Public Relations

Celebrating Diversity Should Not End in August

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Editor’s Note: This post originally appeared on the PRSA Pittsburgh blog. While PRSA celebrated Diversity month in August, this blog is a great reminder how our profession can and should be inclusive year-round. 

In recent months, headlines of violent attacks, mass shootings and tragic moments have occupied the majority of our Facebook and Twitter feeds, causing many of us to question if society is progressing or regressing in its efforts to accept others. 

In a world often overwhelmed with hate and judgment, we as public relations professionals need to serve as thought leaders and celebrate diversity in the industry as well as encourage others to follow suit.

Luckily, PRSA dedicates the month of August to bring attention to diversity in public relations and facilitate inspiring conversations that hope to bridge any gap between diversity and the workplace.

Diversity Month, led by the PRSA National Diversity & Inclusion Committee, seeks to inform and educate the public relations profession about ongoing issues and concerns regarding diversity in public relations. According to PRSA, the committee’s mission is to make the Society more inclusive and welcoming by:

  • Reaching out to industry professionals of diverse racial backgrounds, ethnicities and sexual orientations,
  • Helping diversify the industry by supporting minority candidates who aspire a career in public relations by offering support in the development of industry knowledge, relevant skills and a network of professional contacts,
  • Bringing multicultural understanding and expertise to public relations professionals in order to address the diverse audiences in the nation.

With an array of interactive events, social programs and blog posts for members to explore and join the conversation, PRSA does a commendable job in raising awareness and celebrating the diverse backgrounds in the industry.

But acknowledging and discussing diversity should not end at the conclusion of August. Many companies have taken advantage of the resources PRSA has offered this month by holding diversity-focused meetings, participating in Twitter chats and collaborating with other organizations; however, as public relations professionals, we need to continue the conversation.

If your company is lacking in diverse efforts, get approval from your company’s leadership and begin by defining what diversity means to them. Diversity has a different meaning to everyone, but at its core means recognizing and accepting all individuals. Once you have established a definition, develop a strong committee to start conversations and initiatives.

If your workplace is already committed to creating a diverse environment, make sure all employees are aware of this inclusive mindset. The only way employees will truly know if their company accepts diversity is by seeing it firsthand, so by including your company’s diversity initiatives into leadership trainings and professional development workshops, your company will operate in a more cohesive manner.

Accepting diversity makes us smarter, more well-rounded as well as allows us to become more innovative and creative. This way of thinking and living should carry with us for more than one month out of the year. Keep the conversation of diversity and inclusion going long after August ends, and continue to maintain a work environment that is filled with acceptance.

jordan-mitrikJordan Mitrik is an account executive at Jampole Communications and serves as blog coordinator for PRSA Pittsburgh. He is a recent Waynesburg University graduate where he studied public relations and marketing. Connect with Jordan: Twitter | LinkedIn | Website 

PRSSA: How to Kick-Start a Relationship with Your PRSA Sponsor Chapter

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Editor’s Note: This blog originally appeared on the PRSSA Progressions blog. Whether you’re a college student or a New Pro, it’s important to build strong chapter relationships between PRSA and PRSSA.

The dynamic nature of the public relations profession, coupled with the current market saturation of recent and soon-to-be graduates, requires that students go above and beyond to create meaningful connections and make themselves stand out. One of the most valuable benefits of PRSSA membership is the opportunity to befriend and learn from local PRSA professionals.

The relationship between PRSSA and PRSA Chapters is an important one. PRSA sponsor Chapters provide mentorship, programming and fundraising assistance, training and industry insights, and students preparing for their careers need talented and engaged professionals to emulate. However, the day-to-day rigors of life, school and work can make managing these relationships especially challenging. As a PRSSA Chapter member or leader, here are some things you can do to kick-start your Chapter’s relationship with PRSA:

Help them help you. PRSA members are working professionals and contribute to PRSSA during their limited free time. They’re happy and eager to help, but it’s up to you to reach out and establish the foundation of a relationship. Don’t be afraid of the follow-up and always come prepared to talk about what help your Chapter could benefit from. Many times, PRSA professionals won’t know how to help you create a better member experience until you tell them.

Establish a constant. Because of the high turnover rate in PRSSA leadership, it’s difficult for Chapters to maintain meaningful relationships with PRSA annually. If you really want to leave a mark on your Chapter, create or utilize assets that can stand the test of time. Here are a few examples:

  • Create a tradition that requires your PRSSA Chapter and PRSA sponsor Chapter to interact at least once each year. You can create an event that brings professionals and students together, and allows the professionals to share and mentor. You can draw attention to your Chapter and create networking opportunities by inviting professionals to an entertaining event on-campus: Think (fun)draising, food and professional development.
  • Build a constant into your bylaws. If you take your Chapter’s relationship with its PRSA sponsor Chapter seriously, you will make it part of one of your officers’ duties or create a committee. Someone who is not the Chapter president needs to be responsible for making sure members have access to PRSA members — it’s that essential.
  • Use your Faculty or Professional Adviser to facilitate introductions. These people are tasked with counseling Chapter leadership and guiding members. Your Faculty and Professional Advisers are required to be PRSA members, so they should have ready access to your sponsor Chapter.

