Book Description

The Marketer’s Guide to Public Relations How Today’s Top Companies Are Using the New PR to Gain a Competitive Edge "Tom Harris has done more than anyone else to explain how public relations should be an important element in the marketing process. Every marketer should read this book." —Joe Cappo, Vice President/Publisher Advertising Age "Tom Harris might well be consumer marketing management’s next folk hero. His book provides a wealth of information that will be useful to consumer marketing executives and public relations professionals alike." —Harold Burson, Chairman Burson Marsteller "Tom Harris illustrates how companies can gain competitive advantages in the vicious marketing climate of the 1990s while reducing costs. This book will be must reading at business schools like Chicago, Stanford, and Harvard." —Robert L. Dilenschneider, President The Dilenschneider Group "It’s all here: what to do and what not to do, checklists and case histories, even crisis management and minority marketing. Best of all, it’s projected through the experience of a true professional in marketing PR. All you need is this book and a client." —John O’Toole, President American Association of Advertising Agencies "I just could’t stop reading Tom’s book. It’s right on the money and demonstrates clearly, comprehensively, and scientifically the critical role that public relations plays in marketing consumer products—and shows why it’s going to be increasingly important in the future." —Daniel J. Edelman, Chairman and CEO Daniel J. Edelman, Inc. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Useful, but Woefully Outdated
Thomas Harris enjoys a well-respected reputation in the public relations industry. The Marketer's Guide to Public Relations is an excellent example of why. Relying on clear writing and numerous case histories and examples, Harris never fails to demonstrate the value of a good public relations campaign to any marketing department. Nonetheless, the work is nearly a decade old. Given the tumult of the 90s, one needs an updated edition. I found using Michael Levine's Guerrilla PR: Wired to be quite useful in that regard, covering how to use the Internet for an effective public relations campaign. Still, I hope to see a book by Harris that fully delves deep into the merging worlds of the Internet and public relations in the near future.

Marketer's Guide
This book shows haw companies use strategies to wage effective PR campaigns. The real life examples show how classroom techniques translate into actuality. This book, along with Michael Levine's Guerilla PR Wired, are both must-haves for anyone entering in the world of PR. ... Read more

Book Description

•Chock-full of ideas and strategies for applying solid public relations techniques to the nonprofit •Plan a fundraising event, deal with a crisis, defuse a tense situation, develop a relationship with the media, and all the while promote your organization, keeping its mission in the eye of the public •Let this book be your how-to manual for a successful public relations program ... Read more

Reviews (2)

This book has been a lifesaver!
Not knowing what I was getting into, I joined the board of a local non-profit organization and immediately ended up on a new Public Relations committee where no one had a PR or marketing background.We were really struggling.I didn't have any luck on the internet finding any info on this topic so decided to look for a book.God bless amazon.com for having this book!It is very readable and offers an excellent primer for PR, including websites and e-mail communications.It has been a huge help to our PR committee and as a result, we have been able to get our organization's name out into the community more, leading to increased donations.I highly recommend this book.

Good, but also see Media Relations Handbook
Neal's book is good, but for a book written by a Washington PR pro, see Media Relations Handbook for Agencies, Associations, Nonprofits and Congress. The Handbook is written by Brad Fitch, with a Foreword by Mike McCurry.
What others have said about Fitch's book (about which you can see more at MediaRelationsHandbook.com ):

"Great advice for beginners and experienced media hands. If you are a media relations professional--either beginner or seasoned veteran--this is the book for you. Brad Fitch, who spent many years fielding reporters' tough questions on Capitol Hill, has written a timely, practical guide to handling media relations that is filled with solid professional advice. What goes into a press release? How do you develop a strategic message? You've got a digital camera and a fax machine, but what else does your office need to effectively handle the media? Before you start talking to a reporter, do you know the difference between 'on the record,' 'off the record,' and 'background'? When there's an immediate crisis in your organization, what are the eight mistakes that you absolutely must avoid? How do you handle your paranoid boss when he or she has to confront the press? You'll find the answers to these and many other everyday problems in this book. Fitch also gives valuable advice on how to set up an effective website and how to use e-mail for optimum communications. Excellent book for professionals who work in federal or state agencies, trade associations, non-profits, state legislatures or Congress. It's the only handbook you'll ever need."
Dennis W. Johnson, college professor and former Capitol Hill senior staffer

"Provides valuable advice for those who flack for a living."
Roll Call

"A superb blend of theory and practice, written by someone who uses words like Gallup uses polls."
Steve O'Keefe, author "Complete Guide to Internet Publicity" and Adjunct Faculty, Tulane University College

