briansolis: The State of PR, Marketing, and Communications: You are the Future
Louise Armstrong
· 6 months ago
WOW, where to begin?
At the mid-point of my career in communications, part of me wants to say, "if this is what passes for PR now, i want out" and the other part of me feels incredibly lucky to be here at this juncture, with 20 years of experience behind me and 20 more to go.
As a co-owner of a small agency, it doesn't seem too difficult to turn the ship around and start looking at things differently. When you're small, profitability from the old model was not so great that it's terrifying to ponder change.
One of the biggest challenges is convincing clients to look at a new model. Most still come to us for one thing - media relations and we're still mostly measured on the amount of clips we have.
Josh Shabtai
· 6 months ago
Inspiring post.
I'm not sure if you've explored this topic in more detail in earlier posts, but one of the areas that I imagine would unlock thinking around how PR can adapt in this new era is the issue of alternative billing models.
...the public relations/new media agency that I run no longer bills for press release writing, account management, or standard pitching. These are now functions of more relevant social + traditional outreach and engagement programs. In fact over the last decade, we’ve completely redesigned our services infrastructure to reflect the real world business needs and goals of the companies we represent. It’s not absolutely definitive, but a promising work in progress that is very monetizable now and in the long-term.
Can you extrapolate on how you guys are restructuring your business to facilitate a novel approach, as you touched on in your post?
Tiffany Monhollon
· 6 months ago
It's truly a paradigm-shifting moment in the media landscape. So many forces are playing upon each other - take the shifting world of the legacy media, for example.
My deepest wish for the profession of PR is that it will make the most of the opportunities these seismic shifts are creating. And the same for journalism. That "new" won't be seen as a threat but a blessing, and that we may finally realize a truer iteration of communication in the public realms, for organizations, the media, and the public.
As you point out, it's a poignant time. Risks are great, but necessary. Within organizations and agencies, will we have the courage to face the clarion call of collaboration, openness, and evolution? How each professional equips themselves to champion this evolution is paramount right now.
So thanks for laying out the stakes so clearly here. And a vision to go along with it. It's encouraging and inspiring.
Kevine
· 6 months ago
Thanks for this. It really is a must read, especially for people who are in PR/Marketing, and need to understand that their career has radically changed since the introduction of social media and networks. Your first commenter isn't the first I've come across who's thought, "if this is what passes for PR now, i want out". It's important to note that some of us so called "experts" have spent a lifetime studying, researching, experimenting, and developing everything that gets us where we are today. I get asked all the time "Wow, where do I begin?" My road to get here literally started decades ago.
Of course, much of what I've learned and developed has become obsolete, so starting now and getting up to speed would take less time, but you'd lose the tangential experience along the way.
Louise may have spent 20 years of experience in PR/Marketing, and that provides far more expertise in the direct skills associated with that, but it's important to note that some of us have the same amount of time of experience in what has become the future.
While some may see one versus the other competitively, I see them as complimentary. To Louise, I'd be seen as a specialist because of my social media experience, but from my perspective, I'd see Louise as a specialist because of the traditional PR/Marketing experience.
Edward Dizzys
· 6 months ago
Interesting!
In the past, offline media was one of the major mediums to promote one’s business and brand awareness. However, with the increasing popularity of the online media and its positive results, more people are turning to online marketing techniques to build a strong business presence across the globe. There are several online marketing strategies we can use for our Internet marketing solutions, but SEO (search engine optimization) today has taken a stance much ahead of any other technique.
SEO brings with it tremendous scope for business improvement with improved keyword positioning, improved ranking and overall increase in the ROI and cuts down on the PPC cost extensively in the long run. This is a proven marketing solution if done the right way using the right techniques based on your website requirements.
I thought this information would be helpful for those who wish to promote their website and get great results.
Jessica Gottlieb
· 6 months ago
As a blogger I cannot tell you how much I wish folks would read this.
I have relationships with TWO PR pros (and you), both interact with me on twitter, they may or may not ready my blog, but that's okay. One is kinda a big deal and probably could spend her time with bigger writers and another is about 12 years old and I'm sure she's got the "crummy" job of courting mommy bloggers.
