The Key to Good PR: "Mutual Benefit"

The public relations profession could use some good PR! As an accredited PR practitioner, I wince when I hear people refer to misleading, distorted, or completely deceptive publicity as "good PR." Yikes! There's most definitely a difference between effective, ethical communications that shines the most flattering light on an organization's or an individual's activities and behavior (good PR) and confusing, misleading and dishonest attempts to hoodwink the public (harmful propaganda).

Most people think of PR as publicity, but a full-blown public relations program covers far more, including such services as preparation of collateral; executive speechwriting; speech coaching; media training; guest editorial and article writing; crisis counseling; investor relations; and community relations. At its most basic level, good PR is the practice of preparing useful information and disseminating it as widely as possible to audiences who want to know about what you have to say or what you are doing. It's "mutually beneficial" communications.

As speakers, you can incorporate PR into your marketing efforts by thinking of these mutual benefits: I want to share my expertise so that you'll pay to hear me speak and/or hire me; and you'll benefit from what you learn when you listen to me speak/work with me.

Core elements of a complete PR plan are

• objectives based on a solid strategy (what is the focus of the information you want to distribute and what are the results you want?)

• well-defined target audiences (Answer the question, Who cares about this subject and what do they need and want to know?)

• complete list of services and products (all the ways you plan to reach your audiences: keynotes, workshops, consulting services, books, articles, tapes, etc.)

• clearly articulated, focused messages for all your delivery channels (marketing materials, books, speeches, training materials, magazine articles, white papers, media interview responses, and press releases)

• up-to-date mailing lists of news/trade media and other target audiences (people move from job-to-job frequently and reporters and editors are re-assigned)

• schedule for ongoing communications program (news releases/email marketing/online newsletters, etc.)

If you would like a sample news release format that includes a step-by-step how-to on writing an effective release, click here.

© Evelyn Clark, The Corporate Storyteller, is president of Clark & Company, a marketing communication firm in the Seattle area. A public relations practitioner with more than 20 years experience, she was accredited by the Public Relations Society of America in 1986. Her firm's services include facilitation of retreats and communication workshops, marketing and communication management, media relations strategy development, and media training. http://www.CorpStory.com

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