"Uncertain how to interest the press in your pressing issue? Having difficulty preparing your media-unfriendly boss for a tough interview? Worried about the next communications crisis and how to handle it? Brad Fitch answers those questions and many more in this crisp, clear and completely useful book."
Tucker Carlson, Co-Host CNN Crossfire, author

"A seminar from TheCapitol.Net is one of the best ways to learn from the experts about how Washington really works. Now all that insight and information has been packed into this invaluable volume. I suggest you read it, and become your own expert."
Steven V. Roberts, syndicated columnist, TV and radio analyst, college professor

"Brad Fitch has performed an admirable public service by giving public relations students and professionals alike an indispensable tool. His book provides a road map on both the practicalities and principles of PR, and he shows that honest PR is not an oxymoron. Now it's up to all of us in the media and spin industries to keep our end of the bargain."
Ed Henry, Congressional Correspondent, CNN (formerly Senior Editor of Roll Call)

"This volume is an invaluable road map to the mean streets of a city where information is power and power is everything. Brad Fitch has written a rich 'how-to' lesson for pros and for novices who must negotiate the competitive landscape of America's new media."
Ann Compton, White House Correspondent, ABC News

"Media Relations Handbook is to political campaigns what The Art of War is to military campaigns: an essential strategic reference that winners should never be without."
James Carville, Co-Host CNN Crossfire, author

Again, you can see more about Fitch's book at MediaRelationsHandbook.com or search Amazon using the ISBN: 1587330032 ... Read more

Book Description

Praise for A Branded World

"A Branded World is a real insider’s guide to the elusive science of branding. With tremendous command over his subject material, Michael Levine has provided us with a primer that is a must read for all those who pursue careers in public relations and brand marketing."
–Howard J. Rubenstein
President, Rubenstein Associates, Inc.

"At last, a PR man who really understands what branding is all about. It certainly is worth learning what he appears to have learned. A good read."
–Jack Trout, author, A Genie’s Wisdom: A Fable of How a CEO Learned to Be a Marketing Genius

"The most valuable, indispensable part of the branding process, according to Michael Levine, is PR. He goes on to prove his point with dozens of pertinent case histories, including the imaginary launch of a new ice cream brand. A terrific guide to the role that PR plays in marketing today."
–Al Ries, author, The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Truely Educational
Interested in how you sell products to the public, I stumbled across this book online. It was truly educational, making me aware of the complexity of branding. I learned that it's not just about about finding a product that fills a hole in the market. It is also about how you sell that product by establishing a brand, an image that not only helps to fill a whole in the market but attracts attention from the media and public with an edge. Michael Levine is quite knowledgeable of the subject and it shows in his examples throughout the book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking to get a better understanding of PR.

Not What I Was Hoping For
The majority of this book reads more like speculation by the author rather than solid fact. The impression this gives the reader is the the author has not dealt with many big brand names on a publicity level. The problem with this is that dealing with smaller entities is quite a far cry from dealing with a major brand such as Nike or Toyota.

I kept reading hoping for some interesting inside scoops into the world of big name brands, but was let down. If you are new to the world of branding you might gain a few nuggets of information from this, but I found it all to be common sense.

Ultimately Disappointing
This book is not without its good points, particularly the author's ability to address the audience equally regardless of PR background. However, the downsides cannot be ignored. The central theme of the book is credibility and how PR is the surest route to building it. As other reviewers have pointed out, there are a number of arguments based on correlation, rather than cause-effect. Even more irritating are the armchair assessments of what other companies/countries should have done when building their campaigns with no real supporting evidence that the recommended strategies would have been effective. In addition, even though the author asserts that PR is the best way to build a brand, it doesn't appear that the professional PR organizations (which are few and far between) even mention this fact in their charters. So, what it really comes down to is a very specific view of PR, using a very specific PR strategy which, as luck would have it, can't be found at a local PR firm.

Helpful Book Or Just A Sales Pitch?
I have to agree with Steven Willis from Los Angeles. This book might hold up a little stronger if it wasn't written by a publicist who seems like he is just trying to drum up some business. It's like those chiropractic offices that set up booths for free spinal exams at various sporting events. They give you the free exam, then surprise, surprise! Turns out they seem to think your back needs some chiropractic work. It's the same idea here, and while the book has a few instances of making good points, they aren't really strong enough to persuade the reader to adopt the author's point of view. On the positive side, it is written in a manner that is pretty easy to understand so you can finish it quickly enough, but it's just never all that compelling.

