Step One: Plan

Kelli Eason

I used to think life was all about spontaneity. I still do, on some level. It always seems like the great stories are the ones that result from that time you intended to have a lazy movie night with friends in college, but on a whim, drove to New Orleans and had a powdered sugar fight at Café du Monde at 1 a.m. Is that just me?

OK, spontaneity is not a bad thing. But I’ve come to appreciate a good plan too. Since I’ve been working in PR, my friends and family have become almost annoyed with my need to map things out, know what’s going on and to answer the “news advisory questions” of who, what, when and where. It’s such a common theme that my fiancé now won’t even tell me where we’re going on our honeymoon – and it’s slowly driving me crazy.

Sometimes spontaneity looks like this. 

At Obsidian, planning is a great thing. Preparation for anything is even better. When we begin a relationship with a new client, we spend a lot of time on the front end getting to know them so that we can properly plan.  Our planning is extensive, but it also leads to preparation. Here are the steps I usually take with new clients:

Communication analysis

The communication analysis is sometimes fondly known as the “information transfer” around here. It consists of two to three hours of getting to know the new client. This includes learning things about their business that may be helpful for reporters to know, any news items they have coming up or how their business works. It also includes learning what they’re happy to talk about or not and leads back to the preparation. For example, some companies are willing to talk about how legislation could affect their business, but others prefer to shy away from anything of the sort. Knowing this on the front end allows us to properly communicate with reporters and be more efficient with our retainer hours.

PR timeline

The PR timeline is a process. You start out really excited about a new client and all the information you’ve just gathered from the communication analysis. Then you lay out the spreadsheet, identifying ideas for every month in what is generally a yearlong relationship. After you lay out what seems like a million of them…it turns into “Hello, my name is brick wall. I’m here to hold up your process.” That’s when the rest of the team comes in for a brainstorm. I love brainstorms because it always seems to turn the brick wall into a floodgate for new and creative ideas. At the end, the timeline is fantastic and pretty useful when you’re thinking about several clients.

Brand and message development

After building a PR timeline, you generally feel like you know the client inside and out. That is very helpful for the next step: identifying key messages and the company’s brand. When we’re lucky, a new client comes in with a pretty solid marketing arsenal. They may have internal communications support, a functional website and decent brand recognition. Of course, if they don’t have those things, it can also be lucky – because that allows us to be even more creative in helping them develop it. Regardless, having the brand ready to share with the public is an integral part of the planning process. In some cases, this step – including the research often associated with it – needs to come before the timeline.

All the plans change

It’s inevitable. It usually doesn’t even take six months for a timeline to completely change. But that’s the beauty of a complete plan. If you’ve planned well, your messages are in order and your work is solid, you’re ready for anything. Oftentimes, the best opportunities to present your company as an expert or as a solution come with the unexpected. For example, a hospital, pharmacy or other health care business can’t plan for an outbreak of a certain virus. But they can be prepared to talk about treatment and prevention if it does happen.

It took me a few years to learn to use and love the plan. If I’d loved the plan back in college, I might not have taken a weeklong road trip to seven cities in four states that involved four people and a two-door sports car. (We switched cars with my friend’s dad two cities in…or we surely would have died of being cramped on a back road in Arkansas.) Now that I do love the plan, life seems much less stressful and yet, oddly spontaneous and always enjoyable. 

You talkin' to me?

Courtney Liebenrood Ellett

Tim Westergren, the founder of Pandora, emailed me the other day. Yep, that’s right. And today, just 30 minutes ago, I got a message from him on my cell phone.

The above statements are absolutely true, but they might not mean exactly what you think they mean. No, Tim and I aren’t friends, and Pandora isn’t one of our clients. But I am a loyal Pandora listener. And that is why Tim contacted me.

Tim sent me (and most likely the other 52 million Pandora listeners) an email about an important piece of legislation that has just been introduced in Congress that could end long-standing discrimination against Internet radio. He asked me to contact my senator to urge him to support the Internet Radio Fairness Act. And guess what? Tim then provided Sen. Bob Corker’s contact info right there within the email. Sure, that info is easy to find, but to me, it was more than a convenience factor. I now KNEW that Tim was talkin’ to me. 

So, did I email Sen. Corker right away yesterday? I did not, but I did pay a lot of attention to the email and put it on my to-do list. Besides, and I hate to admit it, I’ve never contacted a politician before in my life – about anything! Then came the message on my phone. I was on my daily walk (listening to Pandora, of course), and between songs, Tim took the opportunity to follow up with me. It took maybe 10 or 15 seconds to reinforce the message of the email, and my next song started playing.

I came home from my walk, got on my laptop and emailed Sen. Corker right away. Within minutes, I received a “Thank you for contacting my office” email in response.

