What does it take to manage PR crisis successfully? (Image © sellingpix - Fotolia.com)

Almost every public relations professional will have a moment during her or his career where they have to deal with a crisis situation. Sometimes these crises are smaller—the firing of an employee or a change of company policy. Unfortunately, these crises can be much larger—such as inappropriate safety precautions leading to the death of an employee or a massive employee layoff. When these crises do occur, it is often up to public relations practitioners to solve the problem. Here are a few pointers.

Prepare ahead

You can’t anticipate even a percentage of the crises that may come your way, but that doesn’t mean you can’t prepare in advance. When preparing your crisis communication plan, try to anticipate problems that may come your way. For example, a mall or other public place might prepare a crisis communication plan for a shooting on their premises. Like any other communications plan, your crisis plan should take into account your key publics, their self-interests, and the objectives of your organization.

Having a crisis communications plan will help you to feel more confident when crises do arise. Knowing you have a plan in the filing cabinet for the situation you are facing (or a similar one) will reduce your panic level.

Consider the WHO

In any crisis situation, try to take into account who will be affected most or interested most in what your company has to say. This often will include your own employees (for example, in a layoff). Sometimes you will have time to actually write your thoughts down on each of these “key publics.” Other times, you will be forced to do this mentally on the spot.

Once you feel familiar with the needs of your key publics, jot down key messages for each of them. Again, sometimes you will be forced to do this on the spot. The less key messages you have the better. I would recommend that you have no more than five—even better if you can keep it to three. Don’t be afraid to use the message: “We don’t know. . . but we are investigating it.”

Stay calm

Perhaps the easiest piece of advice that can be given in any circumstance (from burning buildings to job interviews), yet this can be pretty tough. If you’ve prepared adequately, then you won’t have to be scrounging around on the spot. Both your consumers and the media can recognize when you’re nervous—and they often capitalize on this opportunity to throw you curve ball questions.

Don’t try to jump the gun when responding to a crisis. If a press conference is necessary, give yourself an hour or two to prepare yourself (and your CEO if necessary) for it. This may seem obvious, but don’t sacrifice your organization’s integrity for your desire to get information out immediately. Don’t speculate. Again, if you don’t know something, say, “I don’t know.” Make more information available as it becomes available. Even a disaster can turn into a positive PR opportunity, depending on how you handle it.

Post from: eWritings - Online Public Relations

How to Manage a Public Relations Crisis [Guest Post]

Businesses of all sizes know all too well how beneficial a press release can be. Not only are they a great way to spread the word about your company’s successes, they are also a quick and easy way to build traffic to your website.

They can also prove to be a big waste of time if not written correctly. There are a number of differences in writing press releases to your standard website copy. Take note of and utilise these methods, to guarantee a lasting impact with every press release.

Headlines

As with any online copywriting, an eye catching and interesting headline is the key to attracting readers. If someone is browsing a website for nothing in particular, you need to give them a reason to stop and read your press release.

Headlines should be kept brief and to the point. Include your keywords and company name as close to the beginning as possible. A headline in a press release should arouse curiosity whilst maintaining an objective tone.

Summary

The summary is a 3-4 sentence introduction to your press release. This should cover your main points, but still encourage people to read on. The summary doesn’t always appear on your press release. More often than not it is featured on the website landing page and is the first glimpse people will have of your information.

Include your keyword phrase and a HTML link to your website in the summary. This is beneficial in terms of search engine optimisation (SEO). If you’re a small business with little or no experience in this, it’s advisable to enlist the help of a seo company. They can help you with your keyword research and the best way to use keywords online.

Opening Paragraph and Body Copy

You don’t have to be a journalist to write engaging and exciting copy. Reintroduce your press release; even repeating the summary if you’re stuck for inspiration. Set a clear and objective tone to let the reader know exactly what they can gain from reading on.

The body of your press release should loosely cover all information, but don’t give too much away. You want readers to click your links and visit your website, so give them a reason to.  Remember also to speak in the third person and not sensationalise.

