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Creating and crafting a compelling story only looks easy. It’s hard work for PR pros. But how about teaching the basics of storytelling to members of the foreign service? Bob Pearson’s been doing that for several years. He shares tips he’s gained that have helped and can augment your storytelling too.

We rarely cover live events in this publication. PRNEWS senior content manager Sophie Maerowitz gave us a reason to make an exception. She attended a PRSA session featuring former Hearst executive Joanna Coles, who offered so many interesting tips and tactics that we had to share them with you. Here are some gems from the sharp yet blunt mind of Coles.

It’s critical to keep a vigilant eye on your audience and frequently take its temperature. For example, based on the negative media coverage of big tech, you’d expect the industry’s reputation would be abysmal. Instead of assuming, a researcher used data to test that assumption. Some of the results were surprising.

With the unofficial start of the summer on July 4, Americans break out their grills. Demand for beef rises as a result. How can a vegetarian staple like hummus compete at this time of the year? Sabra Hummus did its homework and combined its research with humor for a campaign that goes to the heart of customers’ anxieties.

There was a slew of PR-related studies released recently. Some contained good news for the industry, others did not. Included in the findings: a good portion of executives in the U.K. don’t know what the abbreviation PR means; earned media remains a good bet; PR firm profitability remains in good shape; and MuckRack has added publisher data to its suite.

With PRNEWS’ Top Women in Healthcare Communications awards luncheon coming up later this month, we asked our data partner Shareablee to look at the most socially active pharma and healthcare insurance providers for the first months of 2019. Clearly, these sectors need to address their social media strategies as both suffered major downturns in consumer engagement vs 2018.

There are few topics that touch more people than healthcare. For the broader public, healthcare often is equated with cost. Fair enough: American healthcare spending as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product is enormous. We asked finalists for PRNEWS’ Top Women in Healthcare Communications to discuss several issues, including communicating about cost.

In a sense, media relations is similar to a fast-food restaurant. We are competing against many others who are trying to gain the attention of a customer, in this case it’s a journalist. Why not look at one of the most successful fast-food outlets, Chick-fil-A, for training tips?

A career in PR can be wonderful. But it’s also regularly associated with high levels of stress, which can lead to mental health problems. A modest proposal urges PR leaders to provide a supportive culture and resources to employees to recognize and treat mental health issues.

In gauging the pulse of industry, PRNEWS found that one area of major interest at the Social Shake-Up Show in Atlanta last month was influencers: whether or not to use them, how to use them, where to find them. PRNEWS and partner Buztubr surveyed some 150 PR pros for their insight.