You will know
What distinguishes an ordinary PR specialist from a top-level professional? 8
How to improve your personal brand? 18
What questions should you ask before starting any PR project? 21
How to write an effective communication strategy? 23
How and why should you measure the dominant type of corporate culture in your organization? 35
How to prepare for crisis communication? 49
What should be considered when evaluating communication results? 51
How to write a press release that people will want to publish? 62
What irritates journalists in their interactions with organizations, and what builds trust? 65
Why and how should you “promote PR ”? 70
What are the three steps to a successful media training? 72
What exercises help you prepare for a public speaking event? 74
How to organize an event without making common mistakes? 84
What is the difference between a press conference and a press briefing? 90
What is important to know about social media communication? 98
How to start writing well and why you need storytelling? 107
What insights from comedians can be used in your speeches? 115
What principles are the best communication campaigns built on? 120
Why and how should you engage your audience in your campaigns? 129
How can you influence your audience’s decisions? 132
How many people should you invite to a brainstorming session? 140
How to properly take notes on thoughts? 145
What tricks do creative professionals use to generate ideas? 147
What are the 10 main commandments of a PR project manager? 157
How to get more done, reduce stress, and rest effectively? 162
What prevents us from making the right decisions? 173
How to connect with anyone? 176
You’ll find answers to these and a thousand more questions that are crucial for anyone taking their first steps in PR .
Introduction
Three dimensions of PR competence you need to develop 7
Part 1. Understanding processes
What is PR ? Explain it to your grandmother 11
Attention as the new currency 16
Creating a personal brand 18
How to tackle the project 21
What is a strategy built on? 23
Employees of the organization as PR agents 33
Ready… Steady… Crisis! 46
How to measure communication effectiveness 51
Part 2. Practical skills
Interview on the front page 57
Time to write the perfect press release 62
DIY media training 71
Events as a generator of emotions 83
The nuances of media events 90
Are you sure you know how to communicate on social media? 97
#TextsfortheInternet 103
Write speeches that change the world 110
Campaigns — for those who like it hot 120
How to persuade anyone 132
Mushrooms for PR specialists, or how ideas are born 140
Part 3. Process management
I will be in charge of the project 151
I can’t handle everything in time! 162
How to make decisions 171
Become an emotional intellectual 176
Afterword 179
Used literature and sources 180
About the author 183
Three dimensions of PR competence you need to develop
This book is aimed at those who want to understand the fundamentals of Public Relations (PR ). It will be valuable to students just starting their careers, press secretaries and PR managers, marketing professionals striving for professional success, business leaders and owners, as well as public figures and officials who recognize that effective PR can help them excel in their endeavors. As a professional with 25 years of experience in the field of communication, I can confidently say that PR wields immense power. By mastering its basics, you will be able to achieve your goals more effectively in any industry because, at its core, PR is the art of reaching your objectives through communication.
When I was first starting in this profession, I often felt the lack of an experienced mentor who could offer advice on how to approach different tasks, organize work effectively, and avoid common mistakes. I am certain that many newcomers face a similar situation. Therefore, the primary goal of this book is to become, if not a mentor, then at least a helpful guide. It reflects the realities of the modern PR field as much as possible and includes numerous practical recommendations, examples, and advice for solving various communication-related challenges that organizations may encounter in different situations, contexts, and fields. This book contains everything I would have wanted to know about PR if I were starting my career today. It might just be the shortest and most concentrated PR course out there nothing superfluous, everything to the point.
The structure of the book is no accident. After studying PR at a theoretical level for many years and working directly “in the field” through my communications agency, I realized that to succeed in the PR field, one must develop in three key areas. First, it’s crucial to understand processes: to have a strategic vision of situations, the ability to integrate individual activities into the broader organizational picture, analyze, and logically arrive at the correct decisions. Second, practical skills are essential: the ability to write, speak, persuade, and generate new ideas. Third, the ability to manage processes is critically important: time management, effective project management, and managing one’s own emotions.
Is a career possible by developing only individual dimensions of competence? Yes, it is possible. However, this approach would lead to different roles and opportunities for career advancement. For instance, if a specialist has a strong understanding of processes and the ability to manage them, they might become a good speaker or consultant, but they may not always be suitable for tasks like writing and distributing a standard press release. By developing practical skills and process management abilities, you might become a good manager or press secretary, but you are unlikely to advance
1. The three key dimensions of ideal PR competence
2. Specialist profile when developing only partial competencies
to the level of a strategist who collaborates with leadership to make important organizational decisions. If you focus on understanding the specific field and developing practical skills while neglecting process management, you may find yourself on the brink of emotional burnout. Unfortunately, I have encountered many individuals in my practice who have crossed this line, and I know how challenging this problem can be. Thus, the ideal set of knowledge, skills, and competencies lies in the intersection of all three dimensions. This book is not an academic work in the traditional sense, although I do reference numerous theories, theoretical approaches, and models. Having worked in the field of communication for 25 years as a “hands-on coach” while also holding a doctorate in communication and lecturing, my passion
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lies in combining theoretical foundations with practical applications. This approach is the foundation of the book.
I have made every effort to share, from a thoroughly practical yet well-supported perspective, those aspects of PR that are crucial in everyday practice whether you are a PR specialist, the leader of an entire organization, or just a department head. From professional competence, secrets, skills, and “life hacks” to creative thinking, effective time management, and stress management. For instance, I will explain how to conduct a media training session for a client that might lead them to delete their social media profiles and request the training several more times. You will also learn the principles behind the most successful PR campaigns, how to craft press releases that are eagerly published, and how to write the most compelling and persuasive speeches.
We live in an era of hybrids and convergence. Very little exists in its pure form today. In my opinion, we only reach true understanding when we look at a problem from multiple perspectives and move towards an interdisciplinary approach. Therefore, this book touches on aspects not only of communication but also of marketing, psychology, sociology, behavioral economics, and other related fields.
Here, you will find everything I once lacked. Many years ago, a book like this would have been incredibly useful to me, saving a lot of precious time and preventing unnecessary mistakes. I sincerely hope that it will be just as useful to you!