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.
Are you surprised to learn that, only 16 percent of MBA programs “offer a single course in crisis and conflict management, strategic communications, public relations” or reputation management? This week an op-ed in Bloomberg BusinessWeek made the case for change.
If you haven’t read the article, “Master’s of Spin: PR Belongs in B-School Studies,” I recommend you do. Author Anthony D’Angelo articulates how integrated strategic communications is with effective leadership and how reputation influences company performance, “product pricing, stock price, revenue stability and customer loyalty.”
Many company managers and executives find themselves in charge of PR and are expected to know what to do without any real coaching or education. After recognizing most executives are promoted to leadership roles where they were overseeing communication, but did not understand how to approach PR in a strategic manner, my business partner and I wrote the book Strategic Public Relations: 10 Principles to Harness the Power of PR. Strategic Public Relations provides company leaders (and PR practitioners) with a high-level road map on how to utilize PR effectively to advance their organizations’ most important business objectives.
Today’s business leaders need to understand the connection between PR and organizational success. A seismic shift in the marketing landscape over the past several years has pushed public relations to a new level of importance. Reaching customers is a lot more complicated than it used to be when everyone was watching TV or reading their regional daily newspaper. The marketing landscape is increasingly crowded and consumers are exposed to more information making it difficult to establish strong awareness. And with the explosion of social media and user generated content, it is possible for information about a company to spread rapidly, making companies and their reputations increasingly susceptible. Additionally, consumers are quick to spot what they perceive as spin. No longer can companies take a tactical approach to public relations.
Integrating courses on public relations, strategic communication and/or crisis communication into MBA programs is a smart move that will enable future company executives to utilize communications strategically to accomplish the company’s core business objectives.
Last week Ragan.com wrote about a new poll that revealed, among other things, PR firms are still the number one source for journalists. I anticipate other agency-side PR professionals were not surprised to see the results, which indicated 62 percent of journalists rely on PR agencies for sources.
Part of our job is to build relationships with the media and, given we typically have multiple clients across different industries, we tend to have connections and information that can be valuable to a reporter. For example, I have relationships with reporters who will call on deadline looking for a very specific source (i.e. a company who can speak to trend XYZ) and I make every effort to connect them with the right resources.
In other cases we field inquiries from reporters looking for story ideas. I recently walked a reporter through a few ideas we developed on behalf of our clients, but also shared a story idea that we were still vetting internally and was able to secure her reaction. The result? The reporter got off the phone with a couple ideas that were of interest and I gathered additional insight into what we would need to sell our future story to that reporter.
These relationships are a core part of my role as a PR professional and are not reserved just for media. I welcome an opportunity to connect other business colleagues when I anticipate the connection could be of mutual benefit.
PR professionals embrace these relationships and work to deliver value for those contacts. Here are a few tips to consider when building meaningful relationships with media:
- Respond in a timely manner. When a reporter is contacting me they are usually on deadline. Be responsive. Let them know if you can help within their deadline. If not, connect them with a colleague.
- Share relevant information. Gather enough information to know what the reporter is looking for and offer sources or ideas that can address their need. Don’t force an idea or a contact if it is not relevant. Be sure to offer supporting information or ideas beyond your client spokesperson. For example relevant data or analyst reports, photos, blogs, etc. Solicit input from your colleagues.
- Be transparent and honest. I always disclose the relationship I have with a source: Is the source a client, is it friend or did I just hear about the company/product at a cocktail party the night before. Likewise, if we have upcoming news that might be of interest, I might let the reporter know we have something in development, if it’s relevant to the timing and story idea.
- Know where your role ends. Sometimes it makes sense to facilitate the conversations and set up interviews; and sometimes you need to step aside for the reporter. If I connect a reporter with a client, I will stay involved throughout the process. Or if the person is more challenging for the reporter to connect with, I will offer to help. However, if the source is not a client, oftentimes I will facilitate the connection via email and then step out of the process.
Most agency-side PR professionals have these types of relationship with a variety of media (which is one of the benefits of working with a PR firm versus having an in-house team). Peter Shankman’s Help a Reporter Out (HARO) was built on this premise and has been a huge success. He provided a platform for media and PR folks to connect. The rules he established reinforce the value of those relationships and prevent misuse of the system.
Successful PR practitioners know it is important to develop on-going relationships with media and not just focus on pitching today’s story.
Effective communicators know the importance of utilizing non-verbal communication when delivering a message. It is a critical vehicle for capturing attention and communicating. Non-verbal communication includes eye contact, posture, gestures, voice and tone quality and helps ensure that your audience receives your message effectively.