So yeah, Tim from Pandora was talkin’ to me. And better yet, I was listening.

Let’s keep it green, folks. Keep it green.

Sarah Lichterman

At the Obsidian office, we know how to recycle. We have two separate trash bins – one for cans only and one for other materials – and keep a mountain of newspapers and magazines that are all recycled or donated to the Humane Society of of Memphis & Shelby County and the Humane Society of North Texas.

Recycling is the process of making new products from products that have already been used, thus extending the life and usefulness of something that has already served its original purpose. Most, but not all, products can be recycled. These include but are not limited to aluminum, batteries, biodegradable waste, clothing, electronics, glass, metals, paper and plastic.

The No. 1 reason to recycle is to protect and preserve the Earth’s environment. Recycling helps conserve our natural resources, reduces landfill space, conserve energy and reduce water and air pollution and the green house gas emissions that cause global warming. In addition, this growing trend is creating an industry and related jobs.

Recycling in the workplace can be made easy. You can provide bins that are clearly marked for recycling. If you do not have recycle pick-up at your office, you can assign someone each week to take it to a public drop-off center. There are five locations around Memphis, visit here for more details.

Recycling goes beyond just using bins. In the workplace, you can use energy-efficient light bulbs, recycle old printer cartridges and company cell phones, utilize emailing of documents instead of printing hard copies, print on both sides of the paper, use electronic posters and banners, use porcelain mugs instead of Styrofoam cups for coffee and bring lunch in a reusable container. These are just a few of the many ways to reduce your personal and company’s carbon footprint.

The Naughty List

Courtney Liebenrood Ellett

Please read this sentence aloud: “You know, the restaurant we ate at on Friday was super luxurious, and the staff was wonderful. However, the dining area was outdated, and the tables were sort of tiny. We had a good meal though.”

Now – and don’t cheat by glancing back up – tell me, which words do you recall most easily? If you’re like a majority of the general public, you just mumbled “outdated” and “tiny” to yourself.

Studies show that negative words, experiences and ideas crowd out positive ones in our minds. When we hear a negative word, it is what we remember the most. Check out this recent New York Times article that addresses why this is just human nature. 

Why should we care? It is important for PR professionals and business leaders to understand this phenomenon as it can have serious, and possibly damaging, effects on client relationships.

Imagine that you’ve just received word from a hotel representative that your room is not available. Ask yourself which explanation makes you feel better, knowing that you’re really hearing the exact same message: Sorry, lady, we gave your room away.

Option 1 (wrong): I’m sorry, ma’am. The suite you reserved already has another guest in it. We accidentally double-booked it in our reservation system, and the other person checked in first. Sorry for the mistake; I’m not sure how it happened. Would you be OK with a smaller room?

Option 2 (right): Ms. Ellett, we’re so sorry, but it seems the suite you booked isn’t available as we promised. We’re working diligently to get everything straightened out so you can thoroughly enjoy your stay here at our hotel. Please have a seat in our lounge, relax and enjoy a beverage on the house while we get this taken care of. We’ll get back to you within five minutes and get you all settled in.”

The point is this: Even when the news isn’t all Pollyanna in nature, it can be handled in a way that makes your audience feel better about the situation. The way we say something can make all the difference in the world.

Here are some tips to remember:

• Don’t say negative words.
• Never repeat negative words – even if it is your intent to deny them.
• Think about all of the positive words you want associated with your company. Ensure any front-line colleagues know these words.
• Think about all of the negative words you DO NOT want associated with your company. Again, ensure client-facing staff members know to avoid these words.
• And remember, jargon – words your audiences don’t use on a regular basis – is considered a part of the negative word club. If you must use jargon, immediately explain what you mean.

If you’re interested in learning more about how to avoid the naughty list, give us a shout.

There’s no “I” in team

Katie Pemberton

“No man is an island…and therefore, never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."

In John Donne’s Meditation 17, he emphasizes the interconnectedness of mankind. It’s also a pretty accurate metaphor for our culture here at Obsidian PR. You see, although each client is officially represented by ONE Obsidian staffer, that client also has the ideas, expertise and experience of the entire agency in its corner. That’s because no account rep is “an island.”

As you may have read about in a previous “From the Rock” post, group brainstorming is a pretty major part of what we do here at Obsidian. There are many times that brainstorming among the entire Obsidian staff might be used for a client:

• When the relationship starts, to get everyone’s input on broad things, like overarching goals, or more specific things, like story pitching ideas or social media tactics
• When the client is starting a new initiative or event and the account rep wants to consider ALL ideas for promoting, helping plan and execution
• When the client has a problem or issue and needs our help overcoming the challenge
• When the client wants some ideas for a tagline or new company or product name

I can tell you as an account rep who has handled several of these types of projects, it is a major asset to the work I do to have our team providing input, guidance and feedback.
 
