Back to the Basics: A
Definition of PR
Even for those in the industry, arriving at a conclusive
definition of public relations is a struggle. This was a highly-debated
conversation among members of the Public
Relations Society of America last fall and while I believe the organization’s
definition is sufficient still others balk at it. C’est la vie. The purpose of
this post isn’t to give you the textbook definition of public relations as in
the “ongoing two way communication between an organization and its target publics”
but to describe it in a more clear way as I would at a networking event to
potential clients. To do that effectively, I think it’s best to clear up some
misconceptions and look at some things I learned early in my professional
career about how public relations fits into the traditional business model:
Stop segregating public relations and marketing. While they are not entirely interchangeable, they are very much of the same family. Here’s the difference: I specialize in how products and services are communicated and for all intents and purposes you could call me a marketing communications manager just as easily as you do a PR rep. Here’s the difference: I don’t necessarily dictate what products or services a company should offer or what they should be priced at. For example, Aurora Casket Company purchased a memorial stationery company. I wasn’t involved in that decision but am involved in the media relations, direct mails, emails and advertisements that help communicate that.
PR reps and agencies are most effective when working on a fully-integrated campaign: The most effective marketing and public relations efforts are those that are built on a full-blown campaign that includes research and integrated marketing tactics. I can’t guarantee distributing a press release will garner you more clients or that I’ll build the best website possible if I don’t have the opportunity to learn more about your industry and your competitors. But, I do promise profitable bottom-line results if given the chance to do a brand analysis and create a direct mail with a QR code that goes to a website with more information that will be hyperlinked into a press release so that it is optimized for Google rankings and shared on social media. “Repetition is the key to learning” and different communication mediums are more effective with different target publics. I had a professor who often wrote “insufficient tactics” on our campaigns in college and I’m thankful he did because, quite frankly, to be most effective you need to make sure all your bases are covered.
Do not think I’m not concerned with metrics. I love numbers. In a past life I would have been a mathematician (which I’m sure blows your mind as I was a com. major). Please understand, everything we do for our clients is with the intention of raising the bottom line. Relationships raise the bottom line. Think about all the “lightweight contacts” you have with someone that eventually convince them to hire you as a (insert profession of choice here). Or dates you go on before you get married. Whatever. Sometimes measuring exact tactics precisely can be difficult but public relations is much more than that “feel-good” stuff. Which leads me to my next point…
My job is so much more than handing out water bottles, throwing parties and calling reporters. Or what you otherwise see on TV programs that don’t do public relations any favors. PR is so much more than “publicity” (I utterly despise that word) and I can’t say I’ve ever been involved in any guerilla marketing. Not to say that either aren’t utilized as part of a larger strategy. However, my primary focus, particularly as many of our clients are B2B professional services, is leveraging your expertise and reputation in the mind of those who might hire you.
I hope that this post helps bring clarity to the industry and I apologize if I sound severe. Let me emphasize that I love what I do, love working hard for our clients and love how public relations is a creative outlet for overcoming some of businesses' biggest challenges. It’s fun, but it’s still business. ‘Til next time, I hope you enjoyed Beth’s basics.
Stop segregating public relations and marketing. While they are not entirely interchangeable, they are very much of the same family. Here’s the difference: I specialize in how products and services are communicated and for all intents and purposes you could call me a marketing communications manager just as easily as you do a PR rep. Here’s the difference: I don’t necessarily dictate what products or services a company should offer or what they should be priced at. For example, Aurora Casket Company purchased a memorial stationery company. I wasn’t involved in that decision but am involved in the media relations, direct mails, emails and advertisements that help communicate that.
PR reps and agencies are most effective when working on a fully-integrated campaign: The most effective marketing and public relations efforts are those that are built on a full-blown campaign that includes research and integrated marketing tactics. I can’t guarantee distributing a press release will garner you more clients or that I’ll build the best website possible if I don’t have the opportunity to learn more about your industry and your competitors. But, I do promise profitable bottom-line results if given the chance to do a brand analysis and create a direct mail with a QR code that goes to a website with more information that will be hyperlinked into a press release so that it is optimized for Google rankings and shared on social media. “Repetition is the key to learning” and different communication mediums are more effective with different target publics. I had a professor who often wrote “insufficient tactics” on our campaigns in college and I’m thankful he did because, quite frankly, to be most effective you need to make sure all your bases are covered.
Do not think I’m not concerned with metrics. I love numbers. In a past life I would have been a mathematician (which I’m sure blows your mind as I was a com. major). Please understand, everything we do for our clients is with the intention of raising the bottom line. Relationships raise the bottom line. Think about all the “lightweight contacts” you have with someone that eventually convince them to hire you as a (insert profession of choice here). Or dates you go on before you get married. Whatever. Sometimes measuring exact tactics precisely can be difficult but public relations is much more than that “feel-good” stuff. Which leads me to my next point…
My job is so much more than handing out water bottles, throwing parties and calling reporters. Or what you otherwise see on TV programs that don’t do public relations any favors. PR is so much more than “publicity” (I utterly despise that word) and I can’t say I’ve ever been involved in any guerilla marketing. Not to say that either aren’t utilized as part of a larger strategy. However, my primary focus, particularly as many of our clients are B2B professional services, is leveraging your expertise and reputation in the mind of those who might hire you.
I hope that this post helps bring clarity to the industry and I apologize if I sound severe. Let me emphasize that I love what I do, love working hard for our clients and love how public relations is a creative outlet for overcoming some of businesses' biggest challenges. It’s fun, but it’s still business. ‘Til next time, I hope you enjoyed Beth’s basics.
No comments:
Post a Comment