PR Reflections

At the beginning of the semester, before ever taking a course specifically focused on public relations, I underestimated the breadth and depth of public relations. I thought I was familiar with public relations even though it was only briefly covered in other classes. This course has made me realize that public relations is a much more complex, and undefined area in many business.

Public relations is constantly changing, and it has expand to become a necessary tool for maintaining competitiveness in this socially connected world. This course helped me realize that public relations goes beyond non-profit organizations. It is an effective tool for companies to develop a personal relationship with consumers. Companies are able to reach consumers in all areas of their life allowing them to develop a more personal relationship with consumers. I never considered public relations as a medium to build relationships and brands until I began my public relations campaign book for West Michigan Network for Animal Protection (WMNAP).

I have gained a better understanding of public relations throughout this course. Not only will this information help me in my career, but it will also help me obtain a job when graduating from Grand Valley. This course has helped me understand public relations on a much deeper level than any other course. I am able to discuss and use public relations to brand myself in the job market. Not only will I be able to talk about public relations, but I will be able to show prospective employers what I know about public relations through my WMNAP plan book.

The plan book allowed me to practice writing and communicating ideas to clients. It also provided me with a real life experience of working with a non-profit as a public relations specialist. Even though I am not a specialist in public relations, this campaign helped me understand the role of a public relations specialist. Working with a client first hand is typically not practiced in a class room, and I think it should be. It gave me a real perspective on the type of work I would be doing, and it encouraged me to make a better plan book because WMNAP may use them in their own campaign.

This class showed me that public relations is a necessary part of companies, and it is likely to become even more important than it is now. I understand and appreciate the work that public relations specialists do. This experience has been very beneficial, and I am certain that I will continue to use public relations in my college and professional career.

PR Definition – Past & Present

Before taking public relations I never thought too deeply about what public relations is. I assumed that it was a small part of advertising that companies and celebrities use to increase their overall public image, especially after a crisis. In a world where technology is exponentially increasing it is difficult to classify public relations.

As I began to learn more about public relations the more I became aware of it in the world around me. Facebook alone has generated a whole new medium for Public Relations to use. You can like different pages, follow companies, share advertisements. Facebook has made it possible for companies to reach different markets, at little or no cost. It is incredible to me to see how technology is inventing new avenues of advertising and public relations.

With such a technology savvy population companies are forced into transparency. Consumers can find out almost anything about a particular company or person. When I think about this, I realize how important rublic relations has become. Consumers have access to almost every bit of information about a company. With so many alternatives I believe that consumers are less concerned about “what” the product is and more concerned about “who” the product is. If this is true, Public Relations is more important now than it has ever been.

After taking this class my understand of public relations has evolved beyond increasing public image. I see now that public relations is necessary for companies to not only repair their public image, but maintain it as well. I didn’t realize the importance of public relations until I sat down and thought about what companies would be like without it. Public relations is a piece of the marketing strategy, not a small part of advertising, and I am glad that I had the opportunity to learn more about it.

Solo PR

Solo public relations is a unique career choice that many young professional women are pursuing because of the various advantages that is presents. However, with the advantages come disadvantages that must be considered before entering the realm of solo public relations. In “The pros and cons of the solo PR life“, Arika Hanson explains what to expect when working in public relations on your own.

There are three main advantage that she explains in the article when working in solo public relations which makes it appealing to young women trying to balance a family and a career. The advantages are flexibility, ability to say no, and the creative freedom that it enables. Being a solo public relations professional you are your own boss. You have more control over when and where you work. You are also able to say no to clients that you don’t want to work for. Lastly you can promote your client in your own way. Working within a corporation can be restricting for creative individuals, being a solo public relations professional allows you to be as free and creative as you want (Hanson).

Looking at the disadvantages, Arika mentions two which stood out to me. The first being the perceived lack of legitimacy, and the second being downturns in the business (Hanson) .  These two disadvantages are the reason that I could not go into solo public relations.