Be resourceful. PRSSA National has a wealth of resources available to you, as both a member and a leader. If you’re a Chapter leader and struggling to contact PRSA, you can reach out to: the vice president of professional development, the National Faculty Adviser or any other person on the PRSSA National Committee. Furthermore, consider reading the PRSSA/PRSA Relationship Manual or contacting someone in your area through theChampions for PRSSA directory — an exclusive PRSSA member benefit.

PRSSA members are the future leaders of the communications industry, and will one day be the CCOs and CMOs of the world’s most influential companies. It’s imperative professionals do a better job engaging, and students do a better job asking for that engagement.

gary-bridgensGary Bridgens is a project assistant in APCO Worldwide’s New York office and the former PRSSA National vice president of Chapter development. You can contact him via email at garybridgens@gmail.com and add him on LinkedIn.

#AskNewPros: Social Media Certifications

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This is part of our recurring #AskNewPros series. Do you have a burning question for PRSA New Pros? Ask us!

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Are there any certifications you wish you had or programs you wish you were familiar with walking into the job market?

These days, it’s incredibly common for young professionals to include “social media” in the Skills section of their resume. But isn’t there a difference between knowing how to share a photo on Instagram and being a true social media practitioner? Absolutely!

To stand out from the crowd, and help hiring managers understand that you really do have the ability to strategically use social media to reach audiences and convey key messages, consider receiving a certification – perhaps from the Hootsuite Academy or National Institute of Social Media.

tnqz_lgmJim Mignano is a Senior Account Executive at Text100 Global Communications specializing in technology and healthcare. He currently serves as the President of PRSA Rochester, and you can always find him on Twitter at @J_Mignano.

Building Trust in Public Relations

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Ethics… it’s just a matter of right and wrong, correct? Yes, but there are layers to being an ethical professional. Remember when PR was deemed the profession of spin? We’ve come a long way since then and in today’s media landscape, where everything is picked apart and scrutinized, we must remain trustworthy.

media-gatekeeperWhen covering ethics in public relations, there is a lot of mention of keeping the line of communication between the public and company, client and/or brand transparent, as well as legal. It’s a no brainer that public opinion is important but we must remember the gatekeeper, the middle man, better known as the media. Building trust between practitioner and the media is just as important because essentially, they are telling the public your story. One of PRSA’s core codes of conduct is the free flow of accurate and truthful information. That means building honest relationships with journalists, even if they become a close friend along the way. As ethical PR practitioners, we must play fair and keep an even working relationship between all members of the media. Yes, we should tailor each message depending on the interest of the publication and beat, but that doesn’t mean sending over confidential, inside information to a journalist just because you two are friends.

Being ethical doesn’t just mean avoiding bad situations. It is proactively doing what’s right, giving clear, correct, and complete information to the media while building meaningful relationships. Here are three essential rules to build trust between the media and the public:

  1. Do what you say you are going to do

As a PR professional, it is our primary job to communicate and disseminate information to the public. We are a resource and must be complete, accurate and timely at all times. Don’t be that PR person to hit up a journalist months before or after a issue is being printed with “new news” on the topic. They don’t care, you’ve missed your chance, and you’ve broken a tad bit of trust by wasting their time. We must remember that day to day, we work with a variety of people, companies, and industries that may not work in the same manner. Keep a trustworthy relationship with all stakeholders by meeting deadlines, responding to emails and phone calls, and fulfilling the duty of being a resource.

2. Focus on the relationship not the transaction

Trust comes with respect. If your primary connection with a person is based on press coverage, it is less likely they will come to you when they need a quote from an industry leader. How would you feel if a journalist clearly makes it known they primarily work with you because your company offers cool freebies or perks, you’d feel a little used. Don’t continuously send press releases and pitches without any other dialogue. Set time aside to really get to know the journalist and what they like, beyond their beat. Sometimes, working relationships are forced but to build solid relationships with the media remain open, transparent, and friendly.  

3. Remember the Golden Rule

The Golden Rule simply states, “Do unto others as you would like them to do to you.” How would you feel if you were on deadline and someone didn’t give you critical information needed? What would you think if you gave a journalist cool information on a new campaign, and they left out the hook that made the story interesting? Ethical public relations can be much simpler if we keep the Golden Rule in the back of our minds. Treat your client, the media, and the public with respect by practicing public relations with the highest ethical principles.

 

i-zthGPGn-XL-230x300Jasmine L. Kent, a member of PRSA-LA, is a fan of all things food and beverage, pop culture, and media. Combining all three passions, Jasmine builds community through engaging online marketing and dynamic events as an integrated communications professional in Los Angeles, CA. Keep up with her on Twitter and Instagram at @LoveJasPR or visit LoveJasPR.com.