When faced with an ethical dilemma, public relations professionals ultimately have four choices available to them: avoidance, compliance, ignorance and resignation.

photo credit: The Co-operative

Avoidance
The most ethical choice can sometimes be to avoid answering a question. If you are faced with a question that would require you to make a difficult ethical decision, keep in mind that you should not force yourself into an ethical dilemma unless you really must.

Compliance
When asked by a principal to engage in an activity that is unethical some public relations professionals, especially those who are young, will simply comply out of loyalty. This is always a poor choice that will typically lead to the destruction of one’s reputation, if not worse.

Ignorance
Traditional public relations practices have called for professionals learning as much as they could about a principal, particularly whenever they are faced with an ethical crisis. In some cases the most appropriate and ethical course of action would be to not ask questions during an ongoing crisis. Remember that public relations specialists are not entitled to attorney-client privilege. As a result, you can find yourself facing serious legal difficulties if you become caught up in a legal investigation and then you are forced to reveal secrets that would violate your duty of loyalty to your principal. This is precisely why some public relations practitioners choose to avoid asking difficult questions. In this case, ignorance can be used as an effective shield of protection.

Resignation
Some ethics experts will contend that whenever a professional is not able to fulfill his duty to his principal and his duty to society at the same time, there is simply no other choice but to resign. Resigning on principle is rather rare today; generally because it is not that easy to simply walk away from a job. And when an employee resigns on principle there is a clear message sent that his or her employer is engaging in unethical practices. Sending such a message, even unintentionally, can be dangerously close to violating your responsibilities to your employer.

To learn more about public relations, sign up for TheCapitol.Net’s 1-day course Media Relations for Public Affairs Professionals, or the 2-day Advanced Media Relations Workshop.

Reference: Media Relations Handbook, by Brad Fitch, Section 13.5 Ethical Choices.

For more information about media training from TheCapitol.Net, see these resources:

• Media Relations Handbook, by Bradford Fitch
• Live courses in Washington, DC:
  • Media Relations for Public Affairs Professionals: Media Relations 101
  • Advanced Media Relations Workshop
  • Effective Executive Briefings: The Art of Persuasion
  • Speechwriting: Preparing Speeches and Oral Presentations
  • Capitol Hill Workshop
• Capitol Learning Audio Courses:
  • Media Relations for the Public Affairs Professional, A Seven Course Series
  • Public Affairs Primer for Nonprofits and Associations
  • Media Relations: Merging Policy and Media Strategies
  • How the Media Works and How to Work the Media
  • Press Conferences and Media Interviews for Scientists and Engineers

All interviews by a journalist of your principal or organization should be monitored.

photo credit: Institute for Government

First, you must perform a check on any possible mis-readings or errors by the reporter. Second, monitoring the interview will provide you with a better understanding of the points your principal wants to stress. Finally, you will be able to perform a more effective follow-up with the reporter, something that can be especially important if the principal makes a mistake during the interview.

While monitoring the interview pay close attention to ensure the principal does not make any factual errors. If he or she gets a number or date wrong, you need to fix it. In the event the error occurs during a broadcast interview, it will be up to you to encourage the reporter not to make use of that particular sound bite.

At times you may need to either play up or play down certain points by your principal. This can be a challenge as reporters often view this strategy as a blatant form of spin. In some instances, you may have additional facts not mentioned by the principal that serve to strengthen the main point and will be relevant to the reporter. You can do this through the follow-up. By sending additional points through email you can reinforce points you would like to see appear within the story.

You also need to consider whether you want to record the interview. There may be little value in recording an interview unless it is a one-time interview and you anticipate a biased story. Blatantly recording an interview sends a message to the reporter that you do not trust them. If it is your goal to establish a long-term relationship with a reporter conducting an interview, you must work toward building a degree of trust. That may mean not recording the interview.

To learn more about effective public relations strategies, consider TheCapitol.Net’s 1-day course Media Relations for Public Affairs Professionals, and the 2-day Advanced Media Relations Workshop.

Reference: Media Relations Handbook, by Brad Fitch, Section 8.12 Things to Monitor during the Interview.

