Knowing the Basics Can Prevent Public Relations Mishaps

Baffled is the word I’ll use to describe how I felt after having a conversation recently with a public relations rep. I was baffled because this putative public relations professional had no clue what he was talking about. And I was baffled because I could not figure out how or why a company would hire such a person. Think you know everything about your company? (Read more…)

The Public Relations Dangers of Being a “Third Party”

Being a third party can sometimes lead to public relations headaches. Earlier this year I helped a journalist on a story about a company that shall remain nameless. I helped the journalist analyze some data and provided him with my perspective on what the data meant. I’ve done this hundreds of times over the past few years and this particular time was no different than any other — until the story was published. (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…)

Learn from the World’s Biggest Companies

I touched briefly last week on the present controversy at Hewlett-Packard, and before the “ink” was even dry on my column, the company had swung into action. (Read more…)

The Long, Hot Summer

The only thing hotter than the weather is the water that Mel Gibson is in.

I’ll get to Gibson shortly, but I’d first like to bask in the glow of my recent vacation, part of which was spent reading, “Conspiracy of Fools: A True Story,” a book about the implosion of Enron by New York Times reporter Kurt Eichenwald. (Read more…)