18. Public Relations- the basics

Simple, easy-to-understand and detailed, Public Relations – the basics, a book by Ron smith does what the title suggests and beautifully explains the basics of Public relations for anyone who is new to the subject. The book packs a coherent flow of ideas and each chapter syncs into each other perfectly well. It is evidently clear that Ron Smith, a professor of public communication at Buffalo State and a public relations practitioner, has poured in all his experience in the book and tried to make it as relatable to the global audience as possible.

The book kicks off by explaining what Public relations actually means and also dives into the ethical aspects and the fallacies attributed to the profession. The fallacies and misconception that people have about public relations are called out and Ron smith also provides his set of arguments against those fallacies. I was really intrigued and inspired when Ron Smith defines the different roles that the PR profession plays on page 14 towards the greater good of society.

Smith outlines the four critical steps of Public relations planning, namely, Research, Strategy, Tactics, and Evaluation. Each chapter consists of worksheets which chronicles an evolving case study of a non-profit organization Global Exchange and gives the reader a hands-on experience to try and build out a PR plan for an organization.

One of the best things about the book is the constant sprinkling of real-world case studies in each of the chapter which helps the reader connect the theory with the practical. The case studies are pretty diverse starting from Starbucks, to Dow Corning and even about a Poultry firm. These case studies make the book appealing and relevant to a global audience.

If I were to say one thing which I felt was missing in the book was how critical Public Relations profession has become in the modern world with the constant flow of information through Social Media. Though the framework outlined in the book can be used to devise strategies for conducting PR planning on social media, more case studies on Social media related PR techniques and commentary on how social media has impacted the profession along with pros-cons of a social media campaign would have been a welcomed addition. In the post-2014 world (year when the book was first published), social media is becoming a critical tool for politicians to terrorists alike.

Overall the book is an excellent read for any individual who is new to the profession of Public Relations. As I mentioned at the start, the book delivers what it promises, explains the basic of Public Relations and does it in a very simple and comprehensible manner.