Here are our Top 10 PR Pro Tips for this week, selected from Twitter. Remember to submit your own PR pro tip using the hashtag #PRTip or #PRTips. Your tweet could be featured here next week!

• meet with a potential client
• present during a pitch
• encourage a colleague to speak up
• take charge of a team
• socialize with a client
• disagree without making enemies
• nail an interview
• deal with an angry colleague
• ask your boss for a raise

We speak too often with questions at the end of our sentences. The declaration and conviction of our opinions and outlooks have somehow become muddled in new speech patterns that don’t convey that we mean what we’re saying. This is precisely what Taylor Mali addresses in his powerful poem that’s been assembled visually while he recites. Definitely take a moment to watch this video (with sound) to hear some valid and interesting commentary on the way we communicate today.

What are your thoughts? Do you agree?

WHAT TO DO?

Effort is key. Whether you’re looking to make contact/pitch/converse with a new client, prospect or lead: it’s important to build and cultivate relationships. Everyone is saturated with emails/tweets/Facebook messages that lack any form of personality or personalization. It’s become so easy to quickly scan something that comes our way – or even worse, just plain delete the communication because there’s no emotion connection attached to the message.

Let’s all remember that even though we can hide behind the comfort of our screens, there’s more to online communication than simply pushing out messages and content. The way we communicate may have changed, but the way we retain and process information has very much stayed the same.

HOW CAN YOU IMPROVE?

1. Make sure you’re avoiding mass emails at all costs – take the time to personally address your emails, regardless of the content remaining the same. IT MATTERS.

2. Reference a touch point with the person you’re communicating to. A message is always well absorbed when common ground is established first.

3. Be human.  No one likes impersonal emails, messages or content. The computer didn’t generate this, YOU DID – so reflect that in your writing (it will be appreciated).

4. Make sure you’re relevant. Don’t waste people’s time! We’re all busy, so make sure the message is something the reader will be interested in. This will improve your credibility in the long run, making your communications “must-read” material.

5. PROOF READ. You have no excuses for spelling mistakes. On that note, please disregard any spelling errors in this blog. Seriously though: it’s effort, people.

Start to put these tactics into action, and watch your communication skills soar. It may be difficult and a bit taxing at first – but as any good business person knows: ALWAYS GIVE MORE THAN YOU GET.