It is no secret that those in public relations sectors who have control over or manage information, automatically acquire a degree of power. Max Weber said it best when he stated publicly, to the House of Representatives, “a bureaucracy, through sure power instinct, fights every attempt of the parliament to obtain knowledge.”

How true these words ring in our ears. Because of these words, as well as other aspects of these facts, the world is revolving rapidly into the field of knowledge to improve public relations.

Despite that, it is a proven fact that knowledge is strength. Many public relation officers believe that being in office is power. Contrary to their notion, without knowledge, administrative officers are sure to fail as the system weakens overtime.

It was noted that relationships amid complex organizations in public relations, where politicians hold office, there appears to be more power. In the public relations educational sector, superintendents on school boards tend to have more power than educational officials in larger cities. Suburban superintendents seem to have less control.

In the same token, managers in larger cities tend to have more power over the managers in smaller areas. There is no mistake that “knowledge is power.”

In fact, we see this power brought out in some of the famous people that spoke publicly, which include
Martin Luther King Jr. and President Bill Clinton. These men made a difference by showing their power of knowledge.

Woodrow Wilson also made a difference. President Wilson created the foundation for the early public relations of our time. In one publication, Wilson pointed out that building resources could expand and strengthen the public relations.

For all these reasons and more, public relations can make or break a business. Responsible conveyance of information can build your reputation as well as the ‘bottom’ line. Provide knowledge and information according to the needs of your customer base. Use public relations as a means of fulfilling their needs, not your own and watch the prosperity of everyone soar.

Each need fulfilled will create new opportunities via word of mouth. Word of mouth is the best advertising in many ways. With all the hype this day in age, people are seeking out friends, co-workers and family for references on tried and true services/products. You can’t buy this type of loyalty for any amount of money.

Keep your claims of service or products within the boundaries of what you can supply 100% and you can’t lose. Now go deliver and then some. Show your clients/customers, there’s no hype - only valuable information, services or products; then watch your business soar.

Someone recently asked me about Public Relations and where it began. In one way or another, Public Relations has been around since the beginning of time. But, who actually set the standards?

President Wilson actually set the foundation for public relations, by addressing issues and bringing out the point that building resources could strengthen the system. This later led people to see that knowledge held the power that officials needed to produce a strong public relations and orderly system.

In-spite of these facts however, many high-nosed officials think that being in office creates the power. This is why we see so much distortion, confusion, swindles and downright corrupt actions that cause the people harm.

Public relations is about serving the people, supplying the knowledge they seek. Yet many companies [and most especially, Governments] forget this basic concept, using public relations as a means to boost their own needs.

Good public relations therefore, must start with and focus on your audience’s needs, not those of your business. In the end, your business needs ARE what your audience is focused on and seeks to accomplish. The greatest value of your business is your audience, without them it would not exist.

• Learn your audience’s needs
• Serve the needs of your audience
• Empower your audience with knowledge
• Address individual issues with facts
• Earn their trust through earnest effort
• Recommend, Suggest, Offer Advice
• Present choices with proven methods
• Give them the latitude to make their own decisions
• Include THEIR needs when making your own decisions
• Remember their needs are YOUR needs