In addition to the formal brainstorming, there are many other ways that Obsidian functions as a unit, preventing any account rep from ever being the sole person servicing a client. 
Both the Dallas and Memphis locations have a manager of the team who keeps an eye on all client work from an aerial view, providing guidance and ideas to the account rep that she might not have seen from where she is “on the ground” executing tactical work.
 
Yet another example of how Obsidian fosters a great community and group dynamic is how we are all able to fill in for each other when needed. For example, if an account rep is going to be out of town during an important client event, he will transition all of the materials, from the publicity timeline to the contact list and the event planning notes, to another account rep, and that account rep will execute the last-minute promotional tactics, attend the event to field media, coordinate timing as needed, etc. Each account rep will ensure that client work is taken care of (by other staffers, if needed) while out of the office.
 
But sometimes things come up for a client, such as a media crisis, that can’t be predicted, which has actually happened with a client while the account rep was out of town. Fortunately, Obsidian’s culture is such that the team manager was totally up to speed on the client’s issue, and the other account executives had a solid foundation of information about the client from all the collaborative activities we had done. The team manager and the other account executive tag-teamed the crisis and handled it seamlessly while the original account rep was 1,500 miles away.
 
I also like Donne’s advice not to “send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.” He was talking about death, but I look at it in a more abstract and therefore positive way. I equate a bell tolling to when we have had a great success for a client, such as a front-page news story. Even if it wasn’t one of MY personal clients, I am still excited for the success of one of OUR clients, and one of OUR account reps. So that bell…it still tolls for me.

Hey, customer! Take a chill pill!

Kerri Guyton

OK, so while this may be what’s coming to mind as you open your mouth to diffuse an emotional customer, good communication skills will filter this statement into something pleasantly soothing and magically transformative. Some may claim that performing magic would be easier than pleasantly responding to an irate customer, but with a focused commitment to positive communication, business professionals might be surprised at their own “power” to redirect a customer’s frustration.

While situations vary, keeping your cool is the overall goal of any heated interaction. Simply by remaining calm, you exude a confidence that the problem has a solution. The rest of the interaction can be remembered as easily as you remember your vowels: AEIOU.

•    Acknowledgment
•    Empathy
•    Insight
•    Offer
•    Understanding

Starting with an acknowledgement of the customer’s concern and empathy for their distress immediately softens the customer’s defense and begins to assure them that you are open to helping them.

The next stage of the interaction involves gaining insight into the situation – listening to the customer’s story to determine the problem. This stage may also involve providing insight, which may settle the situation right then and there. If you are able to clear up a misunderstanding or answer a question that wasn’t being answered, that may be all that was needed to clear up the situation.

You can most often expect the offer stage to turn the corner for the situation, be it an offer to do something about the problem, to provide a reimbursement or replacement, or even to handle something differently in the future. Unhappy customers are likely to come with a demand ready, and by having a spirit of offering ready to go after gaining the insight needed, you continue to control the positive momentum.

A lasting impression is made in the understanding phase, where it is imperative to communicate an agreement that the situation has been resolved, so that the customer can walk away feeling taken care of, satisfied and far from the angry patron who initiated the exchange. 

And then, you can put your “magic wand” back in your pocket.

Getting to know the final two...

 

An animal advocate from Memphis and a Louisina-native who bleeds purple and gold, Katie Pemberton and Kelli Eason are our final "getting to know Obsidian" entries. Both are equally as passionate about PR as they are about their personal loves for animals and football. 

Katie Pemberton

Katie and her BFFs

Birthday: 9/8/81
Hometown: Millington, Tenn.
College: Lambuth University (now The University of Memphis at Lambuth)

All-time favorite restaurant:
Imagine Vegan Cafe

Favorite thing to do in Memphis:
Spend an hour or two with my dog on a beautiful spring or fall day at the “big girl” dog park, as we call it, at Shelby Farms

What is your favorite cause?
Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County, which rescues and rehabilitates injured and abused pets in our community, and Mercy for Animals, a national nonprofit dedicated to preventing cruelty to farmed animals and promoting compassionate food choices and policies.

Favorite Facebook page and Twitter account:
Facebook: Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County
Twitter: @azizansari

How old were you when you got your first cell phone?
I think it was when I graduated high school.

Favorite book:
The "Harry Potter" series, of course!

Favorite pastime:
Curling up with a good book or finding a new (or new to me) series on TV to waste entire weekends on.

