Public Relations for Hollywood Movies

It is amazing the amount of money that Hollywood spends promoting its movies and public-relations efforts and it seems they spend more money on public-relations and community goodwill then they actually do in advertising or marketing. Public relations, publicity stunts and getting the actors to go on talk shows very much helps the movie industry promote their flicks. But, public relations for Hollywood movies is not as easy as it looks, in fact, if it is done incorrectly it can actually hurt the movie.

Of course the right amount of controversy also helps sell tickets as long as that controversy does not cross into taboo and thus causing boycotts from family type groups. Public relations specialists for Hollywood movies make much more money than their counterparts in other industries and it is a choice job.

The insiders in Hollywood know what it's all about and if they are able to promote the movie and get free publicity and public relations out properly, then they will win at the box office. Even if the film is not that good it still might reach the $50 million weekend mark simply through good public relations.

Of course if the movie is good there will be word-of-mouth advertising after that and even more people will see it. The goal is to get the first group of people to go see the Hollywood movie and then run around and say how great it was. Please consider all this in 2006.

What Does a Public Relations Company Do For a Typical Hollywood Star?

The longevity of a Hollywood star's career totally depends on how they are perceived in the public eye. If a star falls out of favor with the public, or if they aren't in plain view on a regular basis, then no matter what their level of talent - the jobs begin to go away and they eventually get forgotten.

So how does a typical Hollywood star keep all this from happening, and stay in the good graces of the general populous? Enter a top notch public relations company - a good PR company can handle a wide variety of tasks to ensure that their Hollywood star clients continue to be considered for the best parts available.

Good Deeds Widely Advertised

A good public relations firm will make sure that word on any and all good deeds and acts of good will are widely distributed to the public. Participation in charity events and charitable contributions, volunteer work and active membership in advocacy groups and organizations are all things that are flooded into the public eye.

Well written press releases, press conferences, interviews and appearances will all be scheduled to get the word out to as many ears and eyes as possible. When a star does anything good for humanity or the environment - a good pr company will do its best to make sure that every last person that may be interested or impressed by the news gets to hear it.

Marathons for charities, adoptions, picketing for causes and getting their hands dirty to aid in disaster recovery are all things that can sky rocket a Hollywood star's status and whether they're doing those things because the cause is really and truly important to them or just to win favor with their dwindling fan base - a good public relations firm will get the good word out to all fronts.

Fixing Problems

For every celebrity that breaks their back performing dozens of good deeds, there is another who can't stop using drugs, can't keep their mouth closed when necessary or can't keep their clothes on in public. For this group of Hollywood stars, a good pr company is a necessity to keep things from falling apart as the drama unfolds.

As much as good publicity can turn a career around for the better, bad publicity can send it right down the toilet. As much as the public wants to hear about all of the Hollywood stars who are having troubles, not so many want those problem laden stars to be a huge success and studios don't want to associate themselves with Hollywood stars who have nothing but problems.

A good public relations firm can literally make most of the bad scenarios go away. Drug addictions that need rehab are released to the media as treatments for exhaustion from being overworked and for problems that are more severe or pronounced, public heartfelt apologies are made through press releases and appearances. Even the most heinous incidents will often be forgiven if a wayward Hollywood star makes an apology with a believable amount of remorse for the situation.

Media Tours

For the typical star with no problems to speak of, or no outstanding contributions to society, a pr company can send them on a whirlwind media tour to talk about their work. The daytime and evening talk show circuit and sit down interviews with entertainment magazines will keep the star exactly where they need to be - positively placed directly in the view of potential fans. A pr firm will set up all of these interviews and make sure that they are structured in a manner as to shed positive light on their client.

The tasks that a good PR company is capable are many, but the single main objective for a PR company working with anyone in the entertainment industry is simple - keep them looking good to the public and make sure that their fan base gets bigger rather than smaller.

The Importance of Public Relations in Your Business

Public relations or PR can become an important issue once you put yourself in a position of public visibility. Ordinary people don't have this kind of worries but for people such as celebrities, sports superstars, politicians and businessmen it's an important consideration. Public relations is an important factor to the success of certain careers. Movie stars and musicians need their fan base to patronize their movies and shows. Sports superstars need the support of their fan as well. Politicians need to look good in the public eye because a bad reputation can cause them to lose in the next election. Becoming an elected public official is a matter of public trust.

