My Top 5 Reads for PR professionals

Sarah Lichterman

Being in the high-speed world of public relations, the luxury of having time to search for the perfect book is rare. I am here to help! I ventured through the shelves at the Booksellers at Laurelwood and did some additional research by reading online reviews to discover my list of top five reads for a PR professional. Here are my findings (in no particular order):

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• Crush it! by Gary Vaynerchuk
  This is the one book on this list that I have actually read and highly recommend. Vaynerchuk explores all areas of social media by using examples from his own life and research to prove that anyone can live their passion and make things. He outlines his steps to success in order to build a name for a business or personal brand. This book will help you find your passion and be empowered to accomplish your dreams.
• The New Rules of Marketing & PR: how to use new releases, blogs, podcasting, viral marketing & online media to reach buyers directly by David Meerman Scott
  This book is good for those who are just starting out, as well as for seasoned pros in both marketing and public relations. It gives a fresh perspective regarding new ways to use social media, blogging and online marketing to remain competitive with the constantly changing trends of online PR.
• How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
  Published in 1937, this classic has sold more than 15 million copies and has been referred to as the public relations bible. In this book, Carnegie explains many techniques that bring professional knowledge and personal touch together. It focuses on building relationships and how to build leadership skills.
• The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell
  
  “The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.” This book analyzes patterns in human behaviors. It is thought-provoking and explores different trends of word-of-mouth marketing.

And last but not least… 

• Associated Press Stylebook by the Associated Press
  Published and updated annually, the AP Stylebook is the No. 1 must-have for any public relations professional or student. This book contains important guidelines for journalistic writing. If you don’t have a personal copy already, go get it now! I recommend getting the spiral-bound version for easier use.

If you have read any of these books or have any suggestions for a good PR read, please comment and let us know! Happy reading!

Marissa Mayer and Vogue – appropriate or not?

Crissy Lintner

The debate continues on whether Marissa Mayer’s controversial photo in Vogue is or is not business faux pas. Here’s the response from Crissy Lintner, managing director for our Dallas division.

Crissy’s Take:

Does Marissa Mayer have a lot to prove? You bet she does. But what caused the hullabaloo about her Vogue article? It wasn’t the content – it was the photos and the fact that a high-level CEO, who is female, was posing in a not-so-stodgy sort of way for a photo spread in Vogue.

My question: If Richard Branson had been featured in a Time photo chronology, for example, with a photo teaser “Hard Knock Life” and a shot of him in the water surrounded by bikini-clad models, would there have been such a loud fuss? I doubt it. In fact, that

Photo: Torsten Blackwood/AFP/Getty

actually happened while Branson was promoting the maiden flight of his flagship airline, Virgin Atlantic, from London to Sydney. However, Mayer, as a woman in a high-level, executive position in a male-dominated tech industry, was blasted – not for the content, but for the photo. Her photo was incredibly conservative and tasteful when compared to Branson’s.

The article itself, focusing on office life, motherhood and what it takes to be a CEO is what any good feature should be for a lifestyle/fashion magazine. It’s not going to be a number-crunching outlook for business growth at Yahoo. And the result is a good example of diverse pitching opportunities that allow PR professionals to highlight other sides of high-level executives, like Marissa Mayer. The photos fit what is expected from the publication – high-end, luxurious, fashion-forward. The subject just happens to be a pretty, young, blonde, female CEO.

To Courtney’s point, revenues at Yahoo have been falling – there’s no doubt there. But a report last week showed that Yahoo was the most popular website last month with 196.6 million monthly unique views – beating out Google, Microsoft and Facebook. Google, in comparison, hit only 192.3 million uniques. Many analysts in the industry believe this to be the first of a major boost for Mayer and Yahoo, given their focus on mobile sites and purchase of the blogging site Tumblr. 

Photo: Mikael Jansson/Vogue

So, while she may still have much to prove and her initial decisions (not to mention maternity leave in the first year of her job there) were a bit non-traditional, it looks like Mayer’s efforts are starting to pay off. To me, a sexy photo spread is not a sign that Mayer is resorting to the “ways of old,” when women were thought only to be good for looks and not fit to lead a multi-billion dollar business – or were promoted to those types of positions by other means. Instead, I find the Vogue spread to be one that embraces the power that a female CEO can bring and a little bit of PR ingenuity to build buzz and interest in Yahoo. After all, isn’t the goal of any editorial content to create buzz and awareness about a person, product or company? I think this photo spread accomplished just that. 

Marissa Mayer and Vogue – appropriate or not?

