Public Relations for Hollywood Movies

It is amazing the amount of money that Hollywood spends promoting its movies and public-relations efforts and it seems they spend more money on public-relations and community goodwill then they actually do in advertising or marketing. Public relations, publicity stunts and getting the actors to go on talk shows very much helps the movie industry promote their flicks. But, public relations for Hollywood movies is not as easy as it looks, in fact, if it is done incorrectly it can actually hurt the movie.

Of course the right amount of controversy also helps sell tickets as long as that controversy does not cross into taboo and thus causing boycotts from family type groups. Public relations specialists for Hollywood movies make much more money than their counterparts in other industries and it is a choice job.

The insiders in Hollywood know what it's all about and if they are able to promote the movie and get free publicity and public relations out properly, then they will win at the box office. Even if the film is not that good it still might reach the $50 million weekend mark simply through good public relations.

Of course if the movie is good there will be word-of-mouth advertising after that and even more people will see it. The goal is to get the first group of people to go see the Hollywood movie and then run around and say how great it was. Please consider all this in 2006.

What Does a Public Relations Company Do For a Typical Hollywood Star?

The longevity of a Hollywood star's career totally depends on how they are perceived in the public eye. If a star falls out of favor with the public, or if they aren't in plain view on a regular basis, then no matter what their level of talent - the jobs begin to go away and they eventually get forgotten.

So how does a typical Hollywood star keep all this from happening, and stay in the good graces of the general populous? Enter a top notch public relations company - a good PR company can handle a wide variety of tasks to ensure that their Hollywood star clients continue to be considered for the best parts available.

Good Deeds Widely Advertised

A good public relations firm will make sure that word on any and all good deeds and acts of good will are widely distributed to the public. Participation in charity events and charitable contributions, volunteer work and active membership in advocacy groups and organizations are all things that are flooded into the public eye.

Well written press releases, press conferences, interviews and appearances will all be scheduled to get the word out to as many ears and eyes as possible. When a star does anything good for humanity or the environment - a good pr company will do its best to make sure that every last person that may be interested or impressed by the news gets to hear it.

Marathons for charities, adoptions, picketing for causes and getting their hands dirty to aid in disaster recovery are all things that can sky rocket a Hollywood star's status and whether they're doing those things because the cause is really and truly important to them or just to win favor with their dwindling fan base - a good public relations firm will get the good word out to all fronts.

Fixing Problems

For every celebrity that breaks their back performing dozens of good deeds, there is another who can't stop using drugs, can't keep their mouth closed when necessary or can't keep their clothes on in public. For this group of Hollywood stars, a good pr company is a necessity to keep things from falling apart as the drama unfolds.

As much as good publicity can turn a career around for the better, bad publicity can send it right down the toilet. As much as the public wants to hear about all of the Hollywood stars who are having troubles, not so many want those problem laden stars to be a huge success and studios don't want to associate themselves with Hollywood stars who have nothing but problems.

A good public relations firm can literally make most of the bad scenarios go away. Drug addictions that need rehab are released to the media as treatments for exhaustion from being overworked and for problems that are more severe or pronounced, public heartfelt apologies are made through press releases and appearances. Even the most heinous incidents will often be forgiven if a wayward Hollywood star makes an apology with a believable amount of remorse for the situation.

Media Tours

For the typical star with no problems to speak of, or no outstanding contributions to society, a pr company can send them on a whirlwind media tour to talk about their work. The daytime and evening talk show circuit and sit down interviews with entertainment magazines will keep the star exactly where they need to be - positively placed directly in the view of potential fans. A pr firm will set up all of these interviews and make sure that they are structured in a manner as to shed positive light on their client.

The tasks that a good PR company is capable are many, but the single main objective for a PR company working with anyone in the entertainment industry is simple - keep them looking good to the public and make sure that their fan base gets bigger rather than smaller.

The Importance of Public Relations in Your Business

Public relations or PR can become an important issue once you put yourself in a position of public visibility. Ordinary people don't have this kind of worries but for people such as celebrities, sports superstars, politicians and businessmen it's an important consideration. Public relations is an important factor to the success of certain careers. Movie stars and musicians need their fan base to patronize their movies and shows. Sports superstars need the support of their fan as well. Politicians need to look good in the public eye because a bad reputation can cause them to lose in the next election. Becoming an elected public official is a matter of public trust.

Similar to celebrities and politicians, businessmen are concerned with public relations too. You have to remember that virtually all businesses are dependent on repeat customers. If you have a poor relationship with your customers it could potentially have a negative effect on their decision regarding doing business with you again. When you are into business, the single most significant factor affecting your revenue is sales. In turn sales can be affected positively of negatively based on a number of factors. This includes the reputation of your business; the quality of your products and services; and the relationship you establishment have with the customers.

If your business has a bad reputation, it can affect sales. If you products and services are of poor quality, it will affect your sales. If your establishment has a poor relationship with your clientele, it will also affect your sales. Public relations can have a huge bearing on how your business would turn out. This is why major companies hire people just to handle the public relations for the company. That's why we have what some people call PR manager. Their job is to take care of public relations; that's it and nothing more.

Good PR is essential for a successful business. This is especially true as your business gets bigger. The business community is a very social community so your relationship with the people around you matters a lot. Bad PR can affect the reputation of your business; your personal reputation and the capacity of your business to generate profit. Large companies hire PR people to do this. These people are hired to make sure that the business maintains good PR with its customers and the public. However, hiring people to handle public relations means you have to spend money. This is all good if you have a big business. You can hire a PR manager to take care of things for you and having a PR manager leaves you free to do more important things.

While good PR is important it need not be expensive. You just have to make sure that you deliver good products and services; at the same time you have to make sure that your employees treat your customers right. As long as you do things right your business will be in good shape. Bad PR usually arises from bad situations involving you or your business so make sure to keep your nose clean.

Public Relations for Public Relations Companies

Public relations for public relations companies is one of the most important tools to expand their business. After all if a public-relations company is really good then other companies will see this and want to hire them. When a company hires a public-relations team they expect 100% best efforts.

As the public-relations company does a good job they also need to toot their own horn. How can the public-relations company to its own horn and without detracting from the company they are promoting?

There are many ways actually and often you will see their logo at the bottom of a web site, on a press release or advertising. Sometimes the public-relations companies will give a discount to the client in order to do this. Often when we see a very good marketing campaign, public interest story or community-based marketing program; we say to ourselves Wow! And we want to know who is behind it; often what we find is that it is a public-relations specialist team promoting a product or service for their client.

It makes sense that public-relations is a big part of how a public-relations company would market itself to potential clients, corporations and organizations, which might hire it. Public relations companies must promote community goodwill with government agencies, nonprofit groups and local corporations.

They are often involved in the Industry Associations and Chambers of Commerce. No public-relations company is without good public-relations and if they cannot market themselves then no one is going to hire them.

Who Needs A Public Relations Specialist?

An organization's reputation, branding, profitability, growth, and future success depend on how effectively they reach and motivate their targeted audiences. Public relations specialists are communication and media professionals acting as advocates for businesses, hospitals, medical professionals, corporations, universities, nonprofit associations and other organizations. Their specialty is building and promoting positive relationships with targeted audiences for their client's.

Entrepreneurs, professional service providers, small business owners and business managers are increasingly looking to Public Relations Specialists for assistance with strategic planning.

What does a Public Relations Specialist do?

PR Professionals or firms handling publicity for individuals or small organizations often deal with all aspects of the job. They are in involved in making and maintaining contacts and relationships, strategizing and planning, and preparation of promotional materials. They either manage or are directly involved in advertising or sales promotional work in support of marketing.

Depending on the organization's needs, PR Specialists are involved with the following:

    * Media relations
    * Press Releases
    * Press Conferences
    * Speaking Engagements
    * Media Tours
    * Marketing
    * Advertising
    * Interview Preparation and Coaching
    * Governmental Relations
    * Employee Relations
    * Investor Relations
    * Reputation Management
    * Crisis Management & Communications


The Public Relations Process

There are a number of widely accepted "Public Relations Process Models". One of the more popular is the process model by Sheila C. Crifasi (2000) which uses the acronym "ROSIE" to define a five-step process of "Research, Objectives, Strategies, Implementation and Evaluation."

As with just about any professional service, the project starts with some due-diligence and analysis. Objectives are defined along with the strategies to achieve those goals. Media tools are selected and prepared at this stage. Implementation includes materials preparation and release. Program success or failure is determined in the Evaluation stage.

In recent years the Internet has greatly contributed to the selection and accessibility of media tools with real time feedback. These tools are highly prized by marketing and public relations professionals because they provide immediate information on a program's effectiveness.

