Tag Archives: PR skills

Dear Gracie: PR Pros on Their Most Important Career Lessons

Posted on September 7, 2012 by | 4 Comments

Each week, Dear Gracie answers questions from ProfNet Connect readers with advice from our network of nearly 50,000 ProfNet experts. Has there been a question burning in your mind lately, something you’ve been wondering that none of your colleagues can answer? Please send it to grace.lavigne@prnewswire.com

Dear Gracie,

I’m a student working at my first PR internship this summer. What’s the best advice a long-time PR professional can give me? What’s the most important lesson they’ve learned throughout their career in this industry?

Advice for an Amateur

*************

Dear Advice for an Amateur:

1. Go the Extra Mile. Film producer Samuel Goldwyn once said: “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” That is, the harder you work, the more ideas and chances you make for yourself.

PR is strategic, but it is also about making that extra phone call, sending that extra email or following up that one extra time, says Doug Drotman of Drotman Communications. Expose yourself to opportunities.

2. Set Realistic Expectations. Thomas Lee, founding partner and head of public relations at 451 Marketing, was representing a local radio station that had arranged for the musician Uncle Kracker to perform live. He made a few calls and got every major outlet in the area to guarantee they would cover the event. He told his client “every media outlet will be there,” and of course the client was thrilled.

This is what most seasoned publicists would consider a cardinal sin, says Lee. Because despite guarantees, not a single media outlet showed up to cover the concert. The lesson learned was that, as a publicist, you ultimately can’t control the media. There are so many variables that can keep a media outlet from attending an event, publishing an article or running a broadcast piece — breaking news, traffic, adverse weather, advertisers, editors who need more space, etc. — that nothing is ever a certainty.

“Always under promise and over deliver,” agrees Shannon Blood, account manager at Off Madison Ave.

3. Stay Cool Under Pressure. “Grace under pressure can make all the difference,” says Karyn Martin, vice president of 451 Marketing. “When a situation isn’t going as planned, your reaction can make or break it with your client.” Put others at ease by rising above the situation — and you’ll be at a real advantage in the PR industry.

4. Remember the Details. “My most important PR lesson can be summed up in one word: ‘parking,’” says Zipporah Dvash, assistant vice president of public affairs and development for SUNY Downstate Medical Center and University Hospital of Brooklyn at Long Island College Hospital. In a dense urban area like New York City, reporters will not only evaluate the merits of your pitch, but also on whether they can get their crew to your location. “Every pitch of mine includes ‘we will arrange parking,’” she says.

5. Always Represent. Tradeshows are frequently in Las Vegas, but remember that you’re there on your client’s dime and always representing them, says Jeremy Pepper, a long-time PR consultant and blogger. “You can go out and drink, but you better be on time for the events and never hungover.

6. Be Proactive. As a journalist, you can only report — you can only be reactive — but as a PR professional, you can make things happen — you can be proactive, explains Dan Collins, senior director of media relations at Mercy Medical Center.

He learned this lesson on his first PR job, when a local musician was brutally mugged and her five-figure violin stolen. Collins set up an effort to offer a reward for the stolen violin, and also to get her medical expenses covered. This attracted press coverage, and in turn, it also attracted the criminals, who came forward to try and claim the reward, and ended up getting caught.

“PR and journalism are truly two sides of the same coin,” says Collins. But the ability to be proactive is the power of PR.

7. Be Sincere. “Be genuine and you will be believable,” says Chris Leogrande, director of media relations at Utica College. “This has served me so well in my relationships with reporters. If I can’t answer their questions, I tell them why I can’t.” For example:

  • Press at this point could endanger our funding.
  • We have a policy not to release personal information on employees.
  • I don’t know the answer to that but I will try to find out.

“Never, ever lie to a reporter. No matter what,” says Lewis Goldberg in his post “PR Lessons Learned.” “You will be found out and you will personally lose credibility and hurt your client deeply.”

