Gift Giving in the PR World

“…For a gift to be genuinely altruistic in nature, that is, for it to demonstrate other-centered love, it must have benefit to the recipient as its primary motive and purpose, but not necessarily its only motivation or purpose. Therefore, strategic or “smart” giving may be regarded as ethical.”

Media Ethics: Cases and Moral Reasoning. Christians, Clifford. 2001.

At first glance, the statement above may come off as offensive to some, as it is easy to confuse bribery with strategic gift giving—especially in today’s society. Before understanding how generating positive PR through charitable donations is most definitely and ethical practice, one must understand the difference between the two. Unlike bribery, the motives that lye behind strategic gift giving are mainly focused on helping to present a donor or philanthropist, in a good light to publics, as opposed to bribery whose gift giving efforts are merely an attempt to coerce a recipient or audience to act in favor of whomever is doing the bribing.

That being said a great deal of organizations or companies have taken advantage of this particular PR tactic.

Home Depot, for instance, whose Volunteers (employees) use materials from their stores to build homes for Habitat for Humanity. Not only does this help to build and maintain a positive image for the company, it may also help increase traffic in Home Depot stores by attracting customers that want to help support a company that they know will give back to the community, all of which resulting in increased sales for the chain.

Another example of a company that uses strategic gift giving to help boost their image is Exxon/Mobile, whose corporate logo features a Tiger, which happens to be the animal that they donate large sums to help protect. Though this may be a more subtle way of going about employing the strategic gift giving tactic, those who are aware of Exxon/Mobile’s contributions may be more inclined to become a customer of the company, simply because they feel they may play a part in helping to secure a place for tigers and their environments in this world.

This particular tactic has proven itself to be so helpful in attracting positive publicity, companies like Wal-Mart, who has over the years earned a reputation for being damaging to communities and local economies, have begun to re-focus its charity to give it more punch. Named America’s No. 1 corporate donor in 2008, Wal-Mart traditionally handing out thousands of small checks to Scout troops, food pantries and other local causes in Wal-Mart towns from coast to coast, is now focusing more of its charity on a short list of national issues on which the company believes it can have real impact and correlates with some of their values, such as the “going green” trend.

For more info on Strategic Gift Giving in the world of PR...watch this!

The Benefits of Using a Creative Commons License

Establishing and maintaining an online presence has become a must for public relations practitioners. With that being said, there are many tools that a PR can use to help with this daunting task, one of which being a CC-license (Creative Commons License).

As stated on the official website, Creative Commons is a nonprofit organization who works to increase the amount of creativity (cultural, educational, and scientific content) in “the commons” — the body of work that is available to the public for free and legal sharing, use, repurposing, and remixing, by providing free, easy-to-use legal tools that give everyone from individual creators to large companies and institutions a simple, standardized way to grant copyright permissions to their creative work.

Aside from the fact that a CC-license is an easy way for people to change their copyright terms from the default of “all rights reserved” to “some rights reserved,” there are many other reasons as to why a PR should at least consider the use of a Creative Commons license for content they distribute. Three in particular being:

1. Encourages Influential Professionals to Use Work
2. Search Engine Benefit
3. Attraction to “Free Stories” by Different Medias

1. In a field where reputation and credibility are imperative, a CC-license would help a PR attract both trustworthy and influential professionals who are more cautious of the consequences of copyright infringement. Also, attracting reputable persons may also lead to more quoting from the work of a public relations practitioner, which may result in more talk about a client or organization among various audiences, as well as more linkage to a PR’s content.

2. Although it has not yet been proven that having a Creative Commons license will get a PR’s work or site into a higher rank in Google, getting content into a CC-oriented search engine, such as Yahoo, will definitely prove to be helpful in getting any work done by a PR noticed by a great deal of new audiences.

3. Adding a CC-license to work encourages sharing and the spread of news by word of mouth—both of which are the most organic forms of public relations that exists. Though in the past, there has been a mass amount of resistance when it comes to the sharing of high quality work, many business writers, traditional media, and bloggers are interested in gripping stories for free—a concept that has become a hot and growing new trend.

Top 5 Online Tools/Services a PR Should Use

The Internet has tremendously increased the ability to get a hold of breaking news at any given time for populations across the globe. The result has been a more informed group of publics, and more pressure for public relations practitioners to find ways to both maintain their client’s image, as well as presence in the media.

