Public relations in the New Normal era demands flexibility, empathy and commitment
No one has the time anymore to “circle back” with public relations consultants via email, is one of many insights my friends in media organizations feel comfortable sharing, and I’m grateful for their candour.
The reminder is appreciated because working in marketing uninterrupted for too long can sometimes lead to compulsive, cynical behaviour, like sending just one more follow-up email. Empathy isn’t merely a buzzword du jour; its overuse lately suggests it is what’s needed across all forms of communications.
As public relations strategies shift from pandemic-crisis mode to the New Normal, what some political scientists describe broadly as polycrisis or intersecting crises affecting markets around the world simultaneously, another overarching goal to consider in business communications is flexibility; as we’ve said for a few years, please consider trashing your fixed editorial calendars, going with the flow a bit more and not posting a thing just for the sake of it.
PR for organizations is in many ways more challenging than ever, but also presents unique opportunities.
Media Decentralization
Just about anyone can produce basic media content cheaply or even for free, and that has forever disrupted the mainstream ad-based model.
Many of our clients self-produce parts of their content packages and for those who can commit the time, doing some heavy lifting is certainly not discouraged; especially with AI-powered apps and equipment making content capture easier than ever. With a lean team made up of a consultant, producer and technical director, any organization can produce broadcast-quality content which will then help fuel the PR mission.
The pitch also needs work. The PR company I co-founded was originally called Provocateur Communications in an era where just about anyone could have a decent shot at going viral. Sadly, social networks either demand cash up front for access to one’s own hard-earned audience or reward bad (aggressive, sensational, compulsive, etc.) behaviour. And so our model changed to focus on experts and professionals (thinkers) who already know how to hold themselves to a higher ethical standard.
The Wild West of unregulated, unaccountable social media algorithms can be increasingly risky endeavours for reputable organizations. This not only favours a slow, strategic approach to media relations but a web strategy that increasingly focuses on native content, or making one’s own media (more on that in a moment).
News Media Cutbacks
As a former journalist and evangelist for the profession, it’s awful to watch friends be either the victims of media cutbacks or overworked as those who remain cope with fewer resources.
While this could be seen as good news for those especially around politics who want to avoid the scrutiny of journalists, it’s generally bad news for anyone who wants to honestly inform the public.
It’s much harder to make the news than it was a decade ago as opportunities for coverage dwindled during the early days of the pandemic; years later, much of that space remains unavailable. There are fewer local reporters, columnists and talk shows — even some popular first generation blogs have been relegated to the dustbin.
This makes media relations especially challenging, and the need for productive dialogue with busy journalists important. We’re confident in our model which includes specialized content to better contextualize an organization’s PR; it’s also more respectful of journalists to provide well-organized resources to better understand the subject’s perspective.
Government meddling (ex. C-18, the Online News Act) is also harming Canadian news as we have been plunged into a long and excruciating debate that will last several years before it should ultimately be determined that media and social media industry self-regulation, perhaps at the behest of but not overseen by government, is the correct way to build a media regulatory environment. Until then, newsrooms are seeing their content blocked by social networks, further damaging the business model and leading to deeper cuts, citing an unfavourable regulatory environment.
PR & Content Go Private
The aforementioned challenges for mainstream media only further the argument that the future of the internet is not only decentralized but increasingly private; various online social panics have left people shy, even intensely anxious about sharing their views on public social media profiles.
Instead, many will flock to closed networks, newsletters and various subscriber-based communities (my colleague Christopher has an interesting blog this month on moderating your newsletter expectations). Just because it isn’t going viral, doesn’t mean the marketing is not valuable.
“How do I make money from podcasting?” — A question we’ll sometimes field. The same question could apply to a newsletter, webinar miniseries or any specialty media project. Let’s not get hung up on the medium; most organizations should produce content in the channels their core audiences prefer.
In the short term, you won’t make a lot of money, I’ve told many executives over the years, but creating a few podcasts and digital media projects will at least give you more avenues to showcase your content and expertise; eventually creating lead streams, specifically subscriptions for premium content. Take your best leader or pool of talent, help them create their passion projects and collect email addresses; it doesn’t have to be rocket science.
When faced with a chaotic news media and dizzying online landscape, there’s no faulting professionals or entrepreneurs from shying away from business communications. I get it, and must take frequent breaks myself. Committing on a semi-regular basis to a ‘home base’ for your content — often a blog, newsletter or even a well-managed social media profile — is the least one can do to maintain communication with core audiences.
I’m optimistic about the future of Canadian journalism after some overdue innovation eventually kicks in but I’m not entirely convinced the media landscape will improve in the short-term. There is an enduring power to so-called legacy media for its ability to affect real change at an industrial level and while sitting out the current era may be tempting for the risk-averse, it’s probably one of the best times in recent memory to quietly experiment with one’s own private or semi-public media channels, creating a base of support that helps spread your knowledge.
