Public Relations' Best Practices: Insight From a Pro
THE LEDE
The relationship between public relations and newsrooms is complicated and, sometimes, at odds. The best PR helps a journalist tell a story that people will care about. Less-targeted PR can get overlooked and not meet a client’s goals. We’re fascinated by PR, and wanted to get you the latest, best advice about its role. So, this week’s Q&A is with Barbara MacLeod, the co-founder and owner of CrossCurrent Communications, a boutique PR firm in Portsmouth, NH.
IMAGE: Barbara MacLeod, CrossCurrent Communications
What is the primary job of a public relations company? How has it changed in the last 20 years?
A public relations firm works with organizations, businesses, and individuals to create and manage effective communications for any public facing effort — be it website content, newsletters, media outreach, social media, or marketing. Twenty years ago, public relations was focused on building a positive image for clients and achieving favorable media placement. As communications tools changed dramatically in the last fifteen years, so has the field of PR. There is much more to manage than simply media relations. PR now entails a variety of ways to build visibility and awareness. Social media has had a huge impact on the field; it allows for direct access to customers and a target audience but it’s also a minefield that can lead to missteps that turn into a PR crisis. Reputation management has become a more important aspect of PR. In addition, the decimation of local media news outlets has created opportunities for submitting well-written news releases that can be published as is — if they are carefully crafted with quotes that round out the story.
There has also been a big shift in the power dynamic. I can be a successful PR person (although I prefer to use the term “Communications Consultant” because it’s broader and avoids the negative connotations associated with PR.) even if a news release or event doesn’t get coverage. For example, if I stage a news conference for a client and no reporters show up, it’s no longer a total bust like in the old days. We can still record what is said and bring the information/video directly to our audience.
At its best, what can public relations accomplish for a client?
Strong public relations can create an understanding and bring attention to a nonprofit or company’s differentiators, values, culture, strengths, people, and overall brand. Bringing in a PR professional in the early stages of a company launch, brand development, digital marketing campaign, push for news coverage, or content development strategy is key to avoiding future pitfalls. Many a digital marketing campaign falls flat when creatives do not have an understanding of the news landscape, current events, public consciousness, or social media posting impacts.
Lots of people in PR come from news. (You were a reporter and anchor.) Why is that? Is it always a good fit?
At the heart of all communications is effective messaging and compelling storytelling. That’s why it’s such a common second career path for journalists. We know how to be succinct, pull out salient information, avoid spin, and have an understanding of broad audiences. As former reporters turned PR professionals, we know what the media needs and how to get them information, interviews, and quotes quickly. Reporters are not easily impressed or intimated, therefore we are often the ones who can ask the unpopular questions and put our reporter’s hat on when writing anything about a client. For instance — is what the company is saying truthful? Does the product actually work? It’s surprising to me how far into a marketing campaign a business will pursue without answering those basic questions. And as a communications consultant, my role is to think through every possible scenario and prepare the company principals, however unlikely those scenarios may seem. That includes asking the hard questions that their employees or team members would prefer to avoid. I find that business owners, politicians, community leaders appreciate frank feedback, even if it’s difficult for them to hear.
It’s a learning curve to go from a career in newsrooms to PR. There’s a lot of bureaucracy involved in business that as journalists, we don’t have to deal with. Reporters generally cut to the chase and don’t waste time. I have learned to be more patient with clients, listen to their needs and concerns, create a process for engaging stakeholders so it’s less top down and more democratic because public relations often involves community relations. In my experience, It’s usually best that people feel heard so that they are on board for whatever initiative is being pushed forward.
There is a relationship between PR and newsrooms that’s hard to define to people who’ve never been on either end of the equation. You’ve been a journalist and a PR pro. How would you characterize that relationship?
Newsrooms get so many pitches that it just becomes noise. That’s why relationships are still a key part for both reporters and PR pros. I share story ideas with reporters that have nothing to do with clients - it’s just my news instinct and desire to be helpful. I also refuse to pitch nonstories. No reporter wants to feel managed by a PR person. It’s the worst! However, former journalists turned PR people know how to thread that needle of being helpful to a reporter while not being a nudge. We also understand that the media needs facts, not wishful thinking or self-serving spin. Former reporters are also extremely adept at crisis management. As both consumers and creators of news content, we understand how quickly a bad quote, social media post slip-up, inappropriate photo, etc. can spiral quickly out of control. It’s why media training is essential for all leaders and spokespeople.
