How to Be an Ethical PR Practitioner

Working in franchise public relations can raise some ethical issues; you want to raise awareness for your client and get them business but you also want to do things correctly. You are to protect the integrity and public trust of your client and do so by ethical means. Being successful in franchise PR all depends on your ethics within the practice.

In order to make sure practitioners in the industry abide by good standards, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) created the Ethical Guidance for Public Relations Practitioners list. This list, or code, was made and is still maintained by the PRSA Board of Ethics and Professional Standards; its objective is to create principals and other guidelines that are founded upon core values. PRPs are to be advocates, honest, loyal, professional in their development, and objective.

As a PRP, you cannot prevent the flow of information to any source as long as the information is honest and correct. This is one of the principles of the code of ethics. This is because if there is information to be known about someone or a company, as long as it is not a fabrication or dishonest, then the world has the right to know. What can you do about this if the information is negative? Damage control; however, you cannot take the information and bury it for no one to see. However, you are to protect information that is confidential and private. This can create a sticky situation for some on what to disclose and what to hold in; it is a case by case basis.

Promoting an environment of healthy competition among fellow professionals is a key for the success of being in PR. You can help establish an advantage for a client but it has to be something that the competition can do as well; so this means no insider trading and "behind closed doors" dealings.

Avoiding any conflicts of interest is a biggie when it comes to obeying the code of ethics. It can seem like a great idea to get involved in something that you have a special connection to, however, this can create a bias. You have to remain objective.

Being open about a decision and the process is another principle for PRPs to follow. When you hide this, it can create a sense of distrust and secrecy that does not give the public confidence about those in the industry. As someone working in a franchise PR agency, you have to help the confidence gain trust in the PR industry. Being honest and accurate in all forms of communication is a big way to accomplish this principle.

If you have any questions about the PRSA Code of Ethics, then feel free to contact All Points PR - a Chicago PR agency. 

How to Create an Elevator Speech

In case you are unfamiliar with an elevator speech, it is a verbal pitch about your company or a client's that will hopefully encourage other people to want to learn more about it.

No matter the circumstance, whether you are out at a conference or you are just out and about, you should have an elevator speech about a particular topic, company, or person. When you are promoting yourself, your company, or a client, you need that elevator speech to answer questions like, "What is your/their company about?" "What can you tell me about yourself/them?" etc. You need to get people interested in the topic of your elevator speech, you need to make it short (around 30 seconds) and you need to make it compelling.

Why is it called an "elevator speech"? Well, it's supposed to be something you can tell someone when standing in an elevator and be able to say in the time it takes to ride an elevator. In that short amount of time, you have to make a big impression. As someone in franchise public relations, I have to deliver these all the time.

So how do you make one of these guys a good one?

1. Make people care. People want to know, "What can the company do for me?" The answer to this question is going to really make or break whether or not the person cares to carry the conversation past the elevator speech. Explain the benefits of your company or your client's company and personalize it. 
2. Make it easy to join the club. Feel free to drop some big names that you company or your client's company has worked for/with, even if they are competitors with the person you are pitching too (this could actually work to your benefit). 
3. Make them want to hear more. The pitch is supposed to be nice and short so do not try to stuff it with detail, put enough in there to peak their ear but not so much that they have to double back. A few good details, your credibility, and what the company can do for the person. 
4. End with a call to action. What are you willing to do for the person, to win over a client or customer? What is your end goal? Etc. 
5. Be yourself. Be professional but do not act like a stiff board, have a smile and be comfortable. No one is likely to buy a pitch from someone who is rigid and awkward. Be comfortable with your pitch and say it nicely. 
6. Get feedback. Tell it to people who can give you feedback like coworkers, friends, family, etc. Just don't test it out on the people you are trying to win over. 

If you have any questions about elevator pitches, then contact All Points PR - a Chicago PR agency.