The principal instrument for most publicity campaigns is the "press release", which provides the mass media with the raw material and background for a news story. There are several on-line Press Release Agencies with targeted syndicated feeds to thousands of journalists world wide, such as PRWeb (www.prweb.com). The better on-line Press Agents provide the original publicist with continual "real time" feedback, including how many journalists have read the News Release.

The client organization's website statistics is another valuable online analytical tool is. Most website hosting companies provide options for access to a detailed statistical tool such as WebTrends (www.webtrends.com). Statistics are updated on a daily basis allowing trends to be spotted at the beginning of a publicity campaign. This near real time feedback helps provide the necessary information required by professionals to effectively manage a campaign while maximizing impact and ROI (Return on Investment).

Another popular publicity tool is "article submission". As with the Press Release, there are also good sources for targeted and syndicated Article Submission on the Internet such as GoArticles (www.goarticles.com). These articles are often picked up by other websites generating valuable links and targeted traffic to a client's website.

Selecting a Public Relations Firm

When choosing a PR Firm an organization is selecting the professionals who will be molding its image for clients and customers, the public and for the media. Image is reality in many societies, this decision can have far-reaching effects.

Here are some suggestions on how to select a PR Firm:

1. Determine your most important PR needs. For Example; Are you launching a new product or service? Are you in a crisis management situation? Do you need to establish a relationship with investors?

2. Determine how long you will need the PR services if possible. Is it a long term or even permanent goal such as establishing and maintaining a relationship with investors, or is it a short term project such as promoting a break-through surgical procedure? Remember most PR Firms will ask for at least a 6 month commitment in order to become established and demonstrate affectivity.

3. Research PR Firms. Ask colleagues and business acquaintances? O'Dwyer's Directory is a good Internet resource. If you are looking for someone local, specify the geographical region in your Internet search. Many PR Firms and Individuals specialize. When doing Internet research on PR Firms, some may have "Case Studies" which reveal details about strategic successes.

4. Conduct phone interviews with the person who would be handling the account if you were to select that agency. Strongly consider similar experience and personal or corporate compatibility throughout the phone and in face to face interviews.

5. Ask for and check references. Most PR Firms have an on-line presence which usually sports a client list. New or Small Firms will often be less expensive than larger firms have more resources to throw at a large project with time constraints. Smaller firms tend to specialize and may know your business very well.

6. Conduct meetings with the prospective candidates and present your program requirements. Look for genuine interest and healthy idea generation. Larger Firms may send an account representative to a meeting. Ask to meet with the PR specialist who will actually be doing the work, especially if long term compatibility is important.

The Escalating Demand for Corporate Accountability

The need for professional public relations in an increasingly competitive business environment is igniting demand for Public Relations Specialists by businesses, organizations and institutions of all sizes. The value of a company is measured by its balance sheet, but continued success is determined by the quality of its public visibility.

The escalating public, investor and governmental demand for corporate accountability will continue to place emphasis on building public confidence and favorable client image, which are best managed by Public Relations Professionals.

Hotel Public Relations Explained - How to Jumpstart Your Public Relations Hotel Marketing Plan

Most hotels think of hotel public relations and marketing as afterthoughts. Advertising a hotel is a great first step, but in these days of both out-of-the box thinking and remarkable new ways to approach media, advertising alone won't do it. A strong, strategic message that encompasses everything from social media to event planning, along with more traditional marketing/advertising such as direct mail, ensures that your hotel or chain will stand out from the crowd.

What is Hotel PR?

Hotel public relations includes a diverse set of activities, such as newsletters and traditional press relations, planning special events, creating trips for travel writers (so they will favorably cover your hotel), and online marketing including developing a social media presence, as well as some unexpected choices, such as community philanthropy.

PR is the unsung hero in the sales/marketing/branding world. Done right, it can establish your credibility with potential new clients, raise awareness of your brand, and cost you much less than traditional advertising. In fact, probably the most cost-effective method available to you is hotel public relations. Creating story seeds, or even full-blown stories, with the modern media means being featured in blogs, on web sites, and with aggregators, as well as in traditional print and online magazines, trade journals, and newspapers.

Think Vegas...

You've seen the hotels on the Vegas strip, each more gaudy than the last, or more elegant, or both. How do they stand out in a marketplace so crowded there is literally nothing else? They learn to differentiate themselves (the hook), to tell a story unlike the others (the theme) and to build relationships with the media and their clients (the network).

Hotel public relations starts by determining your PR strategies and allocating a budget. This will include distribution of traditional media releases (which these days include multimedia elements such as photography), developing special events, and creating opportunities to interact with and entertain reporters and travel writers. Skip the clipping service in favor of having your PR rep set up Google Alerts, and know that everything in this area of your business is changing faster than you can keep up. That's where your PR expert will really earn their money.

Hire Right!

Allocate staff to act as spokespersons to each hotel - a media rep - and start by outsourcing your PR. Hotel public relations must be done properly, by experts and not as an afterthought; you can always change your mind later and bring the position in-house, but the job will require someone who can speak to the media, write a strong well-worded press release with a headline that will make the phone ring, and who will bring existing media relationships to the table, thereby jump-starting your PR with no ramp-up time, which translates into dollars saved for you.

If you can give yourself a year's window to see the results of your hotel public relations campaign, you'll note an uptick in awareness and an ongoing strategic base you can draw your customers from, which should also translate into increased sales and perhaps also a welcome reduction in your advertising budget.

Stick with hotel PR and you will notice the long-term benefits of continued awareness and loyalty among customers who demand that they are not just advertised to, and appreciate the more subtle marketing of good PR.

Public Relations - Avoiding Disasters

In our previous article in our public relations series we discussed how to land you first job in the field of public relations. In this article we're going to briefly touch on what exactly public relations is and how complex it has become in our modern world.

If you were to look up public relations in the dictionary you would find one of the following definitions.

1. The art or science of establishing and promoting a favorable relationship with the public.

2. The methods and activities employed to establish and promote a favorable relationship with the public.

3. The degree of success obtained in achieving a favorable relationship with the public.

4. (as a noun) a promotion intended to create goodwill for a person or institution.

Unfortunately, the methods used in definition 2 to create a positive effect in definition 1 are not always what people would consider scrupulous and the success we achieve in definition 3 is many times destroyed by those methods.

In today's world of immediate news access, public relations is more critical than ever. With stories breaking literally minutes after an event, public relations firms sometimes have little to no time in order to put out fires.

One need not look far to find public relations disasters, some being actual acts of God. When a natural disaster such as a hurricane hits a particular region that depends on tourism for much of its income, it is difficult to try to sell to the rest of the world that the region is still a great place to come and visit, to spend their vacation dollars. The recent hurricane that hit New Orleans is a perfect example. A public relations firm would have to literally be wizards to get anyone to come to a city that is now a ghost town.

Then there are the public relations disasters that are man made, such as the torturing of prisoners in Iraq. The public relations people of the US government had the near impossible task of trying to put a positive spin on this event. The war in general has been a difficult thing to sell to the American people.

Of course the most common public relations disasters are those associated with big business. An example of this, and there are many to choose from, would be when Coca Cola had to defend itself against allegations from Pepsi that its product manufactured in India contained high levels of toxins. The way the two companies handled this matter only added more fuel to the fire.

When someone eats in a fast food restaurant and finds things in their food that don't belong there, this is another public relations nightmare for the company. Again, in most cases when these things happen, the company only makes things worse by either denying the allegations or trying to cover them up.

The best way for any company, or government for that matter, to handle public relations nightmares is to deal with the situation honestly; present the facts and state their plan for correcting the problem. Most importantly, take responsibility. In today's world people expect honesty. If we give them the facts and our intentions for dealing with the situation honestly, most public relations nightmares can be avoided. Unfortunately, this is a lesson most of us have not yet learned.

Public Relations for State Parks

Many State Parks in the United States do an excellent job of public relations and give out important information to tourists and tourist's centers. Most are involved heavily with the local Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Association. This is because by working with these groups they can alert more people of the State Park and its beauty, trails and sights and increase tourism, which is wonderful for local businesses and that means more jobs in the area and more monetary flows into the communities.

Public Relations for State Parks is hardly a walk in the park however as there is also a balance between nature and the business community and therefore at times they maybe at odds as more and more people come to visit it means more and more growth, the need for more or larger roads in the park and more camp grounds too. All this causes issues, but the local community knows it makes its money from the tourists, so give us all you got!

Public relations for state parks is not an easy job and sometimes there is more turnover than is necessary due to pure politics. The trick is to develop goals and objectives early on for the state park and to ensure by-in to these goals and objectives or mission statement with the local business community. A public relations officer for a state park has one of the toughest jobs in our nation's park system and the dynamics that they are involved with are indeed interrelated to nearly every aspect of the local community. Please consider all this in 2006.

