In the public relations business, my path crosses many people from
every walk of life. Many are curious about public relations. But most, do not
understand what public relations does. Most people have very different points
of view about public relations. But, they never seem to have the right view. I
usually get the same responses when I ask; what do you think public relations
does? The majority of responses go something like this; you do some sort of propaganda
work, or I don’t really know what PR does, maybe something with advertising or
marketing? I just giggle a little and
move right into improving their understanding a bit by explaining to them my
long version. It goes something like this:
 |
| Outstory PR Group. Created to do what PR Agencies aren't doing today. |
Public relations practitioners are
just your plain and ordinary common sense business consultants. We merely work
on the principles of human decency, which flow direct from the goodness of our
hearts, and into every relationship, we
find ourselves in. Our way of living and our attitudes are directed for the
good of people, for all people. We have excellent habits, practices, and
conduct ourselves in a reflective manner which enforces every contact we make
with others. We are the relationship builders, the maintainers, the sentinels. We
employ our good manners, our behaviors, and our good morals with every person
we meet. Others around us; look to us; to solve their problems, because they
know we look first at fostering the best of relationships.
You see, propaganda just doesn’t fit
anywhere into that description. Instead, propaganda means providing information
in a biased or misleading nature. It is mainly used to promote or publicize a
particular political cause or point of view. Like when The Ukrainian territory
of Crimea was annexed by the Russian Federation on 18 March 2014. To confirm
even further, annexed means to appropriate, and to appropriate means to take
(something) for one‘s own use, typically without the owner’s permission. Propaganda
is a strategy used in a misleading nature. Public relation practitioners do not
work like that at all. They work to solve
problems, and not to create them.
The idea of public relations working
in an advertising and marketing role may be a little harder to explain. But,
let’s take a stab at it. First, we must consider a few facts before we can
explain that aspect of public relations. Public relations is an extremely
complex function of relationship administration. It is an asset that works with
for-profit organizations, non-profit organizations, governmental authorities, well-known
persons, and the public. It covers such an “enormous” range of activities from
protecting interests to education. It is true in the sense that wherever and
whenever dealings with the public occur, public relations will be there to care
for those relationships.
Public relations has lost some of its own
identity in the past few decades. Not a turn towards propaganda, no, but a turn
into a function more of an advertisement and a marketing role. With the
convergence of mass media into the internet, advertising and marketing are
always mistakenly viewed as the way to get a foothold
into any new medium. It happened when radio started, it happened when
television started, and it’s happening again with the internet. Everyone is in
a frenzy to be heard on this new market, the new medium, the internet. They
forget about what truly matters, their public relations. History has taught us
many times before that once things begin to teeter off; businesses will again
turn to what truly matters, their relationships. But, to those organizations
who have not forgotten this crucial element in their success, they are
thriving, they are ready for the good times and the bad. They are not in a
frenzy. They have plans, their public relations plans. They know that when
times are good or bad, their relationships are strong, fostered, and cared for.
They understand what reciprocation truly means and they implement that in the
right ways.
Public relations is about the public
relations. It’s about establishing, sustaining, and caring for those relationships
that truly matter, in good times and the bad.
Getting back to what truly matters,
we must build relationships, the public relations way. Not with marketing or
advertising. For they will push your products right off the cliff for you, but
your relationships may also go with them. Put the effort where it is most
vital, the relationships.
For
more information or to develop your personal public relations campaign plans:
Contact:
Outstory
Public Relations Group
A
Modern Public Relations Agency
Solving
Problems, Changing Attitudes, and Creating Understanding
Outstory
PR Group solves business and public relations problems. We serve organizations
of for-profit, non-profit, governmental authority, and well-known persons. We
develop and manage creative problem-solving campaigns for businesses small and
large, both nationally and globally.
Call
Outstory PR Group Today: 704-904-0682
Website:
http://outstoryprgorup.com
Shawn
Stoffel
Shawn@outstoryprgroup.com
No comments:
Post a Comment