What public relations is and why you should care

Transcription

1 PR isn t all #hashtags and sponsorships What public relations is and why you should care By: Katelin Brekken January 22, 2019 A question we public relations students hear a lot is, so what is public relations anyway? To be completely honest, it s taken time to understand what the professional work actually is. Public relations includes a whole bunch of things, from media relations, to community relations, to whatever organization you re representing, and then so many other factors. But, alas, I m here to tell you why you should give a crap about what public relations is. Throwing it all the way back to 1923 Edward Bernays is crowned as the father of public relations. Bernays created the idea of public relations in New York City, and called himself a public relations counsel. He was kin to psychologist Sigmund Freud, whose work influenced Edward Bernays creation of public relations. What s intruiging about that is that when public relations was created, it was targeted to make audiences believe that they needed whatever Bernays client was advertising. Now, with the growth of social media, public relations could be anything from #ad to paid sponsorships. The age of influencers on social media and amount of different kinds of celebrities across the fields of it. Public relations an entirely different animal than it was originally created to be. Why is it valuable. In the past, it s been said that nothing kills that product faster then good advertising. Public relations valuable because it allows your client and your brand to have good relations with the community and clients that you re trying to say. Without good public relations people might not even know that your company exists, and with bad ones, it s very evident to your clients that you don t know how to relate to real people.

2 Public relations can also have to do with personal brands. For the many aspiring social media influencers, their lack of good public relations will likely be the demise of their dream. If you think about it, how can there be a launch if there is no launch pad? What about a real life example? Twitter is a great way for companies to talk directly to customers. Sure, Wendy s has it great Twitter presence. It allows their brand to have unique voice and they are able to stand out from competitors. When you consider how important public relations is to the company, it seems like a whole lot more than just hashtags and sponsorships. With it you can rise to the top of any market, but without it you may never even get off of the ground. It s important to understand that good branding in good marketing, and even good communication skills are vital to the life of a company. Sources:

3 Outstanding professional teaches the importance of resilience in the workforce A class at the University of North Texas was visited by public relations consultant Renee Cossman, who lectured on the importance of resilience and creativity. By Katelin Brekken I m a senior in college- not many speakers resonate with me, but this woman did. Cossman visted a public relations classroom Tuesday to touch on, what she believes to be the most important aspects of the professional world. She certainly has the credentials. After working three of the top public relations firms in the world, Cossman has made the craft her own, and now individually consults with her clients. Directions with heart As a mother, her desire to guide and mentor students pours into her passion for public relations. Cossman poses in front of classroom. Really start doing some damage control, Cossman said. Review your timelines, control your tagging and make sure that your social media is where it needs to be. The Iowa State University graduate also noted that aspiring professionals need to get their foot in the door and push their way in. Cossman also warned students about the dangers of pigeonholing themselves. A few notable characteristics of a PR professional Her lecture ended with 10 key characteristics that the growing professional should have: Flexibility, meticulous learning, researcher, sees the big picture, builds relationships, knowledgeable, strong writer, honest, detail-oriented, and has thick skin. After finding the list online, Cossman felt that she wanted her parting words to affirm the eager ears of her audience. Cossman references Plank s 10 most notable traits.

4 In the end Cossman has successful professional career but stresses the importance of smelling the roses along the way. From her lecture, I will take away the devotion to her work and dedicate myself to putting my best foot forward. Katelin is a senior public relations student at the University of North Texas. She studied journalism at the University of Missouri for two year before transferring back to her home state in Her passion is talking to audiences and telling their stories. In her future, she hopes to pursue a career in sports public relations. Sources: Cossman, Renee. January 29, notable traits of a talented PR professional.

