8 Terms to NEVER Use in a Press Release

'We're thrilled to announce our new product launch," said Joe Smith of XYZ Inc. "We are proud of all the hard work our team put in and are excited to watch the success unfold."

How many times have you read a quote like that from a bigwig at a company or the mayor of the city? Chances are, it's a lot. While the readers might not know that many quotes in a story are written by PR professionals, the journalists definitely do and when they read quotes like the above that are dripping with overzealous emotion and fake positive attitude, they're likely to roll their eyes and move on to the next headline in their inbox.

To give your story (and your client) the best chance of landing some news coverage, skipping those overused words and phrases that make journalists cringe is crucial.  PR Daily recommends omitting the following words and phrases from your press releases:

1. Pleased/proud/thrilled/excited to announce

2. When asked for his/her input

3. Best-in-class/Best-of-breed

4. Wealth of experience

5. For the first time ever

6. This event boasts an impressive lineup

7. Just in time for

8. Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

Can you think of anymore overused words of phrases PR pros should avoid? We want to hear from you!

Ways to Improve Your Internal Communication

Public relations is the art and the science of communications. Everyday PR pros communicate in many ways to many people; yet, a forgotten aspect of this thing we call “our life’s work” is internal communications.

As a current corporate communications intern at Aramark Corporation, I have discovered just how closely internal communication is tied to everyday PR work within a corporate environment. However, focusing on internal communication should not be limited to just corporate PR. How can an agency or help its clients if they aren't teaching that account team to speak to one another, share the brand, discuss improvements or simply brainstorm together? How can a non-profit get their message out externally if they aren't on the same page internally? The key to these questions is to shift the attention to how your organization is communicating internally before the focus is put on external communication.

Here are 5 tips to enhance better internal communications within your organization:

1. Silence is not Always Golden.
Have you ever noticed the places people don’t enjoy working are the ones where the minions don’t have a voice? Open and transparent communication is appreciated because everyone has been blessed with a brain full of ideas. Encourage senior management and executive leadership teams to listen to those ideas.

2. Get Straight to the Point. 
Employees who enjoy their work crave one thing, almost above all, direction. With clear direction, they understand what to do to earn brownie points. Stress direction and watch movement happen.

3. Aspire to Inspire. 
 Many employers don’t like to think outside the box, draw outside the lines or dare try something different. Employees want inspiration. They want to see their managers, directors and executive leaders doing something that can bring about change. Want a team to follow you? Inspire them to do something differently and with purpose.

4. Create a Company Voice. 
Anyone in HR or internal communications will tell you the chief reason for gossip in the workplace is ignorance. Most employees don’t really know what’s going on, so they tend to gossip and complain. A monthly or bi-weekly newsletter would suffice. Let them be heard by listening and then acting.

5. Lead by Example.
Bosses “boss.” Leaders “lead.”  Words only mean so much. Without action behind those words, employees will follow.

What's Your Social Media Personality?

This is a little bit like the quizzes you find in the back of a Seventeen Magazine. What kind of social media personality are YOU? Check all that apply.

PR Daily posted this infographic that breaks down the type of people who are using social media, and it's pretty spot-on.

Most PR students and professionals (myself included) would most likely fall under the "Ultras" category.  We love our social media and we're proud of it and we might even find ourselves getting a little antsy when we can't check it several times a day.

However, there are definitely some classifications that aspiring PR pros don't want to fall under.

• The Peacocks

It's great to have a lot of followers, but social media isn't a popularity contest. If most of your audience is people that have no relevance to what you're saying, you might as well be talking to yourself

• The Ranters

Sometimes it's hard to contain our opinions, especially on hot-button issues. It's in our PR nature to want to respond right away. It's okay to speak your mind, as well as it's well thought out and appropriate. Ranting is never encouraged.

• The Ghosts

What good do anonymous or "fake" profiles do you? If no one knows who you are you can't gain much credibility. Online safety shouldn't be taken lightly but as long as you're smart about what you put out there, you can still be honest about who you are.

So, which social media personality are you? Are you a cross between a few or a completely new breed? We want to know!

How 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving' Teaches Us About Crisis PR

Much like Charlie Brown and friends, my holiday gatherings never go according to plan. Either the turkey is being burnt or the dogs are getting into someone's leftovers. My family has learned to always plan for the worst. 

As I waited for dinner to be served yesterday, I happened to stumble upon this PR Daily article that compared good ole Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving special to crisis PR, a segment of PR I actually have experience in thanks to my first internship with Jubelirer Strategies.

I have learned that in any type of situation, there is always room for mistakes. Problems do arise and mistakes unavoidably happen.

