Insights for Leaders Navigating
Visibility, Credibility, and Growth.
From media strategy to reputation management, we explore the trends shaping public perception and share the approaches that drive measurable results for growing brands.
According to Ed Madison, a professor at University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication, “Acknowledging and honoring students’ intrinsic interests is often a gateway to deeper and more complex learning.”
This belief, and his subsequent research around it, led Madison to work with Esther Wojcicki, the creator of the esteemed journalism program at Palo Alto High School, and Tara Lynda Guber, the founder of Yoga Ed to establish the donor-funded Journalistic Learning Initiative (JLI), a program for middle and high school students. JLI is a collaboration between the School of Journalism and Communication and the College of Education.
It all started when Madison decided to pursue his Ph.D. in Mass Communications and Society. After a successful 30-year career in journalism, where he served as one of founding producers for CNN and then produced content for a number of major networks, studios, and record companies, Madison was ready for a change and went back to school.
“As part of my doctorate work,” explained Madison, “I had the opportunity to meet Esther Wojcicki and learn about the journalism program she created. Woj, as she is affectionately called, and the other dynamic instructors at Palo Alto High School are having a tremendous impact on kids. Their work inspired my dissertation and then the creation of JLI.”
Each year nearly one-third of Palo Alto High School’s 1800 students participate in its journalism program and they produce seven different publications, many of which consistently win top national honors. In addition, the program helps these students learn key skills around critical thinking, research, and collaboration that will help them throughout their lives.
Guber also has had a long commitment to transforming education. In addition to Yoga Ed., she was a founding member of the board of directors of The Accelerated School, an internationally recognized charter public school in South Central Los Angeles and TIME magazine Elementary School of the Year. When she heard Wojcicki speak about the Palo Alto program, she got involved.
Madison soon began to explore high school language arts instruction methods and journalism’s potential influence on the overall student learning process. His research found that high school journalism students rated social-situated learning, intrinsic motivation, and skill enhancement higher than their non-journalism counterparts did. This became the cornerstone of the JLI curricula.
Instead of learning from lectures and textbooks, journalistic-learning students complete situational-based work, which is aligned with their current course work or individual interests. For instance, one instructor asked her students to select a beat – such as robotics, arts or gaming – and find an expert to interview. Leveraging online databases and articles, students identified and scheduled in-person or Skype meetings with them. They then produced articles summarizing their findings.
From this activity, students gained practical experience citing sources, improved their proficiency in non-fiction reading, and developed better writing and editing skills. Students also benefited by having their work reviewed by peers before they published it online.
Another key element of the program is ensuring that busy middle and high school teachers have the right support. To address this issue, the JLI works with UO’s College of Education to match recent UO Journalism graduates with teachers. The graduates provide teachers with support helping them to identify and design specific projects. They also help each week in the classroom to answer technology questions, and they assist students with research.
The cost of implementing this program varies by location, but it is not as expensive as one might imagine. For $10,000 to $20,000, donors can underwrite a semester and make a huge difference in students’ lives. Moreover, donors have the opportunity to visit classrooms to see firsthand the impact they are making.
“We have quite a unique model and initial results have exceeded our expectations,” explained Madison. “Our intent is to aggressively scale these programs nationally.” The first JLI pilot program took place during spring 2016 in Oregon. Additional pilot projects will take place in Los Angeles in 2017.
For more information on these programs, or to hear about them from the students themselves, please check out these videos.
- Student Engagement: https://vimeo.com/189396523
- Research Skills: https://vimeo.com/189396526
- Collaboration: https://vimeo.com/189396525
- Deep Questions: https://vimeo.com/189396638
By now, we all know that meaningful relationships are the cornerstone to being successful in PR. From a client’s perspective, strong relationships can be the deciding factor when selecting a PR firm or reevaluating whether it’s time to seek out a new PR partner. With so many options available (a Google search for PR firms returned more than 30 results in the Seattle area alone), it can be difficult to determine which PR firm will provide the best client service.
