I’ve been paying attention to the things that command attention, both of myself and others, and I’ve made a list of 21 techniques that work. This list is far from all of them I’m sure, but it should be enough to get you started …
1. Be wrong
The world is full of people trying to do the right things. It’s become so common that many of us are bored by it. We long for someone that’s willing to do the wrong thing, say the wrong thing, be the wrong thing. If you have the courage to be that person, you’ll find lots of people paying attention to you.
2. Be right
You can also gain attention by being right … but only if you’re more right than everyone else. Run a mile faster than anyone else, explain your topic more clearly than anyone else, be funnier than everyone else. Embody perfection, and people will take notice.
3. Communicate what others can’t
As writers, we take ideas from our heads and put them on the page. Sometimes we forget how difficult that is for some people and how valuable that makes us. Lots of people would give anything to be able to say what they mean. But they can’t. So, they turn to songs, books, and art that communicate for them. Be a producer of those things, and you’ll never lose their attention.
4. Do something
Everybody online is trying to say something important, but very few are trying to do something important. If you want attention, dare not to just give advice to others, but to live that advice yourself. Then publish it to the open web.
5. Surprise people
Chip and Dan Heath, authors of Made to Stick, say that one of the best ways to set yourself apart is to break people’s “guessing machines.” Take a surprising position, making outlandish analogy, or otherwise do the opposite of what you normally do. As long as it’s unexpected, people will stop and pay attention.
In essence, the social Web, and all the tools and services it continues to spawn, has forever changed the game. There are PR firms that will adapt to meet the growing mass-market demand for Internet-based expertise and service, and there are many that will not.
So here’s an updated look at 10 PR trends driving the revolution, from PR 20/20 Blog.
Clearly, there are basic ‘hygiene’ factors that companies need from their comms people: strong written/verbal skills; excellent conversational and presentation skills; an eye for design; awareness of communication technology trends and corresponding audience reach strategies.
However, a good PRO will always stand out on a number of more complex, intuitive and leadership levels and I would proffer the following attributes:
1) Acts as strategic and trusted advisor to the leadership team (including the CEO, CFO and commercial and functional heads); contributes with authority to strategic corporate discussion and works on his/her track record to be viewed as a contributing equal;
2) Through accumulated insight and marketplace persceptiveness, may be in a truly unique position within any organisation to ‘Bring the Outside World’ in to corporate thinking, ensuring sound future governance and guiding strategies that help protect any company’s future ‘Licence to Operate’ in the open, global marketplace;
3) Is an astute and credible diplomat, able to navigate elegantly through all layers and across all organisational silos to inform, to encourage collaborative thinking and to galvanise operational solutions to any issues or opportunities faced by a company in its public and employee dealings;
4) Intuitively understands and bridges the interdependency between internal and external reputation and has astute command of the theory and tools/practice of its delivery;
What attributes would you add to this list?
Yes, press releases still matter in the digital age. And while SEO helps broaden the digital footprint for your release these days—there are still fundamentals that can NOT be overlooked if you want to see pick up from those who matter. Even so, too many in PR are still sending out releases that miss the mark. Here’s how to make sure that yours never fail to fail:
- APPEAL only to the vanity and ego of your boss/CEO/client, etc.
- NEVER consider your audience—the news media, potential customers, current clients, etc.
- CONFUSE. Right at the start, no reader should have any idea what you’re talking about. This shows profundity and complexity of thought.
- NEVER proofread or use spell-check. Typoes keep the the media on they’re toes. As do bad grammer.
- A “NEWS” release is not a news story; it’s an ad. Brag from start to finish. Avoid information.
- PUMP UP the buzzwords. When you pepper your release with phrases like “end-to-end ROI,” “scale visionary initiatives,” and “drive transparent paradigms,” you’re cookin’!
- INFLATE a brief announcement into 1,000 words. For unusual creativity, shrink an important story into a few opaque sentences.
- NEVER cite objective outsiders like customers, analysts, researchers, etc. Use lots of long, windy quotes from company insiders—from the CEO to the parking attendant.
Since last year’s students liked the exercise, students in the Spring 2006 Journalism 331 class, Public Relations Techniques, at the University of Maryland University College were asked what PR programs deserved top honors in their eyes. Here are some interesting case overviews from that class.
Student Nghi Nguyen touted the social responsibility and community relations efforts by McDonald’s and particularly “its involvement with the World Children’s Day event every year. McDonald would join force with musicians to raise money for children around the world.” Nghi made the point that while the company — with others — is being constantly being tied to child and adult obesity in the world, they really do a great deal to help poverty in the world and its effect on children. The discussion that ensued with classmates generated nothing but positive comments about Ronald McDonald Charities and Ronald McDonald House.
Fast forward to sports. Student Nikki Taber hails from Detroit and pointed out to her classmates that the City’s reputation has been less than stellar, thanks to portrayals such as Eminem’s movie “Eight Mile.” However, things all changed when Detroit hosted this year’s Super Bowl. Beyond the success of the event itself, it was an opportunity to “report great things about Detroit.” Nikki described the efforts this way: “The Detroit Regional Chamber hosted a media party before the Super Bowl in an effort to introduce journalists, and media professionals from the sports, entertainment and business industries to Detroit. The event took place at Detroit’s Fox Theatre, and Detroit Regional Chamber President and CEO, Richard E. Blouse Jr. touted what was great about the city.” One attendee said, “The image painted of Detroit was one of rebirth, rebuilding, and that Detroit was the place to be.” Among other events, Detroit held a snow festival downtown the week leading up to the Super. Nikki said, “We had NO snow, they had to make it and truck it in. Then we got crazy heavy snow, and everyone was scared things would get bad, but it turned to be great. Detroit has never been better looking, at least not in my lifetime!” One of Nikki’s classmates, Jason Mcdonald offered the Detroit Super Bowl website http://www.sbxl.org. There, he said, a reader could find an article from the Detroit Free Press. “The article is about Roger Penske and his desire to continue the improvements made for the Super Bowl. He feels that getting ready for the Super Bowl was a milestone to make the city better and that everyone needs to keep moving ahead with improvement initiatives. It appears that this PR campaign is not over.
Student Tanya Ramey had kudos for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health for launching The Heart Truth, a national awareness campaign for women about heart disease. The Heart Truth is behind the National Wear Red Day (this year observed on February 3rd.) Tanya wrote: “National Wear Red Day is held on the first Friday in February and was first observed in 2004. On this day, women and men across the country are encouraged to wear red to alert women about their risk of heart disease. The NHLBI makes it easy for anyone to participate by providing suggestions and materials such as brochures, banners, fact sheets, and radio/print public service announcements that will aid in promoting awareness. They are available for downloading at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/hearttruth/. Heart disease is the #1 killer of American women. While the campaign’s (Ogilvy PR) aim is primarily targeted at women ages 40 to 60, heart disease can start at any age. The sooner a female is aware of that fact, the sooner she can take action to improve her health and quality of life. I don’t believe it is a coincidence that I received an e-mail today that read: Following a low-fat diet late in life fails to lower the risk of cancer and heart disease in older women, a large government study finds.”