8. Win Trust. “Far too many relationships become ones based on a vendor-supplier dynamic rather than a trusted partner relationship,” says Bill McLaughlin, PR and social media pro with Lois Paul and Partners, in his post “Client-PR Agency Relationships: It’s a Matter of Trust.” Here are some ways to build a relationship with a foundation of trust:

  • Give clients a reality check. It is crucial at the outset that clients understand their assets, strengths and weaknesses, desires and goals, etc.
  • Avoid investment expectations. “The agency needs to deliver results, but the client also needs to pay for the cost of those results.”
  • Provide financial transparency. Once a budget is agreed upon, make sure the client is aware of how activities are tracking to the budget.
  • Nip issues in the bud. Don’t hesitate to talk about expectations or problems. The sooner those conversations take place, the better.

A trusted relationship should also include respect and privacy, adds Brooks. “No matter the context of your work, and no matter what reporters ask or think they know, some conversations and information should be kept out of public view.” Keep your word.

9. Remain Tactful. “Know the right time to speak up and the time to be quiet,” says Rachel Hutman, communications pro with Clearpoint Agency. It’s a fine line, and something you learn as you go, she says.

Additionally, remember that in times of crisis it’s important to say something to the media, says John Brooks, director media relations and news at North Park University in Chicago. “Reporters will find someone who will comment, and you probably won’t like what these ‘spokespersons’ have to say.” Always return phone calls to reporters in a timely fashion and have a written statement to share, even if it contains little information.

10. Pick Your Battles. “The client is always right, even when they aren’t,” says Susan Tellem, partner of Tellem Grody PR. “It’s critical that public relations pros offer their best advice when clients ask and even when they don’t.”

Tell clients what you think and why, Tellem continues. “If the client doesn’t agree for whatever reason, tell them: ‘You’re the client. While I do not agree, I will help you achieve what you want to do to the best of my ability (as long as it is not illegal or immoral).”

11. Collaborate. Work as a true partner with your internal stakeholders or clients, says Rachel DiCaro Metscher, corporate communications director of Hobsons. A good collaborator will clearly identify needs, provide a solution that works, make sure the work gets done and follow up. “The ability to work well with each person is vital to the success of their project and mine,” she says.

“Set goals as a team,” adds McLaughlin. “Begin with realistic goals that include some quick return possibilities so that everyone can see immediate traction for the program.”

12. Beware of the Status Quo. “The status quo is the enemy,” says Lou Hoffman, CEO of The Hoffman Agency. “It’s easy to fall into the trap of doing something the same way because that’s how it’s always been done.” There’s always room for fresh thinking.

13. “Pitch Sensibly. “Send a pitch because it’s the right story for the right media person,” says John Goodman of John Goodman PR. “Dumb pitches to appease a client will come back to bite you with the media.”

14. Read a Lot. “You cannot be well-read enough in the PR business,” says Atlanta publicist Dan Beeson. “Sample as many literary genres as humanly possibly.”

15. Have fun. “While PR is a job, taking the joy of life into your job will make you way more effective,” says Goldberg. “If you just see what we do as a slog to get through, you will not be doing anyone any favors.” Enjoy your life and your job and your work will reflect this.

Gracie

Written by Grace Lavigne, senior editor of ProfNet, a service that helps journalists connect with expert sources. Dear Gracie is published weekly on ProfNet Connect, a free social networking site for communicators. To read more from Grace, check out her blog on ProfNet Connect.

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How Social Media Is Changing PR

Posted on August 2, 2012 by | 8 Comments

On the last Tuesday of each month, ProfNet hosts ConnectChat, a monthly series of Twitter chats exploring key communications and media topics. During a recent ConnectChat, Deirdre Breakenridge, CEO of Pure Performance Communications, discussed the changing role of PR in the digital era and how we can adjust our mind and skill sets accordingly.

Breakenridge says that with the rise of social media PR professionals need to:

  • Master information technologies as a “technology tester,” including video, SEO, website analytics, monitoring applications, CMS and more.
  • Start dialogue and build relationships through new channels.
  • Strategize to connect directly with stakeholders, especially customers.

Breakenridge notes that being a technology tester is the most challenging new skill for PR pros to master because it requires constantly paying attention to new apps, resources and platforms. “It’s so important to understand use technology the way stakeholders,” she says.

To excel in these new practices, people in the PR industry need to become hybrid professionals, says Breakenridge. This process includes:

  • Moving the best of traditional practices forward and integrating them with digital and social communications.
  • Working cross-functionally with marketing and moving outside of the PR “silo,” which includes learning and applying marketing tactics.
  • Collaborating with other departments too, like Web/IT, sales, customer service, HR, etc.
  • Being flexible and adaptable in a global communications environment.