First car:
1987 Toyota Celica

If you could go back in time and live during a different era, which would you choose?
I am fascinated by “the olden days,” but I definitely don’t buy that they were the “good old days.” It seems to me that in the “good old days,” a lot of people got hung without trials, sold as property, set on fire for being “witches,” women were their fathers’ and/or husbands’ property, and it wasn’t OK to stand out or be different. I’d like to visit lots of times from the 1800s on up, but the thought of living in them is terrifying. I think we are living in the best time right now.

What was your first paying job?
I worked in a florist as an assistant. To this day, the smell of oriental lilies makes me ill.

If your life had a soundtrack what song would you pick for it?
Definitely “Oh Happy Day” as performed by the St. Francis High School Choir (from the CLASSIC “Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit”)

What TV show are you embarrassed about watching?
"Toddlers & Tiaras"! I need it to remind me that I’m a really good person, relatively speaking.

What was the first concert you went to see?
Randy Travis

If you were an Olympic athlete, in what sport would you compete?
I am really sad that it’s too late in life for me to be a gymnast. I can vault and tumble only in spirit.

What is the most disgusting thing you have ever eaten?
Olives. They taste like death. And I hate sushi a lot.

If you could have a drink with someone from, history who would it be? 

Doris Day

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Kelli Eason

Kelli

Birthday: Jan. 6, 1987
Hometown: Lake Charles, La.
College: Louisiana State University

All-time favorite restaurant:
Darrell's — in my hometown of Lake Charles. They have the best po-boys, and I make an effort to go there whenever I'm home.

Favorite thing to do in Memphis:
Go to festivals…I love when something like Cooper-Young Beer Festival, Hot Wing Festival, Memphis in May, Italian Festival or another is going on.

What is your favorite cause?
Youth development (I've volunteered as a one-on-one mentor and as a youth cheerleading coach).

Favorite Facebook page and Twitter account:
Facebook: tie between Memphis (I Love Memphis) 

and LSU.  

Kelli and fiance, Blake

Twitter: tie between @mashable and @mentalfloss

How old were you when you got your 

first cell phone?
17

  

Favorite book:
"The Giver"

Favorite pastime:
Family Christmases — or any huge family gathering, really. We have weird traditions like Dirty Santa on my dad's side (which my uncle always throws a wrench into) and 

bonfires/skeet shooting with my mom's side. 

Kelli and family

First car:
2000 Saturn something. It was a five-speed manual and didn't have power locks or windows!

If you could go back in time and live during a different era, which would you choose? 1950s…provided I still get central A/C in my house. :)

What was your first paying job?
Babysitting, if we're getting technical, but my first real job was an aid at St. Luke-Simpson Preschool for the 2 to 5 year olds.

If your life had a soundtrack, what song would you pick for it?
Glee-style mashup of "Proud Mary" and "Louisiana Saturday Night" on a loop with "A Southern Thing" by Better Than Ezra (changing the male Kelly in the song to a female Kelli, of course).

What TV show are you embarrassed about watching?
"Teen Mom"

What was the first concert you went to see?
I honestly cannot remember. I do remember being really upset that my mom wouldn’t drive us to Houston or New Orleans to see 'NSYNC, though.

If you were an Olympic athlete, in what sport would you compete?
Ideally, gymnastics. Realistically…maybe I could get good enough at curling or racewalking to have a legitimate shot!

What is the most disgusting thing you have ever eaten?
Whipped cream, and it's not even close. That is the most disgusting food.

If you could have a drink with someone from history, who would it be?
Walt Disney and/or Milton Hershey

If you could live in any other country for two years, where would you go?
One of the places on my bucket list — Thailand, Singapore, Greece, Spain…Bora Bora.

Getting to know our main man -- Thomas!

The only man among the women of Obsidian, Thomas Whitehead is an integral part of our team, offering valuable insight for our clients and the firm as a whole. He leverages his interests for the good, and you should take time to get to know him!

Thomas Whitehead

Birthday: June 29, 1976  
 

Hometown: Brandon, Miss.
 

College: Mississippi State University

All-time favorite restaurant: Bari Ristorante

Favorite thing to do in Memphis:
Going to Grizzlies games and Barbecue Fest

What is your favorite cause?
Mentoring

Favorite Twitter account:
I like following @seriouseats.

How old were you when you got your first cell phone?
Probably older than the rest of the office - 22.

Favorite book:
"The Tender Bar" by J. P. Moeringer

Favorite pastime:
Cooking, running

First car:
Plymouth Reliant

If you could go back in time and live during a different era, which would you choose?
I would be very curious to go back to the 1960s to see how society adjusted to itself, as well as how it was handled in the media back then.

What was your first paying job?
Sandwich Artist at Subway

If you life had a soundtrack, what song would you pick for it?
"Via Chicago" by Wilco

What TV show are you embarrassed about watching?
Greek

What was the first concert you went to see?
The Monkees

If you were an Olympic athlete, in what sport would you compete?
Half-marathon – setting the world record for slowest time.

