Newsletter
April 2025 SCPRSA Newsletter 
President's Report
Surviving the Daily Grind: Essential Tips for PR Professionals in Constant Crisis ModE
Does crisis mode feel like your only mode these days?
Whether you’re in the public or private 
sector, the first few months of 2025 have seen such seismic shifts in activity across America and in South Carolina that PR plans are in a perpetual state of change. And that makes planning and executing plans hard. Some days, strategies and tactics change several times -- even in the course of a single day. I’ve even seen the overall goal change on a dime. Underlying it all is a constant state of anxiety, uncertainty and pressure.
Everyone is a Journalist
With the world at our fingertips, anyone can operate as a "reporter" on-call 24/7, working for free. With a smartphone in hand, these budding broadcasters are out there snapping photos, recording video snippets and grabbing soundbites to share, whether people want them or not. They aren’t held to review processes, compliance or any standards other than their own. Compounding the challenge, add AI to the mix. Not only can it generate glamorous selfies, cute puppy pics, baby memes and sell products in ways we never could have imagined, AI generates responses based on probabilities, not actual understanding, helping to spread content regardless of whether it's based on facts or not. Any way you view it, the growing role of the influencer is propagating news at a faster pace than ever before. Stories spread like wildfire, whether based on truth or conspiracy theories. And leaders want our counsel in how to manage it all.
Keeping an ear to the ground through continual media monitoring and environmental scans has become more routine, requiring us to keep our heads on a swivel to monitor the myriad topics that demand our attention. More than ever, PR teams need support from leadership, both in terms of aligning on business strategy and priorities and associated budgetary resources to match.
Spotting a Real Crisis
With PR crises now the daily norm, identifying a true emergency amidst the noise is crucial. So, how do we do that? Look for spikes in negative sentiment media coverage that will have a lasting impact on your client or organization’s reputation. Not every negative comment or sentiment is equal, but assessing the potential impact and reach is important. Pay attention to how key audiences are reacting both inside and outside the company. If a situation has the potential to permanently damage a company or affect multiple areas of an enterprise, you’re headed for a real crisis and it’s time for an immediate and well-coordinated response. Pull out your crisis management playbook and do what you do best as a counselor and problem solver.
The Strain on PR Professionals is Real
The constant state of crisis management and managing issues in a nonstop, heavy news cycle is draining, though it raises an important question: is the PR industry burnt out? Many communicators are physically and mentally exhausted. When you are dealing with a constant onslaught of challenges coming at you, sometimes from different people or clients, it is crucial to ensure you have the right team ready to support a response. Know the members of your crisis response team and ensure the subject matter experts are aware of what’s expected of them and equipped with the right attitudes and necessary skills to support your needs. On-the-job training has become a way of life, and it is essential to capture these learnings as they happen in our issues management and crisis playbooks. Don’t have a playbook or the skills to build one? Hire a trusted agency partner for the short term while you advance your skills through an online learning class or an APR mentor.
Everyone is a Crisis Manager Today
With issues coming at us from all sources and channels, all PR practitioners are on duty to handle a crisis. We must consider the well-being of those who manage crises. That means you! What should crisis managers do when they are at their wits end? Here are four tips.
Find your people: Talk to peers, it is vital to create a support system for yourself and your team. You can also contact some of your more seasoned APR colleagues throughout the industry to lend an ear or offer a word of advice.
Take a beat: In the heat of the moment, it’s often difficult to find the time to think strategically and remember that you are prepared for this. You know what to do … between experience, instincts, mentors, observations and the always-prepared mindset that this industry breeds, you’ve got this!
Align your support structure: Ensure you have the resources and assistance you need from leadership. Crisis plans are different, and sometimes you can only look an hour or a day in advance. Get approval on the short-term objectives and actions, while preparing for the long-term needs of your key audiences. See if your leadership can support you in bringing in an agency to alleviate some of the pressure, become a thought-partner and share industry best practices in times of crisis.
Practice self-care: Consult a well-being officer such as my colleague, Dr. Heather Farley, who says “find ways to foster work-life harmony, meaning, connection and joy.” Every day this balance is something every professional has to contend with; but in managing a communications crisis it’s especially important to remember your "why" and to remind yourself that your work serves many people and a bigger purpose.
