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.
Today when I drove from my home to our empty office to pick up mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service, I had the opportunity to catch a few minutes of Michael Barbaro, host of The Daily, who interviewed the New York Times’ Donald G. McNeil, Jr. They prognosticated about the next installment of the pandemic and what they expect society will look like. It got me thinking about the future of work and I thought I’d share a few of thoughts on how this life-changing and thoroughly disruptive pandemic will impact Communiqué PR, its clients, and many other businesses like ours.
Here are my predictions for the next 12 months:
- Work from home will remain the norm. Until there is a vaccine or reliable treatment (or the disease isn’t spreading), I can’t imagine that we’ll want our team to risk their lives to come into the office, especially since they can work so effectively from their homes.
- Video communication will remain the most efficient and effective means of staying in touch. Before the pandemic, we didn’t use Microsoft Teams, but now it’s become a daily feature of our workdays. We also use Zoom, but Microsoft Teams is our go-to tool because of its integration with SharePoint and the ability to access so much of our company’s data from one location.
- Operating expenses will continue to shift. We will not spend as much money as in previous years on team lunches, team building in person, or business travel. Instead, we will invest in technology that allows our team to work more efficiently from home. Perhaps, when things get more normal, we will spend money on virtual team-building activities or training opportunities.
- Results and ROI will be the name of the game. We anticipate our clients will put more emphasis than ever on ensuring every dollar they spend on PR provides a clear and measurable return. It will be more important than ever to measure results and show how those results are providing a return. It will also be vital to consider and focus on the strategies and tactics that will offer the highest probability of success at the best value.
- Learning and training will happen virtually. We will embrace new tools like Panopto Express to create and share video via YouTube, Google Classroom or from Panopto’s reliable and secure video-content management system. This free solution will enable us to use video more effectively for staff training. It is a great way to record and share a PowerPoint presentation.
- Team composition. We are fortunate to have a talented team of full-time staff and a team of professional freelancers that augment our capabilities. This blended team allows us to scale our business up and down to accommodate our clients’ needs and special requirements. I envision that we’ll continue to rely on this combination in the coming months.
Longer Term Changes
- Homes will become more important and we may choose not to lease as much office space and instead invest in our team’s home offices. This investment may include both hardware and software.
- Conservation of resources will remain a top priority. We’ve seen shortages of toilet paper, cleaning supplies, and sometimes food. In addition, many of us are concerned about climate change and the impact that consumption has on the environment. This pandemic may forever change our collective perspective and behavior around what we truly need.
We are all navigating uncharted waters with the global and ongoing impact of this strain of coronavirus. Navigation will require flexibility, keen forward thinking, and the resolve to be brave, nimble and open-minded to satisfy and sustain the needs of our clients in this unsettling new world. Few of us imagined we’d ever face anything of this magnitude in our lifetime. Adversity often breeds tremendous innovation and supreme focus – drawing out the best of all of us – and I fully believe we’ll emerge stronger for having endured this world-changing event. No less a pundit than Francis of Assisi said, “Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”
This week marks the eighth week of working from home for the Communiqué PR team. We consider ourselves fortunate to have a job that we can perform from home, and that our team is supportive of one another during a stressful and uncertain time. Despite the unforeseen circumstances, the transition to working from home has been relatively painless for our team. We are grounded in our core values, which inform our attitudes and perspective and guide us as we move forward. Without such a clear understanding of what we strive for, I imagine the past eight weeks would have been a lot more difficult.
During a time like this, it may prove beneficial for teams to dust off their core values and find ways to inject their company culture into their day-to-day operations. Outlined below are some of the ways I’ve seen the Communiqué PR team deliver on our core values.
Deliver Superior Results. We have remained dedicated to delivering results for our clients, recognizing the unusual circumstances we are in. I’ve seen an open dialogue between our team and our clients, as we assess changing needs and circumstances.
Embrace Client Service and Partnership. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were quick to offer support to our clients in developing internal and external messaging about the crisis. We have continued to put our clients first and add value in every interaction.
Collaborate and Work as a Team. We have continued to hold our morning team meetings, in which we often strategize with each other to find solutions to problems and drive results for our clients. When one team tries something new and finds success, we share it with each other in case another account team could benefit.
Nurture a Proactive, Positive Spirit. When an account team experiences a win, we share the win with the rest of the office via email or in virtual meetings and celebrate our accomplishments together. We also encourage each other to continue onward when we feel fatigued and think proactively about next steps.
