The Changing World of PR and Your Role as Client

Today, I came across an interesting article by Grant Cardone of Huffington Post (be sure to read the comments), and, of course, it sparked a blog post - one I believe will be a must read for anyone doing PR (professional, small business, client of any kind).

The world of media has changed rapidly, and continues to do so daily. Some of us got on the train immediately and have seen how technology/Internet can help us do our jobs better, while a lot of people simply failed to get on at their stop. Now they're running around trying to catch up telling clients "we're experts" when they really aren't.

In today's Internet-driven world, anyone can be "an expert"
Just take a minute to think of all those you've seen saying those exact words!
So, how do you decipher which ones really are experts?

The truth is that huge scores of PR people failed to catch on to social media and how the Internet can really help them be more successful for clients. They still work under the adage that if a story happens they must take credit for it (whether they achieved it or not) to look good for the client. Or worse.....they just don't know what they're doing, and sadly, there are a lot of people out there who say they do PR and really have no clue.

Back to Cardone's post: What got me on this post isn't his comment about PR dying, but that the fact that the transition hasn't happened with a majority of PR people yet; they're scrambling and not in a good way. They're trying to translate traditional PR in a non-traditional media market and they haven't quite figured out the new strategies. That's why Cardone was failing to achieve the results he wanted with his three PR firms. I agree with him that many agencies have yet to come to the new PR table, causing them to be sloppy and miss opportunities. Simply put, there's a new way of doing things these days.

Anyone can talk a big game, but can they play and win?
It's not always easy and requires patience, but you should find out
quickly whether your PR firm knows what it's doing, or not.

Here are some things to consider as a client:

• A great story ALWAYS achieves PR. This is a fact!
  
• Review your agency's press release. Is it really newsworthy or just fluff? Is it well-written and timely?
  
• I feel strongly that a PR firm's staff should all either have a degree in journalism or worked in the media writing news (PR is news! duh)
  
• They should know that, now, the other part of PR is a conversation, which is happening online everyday, where customers, not media, provide the third-party endorsement of your product/service to one another. Very valuable!
  
• Your PR firm should know that the Internet can only help their efforts, increase odds
  
• They should understand that the media environment today has created more freelancers, who are harder to track, and must make sure your online presence (online press room) is in top shape, should media find you while conducting a search
  
• SEO only helps PR
• That PR is no longer ego-centric, meaning it's not all about the agency. It's about teamwork. Today agencies can contribute to media finding your business, but the journalist may contact you directly. It's about "getting you out there" and, some may argue with me, it doesn't matter who gets the credit but rather that it happened.
  
• It's more than understanding how traditional media work (and the changes they're making) but the fact that PR has become slightly more complex with the Internet. They should be able to advise you on using video, blogging, social media and more from your end to help their efforts
• They should be experts on all fronts - traditional and nontraditional; marketing and Internet
  
• Marketing is more integrated now than ever before - I will toot my own horn and say that I did predict this in journalism school and so happy that I followed a career in general marketing (brand, advertising, promotions, PR, web and more) because the Internet has brought it all together. They work hand-in-hand
• Again, it's about teamwork and your PR professional/agency should be prepared to play fair and share one common goal with you - achieve media stories to grow your business -and they should think about being part of the team long-term
  
• Finally, PR is a patient process that clients must be sensitive to. Just because you put out a press release doesn't mean media are going to drop what they're working on at that very moment to cover your story. Any good publicist will communicate this, set expectations, maintain open communications and regular progress reports, know how to target pitches to media, rather than blanket pitches and even be able to walk away on their own if they don't feel they're getting anywhere.
  

It is a serious thing to find marketing professionals that are right for you and your business. I always tell potential clients to listen to their intuition, look for someone they like and trust, check out the agency's references, be thorough and feel good about it.

Thanks for the blogging inspiration, Grant, and good luck to you!

A Negative Attitude is Bad for Business

Last month, I was interviewed to comment in a story on an unlikely industry - horse racing.

The industry has certainly seen its ups and downs. Consumers get revved for the Triple Crown races (aired nationally, internationally), but local tracks are seeing fewer and fewer ticket sales. Maybe this because young people aren't interacting with the sport like their parents and, more likely, grandparents. They are seeking alternative entertainment venues and the sport has lost its "sex appeal". Or maybe the industry has failed to capture the new audience by picking up the same entertainment models the NBA, NHL and MLB have in the last 10 years.

