Shhhhh….and Other PR Blog Jots

Shhh, Your Clients are Your Business (Literally)

Pro PR

Joseph Thornley offers a solid reminder for all PR practitioners that discretion is the name of the game. Relating a story of an airport business lounge in which it seemed that every lawyer, customer service exec and other business traveler was broadcasting their clients’ names and account information, Thornley makes a good point.  Keeping your cards close regarding client business while in public ought to be rule number one. “What is it about looking at a four foot high screen in front of you that makes someone think that you are in a private place? Use discretion, people. Use some judgment please!”

Imus Lacks a White Hat (Cowboy or Otherwise)

Crisisblogger

Gerald Baron examines the quite different—yet tangentally related—public relations crises of Don Imus and Duke’s lacrosse players.  He points out that the media is quick to assign blame (“white hats” and “black hats”) to parties involved in crisis. In the case of the Duke players, the media, public, and prosecutors convicted the team before the case began.  While Baron doesn’t think Imus has a chance of recovering his reputation, he blames the communications team at the university for allowing the media to convict the boys involved. “The lesson for crisis managers is when you have the black hat on you are in a tough spot. In large part because once the media decides the story it wants to sell, it is very difficult to see that they may have it wrong. My answer is you must tell the story yourself.”

Looking Good as Important as Sounding Good

Strumpette

Most PR execs are old pros at preparing their clients for contact with the media. Message points are reviewed, interview tips given.  But what many often forget is that how you look can often be every bit as important as what you say.  In his weekly guest spot on Strumpette, Phill Hall underscores the urgency of looking the part when facing the media, so as not to lose your message by distracting your audience with a sloppy appearance. “Everyone in PR knows what media training is, and many professionals do a great job preparing their chief executives or clients for public or media appearances. But there is one aspect of media training that is often overlooked: appearance.”