You are not writing a sales piece, it is an announcement of your achievements. Make sure any claims you make you can back up with factual evidence. Cover your main points and lead into a quote from an authority on the matter.

The Importance of Quotes and Evidence

Follow up your opening statement with a quote from yourself or a third party. Keep this as a short and effective sound bite. If you have more information, use quotes throughout the press release to support the points you make.

You should also support all of your points with fact based evidence. This can be a recent study or a third party authority. Keep these short and factual, don’t sensationalise – a press release focuses on a newsworthy event so bare this in mind when writing.

Press Release Ideas to Get You Started

If this has filled you with inspiration but you’re not sure where to get started here are a few subject ideas:
•    New website/member of staff/client/premises
•    An award you have won
•    Launch of a new product
•    ‘Piggybacking’ on current events as long as they relate to your business
•    Seasonal promotions

Post from: eWritings - Online Public Relations

The Easy Way to Write a Press Release like a Pro [Guest Post]

It’s the year 2012 and unemployment is at an all time high. Competition is stiff and we’ve entered a survival of the fittest state, where the most qualified will get the job which will leave the unqualified HS or College graduate with no experience unemployed, just waiting to get a chance.

Luckily, it is 2012 and the Internet is growing. The younger the generation, the more savvy they become with the Internet, allowing those to apply to more obscure and poorly advertised jobs. Where are good spots to find these obscure jobs that I speak of? Here’s a list of some common to rare job sites that are easily browsed and often yield good employment matches.

1. Craigslist. We all know Craigslist is somewhat of an on-line classified section. Go to craigslist.com and select your city of (intended) residence. After that you have several different easily perused areas that can be checked up on daily.

First, advertise yourself by clicking on the “resume” section and posting your resume. Be specific and describe your dream job and tailor your resume for a SPECIFIC job. If you are going for more than one industry or two completely different jobs, make two posts. From personal experience, I know categorically that this works for admin jobs.

Second create a post in the services offered if you have a skill or talent that you can offer others. This is like freelance work, not a corporate or consistent job. So if you’re looking to work for the government, then this is probably not your best option.

Finally, peruse the jobs section as well as the gigs section. Craigslist is competitive but it’s good to get your resume out there regardless.

2. Build a strong LinkedIn account and look for jobs there. Include your resume and specific skills and do a search indicating which city you’d like to work in and what job positions. I’ve gotten a few interviews from sending out cover letters to LinkedIn employers accounts. Receptionist jobs are often filled through linkedin searches.

3. Sign up to Job Search Websites such as:

• http://monster.com
• http://.job.com
• http://ndeed.com
• http://careerbuilder.com
• http://simplyhired.com

You will post your resume here and receive e-mails with potential jobs. Most of the leads aren’t really specifically what you may be looking for, but you will find a lot of choices and surely get a few interviews.

4. If you have tech or computer skills, check out sites like freelancer.com, guru.com and http://odesk.com for more international, single task or long-term work.

5. Visit your college website and look for career services section of their website. Also look through library sections for more resources. Most universities have a section where they list many jobs and specific qualifications.

Utilize all of these sources and you’ll be practicing interviews and nailing jobs you want in no time. If the person with higher qualifications doesn’t find the job, he/she can’t be hired over you!

Post from: eWritings - Online Public Relations

The Best Ways of Finding a Job Online

Time is one of our most valuable commodities in today’s busy world. How many times have you said, “There are simply not enough hours in the day”? The following are 10 time management tips everyone should know in order to maximize their time:

