Best Practices Advice

Even though I struggled with blogging at the beginning of the semester, I feel I have finally come to enjoy and understand the world of blogs. Now, I have taken a moment to think back through the semester on everything I have learned. Here I have complied some of the things I consider the best practices of PR.

Keep up with the News
When Professor Flournoy started giving our class current events quizzes, I learned early in the semester the importance of reading the paper. As an official subscriber to The Wall Street Journal, I can honestly say the effort is well worth the reward.

Understand Your Audience
Without understanding your audience, how will you know who to send your pitch letter to, or who to contact in the media? You must know what the audience wants and what information they consider valuable.

Conduct Proper Relations with Clients
From my interview with Bryan Curran, Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Edelman Public Relations, I learned the importance of dealing with clients. You must make sure to set realistic expectations up front so both of you are clear about what you are trying to achieve.

Know the PR Industry
Knowing the “do’s and don’ts” of public relations will give you the skills you need to succeed in the industry.

Ethics
One of the biggest issues in all industries as well as public relations, ethics is the backbone to a company’s success. Without CSR, corporate social responsibility, a company could put themselves in a potentially damaging situation which could permanently ruin their reputation.

Pop Culture and PR

The prevalence of pop culture among youth today is overwhelming. I have seen more 11-year-old's talking on cell phones than I have seen 16-year-old's driving cars. The target audience for pop culture has grown younger and younger, and most of them look up to movie stars, singers and other celebrities as pop-culture icons. So it would only make sense for public realtions agencies to have perfected the art of using a young Hollywood star to capture the attention of America's youth.

They say more people know who won the last season of American Idol than who the Secretary of Defense is. It seems youth in our culture are more interested in what is going on in pop culture than anything that is happening in the news.

Public relations professionals have developed a new medium of communicating with youth today. They have mastered the ability to send an unspoken message that reaches their audience loud and clear: pop culture. With pop culture, they no longer have to rely on press releases or feature articles to get their message out. Instead of relying on the media, they are now able to use celebrities to reach their target audience.

By incorporating pop culture and public relations, communicating with the audience is actually more exciting than just sending pitch letters to try to get a story published in the local newspaper. By having Ashlee Simpson or Hillary Duff become a spokesperson for your product, agencies find it much easier to get their message out to their target audience.

Since most teenagers are more interested in reading about Hillary Duff's new boyfriend than whether President Bush's approval rating is going up or down, pop culture is the best new medium for reaching the target audience of today's youth. By using celebrities to produce hype about a new product, teens today are more likely to pay attention. Pretty soon, instead of keeping up with blogs and advancing technology, public relations professionals will be required to keep up with the celebrity gossip magazines in order to stay ahead of the industry.

Case Study: Exxon Valdez

In 1989, ExxonMobil faced a crisis that is still making headlines today, the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The oil tanker failed to make a turn into the shipping lanes and ran into Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska, spilling over 11 million gallons of crude oil. The spill extended 470 miles from the reef and covered an area of 11,000 square miles. ExxonMobil took immediate responsibility for the spill, paying $300 million to more than 11,000 Alaskans and businesses affected by the spill. The corporation also spent $2.2 billion on the cleanup of Prince William Sound and also paid $1 billion in settlements with the State of Alaska. In 1992, the U.S. Cost Guard declared the cleanup complete and commended ExxonMobil for their unprecedented efforts to restore the area of Prince William Sound.

This case stands out to me as a prime example of a crisis situation that was handled immediately and efficiently. I felt ExxonMobil did everything in their power to handle the situation as quickly as possible and I think the actions taken to cleanup the spill went above and beyong the expectations of the Federal government and the State of Alaska. Since both of my parents work for ExxonMobil, this incident has always stood out in my mind. Ever since I was little, I remember being greatly alarmed when the spill occured and it has always been a major topic in our household. This case has a special meaning to me and I think it is a perfect example of the correct way to handle a crisis situation.

Celebrities blogging, but not actually writing

The New York Times published an article today about comments made in George Clooney's blog that he did not actually write. An editor for The Huffington Post wanted Clooney's anti-war statements on their blog, but Clooney declined. The newspaper proceeded to compose a blog for Clooney made out of answers he had given in interviews, and published it as Clooney's own writing.

Clooney, along with several others, were shocked and appalled. Clooney issued a personal statement describing his take on the situation. "These are not my writings — they are answers to questions and there is a huge difference," Mr. Clooney said.

Others, especially fellow bloggers, were equally concerned. They felt that for someone to write a blog, and attribute the words to someone else, was nothing more than deception and lying, which they considered down right insulting. Bloggers who work hard to contribute heartfelt opinions and address interesting and meaningful issues, felt this incident to be a slap in the face.

The editor of The Huffington Post issued an apology saying it will not happen again, because "it diminishes the amazing work of bloggers who day in and day out put their hearts and souls into writing their blogs," she wrote.