Pointless
It is painfully obvious that the author of this book, also a publicist, is desperately trying get some high-end companies to hire him. Why else would he write a book so utterly useless and void of anything relevant to the marketing of a brand name?

As any CEO with half a brain knows, PR companies are all well and good to protect or rebuild an image that has been depicted poorly within the media. However, to get the brand name out there, they are certainly one of the last places to look.

The author does manage to point out the difference between advertising and PR, to his own fault unfortunately. Companies are looking to use their tightly plotted budgets to get their name out there the best way they can. That way is through advertising, not public relations. You need to be guaranteed that your brand's ad will be seen by the public, and advertising can do this much more effectively than PR. In advertising, you basically get what you are willing to pay for. In PR, there is too much of a gamble that you can spend a lot and see nothing in return.

Sadly, Levine's writing style is also very ineffective in enhancing one's opinion of him as a publicist. He may have done a little research and found the right buzzwords, but it is obvious he doesn't really grasp the meaning of what he is talking about.

I can honestly say I would never hire this guy to represent my company. Even if the day does come when we need to hire a PR firm (God forbid), I would look elsewhere. ... Read more

Book Description

Today, businesses and celebrities are finding themselves the front-line targets of attacks by headline-seekers, the news media, disgruntled former employees, litigious adversaries, and many others. And it's crisis managers like Eric Dezenhall who step in to fight the bad publicity and sometimes even turn the wave of negative opinion on the attackers themselves. NAIL 'EM! explores the personalities, conflicts, and motivations involved in such attacks and describes Dezenhall's unique communications approach to slowing, preventing, and reversing such situations.

Reflecting our changed perspectives since September 11, 2001, Dezenhall establishes that crisis management is often personality driven, as exemplified by President George W. Bush and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, whose plain-talking, straightforward styles earned the public's trust immediately after the terrorist attacks. Next he shows how the art of communications cannot solve deeper problems, as seen in the poor effects of American leaflet drops in Afghanistan and various official responses to the anthrax scare. Finally, he analyzes how the cultural landscape has shifted since September 11, giving examples of how the news media as a whole may be becoming more balanced, while cautioning that even in this changed climate corporations and public personalities will not be immune from attack. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Paranoia isn't a State, its a small town called vindictive
In a world where television dictates emotion and the latest rumor becomes the evening news fact, Nail' EM cuts through the fog and shows us exactly the forces at work against corporate Icons and celebrities. Not only did I buy this book but I sent a copy to Audi just in case 60 Minutes returns.

An inside look at cutting edge crisis management
The quiet frustrations I've shared with my friends and colleagues about media coverage have finally found a voice! Nail 'Em provides an insight to the motivations and manipulations that characterize the attack mode of the contemporary press. Written in a fluent, witty tone, Dezenhall gives his reader an inside look on why and how media attacks are generated, who falls victim and how corporate America responds. The self righteous veneer of America's watchdog groups is slowly starting to peel and rightly so.

Read this book!
High profile attacks? well, given the rate at which many corporate fat cats have been swindeling investors and the public, this book can be a must read for amusement. At least you know what kind of tactics some of these "businesses" use to keep the consumer wrapped around their fingers. The PR machine of the big business would be the envy of fascist propaganda systems of the 1930s and 40s. It's always good to know how the fox thinks before raiding the chicken coop. I can recommend a few other books to read along with this one to at least get a better picture as to why "Nail'em" is even written. I am glad people have begun to seriously question the excessive power big business has in the nation (especially in the light of ENRON, Worldcom, etc...), and a book like this is a sign the winds are changing. So read this book to be aware!

Fight Fire with Fire
Dezenhall's book is about what happens when tv goes after my favorite movie star! Aren't they supposed to be covering that stuff in the Mideast? I really liked it! I also liked Michael Levine's Guerrilla PR: Wired 'cause he also deals with how to fight back using the web. Fight the madness!