What is the most disgusting thing you have ever eaten?
Sea urchin. I had a bad experience with it once even though I love sushi.

If you could have a drink with someone from history, who would it be?
Bill Clinton

If you could live in any other country for two years, where would you go?
Italy
 

Get to know our Texas gals!

Part of Obsidian's new Dallas operation, Crissy Lintner and Kerri Guyton headed to the great state of Texas to launch the new office earlier this year. Get to know them now!

 

Kerri Guyton

Kerri with her three children, Hannah, Myles and Parks

Birthday: Oct. 20

Hometown: I don’t really have a hometown. I was born in San Antonio, Texas, and have lived in multiple places throughout Mississippi most of my life. I’m back in Texas now, living in Tyler.

College: Mississippi State University

All-time favorite restaurant: Ruth’s Chris

Favorite thing to do in Tyler/Dallas:
Take my kids to experience the “cool” things where we live – be it museums, parks, attractions, festivals, etc. 

What is your favorite cause?
I don’t really have a cause that I am all about, but I certainly have a heart for children.

How old were you when you got your first cell phone?
15

Favorite book:
Sad to say that I don’t have a specific favorite that sticks out.
 
Favorite pastime:
Spending time together as a family (with my husband and kids).

First car:
Nissan Sentra

If you could go back in time and live during a different era, which would you choose?
The Roaring '20s (although, I wouldn’t want to stay through the '30s)


What was your first paying job? 

Bus girl at a seafood restaurant

What TV show are you embarrassed about watching?
Anytime I find myself watching an MTV show.

What was the first concert you went to see?
New Kids on the Block

If you were an Olympic athlete, in what sport would you compete?
I’m too tired to think about competing in a sport of any kind!
 
What is the most disgusting thing you have ever eaten?
Chocolate-covered crickets at the Children’s Museum of Memphis

If you could live in any other country for two years, where would you go?
Somewhere beautiful like the Netherlands

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Crissy Lintner

Sarah, Max and Jackson

Birthday: 11/11/79

Hometown: Laurel, Miss.

College: Mississippi State University

All-time favorite restaurant:

It's a toss-up between two in my hometown: Phillip's Drive-In (PDI) and Watermill Fish Camp.

Favorite thing to do in Dallas:

We love riding our bikes on the White Rock Creek Trail to White Rock Lake! And we actually spend a lot of time plotting tours and learning about Dallas for Dallas Running Tours.

What is your favorite cause?

I like to support causes that help children, the homeless and the hungry.

Favorite Facebook page and Twitter account: and

Facebook: White Rock Running Co-Op and Dallas Running Project

Twitter: @runtourdallas and @nprnews

Crissy and husband, John

How old were you when you got your first cell phone?

Well, our family had one of those bag phones that could only be used in the car. We got that when I was in high school. I got my first real cell phone around 18 or 19.

Favorite book:

“Where the Wild Things Are” – who doesn't love a wild rumpus every now and then?

Favorite pastime:
Reading, running and spending time with my husband and kids

First car:

Oldsmobile Delta 88! A big ol' tank of a car.

If you could go back in time and live during a different era, which would you choose?
The '60s – love the music, the styles, and I probably would've gone to Woodstock.

What was your first paying job?

I worked in a pediatric clinic one summer helping organize patient files and get them updated. This is pre-EMR, people! We had hundreds of manila folders to sort through.

What TV show are you embarrassed about watching?

I don't really have one that I'm embarrassed to watch since we don't have cable. But I love to watch the sci-fi type shows – like “Grimm”! But...I did give in to the “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” hype and watched one episode online. I was instantly reminded why we don’t have cable.

What was the first concert you went to see?

New Kids on the Block, baby! I even made a sign professing my love for Joey McIntyre.

If you were an Olympic athlete, in what sport would you compete?

Track & field. Or soccer.

What is the most disgusting thing you have ever eaten?

Raw oysters

If you could have a drink with someone from history, who would it be?

Johnny and June Carter Cash

If you could live in any other country for two years, where would you go?

Somewhere in the Caribbean

Getting to know...

Our fearless leader and founder of Obsidian Public Relations: Courtney Liebenrood Ellett. Most people only know her as a powerhouse of PR knowledge, but this mother of two has other interests up her sleeve.

Jake and Savannah

Birthday: 5/10/75
Hometown: Collierville, Tenn.
College: The University of Memphis

All-time favorite restaurant:
Have lots of favorites. For Italian, I love Villa Castrioti.

