Professional Development

Chapter 1 – The Public Relations profession: an introduction

1.1. Differences between Public Relations and advertising

1.2. Differences between Public Relations and journalism

1.3. What exactly do Public Relations professionals do?

1.4. Definition of Public Relations

1.5. Who can use Public Relations?

Chapter 1 Summary

Chapter 1 References

Synopsis

PR professionals are sometimes mistaken for journalists or advertising professionals, but each one engages in specific activities which makes them different.

Journalists and PR professionals have more in common. However, there must be a strictly professional relationship between the two and for ethical and credibility reasons, a marked separation between what each one does, so that they represent themselves positively in the current climate of public mistrust with regard to media.

PR professionals have many specific ways of helping organizations communicate sucessfully with all of their audiences.

One of the challenges of PR is to find a globally accepted definition so that the profession be understood completely in all sectors, identified as an executive-level post within organizations and recognized in communications as the proper way to directly reach diverse audiences.

Given the flexibility of PR, organizations of all shapes and sizes can get the most out of PR. However, it’s always advisable to use professionals to reach goals with greater efficacy.

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Okay, okay, I’ll be the first to acknowledge that I’ve been somewhat absent on the posting front here (somewhat is an understatement), but believe me, I’ve been around in spirit.  Robert and team is/has/and will continue to blaze a trail in experiential learning, and I’d recommend you squeeze every bit of value out of these ‘participatory’ experiences you’re having.

That being said, I’m hoping to pick your brains here.  I’m speaking at the National PRSSA Conference next week on Tech PR, “Hi-Tech, High Opportunity. Public Relations in the High Technology Industry,” and I couldn’t think of a better group to poll for thoughts on what you’d be interested in hearing about.  Procrastination, yeah maybe, but then again I’m in Tech PR where things seem to happen in lightspeed anyways.:)

Here’s a rough (very rough) draft of what I’m thinking about covering:

1. Intro to Tech PR (Discuss the evolution of the tech PR space and what it entails)
2. Emphasize how ‘technology’ is impacting PR–PR 2.0 (Discuss the evolution, and implications, of new social media practices–blogs, podcasts, wikis, video, etc.–what it means to the next generation of PR pros (you), and what you should do) 
3. Provide tips on what is required to be effective in Tech PR
4. Q&A

Did you know that the technology sector is one of the fastest growing industries in our economy (that’s saying a lot after the dot-com bubble burst), that Tech PR is one of the fastest growing fields in PR, and that it boasts some of the highest paid salaries in PR?  I’m speaking fairly early in the morning, 9:45, but I think that will get some attention.  And of course I’m bullish on it because it’s what I do; but having spent some time in other areas of PR, I’m really energized by the challenge and dynamics of Tech PR. 

So sound off and let me know what you think and what you’d like to hear about Tech PR. 

  

 

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