PR on a Stick

Our industry beats itself up (a lot) about what it is, what it isn’t and what it should be. This reminds me, anyone asking why they don’t have a seat at management’s table doesn’t deserve a seat.

The emergence of PRstore, a retail public relations concept designed to help small businesses, will surely add to the above discussions.

Tom Murphy suggests PR professionals “keep the wailing and disgust to a minimum.” I agree.

We take pride in what we do. So when our career of choice is standardized and served up on a menu, it’s natural to take issue. But consider the business implications of PRstore.

1. Market Need: Small businesses can’t afford a monthly retainer. Most can only afford to promote specific events. The fact that these businesses are investing hard-earned dollars into public relations demonstrates awareness of the value our services provide.
2. Commoditization: This new service will pose a threat to some solo practitioners and small firms. But we help differentiate our clients and save their products and services from becoming a commodity. You should have no problem differentiating yourself from PRstore.
3. Walk the Talk: If you take issue with PRstore, your best work is the best response. The client wins, you win, and the delta between you and PR on a Stick become wide enough that you can gaze at it comfortably—through a telescope.

Competition is healthy. Rather than look down your nose at PRstore, you should focus on the bigger picture.

Open All Night uploaded by Eye Captain

tags | public relations | PR | media relations | PRstore

Comments

[olivier blanchard]

Great points, all.

[Matt]

If I had a marketing or ad agency, I'd be licking my chops right about now, because PR Store just made my job easier.

When your product, service or industry faces commoditization, it presents your biggest opportunity to create and accelerate differentiation.

Cookie-cutter, "retail" marketing offerings may appeal to some. But the mere presence of options like PR Store will make the best marketing consultants, agencies and partners look even smarter and more appealing to companies big and small.

Kudos to the founders of PR Store for a very clever concept, and from early indications also well-executed. The small business support and service opportunity is massive, and PR Store will likely pick up a healthy share of the market.

But there will never be a substitute for creative, individualized thinking to help create remarkable products and services, then successfully bring them to market in a remarkable, profitable way.

[Leo]

Bravo.

A couple of years ago I was speaking to a group of early-to-mid-career PR types and the infamous topic of "a seat at the table" arose almost immediately. So I asked, "How many think that every company should include a PR professional on its executive committee, senior management team, board of directors or whereever the "table" is?"

Most raised a hand.

"Okay," I said, "keep those hands up as appropriate. How many of you can discuss EBIT margins with the president of your company?"

That got rid of more than half.

"How many know how much your company spends on in-bound freight?"

More hands go down.

You get the picture. You don't sit at the grown-up table to learn from the grown-ups. You sit there to do grown-up work.

[Tara Burnham]

I have to admit that your points on this matter as well as comments posted previously have made me change my mind on this new chain. I wasn't very tolerant to the idea of a "store" of PR services, but in a way, perhaps it does shed a brighter light on the need for public relations.