The old axiom in business is that it's not what you know, but who. With so much collective knowledge now available online for free, the saying holds more than ever. Pure-play PR professionals must invest heavily in strengthening and expanding their networks for the industry to remain vital.
Public relations practitioners, especially those who work inside agencies, know relationships count. Over time many agencies specialize and/or develop practices. This deepens their knowledge of the sector as well as the journalists who cover it. But this alone won't sustain the profession going forward.
For starters, nowadays every public-facing employee has a PR role, even if it's not their trade. In the Hyper-Networked PR Era, a video of a single repairman asleep on the job can spread around the world, eroding a company's reputation. On the positive side, grassroots or sanctioned corporate bloggers inside giant and small corporations have built tremendous goodwill for their businesses with key stakeholders and press.
In the Hyper-Networked PR Era, journalists (pro and citizen) have done a great job building relationships with all kinds of stakeholders directly. This - arguably - reduces the need for PR professionals to fulfill this role and helps them get scoops too. They're turning to social nets, conferences and, above all, a transparent dialogue with their audience. Read Dwight Silverman's blog and first hand you will see what I mean. In addition, check out this recent post by Penelope Trunk on how journalists can use LinkedIn.
Marketers too seem to be adapting nicely to the hyper-networked environment. The ANA, which represents the largest marketers in the world, is advocating that advertisers become more collaborative. And they are. Don't believe me? Read Wikinomics.
The situation in the PR biz is less heartening. What I have seen at my own firm is terrific. However, I feel differently when I look at the pitches I receive from others in the industry. It feels as though many just expand their media lists to include bloggers, podcasters and other online opinion leaders without trying to build relationships. They spam us with meaningless information, just like they do with the media.
If this continues, these firms will see their networks devalue. They must not just focus on generating coverage. That's a byproduct of good relationships.
So as you go out this weekend and invest in your personal circle of friends and family, think about how to do the same in business. My advice? Proactively focus on becoming more networked. Join social networks like LinkedIn, Facebook and others. Start a blog. Go to conferences where the influencers flock. Get to know us as people and you will expand your network and your value to clients.
In the Hyper-Networked PR Era, this is the most essential skill you need to thrive.
