Folusho Phillips, chairman of Phillips Consulting Limited, has called on Public Relations practitioners to embrace innovation in order to stay relevant in the industry.
Speaking in Lagos at the 2nd edition of the Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN) Breakfast Meeting, tagged ‘The Business of Consulting,’ and how consulting firms and clients can win in a VUCA economy. Phillips said as consultants, it is important to be aware of their role as role models who should be rendering tangible services, building institutions and also innovating as there is a huge paradigm shift taking place every day.
He said PR practitioners need to deploy cutting-edge tools and embrace best global practices in their service offering because the world events change at the speed of light, adding innovation is the next step for customers convenient.
The lecture, designed to enable PRCAN members plan for economic head-winds and anticipate inherent opportunities in the Nigerian economy, saw a number of industry practitioners in attendance.
Commenting at the event, PRCAN President, Israel Jaiye Opayemi said: As consultants, we need to stay ahead of the curve, and we need to be ahead of our clients across the industries that we service by investing more in research and acquiring data across sectors to be well informed and equipped to deliver rich value to clients.
“When you look at the growth rate of the service industry and its contribution to the GDP of Nigeria over the last 2 years, the service industry has been doing great. Public Relations and communication consultants are significant players in the service growth. We don’t want to be the catalyst that changes things but doesn’t change itself; we want to see evidence of the growth in our businesses.”
Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, the president, African Public Relations Association (APRA), In his remark, stated that going with the trend is the strategy in itself to help PR practitioners to be relevant in the industry. He therefore encouraged practitioners to run their businesses as perception consultants.
The event which held at Mike Adenuga Center, Victoria Island, Lagos, witnessed a roll call of dignitaries in the marketing communications industry, some of whom include Comfort Nwankwo, Lagos State Chapter Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), John Ehiguese and Chido Nwankanwa, both past Presidents of the Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN).
Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN) is the association of Public Relations Consultancy firms in Nigeria. PRCAN is legally chartered by a By-Law No. 3, 1993 of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), to cater to the interests of the consultancy side of PR practice in Nigeria. The sectoral body of public relations consultancy practice in Nigeria currently has a membership of over 60 firms who provide services across at least 21 PR
