Consultancies must focus on value and results, not simply on the effort
In the recent past I had introduced the debate on why the PR industry in India must embrace Empirical Public Relations to really find answers to the Jigsaw Puzzle that the current environment within which the communications business operates in.
Empirical Public Relations is already demonstrating a change in the way campaigns are priced and paid for, addressing the significant challenge human capital presents with the need to revise models of compensation, reward and recognition to attract and retain first-class talent.
Therein, clearly, is great opportunity for sustainable growth. Indeed, these are tough times for the PR project around the world and so it is in India. But there is a difference. India, unlike many other evolved markets, can evade the pitfalls of accelerating growth with a growth plan that doesn?t ignore these lessons.
India?s PR industry landscape is increasingly focusing on measuring long-term impact on business ROI as opposed to existing models of evaluation that largely focus on media coverage. This is a narrative that is steadily gaining broader currency among client organizations already feeling the strain of a long-drawn global recession impacting business performance, employee productivity, and smaller marketing budgets. There lies the renewed focus on longer-term strategic growth.
Research conducted by PSB South Asia to access through a survey to assess expectations, preparedness and delivery of public relations through a survey among customers of Client Organizations and PR Consultancies throws up some very interesting scenarios. The survey was conducted in partnership with IMPACT magazine for the annual Indian Public Relations & Corporate Communications (IPRCC) Conference 2013.
Organizations that use sophisticated PR tools, including the use of technology and science (analytics/measurement) strategically to co-create opportunities will separate the winners from the losers. I have always been an optimist about the good days.
Historically, there has always been great opportunity during times of struggle and complexity. The survey, in pointing toward better days for the industry in India, cautions about the need to make some very strategic investments. As PR consultancies cope with this complexity, they will also have new growth opportunity to build new competencies, invest in new technology and servicing best practices to address this complexity.
In my earlier articles, I had written about this complexity, or the New Normal, in the PR industry. The majority of respondents predictably feel that this new business complexity is a result of the emergence of the Internet and digital media complemented by the growth of social media platforms. The trend is further strengthened by the growing demand for research-backed customized communication moving away from general broadcasts and the growth of mobility and mobile devices becoming a central medium of engagement.
It tells us how pertinent these issues are today. As citizen journalism gathers momentum, coupled with the explosion of digital information, clients and PR consultancies are struggling to establish and maintain mutually-beneficial relationships that underline the impact of these collaborative engagements on long-term growth.
The industry may be overly optimistic about its future. But in the interim, as our analysis indicates, the increasing complexity of the PR business in India is a result of many things, in particular due to client organizations seeking more ?strategic? bang for their investments to drive greater impact on their businesses?.
Since I set up Penn Schoen Berland in India two years ago, I have always maintained that a customized communications approach that rests fundamentally on research-driven insights to take a PR campaign ahead is the way the industry is going to go toward to really drive greater value for smarter client audiences
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Tags: empirical public relations, PSB, PSB Research, PSB South Asia, Public Relations
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