In part one of this three-part series, I defined what opinion pieces are and why they are such a vital PR tool. Now, in part two, I take a look at the mechanics of pulling together an op-ed and getting it placed.

1. Have a strong opinion

First and foremost, make sure your client has an opinion. More than that, make sure their opinion adds value, moves a story along and is controversial, rather than just regurgitating what others have said.

Unfortunately, some companies simply can’t easily agree on a point of view, whether for personality or business reasons. If this is the case, as a PR professional you are going to be hard-pressed to produce an authentic and evocative opinion piece for your client.It can be done, but I believe the most successful pieces are based on a strong opinion generated by a client, then packaged and conveyed by the PR.

Read the rest of my article on Bizcommunity.