How to be a Crappy Public Relations Person, Lesson No. 3,462:

Let’s say you’re the P.R. person for a public school district. And let’s say an education reporter — oh, we won’t name any names — calls you up and says he wants to visit one of your schools. He’s writing a story on a new wrinkle in the state’s testing system, and he wants to talk to teachers and students about it. It’s a story that will probably put your school in a positive light and get cute pictures of your school’s kids on the front page of a major daily newspaper.

You say yes, and he drives the 30 miles to visit your campus. You’re there to meet him. He does a quick interview with the principal, and then says, “Great! Now I’ll just go interview some of your teachers and students.”

What do you say?

A. “What a great idea! Here’s my card, with my cell number on it. I’ll go back to my office now, but if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call!”

B. “What a great idea! I think Ms. Smith and Ms. Johnson would be particularly good interviews, but feel free to talk to whomever you’d like! This is a free country, after all!”

C. “Oh, heavens no! You can’t talk to any teachers or students! I had no idea a reporter coming to a school and writing a story about teacher and student reactions to an educational issue might want to interview teachers and students!”

If you want to be a Crappy Public Relations Person, the correct answer is C. Today, someone passed this test with flying colors!

27 May 2004

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