PRSA Member Statement of Professional Values

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This statement presents the core values of PRSA members and,
more broadly, of the public relations profession. These values provide
the foundation for the Member Code of Ethics and set the
industry standard for the professional practice of public relations.
These values are the fundamental beliefs that guide our behaviors
and decision-making process. We believe our professional values
are vital to the integrity of the profession as a whole.
ADVOCACY
We serve the public interest by acting as responsible advocates for
those we represent. We provide a voice in the marketplace of ideas,
facts, and viewpoints to aid informed public debate.
HONESTY
We adhere to the highest standards of accuracy and truth in
advancing the interests of those we represent and in communicating
with the public.
EXPERTISE
We acquire and responsibly use specialized knowledge and experience.
We advance the profession through continued professional
development, research and education. We build mutual understanding,
credibility, and relationships among a wide array of institutions
and audiences.
INDEPENDENCE
We provide objective counsel to those we represent. We are
accountable for our actions.
LOYALTY
We are faithful to those we represent, while honoring our obligation
to serve the public interest.
FAIRNESS
We deal fairly with clients, employers, competitors, peers, vendors,
the media and the general public. We respect all opinions and support
the right of free expression.

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The 7 Myths of Accreditation

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From The Pinnacle (PRSA – Public Relations Society of America) on May 4, 2021

By Elyse Hammett, APR

Title get your attention, eh? If your answer is, “yep,” then good. You see, more often than not, we hear these myths bandied about as reasons for why some of our public relations colleagues choose not to pursue Accreditation, repeated without any basis in fact. I want to share these seven myths that my PR friends have often been persuaded to believe and, most importantly, explain WHY they are not true.

Myth #1: It takes a full year out of your life.

No; it becomes your life. The practices, processes and communications architecture that you learn in the APR journey change your professional aptitude forever. Who cares if it takes a year to get it done, when it makes you a better communicator for the rest of your life.

Myth #2: The failure rate is higher than the success rate.

That’s not true either. It is true that a little over 30% have to take one or the other sections twice (I did the panel presentation twice), but these statistics are indices as if it was a competition. The APR is not a competition. It is a personal journey for your betterment.

Myth #3: You can’t do it alone.

Well, that depends on your learning style. My colleague on the APR Marketing Committee, @HeatherHuften, did it in two months, alone, in Texas, during COVID. OK — maybe she’s a superstar, but she is proof of one way. I did it with a study group of four, and it took me 11 months.

Myth #4. No one acknowledges what the APR is, so why bother?

Listen, when you truly command this knowledge…really learn these tenets…really use them every single day…everyone will want what you’ve got. When I owned my Atlanta marketing communications firm, we sold new business based on the APR practices and programs. It sold like hotcakes, because we were backed by a third-party, PRSA and the Universal Accreditation Board. Your clients will listen when you demonstrate mastery of the topic.

Myth #5: My boss won’t value it.

Yes — your boss WILL. Because the demonstrated mastery will make your boss loyal to you. The APR practices, processes and frameworks make it easier, faster and even financially safer to do because it’s proven. Plus, just like a CPA talks in their language or a cardiologist talks in theirs, the Accreditation principles, when used across an entire marketing communications team increases speed infinitely — increasing the pace and ROI of your work. What boss won’t value that?

Myth #6: No connections to marketing or advertising.

This myth doesn’t hold water. The APR is ubiquitous. It’s a method of thinking and processing complex problems. It applies across all communications challenges. In the 2000s, there was this wonderful megahit romantic comedy, “What Women Want.” In the movie, a marketing firm called Sloane Curtis was pursuing the female business division of Nike. They do it with a deep understanding of the target audience to win the account. Every element of the two-minute scene shows the principles of Accreditation at work. Watch it and then sign up to pursue yours.

Myth #7: There’s no direct line to my personal brand.

It becomes your brand. The value and the values of Accreditation elevate who you are because they demonstrate your knowledge, skills and abilities as the consummate communications professional. There is no greater alignment between you and the company you keep than this credential.