Breakenridge provides some new roles popping up in the PR industry:

  • Internal Collaboration Generator: knows good communication starts on the inside with technology sharing
  • Pre-Crisis Doctor: plans for crises through new approaches, processes and recovery steps
  • Relationship Analyzer: takes relationships to deeper levels through technology and visualization
  • Master of the Metrics: understands metrics tracked over time and can track them back to executive goals

To successfully use metrics, PR pros must have objectives and know what they are trying to achieve, adds Breakenridge. “It’s important to know what you’re measuring: leads, sales, registration, awareness (buzz), community growth, etc.”

Listen to conversations and identify influencers to drive discussion and systematically map out audience connections, explains Breakenridge. “Understand the culture, critical issues and passion in the community to make better connections. Use crowdsourcing, contests, and promotions for deeper engagement.” She notes that you can use @mentionmapp and @TouchGraph to visualize connections.

Social media provides incredible intelligence, and, when filtered, can help PR pros plan more strategically, says Breakenridge. For example, social media can help companies react quicker to negative situations and crises. “You can strategically engage for more valuable outcomes: leads, sales, registration, better CS, more productivity.”

Social media should move across an organization, says Breakenridge. PR should work with other departments (marketing, advertising, branding, etc.); it should cover everything from social governance and planning to content curation and the monitoring of programs. PR should spearhead social media, but not own it. “Working with other groups doesn’t mean we lose our core purpose; we have just expanded our opportunity!” she says.

Where is PR headed? Breakenridge says PR will:

  • Continue to integrate with other areas and strategize cross functionally.
  • Start incorporating interactive living rooms, touch experience, augmented reality, etc.
  • Gain influence by telling more meaningful stories through technology and educating others on best practices.

Written by Grace Lavigne, senior editor of ProfNet. Check out her blog on ProfNet Connect.

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Dear Gracie: Tips on Handling Protesters at PR Events

Posted on June 22, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Each week, Dear Gracie answers questions from ProfNet Connect readers with advice from our network of nearly 50,000 ProfNet experts. Has there been a question burning in your mind lately, something you’ve been wondering that none of your colleagues can answer? Please send it to grace.lavigne@prnewswire.com

Dear Gracie,

I recently took on a client who has some controversial stances. We’re anticipating that we’ll have to deal with protesters at some point. Any advice?

Protester PR

*************

Dear Protester PR,

Two ProfNet experts share their insight:

“Protesters are one of the challenges that any politician or major CEO faces,” says David Johnson, CEO of Strategic Vision. How they respond to the protesters says a lot about how the media portrays them.

Protesters show up at events because they want to create publicity and embarrass the public figure, Johnson continues. They want to become the media story, rather than the event or speech that is being held. Protesters also know that reporters love conflict, especially in this 24/7 news cycle.

So what should you do or not do if you are the subject of protesters?

What to Do

1. Let the media know. First, if you are aware that people intend to protest your event, let the media know that, says Johnson. The media should know that you expect protesters will try to hijack the event, and that you are still going forward with it anyway.

A huge advantage here is having a relationship with the press, notes John Oxford, director of external affairs at Renasant Corporation. Unless the protesters are part of a professional outfit, like unions or special interest groups, then they won’t have the same connections as a good press secretary or PR professional.

For example, the Occupy Wall Street movement had a strong protest in numbers, but too often their quotes or message in the media was disjoined and came off lacking a clear reason for protesting, says Oxford.

2. Give protesters their own space. “Welcome the protesters and make sure they have a space for their protest, but try to pack the main area in front of the CEO or politician with supporters,” suggests Johnson. “That way, the media visual the protesters are hoping for is marginalized or even eliminated.”

3. Invite them to speak. The easiest way to diffuse a protest is to invite the protesters up to the podium with you so they can address the crowd and espouse their views, says Johnson.

Most protesters will never take you up on the offer, since they haven’t thought through their position well enough to coherently address a crowd, and by their refusal, they will become quiet. Those who do accept will speak briefly, leave and cease protesting.

