“Off the record” is gray area for journalists and public relations professionals alike. As a reporter, if someone tells me they’re going to talk to me “off the record,” I normally take that to mean they’re willing to give me information, but don’t want that … Read more
By now most organizations — non-profit or for-profit, large or small — have added a web presence to their public relations efforts. It’s not enough, however, just to have a web site. Leaving it dangling out there in cyberspace like a forlorn little planet in a faraway galaxy is a mistak… Read more
If you perform public relations functions for the entertainment industry, retail industry, or the arts, you may not realize that you have a city full of goodwill ambassadors that are ready to spread the word for you. Hotel concierges at business-class and upscale establishments stand ready to serve gue… Read more
Over the years, I’ve made friends with many people who work in the public relations industry. We’ll often talk on the phone about the PR business, exchanging stories and ideas. Recently I’ve had conversations with a number of these public relations pals, and all of them had a singular … Read more
Public relations is a difficult field. Your job is essentially to get journalists to do half of your work. There is an enormous amount of pressure on a public relations consultant, especially when things aren’t going well for your client or employer. Diana Turowski is a public relations professio… Read more
Writing a press release isn’t always easy. The public relations department, which must pitch the release, wants to have a say in its content. The subjects quoted in the release, often high-level executives, want to make sure they sound professional and intelligent. Business partners mentioned … Read more
1. Know what you want to say. It seems obvious, but first timers and public relations pros alike should never sit down for a media interview without planning out their key messages ahead of time. Writing your key messages down will allow you to refine and memorize them before your interviewer asks the first … Read more
When writing a press release, especially one that contains numbers or statistics, even seasoned public relations consultants can find their message failing to grab the media’s attention. Here are a four tips for perking up that dry, boring press release.
1. Help the media visualize numbers and s… Read more
Speeches are concrete pieces of writing, crafted by design with attention to detail. They are often a key component in a public relations arsenal. Few orations are perfect; effective speechwriting is a reasonable goal. Where beneficial, we’ll assume that you, the speechwriter, are the speaker … Read more
There is nothing wrong with giving gifts–unless you work in public relations and your recipient is a journalist. There is a very fine line between a token of appreciation and a bribe. It is a line that once crossed can cause problems not easily rectified, problems that go beyond a public relations sn… Read more