To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com. See The Public Relations Practitioner’s Playbook or The ABCs of Strategic Communication for illustration.
Cracked Egg (Persuasion) Model – Also known as Public Opinion Formation Model.
Rowan students should be thinking THIS model as well as the MAC Triad Plus and Two-Way model as they approach the pros and cons of the Rowan-Rutgers merger. All information is available in the above books.
It is an eight-step process whose purpose is to shape
or change public opinion:
1. Mass Sentiment - morals/values;
2. Incident/Issue - interrupts morals;
3. Publics Pro/Con;
4. Debate -PR people and advertisers come in and try to change peoples’ attitudes
to agree with theirs;
5. Time (opinions marinate) - very important or
you do not have a true public opinion;
6. Public Opinion - the accumulated
opinion of many individuals on an important topic in public
debate affecting the lives of people (need all these elements or you do
not have public opinion);
7. Social Action - new law, or action, is taken
against people. Society could be so traumatized that it goes overboard;
8. Mass Sentiment - Society gets a certain attitude/moral/values due to
the social action. Society becomes very sensitized.
Do you have a choice: [To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]
The Public Relations Society of America unveiled the three candidates for the definition of public relations. Here they are (from the PR Defined website):
Definition No. 1: Public relations is the management function of researching, engaging, communicating, and collaborating with stakeholders in an ethical manner to build mutually-beneficial relationships and achieve results.
Definition No. 2: Public relations is a strategic communication process that develops and maintains mutually-beneficial relationships between organizations and their key publics.
Definition No. 3: Public relations is the engagement between organizations and individuals to achieve mutual understanding and realize strategic goals. [To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]
Editor’s note: As many readers know, this isn’t the first story PR Daily has published on signs you work in PR. Though there is some overlap with this rendition and other versions, we have a feeling readers can relate to many of the items listed below.
Public relations is a notoriously stressful career.
This year it earned the rank of seventh-most stressful job in America, a drop from last year when it was No. 2—ahead of airline pilots. To which I beg to differ. Lives are not in our hands, after all.
Of course, PR can be stressful. We are, for the most part, at the mercy of forces beyond our control. The right pitch has to edge up against the right timing and the right reporter for any great placement to happen.
It takes a certain kind of personality to thrive in public relations. Read any PR job listing, and you’ll see requirements such as: detail-oriented, excellent writing skills, multitasker, organized, energetic, blah blah blah…
Yes, PR people must embody these traits, but excelling at PR requires a number of intangibles. It’s a gut feeling we’re looking for when we interview candidates; it just cannot be quantified in a job posting.
To provide a better sense of what those intangibles are, here’s a list of 33 signs that you work in public social media and PR:
1. The five scariest words you fear all day are, “Why aren’t we in this?” (from the hilarious @lmokaba)
2. In grade school, your teachers noted that you were a “social butterfly” on your report cards (not in a good way).
3. You’ve disabled all your notifications on your mobile devices and your computer. You don’t need them. You know you have at least 50 emails, five direct messages on Twitter, and 10 texts.
4. When you see a great story in the press, your first thought is, “Who placed that story?”
5. You scrutinize every word you write. Yes, there is a difference between “over” and “more than!” (Just ask Steve.)
6. You’d never buy a gift for a reporter, but you would retweet him or her to show that you are paying attention.
7. You’re surprised to hear that people still use desktops.
8. When the iPhone first came out you sacrificed function for image. Yes, you had to figure out a new way to manage your tasks because they no longer synced the way they had on your BlackBerry, but it was worth it.
10. A “day off” means only checking email every 15 minutes while you are physically out of the office.
11. In your personal life, when people try to help you stuff invitations, assemble gift bags, etc., you take over the project because you can do it more quickly.
12. When a friend tells you an amazing story over drinks about how she saved a lost dog or saw an ostrich along the side of the highway, you say, “I could get that on TV.”
13. Your grandmother wants to know when your article will be published in The New York Times. You just tell her “soon.”
14. Your friends ask you to compose their apology letters.
15. You can identify people at meetings, tradeshows, and on the street based solely on their Twitter avatar photos (h/t @lmokaba).
16. People assume you attend parties and meet celebrities for a living (and you let them think so, because it’s better than the reality of being chained to your phone and laptop).
17. You could easily hold the record for the most lists on Twitter, but there’s no formal way to measure that yet.
18. You still have Google alerts set up for past clients just to see what type of coverage they are getting (again, h/t @lmokaba).
