Duties and Responsibilities of a Public Relations Manager
Public relations firms and companies primarily seek to create a cordial relationship between organisations they represent and the general public. In this pursuit, they employ the services of many people who are referred to as public relations staff. This team of professional public relations officers are normally headed by public relations managers whose main function is to supervise junior staff within the company. However, his/her duties and responsibilities go beyond just that. Besides leading, the public relations manager also performs other important functions in the public relations firm/organisation/company as outlined below.
Instructions
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Developing publicity programs
The public relations manager is responsible for organising media shows every week for at least one of the firm’s clients as a way of advertising the client’s new products/services to the public. S/he should do this by informing major media houses regarding new products by the organizations they represent through press releases via the internet or by postal service. It is also the responsibility of the public relations manager to keep clients’ websites up to date regarding the press releases. -
2
Building good working relations
Public relations managers are also responsible for creating and maintaining cordial working relations with officials of the organisation they represent, especially if these people work with the government.
These officials should be considered contact persons to find out more about the services and/or products of the organisation. They can also offer valuable assistance in situations where the public relations manager runs into a problem. -
3
Supervising public relations staff
To guaranty efficiency and effectiveness, public relations managers must manage and supervise other public relations staff within the firm. This would involve reviewing work by junior staff such as press release drafts intended for public consumption before they are sent out. This is geared toward towards maintaining quality control.
The public relations manager also assigns tasks to members of the public relations staff and ensures that these and other related ones are carried out in the proper way. -
4
Fixing up interviews and writing speeches
It is also the duty of the public relations manager to hold meetings with the representatives of companies that wish their new products to be advertised. This practice is aimed at obtaining clear and more detailed information about the product/service to be promoted.
The public relations manager should organise talk-shows for the spokesperson on various media outlets regarding the new product/services. During the meetings, s/he (the public relations manager) should also draft speeches for the spokesperson to read at various press conferences. -
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General tips for public relations managers
In essence, the work of a public relations manager includes leading, advertising, networking, supervising and interviewing.
While these responsibilities are not easy, it helps considerably if you have a big network with the right connections. Moreover, public relations managers must keep an eye out for important news and developments so that they can advise their clients accordingly regarding their responses and actions.