I've met the person in charge at her firm once, but she's clearly too busy to talk to bloggers.
The problem is that I'm also the editor, publisher and sales person of the ad space on my sites.
You can't treat bloggers like you would columnists, we don't have a corporation paying us.
I do, however get approximately 400 pitches a day. Yes, I have a relationship with exactly two PR pros.
What does that tell you?
FoxaZ
· 6 months ago
Wow, what a post :O Amazing :)
Jeanne
· 6 months ago
Great, great article. Really love:
"Listening is the fundamental characteristic that separates the experts from the theorists."
As an author and expert in the lifestyles arena, I've worked with many Public Relations firms in a spokesperson capacity. And yes, it does seem to be the "Junior Staffers" who are always up at 5:00AM for the SMTs, running around town with experts for desksides, or pitching for the brands.
What these "Junior Staffers" have is a lot of heart. Their passion is contagious and it's that energy that engages media gate-keepers, (magazine editors, talent bookers, etc...) and results in a commitment.
I'm all about the "Junior Staffers" but admire the wise men and women at the top as well.
Christine Sierra
· 6 months ago
There is a lot of valuable information in your post, especially for those of us trying to figure out how to employ PR practices in our organizations.
One thing I've thought a lot about is the term "Social Media Expert" and would actually prefer "Social Media Educators" because while I believe some people may know more than others about all the social media tools and practices, I find it hard to grok the idea that anyone is an Expert, just yet. Seems these social channels are moving, changing and evolving too quickly for anyone to be considered an Expert.
Nice post - will be referencing it quite often.
Anthony Mora
· 6 months ago
This was an amazing post.
Currently, my company, which specializes in PR, has embraced social media as a new tool. We should not be intimidated by this new Social Media Monster, but welcome it with open arms!
I wish everyone gets a chance to read your post--it's the missing link between Public Relations and Social Media.
Craig
· 6 months ago
I was wondering, since you imply it with the structure suggestions, about your thoughts on rebuilding PR with people outside the industry?
Some context. A decade+ in tech marketing -- more than half on the corporate side -- has exposed me to all sorts of marketing types, agency models and most importantly business and engineering cultures. There are -- and will be -- no shortage of interwoven organizational challenges that contribute to the perceived role and value of marketing and PR functions. Perceptions that will not be changed overnight.
In the tech sector, there is a shortage of PR people who exhibit, to put it mildly, technical and intellectual curiosity. This makes the "profession" less likely to succeed in this transparent, conversational, community-centric world. Worse, it gives both insiders and agencies next-to-zero credibility with the engineers and MBAs who run the tech cos -- credibility required to act as change agents. Rather than attempt to train armies of publicists on how to be builders of communities they don't understand, would it not be easier to rebuild the PR industry by converting product marketing and management professionals, customer success leaders, support staff, etc. in to the new PR/Comms/Mktg roles?
Thoughts?
The Marketing Journalist
· 6 months ago
Great article Brian as always. A lot of great points made in this article. I've been in this industry for more than 8 years and have seen it change with the introduction of the social web. I agree in the sense that PR professionals have a misguided understanding about PR. I disagree in the sense that PR stands for press releases but I do agree that PR has misconceptions around the function and role. I recently chatted with David Meerman Scott on a blog post I'm working on and he provided an interesting point - PRSA defines PR as public relations - connecting with the public audience. While some PR pros may be misguided in what PR really stands for, PR is a critical component of any business when it comes to connecting the client/company with the public. Over the years, I have evolved from managing media relations to truly embracing the notion of connecting with the public through core messaging, thought leadership, positioning, company brand BY leveraging social media channels (the public). PR professionals must not only evolve but must as @DMScott says "unlearn what you have learned" in order to evolve and be relevant. PR pros are communicators and just like how journalists take news to tell a story to the wider audience, PR pros must learn the technique of telling a story through compelling content to engage, educate, inform, communicate the very news of the brand, industry trends, challenges, customer stories, thought leadership, etc. By understanding the fundamental role of PR as communicators, I believe those pros will remain relevant and evolve to see the next evolution in PR.
Wow, this is the best piece on Web marketing/pr I have read in a long time; it mirrors my sentiments exactly. I will recommend this to all. Thank you for the time you put into it.