Student Melissa Austria, feels that organizations that use fundraising to help promote their businesses but also help the community deserve an award for best practice!
This sort of persuasive public relations can help create a bond or relationship with the public or community. She used the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina as an example. She wrote: “During my internship at Fox News, we had a chef come in from a restaurant from Tysons II. He cooked an appetizer as well as a main meal but he also told us that the restaurant would be donating money to Katrina victims that weekend. The money would help victims by providing them with clothes and their children would be given school supplies. In Virginia Beach, my friend told my that he would be working at a nightclub and they would also be raising money for the Katrina victims. This helped attract more people to the club and brought the public together.” Marketing for a cause. Now, not all of her classmates agreed. Some felt this was an example of charity and not persuasive PR and opted instead to laud the efforts of organizations that brought true relief to the region. I say, there’s room for both. The fundraising of smaller organizations such as these, perhaps frustrated as to how they might help, was often funneled through the larger organizations delivering direct relief, such as the Red Cross.
Student Jason Mcdonald went straight to his textbook,“Effective Public Communications, Ninth Edition” by Cutlip, Center and Broom to find his nominee for Best Practice. “In the text (pp. 88-90), the authors write about the beginnings of America and some of the successful and persuasive public relations campaigns conducted by our founders,” Jason wrote. “The authors detail six techniques (now common in public relations strategies) that John Adams and his fellow revolutionaries used to convince their compatriots that revolution and separation from England were necessary:
1. They developed organizations to conduct effective public relations campaigns (Sons of Liberty and the Committees of Correspondence).
2. They used symbols to represent ideals designed to trigger patriotic and revolutionary emotions (the Liberty Tree).
3. They used slogans (“Taxation without representation is tyranny”).
4. They staged events to gain attention for their causes (the Boston Tea Party).
5. They ensured that their side of a story was in the public before the other side to gain acceptance (the Boston Massacre).
6. They saturated the community through their communication channels to instill new ideas in those who received their messages.”
Jason continued: “All of these were pivotal in turning the hearts and minds of other Americans against the British Crown to gain liberty. Imagine that anyone who agreed with the revolutionary propagandists was a traitor to the crown and risked their honor, fortune, security and life for subscribing to the traitorous ideals proposed by our founders. Yet, our founders were persuasive enough with their techniques that many joined the revolutionary cause.”
Student Luann Stubbs nominatedPopulation Connection and, specifically, their award-winning “dot” video. She wrote: “This group has been in existence for about 40 years, initially as ZPG, (Zero Population Growth), and aims to educate and influence people on the connection between our many social, economic, and environmental problems and overpopulation. The group changed their name in May 2002…They concentrate their efforts on education, information dissemination, and lobbying. The group seems to be highly ethical (you can view their complete financial statement and even their tax return from their web site http://www.populationconnection.org), with an all-volunteer board of directors. They have resources for teachers, advocates, campus activists, and journalists, including an email address and phone number. Educational, promotional, and training materials are available. The web site also offers fact sheets and current world and U.S. population figures. A legislative guide and action network is another important part of the website, as part of their attempt to educate and persuade politicians and the general public to limit population growth. But I believe by far their most persuasive material is their ‘dot’ video, that illustrates the growth of world population using a world map and dots of population added over a time progression.”
Student Amy Henry nominated the Declare Yourself campaign, meant to persuade young people to vote in the 2004 elections. This campaign won a PRSA Silver Anvil Award from in 2005. Amy wrote: “I am nominating this campaign because it brilliantly utilized all forms of media to try to empower, educate, and motivate their target public. The project was a partnership between entertainment, media, technology, and education to stress the importance of voting and civic involvement. Some of their efforts included a Declaration of Independence Road Trip (a 50-city tour that included a multi-media exhibit explaining the document’s significance); a live spoken word tour of multi-ethnic artists; a TV special and concert tour with popular musicians; slick PSA’s featuring well known actors, fashion icons, intellectuals, and musicians; a web site that provided voter registration forms, absentee ballots, a polling place locator and political news; a 20-minute film starring comedy actors to be shown to high school seniors during school-complete with a discussion guide for teachers; voter education booklets; and newspaper inserts for high schools.
Student Kristin Wasilewski also picked a campaign related to getting out the vote. She wrote that the Foundation of Women Executives in Public Relations presents The Crystal Obelisk Awards for Social Responsibility annually. In 2005, the award for profit campaign under $100,000 was Ben & Jerry’s partnered campaign with Rock the Vote. This campaign was used to persuade young Americans to register to vote in the 2004 Presidential election. Included in the campaign was a chance to name the new Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor. After young Americans registered to vote, they would also be registered to vote for the name of the new flavor. The voters registered at the New Hampshire primary and also at Ben & Jerry’s annual Free Cone Day. The results of this campaign included over 365,000 people voting on the final flavor name, and Primary Berry Graham getting the nod. http://www.wepr.org/awards_winners.asp
Student Allison Martyn selected two local campaigns. The first was a small local contracting company called Wichita Roofing and Remodeling. It’s a 13-year old company and pretty well established in the Wichita area. However, it was nothing unusual or special until October 2005, when they were chosen to be the contractor for a local project on ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.’ Wow, what amazing publicity they received! Of course the project was huge news here and filled the local newspaper and TV news, as expected What I’ve been impressed with is what they’ve done since then. They sponsored a watch party at a local theater the night the episode aired, they invested in some commercials highlighting their involvement in the show, and
they are planning a huge presentation at the Wichita Home & Garden show next weekend. They took the media attention they got from the show and have really kept it going. Now everyone knows who they are.
“The second is another local company, a car dealership called Davis Moore. They have several locations and sell both new and used vehicles of many different makes. What is unusual about them is they don’t spend their budget on advertising. Instead, they run a public safety campaign. They run a lot of commercials, but they are all about vehicle safety — buckling up, proper
installation of child seats, the importance of following the speed limits. A local child was killed when he leaned on a rocker-style window switch in a parked car and the window closed on his neck. They started a fund for the family and petition to automakers to eliminate the rocker-style switches that can be dangerous to children. As a result they have painted themselves as a community-oriented friendly car dealer that you should trust. Their name is synonymous with safety in most people’s minds, a key factor when purchasing your next family car!”
No, you won’t do better work by procrastinating. And you will not have more time next week. In fact, leaving things unfinished makes you stupid. Here’s what works:
- Make specific plans. Just setting a date and a time when you’re going to do something makes you more likely to follow through. Or write down the steps necessary to do the work.
- Use short, painless dashes of effort. Just have at it for five minutes and feel free to watch the clock. Chances are you’ll realize it’s not so bad.
- Rewarding yourself for doing things you don’t want to do can be a powerful motivator.
- Use “precommitment devices” to make sure you follow through. Stickk is a good one.
- Asking yourself whether you intend on doing something is a more powerful motivator than telling yourself you will do it.
- Understand the secrets to willpower, breaking bad habits, productivity, and achieving goals.
