“What is public relations?” “What do you do every day?” These are questions that we at Durée & Company often get from people (including our friends and family) whom we meet and see every day. The textbook definition of public relations (PR) is “a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.” But what exactly does that mean and what exactly do PR professionals do?
Publicists persuade audiences by using unpaid or earned techniques. Whether it’s traditional media coverage, social media, influencer marketing, events or speaking engagements, promotion for our clients to our audience is made through trusted — not paid — sources, also known as earned media.
Public Relations activities are not the same every day, and that’s what attracts most PR practitioners to the industry. Here are some terms to describe some of the day-to-day activities that take place in the PR industry:
- Angle — A specific idea for a story that is presented to media in a pitch that makes a client newsworthy
- Pitch — A targeted letter that is sent to media with a potential angle or promotion to gauge their interest in a client, and give them an idea for a story in which they could feature a client
- Press Release — A formal, official announcement that gives information about a brand or the brand’s happenings, that is distributed to media to announce this news and propose possible story ideas
- Press Kit — A comprised kit of the client’s press materials that is given to media. This includes the press release, imagery, videos, fact sheet about the brand, bios and any other relevant resources about the client’s product or services.
- Byline — A story that is authored by a client who is knowledgeable on a particular topic to establish creditability with a particular audience, and establish the client as a thought leader against the competition
- Clip — Coverage of a client in a story, segment, blog, or social media post
These are just some of the terms that describe the PR world. Public Relations also encompasses researching, planning, writing, editing, event planning, reputation management and building relationships. As PR continues to grow and change every day, so do the everyday happenings.
About Durée & Company
Durée & Company, Inc. is an award-winning full-service public relations, marketing and special events firm with offices in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Aspen, Colorado. The firm serves the corporate, agency and non-profit arenas for local, national and international clients focusing on public relations for real estate, public relations for restaurants, public relations for law firms, public relations for charities, public relations for healthcare, and many more. Durée & Company services include Public Relations, Social Media, Marketing, Advertising, Special Events, and Radio Promotions and Outreach.
