How to explain PR to your friends

Samantha Jones and I have nothing in common.

I don’t own a Fendi bag or bright-pink work suit. I don’t plan parties for celebrities, and I definitely don’t walk the red carpet on a Saturday night.

Unlike Samantha, I’m a public relations professional.

I build comprehensive PR plans. I crunch website analytics numbers. I develop creative initiatives to engage consumers across legacy and digital platforms.

But ask any person on the street what public relations is, and nine times out of 10 the response will entail party planning or spin (or just complete confusion).

Thanks, “Sex and the City.” You really did us a solid.

How should PR pros explain their jobs to non-industry friends?

PRSA suggests the following: Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.

But if your friends are anything like mine, that won’t cut it. I can already see the yawns forming.

So this is my jargon-free, less formal approach.