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10 Must-Read PR Books for Every Business Professional
Diving into the deep end can be scary when you are new to the world of public relations. Also, staying up-to-date as things change and evolve is essential to achieve your goals. Reading some books about PR increases your chances of having better strategic planning for public relations. Some books reveal the fundamentals and evolving tactics of PR. If you want to discover what the industry entails, consider the following ten must-read books on public relations.
Books About PR You Need to Read
Here are our top ten PR books for business owners.
1. “Spin Sucks: Communication and Reputation Management in the Digital Age” by Gini Dietrich
Gini Dietrich is a rockstar in public relations, thanks to her popular blog and cutting-edge insights. And lucky for you, she's compiled all of her expertise into one must-read book! In "Spin Sucks," she goes beyond just communication tips to provide a comprehensive guide to reputation management in the digital age. This book provides insights into the latest tools and techniques for managing your organization's online reputation, including how to deal with negative reviews and social media crises. One of the most valuable lessons from the book is the importance of transparency and authenticity in building trust with your audience. Dietrich emphasizes the power of communicating openly and honestly, helping you establish your organization as a trustworthy and credible source of information.
2. “The New Rules of Marketing and PR” by David Meerman Scott
In this book, David Meerman verifies the importance of digital and web-based marketing for PR. Through online connections, organizations can reach their target audience. The book will teach you how to build long-lasting relationships with customers and clients.
3. “The PR Practitioner’s Playbook” by Don Bartholomew
The author shares theories that are woven into numerous proven techniques, tips, tactics, tools, and strategies that will help inexperienced and experienced PR industry practitioners. Bartholomew’s insight is helpful for all public relations professionals in advertising, marketing, social media, and other areas of digital media, strategic planning, and campaigns.
4. “This Is How You Pitch: How to Kiss Ass in Your First Year of PR” by Ed Zitron
This book will teach you all you need to know about public relations. You get to learn about the essential business skill of pitching. Drawing from his experiences in the industry, Zitron delivers practical advice on crafting compelling pitches that will catch the attention of journalists and influencers. The author also dives deep into the culture and expectations of the industry, sharing insights on handling demanding clients and navigating challenging situations with ease. From crafting a compelling story to understanding the needs and preferences of your audience, "This Is How You Pitch" covers everything you need to know to succeed in public relations.
5. “Public Relations, Branding, and Authenticity: Brand Communications in the Digital Age” by Sian Rees
The author explores the importance of authentic communications in your PR and branding role with case studies on the public relations activity of successful brands and interviews with those in crises. “Public Relations, Branding, and Authenticity” is aimed at public relations academicians and practitioners interested in theory development and is also helpful for scholars in corporate communications and brands.
6. “A Modern Guide to Public Relations: Unveiling the Mystery of PR Including Content Marketing, SEO, Social Media & PR Best Practices” by Amy Rosenberg
Do you need help getting started in PR? The book contains everything you need to know about launching a PR career or adding a new skill. Learn how to create a good work relationship with bloggers, podcasts, influencers, and traditional media. “A Modern Guide to Public Relations” covers new approaches to PR, such as SEO, content, and social PR as well.
7. “Public Relations Campaigns: An Integrated Approach Second Edition” by Regina M. Luttrell
Get hands-on instruction on how to create successful and integrated PR campaigns in this book. Two models are discussed: ROSTIR (Research/diagnosis, objectives, strategy, tactics, implementation, and reporting/evaluation) and PESO (paid, earned shared/social, and owned media). You’ll learn the framework for effective planning and using all available resources to create winning PR campaigns.
8. “Strategic Planning for Public Relations” by Ronald D. Smith
The author helps you develop a PR plan by identifying objectives and strategies brands can use to promote a brand. As well as how to manage bad publicity. The book also talks about the different ways you can communicate with media channels. Such as Ethos (character), Pathos (emotions), and logos (logic).
9. “Trust Me; I’m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator” by Ryan Holiday
This book is sarcastic, witty, fun, and informative. It exposes you to the media industry and conglomerates that hold power. It’s an excellent resource to help improve your PR career. Also, you get to peek behind the curtains and learn from the tactics and mistakes made in the sector. Through his experiences as a media manipulator, Holiday reveals the tactics used by those in power to control the narrative and generate clicks and traffic. He shows how easy it is to manipulate the media and how this can significantly impact public opinion. One of the key takeaways from the book is the importance of transparency and authenticity in your communications. By being honest and open with your audience, you can build trust and credibility. Thus, it can help mitigate the impact of any negative publicity.