Well, anyway, a few key industry players have sought government funding to keep horse racing alive, that combined with a few stunts. They were hoping to catch the attention of media and customers, and force an uprising amongst fans to fight for the industry, but their negative approach may have cost them more. Now it seems the only way out is to ban together in a united front, pool their money and promote the lifestyle of horse racing nationwide with a number of events to attract young adults. This demographic has to be given a reason to come - and the race isn't enough. But that's just my two cents on saving the industry - an American past time. It would, truly, be a shame, to have only three races a year worth anything to anyone.

What these executives don't realize, and most small business owners don't either, is that the attitude you present to the world, to your customers, can actually dictate whether or not you will be successful. If you're struggling now and acting like its Doomsday, chances are the outcome will only continue to be bad, or get worse. Call me crazy but people don't want to support or buy from grouches, or something far more devious. This is the worst customer service and marketing program you can implement and it continues to perplex me why these people believe that this attitude will take them somewhere.

Call it the Law of Attraction, the power of the universe evening itself out, or you get what you give, all of it is relevant in running and growing a successful business. What you put out, you will get in return.

As I mention in this article, business owners (you) are the most powerful, credible and reliable source for communicating about your business. If you tell people it's failing, it probably will. And I know first hand that the reverse is true as well. So the next time you feel like telling the whole world how bad your problems are, think twice. You just might dissuade customers from supporting your business!


Read more in this article by Vic Zast on HorseracingInsider.com.

Positive PR for Great Nonprofit

In 2009, my involvement with I Should Be in The News, a nonprofit with a national network of PR people helping other nonprofits achieve positive PR, led me to Kendall Ciesemier and her organization Kids Caring 4 Kids (www.KidsCaring4Kids.com). We shared her vision and she became Cascade Communications' pro bono client for the year.

We rarely toot our own horns but this one story is a great example of what PR can do...for any organization. Her amazing story drew attention from Channel One news (about 6 million viewers in schools across the country) and resulted in the largest number of requests for her "i care 2" kit since she was on Oprah a few years ago.

http://www.channelone.com/onair/finding_strength_archive/

Kendall's story has inspired all of us to do more for AIDS orphans in Africa, and around the world - providing them with school uniforms, education, meals, bicycles and clean water. Many of these young kids walk miles to school and to get water while at the same time taking care of their younger siblings. No 11, 12, 13+ year old child should have this kind of responsibility. As a journalist and PR professional, it is these unique stories that make our jobs worthwhile and we're thrilled that the opportunity came our way.

Congratulations, Kendall! We hope the request for kits continue to pour in!

New Blog Segment - News Links of the Day

There are so many sites out there offering all kinds of helpful information to me and anyone trying to understand or generate positive public relations for their business. With this in mind, I'm starting a new blog segment of relative news stories and information you should know.

Let me know what you think. In the meantime, I'll try and come up with a better name for this segment of posts and roll it out with a red carpet-type presentation.

NBC launches TheGrio.com, a "video centric news site" aimed at the African American community

Biz owners, be smart, use online wisely or could bring negative PR

Should your business Tweet? Tweeting not for everyone

And of course if you follow me on Twitter, you will see most of these throughout the day. Just thought it might be easier to provide one posting of my so called "food for thought".

If you're not following me on Twitter....you should be! Twitter @SmallBizPRXpert

KFC Achieves Major PR Score, Misses Mark in Delivery

For those of you who read my blog(s) regularly you know that I harp on one thing....Are you prepared for PR? Are you fully prepared for what can happen to your business virtually overnight with one major national media story?

This week KFC (part of the Pepsi Co. brands) scored BIG TIME when Oprah announced that KFC was giving her viewers the opportunity to get a free bucket of their new grilled chicken two-piece meal by printing off a coupon from her website.

What I deemed a "brilliant" marketing moment for KFC quickly turned into an ugly nightmare of lines, angry customers, TV crews and bad PR for the company. Every company wants to get the attention of Oprah and she obliged, but your business MUST be ready on all fronts for the attention major PR opportunities like that can have on your business.

