Thorough Research Can Lead to a Public Relations Coup

Several years ago when I was covering the dot-com bubble, a German magazine featured me in a story. “The Harbinger of Death,” the writer called me, noting that if I wrote about a company there was a good chance that said company was on its way to the grave. “The Harbinger of Death” is back, but these days I’m an analyst, studying corporate executives who disastrously borrowed money against the stock they own in their company. (Read more…)

Turning Down a Press Opportunity Isn’t PR Suicide

Many public relations professionals may find it hard to believe, but it’s okay to turn down a press opportunity. And I’m not talking about opportunities where you may get sandbagged by a reporter. I’m talking about a press opportunity that looks good, at least on the surface. (Read more…)

Crisis Management Can Help Avoid Public Relations Nightmares

When the phone rang at midnight, I knew something was wrong. The caller was a spokesperson for a large, public technology company based in Silicon Valley: “We’re filing for bankruptcy in the morning. I wanted to let you know. We’re announcing it at 7:00 AM EST. Get the word out.” I quickly wrote up a story for my web site and tipped off Reuters and the Associated Press that the announcement was coming. By the time the company announced its bankruptcy, the news was already on the wire, and something bigger was going down in the sector. A public relations nightmare had been averted, but how? (Read more…)

Want to Have a Happy Holiday? Plan Your PR Strategy Early

Each year when the holidays roll around, it means one thing for those in public relations: press opportunities galore. As soon as Thanksgiving is on the horizon, a public relations department should start pitching to the media. These are a few tips to help you drum up some good publicity during the holiday season. (Read more…)

Mea Culpa for a Failed Press Release

In April 2003, I wrote a column entitled “Anatomy of a Failed Press Release” in which I ripped apart a press release I’d received from Bridges TV, a then yet-to-be-launched television network targeting American Muslims.

“Bridges TV may have a bright future, and I wish them the best of luck. But this press release was a bad way to start a relationship with the media. And if the most important thing in life is perception, the second most important thing is probably relationships,” I wrote last year.

Woe is me. (Read more…)