The Public Relations profession lacking credibility is a common view among society in the United States and a great cause for concern for its practitioners. Though there has be a great deal of effort made by individuals in the field, as well as various professional organizations to prove otherwise, the overall harmful image remains, and continues to further demean the field and its workers as a profession.
As Communications Director for the PRSA, I have set out to establish how the organization can increase awareness of the importance of APR among business leaders as well as PR practitioners and encourage pro bono work, thus generate more credibility for the PR profession.
OBJECTIVE 1:
Increase APR certification among members by 20% before October 31, 2010.
TACTIC (a):
Revamp the PRSA website so that more emphasis is put on the potential opportunities that can result from completing the APR program (contacts made during the program may mean future jobs) as opposed to the sense of accomplishment PR professionals get.
TACTIC (b):
In his article “Does Accreditation Have Value for PR Pros,” Arik Hanson, APR, ACH Communications, suggests that the APR exam be adjusted so that it better reflects the new changing PR industry and business climate. I agree with this idea being that it may make APR more appealing to members and non-member alike.
OBJECTIVE 2:
Increase national awareness of importance/benefits of Accreditation among business leaders by 50% by December 31, 2010.
TACTIC (a):
Conduct nationwide seminars where PR professionals and business leaders can learn the role of Public Relations within an organization and why it is important for organization’s PR practitioners to follow a set of standards or code of ethics. During the seminar, APR certified professionals would also present their outlook on how becoming accredited helped them to better serve their clients and organizations.
OBJECTIVE 3:
Have members complete 50 hrs of pro bono work by April 20, 2010.
TACTIC (a):
Make the 50 hours of pro bono work a requirement to both obtain and maintain PRSA membership.
Upon acting out the tactics listed, Public Relations practitioners will be more inclined to become APR certified with aesthetic motivations as opposed to self-gratification alone. Just by having more certified PR professionals will serve as proof that workers in the PR field are competent experienced, and most importantly, dedicated to the field, thus helping us achieve our goal. Business leaders will also become more inclined to hire employees that have their APR over those that do not (more of an incentive to become APR certified) because they will be able to recognize the importance of having an ethical staff representing their organization. As far as the pro bono work goes, as Ben Silverman, PR executive, puts it in his article “Public Relations Strategies: Positioning Yourself as an “Expert,” doing so will show that Public Relations practitioners are not just in it to make a profit, but they are a committed part of the professional community. Silverman further explains that pro bono work will also allow a PR professional to demonstrate proficient skills while creating relationships with potential clients or sources of referrals. With all of this in mind, I have full confidence that if implemented by the end of 2010, this plan will serve as a huge stepping-stone in making Public Relations a more credible profession.
As Communications Director for the PRSA, I have set out to establish how the organization can increase awareness of the importance of APR among business leaders as well as PR practitioners and encourage pro bono work, thus generate more credibility for the PR profession.
OBJECTIVE 1:
Increase APR certification among members by 20% before October 31, 2010.
TACTIC (a):
Revamp the PRSA website so that more emphasis is put on the potential opportunities that can result from completing the APR program (contacts made during the program may mean future jobs) as opposed to the sense of accomplishment PR professionals get.
TACTIC (b):
In his article “Does Accreditation Have Value for PR Pros,” Arik Hanson, APR, ACH Communications, suggests that the APR exam be adjusted so that it better reflects the new changing PR industry and business climate. I agree with this idea being that it may make APR more appealing to members and non-member alike.
OBJECTIVE 2:
Increase national awareness of importance/benefits of Accreditation among business leaders by 50% by December 31, 2010.
TACTIC (a):
Conduct nationwide seminars where PR professionals and business leaders can learn the role of Public Relations within an organization and why it is important for organization’s PR practitioners to follow a set of standards or code of ethics. During the seminar, APR certified professionals would also present their outlook on how becoming accredited helped them to better serve their clients and organizations.
OBJECTIVE 3:
Have members complete 50 hrs of pro bono work by April 20, 2010.
TACTIC (a):
Make the 50 hours of pro bono work a requirement to both obtain and maintain PRSA membership.
* * *
Upon acting out the tactics listed, Public Relations practitioners will be more inclined to become APR certified with aesthetic motivations as opposed to self-gratification alone. Just by having more certified PR professionals will serve as proof that workers in the PR field are competent experienced, and most importantly, dedicated to the field, thus helping us achieve our goal. Business leaders will also become more inclined to hire employees that have their APR over those that do not (more of an incentive to become APR certified) because they will be able to recognize the importance of having an ethical staff representing their organization. As far as the pro bono work goes, as Ben Silverman, PR executive, puts it in his article “Public Relations Strategies: Positioning Yourself as an “Expert,” doing so will show that Public Relations practitioners are not just in it to make a profit, but they are a committed part of the professional community. Silverman further explains that pro bono work will also allow a PR professional to demonstrate proficient skills while creating relationships with potential clients or sources of referrals. With all of this in mind, I have full confidence that if implemented by the end of 2010, this plan will serve as a huge stepping-stone in making Public Relations a more credible profession.
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