Defining PR

One question that I am constantly asked is, “What is public relations?” Even though nearly every business must utilize the public relations industry in order to succeed, many people don’t even know its main function. If you ask any public relations practitioner, they may give you the standard definition, to create and maintain relationships between a company and its public. The problem with this answer is that, like any industry, the world of public relations is much more complex.

If you search for job postings in public relations you will see an array of different industries seeking PR pros. For example, education, government, medical and entertainment are all options.

I found a very funny article from PR Daily titled, 33 (more) signs you work in PR. It literally made me laugh out loud. Anyone that works in the PR industry can spot a fellow practitioner, but for those of you who don’t know this article breaks down common PR characteristics.

While reading through the list I thought, “Yup, that’s me!” about nearly every trait. For example, number 11 states, “In your personal life, when people try to help you stuff invitations, assemble gift bags, etc., you take over the project because you can do it more quickly.” Most PR pros are extreme multitaskers. Many people might even classify them as ADD. There is usually so much to be done in so little time that multitasking is a necessity.

Another favorite is number 16, “People assume you attend parties and meet celebrities for a living (and you let them think so, because it’s better than the reality of being chained to your phone and laptop).” The public relations field that I would most like to go into is entertainment. When I tell people this they usually respond with, “Oh, so you want to work with celebrities for a living?” While, yes, it would be exciting to brush elbows with the rich and famous, that would hardly cover all aspects of the job.  

PR pros are first and foremost, researchers. We are constantly researching our clients to see who is saying what about them.  Reputation is everything, and maintaining a positive one for an unruly client can be the biggest headache.

According to this CNBC article, public relations is ranked seven on the list of most stressful jobs in America. It’s no wonder that PR pros are stressed out. Most of the time, we are dealing with people and incidences outside of our control. One of my favorite examples from pop culture is when Britney Spears went crazy and shaved her head. It’s the classic instance of a PR nightmare. Her publicist couldn’t do anything to stop her; he/she simply had to deal with the aftermath.

Photo courtesy of: http://justjared.buzznet.com/2007/02/19/britney-spears-shaved-head/

While this post doesn’t give you a complete look at the hectic world of PR, I hope that it at least gives you a better idea. Hopefully, I’ll never have to deal with a ‘Britney’ incident, but that’s just a risk I’ll have to take. The fast paced and unpredictable craziness of the PR world is what I love most, and I wouldn’t trade it for a thing.