Think Strategically. Given the unpredictable nature of COVID-19, we have been kept on our toes. As we balance driving results with being sensitive to changing trends, we’ve had to consider multiple perspectives as we think through problems to determine the best solutions.
Foster Creativity. When in the office, we hold meetings to brainstorm creative ideas for our clients. This is a practice that has been ongoing during quarantine. We’ve also shared our setbacks and successes with each other, which has helped team members get out of ruts or see a new way to approach a scenario.
Take Time to Celebrate and Create Fun. Communiqué PR has held a handful of virtual happy hours. One happy hour was to celebrate a birthday, to which one of our team members showed up wearing a party hat. We take time to connect over how we’re staying sane during quarantine and celebrate our personal and professional wins.
Act with Integrity. Working remotely requires self-discipline and integrity to produce quality work and meet deadlines. Our team has continued to work productively and with a consistent set of actions, methods, principles and expectations. Our outcomes are driven by honesty and transparency with each other, our clients and our partners.
Be Respectful. Knowing everyone is under a great deal of stress, we have paid extra mind to show respect to our team members, clients and the media with whom we regularly partner. We understand that everyone is doing the best they can, and respect others’ decisions.
Embrace Growth and Change. The current global health crisis has turned the world upside down and cast a shadow of uncertainty on the future. Communiqué PR has not let that get us down. We are taking each day one at a time and doing the best we can to be flexible as we move forward. The world of public relations is always changing and will continue to do so after COVID-19, and Communiqué PR is prepared to take each change in stride.
Core values support the vision of a company and help shape its culture. They are the essence of the company’s identity. In addition, core values educate clients and potential customers about what the company stands for. Having a strong foundation of values can help teams draw closer together during the highs and lows of the future.
How would you define your company’s core values?
Have you ever sat through a conversation and 10 minutes later remembered nothing from it? You perhaps recalled you forgot to lock the car or were weighing out the options for dinner tonight. While these thoughts should cross your mind, having them during an important interaction hurts your ability to respond efficiently. But don’t worry, you’re not alone! Research shows that people only listen effectively 10 percent of the time. Craig Weber, author of “Influence in Action,” speaks to this bad habit and how it directly stems from the strength of our minds.
Now I know what you’re thinking: I can’t go to the gym and exercise my brain. Weber takes a different, and might I say, much easier approach to strengthening the mind called mindfulness awareness practices (MAPs). MAPs help you control the “beam of awareness” that so often unconsciously shifts. The goal of these exercises is to teach you how to catch your mind drifting and strengthen listening skills. Let’s run through a few exercises you can work on today!
Single-Point Practice
This first exercise might be the hardest yet most straightforward approach. In this practice, you center your focus on one object, like a spot on the wall or a tree outside, and relax. Your mind will roam, and when it does recognize the lost attention and return to your original point of focus. By actively practicing this everyday you’ll become more conscious of your mind in action and increase the time you can stay focused.
Mindful Listening
In the book, Weber says that listening mindfully presents a useful way to practice controlling your beam of attention. It allows you to put yourself in another person’s shoes and promote empathy. So how do you get better? Your opportunities to practice are endless: Movie night with friends? Lunch meeting? Call with a client? Practice focusing on WHAT and HOW they speak along with tone of voice. Intensely focus on what you’re hearing and force out all other thoughts. Concentrate as if you have to repeat what the person said in the last 15 seconds.
Notice Your Beam
I don’t know about you, but I could get in my car, drive to get a coffee and not remember much of the trip. This is a result of physically being one place, but mentally someplace else. To refocus your beam, Weber outlines two exercises to strengthen your ability to see where your beam is going:
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- Every hour, take one minute and focus it on an external and internal object for 30 seconds each. For example, your breathing and a continuous sound occurring in the room, like a fan.
- Set an alarm on your phone to remind yourself to check: “Hey, where’s my beam at?” It’s a simple task but will help you see where your mind wanders.
Notice 5 New Things
Ellen Langer, a mindfulness expert at Harvard, defines mindfulness as “the simple process of noticing new things.” She recommends starting each day with the intention of noticing five new things. It could be an object or event, but it allows you to establish the goal of always being present and appreciative.
Take 2-Minute Breathing Breaks
We can all get caught up in our thoughts and become filled with regret from the past or worried about the future. By taking regular two-minute breathing breaks throughout the day, it allows you to temporarily free yourself of regret and worry to be fully present. Concentrate on the feeling and flow of your breath as you inhale and exhale. Focusing solely on your breathing is an opportunity to rest and recover in a chaotic time.
