Public relations and managing reputation

Two leading public relations recruiters talk in a rare and exclusive interview about the principles and approaches that underpin their methodologies, as well as what they believe makes for excellent practitioners and facilitates high-achieving careers in PR.

Whilst ex-journalists are not qualified and do not have the relevant experience to suddenly become the head of the organisational public relations function, they also have the potential to be great PR function heads, for a number of very valid reasons.

Ex-journalists are not qualified and do not have the relevant experience to be ‘parachuted’ into the head of the organisational public relations function. When this occurs, “it is a disaster waiting to happen”.

Ex-journalists should not be ‘parachuted’ into the head of the organisational public relations function. Discussions on this topic in a few LinkedIn groups. The responses were mainly defensive in character and most could not tear themselves away from a seeming obsession with media relations.

The defining theme of best practice public relations is that organisations which proactively create mutually meaningful and mutually beneficial relationships with their stakeholders are, “…more likely to develop relationships with their publics that make it possible to achieve organisational objectives and develop a positive reputation…”

When formulating round tables, public relations professionals need to decide whether to invite media to attend and whether to offer media exclusives. It is generally the major objective of a white paper process to gain positive media coverage for the ‘sponsoring organisation’, though there are a plethora of mechanisms through which the white paper content can be leveraged.

Aspects to be considered when considering the strategic power of round tables and white papers for public relations professionals include: getting potential participants to attend and extracting the best out of participants. Let’s also look laterally at a ‘different way’ of approaching round tables.

Round tables help public relations professionals achieve positive media coverage, enhance relationships with important organisational stakeholders and strengthen organisational positioning. The white paper, produced from a round table, resources issues-driven media campaigns (of which opinion pieces are likely to play a leading role), direct mail and online communication campaigns.

One of the most interesting, thought provoking and humorous Australian public relations blogs is justanotherpr, the product of the wild, fearless and intelligent Karalee Evans. I say one of the best Australian PR blogs, but really it’s one of my fave blogs on a global level.

In the B2B environment, op-eds (opinion pieces) can be much more effectively leveraged than in the B2C environment because they can be placed multiple times across different industry sectors. Op-eds are a valuable part of public relations and media relations strategies because of the media coverage they can generate.