Math Isn’t the Only Skill You Need as an Effective PR Professional

It was the late 1980s and I remember sitting around the Sunday night dinner table talking to my mom about what I planned to do with my future.  I’m Italian and the dinner table is where all major life decisions were discussed.  In this case, I was hell bent on being the next Diane Sawyer on 60 Minutes.  I was a broadcast journalism major and, after all, I had perfected my 60 Minutes intro…”I’m Julie Ardito.  Those stories and Andy Rooney, tonight on 60 Minutes.” 

Reporting on stories, news writing and editing were all things I adored, and felt I was good at.  My mom’s response was something to the effect, “I think you should go into PR.  You’d be good at that and it pays better than broadcast.”  Hmmm….what the heck was PR I thought, and no way was I going to give up my dream of  moving to New York and being on the CBS 60 Minutes team.  Mom, really?

After moving to New York, working two broadcast internships at CNN and MTV Networks, and conducting man on the street interviews, and a year stint as a news director for a local radio station (note: it was a rock station, where music ruled over news, but I got my “news” fix in every morning and noon), I finally listened to my mom.  I was stubborn.

I took my first position in PR because the man who hired me thought my journalism background would make for a good PR professional.  He said, in addition to my thorough knowledge of Aerosmith, U2, and Billy Idol, I had solid communications and writing skills.  I could do PR.  Nice, but not completely right! 

My point here, is that in order to serve our clients, those companies that are hiring us to manage their communications and integrated marketing programs, public relations professionals must be proficient at much more than verbal and written communication.  There’s a whole slew of “non-PR” skills that we need to be darn good at, every day, to achieve the results our clients want. 

This article http://bit.ly/w4eiaq by Gracie Lavigne, senior editor of ProfNet, lists what I think are 9 top non-PR skills that every PR professional needs to be top of their game. 

Among the skills include the ability to manage others on a team, uber multi-tasking skills that keep high-priority projects going at the same time, discretion and good judgement on behalf of clients is a given, and creativity – continuously coming to the table with new ideas and solutions to advance a clients’ goals are key.  And, math.  As PR professionals, we can’t run from the numbers. Numbers are business, bottom lines and ROI.  We need to be competent enough in math to understand a Profit/Loss sheet and manage our client budgets. 

Mom always knows best.  PR is my profession and how I make my living.  There’s nothing better than helping a company get their story out, reach a target audience, change a perception, work through a crisis. 

Giving good PR takes strong communication/writing skills for sure, but without the rest, you can’t bring the ‘win’ home.  That, and a background in rock n’ roll, doesn’t hurt.

 

 

Breaking News One Tweet at a Time?

I like Twitter!  Of all of the social media channels, Twitter is exquisitely short, sweet and forces you to say what you need to say in 140 characters.  With the advent of Twitter, PR professionals and the companies we represent need to put our media caps on and think about how news organizations are breaking news today – especially if it’s our news they’re breaking. 

If you are a Fortune 500 company with a CEO swap underway, or even if you’re a one-man shop that’s launching a new service that’s going to have a ripple effect in your community, how that story gets out to the public, your customers, constituents, funders, is critical. 

News outlets are faced with not just being the first to what the news of the day is, but they’re having to decide how Twitter fits into their news cycle – especially their breaking news strategy.  More and more traditional news outlets are struggling with an ever-evolving approach to how their newsrooms handle Twitter as part of their goal of getting the new first.  This piece http://bit.ly/wWCf0O from Jeff Sonderman, Poynter Institute, tackles how a couple of news organizations are approaching the mammoth challenge – namely the BBC. 

Do you agree with the BBC’s guidleines for breaking news? 

I can understand the media’s need for speed and getting the news first.  From a PR standpoint, I see the need for accuracy in reporting as an equally, if not, a more compelling argument. 

This Twitter dilemna is not just for editors and newsrooms.  It’s a business decision as well.  As a CEO, are you and/or your PR counsel going to forgo your traditional media pitches and decide to break your news on your Twitter feed instead? 

