The textbook “Public relations Practices” separates the strategies that have survived the test of time from the ones that work in today’s environment. I like that format because it allows me to see the blending of methods. “The New Rules of Marketing and PR” by David Scott had me scared that once I get into the PR realm that I will not use the strategies I learned in college because the strategies will have evolved again. I no longer have that fear because the foundation I am getting is very necessary.
There is also a section in “Public relations Practices” about the balance between your employer and public interest. That is one aspect of PR I have not thought about until now. It seems to me like the employer would do what is best for the public because the public is what keeps the company going. However, I suppose another balance that has to be maintained is the balance between the PR professional and the public. Untimately, the PR professional’s relationship with the public is more important than the relationship with the employer because if an employer ever asks a PR professional to do something unethical, and they do it, and get caught their career is over because their credibility is ruined.
Don’t forget that companies operate on short term results, especially if they are traded on the stock market. So the needs of the company and the public are not in synch because the company needs to grow revenue and profits in the long term. What often suffers is the long term public view of the company.
For example, the nonsense that USAirways does http://www.webinknow.com/2007/09/us-airways-flig.html
Be careful what you read in books!
David Meerman Scott
Comment by David Meerman Scott — February 12, 2008 @ 9:41 am
It is challenging for companies to manage the sometimes divergent needs of their various stakeholder groups. David’s right that public companies are frequently in the position of prioritizing the needs of their shareholder publics first, which puts an unwise short-term focus on the need to make enough profit this quarter to keep their share price afloat.
However, organizations do have obligations to all their other publics, including customers, employees, local communities, etc. If the company is out of alignment for too long with any of these publics, then its reputation and long-term financial viability are in danger.
Remember, though, that PR is broader than media relations or marketing. Public relations, as you know, is about two-way communications. We have a responsibility to advocate change in our organization if its interests are not balanced with some or all of our publics. Our job is to bring feedback from each of these publics back to our organizations and persuade our executives to make changes that put us back into alignment.
David’s example of USAirways is a good one: if I were on their PR team, I’d have taken David’s feedback from his blog to the marketing department and encouraged them to rethink their campaign.
Both Public Relations Practices and the New Rules say the same thing: make sure you’re having conversations with your publics. What’s important to remember is that having the conversation is not enough, you must also act on the information you gain from that conversation.
Comment by Diane Thieke — February 20, 2008 @ 2:01 am