Episode 5 Advanced Manual Review Public Relations

On the Table – Topics for Toastmasters Season 1, episode 5

Looking for ideas about which manual you should do next?  If you ask me, TI doesn’t provide enough information about the manuals.  I looked at all of the information available for the PR manual and it’s word for word the same.  You have to buy the manual to find out what the projects are, or borrow it from someone else.

With that thought in mind

[fanfare]

On the Table – Topics for Toastmasters Podcasts present:

The Advanced Manual Review Project.

DTMs look at the advanced manuals.

We want DTMs who have completed the manuals to give us their perspective on them.

The review will cover a quick synopsis of each of the units.

What can be learned from it.

And would the reviewer recommend it?

Stay tuned to the end of the podcast today if you’re interested in participating – we’re looking for your input.

[intro music]

Let’s talk about the Public Relations Advanced Manual.

Like most people, I hear PR and I think “spin.”  We’ve been hearing a lot of that in the media this week.

To the public relations people in the world, I apologize for the generalization.  I’m sure that some of you are honest, truthful people who don’t want to manipulate the audience into thinking your product is flawless and perfect – just that it’s a good, workable product that serves its purpose and does it well.

I blame politics.  And the media.

But let’s talk about the Public Relations Manual – on the table.

Intro

The Public Relations Advanced Manual

I picked this book because I saw it as the next logical step after Speaking to Inform and Persuasive Speaking. Public relations is something I’ve done informally for years – let’s see what I can learn.

A PR manual is an important focus for Toastmasters.  What we most often see now is the publicist talking to an array of journalists who have their deadlines and an attention-grabbing headline in mind.  Either as the publicist, the public relations officer or as the journalist, this manual should have good information for me to learn.

The first project is called the Goodwill speech.  Right away, the distinctions between public relations, publicity and advertising are laid out.  I quote:

Public relations refers to a variety of marketing strategies that strengthen a person’s or organization’s credibility, enhance their image, develop good will or influence public opinion.  Publicity is one of these strategies, and it involves media coverage such as new stories, feature articles, radio and television interviews, public appearances and reviews… [i]

So publicity is a part of PR.  Right.  And advertising?

You pay for advertising… You also control the content of the ad and can make it favorable to your product, service or organization.  Publicity is free…

If a newspaper editor considers your product or service newsworthy and assigns a reporter to write an article about it, the result is public relations.  Because you didn’t pay for the article and it was written by an independent party, the readers consider the article to be more credible and are more likely to be influenced by it. [i]

In sum:  The ultimate goal of public relations is to create positive a public image, reinforce current thought, or to change opinions of society.

So the five projects focus on how to influence opinions...