With the possibility of any news—good or bad—being released at any given moment or time about an organization or client, a PR should use the very source that is allowing these stories to spread so rapidly, to their advantage—the Internet.

5 online tools/services a PR should be using are:

1. WEBPAGE

A webpage should be the first form of online communication that a PR sets up for an organization. Not only can a website be used to store and share information such as photographs, press kits and releases, event information, etc., it is a quick and easy way for different publics to access information about an organization. Also, a website can prove to be very helpful for a public relations practitioner in the event of a crisis being that all of the information a PR may need is readily available in one location.

2. FACEBOOK

Facebook has proven itself to be an essential service for a PR. Both a cheap and effective way to reach a large, targeted audience, the social media site can be used to create awareness of upcoming events or developing stories about an organization. Its group and fan pages also open up the ability for two-way communication between an organization and different publics because it allows interaction, for instance sharing thoughts, ideas, and opinions on matters, between the two.

3. TWITTER

Having a Twitter account could help a PR keep followers of an organization updated on current or live events through either an RSS feed for the site or by posting a tweet, or link to a video or photo. Doing so will help to create a public that is both loyal and passionate about an organization.

4. FLICKR/YOUTUBE

Both sites create the ability for information to be easily embedded into sources located elsewhere, such as a webpage. Sites like YouTube and Flickr also have a high traffic volume, which means that any video or photograph of an event can potentially drive more traffic to an organization’s webpage.

5. SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)

Another way a PR could drive traffic to an organization’s webpage is by using SEO. Creating and linking multiple sites is a sure way a PR can get an organization’s main site at the top of a search engine, therefore increasing the possibility of an organization’s exposure to different publics.

Though each tool/service is helpful in their own way, when used collectively, they can be a powerful force that a public relations practitioner can use to help keep publics informed about a client.

Putting out the *FLAMES*

Before a crisis can ever truly be “solved,” the damaged relationship between a person or organization and a public must be repaired—a process that can take months and sometimes even years of work. This is where a PR professional steps in. Before a process like this can even begin, the crisis must first be managed, and the job of a public relations specialist is to take immediate action and create buzz to get public opinion on their client’s side, so that a problem does not become so big that the chances of a resolution may diminish.

If a crisis were to emerge, there are three important steps a PR professional must take in order to repair the now tainted image of their client.

1. WORK FAST...WITH MINIMAL COMMENTS
Taking immediate action is vital when managing a crisis. In a situation where events move just as fast as information, and many sources are involved, working fast to get the facts and presenting them to the public is essential. Even more essential than presenting the facts to the public is HOW they are presented. Seeing as to how the typical “no comment,” response can make a PR’s client seem more guilty, John J. Barr, Principal of Cascadia Communication Associates, maintains that making a small comment or a short statement expressing regret or remorse without revealing a lot of details will go further that withholding comments. After all, the purpose of crisis management is to defend a position, but make yourself seem likeable and concerned.

2. CHANGE THE LIGHT
Presenting a client in a different light is key to keeping damage to a minimum. Showing that the person or organization in question has another or better side can help to move focus away from the crisis and towards a more positive direction.

3. MAKE THE MEDIA WORK FOR YOU
The media’s job is to present both sides of an argument. That being said, by seeking out reporters or setting up interviews with other members of the media that seem sympathetic, it may be easier for a PR professional to make their client’s position heard or to present a new angle on the crisis at hand.

Aside from the obvious negative effects a crisis can have, if managed properly, a crisis can prove to be an excellent promotional tool for an organization. As previously stated, a PR’s role in problem management is to create buzz and present their client in a different light. Upon doing so, the attention that a public is directing to an organization can be diverted towards all of the good things that an organization or person has done, in which case, the road to recovery begin. Also, a crisis can ignite a positive and contructive change in structure or personnel within an organization.

*Message Accepted*

Having an audience exposed to and accept a message is a major accomplishment for a PR professional. Public relations practitioners are able to complete such a difficult task with the help of communication theories, two in particular being the Uses and Gratifications Theory and the Agenda- Setting Hypothesis.

