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What is PR (Public Relations)? | PR Careers, PR's Future, and Measuring ROI

admin — Sat, 08 May 2010 17:00:26 +0000

I was recently asked to do a short interview. Here are my answers, which I thought would be helpful to understand the basics of PR:

How do you define PR? What do you believe its purpose is?
PR deserves a somewhat long definition as it encompasses so much of what a business does in regards to the public. The definition has definitely changed in the past 10 years and entails much more of a connection between the public and the company. In the past, PR was about talking to the media, getting press clippings, and sending our press releases that no one but the media saw. Today, PR is much more like marketing, and that can be attributed to the changes the Internet has created for business worldwide.

Marketing entails, well, marketing, or your company. PR is about getting others to talk about your company. But, when you can submit your press release and post to your blog directly without having to contact the media, how to define that? It’s a line that is becoming more and more blurred. Some would call that marketing, others would call it PR since it involves press releases. A blog is a social media tool, which again, some people would consider to be a marketing venture and others, PR.

To avoid picking sides, I’ll say that it is all a part of PR. You are putting yourself out to the online world and connecting with your buyers, making “Public Relations” public again. Your blog and other social media tools help to craft your image online; they also help to make it easier for others to talk about you online and to share your content.

The only real way to define PR is to define advertising, which is the actual purchasing of space online, space in publications, etc. PR involves getting that space for free.
If someone came to you and said, “I want to do PR for a career” what are some characteristics you would tell them are necessary? Why?
- Excellent writing skills. (Or at least a network of great writes that can help you learn to write, edit your work in the beginning, and assist you in your career journey.) Writing is such a large component of PR; a press release, a blog post, a speech, these are all writing based. Everything one does in PR involves writing, so the PR professional must be very good at this task. The reputation and brand of the company or client the PR professional represents depends on this writing being good.Personable. You need to connect with the public, media, and your buyers.

Attentive. To detail, emotions, and one’s overall surroundings.

Understanding. This goes hand in hand with the above; don’t push a customer, understand their needs and needs of the media when you are talking to them, and be understanding of the way the company you work for or represents affects the community at large.

Common sense. This is necessary in all aspects of business, but even more so in PR. The PR professional is the face of the company, or in other cases the “behind-the-scenes” worker helping to mold the face of the company to prepare for a speech, press conference, interview, etc. PR professionals need to watch what they say and how they say, and know that all eyes are on them and the executives they help.
Do you see any similarities between the PR and journalism fields? If not, what do you see as the main differences?
Yes; they both involve a great amount of writing. The main difference: journalists are writing on companies whereas PR is getting those journalists to write about their company/client.
How would you respond to people who say that PR has an agenda involved?
PR is agenda orientated, at least it should be; why would a company create a PR plan without an agenda? That’s philanthropy. PR is meant to advance a company and connect with the public, which is a pretty good agenda to me. It being controversial is a bit silly, as most companies do it for the recognition. Where companies can differentiate themselves is by doing things to create PR without the intent of creating PR. That’s a fine line, too, though.

While there ought to be other reasons to partake in PR than profits or sales, that is the overall end results companies are looking for when they embark on any PR campaign or venture.
What measures (if any) do you use to determine whether a PR campaign is successful?
I’ll answer this with a blog post I did not too long ago that can be applied to evaluating the ROI on any PR activity.

1. Google Analytics. This free tool can help you track traffic, traffic sources, and keyword statistics. This is crucial to your understanding of what is and what is not working online. You can determine if your efforts are paying off by seeing if your press releases, networking with other bloggers and getting them to link to your site, and participating on Twitter and Facebook are bringing traffic to your blog or website. Though this is the most frequently used tactic to measure the ROI of social networking efforts, there are other methods.

2. Measuring traffic is an important way to measure ROI, but another method not used as frequently is to measure “soft metrics” that includes participation on your blog or forum, engagement with your online profiles/ social networking sites, and WOM (word of mouth). This is part of an active PR plan that monitors your online brand.