19. You might use terms such as “boilerplate” and “hashtag” during happy hour conversation.
20. Caffeine and alcohol, in that order.
21. You have a running list of jargon that you ban from all writing. And you judge others who use those terms.
22. You are perfectly capable of writing a press release while tweeting, updating Facebook, and watching “Mad Men” at the same time.
23. You justify new clothing and accessories by telling yourself and others that you are “in the image business.”
24. You believe that all customer service reps will give you what you want if you approach the conversation the proper way. If that doesn’t work, there’s always Twitter.
25. You use Google+ because it increases the SEO for your content and all of the reporters you work with are on there—not because you like it (at least not yet).
26. If you are unable to find a piece of information, it’s not findable.
27. You take pride in finding typos in the novels you read (and you consider notifying the publisher).
29. You have entire conversations with your colleagues using buzzwords just to crack each other up (another great one from @lmokaba)
30. You sleep with your iPhone.
31. Your answer to most questions that begin with, “Do you think it’s possible to…” is “yes.”
32. You write headlines in 140 characters (actually, 120 is ideal—to leave room for retweets).
33. “Speechless” is a foreign word.
Beth Monaghan is a principal and co-founder of InkHouse Media + Marketing. You can follow her on Twitter at @bamonaghan. A version of this story first appeared on the InkHouse blog.
With a nod to Tom Chambers’s post on five things to know before dating a journalist, here’s a similar guide to embarking on a relationship with a PR professional.
Here are four things you should know about dating a PR pro:
Our relationships are our top priority.
Because our job involves satisfying the needs of multiple people, we’re good at relationships. We’re good at mediating, moderating, and making things happen. “Fantastic,” you’re thinking, “this all sounds lovely.”
Oh, wait, did you think we meant our “relationship” with you? Oh, goodness, no. We have vast networks of contacts; we have more “relationships” than Richard Branson has islands. (Actually, that’s a rubbish comparison—he has only one.)
The fact is, we are people people, inherently social, and we will undoubtedly know at least three times more people in the bar than you do.
We’re very positive.
Come to us with a problem, and we will always give you a solution. We like turning situations around—so much so that sometimes you might forget how things actually were in the first place.
Some people call this spin, but we don’t. We prefer to think of ourselves as incredible storytellers; there will never be an awkward silence over dinner when we’re around, ever.
We know what’s hot and what’s not.
We are very much on the ball in terms of what’s hot or not. We work six months in advance, so we live that way. Early adopters, some might say.
When you think something’s cool, chances are we’ve been there and done that—most likely at an industry event. Some of these industry events require us to exist on a diet of champagne and the odd canapé, normally handed out at the latest “unbookable” restaurant. We can be a little tricky to wow at dinner.
We’re incredibly efficient.
Returning to the “everybody” of my first point, we have a lot of people to stay in touch with, so we are rather good at organization.
However, this makes for an incredibly packed schedule, so you could find yourself being allocated a time in the ever-present BlackBerry calendar, possibly as a weekend or evening activity.
You could also find dinner interrupted by the red flash of the BlackBerry, alerting us to an essential social media checking appointment. Please just allow us to ensure each of our social networks is up to speed; it won’t take a minute. The world could end if you prevent us from doing this.
With that, you are fully briefed on what to expect from your other-half—the good, the bad, and the sometimes-baffling traits of PR people. Treat us well, and you’ll become like a favorite client: We’ll want to spend all our time with you.
Anything to add?
Laetitia Redbond is an account executive at Flagship Consulting in London. A version of this story first appeared on the company’s blog.
For the entire The Philadelphia Inquirer Nov. 7, 2011 “Marketplace” tip, mail: larry@larrylitwin.com. It will be mailed to you. To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com. You are also invited to check out Chapter 13 – Speeches – in The Public Relations Practitioner’s Playbook.
At some point in your career, you are likely to be asked to give a speech – whether it’s to co-workers, managers, industry colleagues or clients.
Let’s be honest (says The Philadelphia Inquirer), “Only a few people actually enjoy speaking in public. For all of the rest of us, here are eight tips on making the experience not nightmare-inducing. Perhaps, it can even be fun.
