PUBLIC RELATIONS
PROCESS

1. Define the meaning of Public Relations Process.
2. Understand the importance and use of research.
3. Outline the four step problem solving processes.
4. Identify types of public relations research methods.
5. List the importance of planning and programming.
6. Define and identify the importance of communication and action.
7. List barriers to effective communication.
8. Define and identify the methods of assessment in evaluation.

 Public relation process is the act that outlines the
various steps to be undertaken before implementing
any program or event to ensure the success of the
program.
 Practitioners in public relations use a four-step problem
solving process which are:
Defining the problem or opportunity
Planning and Programming
Taking action and communicating
Evaluating the program

 This first step involves probing and monitoring
knowledge, opinions, attitudes and behaviors of those
concerned with and affected by the acts and policies of
an organization. In essence this is an organization’s
intelligence function.
 It provides the foundation for all the other steps in the
problem solving process by determining ‘what’s
happening now?’

 Information gathered in the first step is used to make
decisions about program publics, objectives, action and
communication strategies, tactics and goals.
 This involves factoring the findings from the first step into
policies and programs of the organizations.
 This second step is the process answers, “based on what
we have learned about the situation, what should we
changed or do and say?”

 This step involved implementing the program of action
and communication design to achieve the specific
objectives for each of the publics to accomplished the
program goal.
 The questions in this step are “who should do and say it,
and when, where and how?”

 The final step in the process involved assessing the
preparation, implementation and results of the program.
 Adjustments are made while the program is being
implemented based on evaluation feedback on how it is
working or not working.
 Programs are continued or stopped after learning, “How
are we doing or how did we do?

The first step of public relations process is defining the
problem. This is done through research.
WHAT IS RESEARCH?
Research is systematic collection and interpretation of
data to increase understanding.
(Fraser Seitel)

WHAT IS RESEARCH?
Research as the controlled, objective and systematic
gathering of information for the purpose of describing
and understanding. (Broom and Dozier)
 Research is the first step of PR process.
 PR practitioner must know the actual problem before
launching any PR program.
 Research helps PR practitioner to pinpoint actual
problem through information gathering.

Research can be divided into two broad categories:
1. Informal research – Qualitative
 Do not focus on statistical data to explain the
results of information gathered.
 It is a good method for detecting and exploring
problem situations and for pre-testing research
program strategies.
 Descriptive and informative but not measurable
 Results may represent only the opinion of vocal
minority rather than the majority.
 “ Exploratory” purpose.
(Lindenmann, 1993)

1. Organizational materials – includes organization’s
policy statements, annual reports, pamphlets,
newsletters.
2. Library research – includes reference books, other
scholarly publications and books and journal about
particular subject.
3. On-line database – research of information through
computer using on-line data base.

4. Content analysis – applied to news stories about an
organization through paper clipping, letters and phone
calls.
5. Interviewing – consist of intercept interviews and
purposive interviews.
6. Focus group interview – help identify attitudes and
motivations of important public to formulate or pretest
themes and communication strategies before
launching a full campaign. ( To gather information
useful for developing a questionnaire).

2. Formal Research – Quantitative
• Used when PR practitioner want more dependable,
precise responses with scientific sampling methods.
• Formal method helps answer questions about situations
that simply cannot be answered adequately using formal
approaches.
• Formal methods are useful if the research questions and
objectives are clearly determined before research
design is selected.

1. Telephone Polls
Survey by telephones. Fast and cost effective ways to
complete interview studies while providing anonymity
to respondent.
2. Mail Surveys
 Mailing the questionnaire to respondents
 One of two major approaches in formal research
technique.
 Adequacy depends on sampling procedures, what
question asked and how question are asked.

Advantages of mail surveys
• Considerable saving of time
and money
• Convenience for
respondents
• Greater assurance of
anonymity
• No interviewer bias
• Opportunity to respondent to
take time in answering the
questionnaire
Disadvantages of mail surveys
• No control over who will
respond and low respond rates
• Lack of control under which the
questionnaire is completed
• Cannot help respondent in
clarifying questions asked.

