There's a pretty good article here from Jonathan Carson of BuzzMetrics, who says the PR world has missed the word-of-mouth marketing boat because it's been too heavily focused -- still -- on media relations.
His payoff pitch is this:
"I know many PR professionals that admint their industry often misses its higher calling -- managing relationships with stakeholders -- by overemphasizing media (or journalist) relations. If PR wants to own word-of-mouth marketing, it will need to move itself out of the media-relations box. Its mantra must include a more holistic grasp of the entire communications mix..."
Largely this is on point, but I'd refine it (and take out the overused stakeholders) to say just this about PR:
PR should help companies relate to their publics. Find out who's important, decide what to say to them, decide how to say it to them, then say it. For all the talk about the blog revolution, WOM marketing trends -- all that crap -- PR is still the same thing. Have something good to say, say it well. Say it in the places people put their eyes to read. Then, you'll have results.
Thanks, David, for the pointer.
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