Union of the Trio - Public Relations Vs Publicity and Their Role in Marketing

There's a fallacy that most public relations firms do PR. Essentially they do publicity. How's that possible, you ask? Well, this according to marketing gurus and what's stated in Wikipedia (as follows): "Public relations and publicity are not synonymous but many PR campaigns include provisions for publicity. Publicity is the spreading of information to gain public awareness for a product, person, service, cause or organization, and can be seen as a result of effective PR planning." PR, then, is the creative strategy of a story. It's focused on its intended audience and with the full utilization of the tools at its disposal, such as press releases, speeches and public service activities amongst others, can determine what and how people talk about a company, a brand, a product.

Steve Jobs and the new Mac successfully got placed on the cover of more than 30 magazines in the year the product launched. That's referred to as "publicity". However, the real challenge was crafting the storyline of the Mac - along the story of Steve Jobs. That's PR work at its finest.

Press Releases in Tune with the Times

The words "Press Release" or "Press Statement" go back a long while when such written communication were printed and released to the press to spread their noteworthy news. These days the more common term used is "News Release" since it has a broader meaning. Materials are now posted online, either via newswire services, within a company and to other non-paid and to some extent, paid sources. As for the term "Media Release", it's like a brief newspaper article that is sent to media outlets to gain their interest and if they accept it, they will then publish a story about it.

Demystifying the Roles of PR and Marketing

In the same way that PR and Publicity are not equal, same goes for the former and marketing. Marketing is interested in the understanding of the consumer to meet his/her needs/desires, the goals of the company and to help the company find a way to profitably meet those needs. Public relations, on the other hand, works to build relationships with various sources, reduce conflict and improve cooperation between a company and its intended audience. Marketing focuses on selling and packaging products or services, whereas, public relations is more about reputation, crisis and image management as well as brand building. As the renowned marketing strategist Al Ries succinctly stated, "PR builds brands. Advertising maintains brands once they are built by PR." Clever public relations will undoubtedly create a healthy environment for marketing. This requires a team with innovative minds.

Marketing and PR, therefore work best when they are treated as separate organizational functions. Nonetheless, they must coordinate in a team effort to make certain they are working to achieve the same objectives. Advertising is an effective marketing tool and frequently used in conjunction with PR, sales promotion and personal selling strategies in a marketing mix.

It's the Image Silly

Any seasoned PR practitioner will tell you that a favorable corporate reputation and image are an essential part of their mission whether it's to retain, recapture their clients' credibility or to promote a favorable impression for a public company's existing and potential investors. Companies, however, should too be proactive and focus on their behavior instead on words alone. As for brand building and awareness, a PR firm can implement a great brand story and distribute it through the appropriate target media which will be perceived as authentic and unbiased as opposed to a paid advertisement.

To retain the shine on one's brand assets, companies are encouraged to frequent online chatter where people exchange gossip and views. Prevention is undoubtedly better than cure. By spotting problems early you could seize on an impasse before it spreads further and tarnishes your reputation.

Survey Says!

To offer a noteworthy rationale for media exposure, depending on the industry one's in, companies should consider hiring a polling firm to conduct a survey about some worthwhile trend which is relevant to their product or service and which would be of interest to the general public or a niche market. The results from the credible poll can be used as an ideal story line for the media. A case in point is Berlitz Canada which carried-out a poll, through Harris/Decima during several days in March 2008, via an online panel, sampling 1,277 adult Canadians about the benefits of being bilingual or multilingual - especially with regards to career advancement opportunities. The results were exploited by being turned into a publicity feat which formed additional exposure Berlitz wouldn't have otherwise received in the traditional sense.

Customer Care in an Ideal World

What is the meaning of paying a PR firm to glorify your reputation along with your product or service if you can't deliver on your promises. Today's consumer is not simply sophisticated but with the swift access to the Internet he/she can vent their frustration online through Twitter, blogs and plenty more social media sources. Much is touted by companies about customer service/relations but surprisingly only a few actually deliver on their promises. At the outset, it appears that many lack a vital customer relations policy including inadequate staff training and coaching. Picking up the telephone and calling certain companies can sometimes lead to an exasperating experience. People love to hate the phone tree encounter where you have to go through a maze of menus until you eventually get to speak to a human - assuming you're lucky. It shouldn't have to be that way. Dealing with a company's customer service center should be an efficient and pleasant event. Companies should place toll-free numbers in visible and large type on their labels. Calls should be answered on the first or second ring and no phone tree. The trained person who handles the calls should be congenial, apologetic and non-argumentative. Amex and Apple are two such companies which seem to have achieved this. Hire mystery shoppers to gauge your service performance and report their experience/feedback.

What's Next?

PR, the New Media and Talent for Hire Over the years, clients have become more demanding of their service providers. They have come to expect more personalized interaction, customized solutions, timely results and most certainly a "bang for their buck". PR firms are expected to be more transparent, specialized in particular fields, rather than general practitioners, and embrace the de-facto new media sources - the online social media which is nowadays being integrated with PR. This includes blogging, Twittering, social networking and viral marketing amongst others. That is to say, be in the forefront of new fields of media and communication which will be fully utilized in the business of influencing perceptions.

In addition, one other notable trend is towards widespread audio and video production and communication. From podcasting to mobile video, audio and video will predominate in our world. PR has traditionally been all about effective written communications. While that will remain important, the new skills required to be part of a society driven by other media forms will be critical. With the plethora of multinational and boutique PR firms out there, differentiation in the delivery of services, personalized service and focus in niche markets/industries will be the determining core value equation.

Hiring the right practitioners should include candidates with a variety of business experience especially in marketing, negotiations including strong written communications. Additionally, prospective PR practitioners should possess soft skills, common sense, a flair to think laterally and be someone who gets excited by ideas. A communications or marketing degree should be considered an asset rather than a pre-requisite.

PR practitioners need more skills today than at any time in the past because there are more tasks, more media and more tools. Hence, a comprehensive in-house training program, as well as outside educational encouragement and support, should be part of a firm's perquisites to their staff. The fact of the matter is, companies that invest in their employee's education and training receive loyalty and better results from them.

James D. Roumeliotis is no stranger to the luxury lifestyle domain and is equally skilled in sales, marketing & negotiating. As the founder and former managing director of a successful large yacht charter & brokerage firm in the Mediterranean, James has dealt with significant and discerning clientele worldwide. Offering impeccable service was and still remains his forte. Previously he was involved in the financial services industry for 10 years, initially in sales and subsequently as a sales director in Canada and in the United States. Born, raised and educated in Montreal, Canada, he is multilingual and possesses a receptive & international mindset. Presently, he acts as an adviser to small and medium sized companies on issues of sales management, marketing and entrepreneurship.

The Best Ways to Distribute Your Public Relations Resume

Whether you are an entry level public relations associate or a high-level publicist, you may want to change jobs. Your resume will be the focal point of your own personal public relations campaign. You only need to find out the best ways to distribute it.

Media jobs like public relations are in demand by certain companies. One can do research to determine which of these companies are best to work for and provide the best salary and benefits. It takes an enormous amount of patience and work, but one can discover where to place one's resume.

An easier way to go about this is to go through a resume distribution service to get the names of companies one wants to target. The information about companies one chooses to pursue, coming from one's own work or that of a consultant, is the beginning of the process.

You, or the resume distribution service, can email your resumes to the specific companies you have selected. If you do not know how to do a mass email, it is time to learn. Set it up so that the resume goes to the email in-boxes of every hiring manager of every company on your list. The work may be in finding out the email addresses of the employers.

One can find many employers' email addresses from their company websites. There may even be a special email address for job seekers. Another way to find out employers' email addresses is through networking in one's local area.

If one finds it nearly impossible to find the companies' information that they want, a career consultant can help with this problem. This person should have a virtual rolodex with all the contact information of all the company's hiring agents you wish to reach.

However, if one goes this route, the service will likely include the resume distribution itself. If one is willing to pay for this, it can be a valuable service. It relieves the pressure from one to be able to include all the desirable companies.

One can personalize this service with resume distribution service even further. One may have certain specific companies that should not, under any circumstances, be contacted with a resume. These could include companies where one has worked in the currently or in the past.

The service can red-flag these companies and keep one's resume from going to them. If one does not want to have responses come directly to one, some resume distribution services will set up a special email account. From that account, inquiries can be sorted to be answered or to be ruled out. The sender will not be able to flood your regular inbox with junk email if you do not contact them.

As a public relations worker, you know the value of well-placed personal promotion. That is all resume distribution is. One must perfect the resume package and find the right companies one wants to receive it. Then, it is just a matter of getting those resumes delivered and funneling the feedback to return to you.

Role of the Public Relation Firm

Before you get the answer for the above let us understand what the Public relation means. It is a method and an art or science of establishing and promoting favorable relations with the public. That's why it's called public relation. Therefore the main function of the this firm is to build relations between the organization and its public or people involved in order to achieve the organizational goals.

