Being in PR means that you plan and execute events to perfection and no detail is forgotten. Each PR pro has their style for planning and how they work to get it all done. There is a recipe for event planning which includes a little creativity, a little OCD, a little leadership and a dash of caffeine. When you put it all together you get some pretty stellar events that PR pros pull of every day.

Behind the scenes of the seamless event that you have produced there is an army of details that get you through. Here are some of the secret ingredients that help PR pros pull off perfection:

1. Business cards – Keep them in your name badge or your pocket, but you know you’ll need them. – Cynthia Shannon, Berrett-Koehler Publishers
2. Phone numbers – Create a list of all vendors, staff, media and key contacts.- Ann Strout, AllaroundVA
3. Pockets – An outfit with pockets lets you go purse free! – Norma Rosenthal, Norma Rosenthal Public Relations
4. Restrooms – Know where they are before the guests arrive. – Ashley Torresala, Propel Communications
5. Snacks – Remember to stash granola bars and water for you. You never know when you will get to eat. – Cynthia Shannon, Berrett-Koehler Publishers
6. Avoid Alcohol – Never drink at your events. It slows you down and takes you off your game.- Patricia Ann, The Wedding Studio
7. Red Bull – It gives you wings! – Traci Allen, Traci Allen Inc.
8. Pens – I keep a magnetic pen around my neck so I don’t lose it. – Janet Fallon, PR Options
9. Back-up Outfit – To make sure you always look presentable. – Farrah Parker, FD Parker & Associates
10. Dark Colors – Wear an outfit with dark colors to help you blend in and disguise any unexpected dirt, sweat or other stains. – Justin Minsker, JHL Company

It is easy to concentration on the event details and not on you when the day of the event finally arrives. But, it is important to stay focused on what you need to keep yourself running at optimal speed. If your shoes hurt and you can hear your stomach over the emcee, that is not a success. Be smart and be on top of your game and your event will be a success!

• 24 May 2012 : Value of a Facebook Fan – Still Worth Considering?
• 23 May 2012 : Why Viggle Will Change Television
• 22 May 2012 : 10 Ingredients to Make Your Event Execution Easy
• 21 May 2012 : Stop Being Idiots -or- NATO and Perspective
• 18 May 2012 : Facebook Research: Brand-Related Posts Drive Most Engagement

Speech Bubble © by Vectorportal

I recently had a discussion with a man who is building a business that is aiming to help PR professionals with their biggest workflow issues.

He was very kind, and was asking me informed questions regarding the common issues I have and have seen coworkers deal with, when he said,

“We want to help press release… I mean PR professionals…”

Before answering his question, I clarified,

“PR does not stand for press release, it stands for public relations.”

Do people really think that PR professionals make an entire career of writing press releases?

I did a little research.

Remembering that Rosanna Fiske mentioned this while PRSA was redefining PR and after reading Patrick Slevin’s PR Week article on the subject, I asked the following people how they describe my career to others.

• My mother (a retired psychiatric Therapy Aid): “My daughter does public relations and she works online.”

• My brother (a professional Handyman): “Public relations or some s***”

• My father (a Correctional Officer): “Kelly works on the computer.”

Note: my father is still afraid of computers

• My boyfriend (a Ski and Snowboard Instructor/golf course Assistant Irrigation Technologist): “A publicist who does social media.”

As Patrick said, “As PR practitioners, it’s our responsibility to further the public dialogue. It’s our charge to educate and inform audiences and allow them the opportunity to reject or accept our messages, impressions, and meanings, which is the way of public relations.”

Shel Israel argued that the definition of the industry should not be the focal point, as the ‘Digital Age’ has not changed this, but rather, ”it changes the tools of engagement for the professional communicator.”

Either way, I don’t think that this exercise was (is) done enough when PR was redefined, so I encourage you all to ask your family members, spouses/partners and friends what they think PR stands for and what PR professional do, and share their responses in the comments.

You may be very surprised about the results of your own messaging. I was, and am currently working to correct it.

 Kelly is a traveler, New York native, public relations and social media professional, avid music lover, techie, and psychologist. She is passionate about enabling meaningful conversations and connections via the social web, believes that learning is lifelong and enjoys discovering new tactics to create and sustain brand identity and influence and maintain advocates.

