For a sector that specializes in communicating with the public, the public relations industry has done a bad job of explaining what it does.
PR is often misinterpreted as something companies use to spin the truth, or it is confined to a marketing afterthought in the promotion of a “breakthrough” product. Some journalists view PR simply as a set of media relations tactics, from sending (bad) pitches and issuing press releases to holding press conferences and being the gatekeepers for CEOs and executives.
The reality is that more than anything, good PR is about having an awareness of outside trends and sentiments, being a corporate conscience, and enabling authentic dialogue between organizations and the public – through traditional and social media, as well as several other means. The best PR counsellors, and the companies they represent, are known for enabling and facilitating valuable two-way communications that result in action or, at a minimum, a strong debate that leads the public to think about things a little differently than before.
That’s why articles declaring the “death of PR” or the “end of control” are misguided. Social media is not a PR killer. The beauty of PR is that it was never about having all the control. Unlike advertising and many forms of marketing, our value was not in a controlled monologue, but in the dialogue.
Citizen journalists are using blogs and social media to break news on a global scale. But so are companies, which are using these channels and social networks to engage with customers directly and share valuable dialogue. The media is still an important filter and amplifier, but it’s often not the primary one any more. Now we are reaching a lot more people and a lot more customers directly. Social media has truly empowered business to embrace new ways of communicating with customers and prospects.
No matter what changes the Internet and social technology will bring, there will always be a need for professional business communication between companies and the public. The real questions are: what will that communication look like and does your current PR firm constantly evolve to help you with it?
The PR professionals who understand how to work with journalists and how to leverage social media in a fully integrated way are the people you want to be doing business with. Entrepreneurs depend on partnerships with PR professionals to make that authentic connection with customers possible. Those PR professionals bring the fundamentals of driving a valuable dialogue and they are available to coach you through a crisis, all the while creating new opportunities that others in your industry sit back and watch with awe.
Special to The Globe and Mail
Mia Wedgbury is president of the Canadian region for Fleishman-Hillard Canada and its sister company, High Road Communications. She has more than two decades of experience in creating and growing award-winning communications agencies. Her experience spans many sectors, including financial, technology, consumer and lifestyle. She works in partnership with her clients to build brands, mitigate risk and shape communications strategies.
