As a public relations professional, it can be challenging to explain to others what our job entails. While the core of our PR activities basically remains the same, the expanding role of a PR pro requires new skills to navigate the changing landscape that technology and social media have created. Not only are PR professionals responsible for updating their own set of skills, they are sought after by senior executives to revolutionize their companies from inside out with innovative ideas, proving this to be a very good time for communication professionals to insert their authority into the larger corporate picture.

In this week’s PRSA “Friday Five” post — an analysis of the week’s biggest public relations and business news and commentary — we explore how various public relations functions are evolving and presenting new opportunities for professionals to develop more intuitive skills. We will also look at how communicators are playing a more dynamic role, offering counsel to their senior constituents and reshaping business as usual to better connect with existing clients.

Continue reading " Friday Five: Reshaping PR for the 21st Century "

Public relations is an ever-evolving profession. Technology and social media advances continue to move professionals further into the future with the access to new apps, platforms and other tools that accelerate the way PR pros do their job. Staying up-to-speed on these advances is one way PR pros can remain relevant.

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 far public relations has come over the last decade and put the spotlight on a number of new social media advances, platforms and measurement tools that continue to launch the profession forward.

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As the pitching landscape changes, new methods and innovations are slowly becoming more popular among experts in the profession as public relations practitioners aim to create better content. It has become necessary to determine how globalization, the economy and evolving technologies are affecting the profession and discover ways to develop better methods of communication that puts a client’s or company’s content in the right hands. This process entails better structuring of messaging and building relationships with the right people, thereby helping public relations professionals achieve the results they are looking for.

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 a brand new “press release” that could change the way companies make big announcements and delve into numerous expert opinions on how to position content (even during a client’s slow period) to garner placements. We also take a closer look at the role that larger global issues are playing in the development of quality content.

Continue reading " Friday Five: Seeing the Bigger Picture Allows PR Pros to Create Better Content "

When I began my career in public relations (and I won’t say when that was), publicists and media relations specialists longed for the day when they could reach audiences with their clients’ or company’s news without first having to go through a media filter.

Eventually, their wish came true; first through social media, then through online services, such as PRWeb, that disseminate news and information directly to a broad, if indiscriminate, audience. (Disclosure: PRWeb is owned by Vocus, a corporate partner of PRSA).

Continue reading " Is PRWeb Really to Blame for Google Hoax? "

Editor’s note: In celebration of Black History Month in February, PRSA invited prominent black leaders in the public relations profession to offer their views and ideas for achieving greater racial and ethnic diversity in the profession. This is the fourth post in the series. A compilation of previous PRSA Black History Month blog posts can be found here.

An old faithful in the industry, media relations mastery is a necessary skill for PR professionals. Social networking and other digital platforms are hot topics, but many clients still want their product or event splashed across headlines. As midsize outlets are muscled out by online giants like Huffington Post and New York Times, smaller publishers are forced to get more and more niche-oriented. Those newspapers and magazines cultivate large readership bases when content is developed for a specific audience, not the masses. And with $1.1 trillion in projected African American spending power by 2015, black people across the U.S. are a market well-worth reaching. What does this mean for your media relations campaign? Whether local or national in scope, black publications are necessary components.

Having worked at a black newspaper, I know why pitching these publications can present challenges. First, most of the largest black outlets have fewer on their editorial staff than general market outlets. You will likely find one editor or writer responsible for covering multiple news topics. More responsibilities mean they have less time to hear your pitch, and a smaller newspaper or magazine means fewer stories get published. The good news is that publications are hungry for content. Tighter staffs mean reporters only get sent out to cover major stories. Editors often depend on PR pros to feed them relevant content for their audience. Here is how to maximize that relationship and get your stories published:

Write your press release as a story

Editors and writers have less time to develop a story, so do the work for them. Mainstream publications usually see the press release as a jumping-off point – they will take the content and follow up with their own research or interviews. Black publications do this as well (for larger, or investigative stories), but are also open to publishing your full press release. Editors appreciate when they only need make a few copy tweaks before a release is ready to print. The more your release reads like a completed story, the better.

Continue reading " Pitching the Black Press: Tips to Get Your Story Published "