The Public Relations Blog

You see it every year: news stories about people camping out early to be the first recipients of Black Friday shopping deals.

It may surprise you to learn that some of these people are decoys, paid by stores or manufacturers to generate buzz for their products.

This is a public relations and marketing tactic that companies have used for years, and is it right for your company? Is it a scam?

When executives voluntarily engage in hot topics trending in the media, particularly politics, they sometimes forget that their positions are not bully pulpits or soapboxes.

Often, dangerous roads lie ahead for alienating customers, stockholders and employees.

In cases where emotions run high and trigger a public reaction before public relations processes can be helpful, PR teams frequently find themselves rebounding from derision instead of working to promote success.

Let PR guide you on the road from attraction to conversion with the right tools at the right time

You blog, send emails and craft the best content and calls to action for your website. But are you using all the tools available? Are you making good use of them at the right time?

Learn from slip-ups, pick up the pieces, and move on with help from PR.

In the midst of a crisis, your CEO says something insensitive. During a media interview, a top executive mistakenly talks about a project you weren’t ready to discuss yet. Mistakes by a company spokesperson happen all the time. It’s how you handle them that defines your company and makes the difference between a minor error and a major mess.

To inform the public about your company, you must put yourself out there. The more you do, the bigger the potential for missteps. Learn these public relations tips and techniques to decrease the chances of a mistake happening to your company.

When pitch fatigue is imminent, try these tips to reboot

Anyone that has worked in public relations knows well that pitching the media is an acquired skill. Whether it’s for an automobile or printer or service such as a virtual front office, designing a pitch that internally compels you is a necessary first step – because if you love it, your genuine interest will serve to engage others.

3 tactful ways to help top executives improve their communications skills

How often do you think a CEO will admit discomfort when dealing with press? Not often, given that successful executives want to project their keen knowledge and experience in business or leadership. But frequently, they are not communications experts. Because of this, many public relations professionals will find themselves frustrated when CEOs or key executives decline media coaching.

Make the most of your relationships with your brand ambassadors

Spreading the word about your product or brand is great. An influencer can help you do that quickly and effectively. Influencers have the reach to deliver a message to a large audience. Also, they have the power to make that audience act upon that message.

Here are five unbeatable tricks for your successful influencer marketing campaign.

Learn why reporters hate news conferences and what your company should do instead

In the movies, press conferences are shown with dozens of reporters shouting questions, flashing cameras and begging for more information, but they don’t always look that way in real life. When your company has big news to announce, invariably someone will suggest holding a press conference. Before jumping on the bandwagon, learn why press conferences are overrated and why you should choose another route.

How to build lasting relationships with thought leaders in your industry using ethical standards

Maintaining business relationships with influencers in your niche is a great way to deliver your message to your target audience and convert prospects into loyal customers. But no business relationship will last long without an ethical foundation. How do you build relationships with thought leaders in your niche ethically?

Know the difference between these two roles and the services they provide

There are plenty of professionals, in and outside the field of communications, who utilize both spokespeople and spokesmodels – but don’t recognize how different one is from the other. As more celebrities have evolved into lucrative business people, the definitions of spokesperson and spokesmodel have blurred, yet they each serve distinct roles.