You know when you and a friend are having coffee and you're telling her all about the history of woodchips? But she's not as excited as you need her to be, because.. you're not excited about it. If you can't feel the passion or excitement around what you're selling, the person on the other end won't either.
People are looking for new ideas, exciting ideas and someone to lead them to those ideas. In PR, it's about selling an idea, concept, product. There is a lot of work that goes into the "pitch", but before all of that, there must be true and real passion behind that pitch.
Creativity sparks from passion. PR companies often take on work that doesn't always align with their own mission or interest, which in turn can present flat messaging that doesn't resonate with the public.
An example. White Birch Communications works with the New Hampshire Community Mental Health Association, an association made up of the ten community mental health centers around the state. The REALness in this topic is everywhere and affects pretty much everyone. We feel a responsibility to help spread the word for people to get support and to help reduce stigma around such an important topic. Mental Health is real and it's important. Our team feels the passion and need to find the right way to engage the public and stand out as a resource in a time of need.
Part of being real, is getting the faces of the staff, essential workers and clients out there to be a little vulnerable to share in the messaging. Many of us have ideas of what mental health looks like, who it affects and it's a narrow minded perspective. So let's show a new side of mental health; it's our bosses, moms, dads, children, teachers, coworkers, friends, our mentors and some of the most celebrated individuals. When we talk about those perspectives, those views, those people's struggles, it takes away the veil of stigma,
a little bit at a time. This is being real.