Tag Archives: Don Beehler

14 Traits of Highly Effective Ad Agency PR Spokespersons

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Having served as spokesman for a large international organization as well as for a variety of agency clients, I can attest that it is a challenging job, especially when dealing with hostile reporters who are trying to trip you up or make you look bad.

Being a spokesperson can be a high pressure chore, especially when you’re in the middle of a controversy or crisis. As the face and voice of the agency (or one of your clients), what you say can positively or negatively affect relationships with stakeholders, clients, competitors and other important audiences.

There weren’t any “Spokesperson 101” elective courses when I was in college, and I’d be surprised if there are many today. Absent a specific course on the subject, the best preparation is good media training, but even with such training I’ve found that the art of being an effective spokesperson is best learned through experience.

An important part of any ad agency PR initiative is finding a person well suited for the role of representing your agency to the world. Depending on your agency’s size and delegation of responsibilities, the role of spokesperson likely will go to one of the principals or to the highest-level PR person. (In some cases that person may be both.)

But more important than the person’s specific role in the agency is to possess certain traits. Obviously the person who serves as spokesperson must be knowledgeable about the agency, industry and specific topic at hand, but it takes more than that to be successful. Some things can be learned through experience, but there’s also a certain personality type that thrives in this job.

Here’s my list of 14 “must have” traits for an effective ad agency spokesperson:

1. High integrity; you can trust what this person says
2. Excellent communicator who is clear, concise and articulate
3. Able to reframe an issue in a positive way without sounding contrived
4. Well prepared
5. Likable personality
6. Confident but not cocky
7. Cool under pressure
8. Able to think on his or her feet
9. Not easily rattled
10. Doesn’t get defensive
11. Able to laugh at himself or herself
12. Learns from his or her mistakes
13. Takes criticism well and uses it to improve
14. X factor

The last one, which I’ve called the “X factor,” is something I can’t define—I just know it when I see it. If you think about good spokespeople you’ve observed over the years, you’ll see this X factor in them. Former White House Press Secretary Tony Snow had it. He possessed a sunny disposition and always struck me as someone who was born for that role. The not-so-good ones lack it. You can probably think of some of those folks on your own.

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13 Ways to Build Ad Agency PR in 2013

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If you’re looking to build your ad agency’s reputation this year, here are 13 PR tips for 2013. If your agency is already doing all these things, you’re doing well PR-wise—just keep up the good work this year and make sure you maintain a consistent effort.

If you’re doing some but not all of these things, consider adding the ones you’ve not yet tried and see how, over time, they enhance your visibility and boost your new business efforts.

If your agency is not doing any of these—wow, it’s high time you started taking PR more seriously because you’re likely losing business to competitors who are engaged in these activities.

  1. Fine tune your agency’s messages so that you can convey your expertise clearly and concisely.
  2. Shorten your pitch. In this age where sound bites, e-mail subject lines and Twitter characters dominate, it’s vital to “do more with less” by making your pitch a quick read that immediately gets to the point.
  3. Regularly update your media list. People come and go, and failing to keep up to speed on who is covering your industry can be costly. Resources like Bulldog Reporter and Bacon’s Media Directories not only provide the latest listings of reporters’ contact information and the industries they cover, but they also have valuable insights on each reporter’s preferred method of contact, their deadlines and pet peeves, etc.
  4. Get to know at least one reporter who covers your niche each quarter. That’s just four people this year, which is very manageable but could have a huge payoff. Not sure where to start? Try following the reporter you’re targeting on Twitter, Facebook and/or his or her blog. Not only will you learn a lot about this reporter’s interests, but you’ll also discover opportunities to comment and interact.
  5. Get to know at least one blogger who covers your niche each quarter. Read that person’s blog regularly, comment when you have something worthwhile to add to the conversation, and when the time is right ask for an opportunity to submit a guest post.
  6. Utilize a new channel, such as LinkedIn Answers, to help others seeking information and to position yourself as an expert.
  7. Subscribe to receive daily e-mail updates from Help A Reporter Out (HARO),  BloggerLinkUp and RadioGuestList, and review them each day. These are free resources that bring interview opportunities to you.
  8. Keep an eye out for opportunities to comment about what’s already in the news, such as trends or breaking news. Google Alerts can help you keep on top of news related to your niche, but you must act quickly because the media will soon be on to the next story.
  9. When you see a story about a topic that you could have provided some great insights and commentary, rather than bemoaning the fact that you weren’t included in it, get in touch with the writer, tell him or her how much you liked the story, and then add an insight or two based on your experience. Close your note by offering to be a source for future stories related to the topic and thank the reporter for considering you down the road.
  10. Use one or more paid online news release distribution services like PRWeb to expand your reach and generate buzz. A steady stream of news through these services will draw the attention of reporters and bloggers covering your industry, and also make it easier for prospects to find you.
  11. Create an e-newsletter to comment on trends in the industry, and as you meet reporters and bloggers, ask if they’d like to be added to your mailing list. This keeps you front and center, and may trigger story ideas from those who read it. If nothing else, you’ll stay on their radar as a source when they do stories in your area of expertise.
  12. Tell your agency’s story visually whenever possible. Photo sharing, infographics and visual story telling are growing at an incredible rate. This year it’s estimated that more than 90% of Internet traffic will be video based, and more than 800 million unique users visit YouTube each month. Pinterest is now one of the most popular social networks. Your prospects are there—are you?
  13. Keep your blog current and its content top-notch. (You do have a blog, don’t you? If not, this is the year to start one.) Great content is one of the most important ways you can build a following among your

