I am sure all of you feel it, but I feel the need to highlight it: change is all around us.
Marketing, PR and advertising are not the same any more. We are witnessing the unstoppable big move towards the real meaning of ‘being social’ in business context.
We are facing the new aspects of the communications processes. And these major changes in the social environment are provoking major changes in all of us and in our work as communications specialists.
Regarding this, I would like to share with you several ideas, which are constantly in my thoughts.
I believe we need to rethink PR and here I point out four main aspects of the changes in the industry.
- The image of the PR profession:
Clients require more results-driven strategies and want the PR pros to focus more on the business turnover rather than on tactics.
- The image of the brands:
Brands can be good friends of their customers. They just need to be presented as such by the communications professionals. What’s more, the consumers are changed too and they are more connected than ever.
- The social business:
Being social does not mean to launch a Facebook FanPage or create a Twitter account. The core idea of the social business is the interaction with people and reaction to what’s happening (in the world). It’s about putting communications at the center of the business.
- The message and the channels:
It’s not about the message, it’s about the relevance of the message. As Brian Solis recently said: Content is no longer king. Context is king. And it’s important for the brand to carefully choose the right media channels according to their publics and business aims.
As I’m passionate to discuss with you what are the big changes ahead in the PR profession worldwide, it is fundamental to hear your opinion as well. What aspect of PR do we need to rethink according to you?
What’s more, we need to define the changes first and then we need to know how to react to these changes and how to update ourselves in order to provide up-to-date professional solutions. And that’s what keeps me awake at night. How can the PR pros enlarge the business revenues in the conditions of the digital world?
I would be expecting your feedback and points of view.
Best wishes,
Petya
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Twitter: maidoesimple
// Jan 24, 2011 at 7:35 pm
The point you make about social business is very true and not just for PR professionals. Brands too often get this wrong, and it’s a shame ’cause they miss on the potential of social media at all.
If you think about how I got to meet you and what was born from that, you realize the true value of social media, something that goes beyond a couple of links shared and a “Like” on a Facebook page.
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Twitter: pgeorgieva
// Jan 24, 2011 at 9:47 pm
Hi Gabriele, I always read your comments with interest because I know that you’re going to say something helpful. And here are the main keys to social media success: be personal, catch the interest, provide useful content, be different, be persistent (you’re so regular in posting comments for example). I hope that brands won’t miss the potential of the social media channels. And regarding my personal experience in the social web, I think it’s worth it :) Big thanks for posting your opinion here and taking the time to read my ‘letter’ :)
Hi Petya,
Very clear sentiments here and I think they mostly ring true. In terms of brands being friends with customers, I do believe this is possible (and is happening), but the consumer is very fickle, they want something in return (usually a discount) for their attention and care, building a relationship based purely on discounting is a risky business as your customers will easily move to a competitor if they start to offer a better price. This can be avoided by truly attentive service and the offering of perks such as exclusive content, access to event and making customers feel and believe that their opinions really count. And of course discounts can be worked in to the mix – but how about focussing on loyalty?
In terms of the role of PRs in this ever – changing comms environment, I feel our responsibility is to ensure that our clients and customers are educated (this means we have to be at the cutting edge) in the best ways of using the various channels available, ways that truly suit their business needs. Too many ‘pros’ are guilty of using the likes of social media for the sake of it and the sad thing is many businesses are happy to accept metrics such as high follower numbers as success.
The current number of tools available to a PR is staggering, both for their own personal development and that of their clients’ – the challenge is blocking out the noise and finding the truly rewarding.
Keep up the great work!
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Twitter: pgeorgieva
// Jan 25, 2011 at 11:33 pm
Mike, thanks for sharing your thoughts here :) Regarding the topic about building friendships between brands and customers: I agree with you that these ‘relationships’ can’t be based on discounts; but (e.g.) on a particular customers need that is satisfied by a friendly brand which is also providing some additional value.
