everyday public relations

I recently had a job interview with a new Social Media site. (They are currently looking for public relations coordinators to create buzz about their site.)Their aim is to be like “Facebook with a conscience”. I checked out their site before the interview and was impressed. They seem to have everything a good social networking site needs. You can create a profile, post items of interest, make alliances with other online members and search for jobs and volunteer opportunities. (www.Rethos.com)

Navigating around the site made me think about how more and more opportunities are popping up everyday for people to become their own publicists and/or internet stars. Anyone can publish anything, which often leads to misinformation and clouded issues. Everyone can be a “journalist”, posting their opinions on everything from national election issues to who is cheating on whom among the Hollywood crowd. The amount of information out there is staggering and it is important to remember that you can’t rely on 95% of it to be accurate or truthful.

Social media sites are a great networking tool and a good way to disseminate information to a wide audience along with blogs and online newsletters. However it is just as important to remember that these sites are a tool, a means not an end. I have found that putting information out there demands a responsibility that most internet users shirk. All good PR professionals should have knowledge of these sites and be able to use them effectively, just be careful who you associate with online. If Johnny Boy has you listed as an ally or friend and his site is filled with beer and cheap blondes, then your reputation, or your company’s reputation can and will be tarnished.

This point is best summed up like this: A PR pro came as a guest lecturer to one of my classes at UGA. He talked about social media and its importance to the new public relations. He also left us with a warning. Before his company hires anyone he does a search on Google. If you have a “myspace” or “Facebook” site, he will find it and what you post can determine whether or not you get the job, or a “Don’t call us, we’ll call you.”

Happy posting.

I feel that I am finally moving forward in the world of public relations. I just recently joined PRSA, the professional organization for Public Relations practitioners. I always meant to join while in college and for one reason or another never did. Well, I wish I had because just reading through my first issue of “Tactics” has re-whet my appetite for the job. There are so many great articles, and the information is invaluable.

I think what really caught my eye was an interview with a PR professor from The University of Houston. Dr. Robert Heath was just awarded the Houston PRSA chapter’s Public Relations Legacy Award after 35 years of teaching. His insight about teaching, and today’s PR students made me halt for a moment to consider my own recent PR education at the University of Georgia. He claims that today’s students don’t have a strong grasp of language and are desensitized to violence and vulgarity in writing. With that I totally agree.

I grew up with a family of teachers, one of which was an English professor at NCCU for over 20 years. If there is one thing I pride myself on, it is the ability to speak properly and clearly. (Thanks Mama.) Today’s students are without a basic appreciation for grammar and language. They use text messaging shortcuts in everyday speech, a habit I find completely annoying. At the same time it is necessary to understand the new language of technology just to reach the younger generation. (Case en Pointe: Has anyone seen the new AT&T cell phone commercial lauding the desirability of unlimited text plans? Even the grandmother is into it, striking up a text conversation with “IDK”, her “BFF Rose”.) I personally have to text just to get through to my 14 year old niece. I think it is the only language she understands!

Despite the allure of all the new technology, I am still a strong proponent of strong writing skills being the cornerstone of a successful PR career. I am so thankful for the journalism classes I took while at UGA and for my PR professors pushing the writing skills. I think that this skill alone has helped me develop the most as a PR professional. Whether it is a press release, a website article or a business proposal, having excellent vocabulary and a grasp of how strong language can make or break a deal has been most helpful.

So I say thanks to all the professors around the country who still insist on students learning to write properly, instead of relying on the new technology to allow them to become lazy and take shortcuts because it is the new “cool” thing to do. The profession of Public Relations has come a long way since the first PRSA conference in 1948 and it will continue to grow and become more respected if those who claim the title continue to look back to the basics. Write well, be truthful, behave ethically and maintain 2-way communication with your publics in good times and bad.