Jeremy Porter
· 6 months ago
Wowsers. Fantastic post as always. This is the most thorough, spot-on summation of everything going on in the PR industry today.
I particularly was pleased to see the point about PR agencies scurrying for social media - everyone seems to be an expert all of the sudden. "Well if traditional PR services aren't selling, let's try something else."
Everyone in the PR industry needs to read this post. Sadly, only the ones who "get it" already will. The rest will never get it.
Thanks for taking the time to write this one. Very, very thorough. This could be the beginning of your next book.
Brett Borders
· 6 months ago
Brian,
This is an amazing piece... it is the work of someone who has gone beyond their normal mental circuits and who has tapped into the visionary realm. Respect!
Simon Mainwaring
· 6 months ago
Hi Brian,
As a long-time marketer I could agree more. And what you outline in reference to PR applies equally well to advertising and branding. From my experience, the top ten things brands forget in their headlong rush to social media are as follows:
1. BE HUMAN 2. TO REACH SOMEONE’S HEAD, GO THROUGH THEIR HEART 3. FIND OUT WHO YOU ARE SO OTHERS CAN TOO 4. ALWAYS BEGIN AT THE END 5.SIMPLICITY IS THE KEY TO COMPLEXITY 6. TELL YOUR BRAIN TO LISTEN TO YOUR GUT 7. LESS TIME MEANS MORE FUN. 8. NOT HAVING THE IDEA IS PART OF HAVING THE IDEA 9. SAY THE SAME THING IN DIFFERENT WAYS 10. THE PAST IS NO GUIDE TO THE FUTURE
I explian each of these at http://adjix.com/g5zr<br />Not enough room here. Thanks as always for the great, in depth thinking.
Simon Mainwaring www.simonmainwaring.com/blog
Larry Irons
· 6 months ago
As a sociologist whose participation in the digital transformation of communication extends back to the late 1980s I applaud your business model. Just to clarify though, I'd like to suggest that digital sociologists worth their salt can also do ethnography as well as community management.
Mandy Vavrinak
· 6 months ago
Brian, thanks for taking the time to really delve into the past, present and possible future of PR. I am still digesting what you've written, and expect to be re-reading again for additional clarity. BTW, the number of things I take the time to read twice is virtually nill... but I can't think of a more important topic to spend quality time with than this one. How, exactly, am I personally going to effect change in the industry and in my own career? How can I be better at what I do operating in this new space and new connectivity (which I rather enjoy, actually :) ? How can I help others? Great posts don't wrap up everything... they make us think and question and examine. Obviously, yours is one of THOSE posts!
Postmodern PR
· 6 months ago
Brian,
As a postgraduate PR (integrated communications????) student, your posts continue to inspire and help me make sense of the new communications environment.
You've also provided some well needed non-academic fuel for discussion in my research.
I decided on a career in public relations about a year ago knowing full well the environment was changing and that the communications disciplines were converging, but decided that PR would be the one to lead this charge.
You seem to embody this notion.
Looking forward to reading the new book.
abril
· 6 months ago
Nice article !...but.. I’m a new blogger and I'm confused u_u , all webpages talk about making money for hosting videos, but not all of them are good and I have a lot of ideas. My brother recommended me to visit www.vismomedia.com, he said I’ts a good webpage for bloggers. What’s your opinion ¿?
Frances Foley
· 6 months ago
Your posts are truly thought provoking. This article made sense of a very confusing time for me, as a recent Public Relations grad I made the choice to work for a small business organization instead of a PR Firm. I truly believe that social media is an out-cry from my generation that states "listen to us!"
The passion that comes with public relations is incredible and I have passed this article on to many friends in my similar position. We truly have many things to learn experiences to encounter but the passion that lies within this new generation is what will change our world.