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Trust Is the Core Issue in Instagram PR Controversy

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This week’s Instagram flap once again shows how quickly a crisis can escalate when a company is perceived to have crossed a social mores line.

After reports circulated around news sites and the Internet that Instagram (which is owned by Facebook) essentially considered your photos its photos—and therefore could use or even sell them without your permission—scores of indignant users reportedly dropped the service.

Here’s what got people so riled in the new privacy policy update:

“[y]ou agree that a business or other entity may pay us to display your username, likeness, photos (along with any associated metadata), and/or actions you take, in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions, without any compensation to you.”

That wording seemed to indicate that Instagram had the right to sell photos to third parties at will, and then pocket the money.

The reaction was swift and angry. Instagram quickly went into crisis mode and issued a clarification. Turns out it was all a big misunderstanding due to poor communication and Instagram does not plan to sell your photos after all. Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom said the company is working on revised language to make it more clear what will happen with users’ photos.

According to a Chicago Tribune story, Mr. Systrom also stated, “language that indicated your photos could be used in advertisements will be removed from the terms completely.”

Instagram was smart to jump on this quickly, issue a clarification and also say it is listening to feedback, will fix mistakes and clear up the confusion. So, gold star for taking this seriously and saying the right things in a timely manner.

But I have to wonder about a couple of things that still bother me.

First, how could language like “you agree that a business or other entity may pay us to display your username, likeness, photos…” get out in the first place? There should have been red flags everywhere. Wasn’t there at least one person in authority at Instagram who saw that wording and thought, “Gee, I wonder if this might create a bit of controversy?”

Maybe there was someone who raised the issue, but senior management chose to ignore it. We may never know.

Which leads me to my second point: Instagram surely must know that most people don’t take the time to read all the details of policy updates. And that make me wonder if what was really happening here was that management was trying to slip this through and got caught.

Whether or not the wording was intentional, trust has been broken with many thousands of Instagramers, and it will take more than a policy clarification to restore it.

The best way to avoid problems like this is to identify and handle them before they ever get out of the barn.

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to advertising agencies and businesses.

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The Hidden Cost of Paid Website Content to Ad Agency PR

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Last week as I was monitoring coverage of a news release I distributed for a financial services client, I went to a business website that has been on my media list longer than I can remember.

And right toward the top, there was a headline based on the release with a hyperlink to the article. When I clicked on the link, much to my surprise I got a message saying:

“This content is exclusive to subscribers.”

My options were to subscribe for a minimum of a year or pay $7.50 to purchase the article. Content that used to be free now came at a price

I hate to sound cheap, but paying $7.50 to access a website article that probably was no more than a page or two when printed out seems a bit high to me. And I really wasn’t excited about subscribing to content that used to not cost me a thing.

But my real concern was that only subscribers could see a story which previously would have been available to anyone with Internet service.

How many business people subscribe to this site? I haven’t a clue. And of that number, how many would be interested in a financial services story and take the time to read it?

What I do know is that the potential audience for my client’s story had been significantly limited.

I understand that the website needs revenue to remain a going concern, but I really wonder if charging for access to articles is something that will come back to bite it.

If I were looking at a place to give a business exclusive for a client, I’d think twice about a news website that charges for access.

