In public relations, we have to manage what words we say, and how we say it to our target audiences. We strategically form messages in just a few words to not only manage a crisis, but also our reputation. We are in a place today where our quotes and statements are not only written down or televised, but they are broadcasted to the entire world via the Internet, YouTube, and social media outlets (ex. MySpace and Facebook). More people are using Digg and others to tag stories that they like or dislike to make them appear higher on certain web sites and attract more attention. Plus, people are now sharing links to stories carrying these quotes and statements from PR professionals through sources like Twitter. It’s a challenging managment task to handle, and public relations professionals have to embrace this and adapt to the ever changing cultural and business environment.
However, I believe that quotes from others provides an insight to the overall reputation of the public relations profession. Professionals in the field have an idea how the public and others in other disciplines feel about public relations, but it is interesting to see what people are quoted as saying about PR and practices in the field. Here are a few that I thought that you all might find interesting:
- “Everything you do or say is public relations.” (Anonymous)
- “For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled.” (Richard Fenyman, 1918 – 1988)
- “Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.” (Oscar Wilde)
- “It isn’t what they say about you, it’s what they whisper.” (Errol Flynn)
- “Self-praise is for losers. Be a winner. Stand for something. Always have class, and be humble.” (John Madden)
- “I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts.” (Abraham Lincoln)
These are just some of the quotes that you can find on public relations, but for the most part- what is being said about the field is what PR is addressing in their practices as well as to their audiences. So, as you can see– quotes can show you how certain people feel about Public Relations, and it makes you stop and think. It is important to recognize that others have a certain view or perception of the field based on their own personal experiences, and we as profesionals have to recognize this in our own work. Plus, I think that quotes are a fun way to introduce topics in the classroom for students and a way to incorporate history and popular culture into PR Education.
Hope you all are having a wonderful day!
Best Wishes,
Karen
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