George Snell has an interesting perspective on the Hightalk blog about PR agencies that make a mess of media and social media relations despite being staffed by smart people who otherwise have a clue.
His answer: economics.
The result is overworked PR consultants at a time when social media is exploding. That’s why we get PR consultants making bad decisions: like using mass email pitches to reach bloggers and journalists. It’s why they continue improperly research targets. They don’t have the time. They take shortcuts because they have to. Client expectations have never been higher. PR consultants need to prove they can get results every day and you’re only as good as your last success.
It’s a thoughtful post, and definitely worth a read. I don’t think it’s the whole answer, but I do think it’s a contributing factor, and I appreciate George’s realistic outlook. Best practices are sometimes cast away under client, executive or budgetary pressure. It’s scandalous, I know, but it’s honest. It’s refreshing to see a discussion of real-world resource constraints.
Now how do we do more with less… without sacrificing our professional integrity and practices?
Hi Glen:
Thanks for bringing another perspective to the discussion. Economics isn’t the whole story, but a large part of the reason PR agencies continue to make blunders in social media. The economic squeeze – that really started at PR agencies after the dot-bomb era has forced large and mid-sized agencies to reduce staffs, cut back on training, and increase the client load on their consultants.
Now, of course, it is even worse as clients continue to trim budgets to levels the industry hasn’t seen since the late 1980s. It’s difficult for large agencies not to get sloppy or use shortcuts under these dire circumstances.
George, I think you’re right on the (lack of) money. We can blog all day long about good and bad practices in PR, hold and attend seminars about what to do and what not to do, but you’re right: there are pressures and we’re all guilty of taking shortcuts at one time or another. And it’s not going to get better any time soon.
I think we should always strive to be better at our jobs, but the growing trend of PR-bashing for the slightest error is troubling. I’ve seen too many names dragged through the mud to find it amusing. Sometimes people cut corners. Sometimes people make mistakes. We’re human.
Thanks for keeping it real.