At Communiqué PR, we believe the most rewarding engagements occur when PR isn’t viewed as a separate entity but rather as an extension of a client’s communications team. Achieving this level of trust and familiarity with a client doesn’t happen overnight and requires exceptional client care. To find out if your PR firm is delivering top-notch service, here are five questions to ask yourself:
- How well does your agency know you? If an agency isn’t knowledgeable about your business or industry, it’s impossible for it be a powerful advocate for you. While it isn’t a requirement for your PR team to be a full-fledged expert in your field, you should expect it to be aware of major industry news and the potential impact on your company. A qualified PR agency will take the time to learn who your biggest competitors are, your business and communication objectives, and the current industry landscape in order to tailor its recommendations accordingly.
- Do you feel like a top priority? Regardless if you’re a startup with a limited budget, you should still receive the same class of service as a Fortune 500 company with a six-figure retainer. Although there may be some limitations on the number of activities a firm can perform on a smaller budget, the same care and attention should be present in every interaction. If you’re being quoted dates for projects that seem unreasonably long or the quality of the work is suffering, it may be time to consult a new PR partner.
- Are you receiving prompt responses? When you send an email, your PR representative should promptly respond to either a) provide the answer to the question you posed or b) acknowledge the receipt of your email and inform you he/she is researching the answer to your question. Communicating that your email has been received is a small yet significant way to demonstrate a commitment to transparency and eliminate any unnecessary speculation.
- Is your PR contact more than an email address? Although email is often the most preferred form of communication in business, you should still have regular phone calls and the occasional in-person meeting with your PR team. Unless there are special circumstances that prohibit phone calls or face-to-face meetings, a PR firm with your best interest will suggest scheduling these to ensure you’re aligned on strategy and further strengthen rapport.
- Does your PR firm provide a summary of next steps? No matter how brief or informal a meeting or call may seem, you should always receive a recap of the discussion with next steps and estimated dates for completion. Presenting a summary of the conversation ensures both parties are clear on the resulting action items and can help prevent misunderstandings.
Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ll be able to choose a PR firm that can be a trusted partner by your side. For more on this topic, check out our previous blog posts:
Both safety and affordability are deciding factors when families are looking for a suitable city for senior living. Nobody wants to be in a situation where they have to give up the comfort of a safe neighborhood for senior living, or conversely, pay an exorbitant amount of money for senior care because it is located in a safer area. Because many families are rushed into making senior living decisions, understanding the local market helps ensure people are not sacrificing safety for affordable senior housing.
To help families navigate the senior living decision process and better understand options both locally and nationally, A Place for Mom – the nation’s largest senior-living referral service – conducted a study examining the top and bottom places in the country to find safe and affordable senior housing. This study is part of an ongoing research program designed by APFM to provide information and tools to families that allow them to better plan for the future.
Understanding the Findings
In order to come up with the rankings, APFM analyzed national senior living prices in conjunction with FBI Uniform Crime Reporting data to compute percentile ranks for violent crime, property crime and median senior housing costs for more than 380 cities. By examining the information, APFM’s data scientist Ben Hanowell was able to determine 1) the cities with the best balance of safety and senior housing affordability; 2) the most affordable low-crime cities for senior housing; and 3) the least affordable high-crime cities for senior housing. Based on the findings, APFM was also able to produce an interactive map to help people find the safest cities with the best senior housing costs.
So which cities rank highest and lowest for senior living affordability relative to local crime rates? Below are the top and bottom 10:
| Top 10 | Bottom 10 |
| Bristol, TN | San Jose, CA |
| Kingman, AZ | Worcester, MA |
| Dalton, GA | San Francisco, CA |
| Bristol, VA | Seattle, WA |
| Sebastian, FL | Baltimore, MD |
| West Lafayette, IN | Oakland, CA |
| North Port, FL | Bridgeport, CT |
| East Lansing, MI | San Diego, CA |
| Lake Havasu City, AZ | Hayward, CA |
| Fort Walton Beach, FL | Aurora, CO |
The findings show that cities with low crime rates and low senior housing costs tend to be in smaller, less densely populated cities, especially in the South and Midwest. The cities with both high crime rates and high senior housing costs tend to be in densely populated urban areas, especially on the West Coast. That being said, it should be noted that just because crime rates are higher in big cities, it doesn’t necessarily make them undesirable for seniors. Bigger cities tend to have higher crime rates in general due to larger populations, so in comparison crime may be higher, but relatively speaking the city could still be considered safe. Larger cities also offer access to a host of amenities that many smaller cities cannot provide, which is an important factor for many people when searching for senior care.