Favorite thing to do in Memphis
Sunday drives and the zoo
 
What is your favorite cause?
Children’s grief camp

Favorite Facebook page and Twitter account: 
I enjoy following @SteveMartinToGo.

How old were you when you got your first cell-phone?
Maybe 16. Can’t remember exactly!
 
Favorite book:
This year’s favorite is “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.”

Favorite pastime:
Love to fish; love to read (but not at the same time!) 

First car:
Mitsubishi Eclipse

If you could go back in time and live during a different era, which would you choose? Early 1900s

What was your first paying job?  
Video store clerk

If your life had a soundtrack what song would you pick for it?
The Shepherd Moons album by Enya

What TV show are you embarrassed about watching?
Tough one. Don’t watch TV very often. I used to watch Taxicab Confessions on HBO. Very embarrassed about that.

What was the first concert you went to see?
It was either New Kids on the Block or Debbie Gibson (both on Mud Island Amphitheater).

If you were an Olympic athlete, in what sport would you compete?
Swimming

What is the most disgusting thing you have ever eaten?
Raw chicken salad. The restaurant forgot to cook the chicken. I’ll save them embarrassment by not naming the offending restaurant.

If you could have a drink with someone from history, who would it be?
Abraham Lincoln

If you could live in any other country for two years, where would you go?
New Zealand

You Are Going The Wrong Way! How Would He Know Where We Are Going?

Thomas Whitehead

This quote and scene from John Hughes’ 1980s classic Planes, Trains & Automobiles is one of my favorite examples of how miscommunication can create more problems than resolutions when everyone is not on the same page.

I was recently reminded of this scene when I had lunch with a friend and he was sharing some of his frustrations with his current job. Relatively new to the position, he was stressed out that his bosses were asking him to do more and more tasks that were outside the original scope of what his job responsibilities were. More stressful for my friend was the issue that these new requests were delaying the chance to achieve the original goals.

As I listened more and more, I asked him one simple question – “Did you create a communication and marketing plan for the organization?” To this, he said he didn’t.

To me, this was the root of his frustration and stress. Without sitting down and taking the time to develop a comprehensive communication plan for at least the first quarter, if not whole year, the organization could be easily driven off course and distracted from the original goals that were set forth with his hire.

A communication plan includes, but isn’t limited to, a situation analysis, audiences, key messages, goals, objectives, strategies, tactics and a timeline. This document is always dynamic and can be adjusted at any time according to the needs arise. 

The beauty of it for my friend would be that as his bosses create new duties, he can cite the communication plan that everyone would have agreed upon and use that as leverage to have a clear course in accomplishing what needs to be done.

The communication plan is the foundation of any true successful publicity campaign. You have to start at the beginning by knowing what has worked and failed in the past. That perspective will quickly allow you to identify what direction your path should take.

Otherwise, if you don’t have a direction, there is a good chance you might have to pass through two trucks coming right at you.

Getting the most out of your internship – a manager’s perspective

Crissy Lintner

As the fall semester kicks off at area colleges and universities, our management team’s inboxes become filled with resumes from hopeful students in search of an internship! Many PR internships for fall have been filled by the point, as most students are finding out (we are still looking for a great intern for our Dallas office, though!). And for those starting their internships, I have a few pointers for you to remember.

 

Ask questions
How will you learn if you don’t ask questions? And how will you ensure you do work correctly? Asking questions is one of the biggest keys to success during an internship. As a manager, I expect questions from interns. So do our account reps. You are a student, after all, with minimal experience actually working in public relations. So, be sure you are asking intelligent questions to help you do the best job possible.

Listen and take notes
There’s this moment in a conversation with an intern that, as a manager, I dread − when a glassy look comes over the eyes as I’m explaining an assignment while no notes are being taken. We work in a fast-paced environment where not listening and writing down assignments can lead to failure fast – both for you and the project at hand. Pay attention, write everything down and ask questions.

Contribute ideas
Join the conversation! In an environment like ours, where it’s not uncommon for a person to yell out a question about AP Style from three spaces down, interns who thrive are those unafraid to speak up. Whether we’re brainstorming ideas for a client as a team or simply discussing where to have lunch that day, we full-timers love when you interns join the conversation! And, my best interns have always been those who proactively send me ideas for clients. Those are the interns who get hired if timing is right. 

Be a self-starter
Agency life is exciting – no day is the same. But even we have our slow days. If you ever find yourself “bored” as an intern, think of how you can contribute. Proactively send an email asking if anyone needs help. Look around the office – is there something that needs organizing (like the never-ending pile of newspapers we read on a weekly basis)? Is there a media list that needs updating? Have you heard about a project going on with a client that you want to assist with? Showing initiative is a great sign of leadership and of a good PR professional.

