Executives: Take a Leap and Elevate Your Division with Public Relations

New Year’s Day is for resolutions, and Leap Day is for action. I recommend everyone start each day with the most important action – promoting your good work. Most of us tend to think of using public relations efforts as an external function – media relations, newsletters, blogging, etc.  But your clout within your organization is just as important. We live in a lightning-fast get it done yesterday, what-have-you-done-for-me-lately kind of world. In this day and age proving your benefit to your boss is good, proving your benefit to the entire company is better.

Sharing your wins throughout the year with the decision makers and the rest of the company will be of most help to you during budget reviews, requesting additional employees or outside resources. So, where do you begin? If you don’t provide oversight to the public relations department director then go knock on the PR director’s door. Tell (in most cases her) you want to try something new. Explain you want to demonstrate your division’s successes, and that your proposed methods will help get the word out about what you do and improve employee morale in your area. Review your options for promotion. Will she give you a few inches in the company’s internal newsletter, or space on the intranet? Maybe you could work with the company’s graphic designer to create a simple email template? Take whatever help she’s willing to give.

The next step is to plan out how frequently you can commit to this. Once a month would be ideal, but you’ve got to make sure you’ve got the content for it. The content should focus on how your division is helping the company advance it’s goals. Has your division’s actions helped the company get closer to meeting it’s financial goals, or improve customer service? Was an employee in your area recognized for any reason? Do you have interesting facts to share about your division – number of calls you receive, or requests you tackle? Don’t over think it. Make it simple and easy to understand. Use bullet points so people can understand it at a glance.

Before sending out the agreed communication method to the entire company, make sure your boss sees it and approves it. He or she will want to be kept in the loop. Print it out and make sure copies go in board members’ packets or any other communication executives receive. People will take notice and this will draw interest and excitement to what you do. This is a simple step, but will definitely draw attention. Plagiarism will run rampant throughout the organization as other divisions catch on, but that is ok. You were first, people like it, keep doing it and don’t stop.  You will continue to impress people with your consistency and proven results.  

You’ve Just Been Cast as a PR Leader – Now What?

This weekend’s Oscar Academy Awards show has me pondering the roles of newly made public relations leaders who are far from being typecast. This economy has companies shaking up the responsibilities of executives, directors and managers. So what is one to do when they’ve been surprisingly granted a part as the chief communications advisor to the executive team, or director of public relations? Here’s where I would begin.

Request the following from the public relations department:

-organizational chart and job descriptions
-vision statement
-strategic plan
-status reports
-standard operating procedures
-communication pieces – newsletters, brochures, e-blasts, fliers, etc.
-approval process
-crisis communication plan

Initially, the last two bullets are the most critical. You’re now responsible for whatever materials come out of that department – both internally and externally. Find out what communication pieces are reviewed at the manager, director and executive levels. Those which target an external audience are the most critical and require the most scrutiny.  

If your request for the crisis communication plan is met with a blank stare, you just found your first project.  All organizations, large and small – for profit and non-profit, have an equal opportunity to find themselves thrust into the spotlight.  You’ll want to ensure talking points for the organization are accurate, determine how media calls are handled, who speaks to the media, who has had media training and who has not. That’s enough to get you started, but trust me – there’s more.

Your new role is exciting, but if your background doesn’t include anything related to communications or public relations be prepared for some potentially dramatic storyline changes. Are you ready to take a call from an investigative reporter, handle the fallout from a typo in a brochure misrepresenting your company’s annual revenue, or bring together community partners who are vital to your organization’s success but want nothing to do with you or your business? Don’t go it alone. Even Brando had an acting coach.

Ever been in this situation? Share your advice or experiences below.

Ace a Radio Interview and Get Requested

I prepped my client Teresa Berg Photography this week for an interview with Martha Stewart's radio program, Morning Living. Preparation for radio is different than other mediums - particularly since this one was going to be over the phone. There are two big challenges to overcome in these kinds of interviews:

1. You can't see the host so you can't read their visual cues. You don't know how long to speak, or if you're answering their question correctly until someone interrupts.

Solution: If you can, listen to previous interviews or stories the reporter/host has done. This will help you get a feel for his or her style.

2. If an audience member misses your name off the top of the interview, they may never know who you are. Unless the radio program puts your information on the show's website - you're out of luck.

You can overcome this by saying your name repeatedly in robot-like fashion, but the chances are you probably won't get asked for a second interview. So, how do you maximize your interview time, without over doing it?

Solution:

• Provide the producer or reporter your background information including: years of experience, books written, website link, awards won, etc. Include a list of questions you are frequently asked by clients and customers. This will help the host frame their questions, and make them aware of your credentials.
• Make sure your website is up to date with resources, case studies and links. When asked a question that requires more detail or examples, mention your website, blog, etc. This is helpful to the audience, and might encourage the station to link to your website.
• Write a list of talking points and keep it next to you for quick reference. This will come in handy if the interview picks up the pace or if a question takes you by surprise. 

Depending on the show, radio interviews can last for a few minutes or much longer. The best part about the experience is it will likely feel like a phone conversation with a potential client rather than a formal interview. But don't let your guard down too much - you might be in your sweat pants and tennis shoes, but you're still representing your company. Be informative, helpful and remember your talking points, and you're bound to get requests for more airtime.

Authentic: The Now Word for PR and Everything Else

I appreciate words. My ear is always searching as someone else is speaking, listening for those uncommonly used descriptors and phrases. Occasionally, a word will creep into conversations repeatedly. For the last two months I’ve heard the same word mentioned while having lunch with friends, meeting with clients, listening to professional presentations, sitting in the church pew, and even while shaking hands with new acquaintances. When people who have no connection let the same utterance slip between their lips in such a short period of time, it’s time to take notice.

“Authentic” is the word of the moment. As I ponder its meaning, I’ve noticed that clients and others around me who have focused their efforts on living and working in an authentic manner have been more successful.

Much time could be spent on dissecting the meaning of the nine letter adjective, but I will limit my focus to how it applies to public relations.

Crisis Communications: Staying true to who you are/ your company’s mission means you will weather the event far better than lying, back tracking or attempting to deflect the attention.

Media Relations: Authentic people and their companies get more coverage. It is as simple as that. The college planning company that donates time to teaching parents about how to send their kids to school without going broke, the photographer who saves dogs lives with her portraits, and the private aircraft support company with a customer service program modeled after the Ritz-Carlton.

Community Relationships: An honest approach to partnerships will produce stronger connections and better outcomes.

Keep in mind that authentic doesn’t mean altruistic, it just means the organization is true to its message. Some of the most authentic companies that come to mind quickly include TOMS Shoes, Southwest Airlines, Rolex, and Starbucks.

Share your thoughts on the brands you think are the most authentic in the comments section below.