Best PR Practices

Over the past semester in my Advanced Communication class, I have learned a lot about the PR practice. As an assignment, my class has picked 5-10 best PR practices to write about. Mine are below.

Network:

Know people who know people. My Advanced Communication class has had at least one guest speaker indicate the existence of individuals who have a town-sized network. Make friends and get as many contacts as you can. There are plenty of websites that you can join - myspace.com is only one example. Also check out Linked In. However, don't just rely on the internet. Face time really does help you gain a lot of new contacts. You have to get your face and name out there. Start networking as early as you can. Once you gain contacts, periodically keep in touch with them - media and otherwise. Maintaining your network on a regular basis is an invaluable investment for the future.

Know the Media:

Keep in mind how you interact with the media. As a PR practitioner, you should keep the interest of your client in mind; but also make sure that you know what the lines are when dealing with the media. From what I learned in class (taught by a former journalist), they (the media) are basically trained not to trust you; so you have to give them as much confidence as possible that you're ethically above board.

Know the Public:

I cannot stress enough about this. There was one particular instance - and I can't remember it in detail - where a car was not sold in a certain country. The dealership gave the car a name that sounds exhilurating in America. However, the inhabitants in another particular country translated it as "doesn't go." Thus, the sales were poor in that country.

Know Yourself:

After taking this course, I have noticed some weaknesses that I have in my writing and as an overall PR practitioner. Keep yourself aware of these weaknesses and that in itself is a strength. Another strength is to intimately know who you represent. Gather information about the organization and become jazzed about your client. The more you know about "yourself", the more assertive you can be.

Keep Up with the Latest Technology Trends:

There are numerous reasons to do this; but in the interest of time, I'll talk about just one...

Earlier this semester, my Advanced Communication class had an assignment in which we did informational interviews with PR practitioners. The practitioner that I interviewed explained that there are countries which are "way ahead of us" in how they use cell phones. He went on to explain the following:

Most people here use their phones for talking or texting. But over there, they pay their bills with it; they get their money with it; etc. I mean that's all they use their phone for.

This information would be good to keep in mind when you do business with companies from such countries; or if your PR company has an office in those countries.

Be Creative and Innovative:

There are so many ways to get the word out about a client that people often forget about the basics. I learned from an informational interview that a great way to add to one's credibility is to write a book. As Chris Anderson of The Marketing Arm would say...

[There] is so much we can do with [a book]...we can take exerpts from it [and] pitch it to the media...As much as we talk about old media and how people don't read the newspaper anymore, people are really impressed when you write a book!

Keep up with the Media:

Read the news and know what the latest headlines are. Know what type of information the media is after. When the events of Hurricane Katrina were all over the news, I sincerely doubt that journalists were thinking much of something like endangered puppies in Podunk City.

Be Obsessed about Your Writing:

In the modern day, even the vaguest e-mail says something about a business. You need to double-check everything you write. Also be aware of who you are writing to. If you are writing to a journalist, then it is probably best to use the grammar that a journalist would use.

Join a Group:

Join a club! There are a variety of professional communication organizations to join. Check out the ones below:

AAF (American Advertising Federation) - www.aaf.org

AMA (American Marketing Association) - www.marketingpower.com

PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) - www.prsa.org

IABC (International Association of Business Communicators) - www.iabc.com

Research:

You have to present yourself to the media as the authority-source of information on what you write about. It can be pretty bad when you don't know what you're talking about. But if the media sees you as an authority, then they will go to you for information.