Today's society is flooded with information from newspapers, magazines, television, radio and the Internet. The critical challenge for companies, therefore, is to make themselves known to clients and customers, business partners and investors. PR seeks to link up with one or more types of audience and convince them of the advantages of a particular company or product.

Credibility
Credibility is crucial for PR in winning the trust of a public that is today becoming increasingly critical and skeptical. Advertising alone isn't enough, because advertising messages are not felt to be particularly credible. The purpose of advertising is to sell. It thus automatically triggers resistance those reading or viewing it as they recognise that the intention is to sell. PR is about information: readers or viewers get information from whichever type of media they trust. The key to success is credibility. PR is more credible and paves the way for advertising and promotion. Potential customers, business partners and investors are given information about companies and products through targeted communication. Communication therefore is just as relevant as, for instance, efficient monitoring or an effective organisational structure. It is central to economic activity and is becoming ever more important. PR gives corporate communication a clear direction, and thus helps companies not to be driven by the media, but to use the media for their own ends.

Focusing on Results
Professional PR helps companies do business. It helps them:

• shape the opinions, perceptions, views and preferences of all their target groups
• ensure that changes in society work to their advantage - and survive short-term crises without damaging the corporate image
• resolve conflicts of ideas between partners and shareholders and strength their loyalty to and confidence in the company
• maximise the performance and loyalty of employees
• achieve a broad-based media presence at low cost

PR is thus a yardstick for success, with a direct impact on results.