Public Relations

pr strategy… Do’s and Don’ts of Crisis Communication Management by Travis K. Kircher

New Professionals PR Blog 1 Comment

It was an undercover drug bust gone bad.

In the early morning hours of January 3, 2004, Police Detective Darren Richards (not his real name) was about to arrest a suspect who had allegedly tried to sell him narcotics in a convenience store parking lot. But 19-year-old Frederick Sizzle (also not his real name) decided he wasn’t going to be taken easily. They struggled. Richards drew his weapon. Sizzle tried to take it and an errant shot struck the pavement. Somehow Sizzle managed to fight Detective Richards off and he headed toward a nearby vehicle.

He never made it.

A few minutes later, Sizzle was dead with three bullets in his back.

The facts of the case are disputed. Detective Richards claimed he shot Sizzle out of self-defense when he thought he was reaching for a pistol. Eyewitnesses claim Sizzle never reached for anything and was in full retreat. A handgun was discovered in the waistband of Sizzle’s pants.

Additional facts: Frederick Sizzle was African American. Detective Darren Richards was Caucasian.

The case ignited a powder keg of racial tension in the city. The public was already on edge over a handful of previous police shootings that some said were questionable. As a result, local civil rights leaders scheduled weekly protests at police headquarters. They held several press conferences, along with Sizzle’s family, over a period of weeks, each hammering home their belief that Detective Richards was a trigger-happy, racist cop who was just looking for an excuse to shoot an African American. Before it was over, the riot gear was out, four protestors had been arrested and the police chief’s office window had been shattered.

The police department, on the other hand, refused to comment on a pending investigation. Detective Richards and his family refused to speak to the media on the advice of his attorney. The Commonwealth Attorney’s Office soon announced that a grand jury would be convened to determine whether Richards should be tried on murder charges.

* * *

That was the state of the case one Saturday weeks after the shooting. As an assignment editor at our local television news station, I had to find a story for our nightside crew, including a reporter and photographer, to cover. The choice seemed obvious: The day before, we’d received a press release from Detective Richard’s family indicating that a rally would be held in support of him. It looked as though we might finally be able to hear from his family to get their side of the story.

I quickly picked up the phone and dialed the contact number on the release. When a family member answered, I told them our news crew planned to be there and would love to speak with Richard’s friends and supporters.

His answer? I’m paraphrasing:

“We don’t want you there. We know how you hacks are in the liberal, drive-by media. You never want to tell our side of the story! All you want to do is trash the cops!”

I told him that the reason we hadn’t been able to tell their side of the story was because no one on their side would come forward to tell it, and that this would be the perfect opportunity to do just that.

“Yeah whatever,” he said (I’m paraphrasing again.) “We don’t want you anywhere on the property. It’s a closed-door meeting. Stay away from us!”

We did, and that night we ended up covering a different story that was so insignificant I can’t remember what it was. That conversation stands out to me as one of the more startling examples of how NOT to handle the media during a crisis. It was a bit confusing because (a) they had sent us a press release about the event, (b) nowhere on that release did it say it was a closed door event, and most importantly, (c) in the process of attempting to get their side of the story, we were accused of not being interested in getting their side of the story.

Did the conversation bias us toward the case one way or another? Certainly not.

Did it affect our ability to cover the story completely? It might have appeared that way to the viewer. When one side is talking while the other is mum, the tight-lipped often find public opinion rapidly turning against them.

When it comes to PR, there is a time for silence, but this wasn’t it.

How can folks who find themselves in similar situations respond more effectively?

1. Get a spokesperson. This doesn’t necessarily mean retaining the services of PR firm, but a good spokesperson has to have a basic understanding of the art of public relations. They also have to be able to build good relationships with the media. Sending conflicting messages and firing off accusations against them does nothing to accomplish that goal.

2. If you can’t comment on the case particulars, don’t—but say why. Some departmental policies or legal situations mandate silence, but the public often doesn’t understand this. In this case, the spokesman could have made this clearer: “Detective Richards is eager to explain what happened that night, but his hands are tied by police department policies that restrict public comments during internal investigations. He looks forward to the day when he’ll be able to talk more freely.”

