ImPRessions

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • March 15, 2017

Top PR Mistakes And How To Avoid Them

Mistakes in PR planning or execution are costly, particularly when you consider the typical investment in a top public relations agency. But errors aren’t always predictable, which is one reason why PR is both endlessly fascinating and frustrating as a career. Years of experience have taught us that when a program isn’t working, it’s often […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • March 6, 2017

How To Protect Reputation In The Age Of Leaks

Most companies hire PR agencies to help them get out positive news. But what happens when the juiciest stories about a business aren’t flattering? What, if anything, can a PR or corporate communications expert do to turn things around? Consider Uber’s rough ride of late. First, a video of founder Travis Kalanick arguing with a […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • February 23, 2017

The Top Threats To Your Company’s Reputation

In today’s volatile media and social environment, good PR comes at a premium and brand reputation is fragile. Look at Trump’s dressing down of many businesses, or the controversy Uber has run into when founder Travis Kalanick acts out. (More on that later.) Some argue that any type of buzz is good for business, even […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • February 15, 2017

PR Pros Take On A President

Has public relations finally won the respect of journalists? Sure, PRs and media work together, and we need each other. But the relationship between “flacks and hacks” is an odd and uneasy symbiosis. That’s why a recent piece in the Columbia Journalism Review about PR professionals and the war between our 45th president and […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • February 9, 2017

9 Secrets Of Great PR For Startups

Does a startup business always need to hire a PR agency? There’s no shortage of advice on the question, and much of it is contradictory. Mark Cuban famously advised young companies not to bring on an external PR firm, reasoning that an entrepreneur is the best person to handle media contact. I’m a Cuban fan […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, leadership • January 30, 2017

When Brands Get Political: Is It Good PR?

A couple of weeks ago, I was called by two journalists wanting public relations insights on companies hit with blowback for comments about our new president. Should brands get political, they wanted to know? I shared my perspective that brands shouldn’t always shy away from controversy, summarizing with, “You can’t put your head in a hole, […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • January 23, 2017

Public Relations And The Big Lie

As journalists grapple with “alternative facts” and the Trump administration’s war on the media, some professional public relations people are putting ourselves in the shoes of those who act as spokespersons for the new president. Those shoes are pretty uncomfortable. As the Trump and the media squared off, I was struck by a provocative […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations, reputation • January 19, 2017

How PR And Customer Service Can Work Together

Good customer service and good public relations have never been more aligned. One of the quickest ways to understand an organization’s reputation is to look at its response to a consumer complaint. A company can spend millions on a brand reputation campaign, use high-powered PR agencies, and reap the benefits of CEO thought leadership, but […]

Crenshaw Communications, ImPRessions, public relations • January 12, 2017

How To Manage A Press Conference (If You’re Not Donald Trump)

Donald Trump gave his first press conference as President-Elect yesterday. Reactions to the presser may vary with the political views of the observer, but most professional PR people would probably say it did not go well. Overall, the transition team seems to be stuck in campaign mode. The briefing was staged more like a mini-rally […]