How are people getting your news?

Crissy Lintner

In the not-too-forgotten “old days,” people got their news from two places: the local newspaper and TV’s nightly newscasts. Now, we have so many places to look for news! Newspapers, magazines, TV, blogs – it’s almost information overload. Well, actually, according to some studies, we seem to be becoming a society of information overload. And now, more than ever, PR pros have to be on their feet because social media is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to breaking news.

Just recently, I was awakened at 2 a.m. by the sound of sirens from police cars and fire trucks. For 10 to 15 minutes solid, sirens were blaring, and it sounded as though they were stopping not too far from my house. The first thing I did was to visit a local TV station’s website on my iPhone, thinking they would have something up about what’s going on that would cause such a ruckus this early in the morning. Then, coming out of my sleepy fog, I remembered that the real place to get breaking news is Twitter!

I switched over to my Twitter account, and initially, didn’t see any information. (I did learn an interesting tidbit about the fact that more people die each year from donkeys than car accidents – who knew?). But within seconds, up popped the gem I was looking for from a local TV station: “Crews on the scene for two-alarm apartment fire at 10800 Steppington in Dallas.” Bingo! I now knew the reason for the sirens, where the fire was located, that the building was unoccupied and eventually got photos from the scene – all within five minutes and without having to get up and turn on the TV. And, I could go back to sleep with my curiosity satiated.

My point is this. If you’re not hooked into Twitter, you should be. And if your client isn’t using Twitter, it probably should be. And if you, PR Pro, are not monitoring what is happening on Twitter, you better be because more and more breaking news is “breaking” on Twitter. So is general chatter – both from reporters and the general public – that could involve a client or give you an opportunity to pitch your client.

While I still very much value the news I get from print and TV outlets, including the wonderful coverage they offer for our many clients, it’s a different type of value. At 2 a.m., I appreciate that I can hop on Twitter and find out what’s happening a few blocks away before the camera crews are on the ground or photographer has made it to the doorstep. During the business day, I appreciate that I can find out that a local news reporter needs a source to discuss how to prevent dog bites (@HSNT1 is the perfect fit!).

This immediacy gives new meaning to breaking news and how it’s reported and when people find out. And if you’re not paying attention, you and your clients could be left behind.

Follow Obsidian on Twitter: @obsidianpr | @obsidiandallas

If PR were an animal, it would be a …

Kerri Guyton

There is no single right or wrong answer to this metaphor (said any knowledgeable PR practitioner). A good argument could most likely be made for several different animals, as PR has many characteristics and strengths. However, I’m inclined to state a case for one possible answer here, and I think that if PR were an animal, it would be a chameleon.

Chameleons are most known for the ability to change colors in order to blend in with their environment. This is a natural survival mechanism – and one that I’m sure they are glad to have at times when they most need to blend in – but it’s the adaptability factor of this particular characteristic that links it to PR.

In order to effectively engage with an audience through public relations, it is absolutely imperative that practitioners understand the environment in which they are communicating. The visual and verbal messages conveyed will be most effective if they are developed and distributed in ways that make sense for the environment. For example, an anti-smoking organization might distribute posters communicating a “don’t smoke” message through graffiti in high schools, but the same message aimed at pregnant women would be inked in a completely different way on the poster at the obstetrician’s office.

Chameleons actually have a couple of other specific characteristics that are highly significant to adaptability – and to PR. Through research, I discovered that the tiny feet of these reptiles are quite complex. There are many little intricacies that allow them to climb trees and rocks in order to get off the ground and better perceive their environment. PR, too, involves many small intricacies that make a big impact on the effectiveness of a campaign.

Additionally, chameleons have the most distinctive eyes of any reptile. They have the ability to rotate and focus their eyes independent of each other, allowing them to observe two different objects simultaneously, as well as affording them a full 360-degree view of their environment. Talk about being completely aware of what’s going on around you! And, that’s really the basis for effective PR.

To recap, PR in its simplest form is about relating to your publics. Adapting your messages to the environment of your audience will help you communicate effectively, and by keeping a “360-degree view” of what’s going on around your company or organization, you will be able to adapt to changes and discover opportunities that you may have missed before. PR is definitely “in the details,” and even the smallest steps can make big waves for a company or organization – leading it to rise above the forest or fall from the tree.

