Getting Into Franchise PR? Here's How to Be Great

Franchise public relations is an industry that requires people to be on top of their game; when people get into PR, some think that it is just about writing some press releases and having some marketing knowledge. Well, while those things are important facets of public relations, they are not everything one needs to know in order to be great at their franchise PR firm.

There are several things one can know to do to be good as a public relations professional, if not a great one.

1. Absorb information from things you read and see. Try to observe the scenery around you and read books and guides about the industry. Perhaps even watch and study those in the industry who are well respected for their franchise PR duties. If you soak up that information and try to implement it, you will learn the great skills of PR in no time. Those who do not get good at public relations are the people who do not try; if you try and want to learn, then you will have no choice but to learn. 
2. Remain current. Few things are more embarrassing than someone who is not on top of the events going on in the world. Would you want to talk to a public relations professional who doesn't know what is happening in the news? No, you would laugh at them. Stay on top of what is going in the world; read newspapers, magazines, watch the news, etc. If something is talking about what is going on in the world, as long as you know it is credible, read it and take in that information. The media wants to talk to someone who is an expert at stuff, by staying current you will be that expert. 
3. Be able to multitask or watch out for being drained of energy from not knowing how to prioritize and manage work. At this Chicago franchise public relations firm, we know that the ability to multitask and manage is one of the few things that helps you keep your head on straight; PR is not a business that is predictable or formulaic, it is anything but. Know when to do what and how to do it. 
4. Know how to write. As an employee in a franchise industry PR firm, you have to know how to write. It's as simple as that. If you cannot write a press release or how to write engaging material, people won't want to read your pitches because they will laugh at you. it sounds harsh but it's a reality. The media wants to be engaged when you email them, show them your releases, and when they come to you for information. You wouldn't try to become a NASCAR driver if you didn't know how to drive, would you? Well, maybe, but you wouldn't be able to win any races. 
5. Be composed. This one kind of plays off of the point in number three. Being able to keep calm and composed during a crisis is the only way you can sanely get things done. If there is a crisis with a client, they will turn to you to handle the situation; if you are freaking out as much or more than they are, then they won't want to use you. Also, PR is a stressful business, no doubt about it; you have to be able to keep a level head and keep going. A stressed PRP is a bad PRP. 
6. Get up after being knocked down. You will make mistakes as a PRP, it is bound to happen. The key to recovering from mistakes is to learn from what you did and make sure that you do not copy that mistake next time you get in a similar scenario. 

Now, go out there and be the best franchise PR professional you can be. Learn, do, and plan. As a Chicago franchise PR firm, we know all about the public relations world and love helping people with PR needs. 

Social Media: Friend or Foe?

Social media has enabled companies in the world to be able to update information and their consumers with a few clicks on a computer or on a smartphone. In today's society, businesses are connected with their consumers, and even people outside their markets, in ways they were not connected to them just seven or eight years ago.

There are a lot of benefits to the emergence of social media and how it has impacted the marketing and public relations worlds; with the use of social media, it has become much easier for companies to make announcements, to interact and promote, and to do branding. When social media showed that it was here to stay and that it was worth utilizing, companies jumped on board real quick.

 It was not too long after that companies realized they could use social media to announce news for the company that would help with their marketing and public relations. How easy was it for companies to pull up their Facebook or Twitter, type up something like, "We're moving offices! Look for our new offices a few blocks down the street." or something like that. Now, of course they would take the time to stage more formal announcements but they could still use social media to announce the announcement.

A second reason social media can be a friend to companies is that it has made it much easier to connect with consumers and even easier to promote. Say a company has a contest they want their consumers to know about, they can promote the contest on their social media accounts. Better yet, with social media, companies can actually hold things like contests on social media, not just promote it. Companies have used the social media platform Instagram for contests that include consumers sending in pictures of that company's product in creative ways. Celebrities use social media to interact with their fans and thus actually promote themselves with some good PR.

So now that we have given a couple reasons why social media is a friend to companies, we must also look at the other side of the coin and realize that social media can also be a foe.

The first reason social media can be a foe is because everything you do on social media is seen by everyone, unless you have your profiles locked, but companies and celebs can't lock their public social media or they would not benefit from social media. Consequently, anything companies say on their social media is visible by all their followers and even people who do not follow them because users can find their posts just by searching for words used in their posts. Many companies have gotten in trouble for things they have posted on their social media accounts and the backlash that ensued.

A second reason social media can be a foe is because users of social media can be merciless. Should a company make a faux pas on social media, it can be a real bad time for the company in the following hours, days, weeks, or months. The power one holds when behind a keyboard & screen is amazing.

So while social media has become part of our world and it looks like it is here to stay, just remember that it can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you use it. Just be aware that it can be a tremendous friend or foe and to be aware of how you conduct yourself on social media.