For more information about media training from TheCapitol.Net, see these resources:

• Media Relations Handbook, by Bradford Fitch
• Live courses in Washington, DC:
  • Media Relations for Public Affairs Professionals: Media Relations 101
  • Advanced Media Relations Workshop
  • Effective Executive Briefings: The Art of Persuasion
  • Capitol Hill Workshop
• Capitol Learning Audio Courses:
  • Maximizing the Internet for the Public Affairs Professional, with Michael Cornfield
  • Media Relations for the Public Affairs Professional, A Seven Course Series
  • Public Affairs Primer for Nonprofits and Associations
  • Media Relations: Merging Policy and Media Strategies
  • How the Media Works and How to Work the Media
  • Press Conferences and Media Interviews for Scientists and Engineers

Each year, countless dollars are spent on public relations efforts that are specifically designed to capture the attention of legislators. Whether it is an advertisement in Roll Call or a web site ad meant to persuade busy lawmakers and staff, a creative array of messages are developed to formulate a successful advocacy campaign.

photo credit: Daquella manera

The media can be a powerful vehicle for disseminating information regarding policy debates. Therefore, it is necessary to have a solid understanding of the best way to work with the media as well as with media distribution resources.

Lobbyists are frequently called upon to organize media events, introduce public officials, prepare congressional testimony, and serve as a spokesperson. The message you want to deliver will be competing with an increasing number of messages. This presents increased challenges for lobbyists in getting their message out.

The rule of knowing your audience is particularly applicable when it comes to influencing public policy–the ultimate goal of legislative media coverage is to influence the outcome of public policy. Your goal is to reach critical constituents with your message. Simply gaining media exposure is not sufficient, you must influence the public opinion that actually drives legislation.

You must also plan and coordinate. An effective public relations strategy depends on anticipating your public affairs activities in advance and then coordinating the legislative and public relations staff of your organization. One of the biggest and most common mistakes many lobbyists make is failing to include media relations staff in the early stages of planning a legislative campaign. Including experienced and qualified media affairs professionals can prove to be invaluable in your efforts to develop new strategies. The key is to make sure you plan in advance.

For more comprehensive information regarding media training for government affairs professionals, consider our Media Relations for Public Affairs Professionals and Advanced Media Relations Workshop. Also consider Strategies for Working with Congress: Effective Communication and Advocacy on Capitol Hill and the 3-day Capitol Hill Workshop.

Reference: Lobbying and Advocacy, by Deanna Gelak, Section 10.2 Media Engagement

For more information about working with Congress, see these resources from TheCapitol.Net:

• Publications
  • Persuading Congress, by Joseph Gibson
  • Lobbying and Advocacy, by Deanna Gelak
  • Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials, by Bradford Fitch
  • Congressional Deskbook, by Michael L. Koempel and Judy Schneider
• Live courses in Washington, DC:
  • Capitol Hill Workshop
  • Strategies for Working with Congress: Effective Communication and Advocacy on Capitol Hill
  • Preparing and Delivering Congressional Testimony
• Custom on-site training:
  • Capitol Hill Day / Government Affairs Institute / National Advocacy Day
  • Capitol Hill Workshop
  • How Washington Works
• Capitol Learning Audio Courses:
  • Effectively Using Persuasion in Your Oral Presentations: A Trial Lawyer’s Perspective
  • How to Work the Hill Like a Pro
  • Making the Most of a Site Visit with a Member of Congress
  • Strategies and Tactics That Will Help You Impact Congressional Action

Trying to avoid a crisis with the media may be well and good, but the fact is that a crisis can not always be avoided. When one does occur, it is essential to know how to handle it, and, as importantly, what you should not do.

photo credit: biloud43

1. Ignore the problem
One of the most common reactions to a crisis is to ignore it and hope it goes away. This rarely works, especially when it is a media crisis. When you have a crisis, you must meet it head on and deal with it immediately.

2. Not changing your decision making model
One of the most common mistakes organizations make is to try to overcome the problem by working harder. Whenever there is a communication crisis, a team that is already overworked suddenly must take on even more of a burden. To effectively deal with the crisis, new decision making protocols must be established. In some cases, you may need to form a completely separate communications team to specifically address that crisis.