• 24 May 2012 : Value of a Facebook Fan – Still Worth Considering?
• 23 May 2012 : Why Viggle Will Change Television
• 22 May 2012 : 10 Ingredients to Make Your Event Execution Easy
• 21 May 2012 : Stop Being Idiots -or- NATO and Perspective
• 18 May 2012 : Facebook Research: Brand-Related Posts Drive Most Engagement

There are many articles out there on how PR professionals should seek, contact and engage with bloggers. We are focused on building a relationship with bloggers and converting them into brand ambassadors for our client. We hope that they will write amazing posts about our clients and it will spread through the blogger world like wildfire.

But as PR pros have we stopped to think about what the bloggers want from us?

I am a mom blogger, crawfishtales.com, and I have had the opportunity to be on both sides of the pitch. This has given me insight that I have used to mold the way that I, as a PR pro, engage bloggers. I constantly remind myself that bloggers are receiving multiple pitches just like a reporter and that I need to make my pitch stand out from the others. The best pitches are the ones that are thorough and have thought through the pitch from the bloggers prospective.

Here are a few things that bloggers want when working with a PR pro or brand:

• The specifics up front. In your pitch includes the due date, what to post about, the links and how many words you are requesting. This helps a blogger to determine realistic expectations and if they can fit it in.

• Compensation. While in a perfect world we would all love to compensate a blogger for their time and effort but often times there is no budget. There are other things you do have of value that can be used as give-a-ways which are a tool that bloggers love to offer to their audience. PR pros need to understand it is not always about money, it is about why a blogger should do free promotion of your brand to their audience.

• Provide resources but not tone. Arm bloggers with information such as background information on the company or product, FAQs, pictures and social media handles. The blogger will take it from there and craft what you have provided to reflect the tone and voice that matches the blog. Don’t force prewritten language on the blogger.

• Promote their work. While you are looking for the promotion from a blogger to expose your brand, the blogger also is looking to you for exposure to your audience. Remember to tweet a link to their post or give them a shout out with the link to their blog on Facebook.

• Remember it is not about the numbers. Sometimes the data on blogs is tricky. Working with a blogger is more about the exposure and influence that the blogger has and less about the exact page views. Don’t beat down a blogger on exact numbers focus on the reach.

• Keep in touch. Bloggers want to be your friend. Bloggers want to keep the lines of communication open to develop a relationship. The more you stay in touch the more likely the blogger is to develop fun ways to work together and the more exposure your brand gets.

Focus your blogger relations on a specific blogger list and then develop a plan for how you can work with that list ongoing. By developing a relationship with a group of bloggers that you can call upon frequently, you are making your job easier and empowering them as brand ambassadors.

Sometimes it is about the quality of the blogger relationships and not the quantity. Whirlpool, Disney and Lifetime have blog programs that you can refer to as an example of how you can customize a blogger program to fit your brand, company size and market.

Thanks to Lisa Concepcion of LisaTakesMiami.com and Daisy Teh of TheItMom.com for providing insight to what it is that bloggers really want.

• 24 May 2012 : Value of a Facebook Fan – Still Worth Considering?
• 23 May 2012 : Why Viggle Will Change Television
• 22 May 2012 : 10 Ingredients to Make Your Event Execution Easy
• 21 May 2012 : Stop Being Idiots -or- NATO and Perspective
• 18 May 2012 : Facebook Research: Brand-Related Posts Drive Most Engagement

Half empty or half full?

An article recently published over at the MIT Sloan Management Review blog caught my attention. Essentially, the article asserted that in a world where optimism reigns, a little pessimism is a good thing.

In our culture, pessimism is generally perceived as a state of mind where one anticipates negative outcomes. We often classify individuals as either optimistic or pessimistic based on the age old question, “Is the glass half empty or half full?” We tend to classify those who answer “half empty” as stewards of a pessimistic outlook, always focusing on the negative and what’s likely to go wrong.

Despite the stigma that pessimism has, can it be interpreted as an undervalued asset and a valuable tool in PR?