You have a “boutique” operation. What is the advantage of using a less employee-intensive firm?
I tend to work with owner-managed companies because I want to deal with the decision makers. I don’t enjoy dozens of emails and meetings to get to an answer. I also find that they value their own time and mine, so efficiency is appreciated on both sides. I also have a lot of nonprofit clients because they are mission driven and it’s easier to be successful at PR when organizations are not simply profit driven. I like things done a certain way so my eyes are on everything that CrossCurrent Communications does. Having too many projects and too many people/staff to manage can be chaotic. I would rather have fewer clients with long-term relationships that I do an excellent job for than to grow the company. It also gives me maximum flexibility.
What’s the best advice you’ve heard about public relations?
Tell the truth.
Anything else we should know?
I love being my own boss. There are challenges to being a small business owner but I am done with corporations dictating whether I am successful or not.
Thanks to Barbara MacLeod for sharing her insights. If you think you’re a candidate for our Q&A, please email me.
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NEWS AND NOTES
CNN CUTTING BACK ON DOCUMENTARIES AND ORIGINAL SERIES: The cost-cutting moves at CNN continue, as the network has announced it is no longer going to buy documentaries and original TV series. Chris Licht, CNN chairman, made the announcement in an email. Here’s what The New York Times reported:
In an email to employees, Mr. Licht said that the network would be moving away from those movies and shows, which include “Navalny,” “RBG” and “The Burning of Black Wall Street,” and original TV series such as “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.”
Instead, Amy Entelis, CNN’s executive vice president for talent and content development, will explore creating a studio focused on long-form content.
So, say goodbye to shows like “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy” and docs like “RBG.” The Times reports there will be layoffs at CNN as a result of the new policy.
DISNEY+ TO STREAM “GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY HOLIDAY SPECIAL”: There’s big news for MCU and “Guardians of the Galaxy” fans. Disney+ is releasing “The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special” later this month. The plot (as near as I can tell by watching the preview) revolves around the character of “Peter Quill” (played by Chris Pratt) and how his friends try to cheer him up at Christmas. Director James Gunn told RadioTimes.com that the special is the “greatest thing I’ve ever done”:
“It’s totally ridiculous, and every day we can’t believe that we’re making it. We all completely love it. It is unlike anything that anyone’s ever seen before. I can’t wait for people to see it.
“The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special” will be released on Disney+ on November 25th.
“LINKEDIN STYLE” DISCUSSION HEATS UP: Last week, I wrote about how I didn’t care for the one-sentence-per-paragraph writing that I’ve dubbed “LinkedIn Style.” Here’s what I wrote - in “LinkedIn Style”:
There was criticism, and that’s OK. Strong opinions elicit strong criticism. But most of those who disagreed were polite. There was only one person in the “disagree” camp who became insulting. The rest of the conversation is very interesting.
The top argument FOR writing in “LinkedIn Style” is that it’s what’s expected, and that it gets more engagement. People like short and punchy items to read online. That’s why we have listicles. They work. And it’s hard to argue with results.
I maintain this format is “writing lite” and takes away from quality communication. Were I to be looking to hire someone, seeing this format would turn me off. Even if you’re not looking to be a writer, the quality of one’s writing still counts.
However, I also recognize the irony that my original post has drawn thousands of reactions — far more than I usually get.
Recommended by LinkedIn
Thanks to those who shared the original post, including strategist Nial Legerton, journalism/marketing pro Greg Anderson and HR pro Kristi Davin, last week’s Q&A subject.
LINKS AND LIKES
THE FOLLOWING COLUMN WAS WRITTEN BY AI: Ubersuggest, the SEO-optimization company, has rolled out a tool that “writes” articles based upon topics. I was skeptical, but I tried it. This entry was written by Ubersuggest’s “AI Writer.” The prompt I input was “journalism.” I only made a couple of tweaks, mostly for format. Here is the AI-written column:
Journalism 101: How To Write A Great Story
Journalism is an art form that has been around since ancient times. It involves gathering information from different sources and presenting it in a way that makes sense to readers. The term "journalism" comes from the French word for "writing." In modern times, journalists report on events happening all over the world. They also write articles about people and places.
