Practicum Strategy

In public relations, awareness is often treated as the ultimate goal. But awareness alone accomplishes nothing. It’s intangible, vague, and, ultimately, meaningless if it doesn’t lead to action. Yet, many PR plans stop at generating media coverage without considering what happens next, that is, creating meaningful outcomes.

Did the company or organization thrive? Sell more products? Expand its customer base? Increase stock value? Secure a critical partnership or funding? Enroll more students?

Those are real-world outcomes that define success. Simply getting noticed isn’t enough. We are all aware of countless things happening around us, some good, some bad. But awareness doesn’t dictate action. Every day, people make choices: what to buy, where to invest, how to vote, where to go to school. Effective PR is about shaping those choices through persuasive storytelling, not just broadcasting information.

This is where our profession diverges from journalism. Journalists report. PR professionals persuade. First, we persuade journalists to include our facts, ideas, and messaging in their stories. Then, shouldn’t we ensure that coverage leads to meaningful outcomes for our employers or clients?

Our responsibility extends beyond media placements. We must connect communication efforts to business or organizational success. If PR isn’t influencing decisions by encouraging people to buy, support, or engage, then what’s the point?

Great PR is intentional. It is designed to create measurable benefits whether those are financial, reputational, or humanitarian (or some combination). While strong PR can’t always save a failing product, service or organization, it can undeniably drive real-world success. If you don’t believe me, ask anyone who specializes in investor relations.

It’s true that PR alone cannot solve intractable market or political challenges. And sometimes, it’s difficult to draw a straight line between PR efforts and specific outcomes. But if generating tangible impact isn’t the goal, what is?