With APR Month in April upon us, I’d like to share some perspective on Accreditation in Public Relations (APR).
Research will show you how
“The work will show you how.” I stared at the poster tacked to my co-worker’s cubicle and puzzled to myself, “While there is some truth there (work>experience), you’re overlooking a major component.”
Turn back the clocks to 1995. I was a fresh account executive for a newstalk radio station in Little Rock, Ark., and trying something new outside of public relations (a tale for another day). My interest was — and remains to this day — in research. There were some research tools available to the AEs, helpful, yet nowhere near the vast resources available today. Returning to that poster, I felt a minor tweak was needed, “The research will show you how.”
That minor tweak served as my north star on my road towards achieving the Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) credential. Eventually, I returned to public relations and entered the world of public health communications. After my first supervisor and mentor encouraged me for 17 years to get my APR (thank goodness he was patient), I began my APR adventure under the tutelage of some of the finest senior PR practitioners. In February 2001, mission accomplished – I earned my APR!
Changing the rules
As a newly accredited PR practitioner, I continued my service on the Arkansas chapter’s board of directors, eventually serving as president and departing after five years of service. A number of years later, the chapter recruited me to lead accreditation. With two close fellow APRs on our committee, we led an extensive research project to determine the needs of the chapter and why members weren’t pursuing accreditation.
While our own experiences and anxieties were incorporated into the chapter research, we knew there was a better and even more supportive way to learn. This would be an opportunity to give back and invest in PR practitioners as others had done for us paying it forward. So, we changed the rules and wrote a new playbook, “APR Ready to Roll,” an aggressive gameplan that provides the hands-on, step-by-step guidance, support, scheduling and training to help you earn your APR led by peers and mentors across the chapter – basically, we removed the guesswork and mystery surrounding the process. which continues to this day in Arkansas, Las Vegas, and Utah chapters.
Pursue the Gold Standard in PR with PRSA Nashville
Today, PRSA Nashville is helping many fellow PR practitioners like you achieve the gold standard in PR through the APR Ready to Roll program. I’m proud to be co-chairing Accreditation with Juanita I.C. Traughber, APR, past president, PRSA, Nashville, who brings great passion for and commitment to the APR process. Reach out to either of us, Juanita or Dan, if you’re interested in pursuing the gold standard in public relations.
Rather than starting this article by answering, “What does the APR mean to you?,” I’ve chosen to end with my response. As communications director for HCA Healthcare’s Digital Transformation and Innovation department, a strong grasp of hospital operations, understanding our clinician partners’ challenges, and driving transformational change are vital. Staying updated on digital and AI technologies is crucial for the APR toolkit. With ongoing learning and insights into market and communication needs, I can make informed decisions, create effective PR plans, achieve strategic goals, and offer sound advice to leaders and peers.
The insights I’ve shared mirror the APR, the tools, mentorship, and training one receives through APR Ready to Roll. In a nutshell, APR is all about perspective. By examining our world in multiple layers, we understand the science and mechanics driving the Big Picture and how we, as PR practitioners, can shape it, the publics we seek to influence (never underestimate the importance of influence), and messages we communicate. We don’t just know where the dominos will fall, we research, plan and place them on the game table, charter their course, plan for multiple outcomes and response, then determine how we will evaluate our success.
April is APR Month. So, are you APR Ready to Roll? The research will show you how.
Dan McFadden, APR, is co-chair of Accreditation Committee