3. Reach out to friends. He may not have been able to comment on what happened on the night in question, but Detective Richards was former U.S. Marine and a five-year police veteran. Perhaps there are citizens who could tell how his quick-thinking and brave response protected them from crime over the years. Perhaps Richards had African American friends and colleagues who could speak out in his defense and refute charges that he was racist. Friends, family members, old schoolmates, sports league teammates, fellow church members—all of these could work together, with the supervision of the spokesman, to paint a much more balanced picture in the mind of the public.

4. Get a good picture. When a major story like this one breaks, one of the first things the media is going to be asking for are pictures. They’ll want images of the suspect and any cops involved. In some cases, a single image can define an individual throughout any follow-up coverage in the weeks and months ahead. Whenever that story is mentioned, even in passing, stations will throw that image up. That can be a major problem if the only image the media has is an unflattering one—or worse yet—a mugshot. If this is the case, it’s important to have a more flattering picture and offer it to the media as an alternative on Day One.

5. Make sure statements or press releases are clear. When the media receives a news release, the immediate assumption is that the people sending the releases are looking for coverage. If you’re announcing a closed-door event, make sure the release makes it clear that it’s private and media will not be allowed on the premises. Otherwise, don’t send the release at all. Above all be truthful. Show the positive aspects of your case, but don’t spin or make dishonest statements.

“Detective Richards” was eventually tried for murder and found Not Guilty. He has since moved on with his life and his career. Had his supporters understood public relations more fully, his time in the limelight might have been less painful.

TRAVIS K. KIRCHER is a former TV news assignment editor and founder of WriteNow Creative Services LLC. He can be reached at tkircher@writenowcs.com.

getting the pr job… The Toughest Interview Question that Shouldn’t Have Surprised Me by Janet Krenn

New Professionals PR Blog 1 Comment

After I heard my interviewer pose the question, I felt stupid at not having thought of it during my interview practice. This question might easily be called a “classic”… or was it?

The Question

I was interviewing to work with an environmental agency, and I just told the interviewing committee that I was drawn to the mission of the organization. In short, I lobbed one at them.

“Clearly, you sound like you’d make a great advocate of our organization. But as a PR person, how do you balance advocacy with nonbias?”

For the first time during the interview, I sputtered. I should have seen that one coming, right? Journalism walks the nonbias line, and so PR does as well, if only by proxy.

Bias never became a problem with my PR activities in the past, but why?

I reasoned out an answer, admitting I was an advocate and adding I suppose bias never was a problem for me in the past because I don’t try to deceive anyone.

But I went home wondering, was there something in the question that I was missing? Did this question contain some trick that I missed, being a recent convert to the PR industry? This seemed plausible, as this was my first interview for a PR-specific position.

Consulting the Professionals

I decided to seek advice from our National PRSA LinkedIN group. The members of the National PRSA Group are very active, and very eager to help new professionals sort through their questions. I’ve posted to that group before and was never disappointed with the volume and quality of helpful responses.

Several professionals were kind enough to respond, including Alice Hohl who said, “I don’t think it’s really a valid question to ask of a PR person. Someone who is totally objective is not advocating for either side. That’s not really our role. That’s the role of the reporter…”

Other professionals confirmed her view, and made me feel better about the situation.

So, What Did We Learn?

How valuable is it to remain relaxed during an interview! Sure, I was nervous–and working on 4 hours of sleep on an overnight flight–but I was in control of my anxiety, and when the question of advocacy vs. nonbias came up, I showed I could think on my feet. (In the end, I was offered the position.)

You simply cannot predict every question you will get in an interview. Sometimes, you might think you should tell your interviewers what they “want” to hear. By the way the question was phrased, I was on guard, wondering if I soiled my integrity. If I was too nervous, I might have started backtracking. But remaining calm and relaxed allowed me to respond this left field question.

What Was the Toughest Question You Ever Got in and Interview?

I’m sure I’m not alone in getting tough questions during interviews! Leave some of the toughest interview questions you’ve ever received in the comments of this article. Between us, I bet we could build quite the list of interesting questions.