10. “Crisis Communications: The Definitive Guide to Managing the Message" by Steven Fink
This comprehensive guide to managing communications during a crisis includes strategies for preparing for potential crises, managing the flow of information, and addressing stakeholder concerns. You'll learn about the different types of crises, how to tailor your response accordingly. As well as how to work with the media and other stakeholders to manage the narrative. The book is filled with real-world examples of businesses that have faced crises and how they managed their communications, so you can see what works and what doesn't.
Which PR Books Are Best for Me?
Finding the best PR books to guide you through the rapidly changing industry can be overwhelming. Even though we have not exhausted the number of books, the ones listed in this article will help you explore key aspects of the industry.
Need more guidance on PR and how to use it effectively? Schedule a free consultation. We are here for you.
Top 6 Unconventional PR Opportunities and How To Use Them
If you're a business owner, you have likely come across the adage, "no publicity is bad publicity." While the veracity of this statement is debatable, an opportunity to create a buzz around your business and brand is an ongoing effort. Many brands already know how impactful standard PR outreach can be in building brand awareness and establishing credibility, but only a few know how to leverage unorthodox PR tactics. In this post, we explore six top PR opportunities for business owners and how you can use them to build brand awareness.
Top 6 PR Opportunities Business Owners Often Miss Out On
Here are the top six PR opportunities business owners usually miss out on.
1. Guerrilla Marketing
Guerrilla marketing generates publicity. It drives brand awareness using unconventional marketing tactics that grab public attention using creative means such as street art, pop-up installations, or flash mobs. Guerrilla marketing creates shock, curiosity, or surprise, and as a brand, you can leverage this to create awareness for your brand. Spotify and Bounty are examples of brands that use guerrilla marketing as a PR opportunity.
In January 2019, Spotify partnered with Chani Nicholas, a U.S. astrologer, to create a Cosmic Playlist for its listener. Bounty's installation of life-sized "messes," such as melting popsicles and knocked-over coffee cups across New York, generated more attention than having the same message on billboards.
2. Experiential Marketing
You can tell the public about your product, but a better way to create awareness is to show them instead. Allowing prospective and existing customers to experience your product first-hand creates an immersive and engaging experience. If executed well, many will be extra motivated to share the experience with their friends, family, and social media followers. However, you must be creative with your approach, conduct thorough planning, and execute it seamlessly, as experiential marketing for PR opportunities can be resource intensive. For experiential marketing to be a successful PR tactic, you must portray your audience as the characters in the story of your brand experience.
For instance, with the "The Queen's Ball: A Bridgerton Experience," Netflix commemorated the second season of Shonda Rhimes' popular TV series by launching theatrical pop-up events in various cities. Branded as "an exclusive night of music and dance," the event invited fans to dress up in 19th-century costumes, revel in a string quartet's rendition of contemporary music, and even get an audience with a queen seated on a plush sofa.
3. Employee Advocacy
If you have a positive relationship with your employees, they can serve as a natural voice for your brand. Many employees have massive following across various social media, and they can help build relationships with your current customers and reach prospective ones to drive organic visibility. Employee advocacy and PR are more intertwined today than before. According to Hootsuite, as a business owner, you can expand your organic reach by 200% and elevate profitability by 23% with a formal employee advocacy program. Unfortunately, many employers miss out on this PR opportunity because they feel they're controlling their staff by telling them to advocate for their brands. However, that is not true. If well motivated, your employees can be key in reaping PR benefits.
4. Cause-Related Marketing
Everybody likes to align with a cause, and finding one that puts your brand in the good book of the public is a smart PR opportunity many organizations underutilize. Whatever brand story you tell must evoke strong emotions that drive your target customers' engagement. An example of a company leveraging cause marketing as a PR opportunity is BoxLunch. For every $10 their customers spend, the company donates a meal to the needy through the Feeding America initiative. Knowing they are part of a cause they believe in can endear your brand more to your customers.
5. Podcast Appearance
Appearing on podcasts is one of the most underutilized PR opportunities. There are many popular podcasts out there in need of speakers. You can reach out to podcast show hosts and let them know your interest and availability. While you may not be attending the show to promote your brand directly. Your eloquence, credibility, and mode of delivery can attract listeners to look you and your brand up. Additionally, you can request the host to include your brand details in the podcast description, to drive visibility. However, you must conduct comprehensive customer research to identify which podcasts your target audiences enjoy.