The list goes on with other MAPs to improve your daily focus and listening abilities. I chose these five practices because they’re the easiest and most result-driven to complete in the busy lives we all lead. If this topic interests you, I highly recommend picking up Craig Weber’s book and immersing yourself with other actionable practices he presents. Although MAPs may seem tedious, setting aside small pockets of time throughout the day will result in leading better and more rememberable conversations. Let’s use this time at home to strengthen our minds for when we go back to the office and interact in person.
Earlier this month, one of our newest clients announced a new business model, new company name and new funding. The client, a data performance company previously known as SoftNAS, will now be known as Buurst, unveiled that it was changing how it would charge for its services.
As with every announcement, we worked closely with Buurst’s team to understand the value of this news and what it would mean for customers, partners and the industry. Buurst’s novel approach is in response to the rate at which data is being generated. We learned the amount of data generated is essentially doubling every two years. The traditional approach to data storage and management is to charge a storage tax, which led Buurst’s leadership team to ask, what happens when companies can no longer afford their data?
Buurst completely changed its model and vision in response to an evolving industry and to position their customers for long-term success in the cloud. The change was forward-thinking and disruptive, and we expected the news to generate interest.
As we prepared for the announcement, we decided to pursue analyst briefings to secure third-party validation of the new approach. We secured briefings with IDC, ESG Global and 451 Research in which Buurst walked the analysts through the changes and secured their thoughts on the new model. Additionally, we requested that several analysts serve as media references and secured approved quotes in advance of the announcement.
Finally, we decided to offer this news under embargo to key journalists to allow them time to process the news, secure additional information about how this would disrupt the industry, and why the company was making these changes now. The embargo pitching led to two phone briefings and an email Q&A with a target publication.
Below is an overview of the original articles we secured on behalf of Buurst. Congratulations to the Buurst team on a successful launch of the new business model and brand!
Coverage Recap: SoftNAS Changes Name to Buurst, Announces Plan to Disrupt the Storage Industry
- SoftNAS Rebrands as Cloud Data Performance Company Buurst—Channel Futures, 4/17/20
- Vast Data Wows Investors with ‘Flash Everywhere’ Design—TechTarget, 4/17/20
- SoftNAS Drops Name and Billing Model to “Disrupt: Storage Industry—Data Economy, 4/16/20
- SoftNAS Changes Name to Buurst, Raises $5M to Help Companies Manage Data in the Cloud—GeekWire, 4/14/20
- SoftNAS Rebrands as Buurst with New Pricing Model and Channel Emphasis—ChannelBuzz, 4/14/20
As we all adapt to the “new normal” during the coronavirus pandemic, like many industries, PR agencies are rewriting playbooks for how to pitch reporters.
It’s a balance of continuing to drive results for clients while ensuring pitches are not tone deaf, appealing to reporters’ humanity, and counseling clients on the risk of appearing like they are capitalizing on the pandemic. It’s not easy and quite frankly the most challenging type of strategy development I have experienced in my career.
While PR professionals are not saving lives – and those that are have my upmost respect and eternal admiration – we are influencing how people think and how they feel. Many of us are grappling with our own fears and anxiety due to isolation and the uncertainty of the entire situation. But it’s our job to maintain our composure and help our clients communicate with their audiences as calmly as possible during this crisis.
In a recent blog on PR Daily, Elizabeth Tower Powell of DAI Partners shared an interesting perspective about how this is impacting the ways we provide counsel and help our clients during the coronavirus:
“When we tackle crisis situations, we usually have the advantage of objectivity. We address a disaster for clients, not with them. It is their problem, not ours. Right now, we’re experiencing the crisis together and its impact is severe. We don’t know the end date or the outcome and it’s difficult to suggest solutions.”
Considering this thoughtful viewpoint, I agree that we must take a step back and be very intentional in our strategy recommendations and execution to ensure we are thinking objectively on behalf of our clients. Given the enormous economic uncertainty and the need for brands to continue communicating with the public, below are four tips that can help.
- Communicate. It seems like a no-brainer, right? We are not expected to have all the answers but being proactive in staying in touch, being available and offering support and guidance can be very impactful. Working for a solutions-oriented agency, communicating without a direct result in mind can seem counterintuitive at first, but it goes a long way in building strong relationships with clients and demonstrates humility.
- Go above and beyond. Clients are taking on new and different responsibilities, as are their target audiences, and to those that want to weather the storm we need to roll up our sleeves and do whatever it takes to get the job done. Perhaps this is not the typical proactive pitch or communication plan development that is included in the scope of work; however, clients need resourceful help now more than ever.