It’s true that most newspapers and magazines charge a subscription or individual copy fee, but somehow with online it seems different. A newspaper or magazine I can hold in my hands. (Yes, I’m familiar with Kindle, but in this case I was after an article, not a book.)

From what I’ve read, quite a few people are bulking at paying for website content.

As newspapers and magazines continue to struggle to survive, it will be interesting to see if paying for access to news websites—especially to sites that primarily cover local or regional business news like this one—will be a successful model.

One international survey found that nearly half the respondents would consider paying for online access to a magazine, and a little over 40% for online newspaper content—if they thought the content was worth the price.

That may sound like a good percentage, but as a PR person I’m thinking of the other 50-60% who won’t pay—and therefore will never see a client’s story.

That’s a hidden cost I’m not yet ready to pay.

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to advertising agencies and businesses

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This past week was not a good for print news media.

For starters, a PewResearchCenter poll found that only 29% of Americans surveyed said they read a newspaper the previous day, with only 23%  reading a print version.

The survey also found that Americans still like to read, with 51% saying they enjoy reading a lot, but an increasing number of them are reading papers digitally.

Print magazine and book reading are also down significantly, the poll found.

Then, it was disclosed that “senior figures” at the UKGuardian and Observer newspapers were “seriously discussing” ending print editions and going entirely online.

Finally, Newsweek announced that it will go to an all-digital format, ending a nearly 80-year reign in print. In covering this announcement The Wall Street Journal noted, “The switch will make Newsweek the most widely read magazine yet that has given up on the print media, a signpost of how traditional print news outlets are being battered by an exodus of readers and advertisers to the Web.”

In today’s edition of The Journal, “Sentiment Tracker: A computational analysis of the conversations on social networks,” found only 10% saying they’ll miss the print version. The following are a few snippets of online reaction, as reported by The Journal:

  •  “Congratulations to Newsweek: You are now a blog!”
  • “No one bought the mag. And no one will subscribe for digital membership.”
  • “The problems are deeper than the digital revolution.”
  • “Will all magazines be doing this soon?”

For many of the surviving print publications, these pressures have resulted in reductions of staff and coverage, and in my opinion their overall quality and relevance have suffered.

A print newspaper that once dominated a market now finds itself facing competition from Internet sites that focus on local news, as well as blogs. To make matters even worse, many people are not willing to pay for online news.

For PR people, there’s good and bad news in all this. The bad news is that it’s getting tougher to get stories placed in print publications. But on the positive side, more choices exists for outlets to cover news and feature stories.

A number of years ago I had a medical client in another state that wanted publicity in the local market. One newspaper dominated the entire market. I crafted one good story pitch after another, each of which had a strong local angle—only to find each one rejected by the local paper.

This client did quite a bit of advertising with the local paper, so one day I decided to call the ad rep and see if I could get some insight into why I was having such difficulty getting anyone at the paper to give me the time of day. After sharing my tale of woe, the ad rep replied, “I hear that all the time!”

She went on to disclose a bit of her frustration—as well as the frustration expressed by so many of the local advertisers with whom she was in regular contact—that the editorial staff simply refused to consider ideas from the outside. If the reporters didn’t come up with the idea, it wasn’t worth exploring.

That sort of arrogance, combined with being out of touch with the community the paper served, is one example of why so many people are looking elsewhere for news and information.

Most print newspapers also have an online version these days, but if they aren’t covering stories their customers want to hear about, neither format is going to do very well in the face of increased competition.

Another benefit to the explosion of online for ad agency and small business PR is that much more information is available about the types of stories particular reporters are interested in covering, along with their personal preferences, likes and dislikes. You can learn a lot by reading a reporter’s blog, online archive of stories or by following him/her on Twitter or Facebook.

Of course the reason winners are consumers, because they now have more choices than ever for where and how they get their news. Print reporters would do well to consider that before automatically dismissing story ideas because they didn’t think of them first.

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to advertising agencies and businesses.

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Decline of Print Media Presents Challenges and Opportunities for Ad Agency PR

Six Ways for Ad Agencies PR to Counter Media Bias

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When I started my PR career in the mid-80s, I believed that most reporters tried to be fair and objective, in spite of their personal feelings. I can no longer say that’s the case.

While media bias has always been an issue that plagued politicians, business leaders, clergy and others, the problem seems to have gotten exponentially worse—to the point where much of the national media in particular have become advocates for a particular worldview, focusing their efforts on shaping news rather than reporting it.