And, for goodness' sake, when all else fails, use your hard-earned PTO and take a vacation! Even a well-planned staycation where you put down your devices for a while and pick up a great book can do wonders for your mind, body and soul!
As things across the state of South Carolina continue to progress, remember the SCPRSA is here to support you. Together, we can navigate all challenges. I know we will emerge from this era stronger and wiser, albeit in my case a little grayer around the hairline.
Kind regards,
Staci L. Gouveia, APR
Mercury Awards
Join us APRIL 25 for the 2025 MERCURY AWARDS presentation, IN CHARLESTON!
BUY TICKETS and sponsorships
sponsor information
Join SCPRSA in Charleston -- "The Holy City" -- for the 2025 Mercury Awards presentation, Friday, April 25, on the campus of the Medical University of South Carolina in the Drug Discovery Building, room 110 and lobby.
Trophies will be presented to winners of Mercury and Silver Wing Awards, given for outstanding work in 2024. Individual Awards will be presented to outstanding PR professionals, nominated by peers.
The event will feature speakers, networking with hors d'oeuvres, a dinner buffet and the awards presentation to celebrate our work as public relations professionals.
Our schedule of events:
2 p.m. | PRSSA-led session
3 p.m. | Speakers
- Ashlei Elise, Chief Marketing Officer, International African American Museum, "Marketing and Promoting the New International African American Museum"
- Dr. Heather Farley, Chief Well-being Officer, Medical University of South Carolina, "My Role as Well-being Officer"
- David Ginn, President and Chief Executive Officer, Charleston Regional Development Alliance, "Charleston Economic Market Update"
4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. | Dinner and networking
5:15 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. | Mercury Awards presentation
Will you stay overnight in Charleston for the awards presentation? SCPRSA has a special rate hotel rate:
Hotel Indigo
250 Johnnie Dodds Blvd.
Mt Pleasant, S.C. 29464
Group code: SCP
Use this link to reserve a room
We look forward to seeing you, your guests and colleagues!
APR Spotlight
April is APR month
It’s April (already)! And for me it’s also #APR month, a reminder to celebrate those who have their Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) and to encourage others to start this rewarding journey.
Our chapter has 42 APRs, an impressive number. These communications professionals have demonstrated their commitment to ethics and standards, development and growth, and a deep understanding of the RPIE process (research, planning, implementation and evaluation).
Several chapter members are now well on their way to earning their APR, and for that effort and commitment, we salute them. I hope that more of you will decide to begin that journey this year!
My role as accreditation chair is to help you along your path, to provide advice and resources, and to lay out for you the steps necessary to earn your accreditation.
Not sure how or where to start? (Email me!) And, PRSA is offering a webinar April 30 -- Ask the APR Expert -- for those who are interested in finding out more about the process. You can also find resources on our chapter's APR web page.
Please contact me to learn more about earning your APR!
Kathleen Williams, APR
SCPRSA Accreditation Chair
Membership
PRSA SPRING MEMBERSHIP PROMO Continues
Through May 26, PRSA's "Spring Forward" membership promo offers new members, who join PRSA at the full membership rate of $267, a 25 percent discount for the on-demand certificate program of their choice!
This is a great incentive for public relations and communications professionals to enhance skills by joining PRSA. Spread the word!
SCPRSA Directory
Members! Keep your contact information current
Help us stay in touch with you. If you change jobs, move, have a new email address or phone number, please keep your information up to date. The best way to update your personal information is to visit PRSA.org and sign in at “Login MyPRSA.” There, you can update your information online. Your information will automatically be updated in SCPRSA’s database, which is linked with the PRSA database.
Have questions? Please write to the PRSA South Carolina Chapter.
Upcoming Webinars
PRSA has several webinars scheduled in April and early May. Many webinars are available to members for free. Sign up for these topics in advance (all times EDT):
Five Ways To Catch Your Readers
April 10, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
PRSA IPA Business-Building Webinar Series: April 2025
April 23, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
How To Work With Health Care Journalists During Disruption To Keep Your Brand Relevant
April 23, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
April 30, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
From Talk to Action: Attracting More Black Men to the Field of PR and Communications
April 30, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Storytelling Intensive, Part 1: Story Storm: Build a Bank of Go-to Stories for Every Occasion
May 7, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Calendar of Events
Friday, April 25: SCPRSA Mercury Awards presentation, Drug Discovery Building, room 110 and lobby, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston
