Power PR

That indomitable media man, Chris Gibbons, was at his best at a breakfast hosted by the proactive Protactic team, earlier this month. Speaking on the topic of The Power of PR, from his unique perspective as a broadcaster, writer, publisher, Editor, public speaker and businessman extraordinaire, Gibbons gave a worthy performance, even breaking into song to illustrate a point!

According to Gibbons, the definition of PR as a strategic tool does not tell us much. "PR is about marketing, media relations, disaster relations, investor relations, etc. But that still does not really get us to the heart of what it is.

"Brilliant PR is not something you can invent off a zero base. Bad PR starts with a bad business decision. But from good business flows good PR!"

Quoting various examples to illustrate his point, Gibbons emphasised that "good PR is everything you say and everything you do!" At its most basic: reputation management. The fact that UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is being grilled on where the weapons of mass destruction are in Iraq, is a case in point, says Gibbons. "We're simple folk, us journalists, but we can spot when a CEO or a politician says one thing and does another!"

Power PR

Many United States public relations companies are currently restyling themselves as reputation management companies. The fact is, he says, is that power PR equals good business and bad business/bad decisions spin away from you. So it all boils down to managing reputation and living that reputation.

Basically a simple business philosophy is: whatever you say and whatever you do must be morally defensible. Don't just be blinded by fancy brand building - customers see the details. "You have to get the details right... in every aspect of your business... from invoicing to reputation."

"I place PR in the context of marketing," explains Gibbons. "Business is marketing and marketing is business. Without the creation of demand (through marketing/PR), there is no business."

So how can powerful PR help your business?

• It provides an understanding between a business and its stakeholders.
  
• It builds trust and confidence with operational leaders.
  
• It raises profile and awareness of the company in credible ways.
  
• It gives credibility via a third party.
  
• Stimulates debate and encourages changes in behaviour and attitude.
  
• It gets people talking about your company and products.

Internal PR

Another aspect of PR often overlooked to the detriment of many companies, is internal PR, says Gibbons. In research done in the UK, it was found that the major influencers on a company's reputation were:

1. Television.
   
2. The attitude of employees.
   

"Employees speak volumes for your company up and down the value chain. It is important to LISTEN to your staff and to IMPLEMENT what they want. Don't use internal communications as a vehicle for your own ego."

Media relations

As a media personality that receives much "inbound communications" from PR people, Gibbons had the following advice:

1. Do your homework!
   
2. Take calls from journalists seriously and respond quickly.
   
3. If you are not accessible, you won't be contacted.
   
4. One press release shotgunned to all the media is not good PR!
   
5. As a journalist one gets to know people who will talk and who won't. Guess who gets the calls from the media when they need comment?
   
6. Meet the needs of the media: "In my 25 years in radio, I still get sent photographs! Different media have different needs."
   
7. Reach the media that count.
   
8. Adhere to deadlines - send your press release out on the day of the event/issue concerned, or at the very least, the following morning.
   
9. The news angle must be apparent in the headline or the first paragraph.
   
10. Not all your press releases will be used - there is other news that may bump it out the headlines (ie, September 11).
    
11. Take time to be heard - you have to allow for relationships with the media to develop. Invest in them.
    
12. You won't get into every feature, even if you buy advertising.
    
13. If you have big expectations of PR, make sure your budget matches it. Understand the relationship between spend and results.
    
14. Good PR will not always hit your bottom line, but bad PR will!
    
15. Don't waste time with samples - it's a massive waste of your client's money.
    
16. Powerful PR is not reactive damage control - it's not there to plug leaks after the effect. Clients must involve their PR consultants at a high level.
    
17. Supplements: be careful of them - some work, some don't. Be suspicious.
    
18. Trade press: if your story is good enough, it will make the media, you don't have to pay for it to appear. Be wary.
    
19. Have a Disaster Management strategy in place that all your staff know about and your PR firm orchestrates.
    
20. REHEARSE! South African CEOs believe that as soon as they get that title, they become brilliant stage performers! Rehearse before facing the media!