Here's where KFC missed the mark, and what you can learn from them:

1. Prepare, prepare, prepare - No one goes to battle without a plan, and I can guarantee that if a Colonel were really running the business the battle plan would have been very clear to all. Preparation isn't just for the corporate office but, in this case, all of your "franchises" and spinoffs. Even vendors, retailers and all business partners need to be fully aware of your marketing plans or when a BIG media story might be coming out.
In fact, you might consider doing a video or conference call, webinar or go around to each major store personally to walk them through the program

2. Communication IS THE KEY - Clearly KFC failed to effectively communicate to its stores around the country what the plan with Oprah was, why the company was doing such a HUGE promotion and, most importantly, the steps each business needed to take to manage crowds, additional publicity in local markets and general customer service.
KFC totally blew it! It was easy to see that local stores were completely overwhelmed and TOTALLY under-prepared.

3. Test before implementation - In my industry there are plenty of agencies out there that come up with "brilliant" ideas and then are surprised that the concept flops when they implement to the public. Terrible! Think about every time that you've seen a major company implement a program and watched it flail and then fail. I learned this a long time ago in the radio business and still believe in the importance of testing....ANYTHING - a promotion, product, marketing campaign, anything and everything should be tested before implementing and turning it lose on the public.

4. If you screw up, admit it - It holds true in relationships and with the public. Customers lose faith fast in companies that fail to communicate with them appropriately. At the worst their perception of your brand goes down and so do your sales, until you can regain their faith. KFC should have immediately delivered a statement to their upset customers across the country yesterday, but I believe that they should have contacted Oprah and apologized for being completely under-prepared. I will tell you one thing, I doubt that she'll work with them again any time in the near future.

5. Finally, the most unfortunate outcome of the KFC situation is, in my belief, going to be the strained relationship between the corporate office and local franchise stores. The company now needs to do some serious damage control on the inside to regain the respect of the store owners who make the company what it is. After this debacle....I highly suggest a paid vacation for all to the Caribbean and small group sit downs with executives where they can share their experience and input. It's a band-aid but it's a start.

Build Community, Sustainable Brand

Without surprise the majority of small businesses being launched today are Internet-based, meaning that their primary focus is selling their product online. Now that doesn't mean that retail no longer has meaning to customers, because it does. Women, in general, will never tire of taking a stroll through their favorite shopping area and sifting through the latest products. In fact, you really need to focus on both, if your business model/product is applicable.

The real opportunity with the Internet is a company's ability to connect with their customers, to build a unique community specifically for them. Trust me....if you're customers feel connected to your business, special they will return and more importantly they will provide word-of-mouth to friends and family.

Moreover, your website and building a community for customers gives you an opportunity to communicate with them directly answering questions, giving advice, pimping your own new products and services, as well as accomplishments. All of this re-establishes, in the customer's mind, why they've aligned themselves with your business.

Here's a great article from Chief Marketer on the importance of creating an online community for your small business, and how to build it so that they will come.


Building Your Brand by Creating Community
Apr 14, 2009 12:19 PM, By Ryan Buchanan

What are the most important goals when building your brand online? No matter the product, service or industry, those goals likely include:

1. Starting a relationship with your customers that can't be duplicated by the competition, encouraging loyalty and providing value.
2. Maximizing customer interaction time with your brand, as well as building mindshare and influence.
3. Building an e-mail list for targeted follow-up and communication.

Now, what's the best way to kill these three birds with one rock-solid project?

One popular and effective method is building an online community for your brand, letting your customers lead the way from a touch point that they control.

Read More...

Why PR Will Help Your Biz Thrive in a Recession

Sales & Marketing April 10, 2009, 1:09PM EST

Why PR Is the Prescription
The right story told at the right time can bring valuable attention to your business, even during a downturn By Steve McKee

Times are tough. It can be difficult to keep your focus on driving the top line when the bottom line is bleeding red. A lot of us can identify with John Krafcik, acting president and CEO of Hyundai Motor America, when he says, "Flat is the new up."

Still, you know you can't put your marketing program entirely on hold. You need to do something to attract new customers (and give existing customers more reasons to stay). It may be sacrilege for an ad guy to say so, but I recommend a healthy dose of PR. Yep, PR.

There are a couple of trends that, while causing headaches for journalists, can work in your favor: Properly understood, they can help you generate attention for your business.....

Read more