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.
Photo by David Ryder as published by the Seattle Times.
As a democracy, we rely on media to be informed and know what is going on around us.
This weekend The Seattle Times exposed “Fox News published digitally altered and misleading photos on stories about Seattle’s Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) in what photojournalism experts called a clear violation of ethical standards for news organizations.”
As the Poynter Institute shares on its blog – “This is bad. Really bad.”
Tom Jones from Poynter went on to write, “There’s no other way to put this: These are fireable offenses. They are inexcusable. This is no different than completely making up a story — which many (me, included) consider to be the worst offense in journalism.”
So why does this matter?
We use the media to know what is going on. The media, sometimes referred to as the Fourth State, plays a significant role in our democracy. The information we glean from the media influences awareness, attitudes, opinion, and behaviors – including voting.
In the midst of a pandemic, it is even more evident that we require trustworthy and accurate reporting. We are reliant on media to learn how we can stay safe and understand the role each of us play in “flattening the curve.” Inaccurate, exaggerated, or fake news can have life and death consequences.
When media publish false, fabricated or incorrect information, it diminishes trust. Trust in media has already been low. According to a Gallup poll in 2019, 41 percent of Americans “currently have ‘a great deal’ or ‘fair amount’” of trust in newspapers, television and radio to report the news ‘fully, accurately and fairly.”
Regardless of your political leaning or party affiliation, we need ethical and factual media as part of a healthy and functional democracy.
Demand accuracy. Think critically. Read before you share. Don’t spread misinformation.
The COVID-19 pandemic has cast a shadow over every aspect of our lives for the past three months. In addition, recent civil unrest has ignited across the country and world in response to the senseless murders of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in her Louisville apartment. Conversations are happening across the country about systemic racial inequality and police brutality. Marches and protests have been organized and are ongoing in cities all over the world.
It’s challenging to know how to navigate these circumstances and to know what actions are helpful and appropriate. As many of us are working and learning remotely to abide by social distancing protocols, we’re being inundated with updates on these ever-evolving situations.
Two truths coexist at once: (1) COVID-19 and protest news is important and serves to inform the public about the latest developments in two rapidly escalating global news stories and (2) with all the noise, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. I’m sure many of us can agree there have been days when it was difficult to remain positive and hopeful for the future.
In an effort to help lift people’s spirits, I’ve compiled eight news stories that came out during COVID-19 and the recent protests that I think everyone should hear.
No. 1: A Smiling Face
One San Diego doctor shared a photo in his PPE (personal, protective equipment) with the caption, “Yesterday I felt bad for my patients in ER when I would come in the room with my face covered in PPE. A reassuring smile makes a big difference to a scared patient. So today I made a giant laminated badge for my PPE. So my patients can see a reassuring and comforting smile.”
No. 2: Plywood Becomes Canvas
Plywood has been placed over storefronts and windows in major cities across the country to protect against looting and destruction. Now, those pieces of plywood are turning into works of art. In Oakland, they are telling stories about victims of racial violence with calls to action.
No. 3: Global Citizen’s Together at Home Concert Series
As a music lover, this was one of my favorites. One World: Together At Home is a historic, cross-platform global special that celebrates and supports healthcare workers and others on the frontlines, and the World Health Organization (WHO) as they lead the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The concert series leverages social media to bring musical performances into homes around the world by some of the world’s most notable artists.
No 4: Volunteers Provide Aid to Protesters
Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood has become home base for Seattle’s ongoing protests. While the area has seen much contention, it has also experienced an influx of volunteers providing aid to protesters. Volunteers are providing water, bathrooms, food, phone charging stations, first aid, and are even helping protesters register to vote.
No. 5: Special Shopping Hours for Seniors & Those at Risk
Though simple, it warms my heart to see local grocery stores carve out time daily for seniors, people with disabilities and those with compromised immune systems to shop for groceries. I think it’s important that we take care of our most vulnerable community members and this is a simple and critical way to do so.
No. 6: Animals Get Adopted
Many people are finding that stay-at-home orders have created the perfect circumstances for them to adopt or foster animals. Because of this, animal shelters across the country are empty or near empty as pets find new homes.
