Let me provide a bit of background here. Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc. provides article, press release and Web copy writing services for a couple of notable Internet marketing firms in the U.S., and St. Paul, MN Orthodontist Dr. Jennifer Eisenhuth is a client of one of these firms- Master Google, a Google SEO specialist.

In addition to recently gaining a new patient from the article found on the Internet, Eisenhuth enjoys a top-of-Google ranking for organic searches of her specific keywords, thanks to Master Google’s efforts.

Each month, I write keyword-rich articles and press releases for many of Master Google’s clients. These writings help Master Google position these clients at the top of organic search results for their keywords.

Ali Husayni, Master Google’s founder and SEO expert, has said for years that the bulk of SEO success is not accomplished internally on his clients’ websites, but externally via articles and press releases.

I repeat these words to my clients who inquire about SEO and how it might improve their websites’ visibility. To be clear, I do not profess to be an SEO expert. But by working with Master Google, I have learned a great deal about the topic and I have been privileged to witness first-hand how powerful it can be and how successful it can make a business.

If you are interested in learning more about how articles and press releases can work for you in your ongoing SEO effort, please contact me for more information (863) 614-0555.

If you are interested in more information about launching an SEO campaign for your company, please visit Master Google’s website: www.mastergoogle.com.

Walker was inducted into the organization at its June 16 meeting at the Lakeland Yacht and Country Club.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of FPRA once again,” said Walker, a Lakeland press release writer and public relations professional. “I was a member when I worked in the PR field prior to starting my own business, and I’m excited to be a part of this incredible group of professionals once again.”

Walker is hitting the ground running. She will serve as the organization’s newsletter editor for the 2010-2011 year.

There are many aspects of FPRA that are appealing to Walker, she said. The organization provides a great deal of networking opportunities with like-minded professionals. It also offers PR practitioners the ability to become accredited in public relations.

Accreditation is offered through the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB) to members of participating organizations, including FPRA, according to the FPRA website.

“I’ve considered accreditation for years, and now that I’ve become involved in the organization once again, I feel strongly about pursuing my APR,” she said.

Yet another FPRA benefit is the opportunity it presents for making media contacts throughout the state. For example, the Orlando FPRA chapter has partnered with the Public Relations Society of America’s Orlando chapter to present the 2010 Central Florida Media Roundtable and Luncheon on July 15 in Orlando.

“Attending this event puts you in contact with top editors, reporters, bloggers and TV producers from local to national media outlets,” Walker said, adding that having these contacts comes in handy when conducting public relations campaigns for clients.

Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc. has been in business since May 2007. Walker’s experience includes journalism, public relations and event planning.

For more information, please visit www.lorriewalker.com or call (863) 614-0555.

Call it an occupational hazard that goes with the territory when you are a writer and a public relations professional, but I saw this truck the other day and couldn’t resist snapping a photo of it. I felt like taking a red pen to this back window!

Actually, this truck and its poorly written message provides a great opportunity to discuss the importance of proofreading and editing.

The written word often serves as a business’s first impression to potential customers and clients. Think about it: if you produce marketing brochures or have a Web site that you use to attract business, you need to make sure these items are well-written, well-designed and error-free. Content full of misspellings, grammatical errors and omissions doesn’t build confidence in the minds of consumers as to your professionalism.

When you write content, whether it’s a marketing letter, a promotional brochure, Web site content, a newsletter or even a blog post such as this, read over your writing. Have someone else read over it. It’s important to catch those mistakes before they are seen by your potential customers.

Not everyone was born to be a writer or an editor. So if your talents aren’t in these areas, hire a professional to proofread and edit your work before it is finalized. It is a small price to pay for peace of mind in knowing that your printed materials will make a great first impression among your target audience.

How do you know if you need an editor? Well, let’s go back to the photo above for a little test. There are three errors in this saying on the back window. If you can’t find them, perhaps you should seek the services of an editor the next time you have a written piece that you plan to share with new and existing clients.

Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc. offers editing and proofreading services. Visit our Editing page on our Web site or call us today for more information: (863) 614-0555.

Here are some basic tips to keep in mind to avoid plagiarism:
- Cite your sources. It’s ok if you find good information that you want to use in an article, but you MUST give credit where credit is due.

- Use direct quotations, but remember that you also must cite your sources when you paraphrase someone’s remarks.

- Whenever possible, gather the information for your article by conducting your own interviews in person or by phone. It’s impossible to plagiarize someone else’s work when you draw from your own sources.

When hiring writers to write articles for you, choose those with proven track records of writing good, strong copy. It is perfectly acceptable to ask a writer for the names and phone numbers of the sources they used when writing the article you hired them for. Don’t be afraid to follow up with those sources. It is better to be overly cautious than to assume everything is on the up and up.

Learning that a reporter has plagiarized his/her work leaves a bad mark not only on that writer, but on the publication that published the work. Ocala Magazine is in that unfortunate position today. They are having to do damage control and the next several months will be spent trying to restore their reputation.

It seems that each time I check Twitter, Heather has another great opportunity posted. My advice to college public relations students is to check out Heather’s Web site and start following her on Twitter. She’s easy to find: heatherhuhman. Also, you can search for #PRIntern on Twitter and find her tweets. The opportunities she promotes are from throughout the country.

It seems that many college students have difficulty finding PR, journalism and marketing internships locally. So recently I posted a list of Lakeland, Florida public relations, journalism and marketing internship opportunities.

If your company or non-profit organization has an internship opportunity available, email me and we’ll get it posted for you: lorrie@lorriewalker.com.

I received one this morning that I thought I would share. Here it is, verbatim:

Job Description:

This is a project for 20 articles at $4.50 per article or less. Your bid MUST be OVER the $50 minimum bid allowed at Elance.

I mention this because Elance keeps canceling this project “because it is under the minimum”……..however this is not the case.

For those who do not understand this, get out your calculators. 20 articles x $4.50 is $90.

Please do not waste your time and mine if (a) your bid is for more than the per article price I have listed or (b) you are not a native English speaker or (c) you cannot supply examples of your work.

I am looking for reliable, accurate SEO team writers to assist in bulk article projects (each article 600-700 words each, any and every subject) that I have undertaken and others that are in the pipeline.

These are easy articles requiring nothing more than a bit of internet research, and may possibly lead to ongoing work if we suit each other.

I will require 2 samples initially, which I am happy to pay for as part of the project (unlike many buyers I do not except you to write samples for nothing!)

Let’s break this down: if you, the writer, accept this job and bid the highest amount she is willing to accept, and write the shortest article she is will to accept, you will be paid a maximum of .0075 cents per word for your article.

What saddens me is that there are writers out there who will bid on this job and very likely be awarded it. Why someone is willing to write an article of 600-700 words for a paltry $4.50 is beyond me. It’s bad business for this woman seeking these writers and for the writers themselves for a few reasons:

1) If you don’t feel as though your writing is worth more than .0075 cents per word, you should consider getting into a different profession. Seriously.

2) If you, as a writer, are willing to work for this Third-World wage, you make it difficult for other writers to earn what they are worth. You dilute the pay scale. The more of these low-paying jobs get accepted, the more people offering these deplorable wages believe they can get away with it.

3) Let’s say this tired phrase together: you get what you pay for. Do not expect “reliable, accurate” writers when you don’t expect to pay them a reasonable rate.

As a writer of articles and press releases in Lakeland, Florida, I can tell you that through the years I wrote for some fairly low wages. But even 16 years ago, I didn’t write for .0075 cents per article.

To those companies in need of article and press release writers, please understand that the caliber of writers you attract has a direct correlation to the wage you are willing to pay for them. If you want quality writing, you need to hire an experienced writer. Experienced writers don’t work for free- or even .0075 cents per word.

If you are in need of professional writers, contact us at Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc. We can help.

