Chapter 4

Summery

An increasingly larger portion of any organization's public relations is in fact, community relations. In it's most simple form, community relations is a function of making the place where one lives and works a more desirable place to be. Improving the quality of life, safe streets, police, fire, work for all who want it, higher paying jobs and cultural enrichment are just some of those things that make a community a desired place to live and work.

There are two standard versions or levels of community relations. The old standard kept an "arms length" between the business and the organizations they helped. Typically the old standard would donate money and gently encourage the employees to join or volunteer their time. The new standard can certainly employ some of the old standard when it seems to work for a particular situation but most often there is an expectation for an official representative to serve on a board and have more direct input on shaping the activities and future of the community.

As with almost all successful endeavors, a community relations plan must be planned, organized and systematized. Discussions and decisions must be made on which groups in the community are to be targeted, behaviors to be motivated and how you are going to motivate them. You have to decide whether to own or simply participate in the issue. Will you make your involvement official or just encourage employees to join. And finally, you must decide how you will reach the opinion leaders in the community to ensure your goal is met.

Examples

The group now known as Destination Bayfront followed much of the same process as is identified in the necessary elements of community relations. They first conceptualized the need to increase the quality and desirability of working and living in Corpus Christi by revitalizing the bay front and coliseum. Identifying what was missing, researching most likely strategy, targeting key groups and needed motivations and then moving forward with a plan to achieve their goal. They chose to form an organization and "own" the project instead of passing that obligation on to another and simply being members.