Courtney Ellett

Marissa Mayer made headlines last week when announcements came about her sexy Vogue photo spread and article. Across the PR industry, experts were weighing in, and at Obsidian, opinions vary. Today and tomorrow, we’ll share two opposing viewpoints from our firm. The first comes from Courtney Ellett, owner of Obsidian, and second comes from Crissy Lintner, managing director in Dallas.
 
Courtney’s Take:
We were both born in May 1975, and she is 20 days my junior. Maybe that’s why I paid a good deal of attention to the news in July 2012 when Marissa Mayer was appointed president and CEO of Yahoo.
 

Photo: Mikael Jansson/Vogue

Sure, lots of people paid attention to this news, but I took it to heart as a 30-something female business owner. And I’ve paid close attention to news related to her ever since (something I don’t necessarily do with personnel changes at big tech companies). So when I saw that Mayer is the subject of a glamour-shot photo in September’s Vogue – I think I found out by Twitter, by the way – an opinion immediately formed in my mind. My first thought was “What? That can’t be right.”
 
Let me say that I’m not one to immediately shout out my personal takes on strangers’ actions and choices. However, the very subject was brought up at our office because this photo is stirring up discussion in our very own industry. It seems people are torn on Mayer’s choice to do the shoot, and even in our 15-person office, we have different opinions. So here’s mine.
 
Does it bother me that Mayer is a young female CEO lying seductively on a deck chair? No, not really. Vogue is all about female beauty in all its incarnations. I don’t read Vogue religiously, and honestly, most of what I know of it comes from my viewing of every single episode of Sex and the City. And the photo is beautiful. I instantly thought – ooh, I like those shoes! That’s the woman in me. Visually captivating photo, great clothes, love the lipstick and what a lovely deck chair!
 
But the business person in me has a different take. Mayer was brought to Yahoo to turn the company around. A lot of hoopla was created because she’s a female and such a young one and had a child during her first year there. There aren’t a lot like her in Silicon Valley (to my knowledge). And so entered the opportunity to make a real impression and a real difference. Because of this, plenty of coverage has been dedicated to any move that Mayer makes at Yahoo, from the telecommuting ban to her adjustment to the company’s maternity leave policy and the spring 2013 acquisition of Tumblr.
 
Those are significant operational moves by a CEO, sure. But what about Yahoo’s financial viability? What about revenues? What about the turnaround she was brought in for? I personally hadn’t seen news on that when this photo caught my eye. But I did find the following information after a quick Wikipedia search:
 
“In July 2013, Yahoo reported a fall in revenues, but a rise in profits compared with the same period in the previous year. In her announcement, Mayer chose to ignore the continued revenue slide, and instead hailed the company's relentless release of new mobile offerings. Reaction on Wall Street was muted, with shares falling 1.7%.”
 
“Continued revenue slide.” Yeah, that stands out. Sure, it’s only been 13 months since she joined Yahoo. Turnarounds do not happen that quickly, and many things may be in the pipeline over there that are laying the right foundation for such a turnaround. But this is my point exactly. It’s SO early to really know what impact Mayer will have. So why in the world is she taking time for a Vogue spread that has nothing to do with her company’s performance?
 
So I say, “Concentrate on your job, Marissa.” This, to me, distracts from her professional mission of getting Yahoo on the right track. To me, this is another example of someone being known as a CEO celebrity and not a great CEO (she may be, but I don’t know and only time will tell).
 
There are people known for their career results, and others are known for the news they make. I liken this to the many young folks in Hollywood who are famous for just being famous (I’m sure you know who I’m talking about). Mayer hasn’t proven herself (to the laypeople of the world just yet). When she does, maybe I’ll have a different opinion when she does photo shoots like this. 

We can’t all be little Miss Suzy Homemaker – or little Miss Polly Pinterest

Crissy Lintner

I learned of this new phenomenon the other day: Pinterest Stress. Yes, there is such a thing as Pinterest Stress. Think about your Pinterest feed. What do you like to pin? Birthday party ideas for your 2-year-old? Creative crafts to do with your kids? Family garden ideas? Ah-mazing cupcake towers – and the healthiest dinner ideas for your family to offset the ah-mazing cupcake tower you plan to build? Now, how likely are you – especially if you’re a busy mom – to actually do any of these things and have the same outcome as what you see in the photos?  

If you’re one of the lucky few to have successfully replicated one of the many projects you’ve found on Pinterest, congratulations! But for the rest of us, there’s Pinterest Stress: the state of being in which a mom feels inadequate compared to other moms (or businesses) who post their ideas and projects on Pinterest. By the way, for a good laugh and to feel better about your Pinterest fails, check out PinterestFail.com. 

