PulsOpinion

Public Relations is more important than it used to be, because there is a perception that the world today is more media-driven than it used to be. People are virtually inundated by media, 24 hours a day, in every conceivable environment. While there has been an explosion of media outlets in the past decade, there is also far more competition, and many more organizations vying for finite media access. 

Public Relations is an expensive indulgence. While it may not matter so much for large corporates, and the budgets come from worldwide resources, it definitely does matter for the smaller companies with limited budgets. Are the column centimeters worth cost? Are the spurts of coverage enough to create and communicate the message and sustain the impact? Barring a few campaigns like the Nokia music phones campaign or the Dell Inspiron, there is little that one hears of that can be recalled as top of mind.

So, how much is enough and how much budgets should one keep aside for a successful campaign? Strangely, budgets are not directly proportional to campaign success. A clearly defined campaign, a clearly underlined target audience, a sound strategy and a consistent approach are the four flavors that work like magic when applied together. Though these are well acknowledged tools, how often are these used? More often what really costs is the implementation of the campaign….and this is very often a ‘no brainer’….and people end up paying volumes to outsource this function.

I call it Influencing the Influencer. And this ‘Influencer’ could be just anyone. A company decides who it wants to get in touch with/inform/influence and also decides what kind of image does it want to create in the mind of this stakeholder….Well…as I write this, I am sure there is one more step that was the most critical…as in…why do I want to create this image? Is it in line with what my competition is doing? Is it based on what the industry needs today? How will it grow the bottom line? Whatever it is…the basic homework needs to be done and the need is to be established. Once this is set, comes the next step of defining the stakeholder and ensuring that we are seen, heard, talked about in a manner that we want to be known.

Public relations often operates under the radar screen when marketers identify ways to promote their wares. For many marketers PR does not hold the same allure when compared with the creation of an advertising campaign. Many perceive PR professionals as only handling nuts-and-bolts communication activities, such as issuing press releases and handling calls from the news media. But in reality, in the age of excessive advertising, where the average consumer is inundated with thousands of advertisements and promotional message each day, public relations is one of the most powerful methods for cutting through promotional clutter. Public Relations offers the credibility that advertising fails to achieve.

A true Public Relations professional is one who is with you from the start of the process to finally deciding what should be your communication strategy and then ensures that the results are met.

Communication my friend…is far more than what you see and hear. It’s a management tool that should be used as an integral part of your business and communication strategy. If you do not see your agency as your communications partner, be assured that your journey together will take you no where.

Having been in the profession for almost 7 years, with the opportunity to work in multiple markets with a range of Hi-Tech and corporate clients, there is mixed opinion that one sees from clients, media and the industry about what Public Relations is.

When I entered the profession, my parents often asked, “….. but what do you exactly do?” as I grew older in the profession, the media asked “….communication strategy etc is fine…but at the end of the day is it not about how many releases you take out?!!” and if that was not enough, my clients said “…. But how many column centimeters coverage can you promise?”

Friends, if I could promise column centimeters, I would be better off if I opened my own publication and I not only would promise you column centimeters but also tell you the page, the tone and the pictures and captions that I would use with the article. If I was a press release churning machine, I did not need to collect the Public Relations and Business Management degrees….I could just be a college drop out…I would do just fine. And Papa, Mummy, I am a communications consultant….I device communication strategies and help companies and individuals reach out to their target audience in a manner that creates a greater impact and gets the ‘right’ message across in an effective manner.

I am in a profession of ‘Influencing Perceptions and Stimulating Behavior’

I am in a profession that truly believes in the power of the Ink. I do not pay for what I want written or communicated to the masses….I first believe in what I do, then convince my peers across other media (that is in sync with my client requirements), I device the right means and message and timing to reach out to the masses and then my friend, go all out to create an impact.

This Blog is therefore just an attempt to clarify what I actually do!!

A bog on PR- new and traditional; PR strategies, approaches and a platform for Asian PR freelancers