Six basic tips for International PR

As mentioned before, blogging about how to conduct international PR can be a sticky wicket. Going into too many specifics about the approach of different nationalities to business could be perceived the wrong way.Nevertheless there are a few general 'top tips' for conducting international PR.

1. Know the customs: Ask a local, and make sure you seek out the advice of someone with experience of PR in that region before you do *anything*. You have no idea what might offend somebody, so don't risk it.
2. Know the press: Does your territory value traditional journalism, like the western world, or bloggers, like China and the rest of Asia? What social media do they use?
3. Consider the degree to which it's important to ensure a consistent message across all territories. This might sound counter-intuitive, but then again not all territories will react the same to a single set of messages.
4. If co-ordinating PR internationally, be prepared to concede to the local expertise of any partner agencies to a degree. They're there for a reason. Similarly, due to time zone differences, PR campaigns that are entirely centrally-managed often do not work.
5. It works both ways. When dealing with international clients, ensure they understand how *your* business culture works when they come to you.
6. Leave your preconceptions at the door.

Thanks to the increasingly important role of international PR, and the gradual movement of power and money from north to South, and from West to East, one thing you can guarantee is that, in the coming years, very few of us will get away with limiting our PR efforts to our own shores.