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In an online survey conducted by TODAY Moms, 42 percent of 7,000 moms said they sometimes suffer from Pinterest Stress – worrying they’re not crafty or creative enough. Some women even stayed up until 3 a.m. searching for the perfect party favors for their child’s birthday party – only to end up buying them from the dollar store or spending way too much only to have a Pinterest Fail of their own. One of the women cited in the article even talks about how she had to eventually “break up” with Pinterest. 

I don’t use Pinterest in my personal life because I simply don’t have time to spend on one more social site. Obsidian’s clients, on the other hand, do. And many of my friends do. I see more recipes on my Facebook newsfeed these days than real posts! 

And, what this survey tells me is that despite the so-called stress caused by Pinterest, moms are seeking ideas, whether that’s a great DIY-project or gift ideas that perhaps only require the debit card rather than creative know-how. The key, as my colleague Lauren Hannaford mentioned in a post back in January, is for companies to provide useful information that doesn’t simply scream, “Buy my product.” If you’re providing tips, photos, step-by-step instructions, DIY home improvement ideas and creative boards that complement your company’s offerings (like these great examples), then you are already on your way to contributing to Pinterest Stress! Just beware – your project or idea might end up on the list of fails by some of us less-crafty moms of the world.  

Appreciate what you have before it’s gone

Kim Morrison

One of the many reasons I decided to get into PR is because I like people, like interacting with people and fancy myself at communicating well with people. Prior to getting into PR, I waited tables, worked at a call center and a spa in a four-star hotel, and while several of these positions paid better than others, I always got along well with my co-workers and clients on a daily basis. What can I say; I’ve got the gift of gab!

I’m also somewhat of a computer geek and love learning about and using new technology. The growth of social media is fascinating, and somehow, I’ve actually learned to “like” Excel, and yes, I pretty much love all things Apple. I do try to make sure though that I don’t sacrifice my real-life relationships and daily interactions for my digital addictions.

That being said, many times throughout the day, we are offered the choice of interacting with a human or interacting with a machine. Think about it -- at the grocery store, you can go with a grocery checker or check out your own groceries. At the bank you can make a withdrawal through a bank teller or the ATM. And even when calling into a company to schedule an appointment or to have a question answered, you can go through an automated system or press zero to speak with a person at any time.  

When given this choice, I always choose the human interaction. The reason is the convenience of that machine isn’t going anywhere, but that person’s job just might. That machine will still be there at 3 a.m. when you need to grab cash for the bar tab, buy diapers at the grocery store or you remember you need to schedule a package to be picked up, but if you also choose that option in the morning, afternoon or early evening, that business may elect to choose that machine over that employee.

In a city where the unemployment rate is 10.7 percent and only 23 percent of residents hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, these service sector jobs are important to our city. I don’t know about everyone, but for me, those types of jobs helped me earn a living through high school, college, a time-out, and back to college. Those people have lives, families and bills, but not that unmovable machine.

So the next time you’re out running errands, take a moment to think about it -- what’s more important? Saving a few minutes or helping to ensure your neighbor has and keeps his/her job?

Life is like a country song

Courtney Ellett

A while back, I was in my car on the way home when one of my favorite country songs came on the radio. I’m not exactly sure why, but as I listened and shamelessly sang aloud, I thought: “I know everyone doesn’t appreciate this song like I do. Some would even laugh at me for loving it, but I don’t care and it doesn’t change the way I feel about it.”

Yes, that conversation occurred just like that in my head in a matter of nano-seconds.

I’m not alone though. Everyone has a song, movie or hobby that everyone else doesn’t appreciate on exactly the same level (ahem, The Fifth Element). And that’s how it should be. But my fun and fleeting notion turned quickly into asking myself how that is applicable to decisions we make in business – particularly, why certain companies choose certain PR firms. Why are some a good fit and others are not?

Firms are like songs. Some are rowdy, some are conservative and some are in between. Some are rigid, some are loosey-goosey and there are those dancing somewhere in the middle. Some are the ones you casually see once in a while, ones you seriously date and the ones you choose to marry. The parallels could continue, but the important thing to remember is they’re not all the same, and one firm can’t be everything to everyone. Nor should it try. Usually, there are a lot of wonderful firms to choose from in a given marketplace, but here are some considerations before you get engaged to any of them.

