The happy medium between Goodmorning and G'day!

Have you ever been in one of those situations where you just can't put the right words together?

As PR students we are not new to the saying 'communicaton is key', and we know that we must change our approach depending on our publics. But how do we know that our approach is the right one for our publics? We can sit at our computer screens and scrutinise all day; is what I've written too formal? too informal? Have I written too much? perhaps too little?

In my first week at Event Workforce, I did a lot of this! Event Workforce is a staff placement agency that links motivated tertiary students (like ourselves) to event based work experience. Their goal this semester is to build members in their database, by encouraging students to sign up to their website so they can be notified of all upcoming event volunteer opportunities in their local city. A large part of my role this semester is to co-ordinate all commmunications internally with the student representatives they have in each University Australia wide. My first task was to create a Facebook group for all representatives, as it would provide standardised communication in an easily accessible social platform.

As a student I have always envisioned the role of public relations to be very corporate in nature, so when it came to writing up a disclaimer for the Facebook group, I began my research looking at some of the great social media disclaimers developed by large corporations. By the end of the day, I was a wizz in legal lingo, and had written up my very own disclaimer referencing Facebook terms of use, Code of conduct and had listed the rights that Event Workforce held in order to manage, delete and restructure all information and posts in the group.

The only problem, was that it was too formal for a Facebook group.

So how do you apply professionalism to a medium with such a relaxed social focus? At times, we as professionals must take a step back and think - what would I be most likely to read? It wasn't until I did this that I realised the target public is students, therefore they don't want to waste their time reading pages of terms and conditions. Students want information written plain, simple and relatable. Also the communication channel is Facebook, one of the most commonly used social media tools. Therefore, information on the page must be formal, but with a conversational tone to keep people reading.

Finding the balance between corporate lingo and what appeals to our publics best can be difficult, but as I see it practice makes perfect! I made three attempts at a disclaimer and at the end of the day one was chosen. The biggest lesson learnt was that sometimes it can be difficult to take that step backwards and look at things from a bigger picture.

Don't focus on the task at hand, focus on how that message will be used, whether it aligns with other organisational messages and whether it is suitable for the medium being used. It is not until you take a step back that you can truly analyse the communications from a public relations perspective and ask the question, is this going to communicate the message effectively?

At the end of the day, the right words were put together. Third times a charm!

Until next time,
Amy

Follow the link to view the disclaimer currently present in an Event Workforce Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/613219822055613/members/

The Importance of Facts and Their Accuracy

Stepping into the real world has quickly made me realize that gone are the days when my work ethic gave way to laziness and resolved to sourcing minor facts from Wikipedia that would go unnoticed. In the real world, when you send out a release, whether internally or externally, you are reaching not just the people the article is sent to but social circles and family networks that spread like wild fire via word of mouth and sharing. I have had to step back and reflect on the actual impact of an article that is sent out and I have realized that globalization and social media has intensified these networks exponentially in the past ten years to the point you have to be very careful of the accuracy of facts because in one way or another, people will discover if they are incorrect and therefore affecting the organization’s credibility.

Hames Sharley assigned me with my first big project of sending out the eNewsletter that is published every other month and sent only to internal staff. The newsletter covers project updates for the various departments, new submissions, events, sustainable initiatives in the office, industry news and new appointments. To gain the necessary content, I had to liaise with each branch across Australia and provide a deadline so that I would have enough time to put it together using InDesign. The task seems simple, until you realize that you have about 25 pages of content you have to cross check and verify with multiple people and still follow up on those who have not responded with any materials for their branch. The Marketing Coordinator (Siaw) made me realize the importance of getting it right by reviewing my work and challenging facts to ensure it was all up date because it would stick out like a sore thumb to any employee involved in the project.

She also emphasized the need to cross check with senior directors that the content could legally be disclosed because of confidentiality in pending or unfinished projects. There are also some instances that require sensitivity as it common for the firm to undergo joint ventures with multiple organizations for a single project and in this instance, they must share and agree on the right to publicize it whether internally or externally. If I had provided an update on a project under such an agreement, I would therefore be jeopardizing the project as a whole if it were to be leaked one way or another. For me, this really added value to the marketing and PR profession because there is a lot riding on it, and it must be taken seriously regardless of what others may think. It also points out the necessity for cooperation in an office environment and the facilitation of open communication so these issues don’t arise.

Privacy and Confidentiality

We are over half way through the University semester and I am rapidly nearing the end of my placement. I have learnt so much throughout my time with the Perth Fashion Festival and I will be very glad to stay with the company when my placement is complete. I have been given much more responsibility and proven my value and trustworthiness to the organisation. Most recently I have been working on sponsorship proposals and other important documents and would like to discuss what I have learnt about privacy and confidentiality. I am sure most of you are dealing with very important information and are also in the process of preparing your final reports.

No matter what industry or company you work in there is an important need for confidentiality and privacy guidelines. It’s not about hiding or concealing the truth or “putting a spin” on the facts, it’s about protecting the welfare, growth and success of the business including the safety and interests of the staff and stakeholders. This is really important to remember when writing your final reports. The Perth Fashion Festival, along with many other companies, is of high public interest and any information or gossip is snapped up by the media almost instantly! Not only are the specific details of the Festival of interest and of high demand, but also the views and opinions of our top management team on various issues, particularly those within the Perth spotlight.

It is my job to not only protect the business and other staff members but also to protect myself from public scrutiny and unwanted exposure. By simply answering the telephone and speaking to media and journalists without consulting my Manager I can release confidential information, attract unwanted attention, mislead others and ultimately lose my job and get a bad reputation.

One of the main problems with the media and one which Public Relations professionals need to be aware of is that journalists always have their own agenda and their job is to sell copies of the news, not to care about any implications which may proceed after what they have released to the public. A lot of the time without even knowing it information can be misread or become misleading if the entire story or background is not known by the reader. Also information that may seem positive to some can also be taken very negatively amongst others. This is so important when dealing with Government or not-for-profit bodies especially. In comparison many large corporations which are quite transparent, Government information is very confidential and non-profits deal a lot with sponsors and funding and releasing that information can often be inappropriate. They also both deal heavily with the community and the general public and therefore any information that is released must be spot on.

We all need to be careful about what we are writing about the companies we work for and ensure that we are respecting their privacy. When writing your final reports by all means don’t compromise your writing skills or ability to produce a top report by not including any relevant information, but just make sure that you check with your supervisor before you hand it in at least to make sure it is correct and truthful. It will save you and the organisation!