Practical Public Relations: Theories AND Techniques That Make a Difference

A word about our words ...This is one textbook you may want to keep. Why? Because you'll probably refer to it throughout your life to promote causes you believe in - whether you want to write an effective letter to the editor, gain support for a candidate for an office, or just build persuasive techniques to gain acceptance for an idea you want others to accept. Public relations is one area every student will practice, forever. Whether it's moving up the corporate ladder or espousing ideas you want to see succeed, you'll be able to tap into the knowledge that you've accumulated in this course and to revisit this text for ideas when you need them. Also, One of the most important activities you can engage in during your college years is getting involved in a preprofessional society such as the Public Relations Student Society of America. Your college or university might offer other communication, advertising or marketing societies or clubs. Join one. Attend their meetings, especially those of the professional parent society. You'll network with people and get involved in projects that will lead to internships and jobs. Thousands of students, like you, joined those societies and worked on worthwhile projects, attended national conferences, and become hugely successful after graduation. Some of those were students of ours who wrote some of the words in this text. You can make your world, and the world that your children live in, better by learning to champion causes you think will make a serious difference. We hope the ideas in this book will help you do that. If this book enlightens you, we are satisfied. If it motivates you, we are gratified. And if someday, you recall a few of its words when you most need them, we will be edified that through you, we'll still be teaching. - Tony Fulginiti and Don Bagin Practical Public Relations is a complete study of the field of public relations arranged in 15 chapters corresponding to a typical 15-week college semester. The authors present thoughtfully blended theories and principles with models and examples to help readers learn how to sell an idea, build a coalition, or manage a crisis. Practical applications include questions, exercises, and special practical cases after each chapter which help readers translate theory into actual PR actions that make a difference. In a crisp, active writing style every aspect of PR is explored - from the basic M-A-C Triad communication model, through research, thinking, writing and designing, to planning a complete PR program. Readers will see the effect of law, ethics and the networked age on every PR activity. Students will use this text to master everyday PR chores; professionals will use it to reexamine principles behind their practice, develop professionally, or prep for accreditation and advancement.