Elements of Public Relations

Counseling -- Providing advice to the management of an organization concerning policies, relationships and communications; in effect, "what to do."

Research -- Determining attitudes and behaviors of publics and their causes in order to plan, implement and measure activities to influence or change the attitudes and behavior.

Media Relations -- Relating with communications media in seeking publicity or responding to their interest in an organization.

Publicity -- Disseminating planned messages through selected media without payment to further an organization's interest.

Employee/Member Relations -- Responding to concerns and informing and motivating an organization's employees or members, its retirees and their families.

Community Relations -- Continuing, planned and active participation with and within a community to maintain and enhance its environment to the benefit of both an organization and the community.

Public Affairs -- Developing effective involvement in public policy, and helping an organization adapt to public expectations; also, term used by military services and some government agencies to describe their public relations activities.

Government Affairs -- Relating directly with legislatures and regulatory agencies on behalf of an organization, usually by military services and some government agencies to describe their public relations activities.

Issues Management -- Identifying and addressing issues of public concern in which an organization is, or should be, concerned.

Financial Relations -- Creating and maintaining investor confidence and building positive relationships with the financial community; also, sometimes known as Investor Relations or Shareholder Relations.

Industry Relations -- Relating with other firms in the industry of an organization and with trade associations.

Development/Fund Raising -- Demonstrating the need for and encouraging an organization's members, friends, supporters and others to voluntarily contribute to support it.

Minority Relations/Multicultural Affairs -- Relating with individuals and groups in minorities.

Special Events and Public Participation -- Stimulating an interest in a person, product or organization by means of a focused "happening;" also, activities designed to enable an organization to listen to and interact with publics.

Marketing Communications -- Combination of activities designed to sell a product, service or idea, including advertising, collateral materials, publicity, promotion, packaging, point-of-sale display, trade shows and special events.