New Advice for PR Graduates This May

By Edward M. Bury, APR (aka The PRDude)

One of the most visited of the 167 posts published by The PRDude graced the blagosphere around this time last year.  In the post, I offered graduates of college public relations programs some advice on how to establish themselves in the profession.

Offered were goals, strategies, objectives and tactics — thoughts structured within classic components of an effective public relations plan.

And, I even made this offer:  Reach out if you wanted any advice or direction.  (For the record, I’m still waiting; but the offer stands.)

A year later, I’m a little older and hopefully a lot wiser.  And, since I also am searching for that next great job in public relations, I’ve had time to think.  Here are a few other thoughts, wisdom I’m passing down to public relations colleagues-to-be.

1. Learn the Definition of “Public Relations.” You’d be surprised at how many people out there in this great world — some who claim to be “public relations professionals” — still maintain that public relations is publicity.  Or, “just like marketing.”  After all, it’s easy to “get good PR.”  Right?  This profession keeps evolving, largely through continual new directions on the digital front.  But the fundamental purpose of public relations as a strategic means to communicate and build relationships has not changed.  Learn more from PRSA.
2. Learn to Write (Beyond Tweets, Posts & Blogs).  It’s been a long time (hey, more than a long time) since I enrolled and completed a for-credit college course.  So, I’m not sure if students today are required to take a semester of English Composition 101 or some other fundamental writing course.  My 101 instructor was a guy named Professor Brosnahan, a very strict proponent of the written word.  He would scrawl a big red “F” on your composition for any error — spelling, grammar, punctuation, syntax, logic.   In this era of tweets, IMs and posts, the true public relations professional will have solid writing skills that transcend 140 characters.
3. PR = Business Practice = Not Free.  As a public relations professional, you’ll be required to manage event budgets, approve vendor expenses, price out media distribution services and many other tasks that require money.  That’s part of business, and public relations is a business.  Furthermore, businesses are in business to make a profit; and, even non-profit associations with public relations departments run them like a business.  Learn the business side of the industry and how to manage a spreadsheet.

One more thing: As noted, I’ve had an open door policy for those who want direction on public relations careers and opportunities.  In the past year, I’ve fielded emails and a few calls.  Only one guy actually followed up on the offer to meet. There’s lots to be said about the desire to get out of the house.

Your thoughts?

Another Perspective on the Chicago Cubs’ “Public Relations Push”

By Edward M. Bury, APR (aka The PRDude)

Headlines that include “public relations” or “PR” usually grab my attention. When the headline includes a reference to public relations and the Chicago Cubs, it’s like someone grabbed me by the lapels and said, “Read, then offer some insight.”

That brings us to today’s post.  In the May 15 issue of The Chicago Tribune — which I read “old school” or in print form — I was drawn to a sidebar piece that referenced public relations.  The sidebar accompanied a larger story, part  of the newspaper’s ongoing coverage of efforts by the billionaire Ricketts family to raise money for two iconic assets: The Chicago Cubs Major League Baseball team, and the place they play baseball, the nearly century-old Wrigley Field.

An artist’s rendering of proposed renovations to the venerable Wrigley Field.

Back in 2010, the Ricketts were hoping to use state funds to help pay for $300 million in renovations to the Friendly Confines.   That development sparked another so-called “public relations” effort, one The PRDude chronicled in this post.

These days, the Ricketts are pushing for plans to fix up the old ballpark in large part by getting approval for much more advertising signage, a proposal that owners of nearby rooftop adult playgrounds claim is the same as a bean ball to their revenue streams.  Read more in this Trib article.

But it was the sidebar, the one with “PR effort” in the headline, that has prompted this discussion.

The piece, written by business reporter Ameet Sachdev, states: “The Cubs have stepped up a public relations campaign to build support for Wrigley Field renovations …”   The renovations are need to preserve the venerable park and modernize it. The plan includes an online petition on this web site where fans (or anyone with a computer, I guess) can endorse renovation plans that will be realized by revenue from increased signage, as well as more night games and a 6,000 square-foot video screen.  The Cubs also enlisted “a consulting firm” (not identified) to conduct research from area residents to gauge their support for proposed renovations.

On the surface, I applaud the Ricketts family for the petition program, for initiating a survey and for hiring communications consultants.  This falls under primary research, and solid research drives all effective public relations programs — or any initiative that starts with a sound strategy.

