What PR (2.0) Is To Me
The other day I got into a discussion with no one’s favorite person @AmandaChapel (Brian Connolly) about, what else, social media. At the end of it he shared Bill Sledzik’s not so glowing review of Brian Solis’ new book “Putting the Public Back in Public Relations” with me and asked me if I read it AND the comments. (I had.)
We then continued the conversation via DM where I said something like: “My PR 2.0 chat is NOTHING like what Brian Solis talks about” (paraphrased). I then went on to say: “I use the term ‘PR 2.0’ in my chat because it’s my backdoor entry to sharing traditional PR” (again, parapharased).
[Regarding the statement about Brian, I didn’t mean it disrespectfully. It’s just that I don’t believe that PR 2.0 is only about the technology in this space what it can do to allow us to engage with publics. And I don’t believe in ghost blogging, which Brian is okay with. To me, PR 2.0 is a CHANCE to get ‘people relations’ right this time. Thanks to Kellye Crane for that term.]
The conversation has been on my mind ever since. Because, whoa!, I feel like I betrayed myself and where I stand on both topics. I engage in both AND I have issues with BOTH. I haven’t been quiet about it.
For 15 years I have had one thought when it comes to PR: It’s about people and the relationships established with them. It’s a two-way, respectful & ethical engagement that helps to establish mutual understandings and it should happen whether it’s a journalist, an employee, a person in the local community or a shareholder. And that’s how I have handled and taught PR.
In my mind, if a company needs to have a journalist “police” that kind of activity as a third-party...well, they have more issues than I can ever address.
My opinion is that journalists, reporters, & editors carry multiple biases (personal, editorial and business) with them that often affect their integrity. I also know that some organizations will absolutely manipulate any interaction they have with publics should they get the opportunity to do so.
What am I saying here? Perhaps I beat to a different drum. I am educated and experienced in both and I believe that gives me the ability to make up my own rules for what is right and what works. Arrogant? Perhaps. Successful? So far. My success isn’t based on arrogance; it’s been based on having the guts to put people first and taking the time to build relationships with them.
That said, I am almost positive my position on PR has landed me on the very tippy top of a “lay off” list more than once in my career. Trust me, I have pissed off more than one executive siding with a journalist and ticked off more than one journalist by not giving them the scoop they thought they deserved.
So... If you are engaged in the PR 2.0 Chat I moderate on Twitter, know this: I AM BIASED towards my own PR beliefs. I am trying to influence people to see PR a different way. I am persuading people to buck the system. I am hoping we come to some mutual understanding of today's best practices. And no matter what, I always enjoy our two-way conversations. (How's that for a good sprinkling of buzz words?!)
I guess for all my bitching, I am a PR gal at heart. Just not a typical one.



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