(a) What is public relations?
(b) State and explain five media of public relations.
Explanation
(a) Public relations; are activities, devices and strategies which the seller adopts to endear himself to the customers, win public acceptance and acquire some goodwill.
(b) Media of Public relations are:
(i) Feature articles: These consist of literature and publications about a firm’s product.
(ii) Gifts/Free samples: Public relations activities can take the form of gifts distributed to members of the public. The gifts can include biro, pens, rulers etc.
(iii) Trade fairs: They are like exhibitions where the goods are displayed in such a way as to appeal to the emotions of the buyers.
(iv) Exhibitions: They are organised by individual firms in selected public places like hotels, schools, etc for the display of their goods.
(v) Sponsored programmes: A company can sponsor programmes to boost its image.
(vi) Discharging social responsibilities: These involve providing the community with such needs as bridges, roads, hospitals, schools, etc.
(vii) Cinemas: The image of an organisation can be built through the use of special films to arouse customer’s interest.
(viii) Seminars /Conferences: Seminars can be organised to boost the image of a company.