What's on your reading list?

Katie Pemberton

PR is a constantly evolving practice. How we did our jobs five years ago is quite different from how we do them now. It can seem frustrating at times to have to keep up with all the new developments, but aren’t we glad that other professions evolve: like digital technology, transportation and medicine? And so we PR practitioners too must adapt and stay current on everything that is changing in our industry and be attuned to every possible way that we can provide value to clients. I would like to suggest one radical approach to doing that: Read books!

In our time-crunched society, it’s tempting to try to get all of your new information from articles online, and certainly online content is key for the newest of the new developments in social media and technology. But if it’s depth you need, you must take it a step further. Here are some books to help you fill up your PR arsenal.

AP Stylebook (the CURRENT version!)

You will not find anyone at Obsidian without either a hard copy of this book and/or access to the AP Stylebook’s online database. It is simply a must. The changing media landscape (another heavily evolving industry!) means that there are far fewer reporters to do the same amount of work. In order to be a highly valued PR person with great relationships with the media, it helps if you make their jobs easier. One major way we at Obsidian do that is always writing in AP style. If a reporter or editor can lift your news release straight from your Word document and publish it with no or few changes, you have just won some serious credibility, my friend.

“The New Rules of Marketing & PR: How to Use Social Media, Online Video, Mobile Applications, Blogs, News Releases, and Viral Marketing to Reach Buyers Directly” by David Meerman Scott

This book is a highly reviewed tome that details all the newest ways we as marketers can reach out to various audiences. It includes information and chapters on mobile marketing, real-time marketing and PR, and new ways of collecting online metrics. Author David Meerman Scott has been the VP of marketing for two publicly traded companies and now serves as an adviser for emerging companies.

“The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey

Of course you know about this book. Everyone does! There’s a reason for that—it’s awesome! And his seven habits, including being proactive, beginning with the end in mind and understanding before being understood, are so relevant to PR. If you’ve read it before your PR career, take a fresh look at it now and see if you can’t use some of these habits to make you a stronger PR practitioner.

“Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” by Robert B. Cialdini, Ph.D.

The Journal of Marketing Research said “Influence” is one of the “most important books written in the last ten years” for marketers. That’s because anyone in any role in the marketing and PR realm must have some power of persuasion. You must be able to persuade reporters to write about you, persuade executives to give social media a chance, persuade potential customers to consider your product or service. If you’re in development or fundraising, the need for persuasive technique is much more obvious. Following Dr. Cialdini’s recommendations, such as his “rule for reciprocity,” will get any marketer, PR person or salesperson further in their quest for whatever they seek.

“Likeable Business: Why Today's Consumers Demand More and How Leaders Can Deliver” by Dave Kerpen          

Kerpen is also the author of last 2011’s “Likeable Social Media,” which is a USA Today and New York Times bestseller. In “Likeable Business,” which was released in October 2012, he introduces to readers the 11 principles of business likeability, such as authenticity, transparency and simplicity. The book includes case studies and plenty of in-depth content on how businesses can spur growth, profits and success by being likeable online.

"The Book of Business (Un)Awesome" by Scott Stratten

How much do you invest in arming your front-line staff with the skills they need to make a good first impression on your customers? When it comes to your business being awesome - or unawesome - success or failure is not usually because of upper management. It's the everyday heroes who interact with your customers - cashiers, floor salesmen, customer service representatives, etc. Social media influencer and marketing pro Scott Stratten offers great examples of companies being awesome, and alternately unawesome, in business. 

You and your employees are your brand. Stratten's entertaining and fast read shows how you can ensure success (and failure) across all areas of business through marketing, PR, social media and those most important: your ambassadors.

 
Let us know what some of your favorite PR books are! And remember that many books can have PR implications, even if they don’t seem to at face value.

You and I know how much joy, knowledge and fulfillment can be drawn from reading…but many adults do not. An estimated 30 million adults in the U.S. can read only at an elementary school level or below. You can help by becoming a tutor with Literacy Mid-South or donating to its adult literacy program. Visit www.literacymidsouth.org for more information.

Honesty is the best policy!

 

Kelli Eason

Lance Armstrong.

Manti Te’o.

Bernie Madoff.