What myths have you heard? Let’s chat!

Elyse Hammett, APR, is an award-winning practitioner who currently serves as the vice-president of marketing and communications for the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. The 2017 president of the nation’s second-largest chapter, PRSA Georgia, Elyse is co-chair of the Accreditation Marketing Committee of PRSA’s national board. Connect with her via email @ehammett@cfgreateratlanta.org; Instagram @elysehammett, LinkedIn @elysehammett or Twitter @elysehammettPR.

If you have any suggestions for future issues of the APR Pinnacle newsletter, please reach out via email. We’d welcome the conversation.

[Questions? larry@larrylitwin.com]

PRSA’s 10 principles of behavior for the practice of public relations

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In summary, PRSA lists the following 10 principles of behavior for
the practice of public relations:
1. Conduct in accord with the public interest.
2. Exemplify high standards of honesty and integrity.
3. Deal fairly with the public.
4. Adhere to highest standards of accuracy and truth.
5. Do not knowingly disseminate false or misleading
information.
6. Do not engage in any practice that corrupts the channels
of communication or processes of government.
7. Identify publicly the name of the client or employer on whose
behalf any public communication is made.
8. Do not make use of any individual or organization
professing to be independent or unbiased but actually
serving another or undisclosed interest.
9. Do not guarantee the achievement of specified results beyond
member’s control.
10. Do not represent conflicting or competing interests.

[Questions: larry@larrylitwin.com]

Advertising Selling Premises

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PR Play 11-10 from The Public Relations Practitioner’s Playbook for (all) Strategic Communicators

Copy Strategy – Sales logic behind an advertising message.
Creative Platform – A document that outlines the message strategy
decision behind an individual ad, commercial or an entire campaign.
It is based on the creative brief (page 366).
• Product-centered strategies – Ads that focus on the product
itself. Should be based on fact. Often a scientifically conducted
test or other research technique provides support for a claim.
— Claim – A statement about the product’s performance – its features
or attributes.
— Brag and Boast – An advertising strategic message written
from a company’s point of view to extol its virtues and accomplishments.
If a claim is made, it must be supported by fact.
• Prospect-centered strategies – Ads that focus on needs and
wants rather than on what the company can produce.
— Benefits – Statements about what the product can do for the
user.
— Promise – A benefit statement that looks to the future.
— Reason Why – A statement that explains why the feature will
benefit the user.
— Unique Selling Proposition (USP) – A benefit statement
about a feature that is both unique to the product and important to the user

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Co-Op Adverising

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What is Cooperative Advertising (Co-Op)?

A form of advertising where a national manufacturer reimburses the
retailer for part of or all of the retailer’s entire advertising expenditures
for ads carrying the manufacturer’s brand(s).

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3 takeaways from the latest jobs report

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For the entire ZipRecruiter story by Julia Pollak, see Courierpostonline Sunday, April 4, 2021.

According to a recent jobs report released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the economy added 379,000 jobs in February, beating expectations.  That is a significant improvement over January, when the economy added only 166,000. It is also about twice the average monthly job gain before the pandemic.

Nevertheless, given that the economy is still down 9.5 million jobs since earlier this year — and 11.9 million jobs below its healthy pre-Covid-19 trend — the job gains should be seen as fairly modest. They do not yet signal a rapid rebound, but rather the slow reawakening if the labor market after the Covid-19 winter.

Here are some key takeaways from the report.

1. The leisure and hospitality sector is finally reviving

2. Very few workers returned to the labor market

3. State and local government education was the weak point of the report

Again, get the full story in the April 4, 2021 edition of Courierpostonline.com

[Questions: larry@larrylitwin.com]

Improve your customer service skills

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For the entire ZipRecruiter story by Kaila Kea, see Courierpostonline Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021.

Customer service skills aid professionals in delivering quality service and meeting customer needs. This skillset includes patience, attentiveness, timeliness and good communication.

Here are some features of good customer service that most people agree on.