Here are nine daily tasks you probably can eliminate from your workday to help you stay focused and be more productive.
1. Stop overloading your to-do list. You might feel the need to write down everything you need to accomplish each day, but resist making an impossible list of daily tasks, says Peter Turla, a time-management consultant in Dallas. Compiling a lengthy list of things you need to accomplish might seem productive, but you could be doing more harm than good. “It results in too many items at the end of the day that are not completed,” says Turla. “That will make you feel stressed out, inadequate and unfocused.” Instead, create a manageable list of essential tasks that should be finished on a given day–and save the rest for later.
Related: 4 Ways to Weed Out Rotten Clients and Grow Your Business
2. Stop having open-ended meetings. Figure out your priorities before you call a meeting and make them clear to all the attendees, says Doug Sundheim, a New York consultant and executive coach. Too many small-business owners waste half the meeting just getting to what they really want to talk about. Sundheim suggests putting three priority topics at the top of your agenda to avoid getting sidetracked by other issues.
3. Stop answering repetitive questions. If you find yourself answering the same question from clients or employees frequently, you’re wasting time, says Peggy Duncan, a personal productivity trainer in Atlanta. Instead, put together an FAQ on your website or create instructional videos that people can access via links at the bottom of your emails. “Figure out better ways to answer [questions] without your having to be involved,” she says.
Related: How to Give Employees Independence Without Losing Control
4. Stop taking the same follow-up approach if people ignore you. If you’ve sent someone an email and the recipient hasn’t responded, don’t keep firing off more emails. Try communicating in another way–calling, sending a text or visiting in person if it’s appropriate, says Jan Yager, author of Work Less, Do More (Sterling, 2008). Too many business owners get bogged down communicating with people inefficiently, she says.
25 years? $1 billion? And still no “cure?” That depends on what your definition of “cure” is.
There are many definitions for CURE and Susan G. Komen for the Cure (the new name) has been at the forefront of the cure for breast cancer around the world.
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and its famous fundraising circuit Race for the Cure® have taken on a new name and new look this week (beginning Jan. 22), along with a renewed commitment to raise an ADDITIONAL $1 billion for the cause in the next decade.
Thumbs up for their renewed PROMISE: “To save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find the cures. “
Thumbs up for how they are handling the rollout of the new brand. The PR and advertising campaign this week shows that Komen has been and will continue to be the icon of the breast cancer movement and the “go to” resource for people affected by breast cancer.
From a public and media relations standpoint, there’s so much to review in so little space!! Let’s get on with it!
FOR THE PUBLIC —
There was Susan G. Komen for the Cure founder Nancy G. Brinker sitting with First Lady Laura Bush during the State of the Union Address Tuesday night to hear the important health care elements of the President’s speech.
A national satellite television media tour featuring founder Nancy Brinker, as well as a national radio media tour with Dwight Randle, Komen’s senior scientific advisor, all airing January 25th.
There was the viral email sent through Affiliates (chapters) and forwarded on and on to friends, donors, relatives and anyone who might care about the cause. Thousands on thousands of people are sending this around the world as you read this!! The text reads, with graphics:
Hi friends…
I made a promise – and you can too.
In 1982, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation started with a promise between two sisters. This year, our 25th anniversary, we are shifting into another gear, recommitting to finally, once and for all, finish what we started. Susan G. Komen for the Cure: new name, new logo, same promise – to end breast cancer forever.
There are big, bold changes coming. In fact, Komen for the Cure is dedicating this year to engaging our grassroots network of survivors and activists – the largest in the world – in a yearlong program of special events and initiatives, designed to help discover and deliver the cures. I invite you to join me and get inspired by viewing this special video message and promising to pass it on to your friends:
The video message will take you to http://www.25komen.org. There you will be able to create your own Promise Circle – a motivating online network of family and friends joining you in Komen’s breast cancer movement. Pass it on and watch it grow!
Share the story and show that you’re part of the promise by purchasing a set of Komen Promise Rings and passing one on to a friend. One to wear and one to share! View the video message, visit http://www.25komen.org, and find out how you can help fund breast cancer research and community outreach programs by sharing a Promise Ring.
Please join me in igniting the promise!
There is a terrific microsite with moving, talking people at http://www.25komen.org. A microsite is “an online destination — separate from an organization’s main web site — that has a distinct URL and delivers focused, relevant content about a specific product or service.” (Mark Walsh, OMMA Magazine, January 2007, pg. 7) People can sign on to create their own “circle.”
Significant national advertising in such media as People magazine with a focus on major metropolitan areas.
FOR INSIDERS —
“Brand Ambassador” training began in July with confidentiality agreements assuring the Brand could be launched dramatically in January.
No hunting for new BRAND guidelines, fonts, colors or logo templates. User-friendly Brand Central has it all and an easy-to-use poster with common elements can be hung on the wall.
Their Promise Week toolkit contains a hard copy and CD with an activation plan and ideas, a letter for media partners, a sample media advisory, a promotional sale item, and more.
The overall Promise Week message is bold and strong…and that’s not only coming from me as a PR professional but as a 20-year breast cancer survivor. One page of the newly designed website reads:
“Komen at 25 — Walking the Walk —
With plans to invest $1 billion in breast cancer research and community health and education programs in the next 10 years, we’re putting our money where our mouth is.
And our time. And our people. And our voices. 2007 will be a brash, bold, unforgettable year in the history of the breast cancer movement and Komen for the Cure will be leading the charge.”
Visit the microsite at: http://cms.komen.org/komen/AboutUs/Komenat25/index.htm
Did you happen to catch the Mary Thompson piece on CNBC business news on December 23 talking about the Starbucks campaign where they were using “unconventional and surprising ways to connect with consumers…” ???? Maybe it is guerrilla marketing at its best but she reported about Starbucks giving out 100 $5 gift certificates to people they saw being good Samaritans on the street. The people would tell the driver of a vehicle that he had left his coffee on the roof. “Happy Holiday’s from Starbucks!” the good Samaritans were told, before they realized the cup had been permanently affixed.
Staged, yes. But it got attention on the street, started a flurry of talk, was furiously blogged about, and was caught over and again by the mainstream media.
And they apparently always have folks smelling their coffee, because “positive, memorable aromas make people smile,” she reported. She ended by saying, “Tongues are wagging inside and outside this coffee klatch.”
So, do you think these tactics help or hurt a business image?
The value of this Business Plan process is the thinking that it forces you to do about your business, your products and services, your goals and the actions you’ll take to achieve your goals. Even if no one but you ever sees the plan, you will have given purposeful and logical thought to the purpose and direction of your business. This process helps ensure that the many activities you squeeze into your limited hours are time well spent – focused on moving your business forward in an aggressive yet realistic way.
Part 1: Analysis
Core Services
- List the core services (or products) you offer
- Be as specific as possible, but put similar items in a group (e.g., “Editorial Services” includes writing, editing, etc.)