It seems to me that blogs are already being being used as a tool for the media to get what they want out of celebrities and spokespersons. If people are going to use blogs to manipulate others statements and make them agree with their own beliefs, how can we be sure that every blog we read is legitimate? This article brings up the issue of honesty. Will we have to start reading blogs with caution, wondering if the post is accurate? Already, we have come to a point where blogs are being abused and we will have reading them at our own discretion.

To read more about the article, please visit http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/20/business/20link.html?_r=1&oref=slogin.

Emerging Technology

The process of communicating in our everyday lives has changed, from the way the media delivers the news to the way we communicate personally. These changes have emerged from the phenomenon of new technology. Everyday it seems there is something new, something different and more advanced than the day before, and even I find myself struggling to catch up. With the ever expanding sea of emerging technologies, some of us are successfully sailing the waves of new opportunities, while others are rapidly sinking to the bottom of the ocean floor. Whether you are struggling to stay afloat, or cruising along with ease, the changes resulting from emerging technologies present opportunities for success and challenge for the public relations industry.

So how are these emerging technologies changing the way we communicate and what is in store for the future of public relations? I found that many companies are using different emerging tools such as podcasts, search engine optimization and RSS feed to maximize the impact of technology and broaden the channels of communication. Even though I had never heard of any of these technologies before, Ketchum provides a great explaination of each tool's purpose.

One way emerging technology has influenced the public relations industry is through the development of podcasting. Podcasting makes it possible to reach your target audience in the most convenient and direct way. According to Ketchum, “…podcasting allows anyone to publish audio files online where users can download them to an iPod or other MP3 digital audio player.” By enabling companies to reach a specific target audience, podcasting helps companies to present their product or message to the audience most relevant to them. “With the capability to reach narrow audiences, podcasts potentially can change radio listening habits by offering a more personal and niche-oriented audio medium.”
(http://www.ketchum.com/DisplayWebPage/0,1943,3260,00.html)

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is another device that has impacted the way companies are using technology in their public relations processes. Ketchum explains, “SEO, in effect, manages the order in which links appear on the results pages of major Internet search engines.” SEO is a useful tool for raising awareness about the company and increasing sales. By using technology to communicate with the audience, SEO also makes it possible for the consumer to access the proper internet sites to find information about the company. “Along with driving increased traffic to their sites, companies benefit from SEO by ensuring that audiences seeking information about them…can get it directly from the corporate site rather than from other sources.”
(http://www.ketchum.com/DisplayWebPage/0,1943,3262,00.html)

RSS feed, or Really Simple Syndication, is an essential tool that allows both the company and the consumer to interactively communicate with each. Ketchum says, “With RSS, online content can be tagged and anyone wanting to receive such tagged information can sign up with an RSS aggregator to get it delivered according to topic and URL criteria.” This advancement changes the way information is sent and received across the internet and allows companies to provide immediate access to their information to the people who use it the most. “Many journalists already use RSS and serious bloggers and podcasters live by it.”
(http://www.ketchum.com/DisplayWebPage/0,1943,3261,00.html)

Another important invention that has become very useful in the public relations industry is mobile marketing. Ketchum explains, “Mobile Marketing represents one of the most effective ways to provide a two-way media channel to communicate information to customers anytime, anywhere.” This tactic is one of the most useful resources for communications and could only be made possible by emerging technology. Mobile marketing is changing the way companies communicate and provides them with several advantages that old technology cannot supply. “It can help increase sales, raise brand awareness, launch interactive communications, enable customer account management, generate a customer profile and deliver corporate announcements.”
(http://www.ketchum.com/DisplayWebPage/0,1943,3263,00.html)

While the pressure to conform to these changes is immense and sometimes overwhelming, the transformation of our traditional processes could result in major breakthroughs in the public relations industry. Understanding the influence of technology and its impact on public relations allows companies to use emerging and existing public relations tools to their maximum effect. All of the emerging technologies mentioned allow companies to anticipate technological trends and use them to their advantage. So are all of these changes benefiting our performance or holding us back? Emerging technology has dramatically altered the way companies and the media communicate with their audiences, but most feel it has helped them more than hinder them.

Tips for Getting Press

With the increasing need for attention in the media today, one can often feel overwhelmed by the abundance of people and companies desperately trying to get attention from the media. Sometimes you find yourself wondering, “How am I ever going to get my message out there? How am I going to get people to listen to what I have to say?” These are questions that all too often cross our minds. With the ever-increasing amount of breaking news stories and shocking headlines, your story could easily be mixed up and forgotten in the media frenzy.

After researching several different websites, I found some cutting edge ways companies are going about “getting ink”, or getting publicity in the media. I have compiled several tips major corporations use to get their clients good exposure and the attention they deserve in the media today.

