PR professionals are tasked with a lot these days. From writing traditional press releases and website copy, to crisis management and social media, the list of responsibilities seems to grow almost daily. It’s hard to know which skills communicators should be prioritizing to stay at the top of their field. For insight on this career-making question, we turned to the PR News community.
Topics
What Are the Most Important Skills PR Pros Need to Develop Now?
September 9th, 2016 by Sophie MaerowitzThe Client Writing Voice: Where to Get It and How to Use It
September 9th, 2016 by Jamie Izaks, All Points Public RelationsDeveloping a unique writing voice can be a challenge. Add in the fact that many PR pros work at agencies where they have multiple clients across different industries and you’re likely facing the dilemma of pinpointing and utilizing many different voices. Here are some tips for identifying your client’s brand voice for better, more efficient written material.
‘What is Aleppo?’: What to Say to a Journalist When You Can’t Answer a Question
September 8th, 2016 by Sophie MaerowitzMSNBC correspondent Mike Barnicle asked Libertarian Party presidential candidate Gary Johnson, “What would you do, if elected, about Aleppo?” To which Johnson responded, “What is Aleppo?” Within minutes, the former governor was being mocked on Twitter and covered by scores of online news outlets, many of which posited that the gaffe was an indication of a clueless foreign policy. From a PR perspective, it indicates a lack of media training.
NBC Stays Quiet Amid Harsh Criticism of Matt Lauer
September 8th, 2016 by Mark RenfreeThere were high expectations as NBC News headed into what was referred to as a preliminary debate between the two presidential candidates. But for many the “Commander-in-Chief Forum” that aired on MSNBC on Sept. 7 crumbled in the hands of its host, the longtime “Today” show anchor, Matt Lauer.
2016 Agency Elite Award Finalists Announced by PR News
September 7th, 2016 by Steve GoldsteinPR News will celebrate the winners and honorable mentions of its 2016 Agency Elite Awards at its annual Platinum PR/Agency Elite Awards luncheon at New York’s Marriott Marquis on Oct. 19, 2016. The Agency Elite Awards benchmark excellence in PR agencies’ key practice areas, from advocacy, crisis communications and social media to measurement, media relations and reputation management.
The Art of Borrowing Apple Announcements for PR
September 7th, 2016 by Jake Katz and Stacy Silver, SSPROne of the first lessons you learn in tech PR is to avoid making announcements that conflict with major news events. Don’t make an announcement during an Apple event, the saying goes. But what if you could use Apple’s star power to your advantage? Another company’s news is your chance to earn coverage as a thought leader.
Wells Fargo Ad Campaign Mocks Artistic Pursuits—and Good PR Gallops to the Rescue
September 6th, 2016 by Seth ArensteinWe’re pretty sure Wells Fargo didn’t commit its recent goof for the benefit of teachers at the nearly 500 colleges and universities in the U.S. that have programs in PR, advertising, strategic communications and integrated marketing communications. Still, the financial brand’s inexcusable print ads, which seemed to urge youngsters to forego careers in the arts in favor of positions in science and technology, provided excellent lecture material for instructors teaching the estimated 51,000+ students enrolled in PR, advertising and strategic communications courses.
British Airways’ Check-In Glitch Causes Major PR Problems
September 6th, 2016 by Mark RenfreeAn undisclosed IT problem disrupted the British Airways’s check-in process at airports around the world causing lengthy delays. But for many that were stuck on the ground, the lack of information from the brand was less than ideal. Unlike other outages experienced by airlines like Delta and Southwest, British Airways focused on responding to people individually on Twitter with generic statements.
What PR People Can Learn From Hillary Clinton’s Reluctance to Hold a Press Conference
September 2nd, 2016 by Arthur Solomon, former senior VP/senior counselor at Burson-MarstellerPR veteran Arthur Solomon has changed his mind about Hillary Clinton holding a press conference, which he thought she should do many weeks ago. The reason for this change of mind is that she is excelling at another method of reaching the public: answering media questions from local reporters during her campaign stops and individually with selected national reporters.
Time Management Tips From the PR News Community
September 2nd, 2016 by Sophie MaerowitzA PR professional’s work is never done—especially considering the breakneck speed of digital communications. And on top of press and media relations duties, communicators are now also expected to stay on top of a growing list of social media accounts and metrics. With those hefty expectations in mind, we asked the PR News community for tips on effectively juggling a communicator’s responsibilities.