Target Markets
- List the market segments you serve
- Be realistic; if you realistically cannot serve large corporations, for example, then don’t include them
- Be as specific as possible, but put similar items in a group unless there is a compelling reason to list them separately (e.g., “School Groups” could include secondary schools and colleges, but these segments might have different needs)
Competition Analysis
- List your competitors and a brief description of them
- Unless a specific competitor presents unique challenges to your business, it is OK to list them in groups (e.g., “Independent Practitioners” or “Small Agencies”)
- The purpose is to provide yourself a picture of what your business is up against as you market your core service
Vision and Mission Statements
- It is useful to have Vision and Mission statements that keep you focused on what is important to you
- Vision Statement should describe the “ideal state” of your business; it should be achievable, but also something to strive for
- Mission Statement succinctly states what your business is about, its purpose, the role it plays in the market
Part 2: Assumptions
Business Principles
- It is useful to develop a set of Business Principles that guide how you will conduct your business
- These principles have a direct bearing on your relationships with customers and clients
- The reason to include it under “Assumptions” is because your Business Principles are conditions under which your business operates; as you will see further in this section, you will list other conditions under which your business operates as well
Economic Assumptions
- List things you know about the economy (local, state, regional, national, international – whatever you believe affects your business)
- Include relevant historical facts (e.g., “the U.S. economy fell into recession in 2001”) and how they affect your ability to do business
- Note the impact of past, current, or anticipated economic conditions on your business and the products/services you provide
Financial Assumptions
- List things you know about your personal and/or business financial situation that affect your ability to do business and to grow your business
- Include things like cash flow issues, savings programs, the financial picture as a result of actions or conditions (a recession, recent investments, loan approvals, etc.)
- Reflect financial “realities” about your business (e.g., the need to control expenses, taxes owed, upcoming capital expenditures, expanding payroll, etc.)
Technological Assumptions
- Since so many businesses – large and small – depend on technology (web, e-mail, phone, etc.) today, it is useful to think about how these issues affect your business’s ability to succeed
- Think about upgrades of hardware and software, the impact of growth and expansion on your technological needs, training that will be necessary, etc.
Part 3: Strategic Summary
SWOT Analysis
- List all the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats about your business
- Be honest with yourself; don’t hold anything back or ignore realities
Key Success Factors
- Out of your SWOT Analysis, what are the key factors that will affect the ability of your business to succeed?
- Examples: strong reputation, broad client base, repeat business, unique provider, etc.
Competitive Advantages / Disadvantages
- Create lists of your competitive advantages and disadvantages based on your analysis of everything else up to this point
- What unique advantages does your business have in the marketplace?
- What distinct disadvantages does your business have?
- Be honest and don’t hold back because you will develop strategies based largely on this informatio
Strategic Goals
- Develop two or three broad Strategic Goals for your business in the next year or the next 3-5 years, depending on the scope of your plan
- Strategic Goals should be “big picture” goals, but they should also be specific enough that you can measure them
- Under each goal, list one to three specific, measurable components
- Example of a Strategic Goal: “Grow Client Base”
- Example of specific, measurable component: “Add at least X new clients by X date”
- Make your goals SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-driven
Tactical Actions
- Out of your Strategic Goals, list specific actions you will take that will help you achieve them
- Examples: Meet with two new prospective clients per month; Join a professional association to expand my network
- Create a calendar that plots when each tactical activity will occur so you don’t forget to do them
In the October 5 edition of the New York Times, Julie Bosman wrote that the “curiously strong” Altoid mints were facing possible branding issues in the company’s move to “shutter the factory in Bridgend, Wales and transfer production to its plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.”
One might say that was a curiously strong move on the part of owners Wm. Wrigley and Co., since the candy had been marketed with its old world British origins since being introduced to the U.S. in 1918. The antique looking metal tins include the words “Made in Great Britain.” Even the online encyclopedia Wikipedia is out-of-step, noting: “Altoids are produced in Britain by Callard & Bowser-Suchard.” Wikipedia shows that “The history of Altoids actually dates back to the reign of King George III. The brand was created by a London-based Smith & Company in the 1780s but eventually became part of the Callard & Bowser company in the 1800s.”
Some brand and identity folks say that this is a shift in how Altoids defines itself, with them going after a reputation as being a very different breath changer, rather than an old candy dating back to King George. For those of you who don’t know, Altoid ads began as early as 1920, touting the confection as “an antidote to poisons in the stomach. One or two taken after meals will stop poisonous fementation.” http://www.altoids.com/index.aspx?area=about
Others think the shift in Altoids production won’t matter. Still others say, it’s only the mint flavors that have stayed in the UK and all other flavors are exported to the U.S. and other places, anyway.
If one peruses the Altoids web site, it’s all about fun and prominently displays a contest regarding the “Tin Million Uses/One Metal Box” for the Altoids’ tin. And the last line on the home page reads that they are still made in Great Britain. Hmmmmm…
For the person studying related image risks of products moving to the U.S. from the far corners of the world, Bosman’s article is worth looking up. She analyzes similar moves by Lowenbrau toMiller Brewing Co. to Labatt, Jaguar to Ford Motor Co., Saturn to GM, Foster’s to Molson and more. These cases might be fun for you public relations professors such as myself out there.
Bosman also notes at least two successes, however — BMW’s connection to German engineering, and Armani’s connection to Italian fashion. Does it really matter when you really love a brand? After all, what do you really know, or care about, the origins of Kikkoman soy sauce or Haagen-Dazs ice cream?
Being a candidate is not an easy job. You send your resume in response to an Internet posting – or even a recruiter call – and don’t hear a word for weeks. Even when an organization is sincerely interested and invested in your candidacy, you can wait what seems like eons for feedback between steps of the hiring process. It’s only natural to think at some point, “Do I really want to work someplace where it takes so long to make decisions?”
When a recruiter is involved in the process, there is a live person to tell you about the inevitable delays. This doesn’t always make it less painful but at least there is contact and information (even if it is sometimes non-information). When there isn’t, how do interpret the signals? Who should you call or e-mail? And what’s going on here anyway?
There are many reasons for lapses in the hiring process, some justifiable, some not. Let’s look at a few common scenarios and what might be going on behind the scenes.
Scenario #1: You respond to an Internet posting on a broad job board such as Monster or a more targeted board for a communications association. Although you think the job has your name on it, it’s been three weeks, and you haven’t heard a word or even received acknowledging e-mail.
What may be going on: Organizations that post a job on one of the general boards are deliberately casting a very wide net. They may receive several hundred resumes in response to a single posting, many of them wildly inappropriate. It’s time-consuming for an internal HR person (who is probably working on 79 other positions at the same time) to sift through and make an initial cut for the hiring manager to review. If the company plans only to contact the candidates it intends to pursue, it should say so. Back in the day, print want ads often contained language to this effect. This isn’t all that unreasonable or out of proportion to the search method.
For a more vertical communications forum, you should expect a slightly higher rate – and pace – of response, since presumably the audience is savvier and the search campaign more targeted. However, again, resumes can get bogged down for weeks before they go to the hiring manager.
