At the heart of what all PRs
do lies creativity, not only in terms of content but approach. Whether you’re
writing an engaging press release or a short and snappy tweet, the aim of the
game is to attract interest in your story and your client.
At a recent PRCA National
Conference, executive director of government communications Alex Aiken said
‘the press release was dead’ during his speech on the future of PR. Aiken
argues that this method of communicating with journalists, which dates back to
the early 1900s, has become too ‘cosy’ for press officers, and they should be using
multiple channels to distribute news.
He refers to a new era of communications,
where press officers should be content creators; ‘You should not start with
three pages of A4, but a tweet, an infographic or a video. If you are writing
more than 200 words on any subject, you’re probably in the wrong place.’ But as
PRs, are we not content generators by nature?
Before
the invention of email and social media, PRs posted (in the traditional sense)
press releases or issued them by fax machine. While the ways in which we
present and distribute press information may have changed, we still use some
form of ‘press release’, just perhaps not in its ‘traditional’ guise. A press
release enables us to deliver information in a concise, engaging and factually
correct manner; it has benefits especially when delivering sensitive
information and when part of a clear strategy, it can be one of the most
successful means of communication.
I think what Mr Aiken is
discussing is a change in approach to communications rather than the literal
sense of the press release being ‘dead’; what is dead is the traditional,
fragmented process of just sending out a lengthy document. Communications
should be issued in a way best suited to the individual/sector/audience you are
trying to reach; whether that is a 140 character tweet, a cleverly placed direct
mail campaign or a press release. Now more than ever it is about thinking
outside the press release and developing strong media relationships, only then
will PRs be able to determine the best way to reach the journalists.
I believe the press release is, and will remain,
a classic form of communication. However, you can’t deny that communications is
evolving; readers are receptive to broader information and far less detail, 140
characters rather than 600 words. The skill here is tailoring the content as
well as the means by which it’s issued. I keep a personal media database where I
note the quirks and interests of a journalist; rapport is just as important as a
direct email address or mobile number.
With stringent budgets, PRs
not only need to be innovative in the delivery of their communications but also
consider cost-effective solutions for their clients. Social media does have its
perks as it requires little ‘funding’ however what it does require is time and
a good understanding of the platform you are using.
Yes, the rules of the game are changing, but
press releases are still very much part of the communications mix. If your
story is worth reading, it will be read. But what the press release should not
do is supplement a good PR/journalist relationship.
Kalli Soteriou
Account Executive