As the MIT post suggests, thinking pessimistically presents distinct advantages, among them the ability to proactively recognize and avoid future problems, stave off passiveness and quell overconfidence. In a society that favors a positive temperament, does pessimism have a place in PR to help us to be more discerning in our point of view and cautious about the future to help colleagues and the C-level be more perceptive and realistic?

As the voice and often the face of our company and/or clients, it almost seems counterintuitive for us to be pessimistic, especially in an environment and a culture that expects and thrives off optimism. If being pessimistic translates into negativity, how exactly can it be an asset to a PR pro? Here are 3 ways:

1. Pragmatism – Effectively broadcasting and leveraging the positive are a big part of public relations. I’ve sat in on many meetings where executives extol the virtues of a new product or service, glowingly illustrating the features and benefits and how it was created to fill a market need or in direct response to consumer demand. Executives dream big but sometimes may not evaluate all the angles letting overconfidence shadow realistic possibilities. It’s your job as a PR pro to speak up, ask the “what if” questions, and whiteboard all the scenarios covering the optimistic and pessimistic outlooks.
2. The Big D – Ever heard the adage, “the best offense is a good defense?” It seems in the new era of digital communications that sometimes, collectively, companies end up rosier following a crisis then they were before it happened. If the unexpected strikes, can you quickly turn to a well prepared, crisis communications strategy? Preparation is key for public relations so make sure you map a defense by properly assessing the optimistic and pessimistic in advance. The ability to be nimble is a key characteristic of today’s PR pro.
3. Balance – Optimism is a powerful force in business. The MIT article pointed out that thinking optimistically has been directly linked to helping job candidates find work more easily and get promoted up the ladder faster. Why then, should PR pros include a dose of pessimism as an important ingredient in our business acumen? The answer is balance. It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement that comes from ideas or newfound success and the promise they hold for the future. Timely, balanced and realistic injections of pessimism through careful evaluation of all possible scenarios is important. Not only does it help to temper overconfidence but it demonstrates level headed thinking in times of optimistic euphoria. Step up and lead by example by developing a balanced approach.

Do you agree? Does pessimism have a place in PR? Share your thoughts with us.

Worried! © by photoloni

For the most part, I find the PR industry’s trade publications — PRWeek, PRNewser, PRNews, etc. — to be good standard-bearers for effectively covering the ins-and-outs of this diverse and growing industry. Sure, they tend to focus too much on AOR announcements  — the old-time stock ticker-tape reports of PR — but they do the job.

So I try to do my best not to critique. Look, reporters and editors have a tough job at those publications. They are reporting on the very people — PR pros — who know how to promote a cause or a person better than anyone. So I imagine there is quite a lot of pushback and calls for fluffier fluff pieces than at your standard trade reporter’s job.

But there is one type of trade story I can’t stand: the “[Fill in new/flashy technology] is destroying the profession!” piece. You see it every few months, often when some new social network or platform catches fire. Suddenly, PR pros are running around like chickens with their heads cut off, desperately trying to answer client questions about whether they can “Pin” their latest press release (as if anyone cares).

And so it was that I came across a blog post headlined, “Create, but don’t compromise” by former PRWeek Editor Julia Hood.

After relaying a few anecdotes about how The Economist routinely makes PR pros sound like the scourge of the earth, she gets to the meat of her argument:

The always-on, abbreviated nature of today’s digital communications is leaving many PR pros “worry[ing that] we are compromising by increments every day.”

Hmmm. Not so sure about that.

She’s right in noting that PR pros must always keep the verification of facts and information they disseminate in mind when crafting any and all communications, no matter truncated they may be. But I always get a little worried when I read a PR trade (or blog) try to make the point that just because we have so many new and fast-moving comms channels to work with, PR pros somehow inherently risk losing their credibility or professional standards.

If that were the case, TV would have corrupted the profession long ago as it overtook the seemingly austere days of radio. Obviously, that was not the case. And we shouldn’t try to imagine it will be the case now that we have moved firmly into the digital age.

In that respect, I sincerely hope that PR pros aren’t worrying whether “we are compromising by increments every day” just because Twitter and other social networks have become powerful new communications platforms. If anything, we should be celebrating the growth they have provided to the PR industry and the ability they have given PR pros to finally move away from the days of one-dimensional press release development.