If you see a job on the Internet that you really believe you are qualified for, consider taking the plunge and tracking down the direct hiring manager (through networking or research) to make a personal pitch. After all, the worst that can happen is it ends up back in HR! And best case, you’ll attract more attention because your credentials are coming across multiple channels.
Another strategy: if you know –or can find—someone who works inside the organization, find out if that person can also forward your resume. Most large organizations provide incentives for employees to refer candidates. Once your resume comes across as an employee referral, it usually moves up a notch (assuming your credentials fit the role).
Don’t do all this extra work for every posting; consider it a numbers game and save your energy for the roles you really want to pursue.
Scenario #2: You apply for or are recruited for a position. You agree to the first step, a phone screen with a recruiter (either internal or external). You are told that the organization is talking with several candidates and that you’ll hear back within a week or so about next steps. After two weeks, nothing. You e-mail the person who screened you and get no response.
What may be going on: The organization may be approaching this as a “slate process,” i.e. evaluating a group of candidates comparatively and then making recommendations on next steps versus passing candidates through the process one at a time. Often, organizations are well-intentioned but notoriously over-optimistic about time frames. One week quickly becomes three.
As a hedge against this, try asking the screener what steps to take – or what to infer – if you don’t hear from him or her after the estimated time frame. Is better to call? To e-mail? By taking responsibility for the milestone on your end, you demonstrate how you would behave on the job.
Another possibility: the search has been de-prioritized or is on hold and this hasn’t yet been communicated to candidates in the process. Is this fair? No, but organizations are made up of human beings and some are better project managers than others. Is it fair game to conclude from a frustrating process that this is how everything works at the organization? Probably not. If this is a role you really want, it may be worth hanging in and reserving judgment until you collect more “evidence.” If it’s not a job you are all that interested in, again, conserve your energy and move on.
Scenario #3: You have now been through at least one round of in-person interviews and are told you are a finalist. You’re expecting a call about another round of meetings and nothing happens. Is this how an organization that is now courting you behaves?
What may be going on: While it’s counter-intuitive, interview processes often slow down as they move forward. Think about it. Earlier in the process, you may meet with the hiring manager and an HR person. But as the game continues and a larger cast of interviewers joins in, schedules can be nightmarish to coordinate. The higher you go, the worse it is. Your best strategy is to keep the hiring contacts current on your schedule, for example, notifying them right away if one of the days you have been holding open is now off limits. There’s nothing worse than putting together an itinerary with 7 people only to have to start from scratch.
Focus on what you can control – continue to research the organization, learn more about the new geographic area if the move will require relocating. And if you have other opportunities on the horizon that are moving more quickly, let everyone know. Hiring organizations can often be flexible in converting some in-person meetings to phone or video interviews, drop off less critical interviewers, etc. Just be sure to use this leverage when you really have other viable irons in the fire.
While no one can take all the “pain” out of being a candidate at times, you can learn to shift your perspective and to correlate your expectations with both the scope and stage of the hiring process.
By Janet Long, founder and president of Integrity Search, Inc
It’s back-to-school September, an ideal time to brush up on your interview skills.
No, not as a job candidate — as the interviewer. Think back to the worst interviews you’ve ever gone on as a candidate. Probably a big part of what made them so bad was the manner in which the hiring manager, HR person or other associates posed questions to you as well as the content of the questions themselves.
What’s more, as a communication professional, you have higher standards than most job candidates and are more attuned to interviewer gaffes. From a recruiter’s perspective, here are some of the most common mistakes I see well-meaning interviewers make every day:
1) Not focusing. Candidates notice right away when interviewers appear hurried, distracted and even disengaged. It’s a real turn-off. Think about the candidate who has taken a chunk of valuable time off from work — or personal time – only to find that “no one is home” at his potential next employer. As the hiring manager, it’s your ultimate responsibility to make sure that everyone on the interview agenda is prepared to invest in the process of talking with candidates. Eliminate the weakest links.
2) Asking repetitive questions. Not only does this frustrate candidates, but it also does your fact-finding process a disservice. Instead of leaving the interview process wide open, consider asking each member of the interviewing team (including your boss) to focus on a specific area with each candidate. Perhaps one veteran colleague excels at sussing out cultural fit, while another has an exceptional ear for evaluating communication planning. Play to the strengths of your interview team members and you’ll instantly find them more engaged and therefore valuable to you in the process.
3) Sounding like an interrogator. An interview, by definition, is an exchange. While you want to manage risk by ruling out undesirable candidates, making the candidate feel like he is on the witness stand is both daunting and counterproductive. The best information comes out when everyone is as relaxed as possible in what is already a high-stakes and often uncomfortable process.
4) Not giving the candidate a turn. While there is no need to cede control of the interview to the candidate, it is important to strike the right balance between asking and answering questions. A good rule of thumb is that the candidate should do 80 percent of the talking and the interviewer 20 percent. Be sure to make the most of your 20 percent – this is where you can demonstrate to the candidate your own grasp of your organization’s challenges, your managerial approach, and perhaps most important, who you are as a human being.
5) Giving fuzzy answers. Just as candidates who dodge your questions or speak in fluent jargonese frustrate you endlessly, your responses to candidate questions can be confusing or off-putting. Common candidate complaints include glaring inconsistencies in how interviewers describe the role and its priorities; a seeming inability to describe with any specificity the nuts and bolts of what the role requires on a day-to-day basis and interviewers who defer questions for follow-up and then do not make themselves available.
In truth, for all the self-help books out there about how to interview better as a candidate, the interviewer has the harder job. The interviewer must serve as part ambassador, part journalist and even part psychologist in an effort to make the most informed assessment and decision possible. The best way to get better at it? Seek out candidate feedback, whether through your internal recruiting representative or an outside recruiter helping with the process. Think of your candidate base as a key constituency; the more you listen, the more you win.
By Janet Long, founder and president of Integrity Search, Inc
By Marie Raperto
Before you visit any employer, you should have your references ready. Choosing the right people is very important in your job search process.
Employers want work references and, usually, supervisors. You should have at least three supervisor references, one peer and one subordinate. So let’s break it down to some tips to help you deliver references that will land you the job:
1. Have a list of references and all their current contact information.
2. Ask the employer what type of references they want. Then pull together a list that meets their requirements and that you feel serves you best.
3. Identify each reference separately with title and how you worked together (e.g., “supervisor,” “department head,” “associate,” “my assistant,” etc., “at XYZ Company”). Also include dates.
4. Do not include personal friends or family. Personal references would include anyone that might work in the field who can vouch for you work, e.g. the head of a non-profit where you volunteer, etc.
5. Remember to keep current with your references and be aware of their travel plans. If someone is not reachable, you should have a back up available. When a company asks you for references, have them ready and call each person to:
·Let them know they might be receiving a call. If you know who will be calling, let them know the person’s name.
·Give them an overview of the job description and how this position relates to what you did for them.
·Make sure references can answer: Why you left your last position or why you want to leave your current one. How you performed under pressure/deadlines. Why you were promoted or, if you are leaving because you weren’t, why you didn’t get that promotion. You’re greatest strength/where you need to improve.
