PR girls and guys wear many hats, but first and foremost they are communicators. It is especially important for us to be able to “read a room” and know our audience, whether it’s on behalf of a client, a new business pitch or a job interview.
Many “PR blunders” are made when an opinion of a company or person is forced down the throat of the audience without any concern as to what the people are most interested in hearing about. Here’s out to choose your words carefully and get your point across in the right way:
Consider the climate – Did something astonishing/tragic/exciting/important just occur in current events, your industry, or the local area? Keep “real time” in mind when speaking to your audience. If everyone is talking about another “hot topic,” they will pay no mind to your news
Walk a mile in their shoes – Think like your core target. What would you be looking for from this news? Do you need a new “hook” to get attention? Oftentimes PR people have “drunk the kool-aid” and what they think to be news-worthy is actually of little interest to the target without an incentive of some kind
Test out your message – Do you have another PR friend you trust? Send along your pitch, press release or email for them to read. Ask if your statements intrigue them or if there are any points you are missing entirely. Sometimes we are too close to our own writing to know if it’s exciting enough
By: Meg – nycprgirls