3. Try searching for your blog, website, or company in Google. How are you faring? Having great content that changes and is linked to by other sites can increase your search engine rankings, which can result in more traffic. If they are not ranking highly, give it some time; seeing results and being able to determine any ROI takes patience. The Internet, though instantaneous in many ways, has a bit of a delay when it comes to seeing your pagerank (from Google), Alexa rating, and search result appearances. Know that creating great content and utilizing the right tools is the best way to ensure your website’s success.

4. Conduct research and simply ask your customers what they think. This can help you to really pinpoint what your customers are feeling and what areas you can improve upon.

5. Lastly, and perhaps in a more trivial manner, measure your followers on Twitter, Facebook, and now foursquare; for a brick and mortar company, foursquare can be a great way to measure your ROI and PR effectiveness.
What are advantages of working in the PR field today?
The Internet makes PR a more accessible field to work in, meaning that more and more people can learn and work their way up that learning curve to advance their experience and knowledge. In the past, you had to work hard to foster relationships with just the media; now, you are working to foster relationships with the media, your buyers directly, and others in your industry to help advance your PR efforts.
What are some disadvantages or challenges of working in the field?
Along the same lines, there is now more to do as a PR professional; there are more places where that PR person needs to be spending their time because the Internet has opened new avenues and opportunities for PR to be done internally, by the company, and without the help of media. That isn’t to say that media is unimportant, however; they are. There’s still a lot of value to having something like an article in the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal.
Where do you see the field of PR going in the future? How do you think it will change or stay the same?
I’m not really sure; I think marketing and PR will continue to merge, and more and more companies are going to jump on the PR and social media bandwagons because it is so easy to implement. That ease doesn’t solidify their ability to maintain it, as we’ve seen in blogging and other social media platforms, but getting things started is easier than ever because you don’t need a PR boutique/firm to do it for you; you can bypass the media, connecting with your buyers directly.

Moreover, you can have a two-way conversation with your buyers, which is something new and very valuable. I’m sure there are many changes coming, and the younger generations are going to help shape that for sure. Preferences are changing and so are peoples’ views of the world; this will definitely help to shape the way PR is done.

Want to add your take on one of the above topics? Feel free to do so in the comments!

Jobs In Public Relations | Tips for Getting a Job in PR

admin — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:18:00 +0000

It may seem somewhat daunting in this economic time to find a job of any sort. Depending on where you’re starting, being a recent graduate or a specialist from another profession, here are a few tips that might help you land a position in public relations:

[If you would d first like to learn more about public relations (and if it's the career for you) and the differences between it and advertising, click here]

Where to start?

First things first: it is in your best interest to have an education. Having a degree in public relations is not always necessary as a degree in journalism, marketing, or communications may suffice in lieu of a PR degree. The playing field has been leveled, though, with more and more individuals making their way into the job market with degrees; a bachelors degree seems to be the new high school diploma. It has become a necessity in order to find yourself with more options when looking for a career or job.

Finding a job to apply for may be the hardest part of getting a job in PR, but it could be half the battle. Some places to look may be your school’s job board (if you still have access), LinkedIn, Facebook, PRWeek Jobs (US), Monster, and America’s Job Bank.

For some ideas of best firms to work for, check out TheHolmesReport, which offers news and intelligence for PR professionals. Here is a list of their best agencies to work for.

Bulldog Reporter also offers media news and intelligence for PR professionals, and has job listings on their site, which you can search and read through here.

LinkedIn even has an Entry Level and Intern group specifically for Public Relations. If you do not already have a LinkedIn profile, create one for yourself! It may be a resource a prospective employer may use to learn a little more about you and your accomplishments. Once you have a profile, you can join the PRintern|EntryPR group that lists internships and entry-level jobs, as well as discussions, articles, and available advice from PR professionals. With over 830 members, this may be a good place to start.

Also, be sure to check out industry publications, magazines, and other websites to get some leads and possible career opportunities.

Ok, so you’ve found a job you want to apply for. Now what?
Find out who to talk to about the position. Is it HR, the PR department, or the CEO? Figure it out so you can address your cover letter and other correspondence appropriately. This will show preparation and real interest in the company/firm and the position. If you don’t seem interested, there is no reason for the firm to even consider hiring you; why would they want to? They want someone passionate about the company and what the company is doing.