Luckily, “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” offers at least three lessons to keep in mind the next time catastrophe strike:

1. Communicate your message clearly

Wha-wha-wa-wa-wha-wa. Charlie Brown and friends may have understood their teachers, but the rest of the world didn’t. When you’re talking, make sure to cover the bases so that all of your audiences are notified efficiently and effectively.

2. Turn a negative into a positive

Popcorn, pretzel sticks, jelly beans, and toast served up on a Frisbee isn’t exactly the dinner that Charlie Brown had in mind for his Thanksgiving guests, but when you put Snoopy and Woodstock in charge of catering, what else could you expect?

While it was less than ideal, the meal brought everyone together around the ping-pong table. In times of crises, PR pros need to keep a level head, shifting their focus to what new opportunities a turn of events can provide.

A brand can easily save face and perhaps earn a few extra points by addressing the problem straight-on and solving an issue in an orderly manner.

  
3. Deliver a well-worded public statement

That loud-mouth Patty is the natural spokesperson for the Peanuts gang. But just because someone is capable of speaking over everybody else doesn’t mean people are going to listen to them.

It’s important your go-to media representative is someone who can bring a calming, dignitary quality to the problem. Find the perfect Linus for the job, and you’ll be much better off.

The TRUTH About Unpaid Interns

Last week, PR Daily posted this article featuring 5 things not to expect from an unpaid intern. The article basically tells internship coordinators and PR pros who will work with these interns to brace themselves. It describes unpaid interns as slackers who won't be motivated to be great interns if they aren't being paid to do so.

Having completed two unpaid internships with a third in progress, I know a few things about being an unpaid intern. The PR Daily article definitely does not describe any successful intern I've ever met, paid or unpaid. While being paid to intern is great and a big help to many, it should not be your only criteria when selecting an internship, nor should it determine the type of intern you will be. I know plenty of students who have held multiple unpaid internships and walked away with a wealth of knowledge of their field. I also know people who have held multiple paid internships, and only walked away with a paycheck.

That being said, here are three things I believe you should actually expect from an unpaid intern:

1. They are passionate about their field: Knowing that twice a week I get to wake up and do what I'm most passionate about is the best feeling in the world. Unpaid interns do what they do because they love what they do. Doing the job for free shows that they refuse to put a numerical value on their passion.

2. They will give it their all: Despite what PR Daily says about unpaid interns giving their all, I believe that an unpaid intern will put everything they have into an internship. Many times, interns are upperclassman (juniors and seniors) who will be searching for long term employment in the near future. They cannot afford to risk a bad recommendation  an underdeveloped resume, or to lose industry connections. For these reasons, along with many others, unpaid interns will give their all to their internships!

3. They want to learn and grow: My favorite part about interning is getting a chance to observe the workplace environment. You learn the most from just observing how your superiors go about things and handle certain situations. Unpaid interns, as they aren't being paid, want to leave with a takeaway, and that takeaway is knowledge. The goal of every intern should be to know more by the end of their internship about the field than they did when they started.

Have you ever held or are you currently holding an unpaid internship? Do you think less is expected of you than a paid intern? What did you think of PR Daily's article? Share your thoughts!!

Gift Guide 101: What To Get The PR Student

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Trees are up and decorated, the fireplace is burning, gingerbread houses are being made and your Christmas list is complete - well, almost. Struggling to find the perfect gift for the PR student in your life? Or are you a PR student looking to get yourself something fabulous and functional for the New Year? Well, look no further!

Here are five essential gifts that would be perfect for almost any public relations student:

1. AP Stylebook: The newest edition of course! Every student looking to land a career in the field of communication needs to stay up to date with AP Style. Costing anywhere from $13 to $20 ($25 for an online subscription), this book is an inexpensive must have for a PR student.

2. iPad or iPad mini: Does this even need an explanation?

3. Annual Subscriptions: PR Week and PR Daily rank among the best PR resources. Surprise the PR student in your life with an online subscription to one of these and they will love you forever.

4. PRSSA Membership: Becoming a member of the Public Relations Student Society of America opens many doors for a student looking to become a PR professional. PRSSA offers a key opportunity in the PR world - the opportunity to network with other PR students as well as professionals. PRSSA offers holuday discounts too!

5. Hector Serrano Digital Downtime Watch: For the social media obsessed PR student (hint, hint we all are), make sure to pick up this stylish and functional watch. This watch helps with time management by divvying up time spent on Facebook, Twitter and Gmail each day. Confused? This video explains how it works: http://www.hectorserrano.com/index.php?id=41&m=lab&grupo=downtimewatch#

Is there anything else on your list? Let us know!