The Ever-Evolving Role of PR: Staying Grounded in Timeless Fundamentals
Public relations is a field that has always thrived on adaptability, yet its core purpose remains unchanged. Sandra Stahl, a seasoned PR strategist, thought leader, and educator, explores this balance in her book, providing a forward-looking perspective on the role of PR in modern communications. While her book is an essential guide for those considering a career in PR, even experienced professionals will find valuable insights that reaffirm the enduring principles of effective public relations.
Defining PR in the 21st Century: The Importance of Staying Grounded
The world of communications is rapidly evolving, but at its heart, PR remains about solving problems through meaningful engagement with the public. Stahl sums up this idea perfectly:
“Public relations is about relating to the public in ways that solve problems. That’s the historical intent of this profession and will, ironically, allow us to capture the future.” (Stahl, p. 15)
One of the common pitfalls PR professionals encounter is becoming too focused on individual tactics or specific tools. The temptation to execute a campaign based on a client’s request, rather than identifying the underlying need or opportunity, can limit effectiveness. Stahl encourages PR professionals to adopt a holistic approach—one that integrates PR seamlessly into an organization’s broader business strategy rather than treating it as a siloed function activated only for product launches or crisis management.
The Art and Craft
PR is a finely honed craft, but today, it’s easy for the art to get lost in the execution. With new tools and platforms emerging constantly, it’s tempting to prioritize tactics over strategy. Stahl calls our attention to the fact that:
“Our future is not confined to our ability to own the latest tools available or make the most unique or innovative use of them. We don’t have a ‘swim lane’ or a ‘silo’ that confines our professional capabilities or growth.” (Stahl, p. 7)
This perspective is particularly relevant as PR professionals navigate an ever-expanding digital landscape. The tactics we use—social media, influencer partnerships, or AI-driven communication—may advance, but the fundamentals of PR remain broad, flexible, and more crucial than ever.
Key Takeaways for PR Professionals
Attraction vs. Promotion
One of the most compelling distinctions Stahl makes is between attraction and promotion:
“Anyone can have a megaphone. Getting heard and having that message resonate is something else altogether.” (Stahl, p. 47)
Promotion is a one-way broadcast, often ignored or tuned out. Attraction, on the other hand, is a mutual exchange where the audience willingly engages with the message. Effective PR requires cultivating authentic connections rather than merely amplifying a message as loudly as possible.
The Power of Listening
A vital but often overlooked aspect of PR is the ability to listen. Stahl emphasizes the importance of understanding stakeholders on a deeper level:
“We have two ears and one mouth, so we should listen 2x more than we speak.” – Zeno of Citium (336-265 BCE)
PR professionals should approach communication with the intent to truly understand, not just to respond. With active listening, we can uncover valuable insights about our audience’s motivations, concerns, and aspirations.
Balancing Innovation with Time-Tested Lessons
As PR evolves, it’s easy to get caught up in trends – or staying ahead of them. However, Stahl reminds us of the value in reflecting on the discipline’s history. Case studies, best practices, and historical successes offer lessons that remain relevant today. Michael Blash, Head of Internal Communications at Merck, points out that mining the past for guidance can be just as insightful as staying up to date with the latest industry shifts.
Understanding PR’s Role in Business and Society
PR is not just about brand awareness—it plays a crucial role in shaping the relationship between businesses and society. Stahl encourages professionals to view their role as facilitators, ensuring that businesses remain attuned to public sentiment and expectations. Bringing external perspectives into internal decision-making processes strengthens organizations and enhances their credibility.
A Nuanced Approach to Communications
A last key lesson from Stahl’s book is the importance of strategically selecting communication channels. Rather than defaulting to platforms that feel trendy or personally appealing, PR professionals must prioritize the channels that best reach and resonate with their audience. This means understanding the habits and preferences of stakeholders and delivering messages in the most relevant and trusted formats.
The Future of PR: Mastering the Balance Between Art and Strategy
As PR continues to evolve, its foundations remain steadfast. By balancing strategy with execution, listening with speaking, and attraction with promotion, PR professionals can build meaningful relationships that stand the test of time. Stahl’s book serves as an important reminder that while tools and tactics will change, the art and craft of PR remain limitless in their potential. The future of PR lies not in chasing the latest trends but in mastering the timeless fundamentals that define the profession’s true impact.
To learn more about how Zer0 to 5ive can help drive visibility and industry leadership for your company drop us a line.
When it comes to successful broadcast pitching, sometimes it’s luck, but a lot of the time, it’s about developing the right pitch, delivering it to the right person, and tying it to a timely trend.
Unlike other media, broadcast outlets operate on really tight deadlines and prioritize stories with strong visual and emotional appeal. Producers and bookers are flooded with pitches daily, so standing out requires a strategic approach.
Below are key tips to increase your chances of landing a segment and getting your story on the air.