Luongo, who has counseled, written and lectured extensively on public relations and won many awards in her distinguished 20-year public relations career, will teach attendees how to use blogs, search engine optimization in press releases, social media like Facebook and My Space, RSS feeds and other contemporary tools to enhance the effectiveness of their PR campaigns.

The seminar, which is open to all PR practitioners in Central Florida, is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at The Estates at Carpenters in Lakeland. The admission fee of $10 for FPRA members, $15 for non members and $5 for students includes a light breakfast.

“In survey after survey, our FPRA chapter has found that PR practitioners want to learn as much as possible about new technologies and how to use them. As a result, we have invited Jan to teach us how to make full use of blogs, social media and other new tools,” said Jim Frankowiak of Coastal Public Relations, who is chairing the seminar.

FPRA members and others with an interest in PR and communications can register by sending an e-mail to Frankowiak at jim@cprg-web.com. Information is also available on the FPRA website www.fprapolk.org/home. For directions to The Estates at Carpenters check out www.estatesatcarpenters.com.

Named in honor of Cypress Gardens founder Dick Pope, Sr., the Lakeland, Florida public relations organization and its affiliated Southeastern University and Florida Southern College chapters are among 15 professional and 13 student chapters of FPRA, the professional organization for Florida public relations practitioners.

The award-winning Dick Pope/Polk County Chapter meets on the third Wednesday of every month, with all meetings open to the public. For chapter information, call Kris Keprios of Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing at 863-534-2527 or visit www.fprapolk.org/home on the web.

Based in Sarasota, FPRA provides professional development, networking and recognition opportunities for more than 1,500 public relations professionals across the state of Florida. FPRA is the nation’s oldest PR professional organization, established in 1938 by the late Lt. Col. John Dillin, APR, CPRC of Lake Wales. More information on FPRA can be found on the web at www.fpra.org.

The article is about Haines City artist Pati Mills who designed the Publix tile murals, said Walker, who started her Lakeland, Florida public relations firm in May 2007.

“Pati Mills created a legacy,” Walker said. “It is a collection of art that has gone down in Publix Super Markets history, as well as the history of every town in which her work is displayed.”

Many of the murals are going away as aging Publix store buildings are demolished and rebuilt, moved to newer locations or sold to other companies.

Walker, who was born in Ocala, grew up seeing one of Mills’ murals at the Publix where her mother shopped. Since living in Lakeland for the past 10 years, she witnessed several of the murals demolished throughout Polk County as new stores were built.

“The mural at the Publix where my mother shopped was such a vivid childhood memory of mine,” Walker said. “I love local history and the more I thought about it, the more I realized this was a piece of local history that slowly was going away.”

Walker tracked down Mills after taking a photo of her signature on the mural at the former Wabash Publix in Lakeland. Once she pitched the idea of writing an article for Florida Monthly, Mills was onboard.

“It was a pleasure interviewing Pati for this story,” Walker said. “She’s a feisty, charismatic woman who has a great story to tell, and I’m honored that I was allowed to share that story with the readership of Florida Monthly Magazine.”

Visit www.floridamagazine.com for information on how to obtain a copy of the February 2009 issue.

2009 Internship Opportunities

SPCA of Polk County, Inc.

Type of internship: public relations and/or marketing

Description of Internship Opportunity : non-profit agency seeking interns interested in gaining experience in press release writing, media relations, web site design/maintenance, marketing, design, grassroots outreach and customer service

Education/experience requirements: experience in writing, content management systems, adobe design software preferred; outgoing personalities, team players, multi-taskers and self-motivated individuals a must

Hours: part time

Salary: unpaid

Contact: Rachel Bulman, Public Relations Director, rachel@lovemyspca.com, 863/646-7722 ext. 105

Florida Dance Theatre

Type of internship: public relations and/or marketing

Description of Internship Opportunity: Under the guidance of FDT staff, write press releases and disseminate information regarding the company’s performances and activities. Promote FDT to the Polk County community. Help coordinate events, write grants, and perform general record keeping, as needed.

