Every time PR professionals master the latest and greatest innovation, a new tool, new approach or new advancements slightly alter the way they do their job. Fortunately, if you signed up to work in PR, you probably understood the degree of flexibility necessary to survive in this profession. With the increasing use of digital and mobile technology and the speed at which information travels on account of social media, PR professionals have a world of change to look forward to and their skill set will evolve as a result.

In this week’s PRSA “Friday Five” post — an analysis of the week’s biggest public relations and business news and commentary — we look at how old concepts, strategies and tools are evolving to offer PR professionals a more effective space for housing content, new approaches to business as usual, a wider landscape for reaching a target audience and tips for improving measurement strategy.

Continue reading " Friday Five: You Can Teach an Old PR Pro New Tricks "

No brands are immune from havoc-causing situations. For some companies, internal parties such as employees can act as a crisis catalyst, while for others it can be as simple as a fan or follower misconstruing advertisements and messaging. When challenges arise, brands must have a stand-by crisis communications strategy  to prevent worsening circumstances and further public criticism. Still, even with the best crisis communications plan, sometimes it is necessary for a brand to admit their wrongdoing and engage with their audience on a personal level, taking customer relations back to basics.

In this week’s PRSA “Friday Five” post — an analysis of the week’s biggest public relations and business news and commentary — we look at five brands that have been involved in multiple crises over the last few months and through their adversity have found out (the hard way) that transparency is the leading tactic in reputation recovery.

Continue reading " Friday Five: Brands Go the Extra Mile to Remain in the Public’s Good Graces "

Leadership at most companies focus on making money, entering into the right partnerships and hiring top executives to keep business moving in an upward direction. But do they narrow in on their employees, the pillars of any thriving business? The one thing that creates sustainable competitive advantage, company value, and long-term strength, is the workforce, the people who represent the company. Investing in your employees and establishing strong company values is a necessity for any company that wants to retain top talent. As companies fight to out-perform their competitors, employees are the differentiator and engaged employees are the ultimate goal.

In this week’s PRSA “Friday Five” post — an analysis of the week’s biggest public relations and business news and commentary — we look at how trust is being perceived on the employee level and why the need for transparency continues to grow among the workforce. We also look how brands are engaging their employees in an effort to build stronger teams internally.

Continue reading " Friday Five: Why Employee Engagement Matters "

The branding evolution encourages communicators to lean heavily on engagement tactics that lead a company to develop a strong relationship with its audience. For some companies, that engagement must start internally with employees to allow it to build up and pour out to consumers, while other companies are putting more focus on their outward facing relationship with consumers. When engagement tactics via social media channels are thoughtful and meaningful, what usually results is an overwhelming following of happy customers. When brands choose to use social media channels as an inappropriate vehicle for lashing out, those companies shouldn’t be surprised by the consuming back lash that ensues.

In this week’s PRSA “Friday Five” post — an analysis of the week’s biggest public relations and business news and commentary — we look at how companies are making engagement a top priority for maintaining a strong pulse on their consumer needs and using the knowledge they gain to improve the consumer-brand relationship.

Continue reading " Friday Five: Engagement Is a Winning Tool When Used Properly "

When brands take the time to get to know their consumer they often find it easier to conjure up wonderful, impactful ads. However, there are some brands that like doing business without research regardless of the consumer and changing demographics. As globalization changes the look of business and how we communicate, brands need to realize the value of engagement. When an audience feels they can relate to a brand, what the brand represents and any collateral that comes from that brand, the more willing consumers are to forge a real connection, offer opportunities for increased sales and act as cultural informants for the creative product of ad placements.

In this week’s PRSA “Friday Five” post — an analysis of the week’s biggest public relations and business news and commentary — we explore the brand behind the ad and how a lack of connection internally, as well as, externally with your audience can deeply impact the success of a company’s ad campaign.

Continue reading " Friday Five: Ad Placements Act as Good Indicator of Strength in Audience Connection "