These Are a Few of My Favorite Things…For PR

August 31, 2010 | No comments

Julie Andrews liked bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens.  Those didn’t make the cut on my list of favorite things.  But below are three of my favorite things that I cannot live without (for PR that are FREE):

  1. Google News. Useful in so many ways.  You can search for topics related to your client or find media coverage featuring your client.  But my favorite way to use Google News is to get a conversation started.  I’ll search very generic terms like “back to school” and “stats” to see what other outlets are reporting and then start a conversation about the coverage on various social media channels.  Then, I include a hyperlink of select news coverage to showcase I am a knowledgeable resource.  By including the hyperlink, I can remain neutral while the conversation can go any number of directions. *Google Alerts is a close second to Google News, but for the purpose of this post, I decided to only include one Google application.*
  2. Competitor PR Websites.  Several PR firms post media and blog coverage that they generated on behalf of their clients on their website.  This is a great resource for building media and blogger lists.  You know what type of coverage these media contacts and bloggers have already been pitched and chosen to cover—half the battle.
  3. PR Daily Newsfeed.  Arriving in my email in box every day, PR Daily Newsfeed helps me stay in the know as a PR practitioner by posting relevant stories from new trends and PR styles to PR blunders and success stories.

What are some of your favorite things?

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Becoming a Go-To Media Spokesperson

August 26, 2010 | No comments

Over the years I cannot count how often I’ve heard clients ask, “I want to be the next Jerry Falwell (Jesse Jackson or fill in the blank here guy).  I have a different message (or a better way of communicating) and someone has to replace Falwell.  How do I do become the next go-to media spokesperson?”

The answer to this question is very simple.  A spokesperson has to be available 24/7 and willing to drop everything at any moment to fill media’s need for an interview.  If you do this, media will know they can always count on you in a pinch.  The easier a spokesperson makes media’s job, the more likely that spokesperson becomes their go-to guy (or gal).

The thing that Falwell did so well (whether you liked his message or not), was that he accommodated every media request.  It didn’t matter which outlet or reporter, the topic or exclusivity.  He understood the game and was willing to play it.  (Another person who knows how to play this game and has catapulted to fame: Kim Kardashian.  No matter the message, the game is the same.)

In the last couple weeks I reached out to three different organizational leaders to see if they were interested in participating in a media package.  All three of these leaders have personally expressed their desire to be the next go-to media spokesperson to me.  All three were on vacation.  I was only able to reach two out of the three’s “people” and both of those said, they had to pass because their guy was on vacation.  I don’t know if my request made it to the three organizational leaders or not.  Often times “handlers” can be over protective.  But I can guarantee none of the three will become go-to media spokespersons as long as they—or their people—routinely turn down or pick-and-choose their media opportunities.

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PR 101: The Gist and the Curse

August 23, 2010 | No comments

I’m a fan of Peter Shankman and his daily HARO emails. This morning’s email introduced me to Gist—a service that provides a full view of the contacts in your professional network. (I’ve not tried it…I’m just summarizing the HARO intro).  At http://blog.gist.com/pr-pros-this-is-gist/, you can read a customer endorsement of Gist by Dave Clarke, the Communications Strategist at the digital strategy and production company called Churnless (churnless.com). 

Dave says a lot of positive things about Gist, but the thing that really struck me was his description of what it takes to be an effective PR practitioner:

“…genuine, effective PR comes down to being a GDHHB (a GD helpful human being, if you will) to everyone you interact with.  Clients.  Your boss.  Reporters.  Bloggers.  Old school columnists.  The cameraman who’s sweating hard at your outdoor, over-sized check presentation event in July in Atlanta.  And part of being a GDHHB is knowing things.”  

Seriously?  “GD” Helpful Human Being?  While he is right that PR practitioners need to be a helpful source for everyone with whom we interact, we also don’t want to offend them either.

Churnless is headquartered in the U.S. so I find it interesting that, even as a communications strategist, Dave only barely tried to veil his curse words in a country where some 78 percent of American’s (303 million people in the US) identify themselves as Christian. [Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life February 2008]. 

A significant portion of the U.S. will find this offensive and it is highly likely some of those are Dave’s clients—or even worse—Gist’s clients.  Will they now seek out Churnless for strategic communications counsel?

Lessons in personal and corporate PR abound here.

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Marketing Kudos: Kraft Miracle Whip

July 29, 2010 | No comments

Some time ago I noticed that Kraft had debuted a new—much more contemporary—label on its mayonnaise and Miracle Whip.  I pondered it for a few moments in passing, decided it looked nice and was a smart marketing move.

Fast forward to this past weekend, though, and the new look—delivered via my television—got my full attention.  Why? Because the end “slate” of the 15-second “Bullet” spot directed me to the product’s Facebook page ONLY!

Yep…that’s right.  No corporate website.  No product website. No confusion.  Just www.Facebook.com/MiracleWhip.

And, because the spot uses a super clean, uncluttered approach to featuring the product at its best—on a sandwich—and ends with simple, easy-to-read copy, I could remember the address.