Education/Experience requirements: Public Relations or Marketing student. Strong writing and interpersonal skills required. Must be an independent worker and self-starter. Must be able to take specific direction and be open to instruction.

Hours: Flexible hours, preferably a minimum of 12 – 15 per week.

Salary: Unpaid

Contact: Carol Krajacic-Erkes Artistic & Founding Director, 802-0399, Carol@floridadancetheatre.org

Polk County Government-PGTV

Type of internship: journalism, public relations and marketing opportunities

Description of Internship Opportunity : Develop/implement PR/marketing exposure and/or write articles/press releases for government television channel, using free resources

Education/experience requirements: College, entry level is fine

Hours: Flexible, will work with student schedule/availability

Salary: Unpaid. No budget available, but great for students needing school credit

Contact: Joan Davies, PGTV Programming Director, 863-534-5997, joandavies@polk-county.net

Pain Solutions Magazine (A new national magazine being published out of Lakeland)

Description of Internship Opportunity: Journalism, public relations and marketing opportunities.

Education/experience requirements: If they want to do writing for the Website I would like some writing samples. Otherwise, I would simply prefer a junior or senior or graduated student.

Hours: part-time

Salary: unpaid

Contact: Contact Diana Young-Stewart at 863/688-8181 or dystewart@painsolutionsmagazine.com .

Downtown Lakeland Partnership, Inc.

Type of internship: public relations and marketing opportunities available

Description of Internship Opportunity: The DLP will provide an opportunity to explore a wide range of PR and marketing experiences. We are a membership-based marketing cooperative whose purpose is to market Downtown Lakeland to residents and visitors. Our members include banks, owner operated retail stores, nonprofit organizations and more. We write press releases, create marketing materials and develop marketing plans, manage social media, organize and execute events, develop cross marketing opportunities, work with businesses and organizations on their marketing needs, and market ourselves to new and existing businesses on the benefits of membership in the DLP. As an intern you will create marketing materials, meet with business owners to determine their marketing needs, conduct surveys, write press releases, execute cross marketing opportunities with Downtown businesses and events, practice event management, have hands on public relations through events and DLP meetings and work with our board of directors, currently chaired by Kevin Jones, President of MidFlorida Federal Credit Union. This unique experience will expose you to dozens of businesses and nonprofit organizations and their decision makers.

Education/experience requirements: Knowledge of basic computer programs, such as word and excel a must. A work knowledge of graphics program s such as Photoshop and Indesign ( or Quark) preferable. Must have transportation, have an outgoing personality, and good communication skills.

Hours: part-time and very flexible.

Salary: There may be an end-of-the-internship stipend, not yet determined by the board.

Contact: Julie Townsend, Executive Director. PO Box 3499, Lakeland FL 33802; (863) 513-3669

Polk Arts Alliance, Inc.

Type of internship: public relations

Description of Internship Opportunity : to prepare pr materials for our annual race for the arts (3/21) and to do our press releases. With limited staff, even though I am well experienced, it’s a time issue. Our Race Chairman is Commissioner Bob English, so it’s good marketing as well. Could also use someone who is an experienced blogger and hooked into social networks to create a web presence.

Education/experience requirements: need to see writing samples and no first year students. Must be computer literate.

Hours: Flexible

Salary: Unpaid

Contact: Mischelle Anderson, Executive Director. PO Box 727, Bartow, FL 33815-0727; (863) 804-0494; director@polkartsalliance.org

Genie Publishing

Type of internship: marketing

Description of Internship Opportunity : An opportunity with flexible hours and full independence to someone who is skilled at computer marketing and/or Web site design.

Education/experience requirements: Must be computer skilled for Web site and computer marketing.

Hours: part-time

Salary: $8/hr or by project

Contact: gay@geniepub.com

In addition to providing information on the services offered by the PR agency, the new Web site features a blog that will provide information on various public relations and journalism topics.

“As we approach our second anniversary, I felt it was time to do a slight redesign to make our blog dominant on the site,” said President Lorrie Delk Walker. “Our blog is where we will share industry information and keep existing and potential clients apprised of what we’re doing.”

Chuck Welch, a Lakeland-based blogging and Web design expert, spearheaded the redesign, which includes a Twitter feed and the ability to subscribe to the blog through an RSS feed or via email.

For more information, please visit www.lorriewalker.com or call (863) 614-0555.

I received this information from the Florida Public Relations Association today: 

A recent CBS program called “Sunday Morning” featured a rather scathing commentary on the public relations profession from the perspective of a legal analyst named Andrew Cohen. This nationally-televised program garnered the attention of many of our members and, justifiably, caused those members concern. 

 The Public Relations Society of America released this response:    

The article is about Winter Haven resident Emma Ely and her 1970 Chevy Camaro, which she purchased new and has driven more than one million miles, said Walker, who started her Lakeland, Florida public relations firm in May 2007.

“Emma Ely had an incredible story to tell,” Walker said. “I’m glad I was able to share that with readers who will relate to her story.”

In addition to writing articles for national magazines, Walker is a copy writer and SEO writer. She writes content for companies’ printed promotional materials, Web sites and for search engine optimization purposes.

About Lorrie Delk Walker

Lorrie Walker has worked in the journalism and public relations fields for the past 15 years. She served in the U.S. Army as a journalist and has worked for weekly and daily newspapers, non-profit organizations and universities. She has had articles published in local, regional and national magazines. She founded Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc., in 2007. LWC is a public relations firm that specializes in media plan development, copy writing and writing for search engine optimization, among other public relations services.

The Lakeland, Florida public relations firm, which celebrated its milestone on May 5, will continue to grow and expand its services in the coming year, said President and Founder Lorrie Delk Walker.

LWC specializes in professional writing services for companies in need of an SEO writer or a copy writer.

“I’ve found that companies often know what they do in terms of carrying out their day-to-day business,” Walker said, “but putting that into words for a Web site, brochure, article or press release can seem a daunting task.”

That’s where LWC steps in. The company has a track record of writing effective Web-based and printed promotional materials for construction, graphic design, medical and non-profit businesses, to name a few.

“Our clients seek to stand out from the competition when it comes to promoting their services, be it through printed materials or Web sites,” Walker said. They turn to us to cut through the clutter of fluff writing and jargon to write compelling copy that accurately conveys their message.”

For more information on Lorrie Walker Communications, Inc., please visit www.lorriewalker.com or call (863) 614-0555.

As a public relations professional, I make it a priority to be as cooperative with the media as possible. I want them to write about the companies I represent when these companies have something important to say. I also want the media to have all of the facts and information to write a fair story when they are writing about a less-than-flattering topic regarding the companies I represent. This is the dance you must learn in public relations. Sometimes the media will write about what you want them to, and other times they will write about what you wish they hadn’t. But above all, keeping those communication lines open is paramount.

As a reporter at a daily newspaper, nothing was more irritating than to leave messages with people you needed to get comments from, and as your deadline loomed, the people hadn’t returned your calls. In the back of my mind, I would find myself thinking that if it was possible to work around this person next time, I would do so.

These days I play the role of reporter and public relations professional, which makes this dance even more interesting. I am a freelance writer for several Polk County publications, and I’ve had two instances recently that to me, really drive home the title of this blog- return a freaking phone call!

Instance #1- I recently wrote an article about company Christmas parties, the reasons for having them and the potential liabilities involved. My husband works for Publix (I love Publix, so it pains me to write this), and I learned that the employees in his department had raised their own money to host a Christmas party. I wanted to speak to the organizers and make arrangements to get photos at their party to accompany my story. I called a fellow Florida Public Relations Association member involved in PR with Publix, and she referred me to the appropriate person I needed to speak with to obtain permission to conduct this interview. I called that person and emailed her. I called four times. I emailed twice. I spoke to another woman in her office. I never- NEVER- received a call back.