Aside from the fact that they are all well-known American figures, it’s not hard to guess what these three have in common. They all got caught in a lie of some sort. It affected them all differently, but ultimately damaged each of their personal brands.

Bernie Madoff was caught in a major Ponzi scheme, lying to his clients and costing a lot of people a lot of money. It cost him his personal fortune, his estate, his career and his freedom outside prison walls. Lance Armstrong was caught lying about using illegal substances to help him win the Tour de France seven times in a row – and it cost him his titles, future racing opportunities and endorsement dollars. Manti Te’o was the heartbreaking story of the 2012 college football season after his grandmother and girlfriend died in the same week…until the world found out there was no such girlfriend. Te’o is new to this group, so we have yet to determine exactly how his brand will be tarnished by the scandal. 

Working in the field of public relations, my first thought when these types of scandals break is that these guys’ publicists won’t be sleeping much for a while. My second thought is how I would handle it.

If you’ve ever dealt with a crisis situation like this, you know that there should always be a PR practitioner at the table. With that in mind, I would advise the following:

1.    Don’t do wrong or unethical things in the first place.

It’s too late for Lance Armstrong. He made poor choices for way too long to have them just disappear now. But it’s not too late for most people – companies or individuals. If something is wrong, make it right. When faced with a potentially damaging situation, take the high road. Don’t let yourself get caught up in scandals that could ruin lives (as Madoff did) or ruin your career or brand (like Armstrong or Te’o). 

If you’re unsure of whether you’re being confronted with an ethical situation, PRSA has a handy Code of Ethics available to help identify and overcome those situations, as do many other professional organizations.

2.    If you find yourself caught up in a situation like this, honesty is the best policy.

I watched a segment on The Today Show a few weeks ago in which Star Jones recommended, from a legal standpoint, that Lance Armstrong never admit to doping. In her eyes, it would severely damage his personal brand and therefore his ability to make money from future endorsements, speaking engagements or even future competitions. But Star Jones is a lawyer, not a PR practitioner. Public relations is all about building trust and building a strong personal brand no matter what. With all Armstrong’s former teammates saying he used illegal substances, it became increasingly difficult for him to convince anyone that he was telling the truth.

The same could be said of Manti Te’o. Today the official statement from the Te’o family and from Notre Dame is that Te’o was the victim of a cruel prank. The rest of the world is still confused. Even according to official statements, Te’o knew about the hoax on Dec. 6, yet he still spoke about the girl two days later at the Heisman ceremony. Without the whole truth, people will think the worst no matter what.

3.    Make your brand a priority.

This is true in any situation, not just those that involve a lie. In Lance Armstrong’s case, he has been an important advocate for the cancer community. A close friend of mine lives in Austin, Texas – where Livestrong is headquartered. She recently beat lymphoma and is very supportive of the Livestrong organization separate from Armstrong. In her blog, she acknowledges his mistakes but hopes that the charity – which has since severed ties with Armstrong – continues to thrive and support cancer survivors.

Bernie Madoff can, of course, never recover from his lie. He is serving his prison sentence for a variety of felonies related to his Ponzi scheme. In Madoff’s case, he owned his company, which went under with him. Had he been part of a larger bank or investment group with the strength to survive such a scandal, he likely would have been a casualty of the company’s rebuilding.

In Manti Te’o’s case, he may overcome this, depending on whether he tells the whole truth before it’s too late. There is still time before the NFL draft, for which he was previously projected to be a first-round pick. I’ll be watching the news for more information, and will be interested to see how the NFL considers his personal brand along with his talents as a player.

Have any thoughts about this blog? Leave it in the comments and we can discuss it there.

Pinterest: It's about inspiration.

Lauren Hannaford

2012 was the year of Pinterest. Many are wondering if the social media platform will stand the test of time or turn into another Foursquare. One thing is certain. Businesses have already jumped on board. 

I came across some interesting facts from the CEO and founder of PinLeague on this PR Newswire story:

• Less than 1 percent negative sentiment on the platform
• Contributing 20 percent of social commerce
• The half-life of a pin is one week or more, compared to 80 minutes for a Facebook post and five to 25 minutes for a tweet.
• It’s not about conversation. It’s about quality content. The ratio of “repins” to comments is 175 to one.
• The average order value on Twitter is $69, Facebook $80 and Pinterest $179. PinLeague estimates that 90 percent of the top 1,500 brands will have Pinterest accounts within 12 months.
  