6. Don’t hand out your references to everyone. Wait until they are requested and you are seriously considering an opportunity. Your references are doing you a very big favor … so respect their time.
Marie Raperto: Since resumes take up the better part of my day, I don’t have one and don’t want to post my boring bio either. So here’s the skinny: Worked in public relations/corporate communications in both the agency and corporate worlds. Moved over to the dark side and joined the head hunting world. I’ve been doing this since 1990 and loving it.
How many consultants or independent practitioners out there? How many of you work for the man, but view the man as your client? This is for all of you.
If you weren’t flexible before, you certainly have become more flexible in the past 13 months, right? Clients want to cherry pick what they can afford, sometimes opting to do more themselves. Some want to stagger project stages to fit a challenging budget. Some want to pre-bill, others want to delay billing.
The more flexible you can be, the better able you’ll be to survive in this tough environment. Here are some suggestions.
- Offer options for how your time is used and how it gets billed
- Work with subcontractors and vendors to flex their involvement and billing
- Be ready to work as part of the client team, with you doing some pieces and the other team members doing other pieces
- Be ready to teach others how to do stuff, rather than doing it for them
- Think in terms of smaller chunks of work that can be done incrementally
- Understand the dependencies between those smaller chunks of work
- Create a calendar of your work that shows all the time overlaps (Gannt Chart) so you can see how you might move things around to accommodate client’s changes
- Be ready to tackle those outlying projects during the down time, and be ready to spin up fast when too much work comes in at once
- Delegate where you can (budget allowing, of course)
For those working outside their client operations, I want to suggest a great book: Bag the Elephant, by Steve Kaplan. Its focus is on how you can operate in a way that makes it easier for large companies to hire you. The ideas work well for a client of any size, and some work well for those serving internal clients. It’s a short, easy read you’ll remember for a long time.
Stacy Wilson, ABC, is president of Eloquor Consulting, Inc., in Lakewood, Colorado
BP – beyond petroleum — advertises in full-page spreads that “Actions matter, not words.” What caught my eye was the word “believe” in huge black type with yellow background.
Could all of our organizations benefit by ascribing to this pledge in our image advertising?! But excuse me. I digress.
Now, I first saw this BP advertisement a few weeks ago. Today, their actions are front page news.
The ad goes on to say, “That’s why BP has accelerated its actions to improve the operational integrity, safety, environmental performance and monitoring of its U.S. operations. BP will spend about $7 billion over the next four years to upgrade all aspects of safety at its U.S. refineries and repair and replace pipelines in Alaska. BP’s commitment goes further. Over the next five years, BP expects to invest around $30 billion in the U.S., allowing its more than 35,000 U.S. employees to help provide safe, reliable energy for the U.S., while increasing alternative energy options for the future. If you would like to know more about the actions we are taking to live up to BP values, please visit us at bp.com/valuesandactions.”
Good step. But 6 months after they were blamed for a huge oil spill? Today, all of this is hot news again and if you ask me, BP isn’t looking like the good guy.
http://www.comcast.net/news/index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=/2006/08/07/450327.html&cvqh=itn_bp
Their website explains:
“BP Exploration Alaska acts in response to small spill, unexpectedly severe corrosion from a Prudhoe Bay oil transit line.
I asked the students in my online Public Relations Techniques class, University of Maryland University College, to select some of the best examples of persuasive public relations that they felt measured up to “Best Practice” level. Here are some of the winners they chose:
Susan Hollman likes Amazon.com’s “Holiday A-List Campaign.” It won a PRSA Silver Anvil award. Susan wrote that “Amazon.com and UTA Dobbin Bolgla won this award in 2004 for a promotion in 2003 … The campaign was based on prior knowledge gleaned from research that indicated that customers like to get ‘celebrity promotions that incorporate exclusive content.’ A prior online event with messages from singers such as Madonna and Seal, were both successful with customers and with gaining unearned media. The budget covered the agency fees. All additional media coverage was unearned through articles, celebrity websites, etc. The celebrities provided the online messages at no cost, including a video concert by the Foo Fighters. All participants got free publicity and promotion of their products. Even publishers were involved in some cases, providing extra copies of books to Amazon.com to meet the anticipated increased demand. A real win-win situation. When the campaign was evaluated, these were some of the highlights that make me feel this campaign was a PR best practice.
-Participating celebrities agreed they would do it again.
-There were in excess of 157 million media impressions.
-Sales and site hits increased and Amazon had its “best holiday season.”
-The featured products all had sales spikes when they were highlighted during the campaign.
Kimberlie Payne cited Sears Roebuck& Co. She wrote: “For the past seven years Sears Roebuck & Co. has produced a free calendar for its customers commemorating Black History month. According to a recent press release at prnewswire.com, Sears announces that it is ‘proud to celebrate African-American history and culture through an original keepsake calendar distributed to nearly two million customers free of charge at its stores nationwide now through February.’ Since the 1990’s ‘Softer Side of Sears’ campaign, the company has been continually re-vamping and re-energizing its hardware-only image. To add to its widening clientele and to demonstrate social awareness, Sears is reaching out to its publics again in order to persuade them to view the company as a diversified and culturally open place to work and shop. ‘Every year we look forward to creating a new and meaningful calendar that demonstrates to our customers that we not only value African-American culture, but that we also celebrate it across our entire company,’ (prnewswire.com).
Mark Hurst admires the Tide laundry detergent brand. “I began to notice the company’s commitment to public relations while watching a Christmas special this past holiday season. The company sponsored a children’s movie on one of the major cable networks and used the movie to promote its own public relations campaign. During the movie, the first commercial of every series was a Tide commercial that featured a running animated story of a small-town event that was being threatened by an unforeseen snowstorm. The story was beautifully animated and beautifully crafted. In each sequence, a new family was introduced (usually from a different social demographic) and clothes played a prominent role in their family story. An animated box of Tide was always subtly placed to catch the viewer’s eye…At the end of the story, the big event turned out to be a clothing drive for underprivileged families. Of course, the story had a warm, feel-good ending and Tide used this ending to announce their own clothing drive for underprivileged families.
Tide has recently announced a new, socially responsible product line called ‘Cold Water Tide.’ This product is designed to save energy by cleaning clothes effectively using only cold water. As public awareness of the global warming crisis continues to rise, Tide is certain to garner plenty of free media attention by developing a product line that can help to ‘Turn the Tide’ of global warming. To make the product introduction interesting to consumers, Tide has developed a website, http://www.tide.com/tidecoldwater/challenge.jhtml where they invite consumers to ‘Take the Coldwater Challenge.’ By logging in and sending the link to their friends, consumers can track the impact they’ve had on the environment (through social networking) on a prominently displayed map that displays the location of people who have read their note. Tide has a built-in calculator on their website that allows families to calculate how much money they will save by using Coldwater Tide. Again, Tide is coming to the aid of poor families by prominently announcing that it will donate $100,000 to the National Fuel Funds Network — an organization that provides money for low-income families to pay their energy bills. The challenge seems to be working. So far, about a half million Americans have taken the ‘Tide Cold Water Challenge.’ For this latest campaign to help raise social awareness of the global warming problem (and also to improve the company image), Tide gets my nomination as an example of a PR Best Practice.”