The flexibility, and creative freedom are incredible advantages that very few jobs can offer, which is why a recent study found that 1 in 10 independent contractors would not return to a traditional career (Crane). However, personally for the me disadvantages outweigh the advantages. I want a job with benefits, healthcare, and security. Solo public relations cannot provide this, which is why I could not see myself as a solo public relations professional.

Crane, K. (2012). #PRin2012: Solo PR Pros – The Professions Secret Weapon. PRSAY. Retrieved from http://prsay.prsa.org/index.php/2012/01/23/2012-pr-industry-predictions-solo-practitioners-on-the-rise/

Hanson, A. (2011). The pros and cons of the solo PR life. Retrieved from http://www.arikhanson.com/2011/09/20/the-pros-and-cons-of-the-solo-pr-life/

Agency v Corporation

Public Relations is an multifaceted field and it is responsibilities are different based on the type of Public Relations that is being practiced. There are two main types of Public Relations. Public Relations at an agency level, and Public Relations at a corporate level. Both types must know their audience in order to produce an effective Public Relations strategy, however there are many more differences that exist between agency and corporate Public Relations.

It is important to recognize the differences that exist in the different fields of Public Relations. The biggest being the scope of responsibilities that each have. Public Relation agencies often are responsible for multiple clients. They have to organize their time and resources against different clients that may have very different products and messages. Corporate Public Relations have one focus. Their focus is based upon one corporate goal (Entrepreneur). Corporate Public Relations also have a larger budget to run their messages.

Another large difference that exists between public relation agencies and corporate public relations is the type of work that each do. Agencies, by nature, focus on strategy, writing, stakeholder development, releases, and other similar activities (Edwards). They are paid using billable hours of work to key clients. Corporate public relations, on the other hand, are more focused on obtaining corporate goals, and instead are paid by showing their effectiveness to upper management (Entrepreneur).

These are not the only differences between the two types of public relations. Public relation agencies often have a different hierarchal structure, smaller budgets, non-traditional work environments, and team dynamics that differ from corporate public relations (Edwards).

Edwards, I. (2012) Public Relations (PR): What are the differences between working in-house and at an agency? Retrieved from: http://www.quora.com/Public-Relations-PR/What-are-the-differences-between-working-in-house-and-at-an-agency

Entrepreneur (2013) Business Idea Center: Public Relations Agency. Retrieved from: http://www.entrepreneur.com/businessideas/printthis/public-relations-agency

Social Media & PR

Before you can discuss social media it is important to first establish what social media is. In order to do this, it is easiest to dissect social media into the two words that it is made of. Media is defined by Out:think as an instrument of communication. Therefore, social media is a social instrument of communication (Admin, 2011). This definition of social media most often includes websites that don’t just provide information, but also interact with individuals while doing so. Traditional media channels communicate one-way, from the organization to the target audience. Information is provided, however individuals are unable to respond. Social media transforms this one-way communication into a two-way conversation. The ability for consumers to interact and network so easily and efficiently gives them a substantial amount of power.

This distribution of power makes it important for organizations to be aware of the different categories of social media websites identified by Out:think, such as social networks, bookmarking sites, media sharing, and microblogging (Admin, 2011).

Social media allows individuals to connect with friends, meet new people, and stay in touch with the world. This connectivity allows companies to connect with the world for a very small price. Social media is now exploring the doors that Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin, and other social media websites have opened. These websites have given companies, both large and small, the opportunity to connect with stakeholders on a much more personal level.

Media sharing and microblogging websites such as YouTube and Twitter give businesses the means to stay connected and share their messages in the same networks as their customers. Media sharing websites allow individuals to upload and share pictures and videos to millions of people, often at little or no cost. Twitter gives companies the ability to react almost immediately to their consumers, which can be a double edged sward for public relation specialists.