Then the media story becomes the speech the public figure was giving, with the protesting incident as a minor footnote, if even that, he says.

4. Have a laugh. “Humor is another way to stop a protester cold in their tracks,” says Johnson.

However, the person using humor must also be seen as possessing a sense of humor, he notes. “It is why a Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter or Donald Trump can never succeed doing this, while a Bill Clinton or Ronald Reagan were successful.”

The public figure should address the protesters with a one-liner or quip, he explains. “The purpose of this is to make the protesters seem ridiculous and have the crowd laugh at them. Nothing silences a protester more than when a crowd turns and laughs at them.”

5. Use the power of silence. Protesters want attention — that is the whole point, says Johnson. A public figure who ignores protesters deprives them of the power of recognition, and keeps them in control.

6. Go on the offensive. “Once, after a debate on a college campus, I had protesters follow me to my car yelling,” recounts Oxford. This actually worked against the opposition, because it was out of the realm of the debate, which allowed him to go on the offensive with the press.

7. Pick Your Battles. “One of the best experiences I had with someone handling protesters was with then Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson in 2001,” says Oxford.

“There was a large protest being planned by folks in wheelchairs looking to raise an issue they had with the federal government,” he continues. “Obviously, a large group of people in wheelchairs not a public relations battle you can win.”

Instead of ignoring them, Thompson went out to visit with them as they starting protesting. He and his staff spoke with them and listened to their cause, instead of just passing by to give the speech.

“It really disarmed their energy to attack when they saw that he cared and listened,” Oxford explains.

“If you can disarm the protest in a nonpublic fashion, show compassion, or at least reason with the protesters — sometimes you can avoid an ugly event for both sides.”

What Not to Do

1. Do not get upset. “Engaging a protester, telling them to shut up or showing that you are upset with the protesting is the absolute worst thing a public figure can do,” says Johnson. “Such action merely empowers the protesters to continue.” Then the protesters become the focus of the event, and it encourages them to show up at other events.

“Ronald Reagan in 1980, when his campaign was struggling after an early defeat in the Iowa Caucuses, tried to engage protesters and said it was the worst mistake he ever made as a public figure,” he says.

2. Do not be insensitive. Although it depends on the topic and how it’s going to be covered, oftentimes a response can backfire and make the public figure or business cold and calculating, says Oxford.

Sometimes these insensitive responses will become the story, Oxford continues. Like Marie Antoinette’s notorious “Let them eat cake,” to BP CEO Tony Hayward’s “I’d like my life back,” after the worst oil spill in U.S. history.

Only respond if not responding would look worse, instructs Oxford.

3. Do not stray from the topic. “Never go off message during the protest of a tragic event, as there can be legal implications as well as total professional embarrassment often due to emotions running high at that moment,” says Oxford.

Gracie

Written by Grace Lavigne, senior editor of ProfNet, a service that helps journalists connect with expert sources. Dear Gracie is published weekly on ProfNet Connect, a free social networking site for communicators. To read more from Grace, check out her blog on ProfNet Connect.

Image courtesy of Flickr user Jastrow75.

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Dear Gracie: 7 Simple Ways to Build Rapport With Journalists

Posted on May 11, 2012 by | 2 Comments

Each week, Dear Gracie answers questions from ProfNet Connect readers with advice from our network of nearly 50,000 ProfNet experts. Has there been a question burning in your mind lately, something you’ve been wondering that none of your colleagues can answer? Please send it to grace.lavigne@prnewswire.com

Dear Gracie,

I’m looking for some quick tips on how to build relationships with journalists. What do journalists like to see from PR people? What do they dislike?

Press Pleaser

**********

Dear Press Pleaser,

Seven ProfNet experts share their experience:

1. Pitch Relevant Information

It’s important to have background information on the journalist and their audience, says Dan Collins, senior director of media relations at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. “Don’t pitch a writer for a seniors publication on Lindsay Lohan’s latest doings. Go the extra mile.”

“Ask reporters and they’ll tell you that the most annoying thing about PR people is they don’t read their outlet and don’t understand their audience,” says Abe Abrams, director of communications at The DSM Group. “Think about what the publication, blog, show, etc., covers and how.”