Know the Audience: Step one is sometimes obvious, but it’s critical that you know the audience (who watches the show) and style (does the show have guest conversations?, etc.) of the segment. Understand what stories resonate with their viewers or listeners to ensure your pitch aligns with their needs. For example, don’t pitch a CEO for a business story to a consumer morning show that talks about the latest/ trendiest eye cream. You want to ensure that what you are pitching will resonate with the producer or the audience.
Leverage Timely Tie-ins: Highlight why your story matters now. Make sure your narrative is newsworthy, timely, and relevant, and frame it in a way that stands out from typical pitches. Look for trending topics, big upcoming events, or tap into breaking news that aligns with your story , making it even more compelling for producers who are looking for new ideas.
Be Concise: It’s especially important in broadcast pitching to keep your pitches concise. Producers are busy, and usually on deadline, so they appreciate pitches that get straight to the point. Use a compelling subject line and hook and present the key details in a clear, short format.
Embrace Personalization: Who doesn’t like to feel the love!? Avoid generic mass emails – they don’t work for producers. Referencing a past segment to explain why your story is a great fit for their program or taking the time to tailor your pitch in other ways shows producers that you understand their content and can increase the likelihood of your story being considered.
Provide Supporting Materials: Include relevant assets such as video clips, b-roll, or images, and be ready to offer additional information or interviews promptly. For broadcast, visual assets are critical so that the booker or producer can see the subject matter expert in action and get a sense of how they will be on camera.
Successful pitching is a mix of preparation, persistence, and knowing how to frame your story in a way that resonates with both producers and their audiences. The above tips can help ensure your pitch is not only opened, but seriously considered by busy broadcast producers/bookers looking for stories.
To learn more about how Zer0 to 5ive can help drive visibility and industry leadership for your company drop us a line.
As PR professionals, we are charged with staying on top of the news and events happening all around us – and 2024 has been a non-stop year! With the convergence of major global events, geopolitical tensions, extreme weather, economic challenges (hello, inflation), and the U.S. presidential election, trying to break through the media noise with a well-timed, well-written and compelling op-ed has been challenging.
Have an opinion? So does everyone else. Afraid to offend with a strong stance? Your competitors and others aren’t.
The lessons below may not be new, but they are a strong reminder that timing is everything and words matter. As Einstein famously said, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. If at first, you don’t succeed, try again – or it may be time to pivot.
- Make a crystal clear argument – The meaning of an op-ed is an opinion editorial – not a marketing blog or byline article. If there is no clear opinion from the author, then it’s not an op-ed. Make a convincing case for why your opinion holds weight without putting those with opposing views down. You can be bold and provocative without being harsh.
- Consider timeliness – One of the trickiest parts of placing an op-ed is writing quickly enough to submit your piece within the very tight time frame of the news cycle. A strong op-ed should address a current event, trend, or hotly contested topic. Knowing the outlet you are writing for is also a key part of successful placement – audience matters. Your op-ed should be tied to something relevant to the publication’s audience to increase the likelihood of getting the editor’s attention.
- Provide a unique perspective – What can you offer to a debate that is unique and provides a different point of view from what has already been argued time and again? Analogous to the business strategy of finding the blue ocean, think critically about what hasn’t been already said to find the untainted argument that hasn’t been made yet.
- Find support for your POV – When appropriate, support your argument with evidence; include recent statistics and high-quality research from credible, objective and respected sources to back up your claims.
- Be concise – Most op-eds should stay within 500-800 words and are written for the average reader. Leave the jargon for the experts.
- End with a clear call to action – By the end of the article, it should be clear to the reader what you are asking them to do – is your goal just to make them aware, change their opinion, or do you want them to take initiative and make a move?
- Don’t overlook the trades – We all would love our clients to be featured in the NYT, Washington Post, or other national outlets – that’s why the competition for getting an op-ed placed in those outlets is so fierce. It’s one of the best ways to get a bold opinion out there in front of millions of eyeballs. In fact, the NYT typically receives more than 1,000 unsolicited op-ed submissions a week. If your first choice for placement falls through, or it becomes clear that an article is not getting the attention of the national media, don’t sit back on the trades. In a recent study of B2B leaders and executives, 82% said trade media coverage directly impacts purchase decisions. Getting your point of view in front of the right audience can be just as important as getting in front of a wide audience.
- If all else fails, post to LinkedIn – If you are confident that you have a strong op-ed, and have checked all the boxes to make sure it’s a compelling piece, then it just might be that the window of opportunity has passed; timing is tough to always get right. But don’t throw away a good op-ed! If all else fails, having your client post the piece to his or her LinkedIn can build thought leadership and visibility within their network. If it sees a lot of engagement, you can boost it to get it in front of more – and new – targeted readers.
A good piece of content is valuable no matter what and has legs beyond its first home, so opine away!
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