Wow! Those are strong figures. With that said, it is important for businesses to be aware of the proper use of Pinterest. I already get ridiculously annoyed when I see pins from companies’ boards that shout, “Buy our awesome product!” No, thanks. I want tips, recipes, health information, photos, ideas, hilarious sayings and products presented to me in a fun, useful manner. Then I will buy your product.

A great example of a Pinterest account that I think is well-managed is Southern Living. One look through their boards, and I was following almost all of them. Then I thought, “Why do I not get this magazine in the mail?” I immediately went to the website to sign up for a subscription. Cha-ching! Southern Living, you just made money from your Pinterest account.

Consumers on Pinterest are doers! Not to copy The University of Memphis’ tagline, but Pinterest is full of dreamers, thinkers and doers! If you can plan and execute your business’s Pinterest account with that in mind, it is sure to be worth the time even if you can’t quantify revenue just yet.

Coming Together – The Benefit and Importance of Professional Organizations

Kelli Eason

I graduated college in May of 2009. I worried, of course, about finding a job in the recession. I thought I had a pretty good shot at getting hired from a previous internship, but by the time I graduated and the market had sufficiently tanked, most of my previous supervisors were in no place to hire new communications staff. That’s where the Public Relations Society of America came in.

In college, I joined the Public Relations Student Society of America, which led to my involvement in its parent organization, PRSA. In the past five years, I have served in seven leadership positions, traveled to four national events, made too many close friends to count and, last but not least, been hired for two internships and two full-time jobs as a result of my involvement.

How did PRSA come to support my job hunt in the worst part of a recession? That’s easy – it’s all about who you know. In one of my last projects at LSU, I participated in a student campaign competition through PRSSA. During that project, I met a local PR spokesperson who hired me for my first post-graduate job just a few months later. When I was ready to move to Memphis, PRSA once again supported my search. After posting my resume to the PRSA Memphis website, I received an email from Courtney Liebenrood Ellett, who I now work with at Obsidian Public Relations.

So what if you’re not looking for a job? That’s great. PRSA or any other professional organization can still serve as a good resource. In the past few months, I’ve had the opportunity to learn firsthand about Duncan-Williams’ popular Live at the Garden YouTube videos, how Anthony Siracusa transformed Memphis’ bicycling culture and the role communications plays in corporate culture from the CEO of First Horizon. The regular luncheons are a great way to get an inside look into the industry, as well as an opportunity to meet other PR pros in town.

Looking for more information on PRSA? Check out the Memphis Chapter’s website by clicking here and the Dallas Chapter by clicking here.

The Interview - What You Need to Know

Katie Pemberton

So, you got a reporter to agree to write a story about you? That’s great! Media coverage in respected publications and programs can make a huge impact on awareness of your company. But just because you’ve gotten the story, that doesn’t mean the work is over…the interview is the most important part! Yes, you will be talking about your company and/or yourself, a topic you are extremely familiar with. But just because you know your subject matter doesn’t necessarily mean you know the best way to present it.

At Obsidian, a major part of what we do is preparing clients and their representatives for interviews, whether it’s a live in-studio TV or radio interview, a taped TV interview or a phone interview. Several of our clients have very media-savvy CEOs who have a lot of interview experience; in those cases, our media prep may be limited to sending a list of potential questions the interviewer might ask. In many cases, though, especially with representatives who have less media experience, we go much more in-depth. For the kinds of interviewing advice we dispense to our clients, read on. 