1. Make an effective to do list. A busy day often involves so many tasks that we often find ourselves flitting back and forth between things, but getting very little accomplished. The evening before a busy day, make a list of the items you need to complete the next day. Prioritize them, and place the most important items at the top of the list.
2. Keep a schedule. If you find your day slipping away from you, keep a schedule. Schedule blocks of time to accomplish the tasks you have on your to do list (#1). Schedule your most important items first in your day.
3. Schedule unplanned conversation time. While completing one activity, you’ll like receive e-mails and phone calls about non-related activities and tasks. Schedule a block of time at the end of each activity to answer e-mails and return calls.
4. Schedule your planning time. Don’t forget to put a block of time on your schedule, at the end of the day, to schedule the next day’s activities.
5. Turn off distractions. Turn your cell phone off, have your office phone calls forwarded to voicemail, and close your e-mail client. A phone ringing and e-mail notification going off while you’re trying to work, may tempt you to break away from what you’re doing.
6. Break down large projects. Break down large projects into manageable tasks that can be accomplished in smaller blocks of time. This way, you’ll know you’re making progress on your project and can break up your schedule to address other things as well.
7. Take your time. Being an effective time manager does not mean rushing through tasks. Often when we rush, we end up making mistakes, which means going back and spending more time re-doing tasks.
8. Delegate when possible. You don’t have to do everything yourself. Delegate some of your tasks, especially those of less importance, to others in your organization. Be sure to schedule time, however, to follow-up on the tasks you’ve delegated.
9. Schedule mini-break time. Don’t burn yourself out by packing every minute of your day with work. Schedule mini-breaks where you can get up and stretch, grab a cup of coffee, or do something else non-work related. These little mini-breaks should be rewards for following your schedule.
10. Take care of yourself. How efficiently and effectively you work is affected by how well you take care of yourself. Get a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, and schedule time for exercise, even if it’s just a 30-minute walk at lunchtime.

Post from: eWritings - Online Public Relations

10 Time Management Tips Everyone Should Know [Guest Post]

How do you break into the PR industry – with a degree or practical experience? (Image © sellingpix - Fotolia.com)

If you have a talent for communication and can write a well-turned phrase on command; if you’re highly organised, creative and don’t mind cleaning other people’s mess then public relations might be the perfect career for you. Natural talent will get you quite far in the PR industry, but there is nothing like a formal qualification to boost your resume and earning potential. So, what qualifications to you need to ensure a bright and shining career in PR?

Well, a public relations degree is a good place to start. At least it seems to be a good place to start. Many PR specialists argue that an honest to goodness BA in public relations is too limiting to be of much good. The focus is too narrow to provide those in the industry with the flexibility and out of the box thinking that makes a good public relations officer.

Instead, you might want to consider degrees in marketing, communications and even journalism. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, flirting with subjects such as advertising, psychology and sociology is also advisable. And if you want to specialise in a particular field, like politics, you’ll have to have related subjects, like political science, under your belt.  

Theory is important but the best thing you can do is find an internship that will give you on the job experience. Often PR students have an idealised idea of what the job entails but fail to consider the nuances involved in networking, maintaining relationships with media professionals, research and event organisation. They might also not realise just how high-pressured the job is and will need to learn how to work to incredibly tight deadlines that can be moved forward at the drop of a hat.

Then there are all the different media channels that need to be used. You can learn how to format a press release but learning how to write an effective one is another matter. You’ll also have to learn the difference between online or digital press releases and the traditional print kind, not to mention the difference between press releases and advertorials.

The job market

Provided you have the skills, qualifications, experience and talent, the employment outlook is extremely good. As digital media continues to narrow the gap between companies, businesses and public personas and the public, the need for multi-media public relations specialists will grow.

Something else you might want to consider to improve your employment prospects is joining a professional association. Belonging to a professional organisation is a mark of commitment and dedication and is often accompanied by the appearance of prestige. Just ensure that the organisation or association you join is nationally or internationally accredited or you’ll just end up wasting your money. 

Post from: eWritings - Online Public Relations

What Qualifications Do I Need to Make it in PR?

1. Ask for what you want.

This is common advice, but maybe this should be modified a bit. The real secret to successful negotiations is asking for what you would want if you were in the strongest position that you could be.

