The readings from chapter 7 this week looked at the importance of thinking strategically. Strategies can be applied bother internally and externally to a company in order to develop and maintain a good reputation for your employer.
The chapter states that any PR practitioner about to plan a strategy should ask themselves the following questions about their company:
- “What do we stand for?
- How do we see ourselves?
- How do others see us?
- What values and beliefs do we hold?
- How can these be made manifest in our business?
- How do we view our clients?
Clearly, in strategic thinking, one must take a “big picture” view of things in order to be successful. Most business sum up this “big picture” view in a mission statement. It acts as a goal and as a guideline for practicing PR. In order to measure progress towards a mission, key performance indicators are used. Hindrances to a mission could include budget and time. Careful planning and scheduling are paramount to a good public relations strategic plan.
I think that the key point from these readings was that strategic thinking is a vital part of the role of a public relations practitioner, and careful planning will be the backbone to any public relations strategy.
The readings made me think more about public relations theory/practice in that public relations practitioners need to be very forward-thinking and intuitive, as well as be able to step back and look at situation as part of a larger whole – the overall image of their employer.
2 comments:
I agreed with your statement detailing that in strategic thinking, public relations practitioners, one must take into account the big picture of things, in order for a campaign or plan to be successful.
I think the key points from this weeks readings were to clearly define the main concepts discussed, so that the reader was enabled to completely understand what the terms encompassed. From chapter seven, I found it useful that the composers described organisational strategy and public relations strategy. It made it easier to understand the differences between the two, and also the characteristics of each separate strategy. I also appreciated the chapter on how to plan a public relations strategy, as I believe this knowledge will be useful when we one day become public relations practitioners.
Like yourself, the readings made me think more about public relations practice in that public relations practitioners must be forward thinking and always planning ahead, in order for them to be successful.
I agree with your point about thinking strategically. I think this definitely stood out in the reading this week for me also. It is this skill which will be the hardest to master, but the most important in our work as professioanl PR pracitioners. Our planning and campiagning needs to be thought about in a strategic way to give us direction and to help us assess and reassess our work. Good point Madeline!
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