Paul Hill likes SNAPPLE. In a combination of advertising and PR, Snapple latched onto an idea to solicit customer letters. The idea was the brainchild of the PR department at Kirschenbaum & Bond. “The phenomenon behind this Big Idea is that people want ownership of Snapple and they are willing to write to the company about their relationship with this drink. The first unsolicited letters related how the writers felt — that they discovered it, they want to own it, and they are driven to share the news with others. The letters gave the agency an idea for a campaign based on a Snapple employee named Wendy who receives the letters, reads them, and responds to them. The campaign features real letters from real people who have tried the beverage and love it. The television production crews travel to these people’s hometowns and film them there–a technique which could backfire when you put untrained performers on camera, or could be a stroke of genius if they project an infectious enthusiasm, as has happened. The filming also becomes a publicity event at the local level because the company involves the community in the release of the commercials. This incredible relationship evolved to the point that Snapple eventually was receiving some 20 boxes of letters a month.”
Elizabeth Henderson is impressed about how Jack In the Box restaurants turned their image around after an e-coli scare. “They are now known as a leader in food safety. Most other fast food chains followed the lead of Jack In the Box in implementing new food safety measures. They have used their new safety program to persuade customers to return to their restaurants. From the website: http://www.jackinthebox.com/aboutourco/foodsafety.php …”Jack in the Box® restaurants strive to ensure that the food we serve exceeds our guests’ high expectations for quality and safety. Our food quality and safety program has been recognized as the most comprehensive system in the industry today. In our restaurants, Jack in the Box implements a Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) system for managing food quality and safety. Critical Control Points are key steps in the product flow that affect food safety. Introduced in 1993, our HACCP system encompasses farm to fork procedures for safe food handling and preparation in every restaurant….”
And there is much more…” Chad Elliott found another PRSA Silver Anvil winner that impressed him. It is Duracell’s campaign of “trust”. “Partnering with The American Red Cross, Duracell moved away from its traditional performance-based claims in favor of the notion of trust in launching the program entitled ‘Together We Can Become Safe Families.’ Distributing more than 150,000 guidebooks and coupons to help families prepare for unforeseen emergencies, positioned the brand before the public as one it can ‘trust.’ Using the American Red Cross was brilliant, because by name association alone it gives the batteries instant credibility. Identifying with Americans’ continued concern over terrorism, the strategy launched a program tailored to preparedness. The agency PainePR was responsible for the effort.”
Anthony Tornetta thinks the “Reading is Fundamental” (RIF) program doesn’t get enough credit. “This program is a good one — children see their sports heroes and other celebrities they see on T.V. reading and telling them to read. RIF is the nation’s largest nonprofit children’s literacy organization. This program is very persuasive and subtle. It is telling kids that it’s cool to read and that they should read as much as possible. I think their commercials are the most persuasive part for children when they see sports and celebrities on television.”
Erin Bessemer acknowledges that it as much marketing and advertising, as PR, but she admires the image created by “Yoplait’s Save Lids to Save Lives” promotion. “For more than ten years, Yoplait has been associated with helping women fight breast cancer. Save Lids to Save Lives has proven effective for the Yoplait Company and is part of their larger promotion of women’s wellness. In its first seven years, they have donated more than $14 million toward finding a cure for breast cancer.” Yoplait has also been the National Series Presenting Sponsor of the Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation’s Race for the Cure since 2001. See http://www.yoplait.com/breastcancer_commitment.aspx
“I see Yoplait’s commercials all over television. You usually see a woman exercising and then taking a break to enjoy here yogurt snack. At the end, she licks the pink lid to save and send in to the company. I feel this campaign is effective because it links Yoplait’s public relations with a very good cause.“
Alison Mingo calls to our attention The American Legacy Foundation’s “truth” ads. They have received multiple awards such as International Andy Awards, The One Show, Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, and Cresta Awards. “Arnold Worldwide is the agency responsible for producing this past year’s ads that convey, through satire, the stupidity of smoking cigarettes. The messages invoke different emotions from viewers in the shocking yet realistic information provided. Most importantly, though, these ads reach the target audience of young people who may be tempted to smoke or those who have recently become addicted. The anti-smoking messages have already contributed to the public’s awareness of the hazards of smoking that have led to statutory legislation banning smoking in public places.”
June Kruse – Also acknowledging the close connection among PR, marketing and advertising, loves the “Got Milk?” campaign. “When you see a celebrity sporting a white mustache in a magazine ad, you will know that’s the famous National Milk Mustache Got Milk Campaign.The campaign is funded by America’s milk processors and dairy farmers, with a goal of ‘educating consumers on the benefits of milk and to raise milk consumption.’ In addition to ‘Got Milk’ and ‘Got Chocolate Milk,’ ‘24/24 Milk’ was launched to stay on top of the diet craze. Their slogan ‘milk your diet, lose weight’ suggests ‘a reduced-calorie eating plan that includes 24 oz of fat free or low fat milk each day may give your weight loss efforts a boost.’ These campaigns have successfully raised our awareness of the importance of milk.” You can check out the facts, ads and commercials at these sites. http://www.whymilk.com/, http://www.2424milk.com/index.htm, http://www.milkdelivers.org/index.cfm
Kandra Berry loves an award-winning newsletter, ”SAMHSA News,” published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This monthly “offers the public information about substance abuse and mental health issues on a monthly basis.” See http://alt.samhsa.gov/SAMHSA_News/index.asp
Jacqueline “Jackie” Nemes loves Dell Computers/GCI Read Poland’s campaign “No Computer Should Go to Waste.” “This international effort recently won the PR News Corporate Responsibility Award for Environmental Communications. I believe this campaign measures up to Best Practice level because it has accomplished its socially responsible mission in creating positive social change. In 1997, the National Safety Council released estimates that more than 300 million computers would become obsolete before 2004, and efforts to dispose of them would generate a wide range of toxic wastes. Socially responsible companies searched for and developed solutions to this electronic waste. For example, Dell Computers began offering an online service called Dell Exchange, where customers can trade in, donate or auction their obsolete computers. In partnership with the government of Malaysia, Dell and GCI succeeded in their global campaign to raise public awareness of recycling/donating options for unwanted computer equipment and persuading public action. In 2004, informed citizens throughout the world recycled more than 100 tons of computer equipment and donated more than 850 tons of computers.” Pauleta Gumbs admires the American Red Cross Blanket Days for the Homeless program. See http://www.semredcross.org/blanketdays/
“This campaign was established to provide blankets for homeless and disaster victims. The campaign encourage groups, families, individuals to hold blanket drives in their hometowns and claims to collect more than 7,000 blankets each year. One of the reasons I feel that this campaign is effective because it plays on the audience emotions.
