Why you need to know who’s who

Lauren Hannaford

The topic of my blog post applies to more than only public relations professionals. It applies to anyone in a profession that requires a person to be connected to the community and stay current on what’s going on, who’s doing and saying what, the political landscape and how certain projects in the community are affecting its members. The list goes on, really. This month, Memphis Magazine released its annual City Guide issue, and as I was flipping through the pages, I found myself playing trivia. I turned to the “Who’s Who” section and without reading the profiles, I asked myself what I knew about each person.  

It can take a long time to become engrained in the daily “happenings” of your city, but the quickest way to do that is to read the news. We instill this principal within new PR managers who come to work for us. It can’t be done by reading only one paper or watching only one nightly newscast. We read the news in print and online, we watch local news whenever we can, and we keep up with breaking news through social media and news outlets’ email subscriptions.

Why is this important? As a PR professional or as someone who must be engrained within the community, the “who’s who” and “what’s happening” comes up in conversation more than you realize. And, sometimes those people, events, political developments, etc. affect clients in ways you may not realize. I’ve been in numerous meetings where clients have brought up all kinds of news about what notable people are doing and saying, controversial topics and other relevant community news. If I hadn’t been paying attention to the news, I would have looked like the most unconnected PR professional in town. 

Another rare but unpleasant scenario is running into someone that you should know, and then ending up looking like a total moron when they introduce themselves because you weren’t aware. I experienced an awkward exchange with a client at a TV morning show one day a few years ago. A congresswoman was there to talk about a project she was working on, and when she introduced herself to my client with her name only, my client looked at her earnestly and said, “Now what is that you do?” I admit in the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t that big of a deal, but if I had been the one to ask that question in front of my client, what would they have thought?

Absorb as much knowledge about your community as you can. I promise it will help you in ways you won’t realize until suddenly it does.

Penmanship is a fading skill

Lindsey Fleck

When I was younger, I can recall working very hard to write “perfect” letters. For one, I was a little girl and little girls were supposed to have better handwriting than boys, and also, my mother had the most beautiful penmanship; I could have sworn she was a letter artist.  When I began to learn cursive in third grade, I practiced my letters at every opportunity. I even asked my mother to teach me my capital letters ahead of class because I was too impatient to wait until my teacher got to the letter “L.” I also recall throwing a tantrum about the fact that no matter how pretty my letters were, my name didn’t look as pretty as some of the girls, but that was just because the letter “S” had some awesome loops.

Today, I think penmanship has become one of the more underappreciated skills. A lot of this has to do with the education leaders coming out in support of nixing cursive from the curriculum, in favor of providing children with the time to learn how to type quickly. Personally, I think moving away from penmanship will have a negative impact on the students. Research has proven that improved handwriting benefits cognitive development and motor skills. Longhand can also provide people with a symbol for their personality. Granted, you could spend your time going through the various fonts in Word to give you different effects, but it doesn’t come from you.

One of the biggest reasons to keep your penmanship nice and neat is that the world is, in many ways, still based on first impressions. When you have to fill out a resume by hand and your handwriting is barely legible, the recruiter will most likely be unimpressed. Furthermore, if you have to sign your name somewhere and you print your name rather than write it in cursive, your odds aren’t looking any better. If you leave a list for someone to do and your handwriting is so bad that the person can hardly make out what you have instructed, you can’t be upset if they do a task wrong because they couldn’t make out the requests. And not long ago, CNN reported on a study that showed physician penmanship errors had caused more than 7,000 deaths.

Loving to type is not a crime, but there are still times in the world where you have to write long-handed. It’s important to make sure that when you do, you are writing well. Taking the time to make a list on paper every now and then can give you enough practice that you don’t have to worry about turning into a person whose penmanship mirrors that of a toddler’s scribbles. 

Blood-Stained Apologies

Brittany Bales Shrock

As a woman who appreciates artistic expression through fashion, I am deeply dismayed by the length a company that I’ve shopped at many times has gone to in order to maintain its edgy and millennialist image.