But let’s not lose sight of what’s really happening here:  The Ricketts family made its fortune through smart business decisions.  A crumbling ball park with outdated amenities can only attract fans — even Cub fans — for so much longer.  The team is employing public relations strategies and tactics to help build awareness and acceptance for the need to get approval for its revenue-generating proposals.

Do you really think they’re number 1 goal is to preserve the league’s second oldest ballpark?  Or, to preserve the “Wrigley Field experience?”   I think it’s to make money.

There’s nothing wrong with making money.  And, there’s nothing wrong with employing sound, ethical public relations practices to realize that goal.

Reasons to be Cheerful, Parts 1, 2, 3 …

By Edward M. Bury, APR (aka The PRDude)

4, 5, 6.

And perhaps more reasons, many more.

As I continue with my next challenge — finding that next great job in public relations (and/or a similar communications position) — I decided to spend a few minutes on this glorious spring Sunday in Chicago taking stock of life as of today.

I was inspired by a song from the 1980s (remember that decade?) from a U.K. band called Ian Dury and The Blockheads.  The song in question is entitled Reasons to be Cheerful. It’s kind of a sing-song composition featuring a rapid-fire recitation by Mr. Dury of a few dozen, well, reasons to be cheerful.  One could make an argument that Mr. Dury may have had some influence on the many forms of rap and hip hop, but that’s the subject for another day and time.

The late Ian Dury, British band leader, artist and cultural icon.

Mr. Dury, who fronted the band, certainly lived life on his own terms.  This is illustrated by the image that accompanies this post.  The Blockheads are probably best known for a tune — Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll — that encapsulated reasons lots of people were cheerful in the 1980s, and probably are still today.

(NOTE: The PRDude is not endorsing or offering any commentary on sex, drugs or rock and roll at this time.  Remember: This is a blog about public relations and “other stuff.”)

Back to reasons to be cheerful, here are some to share:

1. Support from Friends: Since I began my current search for a new position, I’ve received dozens of messages and calls from old friends, new friends, online friends and family offering support and encouragement.

2. Project Work: In the past few weeks, I’ve landed some terrific writing assignments, including a major article on commercial real estate and assisting an organization develop and execute an effective social media strategy.

3. APR Training: Through my involvement with PRSA Chicago, I and a colleague are nurturing three local public relations colleagues on the process required to earn the Accreditation in Public Relations.  We’ve held four classes and our candidates are really grasping what strategic public relations is all about.

4. Blood Pressure Drop. With more time to focus on my future and relax, my blood pressure has dropped to a “normal” 120 over 80.  Plus, I’ve started to exercise more and cook healthy meals most nights for Susan and I.

5. New Web Site Project: You heard it here first:  I’m in the process of launching a new web site that will let me pursue two of my passions: Online communications and enjoying a particular beverage that will remain nameless at the moment. Work is underway, and I’m projecting a late June unveiling. Stay tuned.

6. The Future: I’m optimistic about my future, the future of my city and our nation’s future. (As for my beloved Chicago Cubs, I’d say “wait until next year AND the year after that.”)  The Labor Department just released a favorable jobs report. While Chicago still has many problems, I think we’re becoming more aware of ways to solve them.  And, I sense that the President and Congress are ignoring the extremist views from both the right and left and want to meet on common ground.

I could add more, but six is plenty for now.

As for reasons not to be cheerful, I can’t think of any. How about you?

Three Things I Learned on Measurement (and More) at Today’s PRSA Chicago Breakfast

By Edward M. Bury, APR (aka The PRDude)

There’s nothing like a breakfast networking/panel discussion event to kick off the day on a positive, productive note.  Add “measuring the effectiveness of public relations plans” to the mix and it gets even better.

Earlier today, I joined a few dozen colleagues from PRSA Chicago for a breakfast meeting on this subject: “How Do You Know if Your Programs are Working?” The focus was on measuring the effectiveness of public relations programs — the bottom-line reason clients pay for our services.  The discussion featured these panelists:

● K.C. Brown, General Manager of Cision Global Analysts
● Andrew McCann, Product Marketing Manager, Salesforce Marketing Cloud
● Craig Werlin, Senior Director of Sales Engineering, Spredfast

The conversation was moderated by Blagica Bottigliero, Founder, Zlato Digital LLC, and a final shout out to Edelman Chicago for hosting the event in their way cool offices on the 66th floor of the Aon Center.   Here are three takeaways from the discussion.