Similar to celebrities and politicians, businessmen are concerned with public relations too. You have to remember that virtually all businesses are dependent on repeat customers. If you have a poor relationship with your customers it could potentially have a negative effect on their decision regarding doing business with you again. When you are into business, the single most significant factor affecting your revenue is sales. In turn sales can be affected positively of negatively based on a number of factors. This includes the reputation of your business; the quality of your products and services; and the relationship you establishment have with the customers.

If your business has a bad reputation, it can affect sales. If you products and services are of poor quality, it will affect your sales. If your establishment has a poor relationship with your clientele, it will also affect your sales. Public relations can have a huge bearing on how your business would turn out. This is why major companies hire people just to handle the public relations for the company. That's why we have what some people call PR manager. Their job is to take care of public relations; that's it and nothing more.

Good PR is essential for a successful business. This is especially true as your business gets bigger. The business community is a very social community so your relationship with the people around you matters a lot. Bad PR can affect the reputation of your business; your personal reputation and the capacity of your business to generate profit. Large companies hire PR people to do this. These people are hired to make sure that the business maintains good PR with its customers and the public. However, hiring people to handle public relations means you have to spend money. This is all good if you have a big business. You can hire a PR manager to take care of things for you and having a PR manager leaves you free to do more important things.

While good PR is important it need not be expensive. You just have to make sure that you deliver good products and services; at the same time you have to make sure that your employees treat your customers right. As long as you do things right your business will be in good shape. Bad PR usually arises from bad situations involving you or your business so make sure to keep your nose clean.

Public Relations for Public Relations Companies

Public relations for public relations companies is one of the most important tools to expand their business. After all if a public-relations company is really good then other companies will see this and want to hire them. When a company hires a public-relations team they expect 100% best efforts.

As the public-relations company does a good job they also need to toot their own horn. How can the public-relations company to its own horn and without detracting from the company they are promoting?

There are many ways actually and often you will see their logo at the bottom of a web site, on a press release or advertising. Sometimes the public-relations companies will give a discount to the client in order to do this. Often when we see a very good marketing campaign, public interest story or community-based marketing program; we say to ourselves Wow! And we want to know who is behind it; often what we find is that it is a public-relations specialist team promoting a product or service for their client.

It makes sense that public-relations is a big part of how a public-relations company would market itself to potential clients, corporations and organizations, which might hire it. Public relations companies must promote community goodwill with government agencies, nonprofit groups and local corporations.

They are often involved in the Industry Associations and Chambers of Commerce. No public-relations company is without good public-relations and if they cannot market themselves then no one is going to hire them.

Who Needs A Public Relations Specialist?

An organization's reputation, branding, profitability, growth, and future success depend on how effectively they reach and motivate their targeted audiences. Public relations specialists are communication and media professionals acting as advocates for businesses, hospitals, medical professionals, corporations, universities, nonprofit associations and other organizations. Their specialty is building and promoting positive relationships with targeted audiences for their client's.

Entrepreneurs, professional service providers, small business owners and business managers are increasingly looking to Public Relations Specialists for assistance with strategic planning.

What does a Public Relations Specialist do?

PR Professionals or firms handling publicity for individuals or small organizations often deal with all aspects of the job. They are in involved in making and maintaining contacts and relationships, strategizing and planning, and preparation of promotional materials. They either manage or are directly involved in advertising or sales promotional work in support of marketing.

Depending on the organization's needs, PR Specialists are involved with the following:

    * Media relations
    * Press Releases
    * Press Conferences
    * Speaking Engagements
    * Media Tours
    * Marketing
    * Advertising
    * Interview Preparation and Coaching
    * Governmental Relations
    * Employee Relations
    * Investor Relations
    * Reputation Management
    * Crisis Management & Communications


The Public Relations Process

There are a number of widely accepted "Public Relations Process Models". One of the more popular is the process model by Sheila C. Crifasi (2000) which uses the acronym "ROSIE" to define a five-step process of "Research, Objectives, Strategies, Implementation and Evaluation."

As with just about any professional service, the project starts with some due-diligence and analysis. Objectives are defined along with the strategies to achieve those goals. Media tools are selected and prepared at this stage. Implementation includes materials preparation and release. Program success or failure is determined in the Evaluation stage.