Wow!
Smart and savvy. Eric Dezenhall takes a hard look at today's tear-down and trample culture, where someone is always to blame and that someone is usually a profit-making enterprise. This book is great fun to read, but it also serves as a survival manual in a world where success is punishable by public vilification. ... Read more

Reviews (33)

Trust Us, We're Experts!
Having just finished "Trust Us, We're Experts" I was *astounded* to find the two reviews above saying (essentially) that it was bunk because it was anti-corporate and citing "cases" that the reviewers seem to think help their cause (when they actually just suggest that the reviewers are themselves either paid corporate PR drones or lobotomized "consumers" who abhor anyone actually peering behind the veil of monopoly media and showing that it is mainly about keeping the rabble in line).*****The most important thing about Stauber and Rampton's work from the point of view of a critical review is that it is extensively footnoted and sourced ... don't agree with their positions? Fine -- write a book even half as well sourced and you'll be far ahead of most of what passes for popular scientific literature.****Trust Us, We're Experts does, in fact, seem redundant to parts of "Toxic Sludge is Good for You" -- but that's not too surprising given that the same PR consultant/flacks are giving corporations the exact same advice on how to overcome public participation and avoid any real critical scrutiny.****These two books (and their newsletter "PR Watch") are among the most powerful deprogramming tools available today -- anyone interested in media, democracy, citizenship, public policy formation, or the environment should definitely equip themselves with them or, if only one, then "Trust Us!" because it's the most current.

A toolkit to save us all from the PR tar-pits
A lot of people know that the mass media spin stories, people, events, and opinions. But few of us can get an inside look at how the PR and opinion industries work with the mass media. How they use science, social science, and pseudo-science to sell toxic products, to ignore their devastating impacts, and to undermine democracy coldly, deliberately, and cynically.

This powerhouse of a book is first aid for those of us weary of all that, but still hoping for a sane, reasonable way to respond and arm ourselves with the real truth.

In /Trust Us, We're Experts/, Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber continue as America's number one watchdogs of the PR industry. This book gives you permission to smell something stinky in the fishy proclamations of media-hyped experts who are wooing our wallets...even when it's packaged as roses, peddled in big showy bunches and enthusiastically delivered to your door using everything from direct mail to the Internet to letters to the editor of your local newspaper to products carefully and expensively placed in your supermarket. And the book leaves the reader with a sense of passion and hope, rather than feeling defeated. What an accomplishment!

/Trust Us, We're Experts/ is meticulous in detail, painstaking in its research, unrelenting in its patient disentangling of complicated issues. Yet it's hugely, easily, fabulously readable, the kind of book I kept quoting portions of out loud to anybody within earshot. The kind of book where you howl aloud on public transit, and people lean over and ask what you're reading, and before you know it, a cluster of folks are engaging in a spontaneous citizen-to-citizen democracy-building session. Just the kind of thing the big PR firms fear, because citizens armed with the truth stop listening to spinmeisters paid handsomely to tell them what and when to buy.

What I liked best about /Trust Us, We're Experts/: it's immediate and concrete-not a heady bunch of theory. The authors' examples come from today's news-global warming, genetic engineering of food, big tobacco, pharmaceuticals, Microsoft, and more. Never mind what you've heard about conspiracies or subliminal programming-Rampton and Stauber show how the most powerful engineering of consumer awareness operates right under our noses, but cloaked in wiggle words, misinformation, and outright lies.

How can we get clear of the tar-pits of opinion, packaged as fact, that "neutral" "third-party" "experts"have flung us into? Read this book, and you will walk away with a tar-pit-rescue toolkit that the La Brea Coast Guard would envy. I give it five stars, though want Rampton and Stauber to know they're not finished yet, and must keep writing for years and decades to come! Thank you, authors, for this book.

Michele Gale-Sinex

I Am Happily Aghast -- My 18-Yr-Old Loves It -- Great Gift!
You might call me the "aging hippie mom" wondering when and if my teenaged son would *ever* get passionate about, and see, some important truths of what is happening in the world today. He's a great kid, but frankly he's pushing eighteen and I had given up hope of his ever "seeing the light" if he didn't by now -- the "light" in this sense meaning a lot of the truths that were important to me at his age and that are pressingly important more and more for the world at large.

A huge *spark* happened when he read some articles on thedoctorwithin.com, especially an article that cited this book. When he said, "I'd like to get that book," I was happily astounded in his interest and purchased him a copy as soon as I could. He's been reading it now for weeks and several times has commented on how much he appreciates the book, has used facts from the book for arguments in his high school debate class (with great results -- he won the debate "hands down") -- and better yet, he is now "turned on" to learning more.

Shoot, because of this book, "Trust Me, We're Experts" my son has also gotten turned on to reading again for the first time in years. Said so himself! When he saw my fresh-off-the-press copy of "Our Toxic World: A Wakeup Call" by Doris J. Rapp., M.D., sitting on the coffeetable -- where before I would have gotten from him a distinterested "Hum," he said, "I'd like to borrow that book sometime!" WOW.

