Public Relations - The Art and Science of Persuasion
A "White Paper"
By Bruce Brough, APR
Vice President, PR Practice Director, Cintara Corp.

Public Relations (PR) is a careful blending of art and science focused on persuasion. As such, it is a very potent part of any marketing mix, as well as the harbinger of corporate identity. The goal of any PR effort is to achieve awareness and understanding that will persuade people and/or organizations to take action. Unfortunately, the process and benefits of Public Relations itself is often thoroughly misunderstood. PR is a good example of the old axiom, "The shoemaker's son goes barefoot."

The "art" of Public Relations is in the set of tools used to proclaim the message, which is scientifically derived and focused. Part of the misunderstanding of the discipline can often be focus on the tools alone, without comprehension of the science used to conceive and direct the message! Another good simile is the architect: This artist uses experience and knowledge to create a building master plan, and then supervises each step of the process as the contractor uses old skills and all available tools along with newest technology to create a structure, turning the master plan into reality.

Some of these artistic tools are: News releases and backgrounders (written art); radio and TV talk shows and news (dramatic arts); presentations (visual and speaking arts); media and analyst tours (the same); Internet news (graphic art); and media relations (all the arts, including entertainment and relationship building). Misunderstanding comes when the art is judged only on its own merit, without concern as to whether or not it meets the PR objective(s). And in many cases, the misunderstanding is compounded because there are no clear objectives.

The "science" of Public Relations is in the social and linguistic sciences used to formulate and package "the message" while directing it to the "demographically correct" audience or audiences. Untrained and inexperienced people can "do" PR by buying or applying some or all of the artistic tools described above. This is similar to a hunter set loose in the jungle with a shotgun and a blindfold.

The science of PR is removing the blindfold (so the target can be identified), and replacing the shotgun with a sharpshooter's rifle. Research can discover, for example, exactly what demographic group is a prospect for the product or service being promoted, and also what media can be used to reach exactly that group. Here the rifle vs. shotgun simile is obvious. Science also applies to the messaging: Trial and error is not acceptable when thousands of dollars and untold hours of effort need to be placed behind a honed and directed message.

The process of PR is also more science than art. Here, a good diagram is worth many words. Cintara has created this PR process chart to show the logical progression:

In a multifaceted agency setting, like Cintara, this process is simply easier to implement, and more cost effective for the client(s) than piecemeal approaches. That is a differentiator for Cintara.

For example, the first item in our PR process chart is strategic planning. And the second is messaging and positioning. Our Strategic Marketing group works with the PR Practice in these two basic areas. This puts the symbolic rifle in our hands for the next process steps (the verbal, written and graphic arts). Likewise, when graphical representations, presentations, or even image advertising are part of our PR strategy, the other facets of the Cintara team are here on site ready to assist under a single project manager.

So the four basic steps of PR: Fact-finding; Strategic PR Planning; Tactical Implementation; and Measurement and Re-Focus can be coordinated and cohesive. This pattern helps make PR understandable as a discipline, and more tactically effective. In addition to these somewhat staid steps, the art of PR is suffused with personal relationships. Thus the term "media relations" is far from staid. It means getting in touch with target media people, and managing such relationships long term.