1. Good PR Measurement = Better Understanding of PR.  There’s a perceived gap in the public relations arena: Clients have unrealistic expectations on what public relations can deliver, but the public relations industry “under-delivers” on its potential for effective communications.  More effective measurement can close the gap.
2. Measuring Social in the Marketing Mix.  It’s widely accepted (so I’ve read) that public relations professionals dominate effective use of social media in delivering client messages.  So, it’s essential for public relations to measure the impact of social media as part of the entire integrated message.
3. Cool Infographics, Are, Well Cool, But … Graphic artists who can design provocative infographic works of business art are in demand today because infographics work.  If the budget doesn’t allow it, a well-designed, simple data table (Column A, Column B) can also have a dramatic impact.

A “vintage” infographic, circa 1801.

Of course, there was lots of other great insight, knowledge and opinions shared from the panelists, who all work at companies that provide distribution and measurement resources used by the public relations industry.  (Learned a new phrase: “Transgression analysis.”) As an aside,  I would have liked to hear from a senior practitioner who developed and executed a national integrated campaign for that perspective, and I was surprised that in a conversation on public relations measurement, no one mentioned the Barcelona Principles.

(If you’re not familiar with the Barcelona Declaration of Measurement Principles, read what The PRDude had to say in 2010:  Part one.  Part two.)

Finally, as noted, measuring whether a public relations campaign meets objectives is paramount. That holds true for pure PR programs that incorporate mostly traditional tactics (better known as “earned exposure”) or integrated programs that involve paid and owned messages.  We’ve come a long way from the days when a fistful of print clips demonstrated success.

For me, today’s breakfast also reinforced these thoughts:

1. The practice of public relations continues to advance, driven largely, of course, by technology; but also through its continued integration into the marketing mix.  As one panelist noted: “The consumer doesn’t care where he gets the message from.”

2. To stay vital, to stay relevant as a practitioner, I’ll need to keep abreast of advancements and best practices — and to learn how to use them.

What are your thoughts on the current state of measuring the success of a public relations campaign?

How Would Chicago Cope With the Terrorism That Ravaged Boston?

By Edward M. Bury, APR (aka The PRDude)

As I draft this post the morning of Friday, April 19, much of the world is following the breaking news unfolding in and around Boston.  One suspect in the horrific terrorist bombings at the April 15 Boston Marathon is dead, and authorities are seeking the second suspect.  Authorities at this time believe the bombs were planted by brothers who immigrated here years ago and became part of American society.

I hope and pray that no other lives are lost.  I applaud the federal, state and local authorities who took control of the situation and quickly identified the suspects.  I am in awe of those first responders and ordinary citizens who rushed to help those stricken by the two blasts set off near the Marathon finish line.

I wish I could say, “This will never happen again.” But unfortunately, I believe there will be other attempts by cowardly monsters to cause harm and inflict terror for the sake of some sick ideology.  We still don’t know what led the two men to allegedly erupt bombs that killed and maimed; we do know that they used materials readily available to just about anyone.

And, I wonder: “How would my city cope if terrorists targeted Chicago?”  After all, Chicago is an international city of nearly 3 million people; it has iconic office towers, an extensive public transportation network, grand public spaces, major cultural facilities — places where a terrorist bomb would certainly cause injuries, damage and possibly death.

Like Boston — and cities and towns across our great country — Chicago has endured tragedy before and demonstrated resiliency to emerge stronger and more unified as Americans.  Should terrorists attack us again, here in Chicago or elsewhere, I remain confident we’d see the same level of rapid response from law enforcement officials, the same unbridled desire to help from first responders and the tremendous outpouring of support from around the nation.

Chicago would endure.

This past week I made four trips downtown using our public transportation subway system.  I had meetings in four office towers, including the 100-story Aon Center, in one hotel and in a major retail center in the heart of the North Michigan Avenue shopping district.  I did not — nor will I ever — let the prospect of madness stop me from traveling within my city and living in a free America.

One image from this horrible chapter of 2013 that stood out for me was the line of flags along the Marathon route.  These flags represented runners from nations competing in the race; they represented solidarity, freedom, sportsmanship and fairness. These flags stood tall as the carnage took place.  This is the image I will retain from this tragedy.

How will you remember the Boston Marathon bombing?

