Issues PR

In PR, we’re all in the advocacy business — but most of us are advocating on behalf of a client’s product or service. What’s it like to advocate for ideas — often controversial ideas — day in and day out? How does your PR work and strategy change when you know you’re not just competing for attention, but competing against other organizations loudly and specifically disagreeing with your messages?

On Thursday, February 21st at 12:00 p.m. ET, #PRStudChat (sponsored by Spin Sucks) community members gather for a Twitter chat on “PR for Issues & Advocacy.” Leading the chat session that day will be our special guest and co-host, Rebecca Primis (@RebeccaPrimis), director of marketing at the State Policy Network (SPN).  You can learn more about Rebecca and her experience here.

During the Twitter chat, Rebecca will be addressing questions about PR for issues and advocacy. However, we encourage all community members to weigh in with their ideas and share their perspectives too. The Twitter chat questions will include:

1. Let’s start big: How is comms for issues different than, say, PR for consumer products?

2. Your current job is much more about building relationships than PR. Were you able to bring a lot of PR skills to that job?

3. How has the communications landscape changed during your career so far? How has pitching media changed?

4. What are some skills you’ve had to learn that weren’t addressed in school?

5. A challenge in issues comms is that there’s usually another side out there saying you’re wrong. How does that change your approach?

6. Related: Opponents can create a permanent body of wrong or bad information about your org online. How do you combat that?

7. What percentage of your org’s PR work is executing against a plan vs. reacting to something in the current news cycle? How do you find the right balance?

8. What makes for a great intern? And, in your business, do they need to be 100% on board with the mission?

9. What’s your favorite PR success story?

10. Let’s assume your job isn’t like Scandal *or* House of Cards… which TV show best fits your day-to-day work life?

As always, you can tweet  @PRStudChat, @SpinSucks, @LKPetrolino, @ValerieSimon, or @DBreakenridge with any questions you would like answered.

We’re looking forward to another dynamic #PRStudChat conversation. See you on Thursday, February 21st at 12:00 p.m. ET!

About #PRStudChat

It began with a simple question asked by Angela Hernandez, then President of PRSSA at Central Michigan University (CMU). “Is PR Right for me?” A follow-up blog post by Communication Strategist Deirdre Breakenridge inspired a series of direct messages on Twitter between Breakenridge and fellow PR industry pro, Valerie Simon. This was an important question and one that should be explored beyond one student or one blog post. Why not build a community to help students across the country, and even the globe, learn from the experience and perspective of industry professionals … A community where everyone can learn and grow together.

About Spin Sucks

Spin Sucks was started in September 2006 by Gini Dietrich, the founder and CEO of Arment Dietrich, an integrated marketing communications firm. Its mission? To change the perception or PR. What started as a simple blog, soon became a movement. Spin Sucks is the number one PR blog in the world, the go-to resource for PR professionals to learn new strategies and tactics, to share and receive expert advice. It’s also the place where people have fun discussions, brainstorm, ask for help, and make new friends.