American University PRSSA Regional Activity

I attended American University's PRSSA regional activity on Saturday. Here is my review of the day:

The American University’s Public Relations Student Society of America regional activity once again proved to be a useful combination of professional development workshops and networking opportunities. Held on April 21, 2007, the conference brought together students and professionals from all walks of PR life to talk about the latest trends in the industry and how to properly position oneself for career success.

One of the workshops that I attended was led by David Tamasi of Ogilvy Public Relations about the importance of newspapers in the PR profession. Even in this day of media convergence and the rise of technologies, Mr. Tamasi stressed that newspapers still play a key role in the lives of millions of people. He said that a newspaper is often the first form of media people turn to for news and that newspapers often form the stories other media outlets will cover later in the day. For those reasons, a PR practitioner must be able to turn to newspapers as a key tactic for reaching the intended audience. He suggested to think about what makes a story newsworthy, foster relationships with individual reporters, and most importantly to read newspapers yourself.

A workshop led by Laura Gross of Scott Circle Communications about working with the media echoed Mr. Tamasi’s comments. Ms. Gross previously led the public relations team for Gov. Howard Dean and National Public Radio, working primarily on media relations activities. Key to media success, she said, is to have a plan. PR pros need to have a clear message, identify a target audience, and form a timeline before a reporter is contacted. Ms. Gross believes that successful media placements occur through strategic thinking and experience.

Of course, public relations is not only about media relations. The conference’s speed networking session proved a great way to quickly hear from many diverse PR practitioners from a wide array of backgrounds. Whether one is interested in crisis communication, community relations, or image management there is a place in the public relations field for good communicators and strategic thinkers.