Fave PR reference books

By Linda VandeVrede on October 30th, 2009 In Weekend Reading

PR booksDespite all the mobile technology available, I’m happiest when I’m in my home office, with plenty of AZ sunshine, a cup of hot Dunkin’ Donuts coffee, and a wall of reference books facing me.

Here’s a list of my top favorites – are any of yours among them?

 Good Textbooks/Primers on PR:

Public Relations Strategies and Tactics – Wilcox et. al.

Business Issues

Business:  Its Legal, Ethical and Global Environment – Marianne Jennings

References

The Associated Press Stylebook

Measuring Public Relationships – Katie Delahaye Paine

Best Practices

The Trusted Advisor – David H. Maister, et. al.

New Rules

World Wide Rave – David Meerman Scott

Putting the Public Back in Public Relations – Brian Solis and Deirdre Breakenridge

Grammar

Punctuate it Right! – Harry Shaw

Antiquated Amusement:

Publicity: How to Plan, Produce and Place It – Herbert M. Baus [1942]

“Any pretty girl has access to an editor’s desk, because he is a male with a combination of gallantry and a prospecting eye…….Even though she may not be good at many aspects of publicity, a woman can always get a hearing.” 

Thanks to Kristen Ward for the idea.

Fave PR reference books

Comments

Sarah Geiger Says:
October 30th, 2009 at 10:55 am

Thanks Linda! I will go out today to pick up a few of your recommendations!

Marketing $ociologist Says:
October 30th, 2009 at 1:34 pm

Ms. VandeVrede:

I love this blog. While you post something quite intellectual, everyone is commenting on the Diamondbacks.

Totally agree with AP Stylebook. As for grammar, believe it or not, I was given Strunk and White’s “Element of Style” in the fifth grade by a teacher who had played professional ball with Harmon Killebrew. I know, who. Back to baseball references. Unbeknownst to me, my sophomore English teacher submitted one of my essays to a statewide contest. For one year, I was Arizona’s top essayist. If it hadn’t been for Strunk & White, who knows.

This morning I had a meeting where the retiring city manager (and greatest one in nation) was. Just discovered Frank Fairbanks went to Loyola Marymount University where he has a finance degree. I asked a high level city employee if Mr. Fairbanks had studied under management expert Peter Drucker. “Who,” was the response I got. Now you see why I get sooo frustrated with “professionals” in Phoenix? I said Drucker wrote the book on executive management, gave a thumb and index finger indication of how thick they were, and without thinking said, “I’ve read five of them.” Didn’t realize it until that came out of my mouth.

Back to your list, though. I’ve always held Cutlip, Center and Broom as the definitive PR textbook. PRSA used it for APR studies. When I moved to Phoenix in the mid-80s, Alan Center graciously spent hours with me. We’d always meet at a Carl’s Jr. by his home in Poway. Okay, he drove two miles, I drove 400, but it was worth it. Got to meet Glen Broom, too.

Fate also plays into one’s career. Dr. Otis Baskin, the retired dean of Pepperdine’s Graziadio School of Business and Management, spent two years as head of ASU West’s business school. I recruited him as a Heart Association volunteer. He took the measuring tools I had developed during my M.B.A. studies and put them in HIS textbook. Today people have bastardized that case study, calling it ROI. As the creator, I say NO SUCH THING. So I recommend reading Baskin and Cutlip, Center and Broom.

Back in the ‘80s, when PRSA was more pertinent than today, the Phoenix chapter invited Chester Burger, the dean of public relations, to speak. Just a regular lunch meeting. I got to meet Burger. See an hour worth of Burger at this blog, http://marketingsociologist.wordpress.com/2009/02/14/free-education-via-youtube/
“Free Education via YouTube.”

Burger was in the process of editing my FAVORITE PR textbook, “Experts in Action: Inside Public Relations (Longman Series in Public Communication)” by Bill Cantor.

Every person in any related marketing field should be forced to read – monthly – Theodore Levitt’s “Marketing Myopia,” published around 1956 in Harvard Business Review.

Lastly, there are two books I was introduced to during my M.B.A. studies that I love. I am Philip Kotler’s biggest fan – anything and everything by him. The other book was Edward R. Dewey’s “Cycles.” This should be required reading for any strategic planner.

Thank you for this blog, Ms. VandeVrede.

Linda VandeVrede Says:
October 30th, 2009 at 1:41 pm

Marketing Sociologist, thanks for the kudos, and I agree on Cutlip and Kotler. Both good references.

I’ve been known to blog about things very non-intellectual from time to time, however. :) Variety is the spice of blogs….!

Kristen Says:
October 30th, 2009 at 3:04 pm

Excellent list, Linda. Thank you for sharing. :)

Gina Cuclis Says:
November 15th, 2009 at 10:05 am

Good post and great comments. I’ve always said that one way to tell a real PR pro from someone who talks there way into the job, because they are a good schmoozer, is whether they have an AP style book. And use it.

Pat Arnold Says:
November 15th, 2009 at 12:34 pm

I’m filling in some of the gaps in my PR library with this fabulous shopping list! Invaluable–and so are you, Linda!

Kristina Allen Says:
February 6th, 2010 at 7:32 pm

Great list, I’ll definitely be searching for these books on Amazon tonight.

I saw you included World Wide Rave by David Scott Meerman, and I would have to say his other book, The New Rules of Marketing and PR 2.0 deserves to be on the list as well!

-@allenkristina

Linda VandeVrede Says:
February 7th, 2010 at 7:19 pm

Kristina – you’re right. David Meerman Scott’s “New Rules” should also be on the fave list.

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