Public Relations is NOT a Commodity
April 15, 2009
Public Relations is a strategy, not something you buy off the shelf.
Far be it for me to knock the entrepreneurial spirit. It is one of the things I value most about our clients, the willingness to take a risk.
But the announcement of the PR Store opening in Phoenix makes me uncomfortable. Our industry has spent years convincing clients and our organizations that public relations is a strategic part of any good business plan. That it must be well thought-out and budgeted for. It is not something that can or should be purchased off the shelf.
Public relations is not a commodity, we shouldn’t sell it the same way as we sell shirts and ties.
April 15, 2009 at 1:08 am
I COULD NOT AGREE MORE!!!
April 15, 2009 at 3:29 am
Here here. Most people don’t understand the difference between publicity (tactical) and public relations (strategic).
They’ll hire PR Store, then look up in a couple months and despite a few hits in the media, realize they’ve really accomplished nothing for their brand and made no long term income as a result
In this business, you really do get what you pay for. Great post.
April 15, 2009 at 3:51 pm
[...] Fink of HMA Time: Our industry has spent years convincing clients and our organizations that public relations is a [...]
April 15, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Effective public relations is much different than a PR store for obvious reasons: we’re a strategic part of an overall business plan; we’re adept at consultation on a myriad of issues – including a one-time press release; and we’re multi-disciplinary in that we integrate other areas of expertise like marketing, social media and advertising. This is when professional licensing might apply.