The Public Relations Blog

By Jason Mudd, APR

Were you aware that last week was Measurement Week?

For most people outside the public relations profession, the term “measurement week” likely conjures visions of a kitchen gadget, ruler or possibly even the results of a weight loss challenge. However, for those in the biz, the International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication’s Measurement Week provides our industry with a unique opportunity to pause and reflect on how public relations and related budgets have affected and can impact future business operations.

Don’t let your PR campaign fail before it begins

All in all, there is no quick, magic formula for determining a timeline for PR campaigns. Everything depends on your company, your goals and objectives and the scope of each component of the project. A PR campaign can last from a couple of months to a year or more.

Use PR to help you avoid common writing mistakes and get media attention

What do you think when you read a resume rife with errors? It’s probably unlikely that the candidate will be offered the position. If it’s really bad, you may even stop reading it altogether, regardless of the listed experience.

That’s the same feeling journalists experience when they receive poorly written documents from you. 

You have created a press/news release. It has been edited several times and vetted through all the proper channels. Now what?

Crafting a press releaseor pitch is only half the battle when it comes to attracting media attention and achieving positive news coverage. Where you send a press release is often more important than what you send. Use PR to help you make the right decision for maximum effect.

 Writing a press release is a sensitive issue. Public relations departments play a key role in the process and want to say something on press release content. The subject matter should sound professional and intelligent, and any information about the business partners should maintain their image. Writing a press release is not child’s play, nor is it a one-day task; it can take dozens of drafts to come out with a good press release. When you want to issue a press release from your company to the world, who should write it?

By Wendy Bulawa Agudelo

The blood-spattered Kent State University sweatshirt on sale from Urban Outfitters this week caught the nation’s attention. A seemingly simple, one-off product created a stir so large that it fueled widespread outrage across social media platforms (see the #urbanoutfitters trending topic) and the public all but demanded a complete boycott of the company. Urban Outfitters now sits amid a crisis, working around the clock to mitigate this situation while effectively responding to the onslaught of media attention – negative though it may be – that the popular clothing company is now receiving.

Let PR show you the best ways to use this ever-changing technology

Social mediaseems to have changed life as we know it. If your company isn’t on at least two social media platforms, you’re missing key opportunities to connect with and engage your customers. To effectively reach your customers, you may find that social media connections have become less of a preference and more of a necessity.

Although the concept of social media has become pervasive in our society, it’s also still very new, and as such, it’s constantly changing. You must stay on top of trends in this area in order to use it properly and maximize your efforts. PR can help. Here are five facts you may not have known that can help you get ahead of the curve (and the competition).

Turn to PR for reputation management

You’ve done your homework on consumer needs and developed a product or service that solves the problem. All the tools are in place to make it easy for consumers to ask questions and purchase your product. So why aren’t they buying as much as you expected? The problem could be poor customer service.

According to Kana Software’s new research, customer service issues are responsible for the decline of consumer loyalty in recent years and are having a significant impact on many retailers’ bottom lines. This is one of the many reasons why reputation management is so critical.

6 ways PR tools can help CMOs

Chief Marketing Officers are under more pressure today than ever before. According to Korn Ferry’s recent study, more than 50 percent of CMOs say they have trouble convincing other C-suite executives that their efforts play a role in the company’s profitability and overall strategic plan. Many cite this as the main reason for high turnover in the field.

Let PR show you the best ways to use social media for outstanding results

What if you had a contest and no one entered? That’s what happens when you have a great idea for a promotion but don’t publicize it properly.

P.T. Barnum once said that “without promotion, something terrible happens: nothing.” In order for a contest, campaign or promotion to be effective, people have to know about it, and the more the better. This is where the right combination of PR and social media strategy can be crucial.