So if you’re pitching to a journalist you haven’t worked with before, read their latest work and think about how your client might tie in, says John W. Morgan, associate vice president for public relations at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut.

Ask yourself: What makes your client the best to address this issue? says Abrams. Don’t focus on why your client is competent or knowledgeable — focus on what makes them the best. Are they from the biggest firm? Do they have the most unique insight? Did they found a successful upstart?

“Do not blast pitches out to media lists,” says John Goodman, president of John Goodman PR. “Often, those lists are outdated and inaccurate. Send the pitch because it’s the right story for the right reporter or producer. Media contacts open my email pitches because they know, from past experience, that they’re on target.”

And whatever you’re pitching, make sure it qualifies as real news, says Collins. Journalists hate propaganda; they will not run a free ad for your client.

(Check out: Dear Gracie: When Clients Want to Distribute Non-News)

2. Just Get to the Point Already!

Do not wine, dine and schmooze journalists — just pitch them stories that synch with their beat, says Goodman.

Reporters get tons of ideas and pitches per day, so you need to be short and to the point, says Jon Weiner, account manager at Capstrat. He finds that Twitter is a great way to cut through the clutter.

“A Twitter stream is crowded, but if you can find an active journalist on Twitter and tweet them a specific idea, they’re very likely going to read it,” says Weiner. “It’s tough to send a good idea in 140 characters, but if you can cut to the core of what you have to offer, it works.”

“I recently struck up a relationship with a reporter simply by tweeting him an idea and ending with ‘interested?’” says Weiner. “The reporter replied and said ‘send me the details.’ Then I fleshed out a pitch, identified my Twitter handle in the subject line of the email so it didn’t get lost, and we started talking. The idea didn’t pan out — but we struck up a relationship that ended up in him using a client of mine in a separate feature story.”

When pitching on Twitter, keep privacy in mind, notes Weiner. “Do your homework. If you find a journalist on Twitter who obviously doesn’t want to discuss work or receive ideas through that channel, don’t send them any.”

However, if the reporter regularly shares their professional work on Twitter, then it’s a decent indication that they’re open to hearing ideas that way, he says.

3. Be Efficient and Timely

“Efficiency is an important trait for the successful media relations professional,” says Morgan. “Once I identify an expert, I ask them to provide me with some context about what they would say, so the reporter has an idea of what to expect. Many reporters find that helpful as they frame their stories.”

Journalists return to PR experts when they get timely, unfettered, high-level access to experts, says Maureen Bennett, senior media relations specialist at Summit Medical Group.

For example, there was a recent incident at a pharmacy in Chatham, N.J., where some prescriptions for a pediatric medicine had accidentally been filled with a breast cancer drug. Reporters descended on the pharmacy to talk to the store manager.

“To help round out their stories, I pitched our medical expertise by inviting reporters on the scene to immediate, individual interviews with our chief medical officer (CMO). Our main medical campus was only 10 minutes away from the pharmacy, so news outlets were cleared with security before arriving to campus, and escorted directly the CMO’s office to sit with him one-on-one. No waiting, no waffling,” Bennett explains.

Keep a careful on the calendar too, says Morgan. “For example, if I know the governor is going to sign a bill into law, I arrange to videotape a faculty member with expertise in the area that the bill covers discussing why its passage is so important. The moment the governor signs the bill, I release the video to journalists covering the issue and post it on our university’s website and social media platforms.”

4. Help Reporters Tell the Story

Make every effort to the help the journalist build their story, says Collins.

For example, Collins works with lots of reporters covering medical issues. If there is no doctor available for a particular story, he tries to find people outside of his circle who can help, or forwards the query to a colleague in the medical library to look for research the writer might be able to use.

“It might not result in a media placement for my client today, but it is building the foundation for stories for tomorrow,” says Collins.

Also, read and comment on the reporter’s work, outside of pitching, says Abrams. “Say nice things, but also challenge assumptions that seem wrong. Offer information. Suggest ideas.”

5. Meet in Person, Don’t Be Pushy

“I invite reporters to come and meet our experts,” says Julian Teixeira, communications director for the National Council of La Raza (NCLR). “For example, we currently have a Mobilize to Vote campaign, which gets Latinos registered and voting. I invite key reporters covering the Latino vote to come to our offices and have an hour meeting with our civic engagement team.”

