You may have heard some interesting and juicy tidbits about public relations (PR), and how PR professionals go about their work. PR is a wide and varied industry, covering a lot of ground and managing several important points of outreach for clients. There are some misconceptions about what we do and how we do it, and we’re here to debunk those myths for you! Here are some things you may have heard about how PR works, that simply aren’t the case.
It’s about spin – If the truth is good, a lie is better. Nope! Your PR firm isn’t there to try to make bad things good. A crisis communications team may be there to help you navigate some troubled waters, but their job is to help companies move forward in a truthful way and regain the trust of their customers, not spin a negative situation to make it sound positive.
Media is paid for – When you see a big spread in a reputable publication from your competitor, it might be tempting to think their team bought that placement. The truth is not all media is pay for play. The PR team is working hard to not only create interesting content and thought leadership opportunities, but also to catch the attention of reporters to arrange for these types of unpaid editorial stories.
All the same – Advertising, marketing and public relations – it’s all the same, right? The truth is, these are all different industries with different tactics and processes. Don’t get us wrong, a comprehensive media plan might include all of these types of communication, but they are all different and provide different results.
Only social – We’re constantly hanging out with influencers, posting social media from the deck of their yachts and waiting for our drinks to arrive. Just kidding! While PR can include influencer strategy, professionals in the industry do so much more than simply post to social media or schmooze influencers. In fact, we’re often working so hard that we hardly leave the office!
You only need it when things are bad – PR isn’t just for crisis communication, it’s for creating a brand voice and reputation that connects you with your customers and forges a lasting relationship. PR can promote positive situations, impressive achievements and set company management up as leaders in the industry.
It’s easy – PR is a tough job, but someone has to do it! And you know what? We love it! We’re working hard, day-in and day-out, to deliver for our clients. This is a profession that’s constantly changing, and we have to stay on top of the changes and think outside the box. We’re on the phone, responding to email, conducting outreach and completely invested in seeing our clients succeed.
It’s an outdated practice – PR is as important now as it ever was – maybe even more so! Trying to get your company to stand out amongst all of the content that is constantly available can be hard. That’s what a PR professional does! They think strategically and create a plan that’s perfect for your brand, then they get to work to make it come to life.
Myths: Busted!
Did you have any of these misconceptions as part of your view of PR? It’s okay, you can tell us! We hope this helped clear up some confusion about the PR industry. If you have any questions about what PR could do for your brand, please feel free to reach out to us. We’d be happy to help you learn about the tools available to you and bust any other myths you’ve heard about the industry.