“Take this paragraph: ‘Your Help Is Needed. When temperatures drop, local shelters fill with thousands of homeless people- teenage runaways, victims of domestic violence, substance abusers, and the mentally ill. The cold weather also intensifies the suffering of people whose homes have been destroyed by home fires or other disaster. A warm blanket wrapped around the shoulders of someone who has lost a home is a comforting reminder that someone cares. How You Can Help. Your new twin-size blanket donations will be provided to local homeless shelters and disaster victims; financial donations will pay for additional blankets if needed, comfort kits, and also will support other vital Red Cross services in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.’ ‘Good Deeds’ are published on persons who went beyond their call of duty to ensure the campaign was and remains a success. Check out the feature story on the Warren Couple http://www.detnews.com/2005/macomb/0502/10/B05-85577.htm.
Margo Ochoa notes that Baker Winokur and Ryder have over 25 years of connecting the consumer with entertainer and she feels their work hooking celebrities to non-profit causes is the stuff of legends. There is plenty of unearned PR that can be accomplished with a popular celebrity Angela Gaines likes Lee Denim’s creation of the community/fundraising event Lee Denim Day, raising money for breast cancer research. See http://www.denimday.com/
“Lee Jeans sponsors Denim Day on the first Friday in October annually. Organizations across the country participate by allowing employees to contribute $5.00 to the Susan G. Komen Foundation and wear jeans to work. The organizers of this effort were ingenious in utilizing the desire of a casual workplace environment to help find a cure for a disease that affects millions of people every day.”
Brian Harrington feels Southwest Airlines’ Adopt-A-Pilot Educational Program http://www.southwest.com/adoptapilot/?sr=PR_pilot_020105 deserves some PR recognition. “This program encourages students to research potential careers as it simultaneously encourages achievement in school and self-esteem. Throughout a month-long program, Southwest pilots volunteer their time as they visit classrooms around the country, correspond with students while traveling, and encourage interest in math, science, and a wide variety of other genres. Since the program was introduced in September 1997, the program has involved over 65,000 students in its efforts to increase awareness in a myriad of areas relating to scholastic achievement. Additionally, this program has been cited for its impact on schools faced with a lack of funding due to budget shortages (this especially includes many classrooms in areas that are considered ‘disadvantaged.’ This year alone, the Adopt-A-Pilot program has engaged nearly 15,000 schools from around the country. Southwest Airlines, due in part to this program (and a variety of other factors), has come to be known as the ‘Luv’ airline.”
The era of Big Data has arrived, and social media big data will be a huge trend this year. This means public relations professionals have to step it up to keep up.
The monitoring tools we currently use are crude at best and provide only a glimpse into the mirror. There are mountains of data and we don’t really have the skills to see what they all mean and really connect the dots.
Up until now, we have used free tools such as Google alerts to monitor mentions or paid tools such as Radian6, Lithium, Custom Scoop, Cision and many others that give us ideas about what is being said and by whom.
If we are really sophisticated, we will use sentiment scoring, influence measurement tools, or text analytics which allow us to mine more information.
5 Essential Skills to Master Big Data
There is a whole new skill set we have to master to understand and be ready for the insights and opportunities Big Data brings to public relations.
Following are five essential skills to master Big Data you can undertake right away.
- Become an analyst. Don’t be intimidated by data and analytics. Use your brain and look for the ways in which different insights might help you to make better business decisions.
- Learn Excel. One of the best gifts you can give yourself is to take an advanced Excel course to learn how to manipulate data in spreadsheets. We need to move beyond the basics. Take a course locally, or the one linked to above. It is the still that will pay back in spades.
- Collect Data. Consider collecting your own data to supplement what you get from any tools you use. With services such as 80legs and Gnip, you can also gather your own data and analyze it. You can even pull an RSS feed or feeds into a Google Doc and go from there. The key is, don’t be intimidated.
Words and phrases including “blog,” “wiki” and even “chat room” make some business leaders nervous. They’re not sure what to make of these new social media. The technology seems mysterious and a bit scary to people who are still trying to find their way around the Internet or figuring out how their BlackBerry works.
If the wild world of online media makes you hyperventilate, relax. Take a deep breath. Despite the hype around Skype, behind the stress caused by RSS, it all comes down to a fundamental process as old as humanity: communication.
What really matters is how well you communicate with employees, customers, shareholders, the community and other important people. The methods you use, while important, are secondary to the quality of communication.
A recent illustration of this principle involves computer maker Dell. Unhappy customers took their complaints about Dell’s products and service to the “blogosphere” – that online place where everyone with a laptop and an Internet connection can share their opinions with the world. Despite the outcry over problems with Dell, which quickly reached hundreds of thousands of people thanks to blogs with names like “Dell Hell,” the company resisted joining the virtual discussion.
Apparently, however, the pressure became too much. A few months ago, Dell created “Direct2Dell,” a blog intended to improve communication with customers about issues ranging from the company’s battery recall to new products. The company’s critics considered the action too little, too late and charged Dell with paying lip service to open communication with customers. On the surface, bloggers said, Dell seemed to be improving communication, but in reality “Direct2Dell” represented more of the company line.
Last week, Dell posted a new “Online Communication Policy” and held a news conference to announce it. The policy, aimed at Dell employees, recognizes the value of online communication tools, lays out expectations of employees who use them and states the company’s commitment to “transparent, ethical and accurate” communication. Translation: no more company PR disguised as real, direct dialogue.
Time will tell if Dell’s policy makes a difference, but for now the bloggers are skeptical. “Dell Hell” creator Jeff Jarvis wrote, “Isn’t it always a company’s policy, in any interaction – by blog, telephone, or letter – to be open and honest?” He wondered if Dell’s 500-word policy might have been boiled down to three words: “Tell the truth.”
What can your company learn from all of this? It doesn’t matter if you choose to communicate through blogs, chat rooms, e-mail or good ol’ face-to-face interaction. What matters is that you communicate honestly and as completely as possible. The latest technology won’t save you if your stakeholders feel you’re not being truthful with them.
It’s the quality of communication that ultimately matters.
How does ROI know that we need to engage senior communicators? The research is voluminous. Here’s a snapshot of just some of the research ROI has referenced in this presentation.
- 2003/2004 Towers Perrin Talent Surveys showed: “Senior leadership is a top ten driver of employee engagement in countries across the world and the number one driver of engagement in the U.S., U.K., France and Germany.
- International Survey Research, 2001, showed: “Regression analysis on survey data from over 350,000 employees worldwide, showed that quality of leadership in a company had the highest correlation to engagement levels.”
- Hewitt Associates research, 1999-2003, showed: “Measuring over a four-year period, companies with high engagement levels had an average Total Shareholder Return (TSR) of 20.2%, companies with moderate engagement had a TSR of 5.6%, and companies with low engagemetn had a negative TSR of – 9.6%.”
Their presentation makes the case that the senior leadership MUST be involved in communication matters. They review the characteristics of organizations that communicate change effectively and go so far as to say, “Working with senior leaders takes courage and patience.”
The presentation lists the greatest challenges to effective leadership communication, common business barriers to engaging senior leaders, they explore a team leadership exercise, and more.
To obtain your copy of this free PowerPoint presentation, contact Bobbi Padilla, bobbi@roico.com