Mastering non-verbal communication is essential not only in media interviews, crisis communication and management, but in everyday communication.
At Communiqué PR we prepare our clients for media interviews through media training, stressing the importance of body language, because what you don’t say is just as important as what you do say.
Consider the following:
- Sit up straight. Good posture conveys confidence, power and engagement. It will help someone understand that you are serious and know what you are talking about. Sloughing appears sloppy and can be construed as disrespectful.
- Look them in the eye. Eye contact is a critical piece of communication. This helps establish credibility and honesty and helps to deliver your message authentically. For example, if you need a minute to think about an answer to a question, briefly looking away gives the impression that you are collecting your thoughts and thinking.
- Gesture sparingly. Many people rely heavily on hand gestures to communicate. While this can be helpful to illustrate a point, it can also be distracting. We encourage you to gesture, when necessary, but don’t overdo it. This is especially important when doing an on-camera interview. You want the focus to be on your words. If the gesture helps make your point, it is ok, but you don’t want to detract from your message. A good example of this can be found in an interview with President Obama on ABC.
- Use your voice as a tool. Your words are important, but so is how you speak. Your tone should align with the message you’re a delivering. For example, when answering a question, raising your pitch at the end of a sentence can be confusing and communicate that you are unsure.
Mastering body language as an effective communication tool can be a challenge, but to get started it is helpful to pay attention to the non-verbal cues that you pick up on from your next conversation.
Do you have an example to share about how non-verbal communication has helped you deliver a strong message or caused confusion? We would love to hear about it. Please feel free to comment below.
Let’s just get the cat out of the bag. For most company executives or spokespeople, speaking with media can be a daunting task – no matter how seasoned you are. As soon as you receive the request for an interview, your mind may race wondering what will you say? What if the reporter asks a tough question? What if I don’t know the answer?
Media interviews are a critical opportunity to make a first impression, build brand awareness, establish a company or spokesperson as a thought leader and can shape perceptions. We have seen countless examples of interviews where the spokesperson’s comments have damaged either their personal or corporate reputation. No one wants to be in that situation – ever.
However, the experience does not need to be intimidating, stressful or uncomfortable, and can actually be fun if you take the necessary steps to prepare in advance. Plus, if you succeed in your interview, you build credibility as a valuable resource to that journalist and could be contacted again for future stories.
Before your next interview – whether it is for a broadcast segment, phone briefing or in-person meeting with a journalist, consider these tips to help you do your best:
- Study Up. It’s important to have a clear understanding of the story and what type of information the reporter is looking for you to provide. Make time to review the media briefing materials your PR colleague(s) have developed to help you prepare for the interview. At Communiqué PR, we provide our clients a sense of the questions we anticipate the reporter will ask during the interview (if the reporter does not provide questions in advance), as well as information on the intended angle of the story and insight on whom else the reporter has or plans to speak with for the article. We also include background information about the journalist, the media outlet and its audience. This information will help you to better communicate with the journalist and enables you to relate the information to the outlet’s audience.
- Get Grounded in Your Messages. Know what you want to say and deliver the messages effectively. Revisit the key messages your PR or marketing team has developed. If it is helpful, create a simple list of bullet points to help organize the key points you want to make. You don’t need to repeat the key messages verbatim, but by investing the time and effort to know your key messages, you will become more comfortable in delivering them in your own voice.
- Practice. Practice. Practice. Remember, this is your one chance to make a first impression. Never assume you are a ‘natural’ in media interviews simply because you are immersed in your company’s day-to-day operations. If someone from your in-house communications team or PR agency offers a media training session, take it. The practice will only help you to become more confident and poised in your communications.
- Set Your Own Agenda. Don’t rely on the reporter to ask the ‘good’ questions. You’re not speaking with them to simply answer their questions. Take advantage of the opportunity to deliver the messages you want to convey. One technique to try is to ‘flag’ your top three key messages by reiterating them throughout the conversation. Most reporters will end the interview with, “is there anything else you would like to add?” This is a great opportunity to summarize those messages.
- Be Concise. Most reporters deal in sound bites and usable quotes. Consider our previous blog post on “Mastering the Nine Second Sound Bite?” In the interview, focus on using conversational, straightforward language that conveys your company’s message clearly. And if you don’t have an answer to a question, be honest that you don’t and offer to check with an appropriate source to provide additional information. By providing inaccurate information or speculation, you’re likely to damage your credibility. It’s also a good idea to stop and check in every now and then to ask if they understand the information you’re presenting. This helps get a temperature read and opens the door to clarify any information.