I was indignant. And, I said to myself, “Screw it. If they don’t want good publicity, I’m certainly not going to force it down their throats.”

Is this a professional attitude? Certainly not. But take note, PR professionals: this is how MANY journalists react when you don’t do what they want, when they want it. It’s an ugly truth, but it’s the truth, nonetheless.

I went to this Christmas party with my husband and wound up meeting the organizer I had hoped to interview for my story. It turns out that she knew I had been inquiring about an interview. The woman who never returned my phone calls had been working behind the scenes to get me my interview. Here’s the problem: I never knew that, so I moved on to other sources. The party organizer couldn’t have been more disappointed to hear that I no longer planned to include the Publix angle in my story. She was apologetic, and was sure to tell me she had been seeking permission to speak to me through her chain of command. This is a concept I understand well. I would have been glad to hold off on the story, had I known that my requests were being addressed. Instead, I felt ignored and disregarded.

Incident #2- This is a story idea that isn’t dead yet, so I’m intentionally being a bit vague. I’ve placed two calls to a source at Lakeland Regional Medical Center about a feel-good story I hope to do for a local publication’s spring issue. The group within the hospital has an on-going complaint of never getting any media attention. I’m prepared to help change that by doing this story. The friend who told me about the story idea gave me a point of contact at LRMC. I’ve called this person twice, and she hasn’t called me back. I spoke to my friend recently and told her I’ve made two attempts, to no avail.

The friend calls the contact person and finds out that she has received my messages, but she is going through the public relations representatives at the hospital to get permission to speak to me. Again, this is a concept I understand. So why not call me and tell me that, so I at least know you’ve received my messages?

Solution
So what am I getting at, dear PR professionals? Return a freaking phone call!!! If a reporter calls and wants to do a story, but you must first clear it through your internal processes, that’s fine. We understand. But CALL US AND TELL US THAT. Don’t leave us hanging, thinking that you’re disregarding our requests for interviews.

And to those of you who include not returning phone calls in your day-to-day PR practices, let me share this with you: you are soooooo not doing yourselves any favors with the media. Reporters are avoiding people such as you like the plague. You are the ones on whom we hinge our hopes of getting those great quotes by deadline. And you are the ones who disappoint us. And then, you become the ones we put on our mental list of people not to call, because you refuse to return a phone call.

I would love to hear from journalists and PR professionals on this one, so I welcome your comments. Don’t hold back!

Have you ever read a book about your industry that left you feeling incredibly stoked to be a part of it? That was what “The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR” did for me.

This national bestseller written by Al Ries and his daughter, Laura Ries, gives an excellent argument on why companies should turn to public relations to build a brand, rather than advertising. They say that brands are built by publicity.  

The authors have a way of driving the point home throughout the book without appearing to beat a dead horse. They provide dozens of examples of how companies successfully branded themselves through PR, and examples of how others relied too heavily on advertising and fell short of their branding goals.

Repeatedly, the authors reiterate that advertising is not brand-building. It is brand maintenance. Brand building is a function of PR. Why? A company can purchase ad space to say whatever they want about themselves, but getting others to say positive things about you…well, that’s public relations, my friends.

“To get something going from nothing, you need the validity that only third-party endorsements can bring,” they wrote in the book.

They also make a good point that advertising has become more about creating edgy, water-cooler talk ad campaigns that win awards than about promoting a product or service.

This book is brutally honest in some areas, and scarily edgy in others. One good example: the authors point out the huge uncertainties of public relations- you can’t control the content, the timing or the visual appearance. You can’t even be sure that your message will be delivered. But when it is delivered, oh, how sweet it is! That’s because the one advantage of PR that advertising can’t offer is credibility. PR has it, advertising does not.