After making the news multiple times for outrageously offensive products and twisted messages, Urban Outfitters doesn’t stop producing headlines like these:

• “Why I’m Breaking Up with Urban Outfitters”

• “Urban Outfitters Can’t Be Respected After Kent State Sweatshirt Release”

• “Black Leaders Outraged at ‘Ghettopoly’ Game at Urban Outfitters”

• “Navajo Nation Sues Urban Outfitters over Goods”

What started out as a company from Urban Outfitters Inc., known for hip style and quirky fashion statements, has now become the cause of much despair for a number of different groups, including some of the company’s most loyal customers. Urban Outfitters is not the company that has made a mistake, received backlash and apologized for it without any intention of making the same mistake again. This is a company that thrives off of the well-known phrase, “any publicity is good publicity.” But I must beg the question, is it really? Is offending an entire race to make a sale a smart business strategy? Is making light of social issues such as eating disorders, depression and drug abuse a good way to brand your company? 

A naive business mistake is one thing, but creating an image based on negative shock factor can destroy a company’s reputation. History matters to consumers and making the same apology over and over will eventually be thought of as insincere. 

Potter Stewart once said, “Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do.” A company that consistently acts without a moral compass will turn people off and will eventually destroy themselves from the inside out. When producing a product, making a statement or creating a brand that has the potential to offend an audience, one must ask if ethics are being compromised for shock value? If they are, it is a good chance the company could be heading into a media mess that will take weeks, months or years to clean up.

I don’t know the future of Urban Outfitters as a whole, and I can only speak on my behalf; but as a woman, a wife, a sister, a friend, a caretaker, a person of faith and a consumer, I want to invest my money in companies that respect and uphold the same standards that I try to. Mistakes are natural and forgiveness is worthwhile, but there comes a point where a blood-stained apology is just not enough.

Email timeout: A four-step guide to curbing email addiction at work

Tiffany Cunningham

How many times have you left your office at the end of the day feeling like you just spent the entire day sending, responding to and managing email? And, to add to that feeling, your real “to-do” list is still there – not done? For me, it’s too many days to count. The number of emails one receives is dependent upon clients, internal staff size, client stories, newsletters, junk mail, etc. The amount of time we spend focused on email is where an important question lies: how much of my productivity, results-based work and daily job satisfaction is “lost” in the shuffle of sorting emails?

Although the inbox has become a central hub of workflow, adjustments to the number of emails coming in can be made. For example, it’s time to say ‘adios’ to those Google Alerts you set up for clients you haven’t worked with in seven months. Below are a few more suggestions I’d like to share with you to help curb email addiction and encourage efficient management of your inbox.

1. If you want to receive fewer emails, send fewer emails.
This is the golden rule of email management: Send less of it. The more you send, the more responses will hit your inbox each day.

2. Think before responding.
You may want to hit ‘reply’ as soon as you see an email, but take a step back and see if your reply will have any relevancy to the question or information sent. Instead of just sending ‘thank you,’ try to see if you need additional information or have other information to mention back to the sender. You’ll be surprised how many emails don’t really need a response.

3. Communicate over the phone.
A five-minute phone call with a client can be worth 20 emails back and forth. Sometimes, words get lost in emails (along with tone), and it’s easier to explain thoughts in more detail in a short phone call. Real conversations are worth it!

4. Bundle your responses.
No one likes receiving a ton of one-off emails with partial information throughout the day. Try to keep emails comprehensive and complete as possible. One email equals one response. Six emails equal six responses. Keep it closer to one email unless it’s an urgent news release or hard deadline. As you know, sometimes this is inevitable.

As your inbox slims down, you should have more time to focus on hard-hitting deadlines and pitching your client stories… and all the other projects you get pulled into. Don’t forget to unsubscribe to emails that have no meaning to your clients, job or have three or more sent in one day.

Have a question about emails or want to add insight into effective email management? Comment below! 

Native advertising: You’re doing it right?