In recent years the Internet has greatly contributed to the selection and accessibility of media tools with real time feedback. These tools are highly prized by marketing and public relations professionals because they provide immediate information on a program's effectiveness.

The principal instrument for most publicity campaigns is the "press release", which provides the mass media with the raw material and background for a news story. There are several on-line Press Release Agencies with targeted syndicated feeds to thousands of journalists world wide, such as PRWeb (www.prweb.com). The better on-line Press Agents provide the original publicist with continual "real time" feedback, including how many journalists have read the News Release.

The client organization's website statistics is another valuable online analytical tool is. Most website hosting companies provide options for access to a detailed statistical tool such as WebTrends (www.webtrends.com). Statistics are updated on a daily basis allowing trends to be spotted at the beginning of a publicity campaign. This near real time feedback helps provide the necessary information required by professionals to effectively manage a campaign while maximizing impact and ROI (Return on Investment).

Another popular publicity tool is "article submission". As with the Press Release, there are also good sources for targeted and syndicated Article Submission on the Internet such as GoArticles (www.goarticles.com). These articles are often picked up by other websites generating valuable links and targeted traffic to a client's website.

Selecting a Public Relations Firm

When choosing a PR Firm an organization is selecting the professionals who will be molding its image for clients and customers, the public and for the media. Image is reality in many societies, this decision can have far-reaching effects.

Here are some suggestions on how to select a PR Firm:

1. Determine your most important PR needs. For Example; Are you launching a new product or service? Are you in a crisis management situation? Do you need to establish a relationship with investors?

2. Determine how long you will need the PR services if possible. Is it a long term or even permanent goal such as establishing and maintaining a relationship with investors, or is it a short term project such as promoting a break-through surgical procedure? Remember most PR Firms will ask for at least a 6 month commitment in order to become established and demonstrate affectivity.

3. Research PR Firms. Ask colleagues and business acquaintances? O'Dwyer's Directory is a good Internet resource. If you are looking for someone local, specify the geographical region in your Internet search. Many PR Firms and Individuals specialize. When doing Internet research on PR Firms, some may have "Case Studies" which reveal details about strategic successes.

4. Conduct phone interviews with the person who would be handling the account if you were to select that agency. Strongly consider similar experience and personal or corporate compatibility throughout the phone and in face to face interviews.

5. Ask for and check references. Most PR Firms have an on-line presence which usually sports a client list. New or Small Firms will often be less expensive than larger firms have more resources to throw at a large project with time constraints. Smaller firms tend to specialize and may know your business very well.

6. Conduct meetings with the prospective candidates and present your program requirements. Look for genuine interest and healthy idea generation. Larger Firms may send an account representative to a meeting. Ask to meet with the PR specialist who will actually be doing the work, especially if long term compatibility is important.

The Escalating Demand for Corporate Accountability

The need for professional public relations in an increasingly competitive business environment is igniting demand for Public Relations Specialists by businesses, organizations and institutions of all sizes. The value of a company is measured by its balance sheet, but continued success is determined by the quality of its public visibility.

The escalating public, investor and governmental demand for corporate accountability will continue to place emphasis on building public confidence and favorable client image, which are best managed by Public Relations Professionals.

Hotel Public Relations Explained - How to Jumpstart Your Public Relations Hotel Marketing Plan

Most hotels think of hotel public relations and marketing as afterthoughts. Advertising a hotel is a great first step, but in these days of both out-of-the box thinking and remarkable new ways to approach media, advertising alone won't do it. A strong, strategic message that encompasses everything from social media to event planning, along with more traditional marketing/advertising such as direct mail, ensures that your hotel or chain will stand out from the crowd.

What is Hotel PR?

Hotel public relations includes a diverse set of activities, such as newsletters and traditional press relations, planning special events, creating trips for travel writers (so they will favorably cover your hotel), and online marketing including developing a social media presence, as well as some unexpected choices, such as community philanthropy.

PR is the unsung hero in the sales/marketing/branding world. Done right, it can establish your credibility with potential new clients, raise awareness of your brand, and cost you much less than traditional advertising. In fact, probably the most cost-effective method available to you is hotel public relations. Creating story seeds, or even full-blown stories, with the modern media means being featured in blogs, on web sites, and with aggregators, as well as in traditional print and online magazines, trade journals, and newspapers.

