Public relations is quite an interesting field and many at times people want to understand the know how of Public Relations. So not to shy away from asking the question and allowing our clients to learn from us, here are some of the know how that makes this profession enjoyable and sometimes frustrating
1. Grab a reporter or blogger’s attention with your words.
Words wield power. Choose them carefully. Be relevant.
2. Email a three-line pitch.
Target your pitches and understand what each reporter is looking for. Sum up how your pitch/story will benefit their audience.
3. Use social media monitoring tools.
Make use of Google alerts, trending topics, and other tools to keep an eye on hot issues, competition, and your own name.
4. Pitch, arrange, and attend an interview for a client.
Know the process from beginning to end. Hold your client’s hand as you prepare them for an interview you’ve arranged. Be there for them when they need you. Equally as important: Know when to step back and simply listen.
5. Stand up to a client or reporter in a firm yet polite way.
Like your clients or managers, news pros can be testy, abrupt, and sometimes downright rude. Fair warning.
6. Generate valuable content on a regular basis.
Identify forward trends and lessons that can benefit others. Be a constant source of solid information that people trust and respect.
7. Coach your clients/C-suite on interview techniques.
Prep them prior to interviews so they feel comfortable with being on-camera or microphone.
8. Train top management in crisis communications.
Have a complete and current written plan in place, which includes training.
9. Ask good questions.
Quality questions bring you quality information. Get people thinking, feeling, and reacting.
10. Collaborate with others.
Don’t view people in ancillary departments like marketing, advertising, branding, and HR as the enemy. Go for integration, not silos.
11. Utilize traditional and social press releases.
I don’t see press releases going out of style anytime soon.
12. Use keywords, links, and SEO to optimize press releases.
Do your homework on keywords and search engine rankings that can make or break your web page, blog, and business.
13. Decipher analytics.
Understand measurement tools and what they mean to your overall strategy and daily activities (tactics).
14. Listen to a speech, podcast, webinar, or press conference.
Be able to pull out three sound bites from a five-minute presentation or 30-minute rant. This one skill alone will benefit you in public speaking, sales, business, and networking. Summarizing something complex with a punchy quote that brings out the essence of a conversation is priceless these days.
15. Repurpose content.
Reformatting and tweaking a press release, article, interview, or blog post will save you lots of time and energy.
16. Build an online newsroom.
Learn the elements of a quality online newsroom so journalists, bloggers, and others can trust you as a credible, engaging resource that has current information.
17. Follow chats, forums, and lists to build relationships with reporters and bloggers.
It’s good to watch, hover, and observe online to learn personalities and styles before jumping in. Weave your way into a conversation without a pitch. That will come down the road.
