APRs: Professionals Deemed “Certifiable”

My colleague, Associate Kidd PR Director Kelly Robertson, and I recently achieved APR certification, considered quite a feat in the industry. After making the announcement to our integrated cohorts, we quickly realized we needed to explain that APR stood for “Accredited in Public Relations,” not “Amazing Public Relater.” Easy mistake, considering how awesome we are. Actually, APR is a distinction for professionals who successfully demonstrate their commitment to PR and its ethical practice.

Certified professionals are tested on their knowledge, skills and abilities in areas such as research, planning, implementation, evaluation, ethics, law, crisis management and media relations. Dedicated PR pros voluntarily put themselves through the ringer during a thorough accreditation process conducted by the Universal Accreditation Board (UAB).

After application approval by UAB, these brave individuals participate in a face-to-face Readiness Review by three APR-certified professionals to determine preparedness to pass the comprehensive examination. Prior to the presentation, they must complete an extensive questionnaire that addresses role and experience in public relations. Finally, after passing this stage, they must pass a comprehensive 3.5-hour examination. Whew!

Unlike law or medicine, the public relations “profession” does not require certification in order to practice. Part of an ongoing debate, mandatory professional standards have been suggested for PR practitioners, especially considering what’s on the line in many cases: reputations, investments, legal ramifications... Situations and assets of such magnitude require a perspective and appreciation for strategy that should, I agree, somehow be proven. As such, through the APR certification process professionals uphold industry standards and contribute to the overall credibility of the public relations practice.

If you’d like to learn more about the benefits and process of APR certification, visit PRaccreditation.org.

PR. It’s Science.

So you, the owner of Wonder Widgets, are suffering from a slump in customer inquiries. Interest has plummeted. What’s the answer to all your problems? Well, it has to be a snazzy new flier, right? Yeah! Once your audiences get that thing in their hands, they are bound to appreciate the many wonderful uses of Wonder Widgets. To solve the problem, you decide to “strategically” distribute fliers to every residence within a 20-mile radius of your store within one month.

Oddly enough, a few months later, public interest is still sagging. What happened? You missed the mark. It’s science, folks – Just like any good chemistry project, public relations should be practiced in a disciplined, strategic manner. It begins with proper research and includes evaluation along the way. Had you done this for Wonder Widgets, you would have realized the true, very specific widget-loving audience is scattered nationally, and the best way to reach them is actually through a media campaign targeting the niche trade publications they read.

By making a conscious effort to operate in a methodological (big word there!) manner developed by decades of experience from our PRedecessors, we will all have a much better chance of exceeding expectations. Whatever you want to call it: RACE…RSTES…RPIE… Stick to a PRocess that begins with research, that evolves into strategic planning followed by tactical implementation, and always monitor along the way. Finally, evaluate upon completion to gauge success and identify areas for improvement. Let us not forget stewardship, the often overlooked component that can PRevent future problems and foster goodwill.

Ahhhh, so many fantastic words begin with “PR.”