Think Vegas...

You've seen the hotels on the Vegas strip, each more gaudy than the last, or more elegant, or both. How do they stand out in a marketplace so crowded there is literally nothing else? They learn to differentiate themselves (the hook), to tell a story unlike the others (the theme) and to build relationships with the media and their clients (the network).

Hotel public relations starts by determining your PR strategies and allocating a budget. This will include distribution of traditional media releases (which these days include multimedia elements such as photography), developing special events, and creating opportunities to interact with and entertain reporters and travel writers. Skip the clipping service in favor of having your PR rep set up Google Alerts, and know that everything in this area of your business is changing faster than you can keep up. That's where your PR expert will really earn their money.

Hire Right!

Allocate staff to act as spokespersons to each hotel - a media rep - and start by outsourcing your PR. Hotel public relations must be done properly, by experts and not as an afterthought; you can always change your mind later and bring the position in-house, but the job will require someone who can speak to the media, write a strong well-worded press release with a headline that will make the phone ring, and who will bring existing media relationships to the table, thereby jump-starting your PR with no ramp-up time, which translates into dollars saved for you.

If you can give yourself a year's window to see the results of your hotel public relations campaign, you'll note an uptick in awareness and an ongoing strategic base you can draw your customers from, which should also translate into increased sales and perhaps also a welcome reduction in your advertising budget.

Stick with hotel PR and you will notice the long-term benefits of continued awareness and loyalty among customers who demand that they are not just advertised to, and appreciate the more subtle marketing of good PR.

Public Relations - Avoiding Disasters

In our previous article in our public relations series we discussed how to land you first job in the field of public relations. In this article we're going to briefly touch on what exactly public relations is and how complex it has become in our modern world.

If you were to look up public relations in the dictionary you would find one of the following definitions.

1. The art or science of establishing and promoting a favorable relationship with the public.

2. The methods and activities employed to establish and promote a favorable relationship with the public.

3. The degree of success obtained in achieving a favorable relationship with the public.

4. (as a noun) a promotion intended to create goodwill for a person or institution.

Unfortunately, the methods used in definition 2 to create a positive effect in definition 1 are not always what people would consider scrupulous and the success we achieve in definition 3 is many times destroyed by those methods.

In today's world of immediate news access, public relations is more critical than ever. With stories breaking literally minutes after an event, public relations firms sometimes have little to no time in order to put out fires.

One need not look far to find public relations disasters, some being actual acts of God. When a natural disaster such as a hurricane hits a particular region that depends on tourism for much of its income, it is difficult to try to sell to the rest of the world that the region is still a great place to come and visit, to spend their vacation dollars. The recent hurricane that hit New Orleans is a perfect example. A public relations firm would have to literally be wizards to get anyone to come to a city that is now a ghost town.

Then there are the public relations disasters that are man made, such as the torturing of prisoners in Iraq. The public relations people of the US government had the near impossible task of trying to put a positive spin on this event. The war in general has been a difficult thing to sell to the American people.

Of course the most common public relations disasters are those associated with big business. An example of this, and there are many to choose from, would be when Coca Cola had to defend itself against allegations from Pepsi that its product manufactured in India contained high levels of toxins. The way the two companies handled this matter only added more fuel to the fire.

When someone eats in a fast food restaurant and finds things in their food that don't belong there, this is another public relations nightmare for the company. Again, in most cases when these things happen, the company only makes things worse by either denying the allegations or trying to cover them up.

The best way for any company, or government for that matter, to handle public relations nightmares is to deal with the situation honestly; present the facts and state their plan for correcting the problem. Most importantly, take responsibility. In today's world people expect honesty. If we give them the facts and our intentions for dealing with the situation honestly, most public relations nightmares can be avoided. Unfortunately, this is a lesson most of us have not yet learned.

Public Relations for State Parks

Many State Parks in the United States do an excellent job of public relations and give out important information to tourists and tourist's centers. Most are involved heavily with the local Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Association. This is because by working with these groups they can alert more people of the State Park and its beauty, trails and sights and increase tourism, which is wonderful for local businesses and that means more jobs in the area and more monetary flows into the communities.

