Make your mark on the world!
So, years ago, I had the opportunity to lead a community newspaper as its editor. I’d previously been a columnist for the paper, and I tossed my hat into the ring when the founder and publisher mentioned that he needed to find a new editor. It was supposed to be a short-term kind of thing, just until he found someone to fill the job. As it turned out, I was the best person for the job at the time. It was my first time working as an editor, and I was determined not to screw it up.
One thing I learned very quickly about the job was that it involved just as much interacting on a personal level with the community as it did writing articles, editing others’ submissions and designing the pages. I quickly learned what my strengths were, and found ways to compensate for my weaknesses – like putting an associate editor who had a talent for sales in charge of landing paid advertising.
But in the end, it was being the public face of the newspaper that was the most thrilling and terrifying part of the job. I came to care about the job in a way that, looking back, nearly bordered on obsession. The M Voice had become a part of my identity; my name was intimately intertwined with the paper’s very fabric. People began to associate me with the paper, and I soon realized just how much of leadership was interacting with the very people that you’ve pledged to serve.
I learned that, in order to lead, I needed to listen. I listened to my wife, to my staff, to the paper’s founder – but mostly, I listened to what the community wanted. And what they wanted was a newspaper that focused on THEM: their wants, their needs, their lives and history and adventures and misadventures and fears and failures. When the community you serve feels involved and cared for, your business will thrive.
In short, I had accidentally wandered into the realm of public relations, which the Public Relations Society of America defines as “a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.”
I boil it down further for when I’m working with clients:
“What do you want?”
“How do you see yourself (or your business)?”
“How do you think people see you (or your business)?”
“How do you want people to see you (or your business)?”
“How can I help?”
The first four questions are vital, as they tell me how the client perceives reality. Depending on the person, the business, or the environment, that perception may or not be objectively accurate. But, it often is real to them. And for most people, perception IS reality.
The final question tells me what the client expects of me. Again, their answer is based on what they know and feel and expect. Sometimes, what they think they want is exactly what they need. Other times, what aid I provide ends up being different from what they want, but is absolutely what they need. Although an outsider’s perspective is important, being able to tap into the wants and needs of the client AND their prospective consumers is vital.
For me, public relations work comes down to one question: How does my client want to make their mark on the world? My job is finding the answer to that question, and helping them find a way to transform that answer into positive action.
So …. How can I help you?