I believe that the evolution of public relations will change our country from one that sells products to one that believes in it's people. Looking forward to following your work and I hope you realize the impact you have made on many young aspiring PR specialists.
tailormadepr
· 6 months ago
An amazing, thought provoking post that has really opened my eyes. I've only recently started in the world of PR and I have been making just these type of mistakes you mentioned, but inspired by this post I intend to make amends. Thankyou
Matthew Anderson
· 6 months ago
[ Brian Sollis talks of a future that lies in our ability to shift PR from a business of publicity to a regiment of true “Public” Relations. ]
Patrick@CityMax
· 5 months ago
An excellent post and must-read for marcomm/PR pros. There's a lot to think about here, and to incorporate it will take not only organizational buy-in but an entire change of mindset for many of us. In any case I've printed this off and added it to our essential "PR Bible" folder because every communicator (i.e. person) in our office needs to read this.
All Comments
At the mid-point of my career in communications, part of me wants to say, "if this is what passes for PR now, i want out" and the other part of me feels incredibly lucky to be here at this juncture, with 20 years of experience behind me and 20 more to go.
As a co-owner of a small agency, it doesn't seem too difficult to turn the ship around and start looking at things differently. When you're small, profitability from the old model was not so great that it's terrifying to ponder change.
One of the biggest challenges is convincing clients to look at a new model. Most still come to us for one thing - media relations and we're still mostly measured on the amount of clips we have.
I'm not sure if you've explored this topic in more detail in earlier posts, but one of the areas that I imagine would unlock thinking around how PR can adapt in this new era is the issue of alternative billing models.
...the public relations/new media agency that I run no longer bills for press release writing, account management, or standard pitching. These are now functions of more relevant social + traditional outreach and engagement programs. In fact over the last decade, we’ve completely redesigned our services infrastructure to reflect the real world business needs and goals of the companies we represent. It’s not absolutely definitive, but a promising work in progress that is very monetizable now and in the long-term.
Can you extrapolate on how you guys are restructuring your business to facilitate a novel approach, as you touched on in your post?
My deepest wish for the profession of PR is that it will make the most of the opportunities these seismic shifts are creating. And the same for journalism. That "new" won't be seen as a threat but a blessing, and that we may finally realize a truer iteration of communication in the public realms, for organizations, the media, and the public.
As you point out, it's a poignant time. Risks are great, but necessary. Within organizations and agencies, will we have the courage to face the clarion call of collaboration, openness, and evolution? How each professional equips themselves to champion this evolution is paramount right now.
So thanks for laying out the stakes so clearly here. And a vision to go along with it. It's encouraging and inspiring.
Of course, much of what I've learned and developed has become obsolete, so starting now and getting up to speed would take less time, but you'd lose the tangential experience along the way.
Louise may have spent 20 years of experience in PR/Marketing, and that provides far more expertise in the direct skills associated with that, but it's important to note that some of us have the same amount of time of experience in what has become the future.
While some may see one versus the other competitively, I see them as complimentary. To Louise, I'd be seen as a specialist because of my social media experience, but from my perspective, I'd see Louise as a specialist because of the traditional PR/Marketing experience.
In the past, offline media was one of the major mediums to promote one’s business and brand awareness. However, with the increasing popularity of the online media and its positive results, more people are turning to online marketing techniques to build a strong business presence across the globe. There are several online marketing strategies we can use for our Internet marketing solutions, but SEO (search engine optimization) today has taken a stance much ahead of any other technique.
SEO brings with it tremendous scope for business improvement with improved keyword positioning, improved ranking and overall increase in the ROI and cuts down on the PPC cost extensively in the long run. This is a proven marketing solution if done the right way using the right techniques based on your website requirements.
I thought this information would be helpful for those who wish to promote their website and get great results.
I have relationships with TWO PR pros (and you), both interact with me on twitter, they may or may not ready my blog, but that's okay. One is kinda a big deal and probably could spend her time with bigger writers and another is about 12 years old and I'm sure she's got the "crummy" job of courting mommy bloggers.
I've met the person in charge at her firm once, but she's clearly too busy to talk to bloggers.
The problem is that I'm also the editor, publisher and sales person of the ad space on my sites.
You can't treat bloggers like you would columnists, we don't have a corporation paying us.
I do, however get approximately 400 pitches a day. Yes, I have a relationship with exactly two PR pros.
What does that tell you?
"Listening is the fundamental characteristic that separates the experts from the theorists."
As an author and expert in the lifestyles arena, I've worked with many Public Relations firms in a spokesperson capacity. And yes, it does seem to be the "Junior Staffers" who are always up at 5:00AM for the SMTs, running around town with experts for desksides, or pitching for the brands.