It also is the job of this firm to build a desirable image of a person or a group seeking public attention. It's a way of communicating that helps the person or group to gain public understanding and acceptance. Its primary focus is to resolve or deal with any issues of the person or group rather than the product or service of the person or group.

The goal of this relation firm uses publicity to gain good will rather than sales. It is a form of advertising the person or group to show that the organization goals are aimed to achieve the best for its public involved. Commonly used tools of public relations include news releases, press conferences, speaking engagements, and community service programs.

The closest experience you would have had with public relation firm is the Human resource department (formally known as the HR department) in your own company. Their main job is to provide the organization with people who are productive and an asset to the organization and maintain the relation between the organization and employee. The relation between the employee and organization is maintained through communication. Further they are involved in motivating the employees and retain them in the organization by initiating various incentives and bonuses form the organization, in turn helping the organization have happy people who work for them and know they work for a good organization that cares for its employees need. Indirectly the HR department creates a good will for the organization in the market through its employees.

In the present market as communication plays an important role in the growth of an individual or organization (group) the public relation firms come into play and are the vital requirement to build the relations. They use their communication skills and techniques to build and manage relations and keep an open dialogue between an organization or individuals audiences those who influence them.

Tips For Effective Public Relations

As we all know Public Relations is a set of activities, which an organization undertakes to generate a widespread acceptance among its various public. The term public would include all the stakeholders of the company, viz. customers, suppliers, shareholders, other business associates and not to forget the employees who visualize bright career prospective with the organization.

PR has to be a continuous process that targets all the above listed stakeholders. Many feel that PR activities help you to build a positive image among people. But image cannot be built; it has to be earned, earned over the years by providing quality products and services. Public Relation's job is basically to communicate and strengthen this image.

Here are some tips for effective public relations that will come handy when you chart out PR strategies for your organization:

- Managing Media Relations: PR activities need wide use of media, and to gain media confidence and support it is necessary that you be open to provide media the information they require. The biggest blunder that any PRO can make is to lie to media. Thus make sure that you supply only true facts to them.

- Words of Mouth: A word of mouth always has more impact than any form of advertisement can have. And the best people to carry words of mouth messages are your employees. They will speak high of the organization and its products only when they themselves believe in it. Thus public relations first have to begin in-house, targeting your employees.

- Localize your Campaigns: Your PR campaign will touch the hearts of the target audience only when they can relate themselves to it. Thus your PR campaign with the broader global outlook should have the local touch in it.

- Get Right People for the Job: For any organization the biggest strength are its employees. Thus the success of your PR activities at your workplace will also depend upon the people whom you assign your PR Jobs to. Thus while you undertake recruitment, look for experienced people who know the need of the hour. The reason being, PR is all about communicating right things at the right time.

- Fulfill your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Being socially responsible will get you in the good books of your stakeholders as well as the media. It will also give you a reason to feel proud of. You do not necessarily have to spend high on the CSR campaigns. You can associate yourself with non-profit organizations supporting a good cause.

Mission-Critical Public Relations?

As a business, non-profit or association manager, any tool that helps you reach your department, division or subsidiary objective IS mission-critical.

And particularly so when that tool helps you persuade your most important external stakeholders to your way of thinking, and then moves them to take actions that lead to your success.

Here is such a mission-critical tool. One that lets you get serious about your public relations. It shifts the emphasis away from communications tactics to a workable plan for reaching those outside groups of people with a large say about how successful you're going to be - namely, your key external target audiences. The tool says, "People act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished."

Use this blueprint to create behaviors that lead to activities like more follow up purchases, higher contributions levels, increased qualified employment applications, new joint venture proposals or a big boost in capital contributions.

First, meet with the public relations people assigned to your department, division or subsidiary and let them know you're serious about finding out what your most important outside audiences actually think about your organization. The rationale being that target audience perceptions usually lead to behaviors that can help or hinder you in achieving your operating objectives.

Decide among you which audiences are really key to your success then build and prioritize your list of important outside groups of people whose actions most affect your unit. Now, let's work on #1 on that list.

Your new mission-critical public relations effort will rest heavily on how efficient you are in rounding up the perceptions of your key target audience.

You can put your public relations team to work interacting with members of that #1 outside audience. Or, if you can tap a good sized budget, you can ask a professional survey firm to do the job for you. However, because your PR folks are already in the perception and behavior business, my choice would be to use them for this assignment.

One way or the other, someone must interact with members of that prime audience and ask questions like "What do you know about our operation? Are you familiar with our services or products? Have you had any negotiations with us? If so, were they satisfactory?"

But watch the responses carefully. Notice any evasive or hesitant comments about your organization? Be especially alert for misconceptions or untruths. Are there false assumptions or inaccuracies you need to remedy in light of experience that shows negative perceptions inevitably lead to negative behaviors - the kind you must correct to protect your unit's operations.

The result of all this work is that you are now prepared to set your public relations goal. For instance, clarify a hurtful inaccuracy, fix that misconception or flatten that rumor once and for all.

But there's more to reaching your goal. As with just about any goal you pursue, you don't reach it without the right strategy to show you how to get there. Fact is, with matters of perception and opinion, you have three strategic options: change an offending opinion/perception, create it where there isn't any, or reinforce an existing perception.

Now comes some work that requires real writing talent - preparing the message you will use to carry your corrective facts and figures to members of your key target audience.

The message must display several characteristics. It must be clearly written as to why that misconception, inaccuracy or false assumption should be corrected or clarified. Your supporting facts must be truthful leading to a finished message that is both believable and compelling.

Now, how about moving your message to your audience? This is the least complex step in the sequence because there are so many communications tactics ready to do the message delivery job for you. They range from op-eds in local newspapers, radio and TV interviews, speeches, consumer briefings and brochures to newsletters, emails, personal meetings and many, many others. Only caution: be sure the tactics you assign to the job have a good record of reaching people just like those members of your target audience.

What about progress? Only way to know for certain if offending perceptions have been altered, is to interact out there once again with those audience members asking the same questions as before. But this time, you and your PR team will be watching carefully for indications that the troublesome perception really is moving in your direction.

That's where the rubber meets the road, isn't it? Alter the offending perception...that leads directly to the predictable behavior...that helps business, non-profit or association managers use mission-critical public relations...to reach their department, division or subsidiary objectives.

Choosing the Right Public Relations (PR) Firm - 5 Helpful Tips

If there is one industry that has become overly saturated these days it is the field of Public Relations. It seems that PR Firms are cropping up faster than weeds, and the process of sorting through the slush to choose a public relations company of quality can be a daunting and overwhelming process, to say the least.

This article offers you 5 helpful tips that can hopefully make the journey of choosing a PR Firm or a publicist a little bit easier and more streamlined, so that you can get the most bang for your public relations buck, and actually see a return on your investment.

Five Tips For Choosing The Right PR Firm For You

1. Size - Are you seeking a large corporate PR Firm, a mid-size firm or a small or boutique firm?

The question I pose is not a black and white one. The answer to this question must be determined by several things. Your budget, how much hand holding and personal attention you require, how far you want your public relations outreach to be, and your desire for a team working on your account or for just one or two ambitious publicists working on your account. Large corporate public relations firms generally charge between $10,000 and $20,000 per month for their basic retainer services, so budget is a huge factor here. To a company like Microsoft or Johnson & Johnson this is a drop in the bucket. But to a small or medium sized company that type of fee is far out of reach. The benefits of a large national and sometimes international firm is the wide reach your brand can achieve, a large team working on your account, a large pool of other clients who are with that firm from that your company can possibly network with and benefit from. These large firms generally have a ton of experience on their side. Many of these large PR Firms are 20, 30 or 50 plus years old. The downside of these large firms aside from the hefty monthly fee is the amount of bureaucracy and red tape involved in the day to day functions of the company, and unfortunately this can often lead to smaller clients falling through the cracks. Another minus to working with large PR Firms is the lack of personal touch and attention, which is fine for established companies but not as good for start ups, small and medium sized companies who require more nurturing, more brand development and other complimentary services like writing and basic marketing assistance.

Smaller public relations firms tend to offer monthly retainers that can range anywhere from $7000.00 all the way down to about $2500.00 depending on how much overhead that firm has, their level of experience and expertise, their particular public relations niche, their contacts and how much time they plan to devote to your account. Most PR Firms out there tend to fall into the mid-size, boutique or small category and are also very effective at doing their job.