Now on to scarily edgy: these PR professionals once had Guatemala as a client. Guatemala sought to increase its tourism. The professionals suggested changing the country’s name to Guatamaya. Hey, if a name change is good enough for Tom Cruise, Meg Ryan, Woody Allen and Judy Garland, why not a country, too? As wacky as the idea sounds, the authors made a really good argument that I won’t go into in this book review.

Instead, I’ll leave you with this: if you’re looking for something to reignite that spark that got you interested in public relations to begin with, this book is a great start. I found numerous tools that I intend to use with future clients. For me, this book has become a great reference guide, where I’ve highlighted entries and tabbed pages for future needs.

So what do you do when you make such a public flub? If you’re former New York City Mayor  Fiorello La Guardia, you say something like this:  ”When I make a mistake, it’s a beaut!”

Sen. Lloyd Bentsen once said something similar: “I’m not known to make many mistakes,” said the senator once when discussing a fundraising issue, “but when I do, it’s a doozie.”

Last night, Clinton wasn’t open to admitting her mistake in the fashion of La Guardia or Bentsen. Tonight, she did admit to having made a mistake.

It was a little too late, for many Americans. In public relations, it is imperative to get the information out there, even when that information is admitting that you’ve messed up. Think of it as a game of hot potato. Had Clinton immediately admitted her error, it is likely she would not have been in the headlines for two days in a row regarding Bosnia. But as she has proven, when you drag your feet on information that is unflattering, you do nothing but keep yourself in the headlines.
 

American Idol spokespeople have not commented publically on the issue, and Hernandez basically said publically, “No Comment.” That is, until he was voted off the show.  When asked by Entertainment Weekly prior to last week’s performance to address the rumor, Hernandez said: “You know, honestly, I’m here to sing… I’m just focused on singing, because that’s what I’m here to do.”

Last week, the interview question asked of each contestant prior to their performance was, “What was your job prior to coming to American Idol?”  

To be sure, tongues were wagging at the thought of what Hernandez might publicly reveal of his rumored past. Instead of mentioning the gay night club, Hernandez said he had worked at a pizza bistro. Hernandez was voted off the show the next night. No one knows if his refusing to address the burning question or his tepid performance of a Beatles song earned him his ticket home.

The day after he was voted off, Page Six published an interview with Hernandez. In it, he said he believed that his past as an exotic dancer didn’t factor into his early ousting.

“I think America is smart enough by now to know that people’s personal lives should not influence their musical career,” he said.

He said American Idol producers knew of his past all along.

“If they weren’t comfortable with it, I wouldn’t have been on the show. Everything was totally out there and open,” he said.

So why the big denial until after he was voted off? I think the topic warrants some discussion, because it offers the opportunity to learn how to approach what is perhaps the most nerve-wracking aspect of public relations: answering the question you hope no one will ask.

As a Lakeland public relations professional, I had my own ideas of what I would have done. Chief among them being to ‘fess up immediately. When you address that which is spinning rapidly around the rumor mill, it has a way of knocking the wind out of the situation.

According to the Page Six interview, David Hernandez was quite open and honest after being voted off. What prevented him from doing that before?  When you deny or avoid accusations that have taken on a life of their own on Internet gossip sites, only to admit it later, you earn yourself zero credibility points, in my book. If you’ve made some decisions in your life that in hindsight, you might have done differently if given a second chance, say so. Did he misstep by avoiding the question prior to being voted off? A bit.

I posed several questions on this subject to other public relations professionals in Central Florida over the weekend. One person said you should keep restating what you want your public to hear and know “and what will eventually be repeated in print and video.” I agree in part. He could have admitted the truth and followed it with a “let’s all remember why I’m here” remark, similar to the one he told Entertainment Weekly. However, I think it’s inaccurate to believe that the message you keep repeating is what will appear in print and video, especially when sources all around you are saying something different- and airing the photos to prove it. 

A PR professional with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, who deals with negative news more often that she would like, was to the point in her remarks: “Tell the truth.  Be as specific as possible, and make it as quick as possible.” 

When Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd spoke to the Florida Public Relations Association’s Dick Pope/Polk County Chapter last month, he made several points regarding media relations. One comes to mind right away, she said: “Bad news doesn’t get better with age, so deal with it quickly.” 

Another area PR professional known for his just-the-facts-ma’am advice said: Face the negative news head-on.  “Look at the examples of crisis-type situations handled the best, those firms or people always faced it head-on.  There will be pain and embarrassment, but nothing like what will occur if you bob and weave.”  

He also offered these wise words: “The questions you don’t ever want to answer are the questions your PR advisor should prepare you for first.”

So if there’s something to be learned from all of this, I think it is that, like your mother taught you, honesty is the best policy. How’s that for a PR no-brainer?

This situation brings to light a very important topic in public relations- off-the-record comments. Power’s comment was made during an interview with The Scotsman: “She is a monster, too- that is off the record- she is stooping to anything.”

Power’s fatal flaw is making a statement, then saying it was off the record. That’s not how you do it, and no reporter is obligated to abide by your after-the-fact “off the record” rule.

As a rule, I don’t think it is a great practice to make off-the-record comments, and I don’t routinely advise clients to make them.

Although I don’t advise them, I understand that you can develop a rapport and a mutual trust with a reporter and you feel comfortable making them. Prior to saying anything you don’t want published, ask the reporter about his/her policy regarding off-the-record comments. Some reporters don’t allow them. The reason is because most often, they are not able to publish comments that can’t be attributed to someone, or must be attributed to an anonymous source. Although we all see anonymous sources quoted occasionally in newspapers, there are strict guidelines that reporters and editors use prior to publishing those comments.

If you feel comfortable enough to make off-the-record comments, this is how I recommend you do it:

“The following information I’m going to tell you is off the record.” Then say what you’re going to say. When you are finished making your off-the-record comment, say, “This concludes my off-the-record comment,” or words to that effect.

When in doubt, I refer everyone back to plain old common sense: if you don’t want to see something printed in the paper or put on TV, don’t say it. 

I got a kick out of it, simply because of my past experience having worked at Southeastern. I can imagine there were at least two people instrumental in the planning of the National Leadership Forum who were FUMING that a reporter would have the audacity to ask a non-Forum-related question of the Jebster at their event.

Kudos to Robin, or whichever reporter attempted to ask the question. CSX is a huge issue for Polk County residents, it has divided entities on the issue, it will have a HUGE impact on us all, and people want answers. Reporters may not always be liked or appreciated for their actions, but they have an obligation to make reasonable attempts to gather information for valid news stories. In this case, CSX has tongues wagging from one end of Polk County to the other. A reporter would have been remiss not to have attempted to address the issue with the man who was governor when the deal was made.

That is a fact Public Relations professionals should keep in mind when organizing events in which the media will attend. Any time you invite the media to an event involving a speaker who played an instrumental role in a divisive issue and you open it up for questions at the end, you stand the potential of opening a can of worms if a reporter asks a question. But those are the risks you take! You must take the good (publicity for your event) with the bad (the potential for reporters to ask off-topic questions).

This is the second year Southeastern University has hosted the National Leadership Forum. The coverage provided by The Ledger this year was far better than last year. I attribute that to two things: last year was the first event and its speaker line-up was preacher-heavy. Although those preachers are well-known in religious circles, they aren’t popular in the mainstream media.

This year’s event also featured heavy hitters who are household names- Gen. Colin Powell and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. Those who are in the know in business circles might also have heard of Ken Blanchard (who also spoke last year). Blanchard authored the popular book, The One Minute Manager.

So combine an event that proved itself last year with well-known speakers, and you have a recipe for media interest. Southeastern got that this year. (Update- I’ve also learned The Ledger sponsored part of the Forum this year. That’s another good clue as to why the coverage was better.)

In situations such as this, I recommend that you hang onto the good parts- great publicity for your event- and chalk up the “inappropriate questions” to the occupational hazards of allowing media into your events to begin with.