Random thoughts …. PR Earning a seat at the CEO’s table

A lot of PR pros I respect (and that’s about a handful or two) talk about getting a seat at the table with CEOs and other C-level executives.

So, how do you “earn” a seat at the table, and more importantly why am I blogging on this!

On Tuesday, February 8, 2005 , The Wall Street Journal’s Marketplace section (which should be required daily reading for any serious PR pros) had an excellent article on their MBA track, lamenting the fact that B-school don’t teach communications and communications schools don’t teach business.

More importantly, because B-schools can’t quantify communications results, they basically overlook the field. Not al lB-schools, but most, and the trend is slowly moving away from that.

So to earn a seat at the table, you must speak the same language as the rest of those already there.

PR and communications professionals need to be able to understand how business works, that is, what are the pains / concerns CEOs, marketing directors or CIOs have, what keeps them up at night, what do they need to do to make next quarter’s numbers or thus year’s bonus.

My short list (not all, but from a stream of caffeine induced consciousness):

• Understand industry trends, both macro and micro trends affecting the economy and your client’s industry
• Be able to communicate those trends to help your CEO client capitalize on them
• Add value, not BS
• Understand basic financials from terms to quarterly reports
• Commit to and promise to deliver ROI that is measurable, not just PR by the pound (amount of clips, as to me that is a useless metrics)
• Read. Read and Read some more. If you don’t already jet the WSJ, get it yesterday.

I’ve been reading the WSJ for nearly 20 years (I don’t own stock in Dow Jones) and I can tell you, it gives you a “professional edge,” as this is what your CEO clients are reading

However, just reading the WSJ and trade press won’t do it alone, but that will give you a huge lead over the rest of the PR folks, and it may just get you a seat at the table.

Over the years I’ve had a seat at the table with the likes of Steve Ballmer, Steve Jobs and many, many senior executives from Fortune 500 and Inc 500 firms.

final thoughts: getting a seat at the table also adds a lot of cash to your pay check