To help inform families about the research, APFM – with the support of Communiqué PR – embarked on a media outreach campaign targeting local markets in which the top cities for affordable and safe senior living are located. Outlets from across the country reported on the study, with a few highlights including:
- Northwest Florida Daily News: Fort Walton Beach ranked in top 10 of safest cities for seniors
- Kingman Daily Minor: Kingman ranks second in nation in senior living
- Havasu News: Havasu ranks high in senior care
Congratulations to APFM for another successful campaign created to help families better plan for senior living and care. Be sure to also check out the full report hosted on the APFM webpage, where visitors can review the research in more detail and access tools designed to find reasonably priced senior living in a safe city close to home.
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Standing out is tough. As PR professionals, we can empathize with that statement. We battle daily for journalists’ time and attention. We have to consider which story is most likely to catch their eye, what assets we can we provide to entice them to request an interview, and how to package all of it into a succinct, intriguing email.
I recently came across an article called What You Need to Stand Out in a Noisy World, in Harvard Business Review. The author, Dorie Clark, a marketing and strategy consultant and author, explains what you need to separate yourself from the crowd. In the process of researching her book, Stand Out, Clark interviewed 50 top thought leaders in a variety of industries and came to realize there are three elements that are essential to getting ideas understood and accepted. The three elements are:
- Social Proof
- Content Creation
- A Strong Network
While Clark focuses her article on how you can stand out as an individual, these elements are relevant to a variety of situations, including PR. I’ve outlined how we can leverage her findings on behalf of our clients.
Social Proof
Clark defines social proof as an aid to help people make a judgement about something. In the case of an individual, it could be the company they work for or the university they attended. At Communiqué, we work with a number of early stage companies and brands that are working to raise awareness of their offerings. In order to create social proof and build credibility among journalists, one of the most effective ways to elevate our clients’ brands is to align them with other respected brands. For instance, naming major customers, important strategic partnerships, and impressive board member or investors helps build trust with a company that isn’t a household name yet.
As I’m sure many of you are aware, this is sometimes easier said than done. Often, customers and partners require approvals before speaking about a deal publicly. We recommend that whenever companies are working through negotiations, they include permission to name their partner or customer directly into the contract. This will help save time and ensure that brands can display their hard-earned social proof.
Leveraging social proof will get the audiences you are trying reach, often journalists first, then ultimately the journalist’s audience, to take the company and its goals more seriously. They’ll know that these credible companies or individuals will have properly vetted the company before choosing to align with them.
Content Creation
In the context of PR, this might feel like a no-brainer. PR activity ultimately depends on the business objectives of each company, but more often than not, we recommend our clients include byline development in their plans, as they are a great way to build credibility. Developing and placing articles in key publications has several benefits.
First, it establishes the author as a thought leader. It gives the audience insight into the trends they are observing, influencing and predicting.
Second, it allows the author to control the message. If a company has a complicated story, telling it through bylines will help accurately communicate all aspects of their story and vision and educate the audience.
Third, it’s another way to build social proof. If someone is a published author in credited outlets, then the ideas and perspectives they are sharing are more likely to be considered insightful and people will be more inclined to take interest.
A Strong Network
As are many industries, PR is an industry focused on relationships. As mentioned earlier, journalists are flooded with pitch ideas daily. It’s important to reach out to them with thoughtful, relevant pitches in order to gain their trust. As you demonstrate the value of the ideas you are presenting, build a relationship with them that will allow you to leverage the relationship on behalf of your clients. This will take time, but will be a valuable advantage to you and your firm.