5 Media Relations. What the heck is that? By Katelin Brekken There are unique positions within public relations? As a matter of fact, yes, there are. A successful public relations group is a well-oiled machine; each intricate part is just as important to work and function correctly to get things done. Media relations is one of the big ones, so I m going to give it some time in the spotlight. PEOPLE POWERED BRAND: EARNED MEDIA Simply put, it s what others say about your brand. This makeor-break type of publicity can be the deciding factor in whether your brand soars to success, or not, and it never gets off of the ground. According to CEO of 5MetaCom, a popular B2B marketing agency, earned media can include anything from media publications, other businesses, colleagues, or even past and prospective clients talking to one another about your brand. As a media relations professional, it is imperative that the: 1. Mission of the campaign 2. Desired audience, and 3. Current state of affairs of and around the company be completely understood. Media relations professionals have an opportunity to frame how their brand looks from the public eye. It is important to understand how the public may take to the brand. Knowing the brand s objectives is key when making initial contact with the media. In order to make a connection with the media, press releases are a great example of how the media relations professionals might make contact with local media. PRESS RELEASES Press releases do not have to be pages long; they can be short and sweet (given that the correct information is written in the release). They are fabulous ways to let the public know about your brand, what your objectives are, and most importantly, why they should care.

6 Understanding that the press release is the first contact that the public will make with your product is important. If the release rubs someone the wrong way, their impression of your brand could be spoiled before it even comes to fruition. WHY DOES THIS POSITION MATTER? Media relations professionals matter. It is their duty to assuage the needs of the media and to supply the public with any kind of information that they might need to understand a brand. From sports to astrophysics, media relations professionals across the board have a job to provide the public with accurate, truthful and timely information. About the author Katelin is a senior public relations student at the University of North Texas. She studied journalism at the University of Missouri for two year before transferring back to her home state in Her passion is talking to audiences and telling their stories. In her future, she hopes to pursue a career in sports public relations. When she is not writing or working at her internship, Katelin s hobbies include running, spending time with friends and family, and playing her ukulele.

7 The World s Most Interesting Sport How public relations professionals integrate their work into the ever-evolving world of sports. By Katelin Brekken Watching professional sports can be it s own pastime, really. To do so, the fan must understand rules, positions, and the overall concept of the team. Some sports fans take things to a whole new level; they incorporate fantasy statistics into the mix. So where do public relations come in? Public relations is the glue that holds the team together For a typical sports team, there are four big positions: 1. Vice President of Communication 2. Player Relations 3. Corporate Communications 4. Media Relations Each of the positions operates to assist the executive team staff, players, other team professionals, such as promotions or philanthropy, and most importantly the public that the team appeals to. Professionals can make anything from press release, news clips, media guides, media advisories, or even distribute fan mail. Their job encompasses serving the team and those they play for. Good function is everything Whenever a rule changes, a player is traded, or if someone berates a team member, it is the duty of the public relations professional to make the sports team look as put together as possible. Sometimes, it is more difficult than others, but in the end, it affects sponsorships, game attendance, or even if the team exists at all. Personally, sports public relations has affected almost every area of my personal life. From shaping my academics to how I hold myself professionally, public

8 relations in sports takes adept ability to function in high-stress and fast-paced environments. Hours are long and tiring, but when the public relations functions as it should, it is a whole lot of fun. A Brief How-to: To take off in the professional world, a professional must understand the premise of the sport they work for. They do not need a strong background in it, but an understanding of the lingo and rules of the game is a definite plus. Most public relations professionals have some sort of writing background with a sports publication. Professional writing looks great on a resumes, and it is a quick way to immerse a professional into the sports world- and fast. Afterwards, look towards an internship with a team, any team. The professional sports resume looks a lot like building a foundation in the sports world and climbing up to the top. It is pretty competitive, but with the right mindset and drive, it is very possible to make it in the public relations world. About Katelin Brekken Katelin is a senior public relations student at the University of North Texas. She studied journalism at the University of Missouri for two year before transferring back to her home state in Her passion is talking to audiences and telling their stories. In her future, she hopes to pursue a career in sports public relations. When she is not writing or working at her internship, Katelin s hobbies include running, spending time with friends and family, and playing her ukulele.