Social media sites continue to change as technology improves. Over the past years the number of social media sites has drastically increased. While Facebook and Twitter continue to be the most popular social media websites, other websites such as Pinterest have emerged in the past year. Individuals are also using social media as a tool to enhance TV-watching into a more immediate and shared experience (Nielsen NetView, 2012). In addition to enhancing TV- watching, a study performed by Neilsen (2012) revealed that individuals are primarily using social media as a method of keeping in touch and networking with others.

Social media provides a path of two-way communication between the consumer and the company. One of the most beneficial aspects of social media is the opportunity for engagement that it creates. Consumers are becoming weary of traditional advertising. Social media not only provides a more credible way to advertise to consumers, but also a way for companies to respond to consumers and take action. Research shoes that roughly one quarter of social media users say they are more likely to pay attention to an ad shared by one of their social connection (Nielsen NetView, 2012). Social media allows consumers to generate word-of-mouth that can reach people in ways traditional advertising could never do.

Admin. (2011, Sept 6). The 6 types of social media. Retrieved from http://outthinkgroup.com/tips/the-6-types-of-social-media

Nielsen NetView. (2012, July). State of the media: The social media report 2012. Retrieved from http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/newswire/2012/social-media-report-2012-social-media-comes-of-age.html

Research In PR

As public relations continues to expand, it is becoming increasingly important for credible research to be done. Research provides direction for public relations as well as credibility. It can help improve public relation practice know the client, find the market, and choose the media, and ultimately, well-done research will deliver successful campaigns (PR Friend).

Research can help public relations learn more about the client. When you develop a public relations plan, it is important that you are able to justify your ideas (PR Friend). Clients want to be sure that your campaign will be successful. Research provides credibility to the campaign.

In addition to improving credibility, research helps public relations find the target market. One of the first things you want to know when promoting a product or service is who your market is (PR Friend). Research provides demographic, psychographic, geographic, and behavioral segmentation (Segmentation). By segmenting the market, you will be able to target your campaign towards an audience that will be interested. Targeting campaigns towards specific segments is extremely important in public relations because it allows you to design your message in a way that your target audience can understand and appreciate (PR Friend).

Research also assists public relations in choosing a media that will effectively distribute your message. You will have to find out which media your client can afford, and which ones will have the highest returns (PR Friend). With technology growing exponentially, it is important to research new methods of communication that are being used by your target audience.

Research is developed as two different parts. The first part of research is referred to as informal, or secondary research. In this stage, existing research is found about the subject. Secondary research can save time and money in public relations. By using research that has already been done you are able to focus primary research on unanswered questions (Market Research Methods). After secondary research has been done primary research is performed to gather original information that is directly related to meeting the objectives of your project. It includes surveys, direct observations, interviews and focus groups. Primary research gives you more control about the information that is gathered. It can be extremely valuable, however it is also more expensive and time consuming than secondary research (Market Research Methods).

There are two types of secondary and primary research, quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative research gathers numerical data. It can be used to identify the size and value of the target audience, and find areas for growth project. Qualitative research gathers opinions and attitudes. It provides a better understanding of the target audience’s interests, needs, habits, and find areas for improving customer relationships (Market Research Methods).

Research is time consuming, and sometimes difficult, but it is well worth it when done right.

“The importance of research in public relations: How research can help you promote your business.” PR Friend. Research in public Relations, n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2003

“Market research methods.” Queensland Government. Business & Industry Portal, n.d. Web. 10 Oct 2013

Expositioncreat [Tim Parker]. “What Is Market Segmentation and How Can It Increase Sales?” Intuit. Intuit, 12 Jul. 2013. Web. 10 Oct. 2013.

Evaluation in PR

As public relations continues to grow, it is important that public relations specialists stay accountable and provide measurable statistics to track and evaluate the effectiveness of a campaign. It is becoming more important that businesses are able to provide credible proof and calculate return on investment so that they can present that information to management, shareholders, and other key stakeholders (Macnamara).