Of course, there will always be issues inherent with a profession adopting any new form of communication or engagement platform. But that’s no reason for us to worry that we’re somehow chinking away at the very standards of professionalism and standards that underpin the profession.

• 24 May 2012 : Value of a Facebook Fan – Still Worth Considering?
• 23 May 2012 : Why Viggle Will Change Television
• 22 May 2012 : 10 Ingredients to Make Your Event Execution Easy
• 21 May 2012 : Stop Being Idiots -or- NATO and Perspective
• 18 May 2012 : Facebook Research: Brand-Related Posts Drive Most Engagement

PR professionals comment on blog posts for a number of reasons. We might seek to correct information, share additional resources or simply thank the author for the original post. We may recommend that our clients’ spokespeople participate in the blogging community to build their reputation and credibility, leverage SEO opportunities or help manage customer relationships. However, a poorly planned and irresponsible comment from a PR pro can lead to an unpredictable and often damaging response from the blogging community.

Earlier this year, an Atlanta Journal Constitution restaurant reviewer wrote a fairly negative review of a Buckhead steakhouse. Although he enjoyed the atmosphere, the journalist was very unimpressed by the quality of the food, and he gave the spot a “Fair” rating. AJC readers responded in kind.

But one dissenting voice stood out from the criticism. Posted under a vague alias, this positive and enthusiastic review disagreed strongly with the journalist’s critiques.

What that commenter did not mention, however, was that she was a member of the PR team representing the restaurant. The journalist was not so oblivious: as a website administrator, he could see the commenter’s email address, which clearly identified her, and he called her out.

To quote one of the subsequent comments: Busted.

Transparency is not a luxury in PR. If that PR professional had identified herself in her comment—simply writing “I work for Company X, but this has been my experience” would have been sufficient—I would be writing a very different post. But the professional instead attempted to sway the conversation by using an anonymous account, and history has proven that the Internet is not kind to those it deems inauthentic.

It seems like common sense advice: Identify yourself. Identify your conflicts of interest. But the temptation to sway the conversation is strong, and some of our colleagues in PR, perhaps due to inexperience or perhaps because they don’t believe that they will get caught, continue to make the same mistake. Pretending not to have a conflict of interest—and that is exactly what these types of comments are doing—rarely ends well, and it reflects poorly on the industry as a whole.

Strong commenting policies and guidelines rooted in transparency and disclosure, like those set out by the United States Air Force, can help prevent these unfortunate outings. As publicists, we recommend that our clients are transparent and authentic in interviews. Shouldn’t we hold ourselves to the same standards when commenting on blogs?

Holly Grande is the social media manager for Cookerly Public Relations, an Atlanta-based PR and marketing agency. Follow Holly on Twitter @hollygrande.

Blogging is no longer just an online pastime, simply for teens and adolescents. It has evolved into a major medium for individuals to express themselves on a variety of topics and opinions. The anonymity of the Internet gives each individual a powerful voice and the ability to speak to a fairly large audience.

Given this power, PR agents would do well to tread lightly around the toes of bloggers. However, there’s no reason why public relations professionals cannot use blogging for their own benefit. There are a variety of ways in which PR managers and representatives can utilize blogging. The following are different ways in which PR agents can take advantage of blogging:

Relationship Management:
Any PR manager worth his or her salt understands that relationship management is a key component of good public relations. When a bad event or unfavorable event gets out of hand, the bad press may get out of hand, spreading all over the Internet. While there are a variety of strategies to handle such a situation, one of the most common strategies is relationship management. Blogging is essential, as bloggers play a major role in the proliferation of news.

Contact bloggers within your business’ industry or niche and ask if they can write an article on your business. However, this can quickly turn into a tricky conversation, as bloggers are extremely wary of placing promotion-based articles on their site. However, a mutual agreement may prove to be more fruitful for both bloggers and businesses. Another useful strategy is to utilize relationship management through search engine optimization. By making your site rank highly for certain keywords, you can play an active role in reducing the chances that bad news appears in results when individuals search your businesses’ name.

Viral Marketing:
Every business hopes that their advertisement for a new product or service will go viral, spreading rapidly throughout the internet. Blogging plays a major role in the propensity of news to go viral, as it spreads from blogger to blogger. With luck, a hoard of bloggers will be talking about your business, drumming up interest and excitement among readers and various individuals. With a mixture of creative marketing and PR, businesses can garner a fair amount of attention for their product through blogging.

