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Don’t Take The High Ground in All of Your PR Efforts

Written by: Andy Marken

Article Overview: Plan when going on the offensive is right for your organization. Then act decisively.

Don’t Take The High Ground in All of Your PR Efforts

With all of the buffeting organizations – public and private – have taken in the past two years, public relations and communications educators and executives have taken the high ground in the books and articles they have written and the speeches they have given. Some have gone so far as to say honest corporate counsel is vital to an organization’s success and survival. Others have said we should be the corporate conscience and internal representative for all of the firm’s publics.

The words, statements and proclamations are an effective call to action for the field. They should serve as an inspiration and goal for seasoned professionals as well as men and women studying and entering the field.

But do they go far enough?

Long ago, someone first muttered the now famous words, “The Devil is in the detail.”

It is true in every field. Especially in public relations where to deliver on our commitment to deliver honest counsel, we must also deliver honest writing.

That includes our most basic of tools – the news release.

To illustrate what we mean, we have included examples of two “typical” releases public relations practitioners prepare on a continuing basis – new product and new executive. Read them both. We venture to say you’ll see something of a number of different releases you have prepared and sent out for your company.

Come on … admit it. We all have.

But what do they really mean? Everyone in the company loves the finely honed words. Will members of the media have the same positive response?

Probably not?

Let’s translate each of the releases.

New Product/New Relationship Release
Perhaps nothing is more meat and potatoes for PR people than the new product announcement. If you want to add credibility for the product you also include either an OEM contract that has been signed or a quote from an industry analyst.

Either works beautifully.

Editors and reporters receive literally hundreds of releases similar to this every week.

The first paragraph is filled with a throw-away positioning statement only your company believes. We only recall Avis proudly saying they were #2 and would try harder. Everyone else is the world leader, industry leader, market leader, and producer of advanced technology in the field or something similar.

Most of the rest of the lead is filled with adjectives that sound great and say nothing. In fact, most reporters will quickly rewrite the lead into a single sentence -- “VideoTonics has signed an OEM agreement with Aberts to bundle the firm’s VideoTonic IV video software with Aberts S5810 video-on-demand system.”

Next we have the very profound – and obligatory – CEO quote. You slaved for hours on every word. He, the company lawyer and his wife examined the quote in detail to make certain he was cast in the proper light of a true industry visionary. Obviously there had to be a very pro Aberts statement that showed they are at the head of the pack in the market.

The second quote is a similar waste of creative talent. Few editors or reporters will resort to the quotes that are included. If they want a comment or statement from an executive they will call or email you. How quickly you respond and arrange the interview determines how thoroughly the contract and product is covered. You have to always remember you are working on their time clock, not yours. PR people who respond “in due course,” receive the same level of coverage and respect from the media in return.

To really show your professionalism, send the release and then call to make certain they received it. It always shows the editor or reporter who only has your release to deal with that you are thorough and want to make absolutely certain the media properly interprets the release and does a good job of covering the announcement.

Key Executive Announcement
Company executive announcements are the second type of bread and butter release PR people prepare.

You never read of a president or senior executive being fired. They always resign for personal reasons or to pursue new opportunities. It is only mid and lower level staff members (and PR people) who get fired. They are usually laid off because of the sins of the last CEO or to pay the added compensation for the new CEO.

Fortunately in this release you get to tie together two closely related items – a new boss and the fact that:
A) She is going to sweep out all of the old team and replace them with her favorites
B) when things are totally confused the best thing to do is reorganize
C) the company is losing sales and money and fast action has to be taken to get everyone’s interest in marching in the same direction…or else.

The quote includes the usual gee the new CEO has a lot of experience, we’re really glad/lucky to find her and her predecessor got the ax because he was long on talk and short on action.

The personal background information is always selective rewriting of history. We don’t mention that the new CEO led bankrupt firms, was fired (oops resigned) from an earlier position or job-hopped every year or two. It is easier to say the new executive’s experience includes so you can pick and choose the past firms names that will look the best in print.

Of course, our new CEO is excited about joining the industry leader that has the best and most dedicated employees in the industry. Actually she received a juicy contract with some great options. The company is so well positioned and has achieved so much that she is going to shake everything up and install her own people before the old guard gets a chance to get to the board and get her fired.

The release says a lot more but you can read between the lines just as any decent editor or reporter will.

The final note on this release is another sure-fire method of ensuring you show your boss what a great job you are doing. After all, you gave them a great article to run and the least they can do is send you a clipping. Right?

Admit It
Hopefully without the editor’s notes at the end you have written releases like these. At one time or another we all have.

Part of it is natural. You really should believe you are working with a great company, with great products. You probably want everyone to know it…understand it…believe it.

The problem arises when your management and you become so enamoured with the creative prose that you forget you have two bosses. The one who signs the check and the one who determines whether your news gets published.

In today’s business world you have to understand that some mornings it just isn’t worth chewing through the restraints.

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