1. Good customer service comes with a good attitude

2. Helpfulness is key

3. Going the extra mile

4. Empathy

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4 things a resume must include

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For the entire ZipRecruiter, see Courierpostonline  Sunday, March 21, 2021

There are many opinions on what information you should and shouldn’t include on your resume. But there are certain basics that must be there. Here is the good news: You already have all the answers to this test. These are the big four.

1. Contact information

2. Work experience

3. Education

4. Skills

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Tips to Succeed: View your failures as a learning experience – or – turning a stumbling block into a stepping stone

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“What’s the key to being a successful entrepreneur?” Change how you
think about failure.

Failure is the “F word” of business – It’s not polite to mention it. After
all, failure is what happens to other people, right? But what happens when
we ourselves fail? We either try to quickly forget the experience, or we
wallow in self-doubt and recrimination.

If you’re in business, sooner or later, you’re going to have failures. But
sometimes, these “failures” can turn out to be fortunate. They force you to
re-examine your goals, decisions, methods. Then, you can choose to take a
different – better – path.

Here’s how the best entrepreneurs deal with failure:
• Redefine it. Experienced entrepreneurs make a failure a learning
experience.

• Analyze it. If – when – you fail, take a close look at the causes. After each
and every setback, big or small, take a clear cold look at what happened.

• Depersonalize it. Stop kicking yourself; everybody fails. While you must
analyze your mistakes, you won’t learn anything if you’re too busy
beating up on yourself.

• Change it. Remind yourself of what you learned and actively try to
change your behavior. Be patient and forgiving because change takes
time.

• Get over it. Move on. Don’t dwell on your successes or on your failures.
You’ve got a life to live, and each day is precious. So, like the old song
says, ”Pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and start all over again.”
Rhonda Abrams – www.rhondaworks.com

[Questions: larry@larrylitwin.com]

8 Tips For Improving Your Phone Skills

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Since a face-to-face meeting is virtually impossible in today’s COVID-19 business world, you need to pick up the phone to get things done. And to help you improve your phone skills (especially when the person you are calling doesn’t report to you), we have listed below some tips to help you achieve greater phone success.
8 Tips To Help Improve Your Phone Skills And Techniques.
Tip #1: Have An Objective – Before calling someone, write down the objective of your call. It can be as simple as a modified report or a request for more resources. The key is to know what the details are of the call – ahead of time.
Tip #2: Ask The Person For Their “Help” – Start by asking the person you’re calling for their help. Then quickly state the benefit (not yours) of why this needs to be done.
Tip #3: Smile When You Are Talking/Listening – Even though the person you called cannot see your expressions, your smile comes through loud and clear.
Tip #4: Add A Personal Touch To The Call – Use the name of the person you are calling as it will show them that you are interested in them. We cannot stress enough the importance of putting yourself in the listener’s place.
Tip #5: Drop Your Cell Phone And Stop Typing – Avoid the typical distractions such as looking at your cell phone, typing an e-mail or scouring your iPad. Also, don’t be eating or drinking anything.
Tip #6: Be Mindful Of Your Tone And Volume – If you are condescending or using a loud voice, the other person will shut down immediately. If your voice is loud by nature, lower it. Conversely, if your voice is low, increase its volume. Keeping the phone about an inch from your mouth will help as well.
Tip #7: Use A High-Quality Headset – If you are using a headset, make sure it’s of high quality; your voice needs to sound exceptional. If your headset makes you sound like you are calling from a rusted tin can, toss it out and get a better one.
Tip #8: Summarize The Call/To Do List – At the end of the call, it is wise to summarize what the to-do list is as it is a great way to eliminate possible issues. Additionally, don’t forget to get a timeframe of when things will be done, too.
Executive Summary: When calling someone, always be mindful of the person you are calling. Keep the call professional and brief. Additionally, don’t forget to summarize the call. But most importantly, focus on the person you are calling; therefore, drop your cell phone and stop typing that e-mail as people know when you are distracted.

[Questions? larry@larrylitwin.com]