“This allows the reporter to meet our experts, ask questions and learn about our efforts without the stress and desire of writing a story,” he continues. “The reporter walks away with story ideas and gets to learn how NCLR experts can serve as spokespersons for future stories. And for NCLR, it allows us to meet and build a contact with a new media source.”

Ultimately, these informational meet-and-greets get us into the news in the future, says Teixeira.

Abrams also suggests bringing three good ideas to reporters at desksides or events. “Make contact, offer sources or help, and then back off and don’t be pushy,” he says.

6. Be Thoughtful of the Reporter’s Needs

“If a reporter is coming to your campus to interview a professor, be sure to reserve a parking space for them,” says Morgan. Remembering small but important details like this goes a long way toward building good rapport with journalists.

7. Do Not Annoy!

Do not call journalists at deadline, don’t call them if they prefer emails and don’t follow up on press releases or pitches that they weren’t expecting, says Collins.

Journalists also hate it when PR people try to control interviews, which is, in essence, telling them what to write, says Collins.

And don’t tell a writer you have the perfect resource for them and it turns out you don’t, adds Collins. “My first PR mentor always said, ‘Promise less and deliver more.’”

Final Thoughts

“The media is actually very easy to work with and understand,” says Collins. “If you respect reporters’ deadlines, and if you are cognizant of what they really want and give it to them, they’ll be back asking you for interviews and experts and information in the future.”

“Target appropriately and zero in on the one thing you can offer that no one else can — then make sure you deliver it on time and in full,” stresses Bennett.

“Pitches have one function: to make a reporter’s life easier. If you’re not doing that, you’re not doing your job. Give them what they want: be quick, succinct and reliable,” says Weiner.

Gracie

Written by Grace Lavigne, senior editor of ProfNet, a service that helps journalists connect with expert sources. Dear Gracie is published weekly on ProfNet Connect, a free social networking site for communicators. To read more from Grace, check out her blog on ProfNet Connect.

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5 Emerging PR Trends & the New Public Relations Skill Set for 2012 (& Beyond)

Posted on May 3, 2012 by | 21 Comments

 

We’re well into 2012, and I think we can all agree that the new trends and opportunities for public relations are continuing to develop on what feels like a weekly basis.  At least I hope that I’m not alone in the weekly bout of panic I seem to suffer, as I survey the communications landscape and think “Ye gods, I really need to get a handle on [insert trend du jour here.]  I suppose it’s all good news – with the advent of social media and the ever-increasing role of digital media in all our lives, there are a lot of opportunities for public relations.  There new ways to find audiences, new mediums through which to convey messages, tons of opportunities to connect your brand’s fans and all sorts of ways to engage with influentials.  And best of all, digital campaigns can be measured, and we all know that measurement is an age-old challenge for PR.

However, in my travels around the web and discussion groups, and in talking to our own customers,  there seems to be some disagreement about the skill set PR pros need to succeed in today’s environment, and there are three points of view emerging:

  • The traditionalist, who values the ability to write, build relationships, isolate and convey key messages and build publicity strategy above all else.
  • The digital enthusiast, who values social media acuity, digital content production and editing and coding skills highly.
  • The quant, which focuses on data, analytics and how PR integrates with business processes.

If you spend any time reading the viewpoints from the pros from a different quarter than your own, you’ll probably break out into a cold sweat as you think about all the work you need to do to bolster your own toolbox.  (Personally, I swear that one of these days I’m going to learn HTML & CSS.)

At this point, it’s useful to look at some of the new trends in our business for guidance in determining what tools we really need to add to the PR toolkit.

  • Storytelling (and “story selling.”)  There’s decided difference between writing well and telling a story, and a good story is valuable currency today.  Stories are sticky, stories are relatable and stories are effective:  these are the reasons why stories are the cornerstone of the content marketing strategies and social media programs that are becoming meshed within public relations.  But there’s more to storytelling than good writing.

Required skills:  Curation.  In order to develop a story that will gain traction with your audience, it’s necessary to spend a little time learning about their interests, otherwise, the risk of missing the mark is very real.  Curate content (which is a fancy way of saying “find interesting stuff and share it) and see what sort of information (and format) resonates with your audience.   Observe what they’re sharing (and re-sharing) too. The intelligence you glean will be invaluable to your writing process.