According to Tribune Media Services: “Good interviews aren’t always based on basics – less obvious action can help raise your profile.” To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com
When interviewing for a job, it’s important to speak clearly and to be honest about your past
and potential. It’s also essential to research the company beforehand so you’ll be able to successfully navigate the interviewer’s specific questions about the company’s industry. But not all jobs are won or lost by following the most obvious of interview rules. Here are five secrets of a successful interview:
1. Don’t turn down a glass of water or cup of coffee if offered. It puts you on a more personal level with your interviewer and gives you a minute or two to scope out the office for possible clues on talking points, as well as a chance to regain your composure. Also, the cup or glass will give you something to do with your hands during awkward quiet moments. And, you will be able to attack that dry-mouth more effectively if a drink is nearby.
2. Ask questions, but don’t insult the interviewer. In other words, you won’t need to tell your interviewer the obvious with thinly veiled questions like, “Why are there so many open positions?” Questions about the company’s performance should be handled Carefully, as well. Consider asking, “How will this new hire be able to contribute to the company’s future growth?” is more subtle and effective than, “Are you guys still losing money?”
3. Whenever possible, give specific examples of the ways the company or company’s product already has impacted your life or how it will impact it in the future. If you’re interviewing for a position with a grocery store or department store chain (WawaTarget, Walmart, etc.), mention your weekly trips to one of their store locations. If you’re courting a furniture company, mention how you’re looking forward to decorating your new home with a specific couch or table. (Get the idea? Work your personal experiences into the interview – but do NOT overdo it.)
4. Don’t rush. Most interviewers block out at least an hour of time for each person they speak with. Don’t feel the need to tell your life story in the first 10 minutes. Instead, find ways to attach important pieces of information about yourself with various answers. You won’t lose points by taking your interviewer on occasional detours. In fact, he/she may be more interested in your explanation of how you learned the importance of personal responsibility when you worked your way through college than your routine answer as to whether or not you prefer to work in a team setting or alone.
5. Give your interviewer something to remember you by. At this point in the candidate selection process, most job seekers are fairly similar, considering they’ve all been called in for an interview based on separate resumes. Your interview is your chance to stand out. Mention something exciting you did over the weekend or ask about a photo or object on your interviewer’s desk. Aside from striking a personal note, you’ll be able to reference this in your Thank-You Letter — something as simple as, “Hope you’re able to catch another large-mouth bass this weekend.” This gives your interviewer something to remember you by, hopefully further separating you from the others that he interviewed for the job.
The Philadelphia Inquirer (Nov. 20, 2011) carries a Monster Worldwide, Inc. full page on “Using your looks for career success (without going overboard).
You can link to it right here. Please read it and heed Robert DiGiacomo’s words (for Yahoo HotJobs). He knows of what he speaks. [To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com]
As the Courier-Post’s Celeste Whittaker notes in a recent column. Major League Baseball “swings and misses” with its dress code. Not that Whittaker doesn’t agree with it, she just doesn’t believe it needs to be codified.
MLB’s dress code apparently evolved last year when the New York Jets had the controversy with the sideline reporter Inez Sainz of Mexico’s TV Aztec. She was alledgedy, according to Whittaker, “wearing tight-fitting clothes and low-cut shirts and claims she was essentially harassed by players and coaches.” “But,” says Whittaker, “Sainz’s wardrobe is not typical for a media member.”
Here is MLB’s list of what media members may NOT wear:
see-through clothing
ripped jeans (distressed jeans)
one-shouldered or strapless
bare midriffs
“excessively short” skirts, dresses or shorts
visible undergarments
tank tops
flip flops
anything with a team logo
The bottom line: As I often communicate to Rowan University and other students — male and female — dress appropriately. And, when interviewing for an internship or job, dress for the position you are a applying for. You get only one chance to make that first good impress impression.
Cape May County Herald.Com (Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011) ran this piece on Atlantic Cape Community College’s annual public relations panel discussion. This year’s topic was Crisis Communication. The panel traditionally runs the day before Thanksgiving.
To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com. My Rowan University students were inited to attend and many did. Here is the article by Al Campbell. [See pictures below]
COURT HOUSE – When the worst happens, how will good public relations smooth the road to the future?
That’s what a panel of publicists discussed Wed., Nov. 23 with communications and public relations students from Atlantic Cape Community College and Rowan University at the Third Annual Public Relations Panel Discussion.
Assistant Professor Joy Jones introduced her students and visitors to the Court House campus to some local PR pros: Barbara Murphy, owner-partner, Fish with Feet LLC; Lenora Boninfante, Cape May County communications director; Larry Litwin, Rowan University professor; Corinthea Harris, Atlantic Cape student, 2011 Communication Major of the Year and intern at Suasion Communications; and Kathleen Corbalis, APR, Atlantic Cape’s executive director of College Relations.
