This is Our Emergency

America has had a tough decade with terrorist attacks, a war on weapons, and an economic crisis. All of which have caused the American people to question everything and everyone. This doubt has made it extremely difficult for PR practitioners to earn and maintain credibility with their audiences.

I think it’s time that PR practitioners earn back the trust of the American people. A new decade begins in a few months, and with the plan I’ve mapped out below, a new attitude towards pr can begin with it.

GOAL: To increase credibility within the PR profession as a new decade begins by reestablishing relationships and trust with their publics.

OBJECTIVE 1: To increase accreditation programs by 30% among PR practitioners by March, 2011

Tactics:

• Make accreditation mandatory for all PRSA members

• Reduce fees, or use fees, to go towards test costs

• Make available free workshops and study sessions for members

• Arrange a face-to-face meeting with major and influential businesses to educate them on the benefits of having APR certified employees

OBJECTIVE 2: To increase community outreach by 40% with partner firms and businesses by June, 2012

Tactics:

• Make community service mandatory for all PRSA members

• Include the importance of social medias such as Twitter and Facebook in PRSA newsletter

• Arrange a face-to-face meeting with partner firms and businesses to discuss the importance of community relations and create incentive plans for their employees who become active in the community

A PR practitioner’s job is to influence their publics, and to be influential someone must be seen in a positive light, as trustworthy, and reliable. Succeeding in this plan could be a huge step in showing PR practitioner’s efforts to improve their field and its values.

Growth of the accreditation program would be one of the best ways to increase credibility in the PR field. With set standards and rules, practicing PR practitioners would become more aware and more liable for all of their actions. Certification in the field would allow businesses to be more conscience in who they are hiring as well as create an image to their publics that they are creating the best team possible.

Americans grew up learning to trust the people that entered their homes every night for the 5 o’clock news. PR practitioners have always remained more behind the scenes, strangers to the mass public. Community outreach would allow face-to-face time with the practitioners and the general public, allowing a familiarity to evolve and trust to begin.

This plan could be costly in the beginning, but the benefits of earning the American people's trust back far outweighs that cost.

^d
Katie Keane