Like advertising, it is difficult to quantify the value of public relations. Executives need tangible benefits of the campaign in order to see the value the campaign adds to the company as a whole, and make decisions based on that information. This makes it important that public relations specialists are able to evaluate the performance of different campaigns and translate them into measures that executives understand.

In order to calculate the return on investment it is critical that public relations specialists set measurable and attainable goals for them to evaluate the performance of various campaigns. The most common practice of public relations evaluation is the compilation of print stores and radio or television mentions (Cameron, Reber, Shin, Wilcox). Other methods include media impressions, Internet hits, advertising equivalency, systematic tracking, information requests, cost per person, and audience attendance. By using these methods to evaluate the effectiveness of an advertising campaign public relations specialists are able to adapt their strategy to better penetrate the target audience with the message of the campaign.

It is important that these measurements evaluate relevant information for the company to make future decisions. Not only does evaluation allow public relations specialists to quantify the value of public relations, but it also can reveal future opportunities and risks that may be present in the market. This information may be able to guide the organization into a more favorable position in the market. In such a competitive and transparent market it is important that public relations is continuously evaluated.

Cameron, Reber, Shin, and Wilcox. (2013). Think Public Relations. Retrieved from pg. 128 of Think Public Relations.

 Macnamara, Jim. (2011, October). PR Metrics: How to Measure Public Relations and Corporate Communication. Retrieved from http://amecorg.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/PR-Metrics-Paper.pdf

Advocacy in PR

Non-Profits face the challenge of raising awareness on a limited budget, or no budget at all. This makes public relations extremely important in this industry. If awareness is not established then these associates cannot support themselves or spread the word about what it is that they do, and why it’s an issue worth investing in. In addition to this non-profits find themselves walking a fine line of informing the community without creating a feeling of guilt while doing so.

 

This is why public relations is such an important asset to non-profit organizations. Public relations has the ability to use social media, events, and fliers to raise awareness for various non-profit organizations. For example Feeding America handled close to 1.1 billion dollars worth of goods in 2011 alone. How did they do it? They used public relations to spread their message.

 

Public relations allows non-profit organizations to spread their message in a way that will empower people to react. The main goal of non-profits is to evoke a reaction to stimulate change. Another example that comes to mind is the Susan G. Komen for a Cure. It uses public relations to raise awareness about breast cancer. They host walks and races to bring attention to themselves and differentiate themselves from other non-profit organizations.

 

Public relations is a powerful thing. It has the ability to reach people internationally, it is easy to access and it often has a low cost making it the ideal tool for non-profit organizations. Although non-profit organizations do not generate profits it is still just as competitive as any other business.

 

http://www.forbes.com/companies/feeding-america/

Preliminary PR Reflection

I never thought too deeply about Public Relations before starting this class. I just assumed that it was more so a small part of Advertising that companies and celebrities use to increase their overall public image, especially after an event that stimulated bad publicity. Even now it is still difficult for me to wrap my mind around what exactly Public Relations is. I feel that in our world where technology is exponentially increasing it is difficult to classify Public Relations.

The more I think about Public Relations the more I see it in the world around me. Facebook alone has generated a whole new medium for Public Relations to use. You can like different pages, follow companies, share advertisements. Facebook has made it possible for companies to reach different markets, at little or no cost. It is incredible to me to see how technology is inventing new avenues of advertising and public relations.

With such a technology savvy population companies are forced into transparency. Consumers can find out almost anything about a particular company or person. When I think about this, I realize how important Public Relations has become. Consumers have access to almost every bit of information about a company. With so many alternatives I believe that consumers are less concerned about “what” the product is and more concerned about “who” the product is. If this is true, Public Relations is more important now than it has ever been.

After thinking a little more about Public Relations I see that it is more than just increasing public image, it is necessary for companies to maintain and repair their public image. I didn’t realize the importance of Public Relations until I sat down and thought about what companies would be like without it. Public Relations is a piece of the marketing strategy, not a small part of Advertising, and I am excited to learn more about it in this class.