It's today's youth that will gain the mantle and have to deal with this world and all the problems of corporate greed/control. I strongly feel that becoming aware of the kinds of things this book delineates is a very, very hopeful sign for our future and the future of this planet. This book is a radical TURN-ON, and for that I give it a big two hands up! (Hey, he's even gaining interest in organic food now!)

just say know
another mind cracking tome that feeds your starving neurons some nutrition, for once.

Though many of these ideas will make you mad, you'll be glad you gained the wisdom after trading in the ignorance-is-bliss mentality of the typical drone.

It's nice to know what's really going on in this country.

Believe none of what you hear....
...and only half of what you see. That's how an old friend paraphrased some public figure many years ago. And this book makes that statement far less cynical.

While "Toxic Sludge is Good for You" by the same authors was a fine book, this is somewhat of an evolution. It's even better.

So, let's see, you may have been impressed with the findings of a study that has been in all the major daily newspapers and network news. After all, the findings were applauded by the Association for Warm Cuddly Chemicals, they were endorsed by your favorite authors, and, after all, what would we do without the wonderful products available that were the subject of the study?

What the trusty newspapers and networks didn't tell you is that the aforementioned association--the list of such front organizations will boggle your mind--is a front for the manufacturers of the chemicals making up the product they're endorsing, and the "study" written up by professional PR flacks. (I took a writing course six years ago in which the instructor, who claimed to be well-informed, was astonished when I told her the percentage of column inches in the most well-read newspapers in the US have been composed by PR "professionals.")

As the structure of a text means a lot to me, this is one I endorse on that ground too. It starts with a history of the public relations industry. Of course, Edward Bernays--an old New Deal liberal, incidentally--was PR's patron saint.

The authors dissect the PR process brilliantly. For instance, PR professionals have their consultants to call upon. I was amazed and amused by the process our favorite software manufacturer used to minimize the allegations of monopoly. One of the "consultants" called upon was a former Supreme Court nominee who has vigorously argued against antitrust laws. Once hired by the corporation, though, he issued a 7,000 word tirade against federal prosecutors in favor of the company. Various other politicians, also getting paid by the company, were also enlisted as spokespeople for the company. Shocked, huh?

There's a valuable analysis of how industry has taken the route of "risk analysis" rather than a principle of precaution, i.e., go for it because the consequences are likely minimal vs. let's wait until we find the product is safe before we release it. Industry pushes the former, though you think they--and we--would learn what with the number and amount of settlements in law suits against drug manufacturers, for example.

In addition to that level of commentary, the text reminds the reader of the perils of things like global warming. These are items industry goes out of its way to deny. After all, were we to face the consequences of our excess consumption, we might buy less! Oh, and there?s lots in the text to be learned about bovine growth hormone and its manufacturer/promoter. You'll learn a lot about things we've been prodded to take for granted.

A further complication of our perception is that there is a genre of commentator that a fellow skeptic refers to as "crank skeptic," i.e., an author or commentator who claims to challenge norms or speak for reality but who actually has an ideological motive. This text mentions a few of them whose names I'll let you get from the text.

The only thing I wish the book had covered more of is how the PR industry has infected the electoral process in the United States. In contemporary elections, ISSUES are meticulously avoided so that we can discuss the essentially meaningless (e.g., "character," whatever that is.) But I must admit that's probably the subject of a dozen books, and a slightly different focus than that of this book.

Were I taking notes while reading the book, there is far more I could have written. But I'd rather you take the time to read the book than my comments thereon.

I cannot recommend this book strongly enough. We MUST know how the PR process works, how we are influenced by it, and who controls the media by which we are ostensibly "informed." ... Read more

Book Description

Using the same principles and methods that have proven so successful for other fund raising activities, James S. Armstrong takes you step by step through the four-phase process of managing fund raising events. This down-to-earth guide--part of the Excellence in Fund Raising Workbook Series from The Fund Raising School at Indiana University--will show how to produce events that will raise money cost effectively, expand your support base, and attract attention to your cause. Designed to be a well-thumbed reference, the workbook also includes answers to the most frequently asked questions.

... Read more

Book Description

The long-awaited sequel to the bestselling Guerrilla PR

Nearly a decade after it first hit bookstands, Michael Levine's Guerrilla PR remains one of the industry's bestselling, best-reviewed, and most valuable how-tos on garnering low- or no-cost publicity. Now Guerrilla PR Wired updates Levine's attention-getting strategies for today's globally wired environment. It revisits many of Levine's most successful devices, while introducing new tactics for conveying a message on-line­­tactics that have worked for everyone from Amazon.com to the then-unknown producers of The Blair Witch Project.

