It will come as no surprise to those of us in public relations that 205 million people in the U.S. attend conventions, conferences, and trade shows each year. What we in PR like about such conferences are the opportunities to secure industry speaking gigs for executive clients. So-called speaking ops are a great way to…
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Stereotypes about the public relations industry abound in popular culture, and some are anathema to real PR professionals (see Samantha Jones in “Sex and the City”). Happily, today there are TV shows that offer a more sophisticated and up-to-date look at PR and how it works. They can even help a company exploring PR learn a bit…
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The advent of spring means that public relations people are devising creative ways to put a fresh spin on program activities as well as spruce up client relationships. Here we take a look at some ways to maximize spring with some PR inspiration. New season, new PR opportunities Review all existing PR plans Ideally, the…
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For any organization in initial talks with a public relations agency, there are many questions to be asked. The obvious ones include queries about relevant experience, the team’s approach to media relations, and case histories. Every client has its list of questions, including very relevant ones and occasional eye-rollers. Here are some of the most…
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The best public relations partnerships are client-agency collaborations that involve a serious time commitment on both sides. Most clients know this and they have great intentions when they embark upon a relationship with a PR firm. But what if the client has limited time to invest with the agency team? Or if it lacks experienced staff…
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Want to boost your public relations acumen? One of the best ways is to stay on top of key PR industry blogs as well as more general sites that offer a fresh take on business, creativity, and content. Why limit yourself to PR blogs when there’s a whole world of interesting stuff that can offer…
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This year’s best picture nominees offer glimpses into different lives and compelling stories, and they also offer up some lessons for public relations professionals. So, time spent watching movies this year can definitely be categorized as professional development, right? Here’s a light look at what we can learn from the films that captured moviegoing audiences…
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Can public relations help consumers fall in love with a brand? The answer is a resounding “yes,” but it’s not always easy. There are specific steps marketers must take to achieve full customer engagement. With Valentine’s Day on the horizon and many looking for tips on love in their personal lives, we thought it a good…
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In public relations, choosing the right words to pitch a story is as important as using the right fabric in fashion design. Words bring ideas to life and paint a picture for media and other audiences, whetting appetites to learn more. There are some tips to word choice that can make the difference in whether…
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An anonymous quote tells us, “A mistake should be your teacher, not your attacker,” and those in public relations would be wise to remember it when something goes awry. As most PR people know, even the most meticulously planned programs are vulnerable to mistakes. Though the first instinct may be to panic and scramble, most…
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A recent study by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and the USC Center for Public Relations found that marketers plan to increase staffing and overall spending on public relations over the next five years. This is good news for clients and PR firms alike. But it’s also a challenge to all marketers to create…
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As companies make public relations decisions for the year, considering what to look for in a PR agency partner is a key commitment. Some do Google searches or scan PR rankings sites to research prospective firms, but that’s rarely a thorough enough way to narrow the field. There are important traits that clients can only…
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“Content is fire. Social media is gasoline,” according to writer Jay Baer, and most in public relations would agree. The trick is how to create content that is “fire” and will fire up audiences about your brand. We look at an eight-point plan that will help any team create, produce and promote meaningful content. And,…
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Smart public relations can help put a new brand on the map or burnish the image of an older one. This year, businesses face perennial questions like how to maintain customer loyalty, and fresh challenges like changes in federal regulation laws and the tax code. But, with change comes an opportunity to tell new and different stories or…
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Where is your company in its public relations planning for 2018? Whether a brand needs B2B or B2C PR next year, the steps to manage the process are similar. It’s best to begin by looking at the big picture to see where PR fits in the overall marketing scheme of things and then take a look…
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Each December public relations agencies spend time crafting pitches and byline articles capturing clients’ takeaways for their particular industry. It’s the season for recaps, forecasts, and lessons learned, so it makes sense for PR professionals, too, to look back and ruminate on the year that’s coming to an end and share a few observations from…
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As brands set plans and budgets for 2018, engaging a public relations firm may be at the top of the list. Finding the right agency partner can begin with an online search to narrow the field to a short list of agencies invited to share capabilities. Next steps include a face-to-face meeting, a formal proposal…
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We empathize with those handling the public relations for NBC’s “Today” show, entrepreneur Russell Simmons, or any brands touched by scandal, but it’s time for a break. It seems our world is rocked by reports of disturbing behavior nearly every day. This holiday season, Santa’s naughty list will be very, very long. But in the…
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It’s never too early in the holiday season to start thinking about “gifts” that would improve the public relations industry. The PR business has changed and innovated rapidly, and new tech tools and services are fairly common, for there is much to appreciate. But our list has more to do with ideas we feel will…
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Tis the season for public relations‘ best and brightest to wield creative wit and savvy strategy in the name of meaningful holiday media placements. There are countless opportunities in print, digital and broadcast available with a little research, packaging and know-how. And, despite the calendar, digital media seem to publish holiday-themed news until the 11th…
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This season, public relations teams everywhere can collectively cringe over a cornucopia of questionable PR moves resulting in bad press. But for every example of a negative story, there’s a good takeaway to incorporate into our professional lives. Our take on some of the PR “turkeys” we’ve witnessed lately is that some companies either don’t consider…
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What’s the difference between a well-executed political campaign and a well-run public relations campaign? As it turns out, not that much. Both require smart strategy and a dedicated team to get the job done. And it’s no secret that some of the sharpest PR minds work in politics. But national contests, with their grueling timeframe,…
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When hard-won earned media results of an excellent public relations campaign begin to show up, it’s not time to stop. That’s when the real work begins. A story’s initial appearance should be just the beginning of a productive placement life cycle. Read on for some easy ways to leverage initial exposure to an even wider…
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Successful media pitching in public relations has always relied on the combination of a good idea, well-timed and well-packaged to offer up to appropriate journalists. Many times, however, the factor that turns a pitch into a pitch-perfect placement is chutzpah! A little bit of thoughtful “audacity” can often make the difference between a journalist ignoring or…
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Whether you’re working in public relations or another service business these days, things can occasionally get.. well, scary. But Halloween offers an opportunity to reflect on hair-raising business experiences that, if nothing else, make good stories later. The ones below apply mainly to us in the PR trade, but as readers may see, some could apply…
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Recently we addressed some surefire signs that a start-up or other business is ready to hire a public relations agency. Interestingly, there are also some very good reasons to hold off on taking that step. Here are some crucial benchmarks to consider. A PR agency readiness checklist To set up a PR partnership for success,…
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The hours and days immediately following a public relations event offer a great opportunity to assess event effectiveness and identify what worked and what could be improved. There are some basic must-haves that clients should expect when a PR team plans and executes any publicity event. Must-haves of the effective PR event Plan the timeline…
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Fall is a terrific time for creative public relations teams to dream up seasonal ideas that score with media now and through the rest of the year. Once Labor Day is over, many companies refocus on end-of-year goals and work hard to reach their objectives as the fourth quarter looms. A great PR campaign can…
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At a certain point, most small businesses outgrow their first forays into public relations. These early arrangements can include a junior in-house employee or possibly a “shared” situation where the PR function is wedged into marketing or even customer service. (Bad move.) But they usually fall short as a company grows and sees a need…
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