- Showcase success, tactfully. This tip resonates with me as I am, likely overly, concerned about my clients appearing tone deaf or attempting to capitalize during the pandemic. That said, people are longing for something new and positive to watch. Take the launch of John Krasinski’s ‘Some Good News’ YouTube series, created to bring some positivity during these difficult times. Ok, maybe we can’t all be The Office’s beloved Jim, but we can help clients understand the importance of strategically showcasing good news, such as new business or new hires, as it can be reassuring to others that succeeding in this environment is possible.
- Look forward. It’s easy to get caught up in accepting that the current environment will be our “new normal.” I could be wrong, but I truly believe it is temporary, even if temporary is longer than originally anticipated. In a recent and rare address from Queen Elizabeth about the pandemic, an optimistic determination struck a chord with me when she said, “I hope in the years to come everyone will be able to take pride in how they responded to this challenge.” As PR pros it’s our job to help our clients plan for recovery and prepare for the future.
There are many unknowns with COVID-19 – from a health to an economic perspective – but I firmly believe we must maintain an optimistic outlook in the face of trying times.
In the interim, as you work to determine what is resonating with media, you may find the COVID-19 Media Guide for PR Pros, by D S Simon Media, as a helpful resource specific to broadcast. The sponsoring agency is surveying local news outlets on a weekly basis about what they are open to covering during the pandemic. Clearly, hard sell messages don’t make a lot of sense right now, and this guide can help provide some additional perspective on how brands are succeeding at this during the current climate.
In the age of coronavirus, it seems that life has turned virtual.
Self-quarantine and social-distancing mandates have led many to turn to teleconferencing and virtual hangouts to maintain professional and social connections. Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Skype and Google Hangouts have become essential for workplace collaboration and friendly check-ins. And adoption rates have surged: Teams reported 12 million new users in March after widespread social-distancing guidelines were put into effect.
However, the shift to virtual meetings has also brought an audience of co-workers and colleagues into our private homes, for which we may not always be prepared. It’s easy to overlook that, by participating in a virtual meeting, we’re putting our personal space on display, along with our work-from-home wardrobe, whatever it may be. How can we ensure we’re appropriately set up for virtual conferencing?
Fortunately, Julie Lasky of The New York Times is here to help. In a recent article, she detailed several ways we can look our best on webcam. Here are a few tips from her article that might come in handy for your next teleconference or virtual happy hour.
Lighting is Key
First, make sure your lighting situation is appropriate. Avoid having a light source directly behind you or within view of the camera, as this can cause glare for your audience. Having the light directly opposite you can help you literally shine for the camera – in the best of ways, of course.
To look your finest, avoid sitting directly under a source of light. This can create unwanted shadows on your face, making you look more like a ghost than a co-worker vying for valuable meeting time. Consider using ring lights or lamps and position them two feet opposite where you’re situated.
Make Sure You Can Be Heard
Next, consider the acoustics of the room, if you will. Hold your meeting in a setting where sound is absorbed and echo is minimized. Rooms with carpeting, window shades or curtains, and other upholstery can be ideal, as these can help contribute to your own personal sound booth. Large rooms composed of wood and glass are nice, but may be counteractive when it comes to trapping or bouncing sound.
Also, if you use headphones or AirPods, make sure they work appropriately with your computer and the application you’re using. Being ill-prepared for technical snafus can lead to a communication breakdown.
Know What’s in the Background
When considering your backdrop, keeping things simple often pays off. Neutral backgrounds will help keep the focus on you. Opt for rooms with neutral colors such as light blue, light gray, off-white or beige. Minimize background activity and avoid having multiple rooms or areas of high foot traffic, such as a staircase, within view of the camera that can distract your audience.
Or maybe you’d like to give your audience something to look at. Sometimes this can help with introducing a sense of calm, vibrancy or optimism. Try creating a simple setup, with a bookshelf in the background or placing a plant nearby. Or you could film yourself in front of an elaborate painting or art piece to try and inject a little inspiration into your setup.
It’s easy to overlook the unintended consequences of letting outsiders virtually enter your home. Pets may bark during client calls, children may barge into the room and cry during work meetings. These things happen. But creating your own niche for hosting virtual meetings will help you maintain consistency and a semblance of normalcy with your work routine. And it will help keep you prepared for whatever the job throws at you, keeping you focused on what’s important and less preoccupied with how you appear.