No. 7: More Than 1 Million People Have Recovered From COVID-19 Worldwide
The death toll is typically the data we focus on. While it’s important, it’s also important to keep track of how many people have recovered.
No. 8: Food Donations in Eastern Washington
A potato giveaway took place at the beginning of May, where more than 100,000 pounds of potatoes were given to the public. The potatoes were on their way to become fries, tater tots, wedges and other processed food until the shutdown closed restaurants. In Tacoma, 200,000 pounds of potatoes were given away at the Tacoma Dome.
What are some of your favorite silver lining stories?
Last week I received the final email from my online social media professor, a message detailing the great strides our class had taken over the past four weeks. As I read through the email, it hit me how much I’d learned and the many lessons from this class. For four weeks, I participated in a social media certificate course from a highly regarded Berkeley professor, Tim Peters, in the comfort of my own home. Each evening, I’d dedicate an hour to reviewing the weekly readings and tackling writing assignments.
Now let me tell you, before this class my evenings were spent binge-watching the latest Netflix shows. While Netflix is entertaining, this class taught me the significance and growth that occurs when you decide to challenge yourself and learn something new. Below, I’ve summarized the effective framework I learned to become a better social media connoisseur.
PLATFORM GENRES
Have you ever scrolled through Twitter to see long autobiographies and lengthy essays? No! That’s because Twitter has cultivated its own genre. Twitter is the land of short and concise posts, redefining the power of 140 characters. On the flipside, LinkedIn and Facebook allow users to create descriptive and long posts. As writers, it is our duty to recognize the genre of platforms and preconceived notions that accompany them. Our readers have a “social media ecosystem” and to create meaningful engagement we must critically understand what they will expect to see.
IDENTIFY THE WHY
Whether you’re writing a Q&A, blog post or tweet, it’s vital to fully grasp the purpose of the post. I’ve had it happen all too many times where I’ve written a post and realized that it has three ideas crammed into a few short sentences. Instead, this class taught me to identify the emotions of my audience to fully capture their attention. The end goal is to leave the reader with a clear point of view, action item or opinion. If you’re interested in expanding your knowledge on identifying the why, check out this Ted Talk: Start with Why – How Great Leaders Inspire Action. The presenter, Simon Sinek, is a motivational speaker and best-selling author with five published books.
DUTY TO THE AUDIENCE
A simple yet commonly overlooked piece of advice is to know your audience. If you misunderstand your audience, you immediately lose your chance to engage with them. Without their engagement, social media has no power. Our job as writers is to put ourselves in the reader’s shoes and figure out how to persuade or instigate action through the messages we convey in a post. Focus your energy and writing on the knowledge and awareness you have about the audience and what content you believe they will reasonably engage with online.
Finishing this course made me realize that crafting strong, persuasive, and empathic social media posts accelerate any brand. Each post should follow these guidelines to persuade and create significant connections to target audiences. Next time you write a post, apply these lessons to create a strong post that can initiate action or persuasion.
Many individuals and businesses are wondering how to respond to the crisis of racism and discrimination in America. Many of them want to support systemic change in our society and they know that they need to act. But knowing what to do and how to do it can be tricky. To help corporate leaders and communicators, we’ve come up with a list of articles and resources.
- Harvard Business Review article, “U.S. Businesses Must Take Meaningful Action Against Racism” is an excellent resource for leaders. The authors write, “The issues of racism and hatred are not ones that organizations or their leaders – from CEOs at the top of the hierarchy to team managers on the frontline – can ignore.” They then go on to outline the mistakes to avoid and the actions to take.
- Microsoft Satya Nadella’s statement is also excellent because it reminds us that we must have empathy, acknowledges that we all need to play a part in systemic change, and links back to Microsoft’s bigger mission of empowerment. Here’s what he said:
I know it’s not enough to just have empathy for those impacted, for the communities who are experiencing this hate, firsthand, who are scared for their safety, and for their loved ones. Our identity, our very existence is rooted in empowering everyone on the planet. So, therefore, it’s incumbent upon us to use our platforms, our resources, to drive that systemic change, right? That’s the real challenge here. It’s not just any one incident, but it’s all the things that have led to the incident that absolutely need to change. We can’t do it alone. I’m grounded in that, I realize that, but together I think we can, and we will drive change.