Public Relations for State Parks is hardly a walk in the park however as there is also a balance between nature and the business community and therefore at times they maybe at odds as more and more people come to visit it means more and more growth, the need for more or larger roads in the park and more camp grounds too. All this causes issues, but the local community knows it makes its money from the tourists, so give us all you got!

Public relations for state parks is not an easy job and sometimes there is more turnover than is necessary due to pure politics. The trick is to develop goals and objectives early on for the state park and to ensure by-in to these goals and objectives or mission statement with the local business community. A public relations officer for a state park has one of the toughest jobs in our nation's park system and the dynamics that they are involved with are indeed interrelated to nearly every aspect of the local community. Please consider all this in 2006.

Union of the Trio - Public Relations Vs Publicity and Their Role in Marketing

There's a fallacy that most public relations firms do PR. Essentially they do publicity. How's that possible, you ask? Well, this according to marketing gurus and what's stated in Wikipedia (as follows): "Public relations and publicity are not synonymous but many PR campaigns include provisions for publicity. Publicity is the spreading of information to gain public awareness for a product, person, service, cause or organization, and can be seen as a result of effective PR planning." PR, then, is the creative strategy of a story. It's focused on its intended audience and with the full utilization of the tools at its disposal, such as press releases, speeches and public service activities amongst others, can determine what and how people talk about a company, a brand, a product.

Steve Jobs and the new Mac successfully got placed on the cover of more than 30 magazines in the year the product launched. That's referred to as "publicity". However, the real challenge was crafting the storyline of the Mac - along the story of Steve Jobs. That's PR work at its finest.

Press Releases in Tune with the Times

The words "Press Release" or "Press Statement" go back a long while when such written communication were printed and released to the press to spread their noteworthy news. These days the more common term used is "News Release" since it has a broader meaning. Materials are now posted online, either via newswire services, within a company and to other non-paid and to some extent, paid sources. As for the term "Media Release", it's like a brief newspaper article that is sent to media outlets to gain their interest and if they accept it, they will then publish a story about it.

Demystifying the Roles of PR and Marketing

In the same way that PR and Publicity are not equal, same goes for the former and marketing. Marketing is interested in the understanding of the consumer to meet his/her needs/desires, the goals of the company and to help the company find a way to profitably meet those needs. Public relations, on the other hand, works to build relationships with various sources, reduce conflict and improve cooperation between a company and its intended audience. Marketing focuses on selling and packaging products or services, whereas, public relations is more about reputation, crisis and image management as well as brand building. As the renowned marketing strategist Al Ries succinctly stated, "PR builds brands. Advertising maintains brands once they are built by PR." Clever public relations will undoubtedly create a healthy environment for marketing. This requires a team with innovative minds.

Marketing and PR, therefore work best when they are treated as separate organizational functions. Nonetheless, they must coordinate in a team effort to make certain they are working to achieve the same objectives. Advertising is an effective marketing tool and frequently used in conjunction with PR, sales promotion and personal selling strategies in a marketing mix.

It's the Image Silly

Any seasoned PR practitioner will tell you that a favorable corporate reputation and image are an essential part of their mission whether it's to retain, recapture their clients' credibility or to promote a favorable impression for a public company's existing and potential investors. Companies, however, should too be proactive and focus on their behavior instead on words alone. As for brand building and awareness, a PR firm can implement a great brand story and distribute it through the appropriate target media which will be perceived as authentic and unbiased as opposed to a paid advertisement.

To retain the shine on one's brand assets, companies are encouraged to frequent online chatter where people exchange gossip and views. Prevention is undoubtedly better than cure. By spotting problems early you could seize on an impasse before it spreads further and tarnishes your reputation.

Survey Says!

To offer a noteworthy rationale for media exposure, depending on the industry one's in, companies should consider hiring a polling firm to conduct a survey about some worthwhile trend which is relevant to their product or service and which would be of interest to the general public or a niche market. The results from the credible poll can be used as an ideal story line for the media. A case in point is Berlitz Canada which carried-out a poll, through Harris/Decima during several days in March 2008, via an online panel, sampling 1,277 adult Canadians about the benefits of being bilingual or multilingual - especially with regards to career advancement opportunities. The results were exploited by being turned into a publicity feat which formed additional exposure Berlitz wouldn't have otherwise received in the traditional sense.