More than just a sequel, this book creates a new prototype for small business owners, individuals, and virtually anyone who needs publicity to nurture and grow a business­­and doesn't want to spend thousands of dollars to get it. It details:
*How to break through the firewalls of print and broadcast media outlets
*Pitfalls and mishaps that lie in wait for the Web PR novice
*Stories of PR success from leading website developers, Web masters, editors, and producers ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Unhelpful For Students
Wow, if this book is better than the textbooks they use in Boston then thank God I don't go to school there. I'll admit I haven't read this book, but based on the simplicity of Guerrilla PR I feel skipping this one is a good choice. I'm not sure I can think of anybody that would benefit from Levine's books. If you don't already have all the basic knowledge of PR that Levine covers in his books, then you have no interest in PR and this would bore you to death. The only amusement you can get from this book is noticing all the times it completely contradicts what all the professors are now teaching.

I liked my textbook better
I am also a student at BU and personally I found our textbook to be a little more helpful. Maybe that's why I am getting a B+ in our class and doofus boy below is getting a C. Ha ha!

I doubt very much that the author of this book could even pass a college course with as little as he knows about the business side of PR. I don't think this book was written with any target audience in mind because it just kind of jumps all over the place. Maybe its good reading for schizos. Or people with ADD.

Resourceful
Straight-forward, concise and exactly what I needed to get my web page noticed. A+ for Mister Levine

Better than my textbook!
i recently took a course in this at school and let me tell you - this is WAY better! everything i paid to learn in school i could have learned faster and cheaper from Mr. Michael Levine in this book - a MUST read!

Fantastic!
Levine does it again!
Through simple and straightforward language, Levine leads his reader through the do's and dont's of electronic PR. Without talking down to his reader, Levine is able to summarize and convey the best ways in which to make your PR endeavors a success!
A must read for anyone in the PR industry! ... Read more

Book Description

No matter how good a corporation's overall environmental management system or its environmental health and safety department functions, there is no guarantee that management will be able to build that new plant, introduce that new product, or maintain existing permits.The key to success and survival is the corporation's relationship with the local community and a variety of regulatory and special publics.These relationships are too often either ignored or poorly maintained.Communication is the crucial ingredient in building quality communication relationships.Keeping these relationships at appropriate levels requires periodic audits of community relationships and of communication techniques and approaches.

This monograph is constructed to meet several objectives:

1. Audit checklists are included to help evaluate existing communication plans, strategies, policies, and tactics.
2. Planning document models are included to aid in constructing communication-based relationships which will minimize the chances of failure and maximize the obtaining of community consent.
3. Communication plan formats are presented for use as both audit and operational models. ... Read more

Book Description

"A hot topic! This book is tailored to help schools when intersecting with the media."
Grant Rich, Assistant Professor
Department of Education
Antioch College

Learn how to manage your school’s image before a crisis hits.

This step-by-step guide shows you how to create a positive public perception of your school—even if you have no background in public relations. Whether publicizing good news or handling sensitive situations, your relationship with the media will determine how the community views your school.

In good times and bad, the community will support you based on your ability to manage your school’s image. Gail A. Conners, a public information specialist with extensive educational background, gives the reader an inside look at the media and outlines simple steps to becoming media savvy. Through real-life scenarios, you’ll discover valuable and easy strategies to create goodwill for your school.

Special features include:

• Developing an effective communications plan
• Building credibility and accountability within the community
• Forming a relationship of trust with the media
• Crisis communications—schools in turmoil
• Pre-emptive measures for anticipated conflict
• Using newsletters and the Internet for strategic aims

In today’s challenging times, an effective public relations program for schools is no longer a luxury. This book is a must-have guide for training school personnel to work with the media for optimal school image.Administrators, superintendents, business managers, and school principals responsible for their school’s perception in the community will find this a valuable resource.

