PRSA Member Statement of Professional Values

This statement presents the core values of PRSA members and, more broadly, of the public relations profession. These values provide the foundation for the Member Code of Ethics and set the industry standard for the professional practice of public relations. These values are the fundamental beliefs that guide our behaviors and decision-making process. We believe our professional values are vital to the integrity of the profession as a whole.

ADVOCACY

We serve the public interest by acting as responsible advocates for those we represent. We provide a voice in the marketplace of ideas, facts, and viewpoints to aid informed public debate.

HONESTY

We adhere to the highest standards of accuracy and truth in advancing the interests of those we represent and in communicating with the public.

EXPERTISE

We acquire and responsibly use specialized knowledge and experience. We advance the profession through continued professional development, research, and education. We build mutual understanding, credibility, and relationships among a wide array of institutions and audiences.

INDEPENDENCE

We provide objective counsel to those we represent. We are accountable for our actions.

LOYALTY

We are faithful to those we represent, while honoring our obligation to serve the public interest.

FAIRNESS

We deal fairly with clients, employers, competitors, peers, vendors, the media, and the general public. We respect all opinions and support the right of free expression.

11.

Many people claim to be great at PR, but not everyone truly is. Genuinely talented PR pros have a few specific qualities that the average pro doesn’t. They know what stories to pitch, their press releases are top notch and they have media connections to spare.

Read on to learn about some of the characteristics that can make the difference between a PR rep and a PR pro.

1. Always ready. The best PR pros have their tools on them at all times: smartphone, business cards, notepad, perhaps even a digital camera. One never knows when a high profile contact will be made or an unscripted moment of PR gold might happen.

2. Investigative spirit. PR pros have to know the customer base in order to determine the best types of stories to tell. Even so, not every tale will do. Having a nose for news and what consumers want to hear will help drive client coverage.

3. Great storyteller. Fantastic stories draw people in and stick with them long after they’ve moved on to something else. It is great to have a tale to tell, but a great storyteller can make almost any narrative seem interesting.

4. Persuasive prowess. PR experts have to be able to do more than find interesting tales and tell them well, they have to be able to sell the narrative. The best PR pros can define a story, write it and present it in such a way that news agencies and other communications organizations pick it up and distribute it to a wider audience.

5. Connection cultivator. A good PR person will find the journalists and publications that are most likely to report on news within their specific clients’ industries. PR pros know who’s covering what and don’t waste their time trying to talk to the wrong people.

6. Punctuality matters. The media world is driven by deadlines, deadlines, deadlines! Being late can mean the difference between flying through the window of opportunity and crashing into the glass. Once PR pros agree to a deadline, they move heaven and earth to meet it.

7. Willing to learn. PR pros who don’t make it a point to learn how the public relations world is advancing can expect to find their phone ringing less and less often. Today’s best PR people not only grasp the importance of social media strategies and mobile web, they are always looking towards the horizon to see the newest ways of reaching their audiences.

8. Detail oriented. In this field, accuracy means everything. PR professionals have developed methods to ensure their stories portray a positive image, while also containing accurate information. They take notes and record information that they can go back to over and over again.

9. Adventurous attitude. PR pros are confident. They don’t just seek out the same handful of media outlets, they also think outside the box. They take calculated risks in order to launch the organizations they represent into greatness.