Telecommuting: the Future of Public Relations?

I’ve spent the better part of the past ten years working from the comfort of my home. I’ve had offices, and I’ve worked in a newsroom. But more often than not, my own dwelling has doubled as my office. The main reason I’ve been allowed to work from home is that, in general, my work has involved a lot of writing and a lot of phone calls. These are two things that public relations reps spend a considerable amount of time doing. That’s why I feel that companies should allow public relations staffers to telecommute. (Read more…)

Common Sense: the Key to Avoiding Missed PR Opportunities

It should have been a slam dunk. I spoke to the reporter for close to 45 minutes. He asked me a dozen questions, and I backed up my answers with solid data. I fired off a message to my boss, letting him know that this killer story about our company would hit newsstands two days later. But the story never ran. And it turned out to be my fault. What stopped this potentially great bit of publicity in its tracks? (Read more…)

Actions Always Speak Louder Than Words

In the investing world, there’s a simple mantra that many people live by: Watch what they do, not what they say. My company tracks stock purchases and sales by executives and board members. If an executive publicly complains about his company’s stock price, owns only a nominal amount of stock, and then doesn’t buy shares, we’re dismissive of his pleas to the market to recognize what he perceives to be the true value of his company. We don’t care what the executive says; we just care what he does. (Read more…)

When Blogs Attack, Can Public Relations Survive?

Every time I want to dismiss or ignore the impact of blogs on the public relations industry, I’m reminded of their power. A recent example occurred as I was talking to the head of investor relations for a Fortune 500 company. “My biggest problem right now is dealing with these [expletive] bloggers,” the IR chief said. “The amount of false information and mindless bashing masquerading as commentary is dizzying.” (Read more…)

Three Public Relations Pitfalls to Avoid

1. The Friday Afternoon Bad News Press Release

For decades, the White House has used Friday afternoon as a time to release bad news to the media. The rationale is that the media is wrapping up a busy week, Saturday newspaper circulation and readership is lower than any other day of the week, and the public is just plain tired and ready to relax. The linchpin to this strategy has been the newspaper. Times, however, have changed. (Read more…)

Learning from a Century of Press Releases

On October 28, 1906, the Pennsylvania Railroad issued what is believed to be the first press release. The release was the idea of the company’s outside public relations counsel, Ivy Ledbetter Lee, and it revolutionized how companies and organizations delivered information to the public. And modern-day public relations professionals can still learn plenty from the story of that very first press release. (Read more…)

Public Relations: the Next Generation?

Big public relations departments, small companies on tight budgets, and boutiques looking to keep costs down — these are just some of the places that young and inexperienced employees can thrive in the world of public relations. Keeping costs low is important; sometimes that means hiring rookies instead of veterans. But without proper training, a public relations department risks destroying important relationships and endangering opportunities for publicity. Here are some tips for budding public relations reps and the firms that employ them. (Read more…)

Protecting an Embargoed Press Release

There’s nothing better when a public relations rep sends a journalist a press release that is “under embargo.” This means the reporter can’t publish a word regarding the contents of the press release until the after a certain date and time. But in this day and age, journalists and public relations professionals alike may find that a press embargo isn’t as secure as they might think. (Read more…)

Make Sure Your Press Release Contains “Just the Facts”

A press release is not an advertisement. A press release is a subtle piece of advertorial: a combination of advertising and editorial content. The point of advertising is to bring a product, service, or cause to the attention of a consumer, voter, volunteer, or contributor. It involves matching the right content with the right audience. A press release is in one sense an advertisement, but in this case your audience is the media. You’re selling them an idea for a story instead of a product or service, though, and it’s crucial you understand what journalists don’t want to hear. (Read more…)

What’s Your Type (When It Comes to Press Releases)?

Not all press releases are created equal, and not all press releases have the same urgency or importance. The following breakdown divides press releases into the three key categories that you’ll need to be familiar with when planning your public relations strategy. This brief overview will not only help you write more eye-catching press releases, but target your press releases more efficiently, as well. (Read more…)