UAB Accreditation Tips and Tools — April 2017

APRIL IS APR MONTH!

APR Month provides a great opportunity to highlight the APR process to promote our credential among our peers and potential candidates.

Publish an APR Op-Ed

Have places to share APR information, but no time to prepare it? Look no further than this APR Op-Ed that you can publish as is or edit as you see fit.

Pin-On Ceremonies or Selfies

Hold a pin-on ceremony where newly Accredited PR professionals receive their APR pins in front of their peers. You also can ask APR members to send you selfies of them showing off their pins — and recognize APRs at all events in April. Post photos of the ceremony or selfies on social media or your organization’s website, and send to the UAB so we can share as well (email photos with a brief description to accred@praccreditation.org). APR pins can be found online.

Video Testimonials

Thanks to the Alabama Chapter of PRSA for sharing a great series of short APR testimonials that you can use — or create your own. These four testimonial videos are less than a minute each and give four different perspectives on the value of earning the APR.

Find them here:

It Takes A PRo Campaign

The It Takes A PRo toolkit includes a number of resources to help you promote the APR within your organization. Boost awareness of the APR among potential candidates by using these easy-to-use tools including messaging, logos and APR marketing tips:

Promote the APR as Part of Ongoing Professional Development

Thanks to a new partnership with Northeastern University, you can start with your APR and leave with your master’s! That’s a bonus you can promote to both current APRs and those considering whether to pursue it.

In recognition of the rigorous process APRs go through to earn their Accreditation, APRs can receive advanced standing credit toward Northeastern University’s Master of Science in Corporate and Organizational Communication. APRs are able to complete the master’s in 12 courses rather than 15, with a corresponding 20 percent savings in tuition. This master’s is available both online and in Boston, making it easy for APRs anywhere to take advantage. Special bonus: Earning an advanced degree qualifies you for automatic re-Accreditation during that three-year maintenance cycle. Learn more.

Promote the APR Within Your Personal and Professional Social Media Networks. Ideas:

 Facebook/LinkedIn:

  1. April is APR Month. I am proud to have earned my Accreditation in Public Relations and I congratulate all my colleagues that have done the same. https://accreditation.prsa.org/ #ItTakesAPRo #APRMonth
  2. To all my fellow APRs, tell me why you decided to earn your APR. Here is my APR story. XXX. https://accreditation.prsa.org/ #ItTakesAPRo #APRMonth
  3. I’m extremely honored to be part of a prestigious group of public relations professionals who have earned their Accreditation in Public Relations. Happy APR Month to my fellow APRs. https://accreditation.prsa.org/ #ItTakesAPRo #APRMonth
  4. Are you a PR pro considering the next step in your professional development? Ask me about my APR! https://accreditation.prsa.org/ #ItTakesAPRo #APRMonth

Twitter:

  1. Happy APR Month to my fellow APRs. https://accreditation.prsa.org/ #ItTakesAPRo #APRMonth
  2. April is APR Month. Are you an APR? I am! https://accreditation.prsa.org/ #ItTakesAPRo #APRMonth
  3. I’ve got my APR, do you? April is APR month.https://accreditation.prsa.org/ #ItTakesAPRo #APRMonth

You also can contribute to conversations taking place on the APR social media channels including LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. You can ask your peers industry questions and bounce public-relations-related ideas off of them.


Draw From Past Tips and Tools

Lots of great promotional ideas have been shared over the years. Look through past Tips and Tools for more ways to tell the APR story.