JANET A. KRENN is Communication Co-Chair of the New Professionals Section of PRSA. If you’re a member of the New Professionals Section, and you’d like to contribute to the New Pros’ blog, email her at janetqs(at)gmail dot com

pr strategy… Don’t Miss Opportunities to Get into the PR Limelight by Travis K. Kircher

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Imagine: Several Louisville, Ky. gas stations receive a shipment of tainted gasoline, causing the fuel gauges in customers’ vehicles to malfunction. It’s a story that affects everyone, and you can bet local stations will be covering it like hawks during all their morning, afternoon, and evening newscasts. All sorts of questions will be asked: What’s wrong with the gas? How does a fuel gauge work? Can it be fixed? How much is it going to cost? What does a fuel gauge look like? What are the warning signs that a fuel gauge is about to give out?

These are all questions easily answered by the owner of an auto shop. It’s great PR. He can stand there in front of his shop, with the company logo clearly visible behind him and his name and title in the chyron at the bottom of the screen, and tell a Kentuckiana audience how to care for their vehicles. And it’s free.

The trouble is, most of them won’t do it.

This actually happened in May 2004 while I was assignment desk editor in a television newsroom. I learned a lot about public relations during my four years on that side of the desk. In particular, I learned (1) There are a lot of opportunities for companies to take advantage of current events and get their names in the limelight, and (2) Most of those opportunities are missed because those companies fail to recognize them.

For those unfamiliar with the news business, an assignment editor acts as a sort of gatekeeper for what does and doesn’t make it on the airwaves. They monitor police scanners, and if something breaks, will occasionally dart about the newsroom, madly shouting to anyone who will listen that the sky is falling and the station had better get a news crew to wherever the pieces land. They coordinate with government officials, as well as police, fire and EMS representatives to make sure that press conferences are covered and that no one flies the news chopper too close to that SWAT standoff. In short, assignment editors keep track of news crews and help them get where they need to be when they need to be there. And for some stories that don’t get reporters, assignment editors will set up sources and send photographers to shoot them–with cameras, I mean.

Flashback to May 2004: It’s three hours before the next newscast. I’m sitting at my desk madly thumbing through the Yellow Pages calling local auto shops and practically begging them to let us do a 5:00 live shot in their parking lot. The answer from all of them: no.

You call the big chains, the ones that have shops all over the U.S., first because they’re the “big guys.” But they give the most annoying answer of all: ‘You’ll have to leave a message with our Director of Public Relations. He’s out today, but he should get back with you tomorrow.’

They don’t understand that there’s no such thing as “tomorrow” in the TV news business. There is only the next three hours.

After several tries, I finally found the owner of an auto shop in who would let our reporter interview him in front of his business. The kind owner of a parts store in downtown Louisville let us borrow a fuel gauge and I dropped it off with our reporter on my way home, just minutes before she demonstrated it in her live shot.

The point is, a good PR director wouldn’t wait for the news media to call them. A good PR director recognizes good opportunities and pounces on them. And fast. Like in a matter of minutes.

Summer is coming up. Suppose we get a weeklong stretch of 100-degree temperatures. Ice cream franchises, that’s your opportunity to be in the spotlight. Why not make a phone call or send a press release inviting the local stations to one of your stores? That goes for all you folks at health centers too. People frolicking in the pool make a great weather live shot.

Suppose a New York City accountant is busted–Bernie Madoff-style–in a bad ponzi scheme. Local accountants, what a great opportunity to be featured as a guest on the noon show to talk about how consumers can protect themselves from scams. That viewer may become your next client.

Suppose there’s another (gasp) winter ice storm like we saw here in Louisville last February. Newsrooms all over the city will be calling home repair shops asking to talk to someone about the number of space heaters flying off the shelves. The typical answer: You need to talk to Bob. He’ll be back next week. You can chat with him then.

Don’t even get me started on all the retail store PR directors who are COMPLETELY unavailable on Black Friday. That should be the most important day of their careers!

The point is, any company looking for good PR opportunities needs to have its finger on the pulse of news. Current events can be the perfect gateway to great exposure. And it’s free. Don’t let another opportunity be wasted. This message was brought to you by a former assignment editor.

TRAVIS K. KIRCHER is an independent copywriter and founder of WriteNow Creative Services. He resides in Louisville, Ky., and still wonders why it’s called “The Bluegrass State” when the grass is green like anywhere else. He can be reached at tkircher@writenowcs.com.

