Difficult Public relations Interview Preparation Guide

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The following are the factors considered for selecting a PR consultant:

Be a subject matter expert and specialist in the PR domain
Able to demonstrate the excellent writing skills
Knowledge of different writing styles
Having expertise in media management and measurement
Consultancy fees etc.

The following are the reasons for exhibiting at trade shows:

Generating new sale leads
Creating product/service awareness to target audience
Actual sales can be made at the counter
A platform to introduce new products and services
A place to prospect potential customers
Live product/service demonstrations
Enhancing corporate image
Improving the brand visibility

Advantages of appointing a PR consultancy

The main advantage of appointing a PR consultancy is to minimize the budget criteria and to maximize the knowledge potential of consulting team for welfare of the organization. Therefore, the media contacts will help the organization to enhance the company and brand awareness.

Disadvantages of appointing a PR consultancy

There is a great possibility that the outsourcing of PR results in distraction from the PR agency focusing on other clients and also not able to synch with the company’s internal culture.

Advantages of an in-house PR department

The main advantage of setting up an internal PR department is that the team will focus only on the company products and its markets. They will act as an effective spokes persons for building the reputation of the company.

Disadvantages of an in-house PR department

The main disadvantage is that one person should do all the work due to non –availability of additional man power that involves the cost factor to it. Therefore, the lack of resources limits the visibility of the company and product awareness in the market place.

An interactive public relation is a process which uses the internet as a medium to communicate messages to the public. The various elements comprising of interactive PR are as follows:

Search engines
Social media marketing
Web 2.0 technologies
Developing blogs
Online press releases
Podcasting
Webinars

The main objective of interactive public relations is to use the power of web media to the maximum potential beyond the limit of traditional media. And it helps to have a direct dialogue with customers and potential target audience.

A public relations (PR) officer often works in-house and can be found in both the private and public sectors. Some PR officers may be based in consultancies.

The role is very varied and will depend on the organization and sector. Tasks typically involve:

Planning, developing and implementing PR strategies
Liaising with colleagues and key spokespeople
Liaising with and answering enquiries from media, individuals and other organizations, often via telephone and email
Researching, writing and distributing press releases to targeted media
Collating and analyzing media coverage
Writing and editing in-house magazines, case studies, speeches, articles and annual reports
Preparing and supervising the production of publicity brochures, handouts, direct mail leaflets, promotional videos, photographs, films and multimedia programmers;
Devising and coordinating photo opportunities
Organizing events including press conferences, exhibitions, open days and press tours
Maintaining and updating information on the organization’s website
Sourcing and managing speaking and sponsorship opportunities
Commissioning market research
Fostering community relations through events such as open days and through involvement in community initiatives
Managing the PR aspect of a potential crisis situation

The PR professional has to:

Understand the requirement of his company or client
Write press releases
Organize news conferences
Produce company newsletters.
Deal with PR agencies
Deal with media
Deal with management

The nature of his jobs needs him to:

Think logically during a crisis
Analyze and update himself with the trends in the industry
Be aware about the clients competitors and its presence and activities in the market
Have excellent media relations
Be a good Public Speaker
Represent his company at conferences
Arrange press launches
Act as the client’s spokesperson
Provide training to the client to be his/her own spokesperson
Do Online PR
Manage Events
Evaluation the effect of a PR activity
Establish corporate identity
Do strategic planning

Advertising Promotion

It is a one way communication process
The message coverage is payable to mass media
Agency controls the timing
Purpose of advertising is to create an awareness about product/services in order to make a sale
Advertising content is creative in nature

Public Relations

It is a two way communication process
The message coverage in mass media is not payable
Media controls the timing
Purpose of public relation is to create and enhance the reputation of any company
It provides the real content

The following are the qualities expected out of a PR person:

Willing to work long hours
Ability to find new networks/contacts
Good communication skills both written and oral
Adept in time management
Ability to do multi tasks
Masters in media or advertising qualification
Operational planning etc.

The purposes of a Public Relations person are as follows:

To enhance the reputation of a company
Also known as “Reputation Protectors” and “Image Creators”
Turnaround the company into crisis to a normal situation
To cerate product awareness
To enhance brand awareness and brand recall
Creating impressive press releases about the product re-launch, events, exhibition, new product introduction etc.

Public Relations are a higher level of communication strategy where in we take our client's brand ahead by being activists and consultants. We understand the client’s product and industry where he wants or decides to grow and this is achieved through various tools. The most important of the tools, being media which includes the following: Print, broadcast, online and now digital.

While the press release is written in third person, the pitch letter allows for direct communication between the publicist and the journalist. It is an opportunity to pique interest, form a relationship, and persuade. Bad pitch letters begin with boring formalities or promotional hype. Good pitch letters begin with a striking opening that immediately alerts the journalist to an interesting story possibility (e.g. if you're promoting sunscreen: "In the time it takes to read this letter, seven new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed." Or, if you're an accountant: "Americans who were unaware of a new tax break needlessly paid more than $5 billion in extra taxes last year -- and time is running out for them to get that money back."

The pitch letter has one purpose: to persuade the journalist to read the attached press release. Personalize it, keep it short, sign it, and clip it to the front of your press release.

Publicity is the deliberate attempt to manage the public's perception of a product. The product could include anything from traditional goods and services, to celebrities, or works of entertainment.

