Public Relations is a dead industry! If you think that, I will help you out from under that rock you have been hiding under. Social Media is not God. It’s not here to save you or your business. It’s a tool that is meant to help you create leverage.
Now, I will admit that for a split second about a year ago I thought “Who needs PR.. brands can do it themselves!!” Then I slapped myself (literally) and quickly woke up.
Public relations as a discipline is very much alive and well. And the same basic rules still apply. If you’re a small business or a personal brand, you more than likely don’t need to be represented by a PR firm. But if you are a big business or a celebrity, you most definitely need to have an experienced PR team on your side.
Social media makes people feel all warm and fuzzy, but it still can’t play with the big boys yet. In a world where image is everything, your brand can get too big to be properly presented to the world with one person. Public Relations takes a skill, a skill that is much different than being a “social media guru.”
PR has come a’courting. That’s right PR is dating SM and, in the future, they will be married and have awesome babies. If you are in PR and would like a few tips on getting SM into bed, I can give you three:
1. Numbers matter to you. For me it’s about quality over quantity. I think it’s a little different when you are dealing with PR. The more people you contact, the more leverage you can create for future clients.
2. Ears open – mouth shut! Listening is your number one job in the social space. You need to keep your mouth shut so you can hear what is going on. Being on top of breaking news is crucial. Be smart, gather intel and be prepared to hit the ground running in times of need.
3. It’s not just your client’s brand. Your client’s brand becomes your brand and you are an extension of that. Everyone in PR should know that. And it’s even bigger than that. Your brand as a PR rep is important, too. In the social space, you can leverage situations on behalf of your clients outside of the bubble they have to work in. Building trust in the social space will make things a lot easier down the road.
As promised in the title I have an interview with Stephanie Smirnov aka @ssmirnov. Stephanie is the President of DeVries PR aka @DeVriesPR. She has been with DeVries for over 10 years. I couldn’t wait to have a candid conversation about public relations. She is not a talking head nor is she lost in the woods with no way out. In fact, she’s the type of woman that might just set fire to the tree line to create her way out. Join us as we talk about public relations and social media.
Written by Owen JJ Stone
I run Inquiring Mindz Media, enjoy being a dad, building brands, designing, making videos, and meeting people. For more info, check out OwenJJStone.com, @Ohdoctah or IQMZ.
Tags: brand, Business, community, interview, networking, PR, Public Relations, Social, video, women