Thoughts and Fears of a PR Newbie

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With only one official year under my belt, I am still asking myself the same questions I had the day I graduated. Am I good enough? What am I worth as a professional? What do I have to offer?

I would be willing to bet that many of you are asking yourselves the same questions. Maybe you took a job that is less than what you had expected or wanted, and are now feeling unchallenged and underappreciated. Or maybe you feel ready to move ahead in your career, but are having a hard time finding the right fit for you.

How exactly do you overcome these feelings of intimidation and, sometimes, anxiety?

Here are some things that I have found to be extremely helpful in strengthening the beginning of my career:

• Evaluate yourself on a regular basis.

What do you do? Do you like it? Have your projects been successful? What are some ways that you can improve? What would you like to be working on? How can you incorporate that into your daily tasks?

Ask yourself an insane amount of questions and answer them truthfully. You’ll be surprised what you’ll learn about yourself.

• Make every moment of your job count.

Yes, this is so very obvious, but so very important. There are times when my workload is extremely light… or nonexistent. This is when I really dig deep into my skill set and find ways to improve how I work.

Another thing you can do is look into your company’s sales/marketing materials, press kits, and other documents and think of ways that you would update them. If you feel confident about your ideas, share them with your superiors (they’ll be surprised by your initiative).

• Do freelance work.

Besides looking great on a resume, freelancing is tons of fun and allows you to explore other talents that you don’t get to use in your full-time job.

Sometimes you’ll have to take several jobs with no compensation, so it’s important to find something that you enjoy doing or that you really care about.

• Volunteer.

Again, this looks good on a resume, and can also be a lot of fun and rewarding. Many organizations are looking for extra help in their public relations/communications efforts. If you feel passionate about an issue or organization, form relationships and offer to help whenever a need arises.

Doing these things will not only strengthen your professional skills and image, but it will teach you so much about yourself as an individual.

Have a few more tips that you’d like to share? Leave a comment and tell us about it!

About Paige Presley: With a public relations degree from Middle Tennessee State University and experience in both corporate and agency public relations, Paige now serves as a marketing assistant at Lightning 100, Nashville’s favorite independent radio station. She is also the Chapter Development Committee Chair for the PRSA New Pros group.When she’s not at work, Paige enjoys taking on various freelance projects and volunteer activities with organizations like the American Red Cross and NashvillePAW magazine.(This post can also be found here.)

It Is About Building Relationships

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by Jim Haynes, APR, Fellow PRSA, jhaynes1102@sbcglobal.net

Make your copy clear and concise.
Write with the audience in mind.
Know your purpose:
* Inform/educate
* Motivate
* Entertain
Write short sentences.
Use active verbs.
Use simple words.
Get to the point quickly.
Check your facts.
Proof. Proof. Proof. (Spell checker results are not reliable. Check this: “Its letter perfect awl the weigh; my checker tolled me sew.”)
Know your audience.
* Write what they know and understand.

* Don’t assume that they know the meaning of acronyms and jargon.
* Use terms they use.
* Ask one of them to check your work.
If you use an abbreviation or acronym, explain it.
Use the style appropriate for the medium.
Use the styles prescribed by the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook for print media and the AP Broadcast News Handbook for broadcast media.
Play the hand you’re dealt
Be sure your writing advances the organization’s objectives.
Get the level of management’s approval that’s needed.iWriting:

Write in “chunks”—headline, then a “brief” or lead, then text (More).
Understand that the user gets to decide how deep to read or scan.
Make each “chunk” useful.
iButtons and iLinks:
Limit each to 1-3 words.
Make them clear and precise.
Break your text into chunks.
Limit paragraphs to 2-3 short sentences.
Provide a link option for the full-text version.
Writing the effective iHeadline:
Make it short, and stand-alone.
Include both a subject and a verb.
Make the tense present or future.
Limit it to 10 words.

Finally: Let it rest!
Leave it overnight.
Take another look the next day.
You’ll probably find ways to improve it.

—

Mr Haynes is a partner and director for QuickSilver Interactive Group, Inc. of Dallas, and is a member of PRSA’s national Board of Directors. He has taught PR at four universities and served as assistant dean at The University of Texas at Austin. He also is the co-author of the textbook Public Relations Writing: Form & Style.