Reviews (1)

From the Author
I'm pleased to announce that Good News! has recently been nominated for the Beeman Award by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).Good News! (from the Corwin Press web site) is:a book that gives specific step-by-step guidelines for successfulschool/public relations, especially for a school district employee that hasbeen assigned the task but who has no background and training in publicrelations. Most districts do not have public information officers, and don'trecognize the need for them, until a crisis hits (student harmed or killed,employee arrested, low test scores, press reports on failing and decayingschools), and the school or district is coping with damage control. And itnever occurs to these same districts to effectively use PR to broadcast the"good" news, as a way of banking credits against future bad news. Thebook is unique because it used Bleiker's life preserver principles, employsthe use of the Internet for strategic PR purposes, and is written so that aninexperienced person at a school/district can serve as the public relationsspecialist. ... Read more

Book Description

This text is the ideal introduction for anyone who wants to understand how and why public relations works. Not simply a how-to guide, this book describes the key frameworks and developments in public relations theory and practice. Using over thirty examples and case studies from Britain, Europe and the US, Shirley Harrison makes the vital link between theory and practice. Public Relations: An Introduction covers the history, theoretical framework, practice and likely developments in public relations, giving numerous case histories of successful and unsuccessful public relations practice, and providing careers advice for those considering entering the field. The new edition has been thoroughly updated with revised material and a wealth of brand new cases. ... Read more

Book Description

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS: INTEGRATED THEORY, STRATEGY & TACTICS is designed for thoughtful marketing/communications practitioners and students interested in a more comprehensive, eclectic, provocative alternative to traditional advertising and sales-promotion books. The authors are marketing professors from Northwestern University and Fairleigh Dickinson University with extensive business and consulting backgrounds. The book includes sidebars written by some of the top marketing communications professionals in the country.

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS begins with an overview of the marketing communications process, including research, strategic objectives, corporate culture/identity, branding/positioning, creativity, and media/messages. It then guides the reader through a variety of tactics (advertising, publicity, sales promotion, word-of-mouth communication, etc.) and how to evaluate marketing-communication programs. The book then concludes with a "special topics" section that covers legal issues; distinctions between consumer and business-to-business marketing communications; international issues; philosophical issues; etc.

The book is perhaps the first true marketing communications book, in the sense that it is not just a glorified advertising or sales-promotion book, but gives equal weight to a variety of marketing communications tactics. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A must have! It's the foundation for marketing planning.
As a marketing consultant and someone who has personally had the privilege to meet and work with Dr. James Hutton, I give my glowing endorsement for a well written and useful marketing manuscript. Dr. Jim Hutton is a professor of Marketing Communications and this book is geared for the classroom. However, business owners and professionals in all industries would do themselves justice by buying and reading this book. ... Read more

Book Description

The secret to a successful PR campaign, as with most projects, is advance planning and systematic management. This new edition, updated to include information on new technology, takes the reader setp-by-step through each crucial stage of a campaign.

With numerous case studies and a 10-point action plan, this updated edition covers all the vital topic including:

•Starting the planning process
•Research and analysis
•Setting objectives
•Strategy and tactics
•Timelines and resources
•Evaluation and review ... Read more

Book Description

Exploring how to effectively communicate with the media, this book offers readers a practical and concise guide to all aspects of media relations while examining the media's pervasive presence and influence on business.This First Edition covers a plethora of topics including how to establish ongoing relationships with reporters, managing media relations during a crisis, preparing for interviews and identifying important media contacts, and how to differentiate between financial media and mainstream media.For professionals with a career in corporate communications, public relations, media and business relations, management communications, crisis management, and integrated marketing communications. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Essential book
MANAGING PUBLIC RELATIONS by James E. Grunig and Todd T. Hunt is a must-have for PR students and professionals. Almost all PR books use it as a reference and discuss its contents, mainly the four PR-models defined by Grunig. This is a book that will never get old.

Sts. James and Todd
Those of us in this business can't live or work without this watershed book. It's a timeless classic that I turn to constantly as a PR practitioner.

There's nothing these guys haven't thought about or anticipated. They make your life easier because they actually tell you things you don't want to read or hear.

If you absorb this book, you're some way along in handling any PR situation that comes your way.

Great Little Textbook for PR Students
O.K. the book may not be that little, but is an excellent resource for beginning PR students and professionals. It covers all the basicis from a definition of PR to how to do PR well to how to perform the nuts & bolts tasks of PR. It is also very readable. It may not be a cuddle-up-in-bed book, but it does the job in a much less painful way than most textbooks! (P.S. Grunig is an excellent teacher and explains PR concepts in an approachable manner.) ... Read more

Book Description

What are the circumstances, the authors begin by asking, in which firms encounter a crisis situation? The answers they provide in this little book-at once a concise theoretical formulation and a practical guide to managing the crises that corporate and other enterprises inevitably face-define a field that has often been inadequately understood. Responding to a need long recognized in departments of corporate communication, which must bear the brunt of such crises, Drs. Ogrizek and Guillery have produced an in-depth analysis of the field and a step-by-step approach to preventing full-scale, uncontainable disasters and corporate relations fiascos from which companies may never recover.

