Make 2012 an ‘Olympic’ year for your communications

In these uncertain and economically challenging times, it’s easy to stop communicating just to save money. Don’t! When things get difficult for businesses, often the first thing facing the axe is the marketing budget.

Cost savings are, of course, an important part of sound stewardship but it’s a false economy to cut off your pipeline to the outside world. Silence is most certainly not golden when it comes to business. Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, once said, “If I was down to my last dollar, I’d spend it on PR.”

Maintaining and developing a company’s profile is inextricably linked to its long term success and should be a fundamental part of any business plan. Every member of the team should be familiar with the key messages of the business and these should be reflected in your communications strategy. Yes, you need a strategy!

Knowing what to say, when to say it, how to say it and who to say it to plays a crucial role in steering a business through the bad times, as well as the good. Time spent considering innovative ways of raising awareness and stand out from competitors will help you strengthen your market position.

Finding the right angle

Well crafted public relations activity is a great way of keeping your business visible and front of mind in its field.  PR, in all its forms, provides a cost effective opportunity for SMEs, as well as bigger organisations, to raise their profile and punch above their weight.

In such a noisy world, however, it’s vital that a business determines relevant messages for specific audiences. For example, is your company focused on reaching consumers or is it business to business oriented?  In journalistic parlance, you need to find the angle. This is the ‘X factor’, the piece of news that will attract attention and invite people to find out more about your business.

Does your business invest in apprenticeships, for example, or has it pioneered a new product, moved into new premises or won an award?

By generating a steady flow of relevant news, you will gradually improve your profile and at the same time, build credibility with stakeholders. Understanding your customers and where they obtain their information from, both offline and online, will help you reach them.  Remember to capitalise on any exposure you achieve by sharing it online via social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter and displaying it prominently on your website.

Do ensure that your online ‘shop window’ is updated. Include customer testimonials and make it clear what you’re offering and how to contact you.  It’s a good idea to get your business listed in all the free online directories and take advantage of their search engine optimisation, to help potential customers find you.

Make 2012 a year to get your business noticed!

Make your business stand out in 2012

One in a million – the joy of freelancing

Following the Prime Minister’s recent speech regarding the coalition Government’s focus on enabling free thinkers and entrepreneurs to flourish in the UK economy of the future, it’s particularly fitting that the value brought to UK plc by an army of over one million freelancers is recognised today, in the shape of National Freelancers Day.

The desire to achieve a rewarding work-life balance is one of the reasons I chose to set up my own freelance consultancy business. Like so many others, I had also become disillusioned and demotivated by corporate life. There comes a time when you have to have the courage of your convictions in life and take control of your destiny.

At the age of 39, I had become concerned that unless I determined my own path to professional happiness and security and struck out on a new journey, I would be in danger of drifting into a career backwater.

The launch of Blackbird Communications was one of the most liberating experiences of my life. It has allowed me to re-set the parameters of my life, become fitter, more of a free-thinking spirit and bring my expertise and experience to the benefit of a range of businesses.

Yes, these are challenging economic times but I’ve discovered that life is all about challenge and more so when you decide to go it alone. Congratulations to all my fellow freelancers on this, the second annual National Freelancers Day. Celebrate your achievements ! To all those thinking about freelancing, try it ! There’s plenty of support out there, you’re never alone!

 

http://www.nationalfreelancersday.org.uk/cms/

 

Lessons yet to be learned

You’d have thought that, over the years, the number of high profile businesses that have had to contend with public relations ‘disasters’ would send a pretty clear and unequivocal message to others – ‘be prepared’.

Other such pearls of wisdom include “hope for the best, plan for the worst,” a line uttered by the fictional head of the CIA in the hit movie “The Bourne Ultimatum.”

In the case of the most topical, BP, the exit of its CEO, Tony Hayward, goes to prove how quickly and publicly, a succession of PR blunders can affect a business. Of course, the issues faced by the company are immense but the lack of public perception that it remained in control of the situation, through the comments of the most senior executive,  has only served to exacerbate its predicament.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10360084

Perhaps even more famously was the case of Gerald Ratner, who in the early 1990s, made a joke in an after-dinner speech at The Institute of Directors, which caused his jewellery empire to crumble virtually overnight.

Even today, the phrase “doing a Ratner” is used as a case study by crisis management consultants.  In those days, the internet was barely known, so it may well be that this mantle will be passed on with  “doing a Hayward” in years to come.

What both these examples show is the responsibility of the person at the top when it comes to making public statements and dealing with the media. In most cases, poor PR comes as a direct result of poor judgement on the part of an individual, not necessarily the company itself.

Even the most seasoned PR professionals cannot legislate for an ‘off the cuff’ remark by the boss. History shows that just a couple of words can spark a corporate crisis.

So whether it’s a speech, a presentation or even an informal meeting – those in the limelight need to mind their ‘Ps and Qs’.  You never know who might be listening.

Silence isn’t golden

In these uncertain and economically challenging times, it can be all too easy to simply either cut down or cut out communications in a bid to reduce costs. Don’t ! This could be a quick way of actually going out of business.