The reason is that many people think that negotiation means giving in when they do not feel in a position of power. If you are desperate for the job because you have been unemployed for six months, this is the time to trust in the power of negotiation over your own quivering gut.

Steven Tyler of Aerosmith said it best: Fake it til you make it. If you are desperate, do not let the other side see that all you want is the job. Ask (read: do not demand, but ask) for what you would want if you had 17 job offers. In this way, you seem as if you are in a strong position, because only people in strong positions act this way. Do it right, and you could get much more than you bargained for.

2. What are you willing to give up?

The main reason to ask for more than what you really need is so that when the other side counteroffers, you have the ability to drop or compromise on one or two things and still come out ahead. If you can get the other side to focus on these expendables instead of on the points that you are really after, you guarantee your victory.

3. Gather info.

The other side will tell you what it wants if you read between the lines. And usually, it is not what you think it is. For instance, a woman says she wants a nice guy, but as you pull out her chair for her and open every door, there she is giving eyes to the guy in the motorcycle jacket. Gather the information on what the other side really wants, not what they say they want. This is often a distraction tactic to get you to focus on the expendables, as we advised you to try in Tip 2.

4. Find common interests.

This is also a misunderstood tip, as one should not consider the other side a friend by any means. There is a reason that negotiating sides sit with a table between them.

Finding common interests means more finding ways to keep from giving up your points of interest because the other side wants that same thing to happen as well. For instance, if you both want intellectual control of the screenplay, you can compromise by using the element of time and trading an upfront payment for back end royalties.

5. Never be afraid to walk away!

Enough said.

There are several trades that negotiate for a living.  Top negotiators often come from a financial background.  You”ll often notice that the best negotiators are accountants, because they study numbers and trends for a living.  Often, accountants aren’t prepared when they graduate, and they have difficulty entering the workforce.  Accounting resumes are just as important as any other CV, but not every field has a team of resume writing experts behind them.

This was a guest post by accountingresume.ca.

Negotiation cartoon: Positions Vs. Interests by Jonny Goldstein on flickr

Post from: eWritings - Online Public Relations

Negotiations 101 – Quick Primer

“More people are afraid of public speaking than dying.”

It’s not uncommon for people to become nervous when faced with the prospect of public speaking. Often the bigger the audience, the more nervous people get. Before you start freaking out, take a moment to think about the hundreds of times you’ve sat in the audience of a presentation. How many of those times were you trying to figure out what you could criticize about the presenter? Apart from a few middle school students, most people aren’t like Simon Cowell on American Idol.

Nevertheless, putting to use a few public speaking tips can help you to impress even the toughest of judges.

Know the Material: If your assigned topic is “hair growth on northern Alabaman monks” then research everything you can about the subject (and good luck with that!). Class members often have questions during or after the presentation. Having a firm understanding of the subject matter will help you to answer any questions you might be asked.

Be Familiar with your Audience: There is a definite difference between teaching fourth grade students about World War II and teaching college seniors. The tone, the visual aids, the amount of information given, the humor used, and the length of the presentation will all depend on who your audience is. It might not be wise to make cracks about the Red Sox while speaking at a public function in Boston. Then again, if you feel you’ve got the right type of relationship with your audience, go for it! Make sure when you’re preparing for your audience, you consider what their needs and self-interests are. What do they want to know? How can you make this worthwhile for them?

Outline: Once you feel you know your audience well enough, start organizing the information you want to present. Pick out several broad main points, then use those to create sub-levels and bullet out additional information you wish to share.

Consider visual aids: Visual aids help refocus wandering minds on the topic at hand. A PowerPoint, YouTube video, sound bite, or other object are a good way to catch your audience’s attention. Don’t use visual aids simply for the sake of having visual aids. Use them only if they contribute meaningfully to the presentation you are giving. Don’t depend on PowerPoint too much. Keep the presentation behind you. You can point to individual bullets or visuals on the screen, but make sure you focus primarily on the audience.