Not surprisingly, a recent Gallup survey found that distrust in the media has hit a new high, “with 60% saying they have little or no trust in the mass media to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly.”

And no wonder—the bias is hard to miss. Rush Limbaugh has frequently played sound bites from one independent media outlet after another repeating the same word or phrase when discussing a person or event, making it embarrassingly clear that there was discussion among these reporters about how to slant their coverage.

There was a time when editors could be shamed into taking corrective action when a reporter’s bias became too obvious, but generating shame is getting harder and harder to do. Many of today’s national reporters and editors have an agenda, and promoting that agenda is far more important to them than practicing integrity in their craft.

The bias in this year’s election campaign has been the worst I’ve ever seen. One of numerous examples I could site was a Republican debate in which George Stefanolopous, out of the blue, raised the issue with Mitt Romney of denying women contraceptives. Romney appeared to be caught off guard and simply indicted that he was not advocating that at all—it hadn’t even been discussed. It was, in fact, a “when did you stop beating your wife” set-up question from the start.

The spin was became “Romney was talking about banning contraceptives,” and the next thing you know there’s a ridiculous and absolutely phony charge of a Republican “War on Women.” But in the world of politics and PR, once you’re on the defensive with such a volatile issue it’s hard to recover quickly. It’s a good example of how fundamentally deceptive and dishonest the news media can be, knowingly framing an issue in a manner that has no grounding in reality.

Another less obvious bias is in choosing what to report and emphasize, and what to downplay or ignore altogether. But that’s a topic for another post.

Conservative blogs, The Wall Street Journal and talk radio help balance the liberal bias of national print outlets and networks. In my opinion, FOX is the most fair and even-handed TV network in terms of presenting both sides impartially. Sure, FOX has plenty of conservative commentators, along with quite a few liberal commentators, and viewers  know where they’re coming from. But when it’s time to report news rather than comment on it, FOX does a pretty good job overall. Not perfect, mind you, but it’s the only national TV news I trust.

Media bias can be just as big a problem for ad agencies and their clients, as well as for businesses of all sizes. So how should a PR person representing an agency or business navigate in this environment, especially when representing an issue or cause that runs counter to the philosophy of the dominant media?

There are no easy answers to dealing with media bias, but here are six suggestions that I’ve found helpful:

First, understand the reality of the situation. If you are a conservative, you’re not going to get a fair shake among much of the national media. If you’re a liberal, certain national talk radio hosts will interrupt you repeatedly and not give you much time to make your case. Knowing what you’re up against is important to get you prepared and keep you from being caught off guard.

Second, avoid dealing with the worst offenders. I don’t care who it is, or how big a name or reputation the media person has, if he or she is blatantly dishonest and hostile, or won’t give you a fair opportunity to make your point, why allow yourself (or your boss) to be interviewed by that person? You know going in that the entire interview is going to be about trying to make you look bad. Contrary to what P.T. Barnum believed, in most cases no publicity is better than bad publicity. There are plenty of other ways to get a message out today.

Third, don’t be afraid to be a little feisty and turn the tables when appropriate. Newt Gingrich is masterful at this, and a lot of liberals fear him because they know he’s not afraid to mix it up with them on the issues, and that he’ll call them out publicly when they lie or distort the truth. Gingrich also knows how to get his point across and not allow the interviewer to constantly interrupt or cut him off before he’s finished. At the same time, you never want to lose your cool no matter how provocative a question or statement you get hit with. Controlled indignation can be very powerful.

Fourth, recognize that complex issues are going to get reduced to a sound bite or two. That’s unfortunate, but it’s reality. Learn how to play the game and get your point across quickly, clearly and in a way that’s memorable.

Fifth, if you become the victim of a media hit, get the truth out quickly. Press release distribution services, the Internet, advertising and interviews with fair-minded reporters can help get corrective information out to counter lies and misrepresentations. But you must not wait too long and let the message spread too far unchallenged; otherwise, you’ll be playing on defense for some time to come.

Sixth, if you make a mistake, or say something you regret, don’t wait to apologize and correct yourself; do so immediately. We all say things we wish we had phrased differently or not said at all. The worst thing to do is defend something like that and then later, after much damage has been done, come back and apologize. It’s far better to acknowledge the error up front and move on.

And keep in mind that if you’re a conservative, any misstatement or error you make is going to be magnified and repeated by the media much more than if you are a liberal. It’s the way things are.

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to advertising agencies and businesses.