- Be Positively Authentic. Believe in what you are saying and speak in your own style. You have a great story to tell and this interview is a great opportunity to be able to tell it. Also, by developing a positive attitude toward the interview, your enthusiasm and interest will be contagious.
We hope these tips are helpful as you prepare for your next interview. Remember, no one is born a media star overnight. It takes a lot of practice and the more you do it, the more confident and successful you will become.
Do you have any other best practices to share? Leave us a comment.
Anyone who hasn’t been hiding under a rock knows that social media is not just for consumers anymore. While many companies have jumped on the social media bandwagon, a few still have not committed just yet. For those outstanding companies, getting started on Facebook can seem like a daunting task. If you find yourself in this category, here are a few guidelines to help you get started:
- Set-up a separate email and account – Most people have a personal Facebook page, but we don’t recommend launching your company’s page from your personal account. It’s best to keep these separate to avoid any mishaps. Therefore, set-up an email account such as [email protected] and use it to create an account and page for your business.
- Prepare all the content ahead of time – Rather than going into Facebook and creating your “about us,” “product information” and other information on the fly, we recommend creating a Word document that outlines everything you’ll need, so it will be easy to upload when you are ready. This information should include your company’s short and concise background, website, key products and descriptions, avatar, etc.
- Don’t forget about images and videos – Be sure to have a few photos and images to include at your Facebook Page’s launch. This will make the page look more “used” and will make people feel assured that you’ll update regularly. We suggest using product logos, screenshots and video demos, if available.
- Have regular content updates ready – When getting started, it’s a good idea to have a few posts ready to go. Do you have a blog you can point people to? Do you have other social media accounts you can link to? People follow companies on Facebook to get information, so be sure you have a steady stream ready to go. However, don’t over-post either. Updating 3-4 times a week is sufficient, unless you have something very important to share.
- Flag any duplicate pages – Often when a company isn’t on Facebook, other users may create unofficial pages for your company. If there are other pages for your company, you can flag them as a duplicate, if you want. We recommend not flagging fan groups or those that are clearly not mistaken for the official page.
- Publicize the page – Once you have your company’s page up and running, share that page with your employees and relevant friends, and ask them to do the same. We recommend developing a short company-wide email blast to achieve this – with your Facebook page’s URL included, so they can easily “like” it. Also, highlight your new page on your other social media sites, if you have them, such as Twitter or your corporate blog.
- Reserve your custom URL – Once you have more than 25 “likes,” you can request a customized URL such as www.facebook.com/yourcompany. We highly recommend taking this step to help improve the searchability. You can do this in the editing page under “Basic Information.”
We wish you the best of luck launching and maintaining your company’s Facebook page! Remember to keep the content fresh and the tone as informal as you’re able. The beauty of social media is that consumers feel a human connection to your company, so don’t get too bogged down in formal language.
Do you have any other Facebook tips or best practices to share? Let us know in the comments.
To Comment or Not to Comment?
Oftentimes after reading an article or blog post I will read through reader comments with fascination. I find the comments interesting because these may surface a different perspective or counter claims made in the original post. Sometimes the comments can be positive and add to the conversation, and sometimes the comments can turn negative.
As a PR professional and blogger, I try to anticipate the reaction to a story prior to publishing. We also provide counsel to our clients on whether to react to specific articles or related comments and if so, how to engage. There are times when clients want to use comments to clarify a point or correct the writer. This is not always advisable.
Before reacting to commenters on a blog, it is worthwhile to consider the potential impact and as well as other ways to achieve your overarching objective. For instance, what reaction can you anticipate if you contact the writer directly to discuss his or her article, versus publicly posting a comment?
Recently, I was shocked to see an author’s public reaction to a negative review of her book and the firestorm she created. Her comment on the review spurred a flood of negative coverage and awareness. As David Barnett of the Guardian suggests, “Perhaps next time she’ll sit on her hands and count to 100 the next time she reads a bad review.”
This is a good example of the need to take a step back and determine if acknowledging a commenter will be a strategic move to achieve your overall goals. There are times when commenting or clarifying will be counter-productive to your objectives. We recommend considering if perhaps a comment will increase awareness of the article or if the discrepancy brought up is minimal or subject to interpretation. Also consider whether or not other readers will make your case for you and – without the emotion or vested interest – may be considered more authentic.