2. Ignore the Hype and Look at a Public Relations Firm's Portfolio of Work!

I cannot stress this enough. In perusing some colleagues' websites recently I was shocked to observe that some of these websites have flashy graphics, catchy promotional copy about their services, and glossy images but NO examples of their media placements, marketing case studies, writing samples... nada! Where is their work? Don't fall for public relations firms that are all flash and no substance. Always, and I mean always look to see if their website is packed with examples of past projects, past examples of media placements and other examples of work created by the firm. Look over the work that is displayed on their website and when speaking with a representative from that public relations firms ask them to elaborate on their body of work. Some great questions:

What media placements are you most proud of? How was that media placement achieved by your firm? What is your firms biggest strength? Can you tell me some of your contacts in the media? Can you give me some marketing case studies? Some public relations case studies? What sets your firm apart?

3. Make sure you are a match: Assessing values, vision and creativitiy

The above sentence is pretty self-explanatory but I will elaborate. This publicist or pr team will be your brand ambassador. You want someone whose values reflect your own values. You also want to be sure that your publicist understands, appreciates and shares your vision for your company or organization. If a PR Firm wants to pitch your beauty brand as an elite, untouchable, prestige brand and you want your beauty product to speak to the every-woman, showing her how beauty can be accessible to all women, then that publicist may have a vision that is not in line with yours and things will likely go from perplexing to downright tense. A good trick is, when speaking to a potential publicist ask him or her how they see your product, who they think your audience/demo is and how they envision positioning the product to the media and to potentiial consumers. Don't expect them to go into too much detail before really delving into the product line, but they should give you a basic pitch that falls in line with your own vision. If not, move on.

4. Are you in it for Website traffic, magazine placements, TV appearances? What is it you want? Be specific!

Don't be shy about what it is you want. Why are you searching for public relations services in the first place? Really sit down and think about it. And don't be shy about your needs. Is your main objective to build a strong targeted online following to drive quality traffic to your website and convert visitors into sales? Is your main objective someone who can write outstanding copy for your business like press releases, articles, pitch copy to send to media outlets, etc.? Is your main objective to become something of a personality and expert in your field and to build a resume as someone who makes appearances on television news programs giving advice to promote yourself as a brand and an expert? Figure out what your goals are and choose a PR Firm that is strong in your area of interest.

5. Location, location, location

In the age of email, fax machines, long distance phone plans and inexpenseive air travel the location of your public relations firm may not matter to you... or it might. Do you want lots of face time with your publicist or do you not care if your publicist is in Timbuck Tu as long as they can get the job done, and get your company press coverage? Everyone's comfort level with location is different and there is no right or wrong. If you are looking for entertainment public relations you may set your sights on a PR Firm that is in Los Angeles or in New York. If you are an up and coming Internet company you may find value in a San Francisco based PR Firm. Fashion, New York may be the way to go for you, unless your fashion line is a range of swimsuits; in that case a Miami PR Firm could be the right fit. Looking to attract the Latin market, again, Miami could be the key for you.

Or, you may simply look for a public relations firm with a rolodex of contacts in a particular city or industry, regardless of their brick and mortar location.

Public Relations - Integral For Business

Public relations is an absolutely integral part of any businesses recipe for success, in fact, a well thought out and properly enacted public relations plan can be the single most important part of a company's marketing - and aside from a good product and hard working employees, the most important part of running a business. Public relations will determine exactly how your company is viewed or perceived in the public eye.

Current and potential customers like to be ensured that they are, or will be patronizing a company that cares. A public relations department can organize a plan of attack to let the consumer know that your company cares about people and the environment, and about any other burgeoning social issues. A good PR department will also make the public aware that your company has a new product on the horizon and why they have to be first in line to purchase it, or that your company is branching out to offer new services and how that will make you stronger and more capable of handling their needs as consumers.

Yet another great facet and important role of a public relations department is damage control. If something, anything goes wrong and the public is made aware that the problem arose from one of your company's employee's actions or due to a particular policy - a good PR department will be the first one on the scene to correct it. Writing releases for apology or correction of error, along with releases stating the fact that new employees and procedures are in place to prevent any future problems can often save a companies reputation in the public eye.

Inside or Out?

Many companies have their very own public relations departments, made up of what could be any number of employees who are responsible for a wide variety of duties including: producing eye catching press kits, writing poignant press releases, organizing charitable events and contributions and some general damage control.

This is usually the best option for large companies with big budgets in place for advertising and payroll. A good full time PR department is great if ever there are cases of an emergency that needs to be dealt with immediately.

Companies that don't have their own public relations department, but that realize just how important the proper approach to and implementation of public relations can be, will often enlist the help of a third party public relations firm to take care of that end of the business for them.

This second option can work quite well for a company that doesn't want to keep several full time employees on staff (having to take care of employee salaries, vacation and health benefits), when they can temporarily employee a service to do the job for them. Many reputable and successful public relations firms can bring quite a cost for the service that they provide, but often the results that are yielded from a good public relations campaign can certainly outweigh the cost of enlisting a firm to provide the work.

A third option is for a company to employ regular employees to handle the basic issues of a public relations department - to generate the thoughts and ideas behind the advertisements and new product pushes, but then hire freelance professional to take care of the artistic side of things (the graphics, design and writing).

Regardless of whether a company employs their own full time public relations department, enlists a third party to do the work or uses a combination of in house people and freelancers to get the job done - public relations is an enormous part of whether or not a company will succeed.

Where to Find Public Relation Jobs in Los Angeles

There are many ways to find any job if you are willing to look at the right places. Right now we are in a recession in this country, an there people looking for jobs in record numbers as well as people losing homes, and other financial hardships developing along the way. Never the less, there are still ways and methods of getting jobs in the marketplace. However, there may be times where people might have to take a pay cut in order to constitute them even having a job. If you are looking for a public relations job, I will let you know some of the ways for you to find this line of work.

The first thing that you will need to decide is if you need to take a pay cut, or if you are willing and able to wait for that opportunity to come for you to take a certain amount of money. This depends on your situation and what you are willing to compromise. If you are not willing to compromise anything like your salary, then you can wait. As far as finding public relation jobs, you will need to go to the nearest career center and apply for their services. You can find places like South Bay One stop in Inglewood, CA. If you can manage to find one near you, you will be able to use some of their resources, such as the phone, interview help, and many other resources that will help you land a job in the public relations field.

This is the best place for you to find a public relation job. It's better this way because you won't have to feel like you are by yourself when looking for a job like this. You will want to look at my blog for information on public relations jobs and other jobs in the LA area.

Public Relations - Tips For Starting A Career

In this article we're going to go over some tips for those who are considering a career in public relations.

If you are a student who has taken up public relations in college and it's fast approaching the time when recruiters are going to be coming to your campus, there are a few things that you are going to want to do in order to assure yourself of the best chance of being hired by a public relations firm and then the best chance to hold your job once you get it. Public relations is a highly visible profession and not one where you can easily hide behind a desk. Any weaknesses you have are going to stick out like a sore thumb. Which brings us to our first tip.

When confronted by a recruiter, show confidence. You absolutely must convince this person that you can handle any assignment that comes your way. The same is true once you land the job itself. Don't be afraid to give your opinions in meetings. You may come up with some stupid ideas but if you show confidence, they may still be considered. However, don't appear arrogant. This can work against you. You have to find the right balance between confidence and arrogance. This is not always easy, especially for a young person.

Once on the job, hook up with a mentor, someone who you feel you can learn from. All the confidence in the world doesn't make up for experience and knowledge. A mentor can get you through that rough first year by giving you sound advice and also by acting as a sounding board for your opinions. He may very well save you from saying something that could seriously hurt your career in the long run.

Another thing you have to learn how to do is learn from your mistakes. Mistakes happen to everyone but the key is not to make the same mistake twice. Handle your mistakes as professionally as possible and take all criticism that goes with them just as professionally.

Public relations is not a nine to five job. You won't be expected to work long hours but if you want to get ahead and be on top of the game you're going to have to be prepared to put in some very early mornings and some very late nights. Do this willingly and with enthusiasm.

Study the industry as much as possible. Read all the books on the subject. Study past public relations campaigns. Read the latest magazines and journals. Also, attend seminars and join professional groups. This will keep you one step ahead of the game and greatly impress your boss.

Remember that there is a lot to learn. Coming out of college, you've gained a lot of book knowledge but public relations is more than book knowledge. Gain as much experience as you can. Study assignments done by others in the firm and see if you can learn anything from them.

By doing all of the above you can almost guarantee yourself a very long and successful career in public relations.

Journalism Versus Public Relations

Although very different in practice, public relations and journalism are also professions that share many similar attributes and functions. More importantly, they are undisguisably co-dependent. In March 2010, Australian news analysis and commentary website Crikey and the Australian Centre for Independent Journalism found that across 10 hard-copy papers, nearly 55% of stories analysed were driven by some form of public relations. Therefore while PR relies on journalists to use their press releases and promote their cause, journalists are also relying on the work of PR officials to produce and source news.