Crissy Lintner

Last week, I gave my first thoughts on native advertising. I left off stating that while earned media coverage is the preferred method of exposure, I would recommend an online advertorial opportunity to my clients if the budget existed and only if we can ensure the content is valuable. I wanted to expand on that (without my first post becoming a novel) because it can be done right.

Valuable content, paid or unpaid, is valuable content. Period. I love this example of a paid post on The New York Times website. Netflix is promoting its original hit series, “Orange is the New Black.” The article is multifaceted, utilizing copy, video, photos and audio components. It is informative, engaging and very well done – arguably, a stellar piece of pure editorial content, if only it weren’t paid content. I came away from this article with a greater understanding of the challenges women face in prison, how the prison system is changing to meet their needs, and where some formerly incarcerated women are today – living successful lives after having been incarcerated for years in what for some were drug-related or “minor” crimes. This is a brilliant way that Netflix and “Orange is the New Black” are using native advertising to bring awareness to an issue with the prison system while promoting the show. Note how NYT makes it impossible for you not to realize you’re reading content that was paid for – it’s even in a special section of the website that uses a URL with “paidpost.nytimes.com” at the beginning, a banner that says “Paid Post,” and the logo for Netflix and “Orange is the New Black.” Even the graphics use brand colors: orange and black.

Screenshot of Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black” paid post on nytimes.com    

However, this is paid content that makes an impact, and it’s an ingenious way to garner eyes and drive the message home while promoting a brand. This is why native advertising can be beneficial.

Of course, BuzzFeed is the king of native advertising – as referenced on this episode of “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” on HBO, which I mentioned in my previous post. However, nonprofits take note: you can participate in native advertising on BuzzFeed without paying for it! See our client Literacy Mid-South’s BuzzFeed Community page and note that on each actual post, there’s a disclaimer that explains why LMS does not pay, even though they are a brand publisher. Sure, all of their posts are about LMS, but that’s the point. This is a fun way to have unique content for social media and newsletters, enhance SEO and perhaps be found in the community by potential supporters. LMS is effectively using this unique aspect of BuzzFeed, and we love it!

Literacy Mid-South’s BuzzFeed Community page    

So, when it comes to native advertising, if the point is to drive a message home or to share something important, should brands be penalized by the consumer? How about media outlets for inviting brands to place advertorials? Nope. Regardless of whether an outlet engages in native advertising with companies, credibility in the media still exists. There will never be a time when sources for pure editorial will be unnecessary. Some outlets and native advertisers do a terrible job at it, which can harm the reputation of the media outlet (like John Oliver’s example from The Atlantic’s January 2013 sponsored content from the Church of Scientology; see The Atlantic’s effort to clean up afterward here). But, most try to provide useful, engaging content.

I think consumers are wiser than the FOX News experts gave them credit for, and they will only become more so as the years pass. Awareness of native advertising will make all of us savvier. Brands will become better at ensuring content is valuable to readers. And, if I see an article that looks like it could offer interesting or entertaining content, I’ll read it. Then, it’s completely on me – a consumer – if I feel like it was a waste of my time to read what turned out to be shameless promotion or biased content created by a company, political group or other entity.

What’s so wrong with ‘native advertising’?

Crissy Lintner

BuzzFeed. I love it. If I had to name three of the biggest time sucks for me during downtime, it’s Facebook, Etsy and BuzzFeed. I can get sucked into all the memes and lists – more often than not, I’m only reading the ones that make me laugh until I’m in tears (See: 27 Reasons Why Old People Are the Best People on the Internet). But, I digress.

A few weeks ago on “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” the host ranted about the new trend of native advertising, a form of digital advertising known as sponsored or paid content that is designed to look like editorial content (to learn more, read Ali’srecent blog post). Swiffer and GE were two of the examples of advertisers who provided sponsored content on BuzzFeed in particular. Then, FOX News’ “Media Buzz” had an ethical debate on the topic – is it OK that advertisers are providing paid content disguised as editorial?

