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About Public Relations Specialist

Public relations specialist represents organization, special interest groups, government, media or even non-profit associations or a political party and is responsible for building a brand image of each of these, among the target 'public'. This target public can be consumers, particular section of society, society in general, employees of a company or even general public.

Often an individual's image to the public or to his target media is build and maintained by public relations specialist. They act as a strong bridge between the group that they are representing and their target sections. This bridge is based on careful and planned marketing approach. Extensive and intensive good contacts in sections like media, unions representing labor, consumer forums, or even with general public is an essential criterion for a good public relations specialist. Understanding consumer physche also is an important attribute, which a good public relations specialist must have in order to position or launch a product/service of a company.

Role of a Public Relations Specialist

Maintaining a cordial relation although is the primary role, yet a public relations specialist task is much more complex and extensive. Informing the public about government's strategies and target is a task, which the department of public affairs (a public relations specialist cell) performs. Creating a general awareness about social issues like HIV, hygiene, environmental issues like pollution, health hazards etc are some of the common assignments, which a public relation manager takes up on behalf of the specialist non-profit organization or a government.

Informing the management about public reaction, consumer behavior towards a product/service, customer attitudes, tastes and preferences are some of the vital roles, which the public relations specialist is asked to perform. A Company's vice president or chief of marketing in general takes up this sort of tasks. They are also used in brand building exercise in the market.

A public relations specialist is very often asked to launch or re-position a brand in the market. This type of roles is becoming a common practice, as the public relations in itself, has emerged a strong tool of marketing. Public relation specialist usually does an indirect approach of selling a brand to the target audience in two phases.

One: Portray a problem, which the target customer faces in relevance to the product/service.

Two: Position the brand as the solution to their problem.

An example will help us understand. Suppose, a herbal soap is needed to be launched. Apart from direct marketing technique, which a company employs, public relations specialist is called upon to find a problem, which is faced by the general customer, say working ladies. Now they find that working ladies, due to time constraint cannot pamper themselves. The solution is the usage of herbal soap. The product will be so poised such that it can take care of their skin easily and no other cosmetics needs to be applied, if it's used.

Thus, knowing customer's physche is very much important while performing any roles, which a smart public relations specialist must have.

Public Relations in Marketing

Today marketing has become a severe challenge to the business community. Marketing does not mean hard selling, only. It means much more than that. Yes, brand adherence has evolved a key factor in marketing. Keeping the consumer adhered to a brand is the task which the public relations specialist performs. They prepare product literature, articles, brochures, assist in making short films, program promos etc. to maintain a constant communication with the public or an interest group. Short surveys, contest, opinion polls, gifting of freebies and creating co branding ideas are some of the tasks which public relations specialist undertake.

Marketing today has given birth to a new group of professionals, who does not limit themselves in writing press releases. Media exposure exploitation by arranging interviews, debates, sponsorships of prizes, promotion of events are a host of allied marketing services, which no longer are the roles of a typical marketing manager. Yes, they have become a key role for the brand publicists better known as public relations specialist.

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