Here are five tips for journalists on how to write a great story:
Start with a good story idea.
Journalists need to start with a good story idea before they begin writing. This means having a clear understanding of what the story will cover. If you're not sure where to start, consider asking yourself questions such as: What's interesting about this subject? Why should I care? Who else would find this interesting?
Find the right people to interview.
Once you've decided on a story idea, you'll need to identify who might be able to provide the information you need. You can do this by contacting experts in the field, checking out online forums, or searching social media sites.
Interview them.
If you're looking for more information on how to write a good story, check out these tips from the American Society of Journalists and Authors. They offer some helpful advice on how to interview people and what questions to ask when conducting interviews. (ED NOTE: This did not come with the aforementioned tips or links to them.)
Edit and polish your work.
You should edit and polish your writing before submitting it to editors. This includes proofreading and editing your work as well as making sure it's grammatically correct.
Publish!
Once you've written your story, you need to publish it online so people can read it. There are several ways to do this. One option is to use a website called Medium.com. They offer free accounts to anyone who wants one. Another option is to post your article on social media sites like Facebook or Twitter.
(Me again): That’s the end of the AI Writer’s column. It’s nothing deep, and has a terrible opening paragraph. Most of the advice is OK, if generic. The “Interview Them” section doesn’t work, mostly because it promises tips but doesn’t include links. Tell me what you think, in the comments section.)
BEYOND THE REMOTE
TRYING A TWITTER ALTERNATIVE: Within 24 hours of Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover, the racists came roaring back. I won’t link to their tweets but, if you can bring yourself to do it, search a racist phrase and you’ll see the bigots are back, big time. And they are celebrating.
This has prompted people to wonder if there are alternatives to Twitter, that are still micro-sharing platforms. This past week, I joined web-based CounterSocial, which looks like what Twitter would be if it were only available on Tweetdeck:
CounterSocial (URL: Counter.Social) is clearly drawing more from the left. The people who are on there talk about being “refugees from Twitter” and many are upset about Twitter’s new direction. Most who are on CounterSocial (known also as CS and CoSo) are friendly and welcoming. Negative people aren’t welcome. Switching from Twitter to CS is the social equivalent of leaving high school and finding your friends in college.
It is not perfect. The web-based interface is not as user-friendly as it could be. The app crashed over the weekend.
But we have to keep in mind that, just since Friday, the number of CS users has skyrocketed. Twitter had lots of crashes in its early days (remember the “Fail Whale?”). CounterSocial appears to be a legitimate contender in the micro-blogging space. Whether that’s enough to sustain an actual business is another question; there isn’t enough ad money out there to support all of these social platforms. CounterSocial has, according to its own metrics, just over 110,000 users - a tiny base, compared to Twitter’s 200 million active users.
DOES YOUTUBE USE A LOT OF DATA? YouTube can be a great resource, but it can also cost a lot to watch a video if you’re not careful. Of course, this doesn’t apply to watching via WiFi. But if you’re on a data plan watching YouTube, you can use a lot of data. According to makeuseof.com, here is how much data an hour of YouTube consumes, broken down by the resolution of the video:
There’s no reason to watch very high definition videos on your phone. You will not see a “clearer” picture from the 4K feed than you would on the 1080p feed. And while you may notice a difference between the 480p feed and the 1080p feed, is it really worth using up four times as much data?
My advice when using YouTube on your mobile device is to minimize the frame rate. Videos will often give you a choice of resolution, so pick one that’s clear - but not overkill - so that you’re not wasting your data plan.
PLEASE BUY ME A COFFEE: If you’ve liked my work, I welcome donations. The “Buy Me Coffee” website lets you send as little as $5, easily. If you’re so inclined to tip the writer, hit the link below. Thank you.
REMOTE NOTES
Newsletter #28
Edited by John Cockrell
Copyright 2022
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