Youthful publicists of the future heard about some recent tragedies: deaths of four Mainland Regional High School football players, a girl’s death on Morey’s Pier Ferris wheel, a carjacking at an Atlantic City casino, and Hurricane Irene.
All those, and the ongoing Penn State University sex scandal as well as the shooting tragedy at Virginia Tech, served as examples of what can happen in business, education and in government, and how they were handled, or mishandled, by public relations officials.
Boninfante cited the importance of keeping the public informed by use of every available means, as in Hurricane Irene, when an
evacuation order largely cleared the county a week prior to Labor Day Weekend.
“My job is to make sure you are informed,” she said. Prior to Sept. 11, 2001, she said there was not as much focus on preparedness as now.
“You have to have a plan, that’s the most important thing you can do when faced with a crisis, so you are not scrambling,” Boninfante said.
She noted the importance of social media, but added that, if someone posts inaccurate information, instead of engaging that person, it is best to simply post the truth from an official standpoint.
Litwin, a former KYW and ABC reporter, covered the MOVE tragedy, long before any of the students in the room could recall, in Philadelphia when 11 were killed and 65 homes destroyed in a massive fire.
Litwin, in his 42nd year of communications, said he had been discussing in his Rowan class the Penn State crisis.
“Penn State did everything wrong,” he said. The university knew this was going to break,” he said. Officials knew of at least part of the “horror” since 1998, Litwin said.
Still, there was silence and no plan on the part of the university to contain or control the flow of information from the executive office.
He cited the “golden hours” when the “media wants it immediately. They want to get the message out. Within those two to four hours, you have to address the media because they are getting the story,
say ‘This is all we know at this stage, but we are gathering the facts,’” Litwin said.
He urged, “Tell it first, tell it fast, tell all, and tell it yourself.”
“Penn State told nothing. It wasn’t the chairman of the board who spoke, it was their vice chairman who spoke,” he added.
Virginia Tech, on the other hand, was ready with a staging area for the media, and maintained a constant flow of information to the media. They had someone monitoring incoming news, and made sure they were communicating with their key public, he said.
Relationships are vital with editors and reporters, said Litwin. Those are invaluable when a public relations professional must be available to handle the situation when bad news breaks, he said.
Corbalis recalled a time when she was new with the college in the 1980s, and the college president called her in to inform her with the news that controller was believed to be embezzling funds.
“I give him a lot of credit for that, and how he handled a crisis,” she said.
She noted the president kept her informed through every stage of the matter. He learned through an internal investigation, contact law enforcement agencies, and hid nothing from her.
“I was in my 20s at the time. I was made aware, on a confidential basis of everything that was happening,” she said.
Subsequently, the controller was arrested and charged.
“Atlantic Community College, as it was known at the time, had a statement. We were first with it. We told our story, and took responsibility. We expressed concern, and reassured everyone no student money was involved,” Corbalis said.
“It was a well constructed story. That’s not what happened at Penn State. We were giving information. We were open, transparent and above board,” Corbalis added.
Technology has changed how public relations officials meet crisis, Corbalis noted.
She cited an “act of God” thunderstorm in 2003 when lightning struck and a power surge wiped out all power to the Mays Landing campus.
There was no website, no power for four days, and no social media to communicate to students.
Corbalis took it upon herself to produce paper fliers that were handed to each student as they arrived on campus.
News media today, with immediate means of dispensing information, as well as text messaging to each student would negate the need for all that work, she said.
Part of a public relations person, said Corbalis, is to monitor the client’s on-line presence, and to garner bad as well as good data that may be stated about the client.
She cited an example of social media, Facebook in particular, at the college when students were complaining of course books not being available for purchase at the bookstore.
She gathered that information, and informed the person in charge of that department of the problem, so it could be corrected as quickly as possible.
All agreed that, whenever possible, it is best that a company chief executive should be the source of information in a crisis.
Boninfante said every New Jersey county, municipality, school and nursing home and hospital is mandated to have an emergency response plan.
Included in those plans, she said, is a communications plan. “It has to be a piece of your plan,” she said.
She cited the idea of a “dark website” one that is ready at a moment’s notice to be used to disseminate information should a crisis occur.
say ‘This is all we know at this stage, but we are gathering the facts,’” Litwin said.
He urged, “Tell it first, tell it fast, tell all, and tell it yourself.”
“Penn State told nothing. It wasn’t the chairman of the board who spoke, it was their vice chairman who spoke,” he added.
