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In a small farming village, nestled between two mountains, a man pretended to be a rain. This man walked through the countryside, splashing water on people's faces, declaring, “Look, it's raining! My powers have brought rain!”
At first, the villagers, desperate for rain to nourish their fields, celebrated the rain. But as the weeks passed, the tanks remained empty and the crops continued to wither. A wise woman saw this and challenged the rain man's abilities by telling him to produce a rainstorm that saved the crops.
The man ran through the village in response, splashing people in the face with even more water. But the villagers now saw what was happening and turned to the wise woman to speak to the rainmaker on their behalf. The woman stood in the center of the city, defying the shallow pretensions of the rainmaker, and said, “Don't splash water in my face and tell me it's raining.”
The villagers were disappointed and felt foolish for trusting the rainmaker. But the wise woman showed them how to capture water and find drought-resistant crops. The villagers worked hard and learned to trust the wise woman because even though her solutions were more difficult, their crops flourished every year because of her methods.
This story is an important parable for public relations because it illustrates the differences between quick answers and superficial results for long-term solutions, along with authenticity. I share it because there are many misconceptions about PR. Some misconceptions have to do with the media's portrayal of PR professionals, and some of them are a misunderstanding of what PR is – and what it isn't.
Before you hire a PR firmif you have big ambitions or have a crisis, it's best to understand where PR can and cannot help you.
Connected: 5 Common Misconceptions About Public Relations
Myth #1: Public relations is a shield for bad behavior
Disruptive behavior differs from an unanticipated crisis.
We can predict the results of bad behavior; most PR people can see them coming way ahead. Whether it's unethical business choices, inauthentic advertising claims, or gaslighting your customers like the “rainmaker” did, we can't escape responsibility. This is especially true if you're trying to pitch a reporter. The internet holds a long grudge, and journalists, like the wise woman above, will catch on eventually.
Public relations is not about “spin” or deceiving journalists or the public. PR is about tRANSPARENCY and authenticity. It is freedom of the press – the First Amendment to the US Constitution – that gives PR its power. PR professionals cannot attack a newsroom or pay an editor to remove negative news. If journalists removed every negative (but accurate) article from their newspaper or website because readers bombarded the PR agent of the person or company involved, there would be no free press – and the media coverage would have no value.
Public relations can help you navigate the discovery of inappropriate behavior, but it can't fix the choices you've made. Typically, inappropriate behavior requires an apology. But believe it or not, forgiveness is alone The first step on a long road. And that path may or may not include press coverage going forward. It is these next steps that are extremely situational.
Myth #2: PR and advertising are the same thing
Digital PR is important in today's fast-paced media world. The number of content opportunities especially for thought leaders has definitely increased. But this does not mean that public relations are one sales channel.
The biggest and most important difference is that in both owned and paid media, you control the content. You do not own the content or direction of the PR story. Public relations professionals use their knowledge and connections to guide coverage, but the editor chooses the outcome. Again, the power of PR is independence – that's why it's valuable. It brings a trusted third-party perspective; public relations is at the top of the awareness channel.
If you're looking for PR to drive sales and track them, it's a set up for failure. There are several reasons for this. In earned coverage, there is no guarantee that a link will appear in the article. Sometimes, a link is included and sometimes not, but that's an editorial decision that's out of your PR team's hands.
I see a significant increase in direct traffic with earned media. It's hard to determine where the direct traffic is coming from, but we usually see a similar connection. Does that traffic convert? This depends on many factors – the website, the conversion, the group and the visitor's familiarity with the website. That's not to say there isn't value in pursuing this, but there are too many factors at play to attribute all of this website's traffic and conversions to PR.
There are opportunities where PR and sales can cross, such as affiliate programs for consumer products, but ethical PR professionals will articulate the differences. Do you do PR? help sales and business development? You bet. Showing your media coverage gives your business development and sales channels extra credibility. It is not uncommon to see clips of media coverage used in advertisements.
Connected: Publicity is not free advertising. Don't ruin your press efforts by going into sales mode.
Myth #3: PR is only about media coverage
You could be forgiven if you only think of PR when you see the media coverage. It is certainly the most visible and sought-after result for PR. The reality is that PR involves a wide range of activities and strategies aimed at building and maintaining a positive reputation.
PR can touch every part of your company, from product development to human relations to, of course, marketing. Involving PR from the start of any stakeholder-impacted initiative gives you an advantage. Not only will positive reputation building count authentically into the program from the start, but PR professionals often have deep insights into consumer perceptions and media opportunities, which can influence almost any program.
Another use of continuous PR is to have a PR crisis plan. Most companies have exposure they don't even consider. If your team is in the field, what happens if someone gets seriously injured, or worse, while there? What if your product hurts someone because of a quality or manufacturing error? Once an identifiable crisis occurs, the first three hours afterward will set the tone for how your company will emerge from the crisis. Having a PR team that knows your brand, understands your team, and has the access and plan to act quickly is an important asset.
While these myths may have changed your perceptions of PR, it is a powerful asset for any company, especially ambitious ones. When planning to engage in PR, remember these myths. Not only will they help you identify a PR plan that works for you, but they'll also help you determine the best PR agencies that are honest with you about PR opportunities and differences.