It is also critical that we assist clients build their own relationships with the journalist. Before briefings, provide clients with background information on the journalist and the call objective. This will allow them to go into the call prepared and present the journalist with the information they need. If journalists have productive, insightful conversations with the sources you connect them with, they will likely come back to your client as a source for future stories.
Next time you begin working on a campaign or a plan for a client, consider these foundational elements of standing out. Effectively integrating them into your daily work will help you achieve greater success on behalf of your clients.
As we kick off 2017, it’s an opportune time to consider media training for your spokespersons.
Consider the following. Since last year, have your messages changed or evolved? Have spokespersons had an opportunity to practice delivering those messages in a clear and consistent manner? Do you have new subject matter experts or executives who need to brush up on their interview skills? Is your organization targeting different vertical press, with whom executives have limited experience or interaction?
If the answer to any of the above questions is an emphatic “yes!” you may be in the market for media training. Whether it’s your organization’s first or fifth media training session, media training provides executives with an opportunity to practice delivering key messages, address tough questions, and receive meaningful feedback and coaching from PR pros.
This week, we conducted media training for a new client and want to recap some of our top tips and tricks for acing your next briefing.
Before the briefing:
- Know your objective: Be clear with the reason you’re speaking to a reporter. Have key messages, data and examples to share before you hop on the phone with a journalist.
- Work to understand the journalist’s angle: Review the briefing document provided to you by your PR team. Understand the journalist’s previous coverage and the story for which you will be a source.
- Practice answering anticipated questions: a PR team worth their salt will provide you a list of anticipated questions. Practice, practice, practice. Infuse your answers with key messages, but do so in a way that feels natural and authentic to you.
- Prepare soundbites: Prepare a list of three-five speaking points and potential soundbites you’d like to see in print. Pithy one liners aren’t always improvised.
During the briefing:
- Strive for simplicity: Use plain language, and avoid jargon. Your role is to educate and engage the reporter.
- Listen for key opportunities: Share your knowledge on industry trends, or bridge to key messages. The goal of a briefing isn’t just to share “your” news or story. It’s also to establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry.
- Write down the journalists’ questions: Particularly if you’re prone to tangents, it’s critical to write down the questions (or have a colleague or PR manager assist with this). Return to the question at the end of your response to ensure you’ve addressed it.
- Ask questions: Clarify a reporter’s questions to assess his/her depth of knowledge. Ask what he/she is seeing in the industry to build rapport and keep the briefing conversational. Check in to ensure he/she understands you. This has the added benefit of showing you’re audience centered.
- Correct misunderstandings/inaccuracies: Anything shared during a briefing could end up in print, so it’s important to nip inaccuracies in the bud during the briefing.
- Communicate with intention: Share your passion! Get the reporter excited about the industry and your company by speaking with enthusiasm.
After the briefing:
Your PR team will likely handle the post mortem, from double checking facts and quotes to following up with the reporter to deliver images or additional information.
If you are owning the relationship with the reporter, however, make sure you deliver on any promised materials. For example, if you mentioned that you’d like to provide more information to better address a reporter’s questions, do so. Establish yourself as a reliable, helpful source – and you’re more likely to have a reporter’s ear in the future.
For more tips and tricks, check out our past posts:
There are a daunting number of conferences held each year and determining which ones are worthwhile to attend can be overwhelming. Conference topics can range from broad, all-inclusive tech to consumer facing to niche conferences focusing on a specific product like smartphones. Some conferences are well known and long established, like SXSW or TechCrunch Disrupt, but recently, a fairly new conference has risen to be one of the biggest tech conferences in the U.S. in just three years, the Collision Conference.