Concerning the changing comms world, yes – we should educate our clients on the usage of the different channels but also explain them how to define and measure success. I hope that it will be soon when everybody in the PR industry will understand that it’s not the “likes” and followers that count. That’s why we should be more focused on the real business results. AND That’s why we have to find the right context when communicating with potential and actual customers of a brand.
Great article Petya, you bring up a lot of good points. I think it will be interesting to see how PR programs evolve in order to accurately measure a company’s “social voice” in the years to come.
PR Professionals in general must learn to be adaptive because this industry, (like many other industries) is rapidly evolving because we, as consumers, have an increasing thirst for up-to-date news and information in real-time.
Traditional PR practices are no longer THE benchmark of quality service, but rather a piece of the puzzle. As social media continues to change the way people are accessing information, PR professionals and the companies they represent must adjust their approach to align with how the public consumes news. In many cases, this means really engaging and being reactive to customer feedback, criticism, queries, etc.
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Twitter: pgeorgieva
// Jan 25, 2011 at 10:32 pm
Hi Kristi, As you highlight in your comment – adaptation, accurate measurement of the social voice, new ways of presenting news (coordinated with the new ways of consuming news), engagement, reactiveness – these are the main points on which we should focus and work.
Interesting insights and post. Your point on the Facebook page and interaction/reaction truly resonates with me. I’m also glad you included the Brian Solis opinion of content vs. context. So important in PR and social media.
Cheers~
Susan
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Twitter: pgeorgieva
// Jan 25, 2011 at 10:13 pm
Hi Susan, thanks for sharing with us your opinion. Glad to see that we are thinking in the same direction :)
Hi Petya,
I like the notion that brands should be great friends with their customers. It’s that type of relationship that opens the door for brand ambassadors becoming a natural marketing arm for a company and lessening the need for self-promotion through PR. That I believe is a positive thing because third-party validation, in my opinion, is the best kind of validation. Happy customers who are social online help a company’s reputation through word of mouth as long as there is a genuine relationship. View them as friends as well as customers–it’ll benefit in the long run.
Twitter: pgeorgieva
// Jan 25, 2011 at 10:19 pm
Stacey, thank you for digging into the question about brands being great friends with their customers. We need to work on building friendly relationships between brands and their users. People believe mainly to those who are close to them (relatives, friends) so this means that, as you said, third-party validation is the best kind of validation especially in the context of the social web. Well, this will be an interesting adventure for the PR pros :)
Twitter: shonali
// Jan 26, 2011 at 4:02 pm
Petya, as I was reading this I was reminded of a presentation I made a couple of days ago on what I called “redefining PR in the 21st century.” The point I tried to drive home was that we need to move away from “old media,” “new media,” media schmedia. What I said was, “the customer is your media.”
To me, that’s one of the biggest impacts “social” has had on not just business and the way we work, but on our industry. PR has always been about – or should always have been about – having an impact on the awareness and resultant behavior of your end-users/customers (in PR speak, “publics”). Now social has opened up those channels and it’s a crime if we’re not reaching to them directly, in addition to “traditional” media and tactics.
I don’t think there are any absolutes. Content is still very important, but context has always been important – that’s another recurring theme in my presentations/talks, usually to do with measurement. But that’s another subject so I won’t go there…
Thanks for starting a good discussion!
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Twitter: pgeorgieva
// Jan 27, 2011 at 4:45 pm
Hi Shonali, I love your comment and you are highlighting really important points. Customer is the media – this is really powerful statement and very well said. In addition, it’s great that you focus the attention on both the content and the context. And of course, one of the most important issues is the measurement of the PR activities. We seriously need to redefine the PR measurement process, because Klout, likes and followers do no indicate success in context of reaching particular business aims.
Thanks for taking part in the discussion! :)
Those are very true insights. Anyone who is business has a lot to gain from there as I have. Thanks a lot for sharing.
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