• Prepare. Have any statistics, testimonials and other data handy so you can refer to it and give the reporter meaningful information to support your argument(s). Consider what kinds of questions the reporter might ask and practice your responses to those. Have someone you trust give you a mock interview to give you feedback on your answers and delivery. 
• If you don’t know the answer, do NOT guess. It’s OK if you are doing an interview about a local hunger initiative and you don’t know how many people worldwide go hungry. But be honest about that and don’t guess the number—you never know who might repeat that number and use it again. In a case like this one, respond this way, “I’m actually not sure about the global hunger statistics, but what I can tell you is that one in four people in our community are uncertain where their next meal is coming from.” Remember that “what I can tell you” phrase. It will become a powerful tool in your interviewing arsenal.
• Keep the interview on track. Especially in a live interview, the line of questioning can go off the rails quickly. Yes, it is the interviewer’s job to stay on topic, but you must share that burden if you want your message to be heard. You have secured precious and valuable time with a reporter—do NOT let it be squandered by going off topic. The first step in this piece of advice is to make sure that you pitch the reporter or producer accurately and honestly (don’t sell the reporter on one thing and expect to bait-and-switch her into writing about something else).  If the interviewer at some point goes off topic, that’s when you pull out your “what I can tell you” trick! Respond to an off-topic question with this phrase, “I don’t know about that, but what I can tell you is that…”
• Speak only for yourself and your organization. There are very few scenarios in which you should talk about any other organization, and certainly you should never bad-mouth another organization. Don’t fall into the “what do you think” trap. “What do you think about Competitor X’s announcement that they’re cutting jobs in Tennessee?” or “What do you think about Competitor X’s new product?” Don’t feel that you HAVE to answer questions that make you uncomfortable, but know that “no comment” is not the right way to handle these types of questions. I would counsel my client to respond with something like, “I can’t speak for Competitor X, but what I can tell you (there it is again!) is that we have created 24 new jobs in the Memphis area in the past year.” Bring the attention away from other organizations and back to your company.
• Use positive language, and in your response, avoid repeating any negative language that may be in a reporter’s question. 
• Don’t use jargon unless you are interviewing with a reporter who works only in your industry. For example, if you’re in logistics, a writer for Logistics Business, a trade magazine. Otherwise, speak in layman’s terms.
• Channel your mother’s voice in your head, and sit up straight, use positive body language and be aware of your facial expressions. For TV interviews, I tell clients, “Sit up so straight you feel stupid, and smile almost to the point of feeling stupid.” For most of us who are not on TV all the time, having perfect posture and smiling constantly do not feel natural. But when you watch your interview back later, you’ll be glad if you sat up straight and smiled, and probably not like the way you looked if you slouched and frowned or had a neutral face. The exception to this rule would be any controversial or serious topic. Your facial expressions should be appropriate to the content.

Remember, every interview or scenario is different. The first piece of advice I gave is the most important one: prepare. Whether you do that with a colleague, friend or a trusted PR partner, you will never regret investing an hour into your company’s reputation.

Happy New Year! Now what?

Crissy Lintner

Happy New Year! It’s 2013, and I’m sure we all have our New Year’s resolutions in hand and are making great progress. But does your business have its New Year’s resolutions nailed down? If not, I have a few to get you started – PR resolutions for 2013.

Be active in social media!
So, you had a couple of months last year during which you were active on Facebook and built up a significant following. Then, crickets were chirping… Things got busy and you weren’t able to keep up with it. Resolve for 2013 to get active again, because if you’re not in the conversation, you’re not relevant. Assign someone internally (or hire a PR firm) to manage your social media interactions and monitor them daily. There’s nothing worse than non-response and inactivity on a business’s social media page.

Build relationships with the news media.
It’s important to remember that behind every newspaper is a person. And building relationships with the individual reporters who write about your industry is a key to getting media coverage in the future. Be sure that you’re reaching out to introduce yourself, your expertise and your business before you have news. And when you do have news, ensure that it’s timely and newsworthy. 

No more last-minute PR campaigns!
Remember: timely and newsworthy. Haphazard PR is never effective. Take time to think through any important news items for the year and lay out on a timeline. Then, incorporate at least four to six weeks for PR efforts related to an event and up to three months for major announcements, such as expansions, acquisitions or leadership changes. This is where a great PR partner can be an advantage.

Communicate with your front-line employees to ensure message alignment.
Your customer service and point-of-sales employees do need to be “in the know” when it comes to major business decisions affecting their job focus. Is the marketing department planning a Groupon campaign? Are you running a special for social media only? What about a major acquisition of a competitor? It’s important that the people who interact with your customers daily know about these before being caught off guard by a question or comment. Or media phone call. Regular internal communication is important, and an annual ambassador training to reinforce customer service tactics and discuss overall goals for the year is always a good idea to add to the mix.

These will help get you on the road to PR success for 2013!