USES & GRATIFICATION THEORY

Demonstrates the audiences’ control over what is considered to be discussion worthy news rather than the media. This particular theory places emphasis on the role that the wants and needs of the people play when determining where they get their information. For example, in order appear informed at a social gathering, a person may choose to look into a media outlet for news or information pertaining to the topic relevant to what they will be discussing. In the same respect, the media puts out information that they know will satisfy the peoples’ needs.

AGENDA-SETTING HYPOTHESIS

Suggests that the media gives implications to publics of what may or may not be newsworthy. The media is able to set an agenda by allotting a certain amount of time and space to specific stories, thus audiences are more prone to pay more attention to and create discussions about what they are constantly seeing as front page news.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO

Though the Agenda-Setting and Uses and Gratifications theories are seemingly different, there is a distinct relationship linking these two together. As previously stated, the Agenda-Setting Hypothesis says that the media sets agendas and the Uses and Gratification Theory holds onto the notion that the preferences of audiences are what determine the type stories that the media considers newsworthy. What the two have in common is the audience’s connection with a message. The two are able to play off of one another by continuously presenting publics with messages that they will be inclined to discuss, thus deeming the message as important. If the audience is no longer connecting with a message, the media will either find a different angle of a story that will spark new discussion, or simply pay more attention to another story.

WHERE DOES A PR PROFESSIONAL FIT INTO ALL OF THIS?

The role of a public relations practitioner varies within each communication theory, with no one role being more important than another. In the Uses and Gratifications Theory a PR professional uses an audience as a way to introduce messages into the media. In the Agenda-Setting Hypothesis the PR practitioner plays more of a behind the scenes role by feeding stories to the media in order to get them heard by an audience.

How I Would Make PR a More Credible Profession: My Day Inside the Mind of a PRSA Communications Director

The Public Relations profession lacking credibility is a common view among society in the United States and a great cause for concern for its practitioners. Though there has be a great deal of effort made by individuals in the field, as well as various professional organizations to prove otherwise, the overall harmful image remains, and continues to further demean the field and its workers as a profession.

As Communications Director for the PRSA, I have set out to establish how the organization can increase awareness of the importance of APR among business leaders as well as PR practitioners and encourage pro bono work, thus generate more credibility for the PR profession.

OBJECTIVE 1:
Increase APR certification among members by 20% before October 31, 2010.

TACTIC (a):

Revamp the PRSA website so that more emphasis is put on the potential opportunities that can result from completing the APR program (contacts made during the program may mean future jobs) as opposed to the sense of accomplishment PR professionals get.

TACTIC (b):

In his article “Does Accreditation Have Value for PR Pros,” Arik Hanson, APR, ACH Communications, suggests that the APR exam be adjusted so that it better reflects the new changing PR industry and business climate. I agree with this idea being that it may make APR more appealing to members and non-member alike.

OBJECTIVE 2:
Increase national awareness of importance/benefits of Accreditation among business leaders by 50% by December 31, 2010.

TACTIC (a):

Conduct nationwide seminars where PR professionals and business leaders can learn the role of Public Relations within an organization and why it is important for organization’s PR practitioners to follow a set of standards or code of ethics. During the seminar, APR certified professionals would also present their outlook on how becoming accredited helped them to better serve their clients and organizations.

OBJECTIVE 3:
Have members complete 50 hrs of pro bono work by April 20, 2010.

TACTIC (a):

Make the 50 hours of pro bono work a requirement to both obtain and maintain PRSA membership.

* * *

Upon acting out the tactics listed, Public Relations practitioners will be more inclined to become APR certified with aesthetic motivations as opposed to self-gratification alone. Just by having more certified PR professionals will serve as proof that workers in the PR field are competent experienced, and most importantly, dedicated to the field, thus helping us achieve our goal. Business leaders will also become more inclined to hire employees that have their APR over those that do not (more of an incentive to become APR certified) because they will be able to recognize the importance of having an ethical staff representing their organization. As far as the pro bono work goes, as Ben Silverman, PR executive, puts it in his article “Public Relations Strategies: Positioning Yourself as an “Expert,” doing so will show that Public Relations practitioners are not just in it to make a profit, but they are a committed part of the professional community. Silverman further explains that pro bono work will also allow a PR professional to demonstrate proficient skills while creating relationships with potential clients or sources of referrals. With all of this in mind, I have full confidence that if implemented by the end of 2010, this plan will serve as a huge stepping-stone in making Public Relations a more credible profession.