Virginia Tech, on the other hand, was ready with a staging area for the media, and maintained a constant flow of information to the media. They had someone monitoring incoming news, and made sure they were communicating with their key public, he said.
Relationships are vital with editors and reporters, said Litwin. Those are invaluable when a public relations professional must be available to handle the situation when bad news breaks, he said.
Corbalis recalled a time when she was new with the college in the 1980s, and the college president called her in to inform her with the news that controller was believed to be embezzling funds.
“I give him a lot of credit for that, and how he handled a crisis,” she said.
She noted the president kept her informed through every stage of the matter. He learned through an internal investigation, contact law enforcement agencies, and hid nothing from her.
“I was in my 20s at the time. I was made aware, on a confidential basis of everything that was happening,” she said.
Subsequently, the controller was arrested and charged.
“Atlantic Community College, as it was known at the time, had a statement. We were first with it. We told our story, and took responsibility. We expressed concern, and reassured everyone no student money was involved,” Corbalis said.
“It was a well constructed story. That’s not what happened at Penn State. We were giving information. We were open, transparent and above board,” Corbalis added.
Technology has changed how public relations officials meet crisis, Corbalis noted.
She cited an “act of God” thunderstorm in 2003 when lightning struck and a power surge wiped out all power to the Mays Landing campus.
There was no website, no power for four days, and no social media to communicate to students.
Corbalis took it upon herself to produce paper fliers that were handed to each student as they arrived on campus.
News media today, with immediate means of dispensing information, as well as text messaging to each student would negate the need for all that work, she said.
Part of a public relations person, said Corbalis, is to monitor the client’s on-line presence, and to garner bad as well as good data that may be stated about the client.
She cited an example of social media, Facebook in particular, at the college when students were complaining of course books not being available for purchase at the bookstore.
She gathered that information, and informed the person in charge of that department of the problem, so it could be corrected as quickly as possible.
All agreed that, whenever possible, it is best that a company chief executive should be the source of information in a crisis.
Boninfante said every New Jersey county, municipality, school and nursing home and hospital is mandated to have an emergency response plan.
Included in those plans, she said, is a communications plan. “It has to be a piece of your plan,” she said.
She cited the idea of a “dark website” one that is ready at a moment’s notice to be used to disseminate information should a crisis occur.
Below is the panel (from left to right) Kathleen Corbalis, APR, Atlantic cape Community College; Corinthea Harris, public relations major, ACCC; M. Larry Litwin, APR, Fellow PRSA, Rowan University associate professor; Lenora Boninfante, Cape May County communications director; and Barbara Murphy, owner-partner, Fish with Feet LLC.
M. Larry Litwin, APR, Fellow PRSA. Professor Joy Jones, ACCC is below followed by Kathleen Corbalis, APR, ACCC executive director of college Relations. and Corinthea Harris, ACCC public relations major.
Kaitlin Madden of CareerBuilder, has some advice about making the most of holiday parties. To comment: larry@larrylitwin.com.
She says, “Create connections that lead to future job opportunities.”
First of all, Madden suggests “being friendly with those you meet. They may provide important connections or job leads later on.” Madden lists these five tips:
1. Find a connection
2. Present a professional front.
3. Don’t be late.
4. Be interested, not interesting.
5. Don’t force the work subject.
You can check out Kaitlin Madden — and should — using Google or another search engine. She has excellent tips, including what to wear. Please keep in mind, “You are always communicating,” say Jack Horner and Mike Gross (Rowan ’03) of Jack Horner Communications.
Paul DeNucci, author, The International Networker says, “Remember that events are never about you. The way to win friends and great contacts is to make others comfortable in your presence. Be interested, not interesting.”
Advice from Larry Litwin, “Keep your business card handy. Be ready for an exchange as you complete your elevator speech.”
Remember: YOU are a brand. Package tourself properly.
Madden offers this “What to wear” advice.
In general, when picking out an outfit, Lupo offers the following guidelines:
Look polished, not overdone.
Remember that you are sending out a message about yourself professionally in the way you dress, and you want to be sure that your message is consistent. Tomorrow morning, you will wake-up and go to work with these people — conduct yourself accordingly.
Always be tasteful, not overtly sexy. If you’re on the fence between something sexy and something more conservative, go conservative.
Remember Visual Therapy’s rules. Ask yourself: Do I love it? Is it flattering? Is this the image I want to portray? Is this comfortable? (This includes shoes, ladies!)
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