I have to say, one of my favorite movies stars growing up was Elizabeth Taylor, who passed away last week due to health complications. Her grace and presence on screen was definitely noticeable – from her movies such as National Velvet to Cleopatra – Elizabeth Taylor certainly established herself as one of the major stars in the movie business. However, questions have come up due to her passing if she was the “last real star,” and this got me thinking about the Public Relations field. In our public relations courses, we discuss of course the founders like Edward Bernays and Ivy Lee as well as other major influencers of the field who have helped grow, enhance, and put PR on the map for business professionals and in society as well.
Image courtesy of the Communications Strategist (January 2010)
The question is – who are the major and future “stars” in the PR field right now? These individuals range from PR professionals working at agencies and major organizations and businesses, academic professionals, and social media influencers. In an age of new emerging technologies where professionals in PR can have their own platforms to create engagement, interaction, and influence among their audiences, how do you separate yourself from the rest of the crowd to be one to remember? Who are the PR stars of 2011 and how do you determine who is and who isn’t? Also, if these individuals are perceived as a resource, are they willing to help and engage with newcomers and followers via social media? The answer is – some are very active and engaging with their audiences, and some may not be as engaged. Of course, it all depends on where you go and who you talk to – since it all ranges from the particular industry and niche you are looking at, as well as location (city, state, nation, and country) as well as industry (agency, academic, student, consultant). So in many ways, it has become easier yet harder to showcase your personality, skills, and expertise in the current environment?
What can you do? There are several things – first, in order to a factor, you need to play the game. Establish an online presence, engage with audiences in a positive, professional, and consistent manner. Pay it forward with advice and insights related to your expertise. Share stories and perspectives on current events across multiple social media platforms – from your own blog to sharing links to articles with friends on Facebook to posting updates on Twitter and LinkedIn. Taking on the role in educating and sharing information with others will create a level of credibility and trust with your followers that may separate yourself from others as being unique and memorable. Participating and creating content that contributes to the knowledge body in the research community and provides strategic guidance to apply these findings into current public relations principles.
Lastly, it does all come down to not only the presence of the individual, but their character. So, future PR “stars” have to take into consideration the entire package if they want to make their mark in the history books in public relations. It is not just having the knowledge and expertise in PR, but it also means sharing this and future PR trends as well as in communications, involves the personality, communication skills, and sense of community among followers, friends, and fellow colleagues.
To tie the discussion of the future PR stars back to Elizabeth Taylor – it all does come together. What made Elizabeth Taylor was the fact that she was not only a talented actress, but she did command a presence and was memorable both on screen and in her community of professionals and audiences was her confidence, her poise in life and on stage, and engagement with her main followers and audiences. But this is what made her memorable, and what has made her a movie star to remember.
Hope you all are having a wonderful day!
Best Wishes,
Karen
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