Writing a PR Style Guide

One of the most common questions from organisations is ‘what is Public Relations and what does it entail?’ Fundamentally, it is the management of communication between an organisation and its audience or public.

It is the process of communicating topics of interest and news that portrays your organisation in a positive light that results in a positive perception of your brand to the media and public. These communications are broadcast through a variety of mediums using a tailored and consistent message.

To ensure that, as an individual or organisation, you are speaking with a common voice, a PR Style Guide is used to guide you through the process. A consistent and comprehensive PR Style Guide will create a unified message and system for delivery that meets your objectives.

So what does it include?

1. Who are you and what do you do? List the products/services that your organisation offers.
2. A point of contact. If stakeholders have been contacted by the media or have general PR questions, whom do they contact? List this person and make them accessible.
3. When do I contact the PR person? List the items that the PR team is responsible for what purpose they should be contacted e.g. media relations (press releases, photography, story ideas).
4. What mediums does the PR team use to engage its audience? E.g. responding to media enquiries, responsible for Social Media updates, writing and distributing press releases, providing marketing communications collateral.
5. Target audience. List internal and external audiences and relevant stakeholders.
6. Annual Calendar. This is a good way to be across what’s happening throughout the year that will require a PR effort.
7. When contacted by the media. What is the process for speaking to them?
8. Media response. What is the process for responding to the media? Provide details of who can make comment and what can be commented on.
9. Crisis Communication. A process should be put in place to deal with a crisis or major event that could have a damaging and lasting effect on the organisation. This should include scenario planning and process for responding to stakeholders.
10. Media kit. Having a good media kit is necessary! It contains readily available information such as backgrounds sheets, fact sheets, press releases, publicity photos, audio files, MP3, HTML links etc. It is information that can easily be distributed and should be updated regularly.
11. Key messages & themes. Detail the organisations key messages and themes. These will be woven into communications that allow the organisation to speak with a common voice. It should include the organisations stand on certain issues, theme of conversations, what to say in a crisis and the like.
12. Written voice. Clearly articulate how your organisation should appear in the written form. E.g. the organisation’s name should always be written with a Capital letter, when referring to position titles the same applies, when using social media our approach is casual and relaxed using terms like ‘Hi’ and ‘Thanks’ as oppose to ‘Hello’ and ‘Thank You’.