Customer Care in an Ideal World

What is the meaning of paying a PR firm to glorify your reputation along with your product or service if you can't deliver on your promises. Today's consumer is not simply sophisticated but with the swift access to the Internet he/she can vent their frustration online through Twitter, blogs and plenty more social media sources. Much is touted by companies about customer service/relations but surprisingly only a few actually deliver on their promises. At the outset, it appears that many lack a vital customer relations policy including inadequate staff training and coaching. Picking up the telephone and calling certain companies can sometimes lead to an exasperating experience. People love to hate the phone tree encounter where you have to go through a maze of menus until you eventually get to speak to a human - assuming you're lucky. It shouldn't have to be that way. Dealing with a company's customer service center should be an efficient and pleasant event. Companies should place toll-free numbers in visible and large type on their labels. Calls should be answered on the first or second ring and no phone tree. The trained person who handles the calls should be congenial, apologetic and non-argumentative. Amex and Apple are two such companies which seem to have achieved this. Hire mystery shoppers to gauge your service performance and report their experience/feedback.

What's Next?

PR, the New Media and Talent for Hire Over the years, clients have become more demanding of their service providers. They have come to expect more personalized interaction, customized solutions, timely results and most certainly a "bang for their buck". PR firms are expected to be more transparent, specialized in particular fields, rather than general practitioners, and embrace the de-facto new media sources - the online social media which is nowadays being integrated with PR. This includes blogging, Twittering, social networking and viral marketing amongst others. That is to say, be in the forefront of new fields of media and communication which will be fully utilized in the business of influencing perceptions.

In addition, one other notable trend is towards widespread audio and video production and communication. From podcasting to mobile video, audio and video will predominate in our world. PR has traditionally been all about effective written communications. While that will remain important, the new skills required to be part of a society driven by other media forms will be critical. With the plethora of multinational and boutique PR firms out there, differentiation in the delivery of services, personalized service and focus in niche markets/industries will be the determining core value equation.

Hiring the right practitioners should include candidates with a variety of business experience especially in marketing, negotiations including strong written communications. Additionally, prospective PR practitioners should possess soft skills, common sense, a flair to think laterally and be someone who gets excited by ideas. A communications or marketing degree should be considered an asset rather than a pre-requisite.

PR practitioners need more skills today than at any time in the past because there are more tasks, more media and more tools. Hence, a comprehensive in-house training program, as well as outside educational encouragement and support, should be part of a firm's perquisites to their staff. The fact of the matter is, companies that invest in their employee's education and training receive loyalty and better results from them.

James D. Roumeliotis is no stranger to the luxury lifestyle domain and is equally skilled in sales, marketing & negotiating. As the founder and former managing director of a successful large yacht charter & brokerage firm in the Mediterranean, James has dealt with significant and discerning clientele worldwide. Offering impeccable service was and still remains his forte. Previously he was involved in the financial services industry for 10 years, initially in sales and subsequently as a sales director in Canada and in the United States. Born, raised and educated in Montreal, Canada, he is multilingual and possesses a receptive & international mindset. Presently, he acts as an adviser to small and medium sized companies on issues of sales management, marketing and entrepreneurship.

The Best Ways to Distribute Your Public Relations Resume

Whether you are an entry level public relations associate or a high-level publicist, you may want to change jobs. Your resume will be the focal point of your own personal public relations campaign. You only need to find out the best ways to distribute it.

Media jobs like public relations are in demand by certain companies. One can do research to determine which of these companies are best to work for and provide the best salary and benefits. It takes an enormous amount of patience and work, but one can discover where to place one's resume.

An easier way to go about this is to go through a resume distribution service to get the names of companies one wants to target. The information about companies one chooses to pursue, coming from one's own work or that of a consultant, is the beginning of the process.

You, or the resume distribution service, can email your resumes to the specific companies you have selected. If you do not know how to do a mass email, it is time to learn. Set it up so that the resume goes to the email in-boxes of every hiring manager of every company on your list. The work may be in finding out the email addresses of the employers.

One can find many employers' email addresses from their company websites. There may even be a special email address for job seekers. Another way to find out employers' email addresses is through networking in one's local area.

