communications | From My Hart

Yes, the title of this blog post is similar to that competition show on Fox, but it has nothing to do with dancing and everything to do with public relations.

Let me first start with a little historical perspective. While in undergrad at Alabama A&M University (Go Bulldogs!), I just knew I would become the next Robin Roberts or Oprah Winfrey. I saw myself on television delivering the news (or sports) and having engaging conversation about various topics. Ironically, my career actually started in radio as a news reporter. Then, after multiple internships at local television stations, I realized it may not be the best fit for me and thus returned to my hometown of Indianapolis following graduation to work in the public relations department of the Indiana University School of Medicine. The new role ultimately changed my life in so many ways because the staff saw someone who was eager to learn and able to handle tight deadlines. I will forever be grateful for all of them. They were my mentors. They taught me how to write for print. They taught me how to NOT write for broadcast. They encouraged me to find the human story and how to pitch the angle to the media. That was 2005.

Now, let’s fast forward to December 14, 2015.

I absolutely love my career. I am sincerely glad I chose public relations. It is a constantly evolving field allowing you to reach new audiences every day and educate them on your products and services. The majority of my career thus far has been spent in medicine and public health. Anyone who knows me (or thinks they know me) knows I am incredibly passionate about communicating public health messages to my community. My three favorite words: WASH YOUR HANDS.

By now you may be asking yourself (assuming you’re still reading this post) why am I telling this story and seemingly walking down memory lane? Lately I have heard about or seen many newcomers to this field of public relations I so dearly love. Before anyone gets in their feelings, this post is NOT about any one individual specifically but rather what I have learned and observed in my ten years in the business. Perhaps someone will find the pointers below helpful.

If you are new to the world of public relations, need a refresher course on the do’s/don’ts or just curious about how to raise the visibility of your organization, I encourage you to keep reading!

In public relations, you must be able to write….and write well. If you don’t know how to write a press release, call (or email) someone who has been in the business for longer than two minutes to assist you. News reporters absolutely despise receiving either incomplete press releases or ones that are entirely too long. One page is your maximum. Members of the media receive news releases all day long from a variety of individuals and organizations. The delete button is their friend. Sorry. Not sorry.
Being a promoter does not mean you are a public relations professional, but public relations professionals and publicists are required to promote their client or organization. Please read that sentence carefully because there is a distinct difference between the two.
Just because you have thousands of friends on social media does not make you an effective public relations professional or publicist. Social media is only one tool. If you have questions about that statement, please refer to the previous bullet point.
Public relations professionals and publicists must be able to handle a multitude of responsibilities at one time. We are essentially jugglers, but it is imperative to prioritize those tasks. You may find yourself editing an important document but when a reporter calls…you most definitely must respond to their request(s).
In-house public relations professionals are slightly different than publicists in an advertising/marketing agency or as freelance. It’s important to respect each other’s lane. As a public relations executive myself, I absolutely respect the grind and hustle of a publicist. While I am responsible for handling communications for multiple program areas, it ultimately is for one entity. Publicists, on the other hand, handle multiple clients…some of which may be completely different from one another.
Set media placement goals for yourself. If your client/organization hasn’t been in the media at the very least two or three times in a 30-day period, you may need to either rethink your strategy or perhaps find another career. Sorry. Not Sorry. A public relations professional should be raising the visibility of their client/organization.
The AP (Associated Press in case you didn’t know) Stylebook should be your very best friend. Refer to it regularly. Have a question about grammar? Refer to the AP Stylebook. Have a question about abbreviations? Refer to the AP Stylebook. I had an assignment desk editor tell me once that when they receive press releases which are clearly not following AP Stylebook guidelines, they actually deleted it. Don’t get me wrong…they said it was a horribly written release so yes that was a little dramatic, but the message is still the same.
If you are the photographer for your client or organization and take pictures at an event, make sure you have signed media releases from individuals in the photos BEFORE posting on social media or publishing on any other site. Exceptions are made for large crowd photos. If you take a photo of anyone under the age of 18, you CANNOT publish without the permission of the parent or school (in some cases).
Branding is everything. You represent your brand so represent it well. I have only lived in Memphis for three years, and I’m usually referred to as “the health department lady.” That is a good problem to have.
Social media is the new form of media. Yes, I already previously discussed this topic on an earlier bullet point, but it is so important I needed to end with it. If you are going to use any social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Periscope, SnapChat, Twitter, YouTube, etc.), you must do it consistently. Do NOT post on Facebook only once or twice a month and wonder why you’re not receiving any traffic. Engage with your audience. Ask them questions requiring an answer. An immediate response from an organization shows the individual on the other side that someone is actually monitoring the account.

I hope all of these tips are helpful to someone.

As always, these are just a few thoughts “From My Hart.”

His name was James Sawyers. He was born January 20, 1943. He was my dad.

No, technically he was not my biological father (that’s another story in and of itself….stay tuned to a later blog), but he stepped into the role with basically zero hesitation when he married my mother. I remember when he and mom would tell me the story of the day I first met him. Evidently I hid underneath the table which most two year olds do, right?!?! I mean I didn’t even know this guy!

Fast forwarding to my adolescent years, I played pretty much every sport imaginable, and my dad was essentially my personal coach. From basketball to soccer, he was always there to support me, cheer for me and yell at the opposing teams! LOL! No matter how busy he was, he always managed to be there. He knew it meant the world to me even though I would be embarrassed and mad when he cussed everyone out because the referees would call a foul on me. The nerve of them….Ha!

High school was definitely a difficult time. I was a teenager. Enough said. But no matter how strained our relationship had become, he beamed with pride when I graduated from North Central High School. Go Panthers!

Then came the time for me to leave for college and thus began the most tumultuous yet most memorable years.

I left college after only one semester. To make a long story short, I had a boyfriend back home and well you know how that story ended. I will never forget dad taking me aside to remind me just how important my college education is and even though I was not in school I still had to work a 40 hour a week job. When I realized just how much I did NOT like living back in my parents’ house at the age of 19, I remembered our talk and very quickly applied to get back into my beloved university. That was the best decision I have EVER made.

Because of my dad and the love of his career, I graduated in 2004 from Alabama A&M University with my B.A. in Communications. Because of my dad, I decided to dive into the world of public relations.

He communicated while he was in the U.S. Navy. He communicated with the media and public while working for multiple politicians. He communicated with at-risk youth as both an educator and community volunteer. He communicated for a living. Yet, his communication went silent on the morning of August 22, 2006.

2006 was by far the WORST year our family has ever experienced (more on that in a later blog). I remember it like it was just yesterday. On August 21st, dad called me and my brothers (all separately) just to tell us how much he loved us. He randomly made those phone calls so it really didn’t surprise any of us. Little did I know that would be the last time I would ever talk to him.

Dad loved me like his own. He held my hand and cried with me during my darkest hours. He was one of my biggest cheerleaders.

With all that being said, today I want to publicly scream to the heavens HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!! You are so greatly missed.

As always…..these have been just a few thoughts “From My Hart.”