Public Relations – the search for why and how we can take PR to the boardroom

For many, when one thinks of public relations, they think of champagne-swirling media junkies who you call in a crisis. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth (though we usually do like a glass of bubbles!)

The development of public relations as a serious player on the executive team of many organisations all around the world has been due to the fact that public relations professionals contribute significantly to a company achieving its business goals; through managing its reputation; ensuring strong key stakeholder relationships, such as with clients, media, industry and government; and defining its messages and brand story.

In fact, the purpose of public relations is to establish and maintain open and effective two-way relationships with all those who impact, and are impacted by, the company – from staff and the management board to suppliers and consumers. If your company had positive and constructive relationships with all your stakeholders, imagine how much more you’d  be able to achieve?

But how do you open those channels of communication?

One of the most important roles of public relations and communications professionals is to articulate the important key differentiators of your company in the market, sometimes called you point of difference, or as I like to say, the answer to the question, ‘Why would I choose you?‘

This deceivingly simple question has the power to ignite passionate debate around boardrooms and sales teams as we try to uncover what is the true value proposition for our clients.

Simon Sinek, the strategist and author, offers some insight into how we really get to the heart of our unique offering with his model of discovery he calls ‘The Golden Circle’. He says that most people and companies know WHAT they do, some even know HOW they do it, but only rarely do companies know and can articulate WHY they do it.

Simon Sinek says, your WHY “…is not about making money – it is your driving purpose, cause or belief and the very reason your organisation exists.”¹

When we can drill right down and find our organisation’s purpose, this is the inspiration and motivation that helps us excel, and stand out. It is a powerful force to engage the staff, and make a real impact on everyone the company interacts with.

The way a company manages its public relations and communications is a sure indicator of its pending success. Whilst most companies design and implement strategies and campaigns well, can achieve good media exposure and are clear on how to manage reputation and brand, one of the areas that most eludes the profession is measurement. Whilst we don’t have a universally agreed upon scale for goodwill, if you want to be taken seriously at the boardroom table, it is vital that you bring measurable results for discussion.

For instance, in the area of media monitoring, the generally agreed model of the Advertising Value Equivalent x 3 is what those in media relations have been using for decades. This works by taking the equivalent value in advertising per column inch for a story you secured in a publication and multiplying it by three. This is because editorial is seen as three times more valuable than advertising.

However, this model of measurement is quickly being added to as we move towards analysing our media exposure through the lenses of engagement, key message use, positive sentiment and key talent use.

For a recent tradeshow, we analysed the results achieved across all traditional media outlets; TV, radio, mass broadcast and also social media via the following measurements: lead angles featured, media type via market, audience breakdown via media and market, total audience and engagement (for social media). This total picture gave us some crucial insights into what media outlet and type works best for this show, what messages have resonated more with our audience and where we’ll be spending our time and efforts next year.

In addition, the measurement and analysis from the public relations for this show have been the crown jewel in subsequent grant and sponsorship negotiations; helping to secure major funding initiatives and a sustainable future for the show.

Whilst public relations professionals work across media, lobbying, community relations, advocacy, internal stakeholder relations, investor relations and social media, the work that we are all doing is centred on the major benefits achievable by public relations; the ability to get your messages through all the ‘noise’ that your customers receive, and a strong reputation built on credibility and trust, brand management and community creation.

And, ultimately, this all leads to a distinct competitive advantage, whether your competition is multi-million dollar contracts or fundraising for charity.

This is an excerpt from the masterclass Felicity Zadro gave on behalf of Thailand Incentive and Conventions Association (TICA) in Bangkok in July 2015 titled Designing and Managing Effective PR – An International Perspective. This session was facilitated and sponsored by Biz Events Asia.