Clearly Miracle Whip’s only goal is with this spot is to attract Facebook friends, and it worked.  As of this moment, Miracle Whip has 35,039 fans (including me).

So I have to say, “Kudos” to Kraft and the Miracle Whip team.  Now that’s how to do it!

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Taglines Made Easy (At Least Easier than Capri Sun Makes it Seem)

July 28, 2010 | 1 comment

Have you heard the new tagline for Capri Sun’s 100% juice?  I can believe in that.  Seriously, because I can’t?   

There are many reasons this is a terrible tagline:

  1. Is 100% juice really something to believe in?  It’s not a cause or philanthropic initiative.  It’s not a core tenant of anyone’s belief system (at least that I am aware of). 
  2. How does I can believe in that tie back into juice?  When you hear I can believe in that how likely are you to ever think of juice?  When you hear I can believe in that you are not going to think, “I want some of that Capri Sun 100% juice.”
  3. It introduces the negative.  The reason Capri Sun is likely using the tagline is because when you think of healthy juice drinks, Capri Sun does not come to mind.  Motts, V-8, Juicy Juice and others may come to mind but most people file Capri Sun in the sugary juice drink category.  By saying I can believe in that, Capri Sun is trying to communicate “we’re a healthy juice drink, too.”  But instead, it reminds me (and other consumers) that their core product is a sugary juice drink posing as a healthy alternative.
  4. Who is the audience?  Typically, Capri Sun markets to children and youth.  This is not a message for their core audience.  But is this a message for moms?  It’s such a leap for Capri Sun that I think most moms are going to be skeptical of this kind of tagline.  Chef Boyardee does a great job of messaging their full serving of vegetables in Spaghettios to children and moms by trying to make it a secret.

It’s possible that Capri Sun is trying to align its message with the popular Obama Campaign message, but again, is juice something to really believe in?

A brief tutorial for Capri Sun:

  • Look at your peers and competitors to understand what needs to be communicated and how to do it in a compelling way that is true to your core audience while expanding into a new one (suggested companies would include Chef Boyardee, Motts, Sunny D, etc.).
  • A tagline is designed to be a memorable phrase that concisely summarizes the most important aspect of your product: your promise or mission.

Capri Sun, go back to the drawing board and please try again.

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Flipping for the Flip Camera

July 23, 2010 | 1 comment

I got a Flip camera for my birthday yesterday.  While vacationing with my sister earlier this month, I watched her capture small, fun moments of the day and then cobble them together into a cool video chocked full of fun memories. 

Boy oh boy, did that throw a cravin’ on me!

Of course I’m personally attracted to the creative outlet the camera offers to me to capture and share family fun.  But from a business perspective, I’m wondering why EVERY business on the planet isn’t using one?

For less than $200 a business can actually demonstrate services and products, virtually introduce team members to online visitors, conduct virtual tours, etc.  Couple the affordability of the camera, its high-def, digital video capabilities with a company website (and Facebook biz page and/or Twitter biz profile) and you can affordably deliver interactive messages directly to important key audiences.  (And, let’s not discount the high-def video quality, which offers options for any media relations campaign).

Imagine how this tool can impact your brand, sales and marketing efforts, blog strategy, media relations outreach and news room, etc. 

While I’m no expert yet, I’m a huge fan of both the technology and the promotional strategies and tactics it supports  I’m adding this to my “PR Basics” toolbox and recommend you do, too!

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PR 101: The Press Release

July 20, 2010 | No comments

Today I was searching for information about a convention one of my clients will be attending.  After learning next to nothing on the convention website—not even who was attending—I clicked on their online newsroom to see what I could glean from their press releases.  Unfortunately, the press releases had about as much information as the website—not much.  It reminded me of the importance of a good press release. PR 101: There is no excuse for a bad press release.  A good press release should include:

  1. Information from an outsider perspective, not a company perspective.  To do this, lead with the most important information for the outsider. 
  2. Clear, concise information.  Avoid run-on sentences  no longer than 50 words.   Press releases should rarely be longer than a single page or 500 words total (shorter is better).
  3. An “about” paragraph.  The “about” paragraph should be used at the end of all press releases about, in this case, the convention.  The “about” paragraph should include information like how many years the convention has been held, what will be covered at the convention, how many days the convention will be held and how many participants are expected or attended in years past and a web address.
  4. Compelling quotes.  Use quotes to tell more information.  No one cares if “organization X is pleased/excited to announce.”  Instead use the quote to share what attendees will do at the convention and other opportunities afforded by the convention.
  5. A web address (if applicable) where readers can access more information.
  6. White space.  A press release with half-inch margins, 10-point font and little-to-no white space is nearly impossible to read.  Include at least a full space between paragraphs and headlines to increase white space and readerability.
  7. A scan test.  After you have written the release, give it a cursory scan.  Can you discern the important elements you are trying to communicate in a 10second scan?  If not, rewrite it.  It is unlikely someone else will give your press release more than 10 – 20 seconds before they move on to another source.
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