credit: millerlittlejohnmedia.com
In the last three weeks, my head has been spinning like a top zinging from one blog to the next and amplifying the echo about an entire profession being targeted with negative publicity — GASP! We in public relations need to do better public relations.
We’re abuzz with content that continues to present the negatives and showcase the problem areas, and the same or similar comments are being made on everyone’s blogs.
I’d like to alter that and elevate the decibel to attain new heights and a grander image for our profession that’s taken a few hits of late. No sense crying over spilled milk; it’s a call to action, PR, and anyone can participate. Here’s my suggested proposal to define public relations with a modernized definition we can use to educate our stakeholders and future practitioners.
This is an unofficial exercise. I’m not getting paid; in fact, I have no idea how this happened, but there’s no going back now — full speed ahead (because I’m a pirate). I ask only for respect for all ideas and each other.
Here’s the action plan that will unfold on this blog and hopefully elsewhere:
Objective: Define Public Relations with a modern and simple definition
Proposed Ed Cal:
- Day 1 — Set Course: Objectives, invitation to participate
- Day 2 — Who Is PR? The Practitioner Roll (ala a blog roll) of those who’ve lent food for thought already. Consider this the post that recognizes everyone simultaneously.
- Day 3 — Drilling In to the Mash Up: We’ll explore the definitions on the table already to find wording consensus.
- Day 4 — Drilling In Deeper to Consensus: All the definitions should be on the table with comments that will become part of the main blog.
- Day 5 — Climbing Out of the Hole: Will we be able to pick five statements that define what we do?
- Day 6 — The Final Tally? I believe I’ll use Survey Monkey to manage this process (with your help).
- Ongoing, as needed, until we reach agreement
The only thing missing, is you. Consider this my invitation to anyone in public relations to help us define who we are today, the services we offer and to whom. Ask yourself how you define public relations, and then stop back here to share your perspective and be heard.
Thank you in advance; this is a team effort, absolute!
I am very excited about this discussion. It seems similar discussions seem to be happening all over the world lately.
This web linked was shared on a LinkedIn forum I am a part of and I think it will add value to the above discussion. Initiated from Australia, a new e-report about PR in 2011 has been released. It has contributors from around the world.
https://www.prconversations.com/index.php/2011/03/the-wind-is-in-craig-pearce%E2%80%99s-sails/
Hey, Danielle! Thanks for this resource across the pond and beyond. Took a look and these are peeps with whom I definitely need to further interact. It’s fascinating the industry is having these discussions; highly likely I’m late to the party and perhaps that’s the reason I’m “fascinated.”
I very much appreciate your input, help with RTs, willingness to participate, and more; especially as we only just met about 10 days ago! Love that. Thank you.
I’ll help however I can, Jayme!
Great idea. I’ve been hearing you talk about this on Twitter. Love the approach. Look forward to the discussion. And, honestly, look forward to the results too! Thank you so much for tackling this topic!
Thanks, Rachel! So great you agree this is not a wasted effort. I’ve no idea where this will lead or whether we can garner consensus, but what a channel to make this happen, for sure — via crowdsource.
Side note – have you thought about creating a FB group for this?
Hadn’t even crossed my mind…do you think there’s enough peeps who would join and participate? Would we be an aggregator of all things PR? What other groups do you like that has this orientation? There’s something about LinkedIn PR groups that is messy; don’t want to be rude, but some of the questions seem a bit off target.
What’s your thinking? Please share! (Hah, and I’d need some co-conspirators, too!)