Be on time and be present
It is very simple: interns are expected to be on time. And, unless otherwise approved during the interview process, excessive absences not due to illness are frowned upon. If your internship is being completed for class credit, missing days could affect your final review and grade. So, when you commit to an internship (paid or unpaid), be on time and be present.

Treat your manager and co-workers as mentors
We get it – PR people can be intimidating. We’re loud, we’re opinionated and we’re passionate about what we do. But we also want to help you learn and grasp the discipline of PR. So, pick our brains, share your career goals and, here it is again, ask questions. The more we learn about you, the better we can help you hone your skills. And if you’ve let your personality, drive and abilities shine, we’re more likely to have positive recommendations for your career endeavors.

Interested in an internship? We’re hiring for a level 1intern in the Dallas office and accepting internship applications for both the Memphis and Dallas offices for 2013. Visit our careers page for details.

Make it rain...ideas, that is!

Lauren Hannaford

Let’s brainstorm! We love getting that email around here. Brainstorming sessions are not only fun, but you can also get a lot done in a short amount of time thanks to the brainpower of your co-workers.

When we come together to brainstorm for a client, the entire team discusses a certain need and addresses the objective. Then, we open the floodgates and let the ideas start flowing. It’s a simple strategy that goes a long way. Brainstorms can cover a wide variety of topics from renaming a company, developing a tagline and generating pitching ideas to social media strategy, community relations tactics and ideas for events. Sometimes, brainstorms last 30 minutes, and sometimes, they can seem more like a marathon if we’re on a roll. However long it may take, the end result is that you get an Olympic-sized swimming pool full of ideas to take back to the client.

There also are a few simple “rules” to be mindful of in order to ensure a productive brainstorm. 

1. Listen. Listen to the co-worker leading the brainstorm. Listen closely to what their need is. Yes, offering up other ideas might be helpful in the long run, but focusing on what they need will help them achieve their immediate goal. 
2. Try not to interrupt. While we are all guilty of interrupting someone at some point, I think we all know how it feels to be interrupted in mid-sentence. 
3. Get funny! Sometimes, taking five minutes to yell out the most ridiculous ideas can lead to the some of the best ideas. Oftentimes, you get that “aha” moment during a round of the funnies. 
4. Research. Bring your smart phone or laptop and research helpful information during the discussion. Stay on topic. This relates to the first point in a way, but is also important for different reasons. If the group meets to brainstorm ideas for a new program tagline and a question arises about social media, well, that’s not staying on topic. While social media will no doubt come into play sometime down the line, it’s not the objective of the brainstorm.

Here’s how Google employees brainstormed in 2007! I wonder if things have changed since then?

The Donut Tells All

Sarah Lichterman

It’s quite amazing how a delicious, glazed pastry can put social media into perspective. More than 1 billion people in the world are active users on social media sites, according to the International Telecommunication Union. Facebook users make up 90 percent of this population with more than 900 million active users. The remaining 10 percent of the market is dominated by Twitter, with 200 million users, and LinkedIn, with 150 million users.

Needless to say, social media usage is growing every single day. With new sites emerging, it is easy to get lost in the never-ending web of social networking. The overall intent of social media is for users to communicate and interact with other people on a global level. Reconnecting with old friends, creating new relationships, promoting a business and receiving store coupons are among the many perks of this new-age technology.

The problem with the rapid growth is that it can be difficult to decipher the differences between the sites. You wouldn’t want to go to YouTube if you were looking to connect with old friends from high school, would you? No, you would use Facebook or LinkedIn. This confusion, and frustration to some, is where the donut steps in.

Photo courtesy of Tosh.O

Social media explained:

• Twitter: In 140 characters, update your status by saying what you are doing. Hashtags can be used when discussing a popular topic to connect you with others discussing the same idea.
• Facebook: Use your profile to share your likes, interests and background information.
• Foursquare: Smart phone application that allows you to share and save places that you visit.
• Instagram: Smart phone application that turns you into a photographer with your own personal photo blog, complete with the ability to edit photos and use different lens filters.
• YouTube: Video-sharing website where you can view and share videos.
• LinkedIn: Connects people in professional occupations by sharing skills, previous work experience and education. Capability to upload resume and receive recommendations.
• Pinterest: A social photo-sharing website where you can create and manage themed image collections.
• Last FM: Music recommendation service where you can share your favorite tunes and the music you are currently listening to.
• Google+(G+): An extension to the search engine function of Google.com, includes messaging, video chat, photo editing and forums. Atmosphere is more formal than other sites.

And so here we are, social media in a nutshell (or should I say, do-nutshell?). There are many similarities between these sites. Nevertheless, if you have a specific target in mind, make sure to choose the correct outlet in order to maximize the benefits social media. Good luck!

