If there was a way for your company to bottle a method of preservation - an elixir for life - guaranteed youth and longevity - The ability to have your company LIVE on - you would try it, wouldn't you?
The dictionary defines alchemy in a few ways: but the defining characteristic is summarized as the ability to transform basic substances into GOLD - Not unlike PR professionals themselves, well, the good ones anyway.
Seriously - I feel like I do this on a regular basis. I think I was a magician in a former life .... what I mean is, that even on days when I have to scour for information and things to talk about for my clients, I manage to build creative and interesting campaigns that link back to the company's overall objectives.
As a communications professional, it is my job to literally create mountains out of molehills. This is of course, based on the assumption that you need to have a solid base to start - a mountain is nothing without a strong foundation, it's otherwise just a pile of dirt.
As the ancient Alchemists developed their own structure of basic laboratory techniques, theory, terminology, and experiments - so to, do PR professionals implement their own tools of the trade: best practices, key messaging, experience and creativity to name a few.
To demonstrate - let's pretend that one simple "nugget" of information was handed to a list of marketing and web professionals - they would employ their skills to use it based on their expertise. But put that same nugget into the hands of a crafted PR and communications professional and it becomes a lasting mark on your brand and keeps your message alive.
Social media assistant: Regurgitate, shorten. Add a link. Add a hashtag.
Copywriters: Surround it will eloquent prose that is easy to digest.
Online marketers: Turn it into a landing page.
Graphic designers: Come up with a logo for it.
PR /Communications expert:
Re-articulate it into a useful key message that supports your brand.
Conduct an interview to support 'nugget' with testimonial or statistic.
Create an original news release to generate media attention
Rewrite from a corporate perspective for company blog
Turn into employee interview/video for YouTube channel
Draft a white paper for B2B credibility
Use as an introduction to key influencers in your industry
...you get the idea.
With experience comes infinite possibilities - an ability to put an articulate and interesting spin on something that could otherwise sound mundane - to turn dust into GOLD and have your message live on;
That is the mark of a true PR Alchemist!