• Choose wisely: Simply put, you need to put in the effort to find out which firms are out there and which one is the very best fit for you. Ask friends, colleagues and family whom they’d recommend. Take it to the Internet to see who’s out there and doing big things. This is a starting point.
• Dig in: Finding the right partner can be hard work. And honestly, a simple recommendation shouldn’t seal the deal. It is also my belief that an RFP process usually isn’t the best way to find your match either. After you do your research, line up in-person meetings with each agency. Make sure you have your list of questions and priorities ready. Have a dialogue; don’t just listen and don’t just talk. Communicate. And don’t just ask for references; actually call their client references. 
• That lovin’ feeling: Chemistry matters, folks. Work with people you like and get along with. You should feel a certain kind of energy and connection when you meet your future PR partner.
• $$$: Poor, ole budget. This excuse seems to be the stepchild of the prospecting game, and many agencies hear: “We just love you and your firm, but it came down to budget.” I’m here to tell you that budget should never be a deal-breaker. If you find an agency worth their salt, they usually deserve what they charge. If you simply don’t have a budget for the services proposed, work with your firm of choice to streamline offerings to get it within your price range. Quality costs.
• Who’s got game?: Every PR firm doesn’t have the same skill set. Some focus on social media, some boast about their event promotion skills, and some say they can do it all. Just be sure that your needs match their services and that you receive the strategic approach you deserve.

In the end, it’s about finding a firm you trust and value – and one that feels the same way about you.

Back to Basics: Body Language 101

Kim Haller

Behind our fancy computers, smartphones and eloquent writing skills lie the most basic and sometimes forgotten communication technique: body language. While body language may seem like an intuitive response in certain professional settings, no one is immune to dreary days when our emotions can be clearly read on our faces. On those days, it’s important to remember our body language is a communicative tool to show proactive engagement.
 
Executing positive body language is the key to forming successful partnerships, job opportunities and office dynamics. Whether discussing future plans with a client or conducting an informal business meeting, positive body language indicates understanding between two or more parties. To ensure sincere relationships develop, start by analyzing your own body language, as well as others’ in public and professional settings. You’ll find that you can understand a person’s emotions even before they speak.
Below are a few things you should remember when it comes to body language and interactions with others.

1. Eye contact. Looking someone in the eyes while speaking is a polite way to inform the communicator you’re attentive. I’m not talking about a death stare, but direct eye contact is a gracious way to show you’re listening and engaged. For best results, put the phone away, strike interesting conversation, ask questions or take notes.  
2. Avoid the shoulder shrug. Researchers believe sitting with correct posture radiates hormones that boost confidence. Known as High Power Poses – like standing with shoulders back – these stances simultaneously reduce the release of stress hormones and promote the spread of positive hormones. Shrugged, hunched shoulders indicate doubt. We may sit slouched in our desks without recognizing the implications. It’s crucial to be aware of the messages your body sends even while at your desk.

   

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3. Avoid the defensive stance. When doing business, if you notice a client or co-worker crossing arms or legs, be aware this is an immediate sign of defensive behavior. To ease tension, warmly welcome a conversation. In public speaking forums, one can connect with an audience by asking questions. Genuinely engaging your audience helps to reduce uncertainty. Open body positions assist in effective communication.
4. The power of a smile. Smiling is a great way to physically show your enthusiasm. Even when it’s not your day, smiling eases tension and promotes optimism. Smiling not only influences your mindset, but it also improves the attitudes of individuals around you. Smiling shows friendliness and openness, especially when discussing information with clients or co-workers.

Marketing vs. Advertising vs. Public Relations. Get it Right.

Ali Glemser

“OH! You want to go into the PR field? So you’re learning to do market research and make advertisements, right?” 

I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count how many times I heard this when I discussed my career aspirations with others in college. Even more surprising, I continue to hear similar comments from people when I tell them about my opportunity to intern for Obsidian Public Relations.

Although television shows about the creative communication process such as MadMen, The Pitch and Shark Tank have become mainstream, many people still struggle to understand the difference between marketing, advertising and public relations. Alas! I am writing this blog entry to set the record straight. Below are the technical definitions from each industry’s trade association, along with some colorful commentary, to help clarify all of this confusion.

Marketing

American Marketing Association:

 “Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.”

As marketing is essentially the process of communicating the value of a product or service by the provider to the customer, it can be seen as the overarching umbrella of the creative communication process that public relations and advertising fall under. Not to say that it is more important, just that it has a wider scope by definition.  Read further to see how advertising and public relations complement marketing.

Advertising

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American Association Of Advertising Board of Directors:

 “The placement of announcements and persuasive messages in time or space purchased in any of the mass media by business firms, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and individuals who seek to inform and/ or persuade members of a particular target market or audience about their products, services, organizations, or ideas.”

The three main things to remember about advertising are it’s a persuasive, paid-for message distributed through mass media. Marketing plans include advertising as a way to communicate their product or service’s value message through media such as billboards, television commercials, magazine ads and radio spots. You know that hauntingly catchy jingle you can’t get out of your head because you heard it during your drive to work? Yeah, that’s advertising.