The Case of the Stinky Watermelon

Courtney Liebenrood Ellett

Recently, my domestic bliss was briefly interrupted by a heated discussion with my husband about the proper way to dispose of a watermelon. Let me explain.

Last week, a stench started emanating from our garbage can outside. I never knew about it or smelled it because I keep my car in the garage and rarely have to pass by said trash can. My husband, however, has to walk past the garbage can to get in his vehicle every morning. Bum luck for him given these particular circumstances.

Anyway, we were both in the garage when he said to me: “Dear, the watermelon leaked out of the bag it’s in and attracted a lot of bugs. And the smell is horrible. Can you please let me put out that kind of trash from now on?”

Being the type A person I am, I retorted with something like this: “I’m a big girl. I’ve been taking out the trash for years now and think I can handle it on my own.”

Well, that didn’t lead down a productive conversation path, to say the least. His argument was that if it had been done right, the leak and ensuing smell wouldn’t have happened. I maintained that I’ve been doing it that way for years, and this had never happened before. How could I be to blame?

There is actually a PR lesson in all of this. Sure, I’ve been throwing out the trash (and multiple watermelons rinds) for years without such negative repercussions. However, this time around, the trash sat in there for a good six days, and the summer heat has been intense – circumstances that may have ultimately undermined my success in containing the mess.

Business circumstances change, as well. Companies evolve. Landscapes become harsh. Customer expectations shift. And when this happens, we can’t just simply say, “Well, that’s the way we’ve always done it,” and then expect tried-and-true results.

We must pay attention, we must adapt and we must heed good counsel. We must never be too proud to say we’re wrong and that we made a mistake. If you do that, you (unlike me) won’t be stuck cleaning up an impossible mess of stinky ole watermelon in 100-degree heat.

Before the Launch

Crissy Lintner

Over the years, we’ve had the opportunity to work with numerous companies and startups to plan for and implement strategic communications initiatives to launch new products, services, brands or businesses. Whether we helped in naming the business from day one or simply handled the media relations, the common denominator is this: We were involved from the early stages.

I often hear this from business owners: “We’re in development right now and simply not ready for a big PR splash.” And I absolutely agree that if you’re in the midst of getting organized operationally, you are not ready for the official external launch. However, don’t make the mistake of missing out on the benefit of involving a PR team in the early stages of any endeavor.

There’s so much more to PR than the big “splash” into the media and public arenas. Public relations serves a bigger purpose than simply getting a great article on the cover of your local business news section. We are an integral aspect of building your communications arsenal. And our efforts take planning! We advise that at least three months or more be designated to the ramping up of PR efforts before the launch of any new company, product or service line. Why? Because you have to be ready operationally before any reporter, blogger or consumer has the opportunity to set eyes on you.

Here are a few things that we feel are the most important to have in place before the launch: 

1. Name – This seems like a fundamental aspect of starting a business. The name is usually the first thing to come, right? But have you done proper research to see if there are other businesses sharing that name or if the corresponding web domains are available? What is the story behind your name? Does it fit your mission as a business in some form or fashion? (see Kelli's post, "What's in a name?", for more about this topic)
2. Website – Gone are the days of looking up phone numbers in the Yellow Pages. A professional and easy-to-navigate website is integral to business success. Additionally, copy must be well written and should easily communicate your brand.
3. Strategic PR plan – Through proper research, a PR strategy with tactics should be in place prior to launch. This will outline all avenues that will be taken to communicate your launch through media, social media, direct marketing, events, etc. to your target audiences. A proper PR plan should also span beyond the launch, as far as a year ahead, taking into account future growth plans, milestones and other key aspects of the business. 
4. Marketing arsenal – The marketing arsenal is important when it comes to B2B and B2C business building. Do you have appropriate marketing materials (business cards, brochures, rack cards, sales sheets, etc.) to leave behind when pitching your business or for customers to take to learn more about your products or services? Is your sales team or frontline staff armed with appropriate speaking points or key messages about your business or new product? Ambassador training can many times make or break message alignment − from leadership to sales staff. 
5. Media materials – Your media kit and other materials should have ready-to-go information about your business for media use. This includes leadership bios, headshots, fact sheets, company history, relevant white papers or case studies, boilerplate, news release template, general talking points, targeted media list and b-roll. Having this taken care of in advance eases stress in the immediate weeks leading up to launch. 
6. Social media – There’s relevancy in almost every form of social media to nearly every business. Begin your social media presence (or be ready to publish) before launch. And know which social media outlets are the best for your type of business. Don’t forget to include links to social media pages on your website and in marketing materials.

So, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that PR is only useful when you’re ready to release your news. Remember that effective communications strategy takes planning and long-term vision to ensure proper success!