Direct PR:
Another way to manage PR is to maintain a blog of your own. By keeping your blog consistent with news and fresh content, you can play an active role in promoting good PR.  Not only you be able to control your news, but will be able to speak in front of a potentially large audience. In addition, blogging allows you to keep your site updated with content, maintaining a constant flow of information. However, in the process of writing for a blog, it is vital to make sure that your blog stays away from shameless promotion. Too much self-promotion will turn away visitors, leaving them with a poor impression of your business.

Rachel Hyun Kim writes for Beachhead Marketing, a marketing firm that helps clients get the most out of their marketing automation systems. She has written on a variety of topics, including how B2B companies can create a content syndication strategy.

In 1897 an eight-year-old girl namedVirginiawrote to theNew York CitySun newspaper with the question, “Is there a Santa Claus?”  The resulting editorial promising that such an idea of goodness and possibility did really exist became the most reprinted editorial in the history of the English language.

Flash forward over a hundred years — many small business marketers and PR Pros look at their press release distribution and wonder in Virginiaesque fashion, “Do journalists really want my press release?”  The answer is happily a resounding “yes.”

Here are 4 reasons why:

1.       Journalists Can’t Cover Everything Themselves

Today it is physically impossible to keep up with the volume of information on the net.  Journalists covering your industry are scrambling to keep up with the latest news and relevant topics.

This is where your press release distribution comes in.  Your unique take on the business or your trend-setting solutions may be just what that harried writer needs to do his job.

2.       You Know Your Business Best

While writers that cover specific topics such as technology or culture have a solid knowledge of their areas, they don’t know everything about your contributions to the marketplace.  Most likely they also don’t have the extensive record of hands on experience that you or your clients do.

In other words, they need an expert to quote or to give insight to topics.  Your press release can do just that.

3.       You Have A Story

It’s not an easy task coming up with a consistent press release distribution schedule, but imagine how hard it is to come up with compelling stories about the same industry daily or weekly?

A journalist’s currency is good stories.  The better your story, the higher your value to them.

4.       You Make Journalists Look Good

Every journalist is looking for a scoop.  Your press release can be the genesis for their next great piece.  In addition, when you provide writers with a steady stream of relevant, valuable content, you build your relationship with them.

They need you to do their job well and when you serve as a trusted resource, they are more likely to eagerly look for your press releases.

So go forth in your press release distribution secure in the knowledge that you are providing as essential a service for those journalists as they are for you.

Have you found an especially effective way to boost your press release distribution?  We’d love to hear your input.  Share it here.

Stacey Acevero is the social media community manager of PRWeb. She is all about creative social media marketing ideas as well as building the PRWeb brand. An early adopter of social media, Stacey was news-on-demand project manager and a 4-year veteran of our Vocus media research center before joining our marketing team. She attended the University of Maryland at College Park, majoring in communication.

• 24 May 2012 : Value of a Facebook Fan – Still Worth Considering?
• 23 May 2012 : Why Viggle Will Change Television
• 22 May 2012 : 10 Ingredients to Make Your Event Execution Easy
• 21 May 2012 : Stop Being Idiots -or- NATO and Perspective
• 18 May 2012 : Facebook Research: Brand-Related Posts Drive Most Engagement

“Hi NAME,

Hope all is well! Just wanted to touch base with you regarding XYZ. COMPANY will be exhibiting this year AT EVENT and would love for you to stop by the booth to have a little fun, check out the new PRODUCT and discuss what’s going on in the industry. Please let me know your thoughts and if you are interested in scheduling a one-on-one booth appointment with COMPANY, as I’d be happy to help!

Kindly,
PR REP”

Sarah Kohnle, The Managing Editor at the Missouri State Teachers Association, has received several of these pitches from different firms in the last few days.

Where is this new, ultra-friendly , conversational pitch approach coming from? Do these PR professionals really think they’re fooling the recipient into thinking that there’s an established friendship? Doubtful.