If there is a job description, tailor your resume and cover letter accordingly. If the job description asks for attention to detail, excellent communication skills, and computer skills, by all means say that you have exactly these things! (So long as you have these qualities, of course.) List them as reasons why you would be a good fit for the firm, and what you could bring to the firm. Action words are key.

The person interviewing may also want some writing samples or examples of any PR work you may have done in the past. Do not supply them unless asked for; you can mention you have examples in your cover letter, but there is no need to inundate the hiring person with more to read when they may not even read your entire resume.

If you start off right, you may land yourself a position you love, or maybe one that just leads to another. Either way, being prepared makes it easier to accomplish your goals.

“Train Hard, Win Easy”

Tags: Job In Public Relations, Public Relations Jobs, Public Relations Career, public relations

Public Relations Jobs | Some Typical PR Jobs

admin — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 04:16:00 +0000

Although the PR industry has a lot to offer in jobs and careers, this article will address a few typical jobs that can be found within the industry.

Public Relations Specialist: This position usually requires a 4 year degree, preferably a BBA or BBS degree in an area dealing with Marketing, Communications, Journalism, and behavioral sciences, or field closely related. Excellent writing skills are required, as well as a range of 0-4 years of experience, depending upon the hiring company. The position calls for an individual who will be able to effectively incorporate marketing and public relations to better handle marketing and PR campaigns and advertising. In order to promote the company favorably and to create an ideal company image, the PR Specialist will do a variety of tasks, from compiling publications and other works to generating and retaining relationships with customers, media outlets, and retailers.

Public Relations Manager: This position also requires a BA degree, also preferably in Communications, Journalism, or Public Relations. Excellent writing skills are also required, as well as the ability to meet deadlines and work under stress. (As is required in many, many jobs.) 3-5 years experience is also required. The main tasks this job entails monitoring press coverage, developing and managing relationships, and working towards increasing visibility of company brand.

Public Relations Supervisor: This position too looks for a BA or BS degree or equivalent in Journalism, Marketing, or Public Relations. 4+ years of experience are typically required, as well as some industry experience. Writing and communication skills must be exceptional, and one must be driven and hard working. Some of the job’s tasks include overseeing, coaching, and mentoring junior-level team members, providing client feedback to team members, analyzing results and reports to evaluate program effectiveness, and assisting in the preparation of client billing and overseeing administration and budget. Tasks also include gaining outside exposure, enhancing company credibility and visibility through print and other forms of media, as well as implementing other public relations strategies. This job requires that you work well with others and under pressure.

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Tags: Public Relations Jobs, PR Jobs, Public Relation Jobs, PR Jobs

Career Resources from Public Relations Blogger

Ashley — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 02:00:00 +0000

Below, please find some of my best posts with tips on careers in the PR industry:

Media Relations: Think As a Reader, Viewer, or Listener to Get Great Publicity

admin — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 07:36:00 +0000

About a year ago I read a feature story in the Wall Street Journal. It was about a new trend — baby showers that were being thrown for grandmothers.

The article was terrific — newsy, entertaining and informative. It was subsequently featured as a reprint in my local newspaper, and I’m sure in many other newspapers.

I remember thinking (of course, being in the publicity business, this is the kind of stuff I think about) that this was a prime example of the quality of stories in the Wall Street Journal, and a major reason for the popularity of this newspaper.

As a long-time reader of the Wall Street Journal (I was required to subscribe to it in college as a Finance Major), I am very familiar with the publication. And it allows me to pitch stories better, because I know the types of stories that are covered.

When clients tell me they want to be on Oprah, I ask them, “Have you watched Oprah lately?” Nine out of 10 say no.

My point is this: If you really want to have a great chance at getting coverage in a specific media outlet, you should be really familiar with that outlet. As the reader, or listener, or viewer, you are in a unique position to understand what you like and don’t like. And the media people will respect the fact that you are pitching them a story that their audience will be interested in.

Margie Fisher, President of Zable Fisher Public Relations, is the author of the Do-It-Yourself Public Relations Kit. For more information on the Kit, the Pay for Results Publicity Program, and to sign up for the complimentary PRactical P.R. newsletter, visit http://www.zfpr.com

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Tags: media, relations, strategy, plan, jobs