At the same time, the current mediasphere and news climate has heralded many more overlaps between journalism and PR as traditional media moves online and the untrained citizen journalist and blogger is infringing on the market share of 'news' - once the sole domain of the journalist. As the hard copy newspaper diminishes, so too do journalism jobs meaning that more and more reporters and previous press workers are jumping ship to PR.

While the distinctions between the two are blurring, here's a reminder of the inherent differences between journalism and PR.

Serving the public versus serving the client. The fundamental difference between journalism and PR is in who their work serves. The foundation of journalism is the desire to serve the general public and act as a balance and check on society and government. Journalists have the responsibility to serve the public's best interest - even if that means exposing hard or uncomfortable truths. Public relations', on the other hand, serves the interests of their client or the paying organisation. There is a less stringent ethical or moral code involved in PR.

Objectivity. Objectivity is one of the most significant principles of journalism. Journalistic objectivity involves using an impersonal and detached voice to report an issue in a neutral manner. PR is innately objective, with their principle aim being to promote their client from an interested, partial perspective.

Job Description of a Public Relations Specialist

Are you applying for a public relations (or PR) specialists? Before you submit your resume, you must know first what it does. It is the same as communications specialists or media specialists. They carry out a range of task that depends on for whom and where they work. They make and uphold an optimistic figure for their employers. However, most PR works is by keeping the public informed regarding the current happening in their employer like the goals and policies. Every specialist must be receptive to the attitudes, needs, and opinions of the audience they will face.

Specialists have the ability to arrange and manage engagements in speaking, press meetings, conferences, and conventions. They also engage in films or videos, and fund raising promotions. They are more often than not prepare many resources for the said events; for example, they have to prepare speeches and press releases, scripts, magazine articles, pamphlets, fact sheets, and newsletters. Sometimes, they should conduct interviews and telephone speaking on a regular basis. The PR specialist collaborates directly with their graphic designers, artists, printers, and other media specialists.

It is also the job of them to commune with the public on behalf of their employers. Therefore, they get their name also as communications or media specialists. He/She widens his or her employer's message to the public by the use of the media as a medium.

Public relations specialists managed jobs like advertising, health care, educational services, and government. A number of public relations specialists are working for firms such as communications, financial, and government agencies.

As the name of the job implies, public relations specialist deals with engaging yourself to the public on behalf of your employer. It is your duty to protect the image of your employer, and informed the public about what is happening in the company or organization.

Career Training Opportunities in Public Relations and Corporate Communications

Have you ever thought about why people trust certain product brands? Or how companies manage their public image? Or how certain Hollywood movie stars seem to appear in the press over and over again? The one thing they all have in common is effective public relations.

Public relations specialists (also referred to as media representatives and communications officers) serve as advocates for businesses, nonprofit associations, hospitals, universities, and other organizations. They build and maintain positive relationships with the press and the public. Media reps not only manage the day-to-day business of a company's image, but they may also be called upon to repair the damage done by a corporate misstep or other crisis.

Jobs in public relations have traditionally been concentrated in large cities, where many businesses and trade associations have their headquarters, and press services and other communications facilities are readily available. Many public relations consulting firms, for example, are in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC. However, because of the internet, in recent years corporate communications jobs are increasingly found nearly anywhere.

How do public relations specialists manage an organization's message? Primarily by cultivating relationships with the press, and then providing the press with positive news stories. Communications managers draft press releases and send them to reporters in the media who might print or broadcast their material. You might be surprised to know that many newspaper stories, magazine articles, and radio or television special reports begin as press releases from media specialists.

Crisis management can be important. If a supermarket chain is accused of selling tainted meat, for example, the supermarket must immediately take action to correct the problem. The next task may involve counteracting the negative impression that has been created in the minds of customers. People may switch to a competitor because of stories circulating about bad meat at the supermarket. It's the task of the public relations team at the supermarket to make sure that the community knows that the problem has been fixed and that the chain can be trusted to sell healthy food.

In government, information officers and press secretaries keep the public informed about the activities of agencies and officials. A U.S. senator may employ a team of press officers to keep the senator's constituents informed and monitor what the press is saying about their boss. If a negative story appears, the press officers will try to respond with something positive. During an election campaign, public relations officers are key members of the campaign team because they must constantly evaluate their candidate's standing in the polls and image in the press.

Education and training: A college degree in public relations, advertising, journalism, or communications is often required even for entry-level positions. Some organizations seek college graduates who have worked in electronic or print journalism, those who have communication skills and training, or who have experience in a field related to the firm's business.

Many colleges and universities offer associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees in communications. A public relations program may include courses in media relations principles and techniques, communications management and administration, writing, visual communications, and research. Advertising, business administration, finance, journalism, political science, psychology, sociology, and creative writing may also be part of a program.

Job growth could be impressive. According to the U.S. Government's Bureau of Labor Statistics, during the current decade 2008-2018 employment of public relations specialists is expected to grow 24 percent, much faster than the average for all occupations.

In an increasingly competitive business environment, the need for effective media relations should create a need for these workers in organizations of all types and sizes. People with foreign language capabilities also are in great demand. Employment in public relations firms should grow as firms outsource to provide public relations services rather than hire in-house staff.

Perhaps you could be the person who shapes public opinion for a company, a product, or a candidate. With the right training and opportunities, a career in public relations could be yours.

But how do you begin to get the training you need? A good way is to log onto a reputable online career college search engine and directory. You'll be able to search for schools in your area that offer the degree you need, or find an online degree program. You can compare programs and even learn about flexible schedules and financial aid. Then you can request free information from the schools that interest you, visit a few, and make your decision. In less time than you think, you could be trained for a new rewarding career as a public relations specialist.

What a Background Check Can Do For You in Public Relations Careers

Job seekers for public relations jobs are planning to put themselves in high-profile positions. Employers will want to take the time to do background checks on anyone they are serious about hiring. One can take care of that roadblock before it comes up.

The purpose of public relations personnel is to present a positive image of a client to the world-at-large. It can be a difficult task, but one can accomplish it with the right skills and talents. Clients can come off looking any way they want to appear, with the right public relations manager.

Yet, if the public relations associate has a tarnished record, it can reflect poorly on the client as well. If word gets out that they have a PR person who is involved in criminal or underhanded dealings, they could suffer embarrassment at the very least.

That is why employers will be so adamant about checking the backgrounds of job seekers. They want to be sure that they know what they are getting. They do not want any unfortunate surprises. Therefore, they take time to do background checks.

One can get a jump on the process by having a background check done on oneself. There are companies that will do certified background checks on one for a modest fee. The results can be sent in with the resumes. If the employers see that one has a clean background that is already verified, one might rise on the list of job candidates.

A background check can show that you have no criminal arrests in your past. The search will show criminal activities in the state in which you live and work. If this is all clean, employers will be glad you pointed it out to them. If there is a problem you were unaware of, you might be able to fix the problem and have the background check redone.

One's employers can find out through background checks whether one is using one's own proper Social Security number. This rules out identity theft problems and immigration status dilemmas. Your work history will be an open book to employers.

Employers may want to be sure of a job candidate's address. This may be important for various reasons. Clients may need to be seen without much notice, and employers want to know that you do not live too far away. When the check is done, there will be no doubt where you reside.

Any job seeker can put false educational degrees on a resume. Alert employers will have them verified. Employment will need to be checked as well. If one takes these steps out of the employers' hands and has them done for oneself, it proves that the public relations credentials one has are authentic.

Media jobs like public relations associates put you right out in the open. Be assured that prospective employers will check your past and present circumstances before offering you a job and a salary. If you have it done yourself, you save time, both for you and for the employers. It does not hurt your job's chances if they appreciate you for that.

Public Relations: The Fundamental Premise

It seems difficult to believe at the dawn of the 21st Century, that there exists
a major discipline with so many diverse, partial, incomplete and limited interpretations of its mission. Here, just a sampling of professional opinion
on what public relations is all about:

* talking to the media on behalf of a client.

* selling a product, service or idea.

* reputation management.

* engineering of perception

* doing good and getting credit for it.

* attracting credit to an organization for doing good and limiting the downside when it does bad

While there is an element of truth in such definitions, most zero in on only part of what public relations is capable of doing, kind of a halfway fundamental premise. Worse, they fail to answer the question, to what end do they lead? Few even mention the REAL end-game -- behavior modification -- the goal against which all public relations activity must be held accountable.

Here's my opinion about the fundamental premise of public relations: People act on their perception of the facts leading to behaviors about which something can be done. When public relations creates, changes or reinforces that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action those people whose behaviors affect the organization, the public relations mission is accomplished.

Even when we feel certain about the fundamental premise of public relations, maybe we should take another look? Because if we are wrong, at best we miss out on public relation's enormous benefits. At worst, we can damage ourselves and our organizations.

