they rarely understanding that PR material has to be supplied to the editorial departments, which speak a totally different language. 2. If he or she is properly trained and qualified, the PR manager could be a liability. 3. The PR Manager may be simply given the title of the PRO by management which sees this as a good way of promoting a senior person ‗sideways‘ and so he or she will dabble in a profession about which little is known. Management must ensure competence. 4. Management may not have an agreed job specification that enables the PR manager to take on the responsibilities such as indicated in 5th advantage above and do the work outlined in the PR activities.
SWOT Analysis SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture. It involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favourable and unfavourable to achieving that objective. If a SWOT analysis does not start with defining a desired end state or objective, it runs the risk of being useless. A SWOT analysis may be incorporated into the strategic planning model • Strengths: attributes of the organization that is helpful to achieving the objective. • Weaknesses: attributes of the organization that is harmful to achieving the objective. • Opportunities: external conditions that is helpful to achieving the objective. • Threats: external conditions which could do damage to the business's performance.
Creative Use of SWOT‟s: Generating Strategies If, on the other hand, the objective seems attainable, the SWOTs are used as inputs to the creative generation of possible strategies, by asking and answering each of the following four questions, many times: • How can we Use and Capitalize on each Strength? • How can we Improve each Weakness? • How can we Exploit and Benefit from each Opportunity? • How can we Mitigate each Threat?
Matching and converting Another way of utilizing SWOT is matching and converting. Matchingis used to find competitive advantages by matching the strengths to opportunities. Convertingis to apply conversion strategies to convert threats or weaknesses into strengths or opportunities. An example of conversion strategy is to find new markets. If the threats or weaknesses cannot be converted a company should try to minimize or avoid them. This analysis provides an opportunity for the PR officer to evaluate his or her progress. As a student you too can analysis your successes in fact anyone can. The following questions are often asked: • What‘s working? What were my specific successes and achievements over the past year? • What‘s not working? What were my frustrations and disappointments?
