The Delta Media P.R. Clinic

We work hard to ensure that our clients have the tools they need to effectively promote their messages. The Delta Media P.R. Clinic endeavours to answer the questions of our clients and other communications professionals to ensure that their public relations program are as effective as possible.

Every month, a member of our team posts a relevant article on the art and science of strategic communication, ranging from Web content to media relations to government relations and research.

Please take the time to read our current article and archive. If you have a suggestion or a question for the P.R. Clinic, you can use the form below to submit it to the Delta Media team.

Featured Articles

Engaging Political Staff as Part of Your Advocacy Strategy
By William Stairs, Ph.D.

Politicians are key players in the public policy process. Those seeking to influence their opinions spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to reach them. This is a good thing. But it is not always possible, at least not on short timelines. Politicians are busy people, and the numbers of people wishing to speak to them personally is high. So people turn their attention to their staff. The question then becomes, “How do we meet with these people and what should we do once we do?” This article offers some practical advice on this perennial issue. more >

How to reach the non-wired employee
By Ken Anderson, BA

A recent online article posed the following question:

"I'm interested in learning about any best practices for helping plant managers communicate with their 'non-wired' employees (managers who are in a manufacturing setting and have employees without access to their own computer). If you've heard of any tips, tools, ideas that help the plant managers (and the employees) communicate more effectively, I'd so appreciate hearing from you and hearing about best practices." more >

Balancing your Messages: Motivating members and building lasting relationships
By Bernard Gauthier, MA

As part of a strategic planning process, we often review our clients’ communications materials and assess to what extent different key messages are present. We look for a range of messages that will move audiences across a continuum that begins with awareness and ends in lasting relationships, with a few stops along the way. more >

Messages for the New Medium: Why association executives need to tap into the power of the mobile Internet
By Bernard Gauthier, MA

Marshall McLuhan was right: The medium is the message. Though McLuhan was more interested in how different media transmit information to our senses (what they leave in, what they leave out), I also think his idea can be expanded to consider the audience’s impressions of a particular medium or channel. Some media and channels are considered current, leading-edge and engaging. Others are not. more >

Engaging an Overloaded Audience
By Bernard Gauthier, MA

A new study by the Bensimon Byrne agency (available at www.consumerology.ca) confirms what most association executives already know: getting and holding the attention of audiences is getting harder. New channels (blogs, Facebook, Twitter) and new technology on old channels (on-line TV and PVRs) are encouraging audiences to scan, zap, multitask and sample, rather than settling down and consuming media messages slowly and completely. This is especially true of younger audiences – your future members. more >

Maximum Awareness Equals Maximum Value
By Bernard Gauthier, MA

Money is tight and you want to make sure your members derive maximum value from their membership. Here’s a simple and cost-effective way to get there: tell them what you do for them. I know it sounds self-evident but one of the most interesting revelations from the many membership surveys we’ve run for clients has come from giving members a simple option when they answer questions about the programs and services you offer: “NA” or “Not Applicable.” more >

How Often is too Often?
The importance of frequency in communication
By Bernard Gauthier, MA

I recently had the privilege of presenting to the Manitoba Chapter of the CSAE as part of the Association Excellence Series. One of the participants asked an important question that I thought would be an excellent topic for the PR Clinic: How often is too often when it comes to repeating a message? It’s an important question because an error on either side of the equation can be costly. more >

Past Clinics

• The Other Social Media
• Successful Communications in Anxious Times
• Crisis Communications: Avoid the Four Biggest Mistakes
• Anticipating Your Next Crisis
• Refine Your Association's Voice
• Think Inside the Box: Make Internal Communications a Priority
• Breakfast of Champions: How to connect with the most important people of your PR campaign
• The 500-channel universe has shifted
• Association improves its news releases: Editors and producers respond with expanded coverage
• Less is More: Getting Your Messages Read in the Digital Age
• Scoops, Embargoes and Positive Media Relations
• Polishing Your Presentation Style
• Handling Tough Questions
• Let’s be clear about focus groups
• Polishing Your Presentation Style
• Three Things You Should Never Forget About an Audience
• Weaving a Web that Works
• A test of your PR Strength
• How Key Are Your Key Messages?
• Communicating in times of crisis
• Finding a Media Relations Angle that Works

Have a PR question you’d like answered in the PR Clinic? Let us know here. We can’t answer all the questions we receive, but if we do, they’ll appear on this page.