I am suggesting that companies that are smart about their brand communiations and customers, will take more of a newsroom approach to how they handle their news.  They will think more like journalists before they decide how to break news.  How will the news outlet perceive your story?  Is it indeed breaking news?  The news media is a most critical audience and whether they, or you, break news in 140 characters or not, it will impact your business.

Do Leaders Need to Say Less & Listen More? Pause…Yes, Please!

Let’s face it, there’s a lot of noise going on in the workplace.  And, no doubt you, like me, have worked for CEOs, presidents, leaders, directors, whomever, who like to talk.  Some of them have damn good things to say too.  Some I’d even consider my friends and laugh at their jokes.  But, when it comes to what makes a true leader, one who’s most effective in motivating people and navigating the challenges facing businesses today…well, less is more. 

These leaders listen more than they talk.  They hear what people around them are saying.  They follow trends and consider impacts to their customers.  They are impacted by their teams.  They observe, consider and process before they speak. When they do speak, they don’t have to rely on the often prerequiste “message points” that PR folks like me prepare (although there’s a role such preparation plays in certain situations); rather they take the messaging and meld it into their own voice so it’s real and genuine.  They mean what they say.

When I came across this piece by Matt Myatt for Forbes, “Why Most Leaders Need to Shut-up & Listen,” I applauded!  Yes!  Less is definitely more when it comes to listening first and talking second.  He gives tips on becoming a better listener that leaders (and all of us) can use to be better at our business and in our relationships. http://onforb.es/xC7kh3

What’s the Real Bottom Line to the Costa Concordia Crisis?

You’ve seen the images.  Horrendous photos and video tape of the capsized cruise liner, the Costa Concordia, that ran aground off the coast of Italy.  Images of a seemingly modern day Titanic…except it’s 2012.

As Italian officials work to lead the rescue and search of the 3,200 passengers and 1,00 crew who were on board, and to thwart environmental pollution from the disaster, those of us living the disaster through the news media, can only ask, “How is this type of crisis not preventable today?”  As the investigation continues into the Italian captain, Francesco Schettino, who is under house arrest for investigation of alleged manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning the ship before all were evacuated, we are saddened for those lives recklessly and unnecessarily lost.

Peppered amongst the loss of life and emotional distress, we’re starting to see the range of impact from such a tragedy, including this look the fiscal damage to Carnival Cruises , which owns the Costa Concordia and the cruise industry.  http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/10593.aspx  The article also touches on how the industry as a whole is addressing safety issues.

From a PR perspective, the tragedy points to the importance of companies having crisis plans in place and ready to activate at a moment’s notice.  “…Successful crisis communication depends on crisis anticipation and thorough planning as well as open and honest policies with stakeholders and the news media,” says crisis communication expert Kathleen Fearn=Banks.

Every company will experience a crisis in their time.  Some will tragically take lives.  Others will damage reputations, brands or result in loss of market share.  No matter the crisis, have a crisis management plan in place that will help your company anticipate, manage and survive anything that comes your way.

Companies are about people.  People are human and flawed.  What happened off the coast of Tuscany involved human decisions and choice.  The result was disaster.  Be prepared.

Feeling Unmotivated? A Powerful Story About The Human Spirit & And What’s Possible

A story comes along every so often that makes you stop and think, “Holy cow – that defies what’s possible!”  Or does it?  You know the stories – the Chilean miners who are recovered, all in relatively good health, after multiple weeks caught in a mine shift, or those who survive seemingly sure death in a natural disaster to walk away and spend their lives raising awareness and funds for recovery efforts for those who were impacted.  The stories are endless as the people who live them.

One such story comes from the skirts of my hometown – Lake Tahoe – and epitomizes the human spirit and its capacity for overcoming life’s challenges and achieving life’s greatest quests.

