When attending networking events as an organization’s PR representative, many of the same norms of behaviour apply as in the strategic steering of a viable and healthy social media presence. A goal should be to leave each event and encounter confident that an accurate and authentic profile was presented, organizationally and personally, with the intention [...]

The rise of social media has created untold new tools and channels for all public relations practitioners. But in the field of issue management it is having a dramatic impact not just on the day-to-day practice of the discipline, but is changing forever an organisation’s stakeholder relationships and the expectations of its stakeholders.

Age delivers experience, one of the strongest influences on competency and excellence that exists, with PR being no exception. Whether it involves any form of writing, managing a crisis, developing strategy, integrating public relations into broader business and marketing activity, managing teams and working with colleagues, or simply having developed a humility that comes from the realisation that everyone makes mistakes – it’s what you learn from them and how you deal with them that matters most – age=maturity=PR/business ROI.

Public relations is a multi-faceted business discipline. In this post in-house, agency, industry association and academic PR professionals, as well as a marketer and a market researcher, all highly reputable and respected, share their definitions of PR. Facets include: two-way and not necessarily intermediated communication; increasing brand awareness; helping organisations articulate compelling stories; engaging target audiences; creating, renewing and improving relationships; delivering positive publicity; encouraging social change and community mobilisation.

Passivity is the danger that public relations cannot afford when involved in lobbying. If we are only advocates, we risk marginalizing ourselves with clients, media and thoughts, and opponents. Beyond advocacy, there are two additional roles that help us keep perspective: monitoring and interpreting for clients the strong and valid points made by our “opponents”; actually bringing various parties together in a dialogue to determine and implement common interests.

Is lobbying where we hide the less savoury and morally questionable side of what our public relations communication discipline involves? Secret backroom conversations. Non-promoted initiatives. Unwritten agreements taken as writ. Clearly, there is plenty about lobbying that won’t pay(off) for it to be articulated.

Five critical topics that public relations and marketing communicators need to know about and be adept at leveraging are content marketing, optimising online real estate for search, the value of 3RD party brand advocates, the subtleties of media relations and evaluation and measurement. This post touches on all five, referring you to some excellent PR and marketing bloggers who have recently explored these issues.

A perfect storm has erupted over the issue of whether PR should, partially at least, be measured on its ability to drive sales and/or generate profits. Public relations is about building mutually beneficial relationships between an organisation and its stakeholders. Its contribution to business-related outcomes is significant. Better: stakeholder relationships, organisational reputation, awareness of and trust towards or of the organisation and/or its products/services.

A survey undertaken late in 2010 implies that public relations is not being used to make money for organisations. Rather, it is being used primarily for reputation, brand and issues management purposes. This raises questions about the utilisation of PR to sell products and services and the willingness of organisations to measure PR’s contribution in terms of financial bottom lines, ostensibly providing an insight into why public relations is hamstrung in gaining increased credibility and influence within organisations.

There is incessant chatter about the dialogic dimension of social media and how this enhances the potency of public relations. We can exchange views. We can influence each other. We can build relationships. So, hello, we can help make money and build brands through PR. But you know what, there is a burgeoning ubiquitousness of advertising or money-making distractions through social media, so you have to wonder if this preponderance of ‘dialogue, ‘sharing’ and ‘relationship building’ is just a load of total camouflage bollocks for turning a buck.