Satya Nadella, Microsoft
Other examples of corporate responses from large brand name companies, can be found here:
- A message from Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg: Verizon commits $10 million in aid to organizations dedicated to equality and social justice.
- Starbucks posted the following statement on its Instagram account: “We will confront racism to create a more inclusive and just world. We stand in solidarity with our Black partners, customers and communities. We will not be bystanders.”
- Brooks Running also posted a tribute on Instagram, “Until the day we can all run on equal ground.” The look-and-feel of this is similar to Starbucks’.
- Nike’s “for once, don’t do it” is a compelling video on YouTube. It gave me chills watching it and also reinforces the message that we can all make a difference.
- This Fast Company article, “George Floyd Protests: CEO and business leaders respond to nationwide civil unrest,” contains many more examples.
And, when businesses haven’t gotten it right, there has been an immediate backlash with people condemning them. For instance, Facebook has also come under fire for holding its free-speech stance and refusing to correct posts that clearly incite violence, and TechCrunch reported on negative reaction to Amazon. Individuals unhappy with the company’s treatment of workers and the technology provided by Amazon Web Services enabling facial recognition that can be used for policing, felt the company was acting in a hypocritical manner when it issued a statement calling for an end to the inequitable and brutal treatment of Black people.
Other ideas that business leaders might consider:
- Make sure you have a diversity and inclusion policy.
- Ensure diversity and inclusion is part of your company’s strategic plan.
- Hire someone responsible for diversity and inclusion within your business.
- Recruit, retain and promote members of diverse demographics.
- Offer diversity and inclusion training for management and leadership. Train people how to recognize and avoid bias.
- Create a mentoring program. Mentors and mentees often both benefit.
- Include diversity and inclusion as a performance metric.
- Offer time for employees to do volunteer work.
- Form strategic alliances with women- and minority-owned businesses.
- Donate money to organizations committed to ending systemic racism.
We all have a civic and moral duty to be part of the solution. Perhaps, in these unsettling and perilous times, we can finally find the heart and the courage to once and for all banish racism from our society in all its forms and treat one another with humility, respect and compassion. We are human. Let’s us find the goodness in one another.
For many, workplace culture is a driving force for keeping employees motivated and engaged at their jobs. The workplace atmosphere, the relationships with co-workers, the watercooler chatter and the snacks on hand give many folks something to look forward to when going about their daily work routine.
However, maintaining workplace culture has become much more challenging while working remotely. Days often feel the same and blur together, with people feeling isolated and more and more like they’re living out Bill Murray’s character arc in the movie Groundhog Day. We’re trapped in a time loop and endlessly living the same day over and over again.
Despite this challenge, some people are finding new ways to inject culture into their digital interactions with co-workers and colleagues to lift each other’s moods. The importance of communication has taken center stage and plays a critical role in maintaining this connectivity, even while employees are scattered in remote locations.
PR Daily recently asked readers how they were fostering company culture during quarantine. Here are some of the ways that communicators, including those of us at Communiqué PR, are sustaining culture with our respective teams.
- Virtual Team Check-Ins and Lunches
These are regular occurrences at our PR firm and crucial to maintaining workplace connectivity and camaraderie. Our daily check-ins via Microsoft Teams allow team members to share the various projects they have going on, informally brainstorm and seek feedback, and request support when needed. These virtual meetings also allow an opportunity to check in on each other’s mental health and general wellbeing. Even while working remotely, our daily stand-ups and bi-weekly team lunches have continued without a hitch.
- Digital and Virtual Gaming
Who doesn’t love a rousing game of Trivia? Or have you ever tried your hand at Bingo via Zoom? Digital and virtual gaming can be a fun way to boost engagement and morale. One fun game that teams can play under quarantine is to have a co-worker share a photo of their pantry or bookshelf, then have the rest of the team guess who the owner is. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about your colleagues.