It’s often said that when things get difficult, the first thing facing the axe is the marketing budget. Granted, cost savings are an important part of good business stewardship but remember not to cut off your information pipeline to the outside world and critically, your target audiences. Silence is most certainly not golden when it comes to business !

Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, was quoted as saying “If I was down to my last dollar, I’d spend it on PR.”

Maintaining and developing a company’s profile is inextricably linked to its long term success and should be a fundamental part of any business plan. Each and every member of the team should be familiar with the key messages of the business and these should be reflected in your communications strategy. Yes, you need a strategy !

Knowing what to say, when to say it, how to say it and who to say it to will play a valuable role in steering a business through the bad times, as well as the good. Time spent thinking of innovative and complementary ways of raising your profile and standing out from the rest will help you develop and strengthen your market position.

Do you know where your customers come from? Are you aware of what’s being said about you? In this digital age, having a credible and positive reputation online is just as important as having good links with your local paper or trade press. PR organisations and the media have a symbiotic relationship. Each needs the other and it’s the responsibility of PR professionals both in-house and in consultancy to secure media coverage but in a way that upholds the reputation of the business they represent.

By following a few simple guidelines in communicating your messages via the media, this relationship can be a harmonious and rewarding one but incurring the wrath of editors is to be avoided as it can be very difficult to retrieve. In other words, do not simply spam people’s inboxes with irrelevant material.

Above all, you must have something new or different to say, perhaps even controversial.

“Blogs Widgets launches new brand of widget” is not likely to leap out at a news editor.

“New widget will save manufacturing industry £5 million a year claims Blogs Widgets” is much more likely to provoke interest.

Journalists require material that’s relevant to their readers so it’s critical that you tailor the content of a news release to the audience. A headline must promise something that’s of the moment, new, or dramatic but ensure that any claims made can be substantiated through credible research. Be as bold as you can in the wording but remain pragmatic. The most compelling stories are rarely the product of just a news release.

The first paragraph needs to capture the essence of your story in no more than three sentences. It needs to be a distillation of the whole content but exercise brevity here. Keep the momentum and desire to read on.

Having ‘hooked’ the reader, it’s important to cover the Five Ws – Who, What, Where, When, and Why.

Including quotes from relevant people, not just the CEO, also brings your story to life. If quoted, this person should be made available for interview should the media request it. Be mindful of the timing of the release as it’s no good issuing it just as the boss is going on vacation, or worse,  about to leave the business!

It’s good practice to put yourself in the reporter’s shoes prior to sending out your news. Why should they read it? What questions might they ask if they need more information? Prepare a list of possible questions and prepare bullet-points that can be used as an aide memoire in response.   Answer any as best you can but if you don’t know, always commit to finding out and calling the journalist back.

The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (www.cipr.co.uk) provides a range of courses on writing which professionals might find useful.

Let’s be absolutely clear about this

If I had a pound for every time I’ve heard the phrase “Let’s be absolutely clear about this” when used by politicians during interviews, I’d be writing this blog from a yacht in the Med, maybe.

The words ‘clear’ and ‘clearly’ are employed by parliamentarians like anchors on which to hang their arguments, as if attempting to focus the attention of the viewer or listener.  On almost every occasion I’ve heard it said in a political context, no attempt is made to be clear at all. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Rather than deliver a missive that does offer clarity on a particular issue, the phrase instead is often a prelude to a torrent of rhetoric and verbage that tends to reflect some misguided notion of credibility. Far from being confident of an understanding, we are left none the wiser and sometimes irritated that no attempt has been made to answer the question.

You may have heard the phrase, “Why use a single word response when 300 will do.”

There’s something refreshingly honest about ‘Yes’ and ‘No’. Like metaphorical scythes, these words cut through the undergrowth of dogma and indecision. But this is a game of cat and mouse, a verbal sparring where tactics are implemented to dodge questions or steer the debate towards a different agenda that the interviewee feels more comfortable addressing.

So, what’s the point, I hear you cry.

Simply this. At a time in the political cycle when people’s livelihoods and indeed, the fate of the country, depends on clarity in order that voters can choose their preferred candidate, I would urge politicians to familiarise themselves with the meaning of the word.

If you mean to be clear, then do so. If not, then it’s nothing but patronising drivel, which has as much value as silence.

The same goes for businesses in their communication with customers. Say what you mean and while you’re about it, mean what you say.

Everyone clear on that?

Quality not quantity

One of my favourite sayings is a line from arguably the world’s greatest ever ice hockey player, Wayne Gretzsky.

“You’ll always miss one hundred per cent of the shots you never take.”

Absolutely. I find that really inspirational. Life is out there, live it. So what’s that got to do with PR then?

Quite a lot, actually.

In our 24/7 world of information sharing, businesses are challenged with trying to make themselves seen and heard. Some are more successful than others but it doesn’t just come down to who’s got the deepest pockets. Organisations that generate consistent levels of positive exposure have a good PR strategy in place that’s managed by professional public relations practitioners. Such people are practised in the art of the wordsmith and have the ability to spot an opportunity and exploit it.

