v-Fluence Blog

I heard on the radio recently that Chicago has the highest gas prices in the country-a reality that makes me thankful for v-Fluence's predominately virtual work environment and the lifestyle it allows me to lead.

For one thing, I don't have a car. That owes partly to the fantastic public transit system in Chicago, but my position at v-Fluence is also a central reason I choose to go car-less. I am able to avoid the frustrating hassles of city commutes by working from my apartment, walking to a nearby coffee shop, or hopping a bus to the public library.

It turns out, v-Fluence isn't alone in providing this kind of work environment. An article on Yahoo! listed "public relations specialist" at number four on a top-10 ranking of home office jobs. I know from my work at v-Fluence, much of what we do to keep in contact with clients and colleagues relies on the telephone, e-mail and Instant Messenger. The Internet's mosaic of Web 1.0 and 2.0 spaces is also a critical tool for our work, enabling us to keep up with the latest online news, trends and fads.

It also appears that more public relations specialists will be coming online-and working from home offices. U.S. Department of Labor statistics suggest employment of PR specialists will grow by 18 percent by the year 2016 for a total of more than 280,000 PR-focused workers doing their jobs in non-traditional brick and mortar settings.

I think, however, that the real reason for this growth isn't flowing from the reality that home office settings have unique appeal. Rather, I think the growth will come from a keener understanding at businesses both large and small that public relation strategies can add real value to their business operations-particularly as those strategies integrate with marketing and include both online and offline elements.

I also believe that PR industry growth will come from today's business climate-a constantly revolving door of mergers, unemployment, new projects, product recalls and activist activity. Given this swirl, it's essential for companies to deploy their public relations efforts effectively to manage these developments and connect with their internal and external publics and communicate their mission-focused messages.

In the year I've worked for v-Fluence, I've come to understand that the Internet is an increasingly critical medium that PR and marketing departments must use to connect with their employees, customers, donors and other audiences.

Indeed, the Internet has become the first resource consumers turn to for information, research, reviews, and even entertainment. These Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 spaces allow for immediacy and interactivity that other forms of media can't deliver. It's gratifying for me to see our clients gain the awareness and understanding of all the opportunities and risks the Internet creates. (Of course, this awareness and understanding is partly due to the fact that v-Fluence understands the magnitude of the Web and provides organizations and their brands unique online analytics, intelligence, and counsel to manage their respective online environments.)

So, it's no surprise to learn that in the coming years, there will be a growing number of PR-minded employees who, like me, will be focused on how the Web can help their clients become more astute and creative stewards of the opportunities and risks it poses.

It's true that the ever-changing nature of the Web can make it difficult to keep a "bead" on what matters most. Thankfully, though, I can spend the time I might otherwise have been stuck in traffic, to figure that out.