If one finds it nearly impossible to find the companies' information that they want, a career consultant can help with this problem. This person should have a virtual rolodex with all the contact information of all the company's hiring agents you wish to reach.

However, if one goes this route, the service will likely include the resume distribution itself. If one is willing to pay for this, it can be a valuable service. It relieves the pressure from one to be able to include all the desirable companies.

One can personalize this service with resume distribution service even further. One may have certain specific companies that should not, under any circumstances, be contacted with a resume. These could include companies where one has worked in the currently or in the past.

The service can red-flag these companies and keep one's resume from going to them. If one does not want to have responses come directly to one, some resume distribution services will set up a special email account. From that account, inquiries can be sorted to be answered or to be ruled out. The sender will not be able to flood your regular inbox with junk email if you do not contact them.

As a public relations worker, you know the value of well-placed personal promotion. That is all resume distribution is. One must perfect the resume package and find the right companies one wants to receive it. Then, it is just a matter of getting those resumes delivered and funneling the feedback to return to you.

Role of the Public Relation Firm

Before you get the answer for the above let us understand what the Public relation means. It is a method and an art or science of establishing and promoting favorable relations with the public. That's why it's called public relation. Therefore the main function of the this firm is to build relations between the organization and its public or people involved in order to achieve the organizational goals.

It also is the job of this firm to build a desirable image of a person or a group seeking public attention. It's a way of communicating that helps the person or group to gain public understanding and acceptance. Its primary focus is to resolve or deal with any issues of the person or group rather than the product or service of the person or group.

The goal of this relation firm uses publicity to gain good will rather than sales. It is a form of advertising the person or group to show that the organization goals are aimed to achieve the best for its public involved. Commonly used tools of public relations include news releases, press conferences, speaking engagements, and community service programs.

The closest experience you would have had with public relation firm is the Human resource department (formally known as the HR department) in your own company. Their main job is to provide the organization with people who are productive and an asset to the organization and maintain the relation between the organization and employee. The relation between the employee and organization is maintained through communication. Further they are involved in motivating the employees and retain them in the organization by initiating various incentives and bonuses form the organization, in turn helping the organization have happy people who work for them and know they work for a good organization that cares for its employees need. Indirectly the HR department creates a good will for the organization in the market through its employees.

In the present market as communication plays an important role in the growth of an individual or organization (group) the public relation firms come into play and are the vital requirement to build the relations. They use their communication skills and techniques to build and manage relations and keep an open dialogue between an organization or individuals audiences those who influence them.

Tips For Effective Public Relations

As we all know Public Relations is a set of activities, which an organization undertakes to generate a widespread acceptance among its various public. The term public would include all the stakeholders of the company, viz. customers, suppliers, shareholders, other business associates and not to forget the employees who visualize bright career prospective with the organization.

PR has to be a continuous process that targets all the above listed stakeholders. Many feel that PR activities help you to build a positive image among people. But image cannot be built; it has to be earned, earned over the years by providing quality products and services. Public Relation's job is basically to communicate and strengthen this image.

Here are some tips for effective public relations that will come handy when you chart out PR strategies for your organization:

- Managing Media Relations: PR activities need wide use of media, and to gain media confidence and support it is necessary that you be open to provide media the information they require. The biggest blunder that any PRO can make is to lie to media. Thus make sure that you supply only true facts to them.

- Words of Mouth: A word of mouth always has more impact than any form of advertisement can have. And the best people to carry words of mouth messages are your employees. They will speak high of the organization and its products only when they themselves believe in it. Thus public relations first have to begin in-house, targeting your employees.

- Localize your Campaigns: Your PR campaign will touch the hearts of the target audience only when they can relate themselves to it. Thus your PR campaign with the broader global outlook should have the local touch in it.

- Get Right People for the Job: For any organization the biggest strength are its employees. Thus the success of your PR activities at your workplace will also depend upon the people whom you assign your PR Jobs to. Thus while you undertake recruitment, look for experienced people who know the need of the hour. The reason being, PR is all about communicating right things at the right time.

- Fulfill your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Being socially responsible will get you in the good books of your stakeholders as well as the media. It will also give you a reason to feel proud of. You do not necessarily have to spend high on the CSR campaigns. You can associate yourself with non-profit organizations supporting a good cause.