Rehearse: Nothing helps you overcome speech jitters like a good practice session. You may have heard this before, but it is good to rehearse in front of a mirror in order to see the facial expressions you use. Ask a friend or family member to offer suggestions. If possible, practice in the room where you will be making your speech. That way you can familiarize yourself with the setting and ensure visual presentations work. If you are going to present in a group, figure out where everybody else is going to stand while another person is talking.

During the presentation: The best thing you can do when you’re presenting is to relax. That’s a lot easier to say when you’re not in front of 100 people, but it does help. When you make a mistake, don’t draw attention to it; simply continue on with your presentation. When you are done, respond to any questions and sit down.

Giving a presentation doesn’t have to be as frightening as disembowelment. If you simply prepare yourself well, you will do fine.

Featured cartoon, Fear Factors, by Mikhaela.

Post from: eWritings - Online Public Relations

Public Speaking for the Paranoid

With Facebook paying big bucks in a dirty PR campaign to denigrate Google+, the smart marketer knows one thing: Facebook’s reign is no longer on solid ground. But only early adopters can dominate Google+ – the same rule that usually applies in all social networks.

Ford has already started.

In test driving Google+, Ford is showing initiative, becoming the first company to establish a social presence on the new social network. In other words, Ford is an early adopter. By joining conversation now, when users are still enthusiastic about the way Google+ works, spending most of their time engaging in conversations on this platform, Ford takes advantage of a huge momentum. The media is already raving about the initiative, applauding Ford’s engagement skills. A lesson in PR, no less, from a company that knows social media better than any other automaker.

Whether Google+ will take off or not, being an early adopter may be the difference between success and failure. It is an affordable solution, and an excellent opportunity to establish a strong social media presence if things turn right for +. Facebook will continue to exist, and for a while it will still be the social network of choice for many. But Google’s next move will be to pump cash promoting +, so be prepared.

Post from: eWritings - Online Public Relations

Google+: A Chance for Early Adopters

Following, 7 free press release distribution services that are reliable, and usually manage to monitor submissions against spammy entries.

PRLog – a strictly free and submits credible, quality news content to Google News and others.

ClickPress – content is distributed by a number of world news services, including: Google News, Moreover, NewsNow, Topix.net, MSN News, Ask Jeeves News, Lycos News, NewsKnowledge and the IPD Group.

PR Urgent – while they do not guarantee acceptance and distribution for all press releases submitted free, if your content respects their quality guidelines, it should go through.

i-Newswire – offers both free and premium services, so you can make your pick. It self describes it as the fastest and easiest press release distribution service and free press release submission online.

PR9 – an industry veteran, still free to use, and reliable.

NewswireToday – free or premium, as you choose. free submissions benefit of basic distribution, which is not much. PREMIUM Articles : $129 per article for ONE month campaign or $399 for 36 articles for a period of 3 consecutive months.

24-7 press release – another industry veteran, with free and premium options. The cheapest plan is only 49 USD per news release.

Post from: eWritings - Online Public Relations

7 Free Press Release Distribution Services that Work

The insights offered by ComContext, together with AtomicPR’s approach to combining the newest forms of media with traditional PR methods, has resulted in great success for AtomicPR clients. Some clients report a 100% improvement across PR performance measures.

This combination of public relations and technology earned Atomic PR the designation of “US Tech PR Agency of the Year” by The Holmes Report. The Holmes Report is an influential, impartial and independent publication covering the public relations industry around the globe.

The Holmes Report’s selection of AtomicPR for the award reinforces what many of Atomic PR‘s clients already know: ComContext works. Data analysis, metrics and analytics, just as they are used for business functions, work equally as well when applied to public relations campaigns. The top tech agency designation highlights Atomic PR’s leadership and vision for the future of public relations. A new way to manage public relations is emerging and AtomicPR is leading the way.

Post from: eWritings - Online Public Relations

AtomicPR’s Data-Driven PR Planning Achieves Results