  • Quantification.  The measurability of digital outcomes requires communicators to dust off their analytical skills, because “big data” is here to stay, and it is strongly informing communications.   Knowing how to organize and crunch data, correlate results and correctly interpret and apply data are core skills that enable communicators to turn the masses of data available to us into valuable business intelligence and ROI metrics.

Required skills:  Data analysis & advanced spreadsheet skills.  The good news, especially if you’ve been out of school for a while, is that today’s spreadsheet programs like Excel include powerful data analysis functions that make it things like correlation and statistics work fast and easy.  Developing advanced understanding of the spreadsheet programs and the data analysis toolkits they contain is an important first step.

  •  Visual communications.  The rise of the infographic and the emergence of platforms like Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram – all of which trade heavily if not exclusively in visuals – has accelerated the trend of using visuals in PR.  Using multimedia and video to engage and attract audiences is rapidly becoming stock in trade for PR.

Required skills:  Basic videography, photography and design are important, as is the ability to “think visually” and develop visual concepts to accompany and illustrate messages.  Bonus: multimedia production and editing skills.  Even if you have a design team at your disposal, learning how to think about messages visually is an important skill, because communications are becoming more and more visual. And if you don’t have a design team at hand, learning how to develop, edit and publish visuals to augment campaigns is crucial.

  • Proactive & Predictive Monitoring.  We’re in an age of radical transparency, which is fueled in part by the lighting-fast flow of information.  Instead of monitoring “downstream” for media pick up that has been published, PR teams are switching gears, and monitoring conversations and trends in order to predict events and communicate proactively.  In a nutshell, PR can influence outcomes, rather than simply measuring them.

Required skills: Social listening.  Developing acuity with social media monitoring and understanding of social audiences is the cornerstone for good monitoring.  Learn how to use a social media dashboard to evaluate what folks are talking about, and identify the recurring issues that are of persistent interest to your marketplace.  Get involved in social media and industry discussion groups to observe first-hand how conversations work, and how ideas flow.

  • Adaptability.  Content marketing, SEO, video production – it doesn’t sound much like PR – or, more specifically, PR as we’ve traditionally thought of it.  The truth is many public relations job descriptions are reading more and more like a catalogue of communications skills.  The mushrooming demands on PR departments – and subsequently, on professional communicators – is in itself an important trend, and the successful PR pro will know how to navigate these changes with grace and aplomb.

Required skill:  Learning.  The ability to succeed in changing times is really part of the DNA for PR.  After all, this is the department that cuts its teeth on curve balls.   The only thing predictable about PR is change.  Make time in your day to read, practice and learn.

In my mind, the requirements for PR blend aspects of traditional PR with digital tactics and quantitative skills.  And these demands are ever-changing.   Annette Pinder, associate publisher and M.E. at Buffalo Healthy Living, put it very succinctly in a related discussion of PR skills over on LinkedIn:

“I think that in a lean economy it is essential for professionals to be skilled in many different areas — and to essentially become a renaissance person. Important skills include writing, speaking, networking, research, and social media marketing and public relations. Being aware of what is happening in the community and globally is vital.”

Another commenter in the same discussion, Steve Leer, a communications consultant/senior writer at Purdue University Department of Agricultural Communication, detailed the varied requirements demanded of public relations professionals by employers today.

“Today’s professional communicator needs to know how to shoot and edit photos and video, be proficient in social media, create graphics, possess at least a basic understanding of Web design and know how to work with outside vendors for printed materials,” he observed, adding, “Now, it might just be that employers will demand all those skills and never actually expect their new hires to do them all on the job, but if the employer asks for the moon and stars you’d better be able to at least enter outer space.”

This is food for thought, without a doubt.  And it’s useful to consider the drivers of these trends – namely, the influence of the digital domain on communications and the very measurability digital offers us.  Will these influences be fleeting? Personally, I doubt it.

How is PR evolving from your perspective?  What new skills have been most valuable to you?

Author Sarah Skerik is PR Newswire’s vice president, social media.  We’ve just announced The Crowd-Sourced eBook: The Definitive Guide to Social Influencer Engagement and invite you to contribute.

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