pr

5 quick fixes for the PR industry #stateofpr

This morning, the CIPR released its State of PR report. Wadds has a good summary on his blog. It’s full of the same old stuff that we’ve all been banging on about for ages – lack of digital skills, ignorance when it comes to measurement, lack of diversity/gender equality, focus on media relations, poor work-life balance… And that’s not to undermine what are, generally important issues that our ‘industry’ needs to combat. But, for me, that’s the problem with all of this. Generally there is nothing in here that will be surprising to anyone working in (and probably outside PR) – at the PRCA, we released some digital research which had very similar conclusions. What I’d love to see from the CIPR is some action in terms of what they (and us in the industry) can do to combat these issues. Just saying that we need to become more ‘professional’ doesn’t really do it for me. Here’s five quick ideas for starters, please share any others you have below in the comments or on Twitter and I’ll add to the post.

  1. Skills test for new recruits – create a test that anyone applying to a PR agency or in-house job has to complete in order to get the job – think driving test – regulated by the CIPR/PRCA (maybe for promotions too)
  2. Agency commitments – require any agency that is a member of a professional body to prove levels of compliance on an annual basis – e.g. training offered to staff, diversity, salary equality. Publish the findings and name and shame agencies that fail to comply.
  3. Free training/courses/conference attendance offered to in-house practitioners – increasing the levels of knowledge from in-house professionals is vital to ensure the whole industry moves away from the obsession with media relations.
  4. Measurement panel for award entries – Require all award entries that are shortlisted to answer questions from a measurement panel about their measurement and evaluation – monitored by AMEC
  5. Get employees to rate their agencies – Rather than best ‘places to work’ for studies – create other categories where agency staff are asked (anonymously) about levels of training, digital capabilities etc.