APR or Bust...

The debate over whether or not Public Relations should even be considered a profession, coupled with the current “careerist” values that have been taking precedence over professional values among workers in the field, have without a doubt hampered the credibility of public relations practitioners. In response to the lack of integrity within the field as well as the current mentality that a large amount of its professionals maintain, the PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) has put a great deal of emphasis on the importance of accreditation in the field of PR, and for good reason.

According to Heathere Evans-Keenan, APR — CEO of Keenan PR, and past-President of PRSA-NCC, accreditation will help to substantiate commitment and abilities of ethical practitioners in an industry that both self –regulates and validates your expertise. This will certainly aid in the restoration of credibility that has been sacrificed for personal gain and recognition rather that the advancement and perception of the PR industry as a whole.

Speaking of personal gain, think of the feeling you will get after successfully completing a rigorous and time consuming process that will not only prove your dedication to your profession, but will demonstrate your knowledge, strategic perspective, and sound professional judgment to others, whether they be clients, co-workers, or potential employers.

Although the PRSA has been able to create a sound argument for accreditation on an individual basis, they have yet to provide a solid account of its relevancy or importance to business leaders, resulting in a lack of encouragement among the leaders for potential employees to become APRs.

PRSA may be able make the importance of accreditation more visible to business leaders by showing that the certification can:

1. Enhance an Organization’s Marketability
Not only will being an accreditation serve as sort of a “badge of honor,” the fact that not every organization is accredited will set one business apart from those that may not be. How? The answer is simple. Employees are a reflection of an organization, and having employees that have their APR not only shows their commitment to their profession, but their commitment to corporate responsibility—acting ethically and in the public’s best interest. Hence, the company will be portrayed as being trustworthy—a quality that could mean the difference between turning a skeptical prospect into a potential client.

2. Boost Personnel Recruitment
In the same respect of meaning the difference between turning a skeptical prospect into an actual client, running a business known for hiring APR’s can attract more of the same distinction. Who wouldn’t want a staff full of senior-level strategists who have demonstrated both the skills and ability to be successful in Public Relations, while at the same time being bound by strict ethical guidelines?

3. Help in Overall Advancement of Public Relations
It is obvious that public relations practitioners who are committed to the profession have already recognized the importance of accreditation. Unfortunately, those that do are few and far in between. If a business were to encourage accreditation among their current or future employees, then emerging PR professionals may take more of an initiative to do so. The result would be a more competent and ethical generation of Public Relation practitioners, and a less mediocre profession.

For more information on becoming an APR check out these websites:
http://www.prsa.org/PD/apr/
http://www.praccreditation.org/index.html

...What it Takes to Make It in PR...

Aside from experience, future employers are also looking for those who exude a specific set of skills and/or traits that fit the job in which they are applying. This is especially true in the field of public relations. In a business where one has the capability to achieve an endless amount of success (if they play their cards right), it is safe to say that if you are willing to take on the tasks and lifestyle of a public relations practitioner you should also possess a rather eclectic skill set.

Over time, 5 skills in particular, over time have proven to be essential to a successful career in public affairs.

1. DIG FOR KNOWLEDGE
Research! Research! Research! Thorough research is key to learning about a client, product, target media, consumer, or industry…something you need to be an expert on. Using all of the media outlets available (newspapers, Internet, magazines, TV, radio, etc) to your advantage, and knowing what is going on in the world around you is also a task you, as a public relations professional, need to become accustomed with. By conducting research of any kind, you are setting yourself up to be more versatile, accurate, and most important—especially when pitching to the media—relevant.

2. BE COMMUNICATIVE
If you are shy, you are in the wrong business. Strong verbal and writing skills are essential to a job whose daily tasks surround require them. From press releases to maintaining blogs, you will be expected to be able to produce and deliver high impact messages to a variety of audiences, either publically or in print form. You will also be expected to know how to negotiate; an art that is frequently practiced in the field, and one that requires bluffing, calling a bluff, as well as both properly and effectively breaking down arguments into premises and conclusions.

3. PLAN, ORGANIZE, and MANAGE TIME
In such a fast paced environment, not only will planning and organizing help you keep track of your schedule, it will help keep you up to speed with both the media and as well as the media’s schedules. This is a tactic that is sure to please them and could benefit you in the long-run. Time management (something that can also be made easier by planning and organizing), will serve as an aid when working with multiple accounts at once, being that it will allow you to find a balance of your time and attention so that no account may be neglected.