Communicating in Crisis is based on a wide range of examples and case studies, including the alarm raised among consumers after an alleged worm infestation of McDonald's hamburgers and the worldwide recall by Perrier's of 160 million bottles from the market when word spread that the mineral water had been contaminated by a toxic compound. In every instance cited, an appropriate communications strategy is suggested that would both gain public trust and keep business going. In addition to product use, the authors also discuss industrial and institutional crises and the sorts of endemic panic to which enterprises are subject, thus making their book indispensable for anyone involved in the management of an organization, whether privately or publicly held, and for courses in corporate communication and corporate risk. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

poorly written
This book is poorly written. Nothing new at all. Conceptually weak. This book is very difficult to follow, it doesnt flow very well. There is also little documentation and no formal references listed anywhere.

Potentially useful collection of recommendations but lacks t
The book is a list of crisis situations and scenarios, most of them backed up with recommendations based on the authors' experience. The recommendations might be useful when taken individually, however, they do not fall together in a general framework. In my opinion, the book lacks a systematic, or processual approach. There is no justification available for the organization of the book and of the chapters: if the book itself is a long list, what is the logic behind it? What were the criteria upon which the construction of the list was based? In other words, why discuss these topics, and not others? It might appear that the chapter titles are meant to offer a typology of crisis situations, at least in the first part of the book. If this is so, this taxonomy should be explained and justified.

The book also lacks theoretical rigor, because the authors fail to provide and stick to a rigorous definition of their domain of study. They do not define nor distinguish between risk communication and crisis communication, thus overlooking to draw the fine but important line between these two types of communication.

My main dissatisfaction stems from the fact that the authors take a cookbook, list-like approach to crisis communication that is not backed up by some fundamental theoretical principles with general applicability in crisis situations. I would have liked to see a framework for evaluating and managing crises, rather than a long list of things to keep in mind.

However, there are still a lot of things to learn from the book: one can be prepared for a number of situations that are likely to come up in certain types of crises and can find some basic advice on how to deal with them; the case studies provide nice illustrations. The book is easy and pleasant reading, informative and entertaining, but I don't consider it a major enlightening contribution to the field of crisis communication.

this is what the publisher says about it. i agree. :)
Communicating in Crisis is both a concise theoretical formulation and a practical guide to managing the crises that corporate and other enterprises inevitably face. Responding to a need long recognized in departments of corporate communication, Drs. Ogrizek and Guillery have produced an in-depth analysis of the field and a step-by-step approach to preventing full-scale, uncontainable disasters and corporate relations fiascoes, from which companies may never recover.

The book is based on a wide range of examples and case studies, including an alleged worm infestation of McDonald's hamburgers and the worldwide recall by Perrier's of 160 million bottles of mineral water when word spread that the product had been contaminated by a toxic compound. For every instance cited, an appropriate communications strategy is suggested that would gain public trust and support, as well as keep business going. In addition to product use, the authors discuss industrial and institutional crises and the kinds of endemic panic to which enterprises are subject.

Communicating in Crisis is indispensable for anyone involved in the management of an organization, whether it is privately or publicly held, and for courses in corporate communication and corporate risk.

Contents Foreword, Stephen A. Greyser Introduction · What Is Crisis Communication?

1. Product Risk and Crisis Communication · Rumors · Product Contamination · Accidents · Boycotts · New Risks and New Product Crises

2. Industrial Risk and Crisis Communication · Major Technological Accidents · Setting Up or Expanding an Industrial Site · Industrial Waste Management

3. Institutional Risk and Crisis Communication · Corporate Identity Crises · Media/Legal Crises and Scandals · Industrial Restructuring · Financial Communication in Times of Crises · Internal Crisis Communication

4. Major Collective Fears and Crisis Communication · Terrorism · Major Health Fears

5. Communicating in a Crisis · Major Principles · Developing Scenarios · Communicating with the Victims · Internal Communication First · Crisis Communication and the Media · Symbolic Communication

6. Crisis Unit Organization and Operation · Unit Organization · Unit Members and Their Roles · Working Methods · Managing the Postcrisis Period

7. Training and Preparing for Crisis Communication · Case Studies · Setting Up a Crisis Unit · Simulation Exercises · Preparing for Crisis Prevention and Avoidance

Conclusion

References

Michel Ogrizek, a medical doctor by training with a background in social/cultural anthropology, is Director of Corporate Relations worldwide for the Unilever Group.

Jean-Michel Guillery, a medical doctor, is an expert consultant in the prevention and handling of risk.. ... Read more