The New Public Relations Revolution
Today’s public relations and corporate communications strategies, tactics, tips, tools and more — told in simple language.
When I got started in my career, I didn’t know much. Yes, I was a trained communications pro with a university degree and a couple of years of job experience; but the world of public relations was Silly Putty, and it was morphing all around me.
Today, almost a decade later, it’s now clear to me that I entered this industry during the new communications revolution.
I’ve always believed in continued education, which is why I’ve decided to start sharing everything I know about today’s ever-morphing public relations industry with you — right here. I am part of the new PR revolution, and the rules have been re-written.
Over the past decade, I’ve helped a number of students, coordinators, and specialists develop public relations strategies and tactics using the leading communications tools, but these conversations happen on the job, in real-time, and in person. They can’t easily be shared.
No one would argue that social media impacted the corporate communications and public relations industry in a big way. In a recent study done by ING, it was reported that 81% of PR professionals feel they can no longer do their job without social media. 78% of them felt it was important to their daily work. In fact, the same study shows that 78% of journals felt they can no longer do their job without social media too. The social giants, particularly Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook, fleshed out brand new communication channels where we could connect directly with editors, reporters, and influencers in real-time, and they welcome that.
I got my start in the communications industry in 2004 at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada. During this time, I co-founded the Communication Studies Association (CSA) after I realized there were no formal communications associations at the college. Our members could attend guest lectures, join field trips, and hear about PR job opportunities, all for free. Our group quickly grew from six to 150 members in only two years time.
Upon graduating, I worked with a couple of different companies in sales and marketing roles. Late into 2011, I joined Hootsuite, a growing social media management company and hyper-growth technology startup that grew from 30 staff to near 1000 in late 2016. During this time, I also volunteered with Simon Fraser University, the University of British Columbia, and the Arts Institute in various mentorship programs, roundtable events, training sessions, guest lectures, and panels.
In 2014, then I co-founded Vancouver Public Relations (known as YVRPR), a community of more than 120 mid-to-senior level communications and public relations professionals. We still gather bi-monthly and share our knowledge at breakfast roundtable events here in Vancouver, BC. So I’ve decided to expand on this format by starting this blog. Why?
I firmly believe that education is best served transparent. By sharing our knowledge with our peers, we strengthen our industry as a whole.
So join me, let’s mold this Silly Putty. It’s tomorrow’s public relations landscape.