On first glance, it could be interpreted as intended for someone else, but as the pitches keep coming, it just sounds pitiful. The tone comes across more like a desperate elementary schooler wanting to befriend the middle school neighbor and less like a professional invitation.  Particularly when the PR Pro simply replied and included the original overly-friendly first two emails.

Bottom line: neither party is fooled. Unless you really know the recipient of your pitch, don’t pretend you do.

A 2005 graduate of the University of Missouri’s Journalism School, Aurora spent several years covering education-related issues in Missouri, Texas and Washington, D.C., before returning to Columbia, Mo.  The active Alpha Chi Omega alumna serves as the Online Communications Coordinator for the Missouri State Teachers Association and runs a successful communications and consulting business. Outside of the office, Aurora enjoys running, and is training for her fourth half marathon. Her two biggest fans are her husband and cat, but only one of them cheers her on at all the big races.

• 24 May 2012 : Value of a Facebook Fan – Still Worth Considering?
• 23 May 2012 : Why Viggle Will Change Television
• 22 May 2012 : 10 Ingredients to Make Your Event Execution Easy
• 21 May 2012 : Stop Being Idiots -or- NATO and Perspective
• 18 May 2012 : Facebook Research: Brand-Related Posts Drive Most Engagement

Help Wanted © by Egan Snow

As a recent graduate, I know that sometimes finding a job board is as hard as finding a job. There are tons of faulty job postings and spam cycling many job boards, and it can be frustrating to know that your resume or CV isn’t being looked at by those in the industry. In such an up and down economy people are becoming restless, so it’s important now more than ever that you’re looking in the right places when trying to find a job in PR.

General job boards such as Monster or Career Builder can be a good way to find a job, but you will quickly find that these jobs boards are extremely packed with candidates. Finding a job board devoted strictly to PR/communications will help narrow the field and give employers and prospective employees room to breathe.

PR Job Boards

PRSA Job Center – This job board is one of the most advanced for those in the PR/communications field. It not only lists available jobs, but it offers education and career resources for those new to the job hunt.

PR News – Here you can type in the job you are looking to find and then view a list of results. The site will tell you when the job was posted and has an easy way for a user to save a job in case he/she wanted to come back later.

PR Crossing – This site is unique because it allows you to filter jobs by state and then even city. It also houses international job postings for those hoping to leave the country.

The PR Coach – I think this is one of the easiest to use interfaces when it comes to a job board. You go to the site and are taken to the jobs right away. There is a small excerpt about the job, the company, and then where the job is located.

O’Dwyer’s – This job board does not have nearly as many job postings as the other job boards, but it’s great for someone who is looking for something small. You can filter by job function and state, or type in the job you’re trying to find.

Job Boards in Other Communication Fields

Journalism Jobs – You can’t get much larger than a website called “Journalism Jobs.” This job board not only advertises freelance jobs, but it also gives users the option of setting up an alert system and even finding an internship!

Media Gigs – This job board offers employment trends for someone in the industry looking to learn more. It outlines the most recent job postings on the first page and then allows a user to search further jobs if necessary. The jobs found here vary dramatically from designers to email marketing specialists, but it works well for something with a lot of experience.

Hoojobs – This is also one of the easier interfaces to deal with when looking for a job. You type in the job you want, the results show up, the button to apply is easy to find, and you’re ready to go.

Freelance Writing Jobs – This is probably my favorite site for writers. This site actually goes to all of the different job boards and puts quality job listings all in one place. When you click the link you are taken to the job board where the job was posted.

Blog Gigs – Despite the name, this job board also offers jobs in other media and communication fields. Currently, there are 17,463 jobs available through this site.

It is also worth noting that LinkedIn is a great place to find PR and communication jobs. I am a member of several different groups on LinkedIn that focus specifically on getting a job. Employers post jobs frequently and the number of people in the group is generally far less than what you would see at a job board. However, there have been several fake jobs listed since I have been receiving the LinkedIn updates in my inbox. Although they are usually caught pretty quickly, it’s something to keep in mind.

Have you ever used a job board to find a job? Which job board did you find helpful and which did you find to be a waste of time?

Amanda DiSilvestro is a writer on topics ranging from social media to phone systems. She writes for an online resource that gives advice on topics including business credit cards to small businesses and entrepreneurs for the leading business directory, Business.com.