Public Relations as a Marketing Strategy in Service Organizations

Abstract

This paper is a theoretical paper that examined public relations as a marketing strategy in service organizations. Since public relation is building good relationship with the company’s various publics by obtaining favorable publicity, building up a good corporate image and handling or heading off unfavorable rumors, stories or events, adopting an effective public relations as a marketing strategy is vital for the success of any service organization. This paper examines the concept of public relation, marketing strategy, public relation and promotional mix and finally the use of public relations as a marketing strategy in service organizations. The paper concludes that public relations should be used to establish good relationship between the organization and its various publics that include customers (both internal and external), stakeholders and the larger society. Service organizations which offer intangible products should adopt public relations as a marketing strategy in reaching their stakeholders as well as creating customer values and achieve profitable customer relationships.

Keywords: Public relations, Marketing Strategies, Service organization