As a practice, pay-to-play isn’t new. Newsflash: print journalism has always engaged in advertorial practices and pay-to-play “editorial” opportunities. Have you read a magazine lately and found yourself reading an article only to notice “Special Advertising Section” printed in small type at the top? On the flip side, what you may not notice are the magazines whose editorial sources directly correlate to their advertisers. Yes, some publications (even some TV news shows) require businesses to pay for ads or time on the air in exchange for editorial content. That said, why should native advertising be viewed differently in the online space?

To some degree, I agree with John Oliver and the FOX News experts – you do feel a little manipulated when you’re reading an article you think is editorial but is in fact sponsored content. However, is that always a bad thing? Our goal as PR professionals is always to think outside of the box for our clients. We regularly pitch ideas to journalists that will be informative to readers. John Oliver used the example of Swiffer’s “9 Ways Cleaning Has Become Smarter.” Read it. Aside from the blurb at the top that screams “sponsored content” and No. 6 on the list, the content really has nothing to do with Swiffer – but it relates to the concept of their products: smarter cleaning solutions.

In Ali’s post, she made the point of the importance of being aware of what content you are consuming. I don’t know about you, but I generally pay attention to what I’m reading online and in print and recognize which is true editorial and which is not. Maybe that’s due to my profession. If I’m being totally honest, I’m less likely to initially notice the “special advertising section” disguised as an article in a magazine than I am to miss it online. Not because I’m not paying attention, but my eyes are not usually at the very top or bottom of the page where the disclaimer is listed. That’s why this works.

So, I guess my point is this: if it gives me interesting and engaging content – like tips or a good laugh – is it really a bad thing? Don’t get me wrong – I am 100 percent in favor of earned media coverage versus paid any day of the week. It’s why we exist as a firm. But if I have a client with a budget to participate in digital native advertising, I would absolutely recommend that over a print ad or TV commercial any day. However, I would also ensure that what they’re putting out there is valuable to readers.

Native Advertising: The Irony and the Reality

Ali Glemser

According to Sharethrough, the world’s largest in-feed advertising organization, native advertising is a form of paid mass media where the ad experience follows the natural form and function of the user experience in which it is placed.

This is growing particularly popular among advertisers in the digital space and is a contributing reason to why mobile-ad spending has now surpassed advertising dollars spent on traditional media such as radio and newspapers. As successful as this tactic has been for advertisers, the public is starting to catch on to what many are saying is leaving them feeling tricked and/or deceived. Specifically, a recent study by a company that pairs brands with writers to produce native ads reported that two-thirds of respondents said they felt deceived when they realized that what they thought was genuine editorial content was really sponsored by a brand.

I can’t say I blame this group; my initial reaction is a feeling of deception, too. But, when you take a look back, brands have been doing this for many years in print, radio and television media. Only now does the development of the digital space give them an opportunity to further the evolution of this idea.

The simple equation that many content consumers forget is media outlets exists because of advertisers. Advertising dollars pay the bills for these outlets to research, create and publish content; subscriptions are only a very little slice of the income pie for print, radio, television and digital outlets because consumers are not willing to pay high prices for media consumption.

And now, as consumers try to hack the content in the digital space to get around pay walls, outlets are feeling the heat from advertisers to get their ads as much exposure as possible – hence, the concept of native advertising.

The Irony: Native advertising exists and evolves as consumers try to avoid paying for media content and as media outlets try to combat this avoidance to please the hand that feeds them – advertisers.

The Reality: Native advertising isn’t going away any time soon, unless consumers decide to start paying for all content they consume and outlets see an overwhelming subscription response as a result.

But, don’t forget that advertisers are trying to show they are listening to consumers through native advertising, as well. Many of these ads are videos, images, music and other media designed to be engaging based upon feedback from consumers.

Native advertising shows all the signs of a tactic that is here to stay. My advice would be to pay close attention to what media you consume, and if you are invested in the subject of the content, read articles, watch videos or listen to broadcasts from multiple sources to form the most educated opinion on something. Remember, as a consumer you have the responsibility of taking the necessary steps to be accurately informed.