The fundamental premise suggests that, to help achieve true competitive advantage, management must insure that its public relations investment is committed directly to influencing the organization's most important audiences. And THEN insure that the tacticians efficiently prepare and communicate messages that will influence those audience perceptions and, thus, behaviors. For non-profits or public sector entities, the emphasis would be on achieving the organization's primary objectives.

What is the alternative when we see some public relations people managing to go through their entire careers without a firm grasp of the fundamental premise of public relations? Their responses to crises, or to requests for well thought-out solutions to public relations problems, reveal a serious lack of understanding. They confuse the basic function of public relations with any number of tactical parts that make up the whole, such as publicity, crisis management or employee relations. Understandably, they feel unsure in approaching public relations problems, then uncertain about what counsel to give their clients. Many, relying on career-long misconceptions about public relations, forge ahead anyway advising the client ineffectively sometimes with damaging, if not dangerous counsel.

In seeking a solution to this challenge to understanding, we cannot rely solely on tactics or even emulate the artillery training commander who tells his student gunners "point your guns in any direction and fire when you feel like it!"

Instead, just as that artillery commander teaches his newbie gunners to carefully analyze their target and precisely what they must do to reach it, so it is with public relations.

Our best opportunity resides at the get-go where we really can make certain our public relations students CLEARLY understand the basic premise of public relations at the beginning of their careers. AND that they have an equally clear understanding of the organizational context -- business, non-profit or public sector -- in which they will be expected to apply what they have learned, and in which they must operate successfully.

Bushy-tailed and bright with promise, the new generation of public relations professionals must learn that their employer/client wants us to apply our special skills in a way that helps achieve his or her business objectives. And that no matter what strategic plan we create to solve a problem, no matter what tactical program we put in place, at the end of the day we must modify somebody's behavior if we are to earn our money.

The best part is, when the behavioral changes become apparent, and meet the program's original behavior modification goal, three benefits appear.
One, the public relations program is a success. Two, by achieving the behavioral goal we set at the beginning, we are using a dependable and accurate public relations performance measurement. And three, when our "reach, persuade and move-to-desired-action" efforts produce a visible modification in the behaviors of those people we wish to influence, we are using public relations' special strengths to their very best advantage.

Budding professionals should learn at the beginning of their careers that most employers and clients are not primarily interested in our ability to fraternize with the media, communicate or paint images. Nor are they especially fascinated with our efforts to identify target audiences, set public relations goals and strategies, write persuasive messages, select communications tactics, et al.

What the employer/client invariably DOES want is a change in the behaviors of certain key audiences which leads directly to the achievement of their business objectives. Hence, the emphasis in this article on careful planning for altered key audience perceptions and modified behaviors.

Which explains why quality preparation and the degree of behavioral change it produces, defines success or failure for a public relations program. Done correctly, when public relations results in modified behaviors among groups of people vitally important to any organization, we could be talking about nothing less than its survival.

But why, young people, do we feel so strongly about the fundamental premise of public relations? Because some of us have learned from leaders in the field, from mentors and from long years of experience that there are only three ways a public relations effort can impact behavior: create opinion where it doesn't exist, reinforce existing opinion or change that opinion. No surprise that the process by which those goals are realized is known as public relations. While behavior is the goal, and a host of communications tactics are the tools, our strategy is the leverage provided by public opinion.

We also learned the hard way that when your employer/client starts looking for a return on his or her public relations investment, it becomes clear in a hurry that the goal MUST be the kind of change in the behaviors of key stakeholders that leads directly to achieving business objectives.

I also believe that we should advise our newcomers that if their employers/clients ever say they're not getting the behavior changes they paid for, they're probably wasting the money they're spending on public relations.

Here's why I say that. Once again, we know that people act on their perception of the facts, that those perceptions lead to certain behaviors, and that something can be done about those perceptions and behaviors that leads to achieving the employer/client's business objectives.

Which means s/he really CAN establish the desired behavior change up front, then insist on getting that result before pronouncing the public relations effort a success.

In other words, the way to increase their comfort level about their public relations investment, is to make certain that investment produces the behavior modification they said they wanted at the beginning of the program,

That way, they KNOW they're getting their money's worth.

I would be remiss here if I omitted reference to the difficulties those new to the field will encounter in attempting to evaluate public relations performance. Often, they will find themselves using highly-subjective, very limited and only partially applicable performance judgments. Among them, inquiry generation, story content analysis, gross impressions and even advertising value equivalent to the publicity space obtained.

The main reason for this sorry state of affairs is the lack of affordable public opinion survey products that could demonstrate conclusively that the public relations perception and behavioral goal set at the beginning of the program was, in fact, achieved. Usually, opinion surveys adequate to the job of establishing beyond doubt that a behavioral goal was achieved, are cost-prohibitive, often far in excess of the overall cost of the public relations program itself!

However, young people, all is not lost. Obviously, some behavioral changes are immediately visible, such as customers returning to showrooms, environmental activists abandoning plant gate protests or a rapidly improving job retention rate. We follow less obvious behavioral change by monitoring indicators that directly impact behavior such as comments in community meetings and business speeches, local newspaper, radio and TV editorials, emails from target audience members and thought-leaders, and public statements by political figures and local celebrities.

We even shadow our own communications tactics trying to monitor their impact on audience perception -- tactics such as face-to-face meetings, Internet ezines and email, hand-placed newspaper and magazine feature articles and broadcast appearances, special consumer briefings, news releases, announcement luncheons, onsite media interviews, facility tours, brochures and even special events like promotional contests, financial road shows, awards ceremonies, trade conventions, celebrity appearances and open houses -- each designed to impact individual perception and behavior.

And it does work -- we ARE able to demonstrate an impact on perception and behavior for the employer/client. But affordable professional opinion/behavioral surveys would be the best solution. Clearly, solving this problem remains a major challenge for both the public relations and survey disciplines.

One more piece of advice for the soon-to-be public relations professional. As we begin to achieve proficiency in public relations, an action pathway to success also begins to appear:

* identify the problem

* identify target audiences

* set the public relations goal

* set the public relations strategy

* prepare persuasive messages

* select and implement key communications tactics

* monitor progress

* and the end game? Meet the behavior modification goal.

I hope these remarks contribute to a broadened understanding of the fundamental function of public relations in our organizations, especially among our entry-level colleagues. In particular, how it can strengthen relationships with those important groups of people -- those target audiences, those "publics" whose perceptions and behaviors can help or hinder the achievement of our employer/client's business objectives.

A final thought for those entering or planning to enter the field of public relations -- you'll know you've arrived at each public relations end game when the changes in behaviors become truly apparent through feedback such as increased numbers of positive media reports, encouraging supplier and thought-leader comment, and increasingly upbeat employee and community chatter.

In other words, sound strategy combined with effective tactics leads directly to the bottom line -- altered perceptions, modified behaviors, and a public relations homerun.

Advertising Public Relations Jobs in Miami

Situated in the south eastern Florida on the Atlantic Coast, Miami is truly a land of opportunities and an ideal manifestation of the iconic American dreams. Being the fourth largest populated urbanized area in the United States, Miami is an important hub, be it finance, media, fashion, education, film or entertainment and arts, Miami has it all. For this reason PR work in Miami has its own importance and advertising public relations jobs in Miami is a rather common across different mediums.

The Requirement of Knowledge about Latin America

Perhaps one of the most important aspects any kind of public relations job in Miami is a knowledge, awareness and grasp of Latin American languages and culture. Owing to its geographical location, that is being in the vicinity the Latin American Continent, the whole of Florida, especially Miami has quite a considerable amount of Hispanic Population. Because of this demographic factor a Miami PR employment requires the candidate to be well verse in that language. Make sure the job advertisement mentions that.

The Requirement of understanding the Local Market

Although Miami is another big city like New York or Chicago and boasts of a booming economy, yet the market conditions at the ground level are quite different. The psyche of the people and the requirement of the organizations quite naturally vary. It must be emphasized in the advertisement that the applicant, if not born and raised in Miami, should have a proper understanding of the working conditions and the market set-up. However local candidates in PR jobs are always give a preference.

The Requirement of Expertise in Handling Clients from All over the Globe

An important node point in the global economic system, Miami is considered a world city by any standards owing to the presence of a gamut of global corporations. Miami is extremely well connected and hence a large number of corporate from different countries come flocking to do business here. Hence, while advertising public relations jobs in Miami, do mention the requirement of a candidate with high emotional quotient, as they would be handling people from all over this planet.

The job of public relations advertising work in Miami is rather tricky. The communication should be crisp and clear and should chalk out the exact job profile needed for a PR job. It should also focus on the other details that explain the kind of challenges a candidate is expected to face while doing such a job. To conclude, for advertising public relations jobs in Miami the message should send out a positive vibe, so as to attract the candidate to work in a PR profile in this interesting city.

