Why are we reluctant to advocate for ourselves professionally?

Posted on Aug. 20, 2024  /  Subscribe 0

By Lindsay Kirsh, Founder and Chief Strategist, Slayer Public Relations

Public relations professionals are charged with securing media, building brand reputation, trust, affinity and experiential moments on behalf of clients, yet many of us struggle when it comes time to advocate for ourselves – and our profession.

It’s ironic really. As PR professionals, should we be doing more to spotlight the importance of our role among media, stakeholders, and the communities we serve. I believe that talking about oneself may elicit a sense of fear, and not a lack of confidence. 

So, why the fear? Perhaps we fear appearing too cocksure, foolhardy and mildly self-absorbed. Perhaps we have grown too accustomed to solely promoting our clients versus promoting ourselves and our clients.

A friendly reminder from a fellow PR pro

Our clients aren’t the only brand – we are too. As we do with clients, it’s on us to build the proper brand for our industry that reaches beyond our peers. While it’s great to share industry news internally, what does that do for the profession to drum up business and trust? Does it move the needle when we talk solely amongst ourselves? We know our value, and it’s time the broader business community knows our value too.

We are confident in ourselves as we should be 

We are confident and proud of our abilities, our career paths, our strong networks and the relationships we have spent years building. For those just starting - you should also be proud and excited that you’re working hard to become future PR leaders. 

Seth Godin said it best, “People don’t buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories and magic.” Let’s turn this statement into action and tell our story, using the relationships we have built through storytelling on a client’s behalf, targeting external audiences and pitching our brand stories to build trust. 

Reinforce your positive impact

The most important story to tell is about the critical role we play in enhancing and protecting brand reputation. By advocating for our profession, accomplishments and value, we build trust and credibility among those who may not understand the role public relations plays in driving engagement and revenue. We have a loudspeaker, let’s use it to debunk common myths about public relations and positively reframe the narrative (we have all heard at one point or another from a prospective client that they don’t see value or have had bad experiences). Let’s reinforce our positive impact. We can’t possibly educate the broader business community on missed opportunities and the impact they have when we are missing our own opportunities. 

Why we must get comfortable doing our own PR 

In this case, the target audience will be the media and communities we serve with the goal of building our own brand reputation as a business and as professionals. 

1. Establishes Credibility and Authority

2. Showcases Expertise 

3. Builds Reputation

4. Expands Professional Networks

5. Strengthens Relationships

6. Increases Visibility

7. Drives Business Opportunities

8. Demonstrates Value

Leveraging media as a platform for PR advocacy positions us as thought leaders and allows us to have a strong voice for important industry issues, insights and influence. It raises awareness about our work, initiatives and the broader impact our efforts have on the community and business. 

We are the opportunity, and advocating for public relations increases our marketability. It allows us to inspire others, positively influence public perception of the industry, keeps us plugged in, and deepens our relationships with media, community and stakeholders.

It's on us to sell our stories, beyond the stories we sell on behalf of our clients. Always remember: people work with the people they know…and trust.

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