Public relations are just such an example. The ability to manage perception and influence decisions has allowed many a company to rise above the crowd.

Nothing builds and supports a brand like public relations. And it is the strong and trusted brands that win customers' favour. It is also the most cost-effective way to spread a message compared to advertising, direct mail and other sales initiatives.

For listed companies, PR remains an essential tool to communicate with investors and shareholders, even during an economic downturn.

Keep up your reputation and brand values and maintain your image, creatively if you need to.

A good PR programme includes four important elements of trust: integrity, honesty, promise-keeping and loyalty. It helps to attract new customers and keep the old. It also helps with galvanizing employees, a challenge companies now face more than ever with salaries frozen and employees' benefits cut.

Some companies in human resource management, training and education have benefited tremendously from engaging the media during this economic recession.

So how do you go about implementing a good public relations programme in challenging economic times?

Stratagem Consultants will be showing you how in a half-day PR workshop next month.

Do register your interest with us at 這個 E-mail 地址已經被防止灌水惡意程式保護，您需要啟用 Java Script 才能觀看 and we will keep you posted.

From Left: Mr Anand Joseph and Mr Lee Yew Meng (Stratagem Consultants) with Mr Dinesh Singh (ZoMedia) at The Asia Business Forum "Strategic Press and Media Management in Crisis Situations Conference" in May 2009.

Mr Lee gave a talk on the topic Engaging, Developing and Maintaining Harmonious Relations with the Media in Singapore. He has more than 25 years of journalistic experience working in the newspapers, radio, news wire agency and magazines.