Each year, the Public Relations Society of America celebrates April as APR Month for members accredited in public relations. The APR credential demonstrates professional competence, expertise and the highest standards of excellence in the practice of public relations.

Are you ready to rev up your public relations power?

By answering yes, you will find that investing in this professional credential is what will set you apart from your peers. APRs also are committed to lifelong learning and the highest ethical practice of public relations.

In working to achieve accreditation, you will learn the detailed RPIE process to enhance your Research, Planning, Implementation and Evaluation skills.

If you are a relative newcomer to the field of public relations, the accreditation process allows you to become familiar with the history of the industry, PR industry definitions and the value you can bring to the C-suite or your boss, no matter the size of your organization.

You’ll learn the in’s and out’s of conducting research, why you need to identify your target audiences or “publics” and the importance of developing messages that apply to each group to encourage behavior change or other action.

As you develop your plan, you’ll want to establish your goals or desired outcomes.

To really understand if your efforts make a difference in awareness or action, you first want to set measurable objectives. These are the basis for evaluating your outcomes and what you may need to do differently if another similar campaign comes along in the future.

Defining your strategies and identifying tactics are all about the action and often what many people lead with when starting an outreach campaign. You will learn through the APR process why it’s important to conduct your research and set your goals and objectives first to make sure you determine the most effective course of action or what resources you need. Did you set a budget? What factors helped you set it? Or are you simply spending as you go. Setting a budget, even if it’s only showing how much staff time is invested in a project, makes good business sense.

The best time to seek accreditation is when you’ve had at least five years of paid, professional experience in the field or in teaching or administration of public relations courses. You’ll also need to be a member of one of nine participating public relations organizations, including PRSA. The local chapter, PRSA of Southern Arizona, is ready to assist you with your APR experience. PRSA also offers an accreditation track for those working in military public affairs.

If you are ready to build your knowledge, skills and abilities to advance your career, contact the PRSA Southern Arizona Chapter at info@prsatucson.org for additional information and to get started in your professional development journey.

About the writer:
Sheila Storm, APR, is the APR Chair on the 2022 board of the Southern Arizona Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. She achieved accreditation in 2013.