Crowdsourcing for Help on Public Relations Job Search Stragegic Plan

By Edward M. Bury, APR (aka The PRDude)

Visit my web site (for Edward M. Bury, APR, not The PRDude) and read my personal “tag line” of sorts:  “A Modern Strategic Communicator Steeped in Old-School Traditions.” The two key words from that passage to focus on for this post are “modern” and “strategic.”

My plan to secure that next great job in public relations is based on sound strategies and will incorporate modern forms of communications when appropriate.

Crowdsourcing is one of those new online ways that’s pretty simple in concept. And, apparently, it has worked.  So, I’m trying it.  For the uninitiated, here’s a great definition of the concept:

“Simply defined, crowdsourcing represents the act of a company or institution taking a function once performed by employees and outsourcing it to an undefined (and generally large) network of people in the form of an open call. This can take the form of peer-production (when the job is performed collaboratively), but is also often undertaken by sole individuals. The crucial prerequisite is the use of the open call format and the large network of potential laborers.”  (Source: article by Jeff Howe, 2006 Wired Magazine.)

So, here’s what I have in mind:  Below is an outline for my plan to to land a new job in public relations.  I’d like to “crowdsource” replies and feedback from the blagosphere, and beyond should any alien beings have insight to share.

Without further ado, my plan.

Goal: Secure a senior-level position in Chicago with a progressive company, agency or association where I’ll be challenged to use my strategic public relations, communications and management skills to help realize a mission and build revenues.

Strategies: Leverage my knowledge, skills and abilities in the B2B arena, with a concentration in the real estate industry.  Accentuate my dedication to the public relations profession through volunteer work on behalf of PRSA Chicago and by one of 5,000 practitioners to hold the Accreditation in Public Relations credential.  Showcase my outstanding oral and written communication skills.

Objectives: Secure at least five job or informational interviews monthly with decision-makers.  Grow referral base to add at least two new sources monthly.  Receive at least three job offers by August, 2013.

As for specific tactics, I’ll hold off on sharing those until after I get some feedback from you.  And, I know: that third objective is quite optimistic.  But, hey, what’s the alternative?  To be pessimistic?  That’s not happening because I remain very confident that I have value in today’s market.

Now it’s your turn in this experiment.  Let the crowdsourcing begin.

Three Things I Learned from Today’s Webinar on Online Content

By Edward M. Bury, APR (aka The PRDude)

Cold. Bleak. Rainy.

Those three words describe today’s weather in Chicago. So what better way — between searching for that next great job in public relations — to spend a dreary day than indoors and taking in a no-cost webinar. Held a few hours ago, the webinar was called:  Connecting the Content Dots: How to Increase Content and Messaging Visibility with a Multi-Channel Distribution Strategy.

That’s a long title, and I learned a lot.  But below are three things that stood out.

First, let me thank the sponsors — PR Newswire, the long-standing news release distribution service, and Marketo, a company founded in 2007 that provides marketing software.  The hosts for the hour-long event were Michael Pranikoff, Director of Emerging Media for PR Newswire, and Marketo’s VP of Marketing Content and Strategy, Jon Miller.

Okay, on to the stuff on online content that stuck in my mind.

1. Visuals are King. Mr. Miller presented a very compelling comparison.  An e-book Marketo offered on its site has resulted in some 17,000 downloads, quite an impressive number.  But a slide show infographic presentation did better.  Much better at 328,000 views.  Statistics were cited that content with graphics did a 35 percent better job at enlisting engagement than content with just text.

2. Some B2B Businesses Lack Soul.  Not “soul” as in the music pioneered by James Brown, but as in having a personality.  Or, in this case, a lack of personality within their online content.  One way to provide some needed personality was offered by Mr. Miller.  Marketo produced a music jingle (remember those?) to market its Definitive Guide to Marketing Automation online book.

3. What Makes a Good CCO. Thankfully, smart companies are putting experienced, modern communicators who understand online communications into the role of managing its blogs, webinars, videos, graphics and other content.  And, thankfully, this person is more than likely getting the title of Chief Content Officer, rather than some goofy, “new normal” moniker like CDR (Commander of the Digital Realm).

Digital communications continues to evolve and play an increasingly more important role in the marketing mix. Those of us in public relations and marketing need to keep current, or fall into the “yesterday’s news” category.  In this time of transition, I’m taking every opportunity to keep pace with the always charging forward technology.

What are you doing?