- Team Challenges
Workout-from-home groups have sprung up while living under quarantine. Workout challenges such as doing “30 pushups a day” have helped some employees stay fit and feel better connected with their colleagues. In addition, some PR teams have held a Virtual Step Challenge, setting a goal of completing 140,000 steps over a two-week period. Those who successfully reached this goal would have donations made in their name to a selected charity.
- Daily Break Reminders and Positive Videos
When working from home, it’s easy to power through projects and neglect to step away from your desk. Daily break reminders can serve as a welcome notice to pause and take a breather. Treat yourself to a snack or get some fresh air. Additionally, a lot of stress and tension can come with living under quarantine. A daily positive video from co-workers can introduce levity and ease your spirits for a much-needed smile.
- Virtual Happy Hours and Gatherings
These have certainly become popular while under quarantine – and aren’t limited to the workplace. Virtual happy hours provide a fun, social event to have a toast with your co-workers and maybe even bring in your household pets to make an appearance. You don’t need alcohol to participate either – bring your favorite coffee drink, soda or sparkling beverage to the digital event and join the fun.
One day, hopefully in the not-too-distant future, workplace culture will shift back to what we once knew. As businesses begin to reopen, communicators will continue to have a critical role moving forward with our new normal. Messages must be delivered about returning to the office, informing people of best practices to adopt. Questions must be addressed. And our workplace culture will need to be restored. Fortunately, we’ll be prepared with methods that prove effective, whether we interact in the office or from home.
Each spring Cision releases its State of the Media Report, analyzing trends in the media, uncovering insights into journalists’ view on the state of the industry, and describing preferences on how they prefer to work with PR professionals. I keep an eye out for it each year, knowing that it will provide information that will be highly useful when pitching journalists.
While the last couple of years have provided valuable information, there haven’t been too many shocking conclusions that would dramatically alter my approach to pitching or recommendations I provide to clients. However, this year’s report includes a section on COVID-19, which quantifies and confirms some of the trends we’ve been noticing. The pandemic has thrusted the world into uncharted territory, leaving many of us trying to determine the best way to navigate the evolving situation. Knowing the media, journalists especially, have been dramatically impacted by COVID-19, it’s more important than ever to be thoughtful about how to best work with journalists through these times.
Breaking news is suddenly constant, journalists’ beats are changing, and publication’s staff sizes are decreasing. While we adapt to these changes, here are the insights from Cision’s latest State of the Media Report that I found most helpful.
Brevity is Key
Knowing that journalists are busy, we always strive to be concise with our pitches, and it’s important to just get to the point. But now, this is more important than ever. As we live through a historic crisis that has continued for months and directly impacts everyone, reporters have never been busier. It’s critical that pitches are tightly focused, clearly describe the story, and illustrate why the journalist’s audience would be interested in that particular story. These are all foundational elements to pitching but have never been more important in securing interest in a pitch.
Adapt Your Timeline
Typically, when pitching, we can expect to hear from reporters within one to three days. This can vary, but we often build our workback schedule and pitching timelines around this norm. However, as we’ve seen, reporters are busier than ever. With staff sizes being reduced and the amount of breaking news this pandemic is creating, journalists are being asked to cover more than ever before. To demonstrate an understanding of this, plan to give journalists a couple extra days to respond to your email.
Review Recent Coverage
Many journalists’ beats have suddenly changed to help cover the amount of news COVID-19 is creating. You may have spent years crafting the perfect press list, but before you send anything out, review each journalists’ recent coverage. If it’s only COVID-19 stories, chances are that’s where their attention is and other pitches may go unnoticed.
Spread a Little Positivity
This may be my favorite takeaway from the report. It’s no secret that the pandemic has been challenging, exhausting and stressful for everyone. But journalists who responded to this report shared that they are looking for new angles on COVID-19 stories and they want to see pitches for positive stories. This is a great opportunity to be creative, and positive, while working with clients to develop pitch ideas. One respondent to the survey stated, “We could all use a little positivity in this crisis.”
As you work to navigate these uncertain times, I highly encourage reading through the entire Cision report for insight into how PR professionals can continue to be valuable resources to reporter.