Moving the PR profession from talkers to makers

1. Lights, camera, PR school. PR education must add visual storytelling to its curriculum ASAP, including courses in photography, audio and video production, coding, and online graphic design. Some graduates can specialize in the new disciplines. Everyone else should at least have a basic knowledge. 2. Go DIY. Working professionals must commit to learning something new on their own time. Maybe it’s making a GIF, starting and maintaining a blog that enhances your personal brand, or researching and writing a long-form article. You can do it yourself, find online courses, or enroll in a local program. 3. Redefine the PR industry. We still spend too much time referring to public relations by what we’re not (i.e., not advertising). Compounding this is that many clients hire us primarily to do publicity, but it’s essential we tell our story by demonstrating the value we provide, and how we help clients achieve their goals. 4. Step out of the news release box. The next time you’re about to suggest a news release, try coming up with three other content recommendations to accomplish the same business objectives, just differently. 5. Hire makers. Listen to them, adapt to their perspectives, and integrate them into the fiber of the agency.