How Public Relations Succeeds in a Social Media World

Play to Your Strengths!

As with most things, the overall scope of public relations has evolved and the lines are blurred between areas that were once very defined. From community management and social strategy to programming and bot creation, Heather Whaling of Geben Communication has a lot to say about the current state of PR and what it takes to be a successful, growth-minded agency.
While it may seem smart to keep as much as possible in-house, putting effort into diverse methods of engagement, one of her biggest pieces of advice is to stick to what you do best. Figure out what things your company is good at and seek to excel at those things. When it comes time to venture into lesser known waters, don’t be afraid to reach out and collaborate with someone who specializes in your weaknesses.
Rather than becoming a wellspring of mediocre content, you can serve your customers with excellent material while simultaneously building connections with professionals in fields where you are less familiar. It may seem daunting at first, but loosening the grip on some things can ultimately fortify your place as you become a consistent source of quality.

In This Episode

• How focusing on strengths and collaborating in weaker areas can lead to stronger content
• How the scope of public relations has expanded
• How to approach relationships with journalists vs influencers
• How paid social has become more important as PR has evolved
• Why it’s becoming more important to write with sound bites in mind

Quotes From This Episode

“Don’t hoard your Rolodex. Make the connection, make the introduction, and that’ll come back.” — @prtini
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Resources

• Heather’s website, Twitter
• Geben Communication