Preparing For a Job Interview in the Public Relations Industry

If you are looking for a position in the public relations industry, then this article will be of interest to you. In seeking for opportunities that abound in the industry, it is important to understand what the job demands of the position are. The interviewer will be looking for specific qualities to test your ability for the position on hand.

One of the most essential qualities of a public relations job is demonstration of confidence. You will be required to show that you have what it takes to do the job. It is important to convince the interviewer that you know and understand the organization and the industry. Aim to display your familiarity with the opportunities that abound in the industry and the organization's strengths and weakness. The interviewer would like to establish that you are prepared and have what it takes to help the organization achieve its objectives in the public relations department. However, you have to be cautious not to appear over confident in your demeanor; this can be a disadvantage.

A prospective employee in the public relations department must distinguish himself or herself by demonstrating a deep understanding of the industry. The interviewer will want to gauge your knowledge of pertinent issues in the industry. It is therefore imperative that you get yourself thoroughly acquainted with the different issues concerning the industry by associating with a professional public relations body. It is also advisable to log on to public relations websites in order to update yourself on the latest developments in the industry.

Building strong networks within the industry will prove to be an asset. Such a network enables you to stay on top of developments in the profession. To increase your knowledge of the industry, you will need to spend time studying books on the subject, subscribing to public relations, magazines and attending seminars. You will have to demonstrate your drive, willingness, and ability to put in extra hours to get the job done.

In preparing for the interview, you have to be aware that you will probably not be the only applicant to the position you desire. Most people who attend interviews will dress sharply, be punctual for the interview, and exhibit a positive body language before the interviewer. They shall be prepared to answer each question that the interviewer will ask with an air of confidence. However, to stand out from the rest and clearly leave an impression in the mind of the interviewer, you have to demonstrate unique qualities that will give you an edge over your fellow applicants.

One of the best ways to ensure that you stand out is to conduct a thorough research on the company, to know its needs and requirements. Log onto the company's website and acquaint yourself with its mission and vision. Find out how you can contribute positively in helping the company achieve its objectives in the relevant department. Point out to the interviewer in a tactful manner in which you can provide a solution to a specific need in the company. You may also bring along evidence of work such as research conducted by you. This is particularly helpful in proving your sincerity to the job.

What Exactly is Public Relations?

There is so much hype around the PR industry. In some cases, PR is viewed as only for the uber-trendy (think Whitney's job on MTV's "The City") and in other cases, PR is viewed as the machine behind national publicity stunts or major brand media attention. The reality, however, is that public relations is a day-to-day job that must be performed for businesses large and small to not only generate brand awareness, but maintain a positive public image. It's the mouthpiece of a business that tells the public what's happening, whether it's a new product launch, a major company milestone, a new hire, a special event, a service expansion, etc. We find more and more in new business meetings that very few people truly understand PR and the value it provides to businesses in the long term. The disconnect between the reality of PR and the hype is especially apparent when we're asked about commission-based fees or totally unrealistic goals (like being on Oprah... tomorrow).

Below we will define what public relations is, what it's not and who can benefit from implementing a public relations campaign.

What PR is:

1. Exposure. Call it brand awareness, call it name recognition, call it publicity. It's all the same thing. PR is exposure. Public relations creates exposure of a brand, product, service or business. The exposure comes in many different forms: articles in magazines, blogs online, product reviews, TV segments on the evening news, mentions on radio broadcasts, tweets on Twitter, branding in a newsletter, flyers posted at the local coffee shop, workshops, speaking engagements, awards and recognition, and the list goes on. What's important to note is that the type of exposure is not a one-size-fits-all approach. PR campaigns should be customized and developed around an organization's specific goals and budget. The beauty of PR is that it's adaptable, customizable, creative and always changing to keep up with the latest buzz or to create the latest trends and it's all done through various mediums of exposure.

2. Credible. How often do we read an ad or watch a commercial and think, can X product really do that? Probably pretty often. On the other hand, how often do we read an article written by a reporter and ask that same question? Probably not nearly as often. That's because we look to members of the media to be credible, trusted sources who present unbiased findings through their editorials. If a reporter writes about the effectiveness of a product, it's because he or she has done the research, talked to people who have used the product, talked to company spokespersons, and oftentimes, even tried the product themselves to offer the public a fair and accurate report. This is the same for news about an organization or service. The media do their homework to ensure whatever the story is, it's true and accurate. Most publications uphold a high level of integrity when it comes to journalism. There are, unfortunately, some publications that do not separate ad dollars and accurate journalism, but those publications are far and few between and your PR team will know which publications to avoid contacting for that reason. Bottom line, when an unbiased, third party is able to appreciate your company, product or service, the public will be far more likely to value it as well.

3. Cost-Effective. Advertisements on popular TV, online or print media outlets can cost anywhere from a few thousand dollars to a few million. And that's for just one advertisement and you better hope that's the one TV station, Web site or magazine that your prospects are reading. On the flip side, PR campaigns can cost a few hundred to several thousand dollars each month, but that can translate to dozens or even hundreds of media mentions in various outlets and across all mediums, including print, online and broadcast. When you're weighing the biggest bang for your buck, PR will always prove to be more cost-effective in generating exposure.

What PR is not:
1. Exclusive. You don't have to be a major fashion designer or international tech company to reap the benefits of PR. Companies of all sizes across all industries can benefit from a customized PR campaign to generate exposure and credibility.

2. Advertising. To advertise, you create an ad and pay quite generously for guaranteed placement in a media outlet. To do PR, you pay a professional or team of professionals to talk to reporters and editors about your news and have them write stories about you on your behalf in a way that benefits their readers. With advertising, you will likely pay an ad agency to design and place the ad, while also paying the media outlet to publish, post or air the ad. With public relations, you pay a PR agency or professional to talk to their media contacts on a regular basis to create editorial placements. Beyond paying the PR professional for their time, relationships and expertise, there is no further money exchanged.

3. Guaranteed. Because public relations is not paid advertising, there is no guarantee that a story will air or an article will publish. The fluid nature of the PR industry means that new stories are always breaking, new trends are coming out, and new products and services are continuously being launched. If a TV camera crew is booked to cover your event and a breaking news story hits before they reach your event, the breaking news will always take precedence. It's just the nature of the business. However, it is also the job/challenge or your PR representative(s) to work with their contacts, make the story timely, find the newsworthy hook and get the media to cover your story at every chance possible.

4. Sales. Too often we're asked, "how much can I expect my bottom line to grow with PR?" The more fitting question is, "what media coverage can I expect with my given budget?" PR firms and professionals are in the business because they're good at they do. They know how to secure editorial features, they know how to work with the media and they know what makes a story newsworthy. PR pros can secure editorial placements, drive new traffic to your Web site and create an abundance of exposure, but at the end of the day, your product or service has to be good enough and priced competitively enough that people will actually buy or use it. PR professionals sell the story; it's up to you and your sales team to sell the actual product or service.

That being said, you should expect your PR team to be able to tell you how much media coverage you can expect with a given budget, based on their experience. Again, PR is not guaranteed, both those who have been doing PR long enough will be able to tell you what's realistic, and what's not given your business, budget and the newsworthiness of your story.

Who should use PR?

Any business, large or small, across all industries can benefit from PR. If you're a smaller business, look to PR consultants or boutique agencies, as their fees will be far more cost-effective. Your end goal in hiring or outsourcing PR professionals is to hire someone who has the time, the media relationships and the expertise to do the job. It's a full-time job that takes vast experience and industry knowledge, plus exceptional communication skills and long-standing relationships with reporters.

The client and the PR firm have to be equally committed to the campaign, regardless of who is responsible for the execution of it. PR is a long-term investment that, over time, will absolutely increase the bottom line. But if you are not willing to put the time, expense and effort into a strategic, effective PR campaign, then wait until you are willing. Otherwise, you won't be happy with the results, regardless of how effective the campaign might be.

My hope is that this brief article provides some insight into what PR is and what it is not. My biggest suggestion to all prospects is this: talk to several different PR firms/professionals before you make a decision to launch a PR campaign. This will not only give you a better measure of which firms/professionals are the best fit for your organization, it will also be an educational experience for you to hear how each firm/professional approaches PR and what they recommend for your specific business. Request proposals from at least three firms/professionals and meet with each one individually. Make your decision based on their knowledge, experience, relationships and your overall sense of comfort and confidence that the PR firm or professional can get the job done. Don't hesitate to ask for references and work samples and make sure you understand exactly what you'll be paying for and how that will be communicated to you on an ongoing basis. My last suggestion is to meet face-to-face on a quarterly basis to review and update the PR strategy, look at the results to date, and evaluate how the campaign is impacting your bottom line. You should experience an increase in your revenues over time if you and your PR agent stick to the plan and work together toward the same goal of increasing exposure.