Front page news in Europe is that Former Metropolitan Police chief Sir Paul Stephenson has joined a crisis PR agency. Stephenson resigned following allegations of his police force being involved with alleged phone taps with The News of the World.

Might be a first that a police chief joins the public relations world – but I am sure it wont be the last, and his new role will have him counseling crisis clients for a firm whose employees according to their press release does everything from “cyber and information security, IP and brand protection, human rights and anti-corruption compliance, financial crime, health and safety, pandemics, medical and evacuation support, geopolitical and business intelligence, cultural and negotiation specialists, due diligence and investigations and wider security.” All of those are necessary skills to succeed at a crisis PR firm. More on him at: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-24036848-former-met-chief-gets-crisis-management-job.do

Stephenson was humble about moving on – when asked about regrets, he said: “That’s for fairytales. You do what you think is right, you stand by it and you move on.” “I don’t know of anybody who’s been in a leadership position as long as I was who won’t have a record of doing some fantastic things and some things they wish they’d done better.

Anyone who claims otherwise is in fantasy land or lying.”

Working in crisis public relations, it’s a non-stop fire drill. Remember:

• Be prepared for a crisis by thinking about all possibilities before they occur.
• Online reputation management/online crisis PR matters tremendously – Google search results are more important than one negative story
• Requires instant attention

A police chief will know that in the world of crisis, this isn’t an option:

“There cannot be a crisis next week. My schedule is already full.” Henry Kissinger

Ronn Torossian is the CEO of 5WPR, a NY Public Relations Agency.

One of the most exciting aspects of my business is the successful and interesting people we meet or come across – Some random thoughts:

• I run a lot – and have been contemplating training for a triathalon but wonder if I will have the time – until my client Real estate mogul Elie Hirschfeld reminds me that he’s done 75-plus triathlons in my lifetime, and at the age of 61 finished his last one in under 3 hours. I am just going to call him Inspiring Elie Hirschfeld.

• Mark Birnbaum & Eugene Remm whom Forbes refers to as “The New Kings of New York Nightlife” by Forbes- They seem to be in perpetual movement with success – expanding on their already fabulous empire, they have decided in the last few weeks to open Catch Miami, and a 18,000-square-foot restaurant on the Lower East Side.

• Michael Malik who never stops working and is a pioneer in the casino development industry, including big projects in California, Michigan, and New York. He has been  involved in bringing gaming to multiple communities, and continues to seek investment and development opportunities in the entertainment and gaming industry. Mr. Michael J. Malik is another one who’s always looking for more positive action.

• Interestingly, Sumitomo Corporation  closed on a joint venture deal that gives Unicharm a significant stake in the common share of The Hartz Mountain Corporation (Hartz), parent company who makes many pet products, including Hartz flea and Hartz flea & tick.

• NY Russian Real Estate Attorney Edward Mermelstein in Time Magazine this week discussing the fascinating London lawsuit between 2 oligarchs -  Boris Berezovsky and Roman Abramovich.  “This lawsuit is a public relations nightmare for Putin and his country,” says Edward Mermelstein, an international lawyer and an authority on commercial deals in Russia and Ukraine. “The financial aspect is not as material here as is the press that is being generated. It puts all of the Russian government and its business people in a bad light.” Read more: http://globalspin.blogs.time.com/2012/01/20/londons-six-billion-dollar-trial-how-boris-berezovsky-has-already-triumphed/#ixzz1kEkGlTXz

Ronn Torossian is the CEO of 5WPR, and author of the recently released PR book “For Immediate Release”.

I am excited to announce that my 1^st book will be released in October 2011, entitled “For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-changing Public Relations.” Published by BenBella books, its one of the few books written by the owner of a PR Firm.

The book is already available for pre-order at:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/For-Immediate-Release/Ronn-Torossian/e/9781936661169?r=1&cm_mmc=Google%20Product%20Search-_-Q000000630-_-Its%20All%20Personal-_-9781936661169

http://www.borders.com/online/store/TitleDetail?sku=1936661160

It was tremendously enjoyable, and time consuming to write the book, with my co-author Karen Kelly.  I am thrilled its going to be coming out, and I expect will be very successful. The book will discuss how public relations works best, how to court the press (or avoid it), grow a business via PR, and how to improve search engine results via PR.

There are diverse and interesting stories involving Louis Vuitton, Fubu, Patagonia, BP, Toyota, Zappos, and interviews with a number of smart experts.

I look forward to sharing many more details as the book release date gets closer.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

Often, potential clients call us and ask how much a Public Relations campaign costs? I sometimes answer by asking them if they were to call a car dealer and ask, “How much is a car,” if they’d get an answer; if they called an airline and asked, “How much is a flight?”… well, you get the idea.

PR isn’t one size, shape or color; there’s not a one-size-fits-all solution or cost.  When done right, a PR campaign is a symphony orchestra in which there are drummers, flutists, violinists, and so on; in other words, it’s a dynamic approach based on a client’s needs, goals, and how they fit into their industry. A PR campaign can be a part of the orchestra but it’s not the entire ensemble. There are other important parts, like price, product functionality, design, etc.

Every part of the orchestra matters, and without a proper Public Relations & marketing plan, there is no symphony. All parts of the business, or orchestra, matter and should support one another – and what you want to accomplish shall determine the budget.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR