Stories by Nicole Schuman

As the pandemic has changed many aspects of life and business, it’s natural to think communicators are adjusting their messages and how they’re delivered. Nicole Schuman of PRNEWS found PR pros at brands and organizations are making subtle and significant changes in the wake of the pandemic.

Like a Nancy Drew page-turner, Sunday’s mystery of the vanishing baseball player took a shoddy communication road not many PR pros would care to ease on down. Yoenis Céspedes, an outfielder and DH for the New York Mets, chose to opt out of the rest of the 2020 Major League Baseball season. But before that acknowledgement, the Mets issued a statement suggesting the blockbuster player was missing. 

Premier Daniel Andrews released the type of statement that could serve as a sympathetic guide for other government officials who need to deliver difficult news. Andrews’ tone is succinct and forward, but also personable and easy to read—clear of most medical jargon.

While it may seem easier in the moment to insert “said-phrase-here,” using clichés and turnkey phrases sometimes causes readers to gloss over information and in the worst case—stop reading. We asked PR writing coaches for suggestions to counter bad writing (including our own).

If a global business behemoth like Google can pivot quickly to address COVID-19 concerns, many other organizations may be asked follow and keep employees informed. Planning ahead instead of reacting to a crisis seems to be de rigueur for communicators. It’s a smart move.

When it comes to communicating a commitment to equality to employees, actions speak louder than words. Many companies have launched employee resource groups or ERGs, in which employees volunteer to lead a focused group with clear missions, goals and objectives to contribute to the overall organization.

While sports may seem a frivolous priority for some, for many fans in this country, of baseball in particular, the game provides a comfort of routine and a celebration of summer. With not much to celebrate throughout the first half of 2020, Americans are welcoming any kind of distraction and all eyes will be on Major League Baseball tonight.

Regardless of the viewers’ opinions of the Trump/Wallace interview, it did provide several points of instruction for media training. Whether they are working with an executive, small business owner or the president of the United States, it’s important for communications professionals to prepare not only themselves, but their spokespeople, to the best of their ability.

PRNEWS often reports on the best practices of communicators and PR professionals, but rarely do we acknowledge the mistakes that make or break a career. We reached out to the wider public relations community to create a list of the seven deadly sins of PR. Committing one or many of these atrocities could end a career or at the very least, take it in the wrong direction.

As the virus continues to impact every business across the globe, there certainly are no right answers on how to tackle different companies’ economic issues. While Airbnb’s heart may have been in the right place, it also may have benefitted from some sort of interior plan instead of placing the burden on the consumer, much like Verizon’s training rollout.