Stories by Arthur Solomon

Formal media training is important. But its value is lessened when the same formula is used regardless of the client. That’s why PR veteran Arthur Solomon always believed that the account team should play a crucial role in the process and insist that the media trainers not use the “one size fits all” formula.

There’s much value in studying PR in college. On the other hand, there are a lot of practical ins and outs about PR that students can miss. This is especially so when it comes to media relations, particularly when your instructors aren’t working media. Veteran PR pro and former journalist Arthur Solomon offers nine insights about PR that you might have missed in college.

Despite what you might have heard, most journalists are not out to get you or your brand’s executives. On the other hand, just because content creators are nice people, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be prepared for an interview. Veteran PR pro and former journalist Arthur Solomon offers tips PR pros can use to ensure that interviews go smoothly.

Veteran PR pro Arthur Solomon assembles a checklist comprising the traits he thinks would make the perfect PR pro. The idea for this exercise is based on an assignment a brand executive gave him years ago, when he was with Burson-Marsteller. Despite the myriad changes in PR since that time, the traits he chose then don’t seem very different from those he says he’d pick today. They include a mix of media relations skills, integrity, and creative thinking.

There’s no rule in media relations that says communicators need to answer a reporter’s question immediately, particularly during a crisis. Never lie to a reporter, but sometimes doing the best thing for a brand means deferring on a question until you’re ready with an answer that’s carefully crafted. Veteran communicator Arthur Solomon offers tips about how to do this well.

Veteran PR pro Arthur Solomon continues his traditional review of headlines that were instructive to young communicators. In truth, they’re good lessons for all PR pros. The first headlines offer lessons in career management, media relations and crisis response.

It’s a dirty, little secret that veteran PR pros know, but newcomers, fresh from communications school, might not: it takes more than good work to advance your career. Veteran PR pro Arthur Solomon lets us in on several ways to bolster your PR career. His top tips include building strong relationships and always making your client look good.

One-size-fits-all is great for some things, but it rarely works when managing a PR crisis. Recent evidence is the statement the New England Patriots issued when its owner was caught in a sting operation. Uttering a quick denial of alleged wrongdoing is a bad move unless you can back up your statement with facts. Better to say you’ll wait to comment until more facts are available and move on.

Veteran PR pro and former journalist Arthur Solomon offers the second of his two-part series about the valuable lessons communicators can learn from federal government communications. Pulled from 2018’s headlines, the examples he uses offer lessons in ethics, crisis and other PR activities.

You’ve no doubt heard the PR maxim, “Act like a reporter.” Veteran communicator Arthur Solomon offers tips on how to do that using the backdrop of cable’s political talk shows and broadcast networks’ nightly newscasts. He also provides advice on the best ways to write pitches and press releases.