From a marketing perspective, publicity is one of the variables that comprise the promotional mix. The other components of promotions are advertising, sales promotion, and personal selling. Promotion is one of the variables that comprise the marketing mix.

How a press release is used depends mostly on the content of it. However, the scope and the timing are some common factors that can be taken into consideration, meaning that people who are closer should know first and should know more.

In your case, on the first thought, I’d do the press releases interactive, maybe even daring, in the context of anger management with the aim of driving traffic to the website (haven't checked your website thou).

The industry analysts are experts in their specific markets. As such, they need to stay in the know about the various vendors and technologies. They are interested in your product and company and how it compares. They use this information to generate reports and seminars that are circulated to their paying accounts. They also consult with their accounts and referenced by the press as they categorize products and make product and technology recommendations.

I typically hire the PR firm after I have first hired someone internally to manage them. I usually try to do 70% of the work internally (this is true with any out sourcing). This way the internal folks are always busy, even when it is slow. I then out source any overflow work to an outside agency. An outside agency is especially valuable during a new product launch when you have to book appointments for the new release and the press tour. I have used them to help accelerate our strategy, and to help with event tactics.

I also use an outside agency to augment the PR contacts of my internal person. For example, my internal person may have years of experience with our specific trade publications, but little exposure to the national pubs or to TV and Radio. I will use an agency that has the additional needed contacts.

I usually call the editors of my target publications and ask them who they like to work with and why. This is how I found Katy, who helped with the Netscape launch. The editor I spoke with said, “She is one of only two people that have my private line and can call me direct anytime”. Now that is a referral.

I also find a good PR person that I respect, and ask for referrals. During the interview, I know I have the right person if they bring a big book of press hits. Good promotional PR folks love to “count scalps”, and will love to show off the results they achieved.

Internet marketing requires customers to use newer technologies rather than traditional media. Low-speed Internet connections are another barrier: If companies build large or overly complicated websites, individuals connected to the Internet via dial-up connections or mobile devices may experience significant delays in content delivery.

From the buyer's perspective, the inability of shoppers to touch, smell, taste, or "try on" tangible goods before making an online purchase can be limiting. However, there is an industry standard for e-commerce vendors to reassure customers by having liberal return policies as well as providing in-store pick-up services.

A survey of 410 marketing executives listed the following barriers to entry for large companies looking to market online: insufficient ability to measure impact, lack of internal capability, and difficulty convincing senior management.

Advertising is a paid form of communication tools to communicate with the mass people. Any means by which an organization seeks to influence the thought and actions of an individual, usually used to sell a product or to promote goodwill. (Webster's Pocket Business Dictionary)

Well there are many article directories out there, so the best way to find the ones to submit to would be to do a search on Google for article directory or submit articles and you will find places to submit your article.

Due to my long-term History of getting things done, combined with my interests and experience would make me a valuable employee.

Account is the detailed record of an owner’s equity, particular asset, liability, revenue, or expense. Accounts are material stock statements and accounting.

Financial Accounting is the area of accounting with reporting financial information to interested external parties. Finance is to distribute the costs.

PR is responsible to various activities like identifying main clients, audiences, groups, and act as a communication team by determining the best way to communicate to public and publicize the information. Responsible to write interesting and effective press releases, Prepare information, maintain which intranet web pages and company internet site.

Managing events, which are special such as races, sponsorship parties, and parties that, will introduce new products, and various activities like get to gather which supports and gains public attention with advertising directly and not through media channels. Managing budgets related to communications. Maintain the company corporate image and identity, which includes the logos and signage.

Arranging contacts and other form of interviews for executives and draft speeches for high-level management people. Arranging interviews with in the organization, arrange, review supervise; assign the activities of public relations staff. Evaluation of the programs based on advertisement and, promotion for compatibility with public relation efforts.

Helping in establishing and maintenance of government officials and thereby creating an effective working relationship with municipals and media representatives. Confer to internal communications with labor relation managers, which keeps employees, informed about the activities in the company.

The attention to detail when completing the task given will have the below styles:

Co-operation - This job profile requires being pleasant with others and understanding other needs, which is helpful in the job.

Analytical thinking - Job requires analyzing information and work efficiently by using work logics by addressing issues which are related to work and problems which are often faced.

Leadership qualities, which talks about your abilities to lead, take charge by offering opinions and directions.

Dependability is one aspect of public relations where you are responsible for certain areas and being reliable and dependable and obligations are fulfilled.

Integrity and initiative - Integrity is being honest and having work ethics as public relations deals with lot of people and Initiative requires the willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Innovations and interdependence - In PR innovations are needed, as job requires alternative thinking, creativity to develop new ideas for work related problems.

Interdependence refers to developing one’s own way to work, guide one’s self, with little or no supervision depending on one’s ability to get ones work done.

One should be very comfortable to converse on the telephone and know how to tackle few issues over the telephone. One should know about the differences between the strutted and unstructured work as to what extent the job should be structured against allowing he workers to determine task, priorities, and goals. This needs the familiarity to have face-to-face discussions, electronic email, freedom, and comfort ness to make the right decisions. Understanding and, having contact with others. Dealing with external customers, letter, and memo’s, co ordinate and lead others.