What these "Junior Staffers" have is a lot of heart. Their passion is contagious and it's that energy that engages media gate-keepers, (magazine editors, talent bookers, etc...) and results in a commitment.
I'm all about the "Junior Staffers" but admire the wise men and women at the top as well.
One thing I've thought a lot about is the term "Social Media Expert" and would actually prefer "Social Media Educators" because while I believe some people may know more than others about all the social media tools and practices, I find it hard to grok the idea that anyone is an Expert, just yet. Seems these social channels are moving, changing and evolving too quickly for anyone to be considered an Expert.
Nice post - will be referencing it quite often.
Currently, my company, which specializes in PR, has embraced social media as a new tool. We should not be intimidated by this new Social Media Monster, but welcome it with open arms!
I wish everyone gets a chance to read your post--it's the missing link between Public Relations and Social Media.
Some context. A decade+ in tech marketing -- more than half on the corporate side -- has exposed me to all sorts of marketing types, agency models and most importantly business and engineering cultures. There are -- and will be -- no shortage of interwoven organizational challenges that contribute to the perceived role and value of marketing and PR functions. Perceptions that will not be changed overnight.
In the tech sector, there is a shortage of PR people who exhibit, to put it mildly, technical and intellectual curiosity. This makes the "profession" less likely to succeed in this transparent, conversational, community-centric world. Worse, it gives both insiders and agencies next-to-zero credibility with the engineers and MBAs who run the tech cos -- credibility required to act as change agents. Rather than attempt to train armies of publicists on how to be builders of communities they don't understand, would it not be easier to rebuild the PR industry by converting product marketing and management professionals, customer success leaders, support staff, etc. in to the new PR/Comms/Mktg roles?
Thoughts?
http://twitter.com/cindykimpr
http://cindykimblog.wordpress.com
http://www.linkedin.com/myprofile?trk=hb_side_pro
I particularly was pleased to see the point about PR agencies scurrying for social media - everyone seems to be an expert all of the sudden. "Well if traditional PR services aren't selling, let's try something else."
Everyone in the PR industry needs to read this post. Sadly, only the ones who "get it" already will. The rest will never get it.
Thanks for taking the time to write this one. Very, very thorough. This could be the beginning of your next book.
This is an amazing piece... it is the work of someone who has gone beyond their normal mental circuits and who has tapped into the visionary realm. Respect!
As a long-time marketer I could agree more. And what you outline in reference to PR applies equally well to advertising and branding. From my experience, the top ten things brands forget in their headlong rush to social media are as follows:
1. BE HUMAN
2. TO REACH SOMEONE’S HEAD, GO THROUGH THEIR HEART
3. FIND OUT WHO YOU ARE SO OTHERS CAN TOO
4. ALWAYS BEGIN AT THE END
5.SIMPLICITY IS THE KEY TO COMPLEXITY
6. TELL YOUR BRAIN TO LISTEN TO YOUR GUT
7. LESS TIME MEANS MORE FUN.
8. NOT HAVING THE IDEA IS PART OF HAVING THE IDEA
9. SAY THE SAME THING IN DIFFERENT WAYS
10. THE PAST IS NO GUIDE TO THE FUTURE
I explian each of these at http://adjix.com/g5zr<br />Not enough room here. Thanks as always for the great, in depth thinking.
Simon Mainwaring
www.simonmainwaring.com/blog
As a postgraduate PR (integrated communications????) student, your posts continue to inspire and help me make sense of the new communications environment.
You've also provided some well needed non-academic fuel for discussion in my research.
I decided on a career in public relations about a year ago knowing full well the environment was changing and that the communications disciplines were converging, but decided that PR would be the one to lead this charge.
You seem to embody this notion.
Looking forward to reading the new book.
The passion that comes with public relations is incredible and I have passed this article on to many friends in my similar position. We truly have many things to learn experiences to encounter but the passion that lies within this new generation is what will change our world.
I believe that the evolution of public relations will change our country from one that sells products to one that believes in it's people. Looking forward to following your work and I hope you realize the impact you have made on many young aspiring PR specialists.