By: Bailey Talaska
There are many myths people outside the public relations world believe about PR professionals, I am here to debunk a few of these stereotypes.
1: Liar, Liar.
The number one stereotype of PR professionals is they spin the truth and display dishonesty. This could not be further from the truth. PR people are all about accuracy and honesty, and a career can be ruined if wrong information is put out.
2: What is PR again?
Another misconception is what PR professionals do in their day to day jobs. Many people think PR is the same as advertising and marketing. Public relations certainly has some aspects of those things, but there is so much more to the industry. The beauty of PR is its diversity and wide range of positions within the field. You can write press releases, manage social media platforms, graphic design, plan events and the list goes on. You name it and a PR professional (probably) does it.
3: PR is a new profession.
Public relations has been around longer than social media and even the internet itself. PR has been used since the age of ancient Olympics to promote the games as well as events like the Boston Tea Party when public relations was used to motivate people to protest. While the profession has certainly evolved over the years, it serves the same purpose as it did back then.
4: PR is only needed by big companies.
Every business, company and organization needs and uses PR. Public relations is essentially relations with publics whether it be writing content for a website, developing a crisis communication plan, building a brand’s image through social media or executing media relations events. PR is used to build effective and beneficial relationships with target audiences while promoting positive brand image. Whether it’s a company, organization or even an individual, public relations is needed and used all over the spectrum.
5: All PR professionals are extroverts.
The industry needs all types of people as there are many different organizations and forms of PR. It doesn’t matter if you are shy, quiet and reserved or outgoing and overly expressive. The beauty of PR is that it is so diverse and has such a wide range of jobs that there is something for everyone.
Those are just some of the stereotypes that come with the profession of public relations. While the industry does have somewhat of a darker past, it has evolved over the years to be a very diverse and respected profession.