At the foundation of a fair and open government is transparency. Clear communication between the government and constituents leads to greater public trust, civic engagement, and effective policies. This is where the public affairs part of public relations comes in.
 
Social media and the internet make it easier than ever for local governments to keep their constituents informed. Unfortunately, however, we find that many governmental units are still stuck in the last century. Many also cling to the instinct of no news is good news, putting out press releases only in crises. 

Timeliness: For reporters, it’s one of the most important elements of a story. It can determine whether your big announcement has five journalists writing about it or none. But what is timeliness exactly, and how should you utilize it in your PR strategy?
According to dictionary.com, to be “timely” is to be “occurring at a suitable time; seasonable; opportune; well-timed.” In the media world, a timely story has some sort of “hook” that makes it relevant to the day’s news and events. Timeliness answers the question “Why am I hearing about this now?” for the public.

The internet and social media make it easier than ever to spread information (factual or not) like wildfire. If your company or organization has big news to share, choosing to make a big announcement gives you more control over the message and tone of your news (rather than waiting for the media to find out on its own).
Here are three things to consider before making big announcements:

• Timing: would you deem your announcement good news or bad news? If the latter, consider making your announcement Friday afternoon, when people are starting to check out from work and into the weekend. Conversely, if you’re looking to make a big splash, aim for earlier in the week.
  
• Platform: certain politicians lately have a tendency to make big announcements on Twitter. While Twitter certainly allows for a certain amount of control, consider whether 140 characters can convey enough context and detail for your situation. Other platforms have their advantages as well: A TV interview puts a human face on an issue, while a press conference or press release allows reporters time to analyze quotes and information to produce perhaps more thoughtful articles.
  
• Prepare! By making an announcement, you are taking control-- don’t forget it! Write down your talking points, rehearse, and stick to them.

It's one thing to say you're going to prepare for a crisis, but quite another to take the additional steps of assessing what possible crises you might face in the future. In other words, there is no one specific crisis that may occur.

So, one of the first steps in crisis planning is an accurate assessment of what might go wrong that could trigger the need to communicate with the public, employees and/or stakeholders. Think it through and you'll likely come up with several possible scenarios.

Earned media is one of the most effective ways to tell your story. By having a credible news organization or online publication carry about a story about you or your products and services, you will reap incredible benefits.

But, earned media is called "earned" for a reason. You have to work at it. It takes one's proverbial blood, sweat and tears, not to mention time.

Unfortunately, many people don't have the patience for an earned media campaign. They want instant results. 

I once heard a successful businessman say that he demanded to know of a prospective public relations firm just how many placements he could expect for his monthly retainer. When the firm couldn't guarantee a specific number he said he wasn't interested.

Media advisories are a well known tool to alert members of the media to an upcoming news event. It could be a press conference, an interview opportunity with an expert or a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Advisories are typically matter of fact -- who, what, when, where, etc. What you may not realize is that advisories that offer a short video can maximize your chances of generating interest. Here are just three reasons.