This is off the cuff and a bit all over the place, but...
Yes, I believe that part of the thesis is correct in that most of the talented people I have met in PR/Marketing did not self-select that role. In fact if you asked them in college what they were going to do after graduation I doubt many of them would have said PR/Marketing. This naturally will create an industry of people with disparate skill sets, some that fit well into the PR/Marketing roles and others that do not. However, this is no different than many other industries that do not require a singular or additional degree. Therefore I say no to the fact that this non self-selection is "the problem".
The root of the problem, in my humble opinion as a PR/Marketer for 12 years, is the lack of accountability within PR/Marketing roles within agencies and corporations. This absence of accountability has been around for various reasons, specifically due to the difficulty in measuring PR or Marketing ROI and the antiquated hourly billing structures of service organizations. Both of these elements are slowly being dissolved, primarily due to better connectivity and social media, and when security blankets evaporate the crying often begins. In this case journalists/bloggers/malcontents continuing to hammer on the "PR sucks" meme or PR/Marketing people trying to go and hide under another security blanket by declaring themselves a "social media expert". Unfortunately for the latter that security blanket is being removed much faster than the previous one, but due to the same reasons.
Now we come to the portion of our show where we try and figure out how to fix this problem. When I first started in the PR business there was a mad rush to hire former journalists and editors to the agency side, which didn't always work, but did always invigorate the troops including myself. But now we need to look in a multitude of directions and I absolutely love the analogy to Bo Jackson. Perhaps it's the nerd who can communicate well like yourself and Louis or the former interior designer who has terrific writing skills or the small business owner looking to make a change.
But they must have one thing in common (probably more than one, but I've already bored you enough), the ability and desire to be held accountable for what they do and the desire to measure their success based upon their personal goals and the goals of their company. At the same time companies and agencies must shed themselves of antiquated measuring sticks for PR/Marketing (including billing structures, but that is another post I'm sure) and come to the table with the same level of commitment as this new breed of marketer.
Narrowing it all down; the problem is not in the self-selection, but in the way in which WE select those that fill the marketing/PR roles and the way in which the company/agency holds US accountable within that position. As these two elements shift we will, I hope, see more and more talented folks like yourself and your colleagues and less and less "PR is Dead" memes.
Sorry for taking up so much space, but you really got me thinking this afternoon! Now back to work so that when the folks come around to hold me accountable I'm ready ;)
Josh Dilworth
· 8 months ago
Wow, you've got me thinking too -- great comment. I'd really love to hear your rate about billing rates, etc. -- I totally agree that the model is ripe for disruption.
Project-based billing and retainers also have their own problems, so I am assuming you are suggesting some sort of pay for performance model? I ran some numbers a while back hehe based on a performance model -- and I would be doing muuuch better $$-wise than I am now. Which would rock. But in so doing I'd price myself out of the startup market. You'd have to grade it on a curve of sorts. That said, I still really like the idea. And it has the nice consequence that if you suck, you don't get paid. It allows the market, as it were, to self-correct.
I also agree with your overall point about accountability. I've been around the block enough to see it done well/right, and see it done poorly. And the thing is -- when it's done poorly -- it's done REALLY poorly, and the effects are almost immediate. The program and/or the agency itself and/or the marketing department go right down the tubes. And you're correct -- then everything is justified away. Never underestimate self-preservation!
Well, now we both sound pretty cranky. Ha! But I do think you're correct, and I'm going to continue thinking along these lines, and especially around how to put the "new level of committment" that you talk about into the DNA of our agencies and teams and reportees and bosses.
Kyle Flaherty
· 8 months ago
One thing I'd love to do is put together a panel some night in Austin to talk about these issues, a real brainstorm on how people can attract more talent to the PR industry, get better results out of the people they have using the new methods of communications, ideas around billing, etc. Would be cool to have some agency reps, vendor marketers and even a journalist/analyst.
Need to put some thought behind making this happen.
Josh Dilworth
· 8 months ago
I'm down to donate time, coordinate, and/or promote. Let's connect on next steps offline, but methinks it a great idea. Booya.
All Comments
Yes, I believe that part of the thesis is correct in that most of the talented people I have met in PR/Marketing did not self-select that role. In fact if you asked them in college what they were going to do after graduation I doubt many of them would have said PR/Marketing. This naturally will create an industry of people with disparate skill sets, some that fit well into the PR/Marketing roles and others that do not. However, this is no different than many other industries that do not require a singular or additional degree. Therefore I say no to the fact that this non self-selection is "the problem".
The root of the problem, in my humble opinion as a PR/Marketer for 12 years, is the lack of accountability within PR/Marketing roles within agencies and corporations. This absence of accountability has been around for various reasons, specifically due to the difficulty in measuring PR or Marketing ROI and the antiquated hourly billing structures of service organizations. Both of these elements are slowly being dissolved, primarily due to better connectivity and social media, and when security blankets evaporate the crying often begins. In this case journalists/bloggers/malcontents continuing to hammer on the "PR sucks" meme or PR/Marketing people trying to go and hide under another security blanket by declaring themselves a "social media expert". Unfortunately for the latter that security blanket is being removed much faster than the previous one, but due to the same reasons.
Now we come to the portion of our show where we try and figure out how to fix this problem. When I first started in the PR business there was a mad rush to hire former journalists and editors to the agency side, which didn't always work, but did always invigorate the troops including myself. But now we need to look in a multitude of directions and I absolutely love the analogy to Bo Jackson. Perhaps it's the nerd who can communicate well like yourself and Louis or the former interior designer who has terrific writing skills or the small business owner looking to make a change.
But they must have one thing in common (probably more than one, but I've already bored you enough), the ability and desire to be held accountable for what they do and the desire to measure their success based upon their personal goals and the goals of their company. At the same time companies and agencies must shed themselves of antiquated measuring sticks for PR/Marketing (including billing structures, but that is another post I'm sure) and come to the table with the same level of commitment as this new breed of marketer.
Narrowing it all down; the problem is not in the self-selection, but in the way in which WE select those that fill the marketing/PR roles and the way in which the company/agency holds US accountable within that position. As these two elements shift we will, I hope, see more and more talented folks like yourself and your colleagues and less and less "PR is Dead" memes.
Sorry for taking up so much space, but you really got me thinking this afternoon! Now back to work so that when the folks come around to hold me accountable I'm ready ;)
Project-based billing and retainers also have their own problems, so I am assuming you are suggesting some sort of pay for performance model? I ran some numbers a while back hehe based on a performance model -- and I would be doing muuuch better $$-wise than I am now. Which would rock. But in so doing I'd price myself out of the startup market. You'd have to grade it on a curve of sorts. That said, I still really like the idea. And it has the nice consequence that if you suck, you don't get paid. It allows the market, as it were, to self-correct.
I also agree with your overall point about accountability. I've been around the block enough to see it done well/right, and see it done poorly. And the thing is -- when it's done poorly -- it's done REALLY poorly, and the effects are almost immediate. The program and/or the agency itself and/or the marketing department go right down the tubes. And you're correct -- then everything is justified away. Never underestimate self-preservation!
Well, now we both sound pretty cranky. Ha! But I do think you're correct, and I'm going to continue thinking along these lines, and especially around how to put the "new level of committment" that you talk about into the DNA of our agencies and teams and reportees and bosses.
Need to put some thought behind making this happen.