How Competitive Are YOU in Today’s Marketplace?

Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) and Certified Public Relations Counselor (CPRC) certification are two proactive, affordable “short term investment/long term benefit” opportunities available to FPRA members. For less than the cost of many one-day seminars, Accreditation and Certification offer credentials that can last a lifetime.

Accreditation is offered through the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB) to members of participating organizations, including FPRA. Though five years of public relations practice was previously required, ALL members are eligible regardless of years of experience. However, the objective, multiple-choice, computer exam does test a variety of knowledge, skills and abilities, so members interested in seeking accreditation need to be prepared in a variety of skill areas.

Certification is a unique, second tier credential offered exclusively to FPRA members. Candidates must have previously earned their APR and have ten or more years experience in the field of public relations. Though it is a second tier credential, it is not APR 2.0. This exam is a subjective exam that requires candidates to draw from their experience to solve problems and present solutions. Earning the CPRC credential involves passing a written exam (16 essay questions) and an oral exam (presentation of a public relations program or project).

For more information on Accreditation and Certification, as well as any available chapter or State Association rebates, please contact Mary Briggs, Accreditation Chair for the Southwest Florida FPRA Chapter.

CPRC Hint: Growth and learning opportunities plentiful in PR

Submitted by Kara Winton, APR, CPRC

No one wants a static career, but without a little effort, it’s easy to be lulled into a sense of complacency. The more experience you acquire, the more comfortable you feel and the greater the tendency to do things the same way day in and day out.

However, one of the great things about the PR industry is that it’s always changing and evolving, and new and exciting ways of communicating are always around the corner. Fortunately for PR practitioners, opportunities to learn, grow and expand your PR toolbox abound.

I challenge you to take advantage of the many opportunities to infuse your career with enthusiasm. For me, the best example of this was when I pursued my Accreditation in Public Relations (APR). I remember sitting down fearful of “book learning,” but getting up with a new sense of excitement. I experienced the same thrill when I pursued my CPRC.

So, try one of these ideas on for size:

• Find a mentor. The Southwest Florida PR community is SO supportive, and there are always people willing to help. Reach out to a senior PR practitioner and ask him/her to lunch.
• Attend monthly FPRA luncheons and special events. It’s easy to sign-up for luncheons on a topic directly relevant to your job. But how about attending a monthly meeting that sounds a little less relevant?
• Attend FPRA’s state conference. This year’s it’s just around the corner in Naples! What better way to add excitement than to hear about what other practitioners are doing around the state?
• Pursue APR or CPRC. Sure it’s a commitment of time and energy, but I promise if you embrace the process you will walk away both with fancy letters behind your name and a new appreciation for why you love PR.
• Sign up for a college course or two. Take advantage of the plentiful colleges and universities in Southwest Florida and enroll for a class on a topic that interests you.
• Pursue a graduate degree. Better yet, why not work on a master’s degree? In addition to local options, online learning makes graduate education available at your fingertips.

The list goes on and on, but the important thing is making a move. Don’t be content with simply doing your job well … find a way to add some excitement to your daily task list. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Kara Winton, APR, CPRC has more than 19 years of media and public relations experience, and recently embarked on her newest career as a full-time mother and part-time graduate student. She has served FPRA in several capacities and currently is accreditation co-chair.

CPRC tip: Fake it until you make it!

Submitted by Mary Briggs, APR, CPRC

One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received is from my fellow PR pro, Teri Hansen, APR, of Priority Marketing. She probably doesn’t recall this conversation, but it has been burned into my memory. About twenty years ago, Teri approached me after an FPRA chapter meeting. I was surprised when Teri said I had been tapped to serve as the Chapter President. What, me? I was in my twenties and felt waaaaay too young and inexperienced to take on such an important role. When I expressed this to Teri, she said something I will never forget. “Fake it until you make it,” she said. “Act like you know what you are doing, and pretty soon, you will.”

