Why PR Will Never Die

From the outside looking in, public relations doesn’t seem like a very necessary field. Most of my family and friends already have certain perceptions about what a PR practitioner does, and most of those perceptions include posting to Twitter and Facebook. While these may very well be in the job descriptions of many PR practitioners, the buck most certainly does not end there. PR may seem like something anyone can do, but like any other field, it is a craft that must be mastered, perfected, and is crucial to brands and businesses everywhere. Here are five reasons the field of public relations will never die:

1. PR is about relationships: All PR campaigns have one thing in common: they seek to build or strengthen a relationship between a product and a producer. If the public does not feel connected to what a company puts out, they will not have a reason to engage with it.
2. PR helps brands show who they really are: It can often be hard for consumers to separate the true intentions of a brand from the CEOs and executives who head them. PR campaigns help remind the consumers why the brand is there in the first place - to provide a service for them.
3. PR professionals understand communication: The best brand, product, or idea is nothing if it cannot be pitched properly to the public. PR pros know how to take facts and make them relevant and accessible from everyone to media personal to toddlers and parents.
4. PR helps brands improve products: A lot of PR involves putting a message out and seeing how the public responds to it. PR pros can take the time to find out the likes and dislikes of an audience, and then use those attitudes to adjust the brand’s products.
5. PR is subtle: A public relations campaign does not have to be up-close and personal. PR pros are looking to build life-long relationships with the public, not just wow them once. Finding out what the public wants and getting it to them over a long period of time is a skill that will pass the tests of time.