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Ad Agency PR 101: What Is the Name of the Person Who Cleans Your Building?

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This post is a little different because it isn’t directly about public relations, though indirectly it is. My topic is how we deal with the people we encounter in life and our attitudes toward them, whether they are powerful, powerless or somewhere in between.

Before I started my own firm, I headed up the PR department of an ad agency. One day a colleague there shared a story I’ve always remembered. It went like this:

In his second month of night school, a student breezed through the questions until the last one: “What is the first name of the woman who cleans this building?”

Surely this was some kind of joke. He’d seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, brunette and in her 50s, but how would he know her name?

He handed in the paper, leaving the last question blank. Before class ended another student asked if the last question would count.

“Absolutely,” the professor answered. “In your lives, in your careers, you’ll meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say hello.”

“I’ve never forgotten that lesson,” the student wrote many years later. “I also learned her name was Dorothy.”

I love that story because it speaks so clearly and strongly to the ways in which we can easily overlook others. As this professor pointed out, in our lives and careers we will encounter all kinds of people. We should never forget that each person is significant and deserving of attention and care.

In the PR profession, we’re pretty good at taking the time to get to know the names of key journalists, bloggers and other influencers who we hope can help us in some way. But this story reminds me that there are other people whose names I should be learning as well, because there’s no such thing as an unimportant person.

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to advertising agencies and businesses.

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Chick-fil-A Protests Result in PR Shellacking

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For years, cows across America have been spotted on billboards, print ads and television commercials urging us to “Eat Mor Chikin.” The chickens, apparently fed up with the campaign, decided to strike back by enlisting an assortment of perpetually outraged groups and individuals to portray Chick-fil-A as a corporate villain.

By now the story is well known: In an interview with Baptist Press, Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy, who is a Christian, expressed personal support for traditional marriage, unleashing charges of being “anti-gay” and a torrent of vitriol toward a company that by every measure has been a model corporate citizen.

Among those with ruffled feathers were mayors in three cities who threatened to block the openings of Chick-fil-A restaurants simply because they don’t agree with his personal views. Others made extraordinarily hateful comments and threatened to boycott the restaurant chain or take other action.

Yesterday we saw the results: A classic PR backfire that scorched the opposition and generated a whole lot of moo-la for Chick-fil-A.

While the controversy is far from over, there are at least four PR lessons to be learned from the events of the past few days.

First, be very careful with boycotts because they can do more harm than good, especially in terms of perceptions. The millions and millions of people who saw pictures on the evening news and Internet of long lines streaming into Chick-fil-A restaurants around the country will long remember those images, as will the protestors who took a PR shellacking by this massive rebuke. There are companies whose policies I don’t like, but rather than calling them names and trying to organize boycotts against them, I simply shop elsewhere. People who don’t agree with Mr. Cathy’s values ought to consider just eating elsewhere.

Second, this episode is instructive in reinforcing how quickly a crisis can strike. The president of a company that has rarely if ever seen much in the way of controversy made remarks some found offensive and wham—the entire restaurant chain is suddenly in the crosshairs of a national firestorm.

Third, the value of having third-party influencers come to your organization’s defense when it’s attacked cannot be overstated. Gov. Mike Huckabee, Billy Graham and Rick Warren are among scores of leaders who defended the embattled chain. Ted Cruz, who just won the Republican nomination in the Texas Senate run-off race, served Chick-fil-A at his victory party. A major Wendy’s franchise owner put “We stand with Chick-fil-A” on his restaurants’ signs. Chick-fil-A didn’t have to lift a finger to defend itself; instead, a panoply of supporters did that for the chain.

Fourth, the incredible speed at which social media can spread the word is a game-changer. Gov. Huckabee conceived the idea of an Appreciation Day, and word zipped across the Internet through a special Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day Facebook page, Twitter and other channels. This was the grapevine in action exponentially.

Regardless of what one believes about how marriage should be defined, the attacks struck a nerve among fair-minded, freedom-loving people who turned out in droves to participate in Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day.

Here was a positive, tangible way for them to express their support for a company they admire while at the same time defend values to which they also adhere.

For those who agreed with the protestors but not with their methods, eating at Chick-fil-A was a way for them to take a stand for freedom of speech and religious expression. And for untold thousands, showing up and buying a meal during Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day was a way to register their protests against what they saw as hypocrisy on the part of many of the same people who routinely lecturing others about the need for tolerance and diversity.

