Your Public Image Takes Work

Public relations has taken center stage of late with recent tawdry relevations involving golfing great Tiger Woods and talk show host David Letterman. One could argue Letterman's folks got it right and Woods' guys didn't.

Hits and misses also come into play for business, organizations and individuals when it comes to public image in the local arena. When something goes wrong, defenses kick in and the natural instinct for many is to flee.

I recently to spoke to a group of business owners about the need for public relations management. Based on my 30+ years in the newspaper industry, I suggested the following as basic guidelines:

· Accept responsibility for what happened (set higher standards).
· Correct false or misleading info as it arises (set record straight).
· Disclose miscues and conflicts of interest (even minor ones damage).
· Implement changes to correct the situation (action is empowering).
· Say what you do and do what you say (conviction reads sincere).

Some of the guidelines are easier than others. But think about them in the context of the Letterman scandal. He used his show as a very public venue to do most of what's on the list. Putting aside his and his organization's motivations, the Letterman case will be used in PR discussion for years to come.

Of course every situation is different, but when it's the business you built, there's no second chance to do it right the first time. The first few steps in the early hours can make all the difference in reaching a better outcome.

I practice what I preach at writenowworks.com. Your thoughts on good and bad PR, what works and doesn't?