3. Allowing lawyers to direct public relations policy
While it may be advisable to have the best attorney representing you if you go to court, when you are facing a crisis in the media you need an expert on the court of public opinion. Choose the right advocate to handle the right battleground.

4. Withholding information
If you attempt to withhold information, it will eventually come out. When that happens, it will add to the crisis and make it appear as if you are trying to hide something.

5. Not immediately correcting errors
The public understands that people are human and will, from time to time, make mistakes. When a mistake is made during a communications crisis, it is going to be amplified. If you say something erroneous, do not hesitate to correct it immediately. Failure to do so will only cause reporters to believe that you misled them on purpose. The result? They might just tell a few million listeners or readers that you deliberately deceived them. It is far better to come clean and own up to your mistake and correct it on your own.

To learn more about how to effectively handle a media crisis, consider TheCapitol.Net’s Advanced Media Relations Workshop.

Reference: Media Relations Handbook, by Brad Fitch, Section 12.15 Eight Mistakes to Avoid in a Crisis

For more information about media training from TheCapitol.Net, see these resources:

• Media Relations Handbook, by Bradford Fitch
• Live courses in Washington, DC:
  • Media Relations for Public Affairs Professionals: Media Relations 101
  • Advanced Media Relations Workshop
  • Effective Executive Briefings: The Art of Persuasion
  • Speechwriting: Preparing Speeches and Oral Presentations
  • Capitol Hill Workshop
• Capitol Learning Audio Courses:
  • Media Relations for the Public Affairs Professional, A Seven Course Series
  • Public Affairs Primer for Nonprofits and Associations
  • Media Relations: Merging Policy and Media Strategies
  • How the Media Works and How to Work the Media
  • Press Conferences and Media Interviews for Scientists and Engineers

When you develop a communications plan, the goal is to get your message across to your intended audience. To connect your message with your audience, there are six common techniques you can use to accomplish your goal.

photo credit: cyanocorax

Statistics
One of the most persuasive tools in any communication plan is the use of numbers. However, make sure your numbers are solidly researched. Research them, double-check them, and then check them again. Statistics can be moving targets and you do not want to find yourself in a position of delivering a message that contains outdated or inaccurate statistics. One outdated or incorrect fact can cause the audience to question the remainder of your message.

Example
Convey to your audience specific examples. Examples allow you to illustrate to–and connect with–the audience the way in which something functions in the real world. Do not just tell your audience something; provide them with an example that demonstrates how your proposal provides specific benefits.

Demonstration
Demonstrations can also be quite persuasive regarding any issue related to technology or science. Taking your audience through a piece of software or a website is much more effective than simply trying to convey that experience through the use of words.

Analogy
Analogies can be extremely powerful. Analogies provide an easy way for the audience to connect to your message–they also provide interest and appeal to your presentation.

Testimonials
Bringing out a real individual who can tell a real story is much more persuasive than trying to use an expert or politician to get your message across to the audience. It is one thing to tell your audience something and something entirely different to hear the same thing from a real person that inspires compassion in the audience.

Experience
Another effective technique is to draw upon the memories of the audience and their own life experiences in order to persuade them of your position. Personal memories and experiences are powerful and compelling.

To learn more about connecting with your audience and communicating effectively with the media, consider our Advanced Media Relations Workshop.

Reference: Media Relations Handbook, by Brad Fitch, Section 3.10 How to Connect your Message with your Audience.

For more information about media training from TheCapitol.Net, see these resources:

• Media Relations Handbook, by Bradford Fitch
• Live courses in Washington, DC:
  • Media Relations for Public Affairs Professionals: Media Relations 101
  • Advanced Media Relations Workshop
  • Effective Executive Briefings: The Art of Persuasion
  • Capitol Hill Workshop
• Capitol Learning Audio Courses:
  • Maximizing the Internet for the Public Affairs Professional, with Michael Cornfield
  • Media Relations for the Public Affairs Professional, A Seven Course Series
  • Public Affairs Primer for Nonprofits and Associations
  • Media Relations: Merging Policy and Media Strategies
  • How the Media Works and How to Work the Media
  • Press Conferences and Media Interviews for Scientists and Engineers