Finally…

Public Relations

Public Relations Society of America:

“Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.”

Public relations at its core is about creating and maintaining relationships. Who do you need to build a rapport with to help create awareness about your company, raise funds for a project or announce a big change in your organization? How should you communicate your message? Through a news release, live event or interactive social media campaign? Effectively and efficiently answering and acting on these questions is the essence of public relations.

In reality, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals do end up dabbling in each other’s industries on a regular basis because they are all forms of creative communication. Yet, it is courteous to acknowledge these professionals by their established field of work. After all, you wouldn’t assume all doctors practice the same kind of medicine or all lawyers practice the same kind of law. 

“Oh! You want to go into the PR field?” Yeah, now you know exactly what that is.

A New Face for RadioShack

Joan Allen

By now, I’m sure many of you have forgotten about the Fort Worth-based store, RadioShack. I know I had (and I was born and raised in Fort Worth!). They’ve gotten lost among companies like Best Buy, Apple, Google and even Amazon – companies that are more “hip,” if you will, on the latest technology.

I read a Dallas Business Journal article recently and surprisingly, the company has made a comeback and is revamping their brand in all the right areas.

My first thought was, “It’s too late for RadioShack; they can never be as successful as they were.” That might be the case, but they seem like they are headed in the right direction. The first step that they needed to take toward a more successful company was changing management. In my opinion, if it doesn’t work, fix it! I’m always looking for ways to improve myself whether it’s professionally or personally, and that’s exactly what RadioShack did. They hired a new CEO who hopefully will bring great ideas to implement in the rebranding process.

The previous logo was used from 1995 to 2013.

RadioShack desperately needs to modernize its stores, concept and overall brand. They need a new face and fresh ideas to have a chance at being successful again. The company has definitely shown progress in this area, but it still has a long way to go. Yes, a new logo and tagline, “Let’s Play,” is a good start. But, RadioShack needs more than that. A change in slogans alone will not gain more customers.

To compete with the Best Buys and Amazons of the world, RadioShack needs to offer something completely different than that of its competitors. I think for a company that is in the position of RadioShack, it’s important to cover all the bases and don’t leave anything to chance. The company needs to bring something new to the table that no one has seen before to change its previous image, whether that’s with regard to a change in corporate culture, customer service or educational opportunities for customers related to its products.

Overall, I think RadioShack is headed in the right direction, but still has a lot of work to do. As a fellow Texan, I hope they can pull it off!

What do you think about RadioShack’s new marketing strategies?

Spring cleaning is for your house, summer cleaning is for your digital life

Thomas Whitehead

I actually took a real vacation this summer for the first time in a really long time. It was a good refresh. However, my first two days of vacation, I didn’t go anywhere. Instead, I took those two days to rest up and get settled on things I have been putting off, but also used that time to update and clean out my digital footprint.
 
Like many of you, I use spring to clean out my closets and power wash my patio. However, there isn’t really a set period to update your digital footprint. So, I am declaring the dog days of summer as the perfect time to go through and update your digital footprint. Here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Update all of your passwords for every account you have. This tip applies for everything you have an online account for - email, social media, bank, credit card, utility, Netflix, mortgage, etc. It is just a good rule of thumb to try and do each year. My favorite part of this is trying to see how many passwords I had forgotten in the last year.
2. Review your Facebook news feed at least once a year. I do this with my friends list. And there is no real way to do it, just what feels right to you. For me, I look at my friends list and decide that there are some people that I don’t really know that well or know well anymore. Nothing against them, but I am someone who likes to keep my friend list fairly tight. So if any of you are reading this and are still Facebook friends, congrats!
3. I also do this with organizations and places I follow. Sometimes, I don’t go to places as much as I used to or my interests have changed. Other times, I realize that I don’t want to see so much from an organization so I change it.
4. Review your email lists. OK, be honest. Are you on an organization’s email list and you automatically delete 95 percent of the emails you receive from them without even opening to see the content? Me too. Trust me, you will thank me for taking the time to unsubscribe to those lists that you no longer have time or interest in hearing from anymore. It will save you time in the long run and is one less distraction. And the good news is you can always subscribe again later.
5. Backing up your files. Do you have an external hard drive to back up your important photos and documents stored on your computer? When is the last time you updated it? Have you checked to see how much space you have on it now? This is the time to do it.

These five tips, when done, will help alleviate some of the clutter and distraction we spend part of our life complaining about. By taking care of it now, you can relax (a little bit) later.