4. PERSISTANCE & THICK SKIN
Rejection comes with the territory…don’t take it personally. In this field you have to have thick skin. Not everyone is going to like your ideas, but a great deal of your client’s success relies on your ability sell your story to the media. If your pitch happens to get vetoed, don’t give up. Keep pitching new and more creative stories/ideas until you get the attention you are seeking. If it helps, don’t think of it as rejection, but as the chance to hone your problem-solving skills!

5. CREATE YOUR OWN CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
As important as it is for someone in public relations to research, it is equally important to network! As a new professional in this field, you will quickly come to find that it is not always about what you know…but WHO you know. Even more important is the ability to both establish and maintain relationships with contacts. In this industry, the media is your friend so to speak…so treat it that way. Be appreciative of people that cover your stories and show them that they have your support by doing little things like sending “thank you” cards or going to their seminars. Who you develop relationships with in the industry could make or break your career, so it is important to be able to do make contacts and keep them!

For more great tips from Public Relations experts on how to have a successful PR career, check out this video!

*Under the PR Umbrella*

IMAGE ABOVE: Defining the Relationship Between Public Relations and Marketing: Public Relations’ Most Important Challenge”, Chapter 14: page 205-214 in Robert L Heath, Editor: Handbook of Public Relations, 2001

In the past, advertising and marketing functions have taken precedence over public relations related functions. This is in large part due to their effectiveness to reach “the consumer.” These days, when the ability to use values-driven management to form long-lasting relationships with a more specific audience and organization is key, the field of public relations has been able to push itself ahead of the pack within institutions, with both advertising and marketing falling under its “umbrella.”

Several other catalysts have also contributed to this shift in power.

1. Relevance to all Communications
For decades the labors of division were clear. Advertisers were in charge of drawing attention to goods and services through campaigns, marketers took care of the four Ps—product, price, promotion, and place—and public relations specialists took care of the press releases and “spinning” tasks. In today’s society, companies and their clients are realizing that a number of new products have failed to sell simply because there is no build-up or market education, a job that is either to costly to market, or not as effective when done by ad campaigns. Not only can public relations activities create product awareness, it can also boost the effectiveness of campaigns in addition to marketing strategies.

2. Ability to Reach Niche Audiences
Markets are becoming more tightly grouped than ever before due to a world of options created by technological advances such as the Internet. Coupled with that are constant budget cuts followed by the harsh reality that there is not enough money to spend on trying to reach the general masses. Rather than downsizing, a great deal of businesses are investing the bulk of their budget into PR, being that workers in the field have to a certain degree, perfected the art of breaking through the clutter and influencing leaders as well as trendsetters, while connecting with stakeholders and consumers that are more inclined towards a product.

3. Flexibility
Unlike advertising and marketing, public relations has the capability to be re-shaped in mid-stream so that companies have more flexibility to adjust without changing the bottom line or focus of their messages over the course of a campaign. PR has also proven to have a shorter turn around time because the information Public Relation campaigns use can also be applied to other campaigns allowing more focus to be puts towards the initial strategy, all of which save both precious time as well a money for organizations.

4. Uses Social Media Networks to Advantage
Applications such as MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter have quickly become the moneymakers for companies not only because they are cheaper than the outdated print and television ads, but because they are the perfect opportunity for viral marketing. By using these sites as promotional avenues, the public relations faction is practically handing promotion to both the masses as well as niche audiences to the company in which they are working for, on a silver platter. All the while, their organization is developing more brand awareness—something that will help make future work or information put out by their client more credible, hence successful.

According to Sissy DeMaria, president of Coral Gables, Fla., public relations firm Kreps DeMaria, "This is business Darwinism right now.” Based on the articles I’ve read, it is my belief that the makeup of organizations are changing, most of which put the most effort, time and money into public relations. Advertising would have to come second in and organization because a provocative campaign can at times stir up more press for PR to handle. Last but not least is marketing. Mainly because there are so many outlets like the social media networks that serve as a cheaper and somewhat more effective alternative.

As DeMaria previously stated, "you're going to see a lot of consolidation in the industry, and only the strongest will survive."