6. Thought Leadership
Have you ever changed your opinion about a particular brand after reading its thought leadership content? Usually, branding is all about perception, and public opinion of you can affect customer decisions. A B2B Thought Leadership Impact report showed 65% of respondents agreed that a piece of thought leadership massively influenced their perception of a company for the better. In addition, 64% said thought leadership is a more reliable means of assessing a vendor’s competencies and capabilities than marketing materials and product sheets. While thought leadership content is not new, especially in B2B marketing, only a few brands leverage it as a PR opportunity. You can share your knowledge, expertise, and perspectives (often controversial) to build credibility and establish brand authority.
How To Get Started With Unconventional PR Opportunities
It often takes thinking outside the box to deliver an effective PR campaign. If you’re struggling to decide the best PR opportunities for your brand or unsure how to execute your PR campaign to generate the right result, know that we are always here to help. Contact us to schedule a free discovery call.
6 Proven PR Tips for Effective Public Relations Management
Public relations (PR) can be a tricky road to navigate. You are trying to put the word out in the market for your company, product, or service but also want to ensure you’re presenting your brand in the best light. Fortunately, by following these six PR tips we have curated, you can avoid making costly PR mistakes and instead build relationships and connections that will help your brand grow.
1. Create an Effective Strategy
To drive a successful public relations campaign, the first thing to put on the table is a rock-solid strategy. You can't manage public relations without this being well-defined. Your strategy should include a list of key messages, objectives, goals, and approaches based on the following.
- Know Your Audience: Not understanding who you serve and engage with can impede success. It is important to know who you want to reach out to, how you want to reach them, and why they should care about your business. The more specific your strategy is the better your chance of succeeding at PR.
- Know Your Approach: It is essential to be able to connect with your audience in a way that makes sense to them and in a manner that they find engaging. Furthermore, there are different approaches to different situations. For example, sending out a press release may work well when announcing an upcoming product launch. However, an interview request from the media could be more effective if it illustrates how the company is expanding its staff and resources.
- Develop a Crisis Management Strategy: A crisis management plan will help you avoid potential disasters before they happen. Furthermore, it will ensure you're prepared should situations go awry. You'll want to include an exhaustive directory containing contacts from all your agencies, a list of employees representing the company, and sample message responses to different situations. It’s all part of a well-defined public relations strategy. Learn more about PR for crisis management.
2. Cultivate Positive Relationships with the Media/Press
The media/press is a vehicle for all things news in our society; they can make and break any individual or organization, so you always want to be in their good books and maintain a positive relationship with them.
A mutual relationship with the media and press can help you increase brand visibility and build trust with your company’s public.
Here are some tips to help you manage your relationships with the media/press:
- Be available and responsive to their requests for interviews and other media requests.
- Don't be defensive when asked about your company's policies, practices, or requests that may seem uncomfortable or intrusive; just answer honestly and directly.
- Get involved in local events and community outreach efforts. You can also set up meetings with reporters at conferences and trade shows; it will allow you to talk about new trends in your industry or what's coming up next year.
3. Capture and Engage on Social Media
According to Jamie Johnson, contributor for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, social media and public relations can no longer be considered mutually exclusive; they are now inextricably linked.
Social media is a powerful tool that has proven to help businesses and brands reach clients and potential customers from all over the world. It’s an easy and inexpensive medium to connect and relate with customers and potential clients, be sure to leverage the tool next time you try to put a word out.
4. Review your competition
Your competitors' actions, whether good or bad, can provide insights on how to improve your company's public relations strategy. Studying your competitors for PR can help you incorporate new concepts into your PR strategy, which can, in turn, help your brand get ahead of its competition. See your competitors as a resource and checklist on what you should and should not be doing in your business.
It is significant to note that you don’t have to change your brand to match your competitors; embrace your differences to foster a healthy competitive edge and a sense of identity.
5. Use Data Wisely
Data is an extremely valuable resource for forecasting and preparing for the future. It is the fuel that powers your PR strategy. It helps you understand your audience, measure results, and identify new opportunities for growth.
6. Never Confuse PR with Advertising
Public relations, advertising, and marketing may exist in the same universe but are not the same at all. As you know, public relations is all about reputation management, media relations, and event publicity. While advertising and marketing focus solely on selling products and services.
When managing PR, it's important to get this right and avoid talking too much about your products or services. Instead, talk about your company as a whole and the value you can bring to customers.
Next Steps for Managing Public Relations
These PR tips will guide you on how best to approach your brand’s PR. As well as, how you want to position yourself in the market. But if things get overwhelming along the way, be sure to always count on RPR firm.
Our team of experts has the experience to work with you every step of the way to ensure you have a tailored solution specific to your needs. At RPR, we have all the support and services your business needs to succeed. Schedule a free consultation with us today!