Some companies get press through word of mouth, or as Mark Hughes calls it, buzz marketing. On his website, http://www.buzzmarketing.com/, Hughes gives several great tips on how to attract attention from the media. Hughes explains, “Buzz marketing is capturing the attention of consumers and the media to the point where talking about your brand becomes entertaining, fascinating, and newsworthy." By finding something entertaining to talk about, people will gain interest, and your message will grab the media’s attention. Hughes states, “If you want people to talk about your product you’ve got to give them a reason to talk about your product. Give them a story, and not just any story.”
(www.buzzmarketing.com/media/pdf/chapter_13_3_30_03.pdf).

Technology has become one of the most widely used methods of getting the media's attention. With all the latest and greatest gadgets on the market today, technology is the most helpful resource available for getting press. Text messaging, chat rooms, web sites, and blogs all have utter importance when communicating with the media. However, choosing the best channel for getting the message across remains an important issue to remember. By using technology and choosing the right method of communication, major companies can give their client the best publicity available.

Companies also use campaigning as a way to get press. By getting the message out and emphasizing the importance of the story, campaigning has become a popular tool to attract the media’s attention. On one website, Julia Middleton, Founder and Chief Executive of the Common Purpose program, explains how campaigning has helped her program gain media attention. Middleton states, “By starting your own campaign – you make sure your views are heard and you get the changes that you want.” Campaigning also helps companies make contacts with different people and impact multiple types of audiences. Middleton explains, “While you’re campaigning, you’ll also pick up a range of skills that will set you up for life – from the art of getting people to do what you want to knowing how to make good contacts.” (www.commonpurpose.org.uk/home/public/about-us/spotlight/toolkit.aspx)

Public relations blogger, James L. Horton, provided another useful tip for getting press by emphasizing the importance of knowing your client. Horton felt the most important advice to give for obtaining media exposure comes from knowing one's client and the media. Horton states, “Know the client’s story, product, and service deeply, and know the media well. If you do, opportunities tend to present themselves for getting stories out.” However, the lines of communication make it difficult to obtain the connection between the client and the media. Horton explains, “In years of PR work, I have never seen more opportunity nor more difficulty than now. Mainstream media are shrinking which means one has to work harder, but new media aren’t necessarily inviting.” (http://www.online-pr.com/)

In the world of public relations, getting ink requires more than just writing press releases and profiles. We are living in a time where the phrase, “for immediate release” just doesn’t cut it anymore. I have discovered several tips companies use to gain attention from the media and get press for their clients.

Blogging as a Public Relations Tool

The advancements made in technology have shaped public relations into the modern industry it has become today. Blogging has made quite an impact as the fastest growing PR tool and has gained a considerable amount of attention from public relations agencies around the world.

Blogging has changed the way we communicate with each other. Blogging has allowed PR officials to communicate more effectively with their target audience and has enabled workers to establish a better connection with their company. While many people are worried about attracting negative attention, blogging helps share information and ideas with others while creating many positive results.

First, blogging has impacted the PR industry by improving the lines of communication between agencies and co-workers. In one blog, Tom Murphy explains, “PR people can add real value to companies by helping them understand how to communicate effectively and by understanding the right media to use- whether that is journalists, blogs, search engines or anything else” (http://www.natterjackpr.com/). By opening the lines of communication, blogging allows company officials to communicate more efficiently with their subordinates.

Blogging has also become an asset to public relations because it allows the employee to create a stronger personal connection with the company. By enabling employees to share their personal opinions and views, blogging establishes a stronger sense of communication among colleagues. In one blog, writer and journalist, Chris Anderson states, “By enabling its employees to write about their work and share their personal views, it has given a better connection with the company. It communicates the company’s message in a way I want to hear.” Anderson sees blogging as having a lasting effect on PR and media relations (http://tkell.blogspot.com/).

Although some people remain apprehensive about the idea of blogging, its not as intimidating as it seems. Posting a blog requires very little technical savvy and the process becomes quite simple after a while. Most bloggers find that it provides a helpful way to share information and learn new information from others. Robert French, a professor at Auburn University, states, “I think of PR blogs as a community, but also as a jump off point for those new to blogging. After blogging for a while, it is possible to go off and establish your own domain and import your old posts into the new site,” French said (http://www.armoupr.wordpress.com/).

Many public relations professionals have expressed concern about the potential dangers involved with blogging. For example, the possibility of attracting negative media attention seems too threatening for some. However, even though blogging involves some risks, most people see it as a much more helpful tool to the PR world than a harmful one. In one blog, Doc Searls states, “Although there is some trepidation about the danger of starting a corporate blog, the positive results far outweigh the problems. Companies should take the plunge and start the conversation. Just be aware of the pit falls and make sure you have all your bases covered,” Searls said. (http://tkell.blogspot.com/2005/o2/corporate-blogging-oxymoron.html)

In the end, blogging has made a tremendous impact on the public relations industry. From opening lines of communication to creating more personal connections, blogging has become one of the most important PR tools being used around the world. Blogging has just started to make its entrance into communications and so far, it seems to have left a long-lasting impression.