I’ve always treasured that advice, so I’m passing it along to you. Present yourself with confidence and you’ll find your colleagues believe that you really do have what it takes. Act poised and professional, and voila, you are! Don’t let others see your uncertainty. Take on that stretch assignment and then go burn the midnight oil to figure out how to get it accomplished.

The thing about faking it is that pretty soon you aren’t faking it at all. Your positive thinking and can-do attitude will eventually turn you into a genuinely confident and poised PR professional! I’m not advocating arrogance, or encouraging you to think you are Superwoman. Be realistic, but aim high! Believe you can accomplish anything you set your mind to, and others will believe it too.

Now you know my secret. After 25+ years experience in public relations, sometimes I still second guess myself and occasionally question my abilities, but I never let them see me sweat, and neither should you!

Mary Briggs, APR, CPRC, is a marketing consultant and co-owner of Briggs & Rogers, a public relations and advertising firm based in Fort Myers, Florida. The firm specializes in media relations, marketing communications, branding, and issues management.

Mary is a certified public relations consultant, co-chairs the Southwest Florida chapter’s Credentialing Committee and serves on the Executive Committee of the FPRA State Board of Directors. Mary was named the 2006 Public Relations Professional of the Year by the Southwest Florida chapter of FPRA and has received numerous awards for her marketing and public relations programs.

CPRC Tip: 5 ways to craft a media release that’s worth a million bucks

By Tina Haisman, APR, CPRC

Media releases have gained tremendous strength in recent years as search engine optimization has gained steam. Now, just by writing a news release and posting it online, you can drive visitors to your website – IF you do it right!

I learned a lot by writing and distributing the Million Dollar Coupon media release last year, so I thought I’d share a few tidbits about writing SEO releases with you in this column.

1. Write a fantastic, newsworthy release that is rich with key words targeted to your audience. Keep it short – around 500 words.
2. If you can, give your release a unique URL on your website, using key words.
3. Write a short summary to go under your headline – just one or two sentences – using as many of your key words as possible.
4. Include web page links to other pages on your web site – keep it to a maximum of one link for each 100 words in your release.
5. Take advantage of multi-media – add a downloadable photo and/or a short video. This gives journalists all the tools they need to write a story.

Although you can pay hundreds of dollars to have your SEO release distributed, there are many free and inexpensive news release distribution services out there today. You have nothing to lose by trying it!

Local PR Pro Susan Bennett, APR, CPRC told me about http://www.prlog.org/, and a local colleague of mine, Tara Geissinger, co-founded http://www.onlineprnews.com/. Check them out to learn more about how SEO releases can work for you!

The Holy Grail of PR: Measurement

By Susan Bennett, APR, CPRC

What is the real value of PR? How do we measure its impact on the bottom line? These are questions we’re often asked to answer, especially around budget time.

Few of us have large enough budgets to hire research firms (even though current industry standards say that we should allocate 10 percent of PR program costs to evaluation).

Or – as a colleague once said – if we were to measure everything we do, we wouldn’t have any money left to do anything. So how do we justify our budgets, our programs and even our jobs to management?

There are a few key DIY ways that won’t break the bank. Most of us know the basics of measuring output goals. We count the number of news mentions our releases generate. We might even count the number of column inches or minutes of broadcast time in a news story and convert it into Ad Value Equivalency.

There are at least two other output measures to consider: prominence and tone, which concern the quality of the news mentions. Was the story negative or positive, did it communicate the message you desired, was your company mentioned in the headline? Is your company mentioned in the lead or buried further down in the body of the story?

Answering these questions will help in the evaluation of output measures, but the real PR test is determining what impact we had on the goals of our company or client. Outcome measures are the “holy grail” of PR. How did your public relations activities change public perception of your company or change behavior? That’s the real measurement that management wants to see.

How do you measure PR results? Do you set SMART (specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, targeted) objectives and evaluate your programs? Add your comments below!