So, what is Public Relations?
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.