May 2-4, 2017 marks the weekend of the 4th annual Collision Conference. Collision was created by the same team that brings us Web Summit, Europe’s largest technology market place and conference. Over 53,000 people attended Web Summit this past year and much of its popularity stems from the idea that the conference is ‘a little different’ than similar events. In fact, much of Web Summit’s original fame came from one of the conferences networking events back in 2011, a pub crawl through Dublin led by U2’s Bono. This same idea of creating an event that deviates from the normal conference rotation is behind the traction the Collision Conference has gained over the last three years. The 2017 conference is expected to have over 20,000 attendees, almost 10,000 more than last year, and will continue to grow.
Collision has been called “America’s fastest growing tech conference” and there are a few factors that differentiate Collision from other conferences. The conference saw a spike in attendance after moving to New Orleans for the 2016 conference, which many conference attendees found to be a refreshing change from the tech focused cities like San Francisco, New York and Collision’s previous location Las Vegas, where a majority of tech conferences are held. It also coincides with New Orleans Jazz Fest, running from April 28 to May 7, which attracts additional attendees to the conference. The Collision website even has a slogan saying, “Come for Collision. Stay for Jazz Fest.” This, combined with networking events like pub crawls and exclusive VIP and speaker events, creates a laidback and refreshing atmosphere that attracts new startups and business giants alike.
Collision 2016 attracted impressive speakers, media and attendees, a trend that will no doubt carry over to this year’s conference. Past speakers include Max Levchin, founder of PayPal, Gary Briggs, CMO of Facebook, Stewart Butterfield, CEO of Slack and Linda Boff, CMO of General Electric. Media attendance is equally impressive, with over 1,200 media attendees signed up for 2017. This includes top-tier publications like WIRED, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Forbes and Business Insider. Media of this caliber is especially enticing to many of the startups that attend the conference hoping to spread awareness of their brand and demo new products.
Companies like Google, Microsoft, Apple and IBM will be participating in events throughout the conference, offering valuable networking opportunities for individual attendees and smaller businesses. The conference is known to put a large emphasis on startups, there were upwards of 650 startups in attendance at the 2016 conference, and the number is expected to grow this coming year. Startups can apply for ALPHA, which allots selected companies an exhibition stand, three tickets, and access to investors and workshops. Though there is a startup exhibition every day, each company only exhibits for one, allowing them to explore the rest of the conference for the remaining days. This is an excellent opportunity for new or growing startups to network, secure funding or simply display their product or concept. To complement the startup focus, successful startups like Uber, Airbnb and DropBox will also be speaking and attending conference events.
Collision also covers a variety of industries, which is why it is actually a collection of 12 separate smaller conferences, each with its own name, stage, events and specific focus. Listed at the end of this post are the 10 industry focused mini-conferences with their names and focus ranging from the auto industry to the music industry, but each with an emphasis on how technology is growing and impacting the industry. The final two conferences are actually networking events, Pub Summit and Night Summit, that are held each evening after the main conferences and speakers end at 5 p.m. A ticket to the Collision conference grants you entry to each of the individual conferences; you simply have to choose which one best applies to your business.
When searching for worthwhile conferences for your company or a client’s company, Collision should be one to consider. As with all conferences, you must weigh the costs and benefits to decide if it will be a good fit. Collision has its pros and cons, and while some previous attendees have said they will not return, a majority do and have spoken highly of the opportunities Collision awarded them.
The 10 Mini-Conferences
AutoTech – Collision’s autonomous vehicles, connected cars and the Internet of Things conference
Binate.io – Collision’s data conference, a good fit for data scientists and data and analytics companies
creatiff – Collision’s design conference, over 3000 designers and creatives attend
FullSTK – Collision’s “what does the future hold?” conference, targeted at developers, investors, futurists, engineers and computing experts
Music Notes – Collision’s music and technology conference that brings brands, artists and labels together
PandaConf – Collision’s marketing and ad technology conference
Planet:tech – Collision’s environmental impact, sustainability and environmental technology conference
SaaS Monster – Collision’s SAAS conference for big data
Startup University – Collision’s conference focusing on creating successful startups
Talk Robot – Collision’s conference for artificial intelligence, robotics and hardware