Unlike Mr Gretzsky, however, who could be sure of hitting goal simply because he created so many opportunities, there is a danger that businesses which churn out hundreds of press releases may never score a hit. Indeed, those that do often lose credibility very quickly with the media.

Why is this?

All the research I’ve ever seen relating to the relationship between the media and PR people highlights the fact that so much of what journalists receive is completely irrelevant to them and the publication or media outlet they represent. In short, no attempt is made to target a specific correspondent or find out about a publication’s readership and editorial content. It’s seen as a numbers game and this is where the PR industry falls short.

The best return a client can receive is when 100% of the news generated secures some form of coverage. That’s time well spent all round, it creates goodwill and respect both within the organisation and externally.

Think quality, not quantity. Sure, sustainability and continual dialogue is crucial too but don’t fall into the trap of simply writing “Press Release” at the top and hoping for the best. Content is king. If you haven’t grabbed the editor’s attention in the first sentence, your effort will be ‘spiked’, in other words, filed in the bin. Always consider the angle and the impact it’s likely to create. Sound out others during the ideas process.

I’m thinking of slightly re-phrasing Mr Gretzsky’s words for a new mission statement:

“We’ll always achieve 100% coverage of the news we help you make.”

Early bird catches the worm

A phrase often interpreted as bringing advantage to those who get up early in the morning (debated at length in other blogs), this posting looks at it from the point of view of preparedness in the PR context.

The acknowledged meaning of the phrase is simply – “success comes to those who prepare well and put in effort”.

It was first recorded as “The early bird catcheth the worm,”  in John Ray’s A collection of English proverbs 1670- 1678, which shows that even 300 hundred years ago, the principle of being ready for what life has to throw at you was one worth pursuing.

In fact, this phrase also had a bearing on the name of the company responsible for this blog  – Blackbird Communications. I digress.

Such is the speed of 21st century communication and the growth of ‘citizen journalism’, the role of PR is now as much about ‘fire-fighting’ and managing corporate reputation – ‘reactive’ PR -  as it is about generating news and influencing the news agenda- ‘proactive PR’.

From experience gained over 20 years both in-house and in consultancy roles, the true value of PR is only really appreciated fully when the needle swings into the ‘reactive’ zone and things take a turn for the worst. The corporate world relies on the counsel and management of those in the press office or appointed consultants, whose job it is to tackle the predicament effectively, in a plate spinning exercise which combines damage limitation with opportunities to creative positive exposure. This is not a case of putting out a press release and hoping everything will soon return to normal. Far from it. It can take years to rebuild a tarnished reputation. If you’re a SME (small to medium-sized enterprise), you may not have that kind of time to recover.

As important as it is to be proactive in your public relations activity, it is absolutely crucial to have a plan in case things do go awry, that’s understood from the top down. Businesses should ask themselves the ‘what if’ question. Think of your worst case scenario(s) and then plan your responses and actions in those crucial first few hours and days.

This kind of public relations does not just apply to airlines, food manufacturers and drug companies. It is just as important to any company that provides a service or product.

When PR comes into its own

Getting your business heard is one thing – getting it understood is even better

The global thirst for information, in all its manifestations, has spawned an unprecented growth in the number of “opportunities to see and hear.”  The rise of digital communications and techniques such as blogging, podcasting, vodcasting and ‘tweeting’, to name a few, has created a very noisy, yet lightning fast method of transmitting messages to an ever wider audience.

Whilst methods of communication are extremely varied, it’s how you communicate that’s of critical importance.  This is where the value of sound public relations comes into its own.

The Economist magazine explored the value of the communications mix in an article, entitled “As advertising struggles, PR steps into the breach”. In it, Procter & Gamble, a global brand name with an advertising budget of some $4 billion at the time, concluded that it saw returns from PR campaigns which were significantly better than achieved from traditional forms of advertising. One reason, says the magazine, is that PR is cheap in comparison – in P&G’s case, typically representing as little as 1% of the company’s overall marketing budget.

The Economist article highlighted the importance of good, original and credible content. It said that “Crisply written or well-produced PR material can more easily get an airing. Media commentators have noted how PR material is now being published by some local newspapers virtually unedited and unchecked. Some branches of journalism have come to depend on a drip feed of information and products from the PR industry.”

Those of us in the PR industry may still have a lot of work to do to make companies understand the true value of PR but one thing’s for certain. We all know what bad PR looks like.

There’s a phrase often said that “All publicity is good publicity.”

Absolutely NOT true.

Welcome to our blog

This is the first posting for the new blog of Blackbird Communications. It’s been quite a year for this ‘fledgling’ PR consultancy which has just achieved it’s first accolade – runner-up in the New Business of the Year category at the 2009 Hertfordshire Business Awards. We look forward to further honours in 2010 !

Stuart Brooks, Managing Director, Blackbird Communications, is pictured left, with the finalists for Hertfordshire’s New Business of the Year Award.