The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) is our industry’s premier organization that brings together PR professionals from all over the county – with ICON being the crown jewel of their yearly events. This past October, folks from all corners came together to gain valuable PR insights on topics ranging from digital transformation and AI integration to ethical communication practices and diversity in the industry.
The ever-changing world of PR evolves as quickly as the media landscape itself, so attending a conference such as this was an invaluable experience through which I walked away with countless insights (and pages of notes!). Below is a list of ten highlighted lessons from the public relations conference.
1. The Magic of 1:1 Connection
As newsrooms become slimmer and landing a story in top publications increases in difficulty, it has never been more important to build and maintain relationships with journalists. Even in a world driven by technology, there is magic in the humanity of our industry – and that is where we often find success. Fostering genuine relationships with media lays the groundwork for successful stories that resonate with our clients and communities alike. Picking up the phone, sending a personal note or touch goes a long way.
2. Crafting a Compelling Brand Story
Every brand on the planet tells a story with their logo, their motto, their offerings – really, in every way they are represented as an organization. Whether this is a story that is truly reflective of what leadership wants the brand to be is another story. Brand story audits should happen in the least every year to consider a brand’s unique market position, differentiating factors, and answer the who, what and why for an audience clearly. When done well, a brand story can become a must-read for your target audience.
3. Low-cost, High-Impact Communications Strategies
For the vast majority of organizations, marketing and communications budgets will not be getting larger. So, PR professionals must turn to new tactics that still offer results but at budget-friendly prices. Instead of relying on expensive campaigns, leveraging assets you already control is a cost-effective way to reach your audience and build a strong brand presence. By consistently investing in these owned channels, such as websites, email lists, and social media, brands can ensure greater stability and visibility without breaking the bank.
4. Reeling in the Big Fish
Media strategies differ depending on the pitch and goals. National mainstream media coverage can often be the hardest to land. You will have an advantage by keeping up relationships with national producers and editors and also being very clear on a highly relevant and widely relatable hook. The story must be extremely compelling, but something to sweeten the pot – like offering an exclusive – is nearly a requirement now to land national news coverage.
5. Being a Consistently Trustworthy Source
Would you take a pill knowing the company that manufactured it lies about the side effects or long-term health risks associated? Even if they admitted to lying once, would you ever take a pill from the same company again? Likely not. Brand reputation, including public perception, is not something that can be built or repaired overnight, especially in the wake of a crisis. Rather, it is something that is a component of every communication sent on behalf of a brand, in internal and external communications, in what spokespeople say on behalf of an organization. Trust is not a destination – it is doing the right thing all day, every day.
6. Storytelling: Quality Over Quantity
The media landscape is a-changing, and it can feel overwhelming to keep up with the latest PR trends and needs of the media. But right now, things seem more cyclic than revolutionary. Journalists and outlets are reverting more to pre-COVID practices and investing the time and energy to meet onsite versus a Zoom meeting and want to capture in-person multimedia versus recycled b-roll. The emphasis is on quality over quantity, and quality right now is key to viewership or readership.
7. AI is Friend Not Foe to PR
As professional communicators, you’d think our natural inclination to AI is to avoid at all costs. After all, isn’t the robot-created content going to replace us? Absolutely not, and the longer we go without embracing the technology the more we are doing ourselves and our clients a disservice. However, AI isn’t just for generating funny pictures of people with distorted hands or generic copy that lacks emotion. It is a powerful tool that can help in countless areas of our jobs, including acting as a robust search engine, initial fact-checker, editor and revisor, brainstorm partner, formatter, and the list goes on.
8. The Future of Search
Speaking of search, AI is not the only tool that is making sweeping moves to become the next Google. And TikTok isn’t just for making funny dancing videos either. 74% of Gen Zers report using TikTok as their primary form of search. Brands that are trying to reach this demographic may be nervous about entering a social platform that can feel disconnected from their brand, but they also won’t be getting the attention of this generations of folks who have money to spend and are heavily influential.
9. Humor Isn’t Universal
Professional communicators will sometime employ a tactic into PR and marketing materials to make them stand out: humor. From lighthearted pitches to funny tweets and post-Super Bowl commercials that you flag to a friend, employing humor can be a fantastic way for people to remember your brand and develop long-lasting positive sentiment. But the tricky thing about humor is that it is not universal – not everyone will find the same things funny or even understand that they are meant to be funny. Companies like Taco Bell have gone all-in on keeping their core demographic, Gen Z, in stitches on social media, even at the risk of alienating older audiences. It’s a calculated risk for many that has a huge payoff – when used appropriately and while understanding risks.
10. Be a Courageous Leader
Strong leadership is more important now than ever – internally and externally. While traditionally valued traits in leaders were strength and stoicism, folks are now swinging towards valuing softer traits, especially empathy and emotional intelligence. Showing the ability to relate to many while still staying true to your mission is authentic and could help strengthen company culture. When in doubt, operate with the three C’s: communicate with clarity, operate with conviction, and accept criticism as a gift.
The PRSA ICON 2024 conference was an opportunity that will have an enduring impact on my career, and while I attempted to distill some of my favorite takeaways here, there is plenty more where this came from. If you are interested in learning more about the future of PR, 2025 trends, and how Fearey can help you grow in the near year, give us a shout.