Oklahoma State University PRSSA

OSU PRSSA welcomed back its members on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2010.
Twenty-four OSU students and all four officers attended the meeting.
President Katie Butler talked about membership and officer applications and all of the officers talked about what their jobs are all about. Katie then introduced Janet Reeder with the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association who spoke about internship opportunities.
Then Bonnie Cain introduced Dustin Pyeatt, a crisis communication specialist whose first job was with DHS.
You can’t really plan for a crisis, you never know what’s going to happen, Pyeatt said. But it helps to be prepared; take crisis training.
For a “crash box” you should have phone numbers, e-mail and physical addresses for people in a laminated hard copy, copies of your annual report and type writers, he said. Keep things up to date.
The first thing you should do in a crisis is calm down, Pyeatt said. You’re paid to be calm. Next, leave your ego at the door–it just gets in the way.
If the authorities (police, federal agencies) are involved, let them take the lead.
If something happens, call the police/authorities even if they have been notified. It makes you look like you’re concerned.
During a lawsuit, don’t answer a question unless a lawyer tells you two. Work out message points with them.
Only answer questions you can answer. If it’s legal, moral and ethical you should talk. If it’s not then don’t.
Be prepared with a boilerplate statement about your organization.
Timing is everything; a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Release information in the morning, noon and evening to everyone.
Make sure the press is clear on numbers to call and Web sites.
If the military shows up and has nothing to do, tell them to dig a ditch, then fill it in. People with nothing to do will snap.
A natural disaster is considered a crime scene–keep law enforcement officials within ear shot. If a journalist goes somewhere you’ve told them not to, have them taken into custody.
Feds do things differently. You never see their PR people, only the head of the agency, speak.
During a live media conference, media will ask questions they don’t want to know for the sake of asking a question.
Don’t be goaded–be professional. Don’t let the media pit you against someone else. Don’t pick a fight with the press. If it’s that bad, take the nuclear option and cut them off from information. Don’t pick fights.
There’s no casual Friday in PR. Always dress your best. The best dressed person is the one in charge, always be the one in charge.
We’re paid to be nice in PR, but sometimes paid to not be nice. Be ready to take on any role.
Relationships matter. Build your relationships and reputation, use them when you can. Remember everyone is a person, treat every one with respect.
The press is lending credit to your stories. Never talk to 60 Minutes. They know everything and you’ll lose.
For TV interviewing, have command messages–three main points to drive home. Never answer, “What do you think about…?” “How do you feel about…?” questions. Answer with “That’s not important. This is.”
After a crisis review what went right or wrong. Bring in the media and ask how you did.
If there’s a crisis/disaster–get a Chaplin.
Who should respond to a crisis depends on the crisis.
One of the biggest mistakes during a crisis is not choosing your words carefully enough.
Pyeatt’s advice for crisis specialists are to:
–”Get a decent crisis,” intern with FEMA or Homeland Security
–PR is not an education, it’s a vocation. You learn by doing.
–The media is always late.

Bonnie Ann Cain-Woods and Valerie Trammell joined OSU PRSSA on Sept. 29 for a Social Media Makeover, or how you’re perceived online based on content shared, etc.
Future and current employers, coworkers, clients, colleagues and media could be watching your media.
They search for you through Google, social networks (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and open records (OSCN.net).
They’re looking to fact-check your resume (job title, start and end dates); what you’re saying about them, about their competition, etc.–always be positive; they’re looking at your writng samples and personality traits. Pick three traits that you’d like to portray you and strive to include them in your social media and online presence.
Case study: Marissa Chaves.
Google yourself, go back at least 10 pages and try different keywords.
Clean up your Facebook pictures, about me, groups, etc. If you wouldn’t want your grandmother to see it, take it off or untag yourself. If you’re tagged in an inappropriate pitcure in someone else’s album, untag it and any other photos in the album.
Twitter, be professional but express some of your interests. Have a variety and include people in your conversations with @ replys and hashtags #.
Future employers use this as an informal resume check–make sure your job history and information is consistant across the board.
Don’t inflate your salary–open books will give you away every time.
Check OSCN and open records. Be aware of what’s there and be prepared to talk about it. “It was poor judgment,” is a good reply.
Establish your reputation–from www.chrisbrogan.com/tag/reputation –take a decent photo of yourself (100×100 pixils are best), add photos and a location to your social media. Participate in blogging–create a wordpress.com or Blogger accout–you don’t necessarily have to blog; commenting is great, too. On Facebook be yourself, but professional. Get YouTube, Gmail and LinkedIn accounts. Add professional content.
Monitor yourself on Google–try different searches like news, blogs, Web, images, etc. Search Twitter. Create and keep up with search feeds. Watch conversations and where others tag you. Be responsive.
Maintain your reputation; keep it clean; watch out for controversial topics; point people where you want them to go through links, hyperlinks, etc.; be honest, thorough, active and interactive.
Don’t post photos with underwear showing or with sexual connotations, don’t look drunk and keep the booze out of the picture.
Stay way from awkward groups or topics like prolife, extreme views, drug use, civil disobediance, -isms, personal ads.
Don’t get comfortable with privacy settings. Expect what you’ve added online to be available to anyone. If you’re not comfortable showing it to the whole world–don’t put it online.
Just because you can delete something, doesn’t mean it’s gone from the Web. The Way Back Machine on Google has Web sites archives from the beginning of the Internet.
Thanks to Bonnie Ann Cain-Woods, Valerie Trammell, Marissa Chaves, Chris Brogan and everyone who attended.