Letter To Cousin

Dear Cousin Merl,

Thank you for the letter last week. Since you were wondering about my major, as you’re trying to decide what you should go into, I though I would give you some more information about the public relations field.

In public relations, you work for an organization, and the goal is to establish and promote a positive relationship between that organization, and the public. This relationship is developed through interaction with the media. A PR person is like the “go-between” the organization they are working for, and the media. A major form of this media interaction is done through writing press releases for journalists to publish in newspapers or other printed media. PR professionals also promote their organization through the internet and television.

If you are like I was when I first heard of public relations, you’re thinking it sounds a lot like marketing, or advertising. While the lines between these different fields are blurring, public relations is more about helping people understand the product or company, and have a positive view of it as a whole, rather than just selling something.

There is a lot of writing involved in the field, as well as a lot of research and presentation. The main thing though, beyond all of the different outlets and methods, is that you know the public you are trying to reach, and that you can generate new ideas and different ways of reaching that public.

With all of the different choices you have of what major to decide on, I hope this gives you a good understanding of what public relations is.

Sincerely,
Cousin Dan