This op-ed discusses the recent attacks on the public relations profession and explains the role public relations can play in helping organizations build meaningful bonds with their communities.
This article, written by Dave Kopel and published by the Rocky Mountain News details how journalists twisted the words of University of Colorado football coach Gary Barnett during the crisis over sexual misconduct among CU''s players. It is a terrific illustration of the "echo" effect that occurs when journalists use each other''s inaccurate accounts of news events to build their own stories. Kopel is research director at the Independence Institute, an attorney and author of 10 books.
This article, originally published in the November 2003 issue of Public Relations Tactics, outlines the potential implications of activists lawsuits aimed at limiting corporate speech.
It''s been a great week at DPK Public Relations, partly because we had a big success on behalf of client Pinchak & Associates (www.apimmigration.com), a Houston law firm that concentrates on business immigration law. We worked with Principal Ann Pinchak to research and develop an op-ed, then successfully negotiated placement of the piece in the Outlook section of the Sunday Houston Chronicle. Unfortunately, the Chronicle has removed the piece from its Web site, but I can e-mail a reprint upon request. Op-eds can be a terrific way to gain visibility and to distinguish an individual or company from its competitors. There are a few steps that can increase the likelihood that your op-ed will get published. Narrow the scope of your subject matter to something that pertains to those reached by the publication you are targeting. The Pinchak op-ed refers to a story that had …
Is it appropriate to apply a frequently cited study out of UCLA regarding the relative importance of a person''s message to presentation skills and media interview skills? This article examines why it may not be.
To enhance the quality of coverage you earn, you can make efforts to build credibility and trust with journalists. A good reputation among journalists is earned through consistently offering an interesting point of view, having a great deal of energy and enthusiasm and being accessible. These attributes can help you establish yourself as an expert source, resulting in increasing numbers of phone calls asking your opinion about breaking news. Here are tips to improve your dealings with journalists. Leave your prejudices about reporters behind. Reporters -- like everyone else -- bring their life experiences and perspectives to their jobs. Good reporters make every effort to see all participants'' points of view and to be aware of their own biases. Even if you''ve had negative experiences with the media in the past, you should avoid questioning a reporter''s motivations. Asking a journalist, "What is your point of view?" …
If you’re like most business communicators, you are sending too many messages, you’re saying the wrong things and you’re reaching the wrong people. Too many companies confuse dissemination with communication. They crank out a steady stream of words and images, but are deaf and blind to the impact they are having. And their brands suffer as a result of the directionless, emotionless dreck that comes from their keyboards. Some technology companies have been the worst offenders. Certain that quickly establishing brand presence and market domination depends on rapid-fire message delivery, some have succeeded in generating awareness, but few ever have built brand equity. Ironically, that case was made in a television commercial for Iwon.com. It's the Web portal that gives a daily, weekly and monthly prize to users. The TV spot featured a Web surfer who sarcastically claims he would turn away …
One of the great myths about public relations is that measuring our results is difficult at best. The root of the myth is the misunderstanding that the primary result of PR activities is the publicity we generate. While publicity can be important, it is most valuable when aligned with your organization’s strategies and business goals. Organizations can and should hold their public relations programs accountable for achieving clearly defined and measurable objectives that matter. In many cases, the same measurements that are used to examine advertising effectiveness can be used to measure the effectiveness of PR. Public relations results usually fall into one of three categories: education, persuasion and behavior. Education: Public relations can call attention to an organization, issue, product or service. If an organization hasn’t clearly defined itself, PR can help. Persuasion: Once a baseline of awareness is …
When Salvador Tapia, a disgruntled former employee walked into the Chicago wharehouse where he worked until six months before and killed six former co-workers, we all were reminded how a crisis can hit any organization at any time. As is frequently the case, this tragedy may prompt some organizations to evaluate their own policies and procedures. Unfortunately, the review usually focuses on security rather than on the human elements that contribute to workplace outbursts. If your organization is considering what it can do to prevent workplace violence, I hope you, as the public relations advocate in the room, speak up. Public relations pros have plenty to offer for an organization tyring to assess its vulnerabilities, identify areas for improvement and act on those findings. This is the essence of issues management. Besides, if your organization determines that changes are necessary, the communication initiatives that …
If Andy Warhol was right and "in the future everybody will be world famous for 15 minutes," you want to be prepared beforehand in order to prevent becoming infamous. These 10 tips will help get you ready before the cameras turn toward you.1. The Eyes Have It - When face-to-face with an interviewer, focus on the the person asking the questions and not on the camera. If you are at a remote location (as is frequently the case on Nightline) maintain eye contact with the camera lens at all times. When pausing to think, look down - not up. You don't want viewers to think you're rolling your eyes. 2. Dress Conservatively - Wear solid colors with an emphasis on blues and browns. Avoid white shirts, plaids and checkered patterns. Also, bring along a backup outfit just in case you spill your coffee or sweat stains appear. 3. Posture …