3. Mall Intercept Study – can be done through
observation.
4. Face to face interview study
 By meeting the respondent in person
 Another major method used in formal research
 Increased control over the sample and increased
cost
 Fast response and can assist the respondents.

5. Share cost or omnibus studies
The survey that involved two or more client
6. Panel Studies
 Through discussion with specific respondent. e.g.
consumer panel
 Once a panel is selected, the members are
interviewed several times over the duration of the
panel.
 Panelist are usually selected on cross-sectional
basis and generally by quota which is effective for
controlled experiments.

1. Increase fragmentation of audience into groups that
have specific interest and concern.
2. To identify and increase top management relations and
personal contact with the external public.
3. Research helps PR convey accurate information about
the organization to the public.
4. Research helps PR to possess valuable facts to carry
out PR projects.

5. To create a good PR plan with a starting point that could
be determined through proper research.
6. Through research, PR practitioners are able to gather
relevant data or information for organization’s record.
7. Through research, PR practitioners can prepare long-
term planning or pro-active steps to improve present
situation and also for the future.
8. To prevent from wasting time, effort and money in
implementing any program that is not readily solved by
extensive PR program.

There are six major categories of Public Relations
Research.
1. Environmental Monitoring Program
To observe trends in public opinion and social events
that may have significant impact on an organization.
e.g. content analysis or panel studies of community
leaders.

2. Public Relations Audit
 Comprehensive study of public relations position of an
organization.
 To measure a company’s perception by the internal and external
public.
 E.g. study on the image of a company or organization through
surveys.
3. Communication Audits
 Concern with internal and external means of communication
used by the organizations.
 Resembles public relations audit but with narrower goals
 Purpose : to ensure that public develop the same ideas about
what the organization is, does and should be.
 E.g. internal and external communications : newsletters or annual
report.

4. Social Audit
 Small scale environmental monitoring programs
designed to measure an organization’s social
performance.
 E.g. employee safety audits.
5. Evaluations Research
 Process of judging the effectiveness of program
planning
 E.g. extent of program, costs incurred,
implementation and impact

6. Gate – keeping Research
 Analyze the characteristics of press releases and
video news release that allow being ‘pass through
the gate’ and appear in the mass medium.
(Wimmer and Dominic (1997)

Overall, it can be concluded that research is undertaken to
find answers to the following questions:
1. What are the specific complaints, problem and issue?
2. How many complaints, problem and issue received and
involved?
3. How serious are these complaints, problem and issue?

 Once the public relations problem or opportunity has
been defined through research and analysis,
practitioners must device a strategy for coping with the
problem or for capitalizing on the opportunity. This is
planning and programming.
 “Making the basic strategic decision about what will be
done in what order in response to or in anticipation of a
problem or opportunity.”

1. To estimate the working hours and other cost involved
or budgeting.
• To estimate the variable and fixed cost involved; e.g.
printing, rent, photographers, advertising, traveling and
entertainment.
• Budgets provide guidance for scheduling of resources,
contracting for services, tracking project costs, and
establishing accountability. Budgets is also used to
assess performance.
2. To set targets for public relations overall operations.
• Set target dates when the outcome is to be achieved.
• Outcomes must be achieved in order, with one
necessary before the other.

3. To select priorities which will control the number and
timing of different operations in the program.
4. To decide the feasibility of carrying out the declared
objectives; e.g. staff involved, office machines and
others. Comparing the cost to the benefit that will be
gained from implementing the program.

1. Define the
problem
2. Identify
objectives
3. Identify
audience or
public
4. Media
selection
5. Budget6. Schedule
7.
Evaluation

1. Define the problem – through initial research,
discussion with client and evaluation of ideas.
2. Identify objectives – that is measurable and
achievable.
3. Identify audience or public – internal or external.
Public need to be identified as accurate as possible.
Some of the approaches to define public are by
geographic (political boundaries), demographics
(gender, age, sex, income) or psychographics
(psychological and lifestyle characteristics).

4. Media selection – electronic media such as television
or radio or print media such as newspaper or pamphlets.
5. Budget – to determine size of the projects, channel of
communication and overall activities.
6. Schedule – shows start and completion of each project.
7. Evaluation – evaluate the success and failure of the
public relations program. E.g. through news coverage,
observation increase of sales and product.

