PR Tips for Academics and Professors
Me teaching at Niagara College in February 2024.
The world of academia can be fiercely competitive, whether you’re vying for a coveted tenured position, a speaking opportunity at a major conference or a research grant, but one way to stand out from your colleagues and peers is with PR.
PR is a fantastic profile building tool that can benefit academics and professors in a number of ways. Most businesses and organizations view candidates and employees who have a positive public profile as a major value ad because your great reputation will also strengthen the institution’s reputation and credibility.
This in turn can offer a number of benefits and advantages to academics and professors such as influencing tenure and promotions, building an audience for a future book release, helping land speaking opportunities and consulting gigs, supporting grant and funding applications, offering negotiating power and more.
When it comes right down to it, PR gets you noticed by your current institution, potential clients and organizations you may wish to work for down the road - all great things for your career.
So, how can academics and professors build their profile through PR? Let’s dive in.
1) Carve out your niche. First, knowing where your story fits in the greater cultural context is a crucial part of your building your overall strategy. Consider these points… How does your research contribute to society? What can you offer that is new and different from other experts? Who is this news relevant to and what angle could attract a broader audience?
2) Simplify complicated ideas. As an academic, you no doubt have a killer vocabulary and a great understanding of complex subject matter. When you’re dealing with media and the general public, it's best to avoid jargon and industry-specific terminology. Use simple, easy to understand words. Plus, consider using an analogy to paint a picture. It’ll help make the topic even more relatable to a broader audience.
3) Share results as bite-sized findings. Today, most news teams are small and have extremely limited resources. Most times, they don’t have the capacity to read a study or even a summary. A great media pitch will summarize your findings into a few key points -- aim for two to three -- giving them a taste of what the story could offer. You’re more likely to get someone’s attention when you do the legwork for them.
4) Coordinate with your institution’s head of communications, public relations or media relations teams. Their comms department’s mandate is to drive awareness of your organization and that includes profiling the great work their team does. There’s nothing a publicist loves more than someone who comes ready with a great story and a willingness to take part in interviews. Chances are you have a PR pro (or a team of pros) ready and able to drive PR efforts, so all you’ll have to do is show up for interviews. Even if they don’t have the capacity to pitch, it’s important to make sure you’re aligned with their press policy and code of conduct before you start pitching.
5) Make media a priority. Lots of interview opportunities can pop up last minute, especially those tied to breaking news. While it is challenging to accommodate last minute requests amidst a busy schedule filled with teaching obligations, guest speaker appearances, and research projects, making the time is definitely worth it. A great interview means the media will come back to you again and again for expert commentary. Not to mention that lots of great press in your portfolio, website, LinkedIn, etc. will help you stand out in your industry, and could give you an edge over colleagues being considered for the same opportunities.