Albert Einstein once said, “I fear the day when technology surpasses our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.” This quote resonates with me because, in the constantly evolving world of social media, I sometimes see the “social” aspect missing. Have you ever found yourself alone in a crowded room, a party or restaurant and noticed just how many people were more occupied with their smartphones than with observing what’s around them? Have you felt disconnected or almost panicked when you forgot your phone at home? In a world where we are always connected, we’re all guilty of it, but there is a time and a place for using these platforms. Social media is simply one tool in the PR toolbox.
While on my way to my first Philly TweetUp event—where media professionals in Greater Philadelphia gather to network and meet industry leaders, such as Brian Solis—I had no idea what to expect. I was worried I would be spending my evening buried in my phone making sure I didn’t make any “tweet-stakes.” To my surprise, it ended up being quite the opposite. I had the pleasure of engaging in conversation with Brian and welcomed the opportunity to pick his brain on how social media is evolving across generations and what it means for businesses. Having a one-on-one conversation with such a social media rockstar was an incredible experience. To make the event even more worthwhile, I also received a copy of his new book, What’s the Future of Business? [WTF].
On my way out, I had the chance to have Brian sign my book. It’s actually his inscription that sparked this blog post: “Jess, Forget everything you learned in PR… Start here…” While I certainly plan to read Brian’s book and share what I learn with my fellow PR industry colleagues, I can’t say I will fully embrace his advice. Though I am new to the industry, I doubt PR success will ever solely rely on social media savvy. The PR profession is largely based on human interaction and engaging with various audiences. While social media plays an important role in this process, it will never replace the value of face-to-face interactions. Case in point: the need to have a TweetUp for people who meet on Twitter. Not to downplay social media, but we have many more tools in our toolbox.
Jess —
Eloquently put. Sometimes the “shininess” of social media’s bling blinds us to the fact that relationships — real, human ones! — remain at the core of public relations.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Jess – Brian is a rockstar, I saw him years ago in SF. But I couldn’t agree with you more. Communications strategies aren’t one dimensional and a professional PR counselor analyzes a client’s needs, the proper strategy, the target audiences and the media they consume – be it traditional, online, social – or in your case, in person. Looking forward to meeting you – face-to-face – soon! Thanks for a great blog. Cheers, David
Great article, Jess. I agree that social is but one tool in the toolbox. However, social has a special role in that it should be integrated with all of the other tools. As you say, “The PR profession is largely based on human interaction and engaging with various audiences.” When done properly, social media is the most powerful tool to accomplish this. The other PR tools help provide the substance for the interaction and engagement, but social is the medium which allows this interaction and engagement to take place. (But then again I’m biased since I’m a social business cheerleader.)
Thanks for the emphasis on the importance that people and brands should effectively understand how to use all of the tools together to build something worthwhile. Yes, PR is constantly evolving these days, but some truths remain the same.
Cheers!
Kwan
@SocialKwan