What Makes for a Great News Story

Kerri Guyton

On any PR blog, you will find at least one post – more than likely you’ll find several – about what constitutes newsworthiness, as it is our business to distribute news about our clients. We are often put in the position of explaining to our clients what is and isn’t newsworthy. However, while we may always have news worth sharing about our clients, what makes our job most enjoyable is when we have an announcement or story that makes for a great news story – a story that will excite, motivate and move people. This is the type of news that we love handing over to a reporter or editor because we know they personally will enjoy writing the meaningful story for their audience.

So, what characterizes this type of great news story? While it varies according to specific publications or reporters, there are a few things that are almost always present.

No. 1 The Human Element

At the top of the list is the human element. If you will notice, every news story incorporates people – people who are affected by something, changed by something, doing something to make changes, etc. The No. 1 purpose of the news is to inform the public on issues that affect them, so when a client has an announcement or story with the human element – be it a beautiful story or a serious warning – we know it will make for an impactful news story people will want to read or watch and a story the media will want to share.

Here are a couple of examples to make the point:

• A local school is kicking off its annual fall fundraiser and would like to get news coverage to promote the event and encourage community participation. These types of events occur annually at nearly every school in town, so it’s not necessarily news. HOWEVER, if there is a student – say a cute little second grader – who last year raised more than anyone in the school and is looking to break her record this year, you probably have a story that will get the local media to interview her, snap a photo of her going door-to-door with her little clipboard, and get the news out about the fall fundraiser in a memorable (and adorable) way.
• A medical device company is set to launch the fifth model of a well-known device that was recently upgraded with new features. By itself, this announcement is probably newsworthy but this is the fifth time the company has announced a new model, and therefore, may be considered a redundant announcement. Based on the fact that it is a familiar product introducing new features that people would want to be aware of, the launch may garner a few news briefs in industry trade publications. HOWEVER, if this model’s features allow the device to perform new, life-saving functions that other comparable devices on the market aren’t able to do – and there is a personal testament to how this device saved someone’s life – you may have the ingredients for a feature story about the device. This announces the new model, but also showcases how it works.

No. 2 – Timeliness

If it isn’t happening now or tomorrow, it isn’t news, so timeliness is an important factor in any news announcement or story pitch. However, there are special circumstances with regard to timeliness that can up the ante from just a news announcement to a great news story.

For example, a nonprofit organization that provides services to victims of domestic violence puts on various awareness events throughout the year. It is often able to get mentions of these events in the media because of the impact this awareness can make in the lives of victims in the community, as well as the family members, friends and acquaintances of the victims. However, when a report is released by the local authorities showing a significant increase in reports of domestic violence incidents within the city or when, unfortunately, a domestic violence homicide happens, this is when awareness of the domestic violence organization will be the most impactful. This results in opportunities for sharing life-saving information about the services available to victims through the organization, as well as how people can learn more about domestic violence, such as through attending an upcoming awareness event. 

No. 3 – Relevancy

Merriam-Webster defines relevancy as “a: relation to the matter at hand” and “b: practical and especially social applicability.” This goes back to both of the above elements, actually. The matter at hand will be what the news media is already talking about – what’s happening in the world (timeliness). And, practical and social applicability refers to how it applies to the practical needs and social lives of people (the human element). However, there are various levels of relevance depending on the audience. If a news announcement or story is relevant to a local audience only, that’s great! Count on a great local news story! But, sometimes, our clients have the elements that make their news relevant to a much larger audience, be it national or international; then it’s “Hello, CNN, FOX News and Washington Post!” Now, that’s exciting stuff!

We are in the business of telling stories – stories that inform, excite, motivate and move people – so when we come across the making of a great news story, we can’t help but get pumped up. And, when one of us lands that big story – or stories – an audible shriek of joy can be heard around the office. We can’t help it. We love great news!