Definition of Communication
“Communication is the science and practice of transmitting
information to disseminate or exchange information,
signals or messages in any way, as in talking, gesturing or
writing”.
• The goal of communication process in public relations is to
inform, persuade, motivate or achieve mutual
understanding by choosing the right medium or channel of
communication.

Channel of communication means by which messages
are disseminate from one individual to another.
In public relations, channel of communication can be
divided into two categories:
1. Electronic Media – television, radio, internet, telex,
video conferencing, telephone, mobile phone, fax
machine and etc.
2. Print Media – newspaper, in-house journal, brochure,
news release, annual report, pamphlet, magazine and
mail

Points to consider before choosing any medium of
communication:
1. What type of audience are you trying to reach?
2. When do you need to reach this audience, and by
what date does it need to receive a message in
order to response to it?
3. How much do you need to spend?

4. Which medium reaches the broadest segment of
your target audience at the lowest cost?
5. Which one has the highest credibility and what is it
cost?
6. Which medium you can count on to deliver the
message within the necessary time constraints for
the message to be effective?
7. Should a single medium be used?

Five basic element of communication process:
1. The source / sender / encoder
2. Message
3. Channel
4. Receiver / decoder
5. Feedback

Effective communication requires :-
1. The communicator must have adequate information
2. The communicator must have credibility in the eyes of
the receiver
3. The communicator must be able to transmit information
in codes the receiver can comprehend.
4. The communicator must use a channel that will carry
the message to the receiver.
5. The message must be within the receivers capacity to
comprehend and relevant to receiver’s interest or
needs.
6. The message must motivate the receiver’s self interest
and cause a response.

1. One to one
2. Small group discussion, meeting.
3. Speaking before a large group
4. Phone conversation
5. Hand written, personal note
6. Typewritten or word processed personal letter
7. Mass-produced, non personal letter
8. Brochure or pamphlet sent as direct mail piece
9. Article in organization newsletter
10. News carried in the popular press.

1. Filtering – manipulation of information.
2. Selective perception – receivers being selective
according to his / her needs.
3. Emotions – feeling at time of communication.
4. Language – demographic factor influence the
language a persons used.
5. Differences in perceptions – ways of interpreting
based on individual personal experiences.
6. Differences in semantics – different meaning of
words.

6. Differences in status – societal standing influence
the quality of communication.
7. Differences in organization climate – organization’s
communication policy whether practicing close or open
policy.
8. Business jargons – term that are peculiar to some
people.
9. Differences in preconceived judgment or opinion (
bias ) – stereotyping.

Definitions:
“ action is the process of doing something”
• Action strategy typically includes changes in an
organization’s policies, procedures, product services,
and behavior.
• These changes are design to achieve program
objectives and organizational goals, while at the same
time responding the needs and well being og an
organization’s publics.
• Corrective actions serve the mutual interest os an
organization and its publics.
• Action strategy concentrates on adjustment and
adaptation within the organization.

 Evaluation is the process which involves assessing the
preparation, implementation and results / impact of a
public relations program.
 Necessary adjustment will be made during
implementation based on feedback received.

There are two prerequisite for doing an evaluation :-
1. PR and management should agree on criteria to
use to evaluate success in attaining objectives.
2. Do not wait until end of the public relations
program to determine how the program will be
evaluated.
The key to evaluating what people learned from a
program is to measure the same variables that
were measured before the program begin.

1. To determine the accomplishment of program goals.
2. Determine problem in progress and improved them.
3. To serve as feedback for improving similar program in
the near future.
4. Systematic way to do assessment of program and its
result.

1. Publicity gained. Through compilation of paper
clipping on program or campaign.
2. Opinion Polls. Through a benchmark survey.
3. Unobtrusive indicators. Indications on company’s
performance based from various sources. E.g. Sales
figures.
4. Interview or questionnaires. Face-to face interview
or meetings to find out how people feel or think.
5. News monitoring . Obtain through compilation of
press clippings.