The majority spoke peacefully yet decisively. They clearly demonstrated that they are tired of being bullied by elements in our politically correct society that seek to control what they say, think and do. The majority voted with their pocketbooks, and the result was a record-setting day for Chick-fil-A.

If the protests continue, I suspect the pushback will be even stronger. It reminds me of the old cartoon in which Wiley Coyote was always getting outmaneuvered by the Roadrunner, only this time it will be the cows outmaneuvering the chickens all the way to the bank.

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to advertising agencies and businesses.

photo credit: David Blackwell. via photopin cc

How PR Will Not Change in 2022

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Several weeks ago, a colleague sent me the link to an article by Arik Hanson titled “10 skills the PR pro of 2022 MUST have.”  Not surprisingly, these skills primarily relate to digital technologies and social media. The author also made the point that traditional PR skills, such as writing and media relations, will be more important as ever. The “emerging skills,” as he described the ones making his list, really are a layer on top of traditional ones.

While I certainly agree that the emerging skills he identified—such as the ability to manage social content creation, mobile and analytics—will be vitally important in the future, the reality is that public relations specialists should be doing or learning how to do these things now.

By 2022, I suspect we will be beyond what even the most visionary among us can imagine. Given the rate at which technology is changing our lives and work, it’s virtually impossible to predict how the PR profession will be shaped a decade from now.

What the article really got me thinking about, however, are the things that will always be important to the public relations profession. My top 10 list for success combines skills and qualities that are timeless.

Regardless of the channels and methods we use to communicate in 2022 and beyond, a PR specialist will always be in demand if he or she has:

  1. Integrity. Yes, I know there are unscrupulous PR people just as there are unscrupulous people in other walks of life. But sooner or later the truth emerges and the bad guys get exposed and discredited. If reporters, clients or customers don’t trust your word or character, you’d better find something else to do because you aren’t going to have much of a career in PR in 2012 or 2022.
  2. A positive attitude. Being a positive, energetic person with a can-do attitude will always go a long ways. The world is full of people who can give you a dozen reasons why something can’t be done or won’t work. And sometimes they’re right, but often it’s because they’ve allowed themselves to become negative and cynical in their thinking, always seeing the glass as half empty rather than half full.
  3. Relational skills. Being a team player and having the ability to relate well to people at all levels will never go out of style. It’s one of the most important traits of successful people, whether in PR or in other disciplines.
  4. A knack for networking. Being a resource and connector for others will pay off, even if there’s not an immediate personal benefit. From assisting reporters or bloggers looking for good sources to building relationships with key influencers in the community and industry, time invested in people is never wasted.
  5. Balance.Know how to strike the balance between needing to get information out quickly vs. ensuring the information is correct and credible. If you wait too long, in today’s 24/7 news cycle you may miss out on opportunities. But a quick response must also be a responsible one, and if you want to keep your credibility make sure the information you disseminate is accurate to the best of your ability.
  6. Strategic thinking. The ability to do effective planning and see the big picture separates the strategists from the order takers. Effective PR people are able to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously without losing focus on the long-term objective. Those who think tactically (what needs to be done) without also thinking strategically (why we are doing something and how we should go about it) will have a hard time advancing in PR.
  7. A cool head under pressure. Thinking quickly, clearly and calmly under pressure—and helping others do so in a crisis—will always earn respect among peers and leaders alike.
  8. Flexibility. A PR person’s day can change in an instant, and you need to be able to shift priorities at a moment’s notice.
  9. A yearn to learn.  A broad-based college education that incorporates working knowledge of PR principles, business, journalism, marketing and the social sciences is a good start, but learning should be a life-long activity. Keeping up with industry trends through blogs, conferences, industry publications, etc., will keep your thinking fresh and make you a valuable resource to others.
  10. The ability to communicate clearly, concisely and relevantly, regardless of the medium being used. A good PR person understands the audience he or she is targeting and what’s important to them. Knowing how to adapt a story to a particular niche and medium—and how to speak to people in a meaningful way— has always been vital to success. As audiences get more and more segmented, the demand for this skill will only increase.

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to advertising agencies and businesses.

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Guest Post Explains How Ad Agencies Can Use PR Strategically for New Business

Want to learn how your ad agency can use public relations to drive new business? Check out my guest post on Michael Gass’ Fuel Lines blog. In it I explain how strategic use of PR can help small and mid-sized agencies—even a one-person operation—level the playing field with larger competitors.

Don Beehler provides public relations consulting services to advertising agencies and businesses.