But reducing PR to just writing press releases would be comparable to equating the work of a distributor with selling a coffee mug. Accurate, but extremely incomplete. While press releases are certainly part of the public relations profession, they are by no means the defining responsibility. In fact, without a workable understanding of the purpose and scope of public relations, press releases would serve little purpose beyond an exercise in creative writing.
In our media conscious culture, where the next scandal is what gets the most coverage, many people see PR only as “spin,” the art of turning negative reality into positive fiction. A celebrity is caught on tape shoplifting, but the “spin” is that they accidentally mixed sinus medication with anti-depressants, causing a small lapse in judgment. Unfortunately, that’s the concept most people have of PR—ignoring the truth, spinning the facts to make a client look good. Essentially, PR is equated with lying.
Public Relations is not some optional aspect of business. The issue is not whether you will have public relations; every business does. It’s a matter of making it work for you. Make good PR a priority. The long-term benefits are worth the investment of time, energy and resources:
- Getting you/your organization noticed. It can get folks talking about you, your company and your product/services. If they’re already talking about you (positively or negatively), it gives you the tools to change, enhance or improve what’s being said.
- Build loyal employees, and make your company a place where people want to work. With the cost of replacing a team member, this can be very cost effective.
- Promote goodwill with your clients/customers and set you apart from your competitors. You can win coveted awards and garner recognition.
- Elevate your company/organization to a respected, valued member of the community. It’s good citizenship, and that should be reward enough. But a side effect is those who make up the community will also see you as the go-to place for products/services.
- Publicity that you could never afford to buy, and for less money than marketing and/or advertising. You become the expert the reporters call when they need a quote. And those same reporters can become priceless advocates for you and your business.
- Crisis Management. If there’s a crisis in your organization, you will be able to handle it. With proper planning, you can help prevent a crisis.
Because public relations is broad in its application, it can be difficult and limiting to capture the real meaning in a single definition. Therefore, some have attempted to highlight the duties (i.e., what public relations does) rather than focus on the role of the practice. But that is unfair, not to mention inaccurate.
PR is not just press releases and it’s definitely not “spin.” So, that begs the question: What is Public Relations?
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