His name is Grant Korgan, a Lake Tahoe native who is an avid snowmobiler, skier, kayaker and ultimate adventurer.  On March 10, 2010 he fractured his L1 vertebrae while snowmobiling in the Tahoe backcountry.  You can read more on Grant and what came next here  http://on.rgj.com/wvyAEM.  But the reason Grant’s story caught my attention wasn’t so much about the fact this amazing athlete was injured with a spinal cord injury and working to recover.  It is HOW he went about the recovery that was so focused, inspiring and intent that it truly is a lesson for any of us who aren’t giving 100 percent to whatever it is we are doing.  For the record, Grant is “gunning  for 120 percent recovery,” he says.   

Grant and John Davis, a two-time Paralympic gold medalist, are two adaptive athletes are on a quest to become the first adaptive athletes to reach the South Pole.  Korgan says in this video http://southpolepush.com/ it will take 250,000 pole strokes to get there.  I have no doubt he’ll do it, and that he’ll stand on his two feet when he does.

For me, Grant’s story is about pushing yourself to achieve what is possible.  If you don’t have the plan to get there, figure it out and move!  Don’t let your days waste away because of a half-ass effort or status-quo attitude.  That’ll get you nowhere.  Go Grant Korgan!  Lake Tahoe and the world is watching and willing you on!

The Beauty of Anthony Bourdain & Social Media Lessons Learned

I have to admit.  I watch Anthony Bourdain and the Travel Channel way too much.  For someone who doesn’t really cook, aside from my annual holiday lasagna and occassional pasta and shrimp, and who counts living in New York City as her global travel, it’s a bit of a disconnect.  Yet, Bourdain is brilliant!  He is an exquisite story teller, writer, and provides a creative, and irreverent way to view his world of food, places and those people who strike him as fascinating. 

As a public relations professional, I would take a wild guess that Bourdain would run as fast as he could from me and my profession.  Who needs to work with a PR frontman when you have the world of the Travel Channel at your disposal to make your every hotel (or dive) room reservation, plane connection, to far off and far out destinations?  That, and he seems like a writer/chef who simply wants to work direct with his team to discover the untainted food locales that he covers on his shows (now the “Layover,” but previously “No Reservations”) vs. working with a PR pro to uncover those hidden gems.

I respect that because Bourdain is so damn good at what he does.  The PR profession can learn a thing or two from the sarcastic, hilarious, dingy New Yorker.  This piece http://bit.ly/vUxBpO from Craig McBreen that ran in PRDaily (Jan. 3, 2012) toplines 5 Social Media Lessons From Anthony Bourdain. In particular, No. 4 “Be yourself,” is something all PR pros should take note. In a profession where it’s so easy to lose ourselves in our clients and stories we’re pitching, McBreen’s point is well taken, “If you plan to become great at something, embracing that which makes you distinct and applying some imagination is an enoromous help.“ 

Bourdain is true to himself.  Regardless of the exotic (and downright dirty, at times) locations he’s traveling to, his heart, soul and best food memories are in his town of New York City.  That’s home. 

I’m pysched 2012 is here.  As I move into the year with my limited, but calorie-robust recipes in hand, I’m thinking about what I stand for, what makes me distinct as a PR professional, writer, story-teller.  Thinking about it makes me “real” and the work I do…an honest day’s work that helps people I’m fortunate to serve in my time.  I can stand for that.  “No PR.” And, that…is the beauty of Anthony Bourdain.

Banning Bell Ringers During the Holidays…Good Business or PR?

I ask this question:  is it good business for a company to allow Salvation Army Bell ringers outside their store doors during the holidays, or for that matter, letting Girl Scouts sell cookies during their annual cookie drive?  If companies  extend their public space to these charitable organizations a few times a year, will they risk pissing off their customers who dread the “ask?” 

Banning bell ringers, Girl Scouts, Pop Warner teams, high school soccer car washes (you insert the community organization) and I say, that’s bad business and will most certainly generate your company some negative publicity when the local media get a call from someone tipping them off that “Company X” turned their back on “Community Organization Y.” 

Now that doesn’t mean a company is obligated to partner with a charitable group.  But for the sake of good business and purposeful PR, have a corporate giving program in place that outlines what is is your company stands for, supports, and stick by it be it bell ringers, or not. 

This article by Minneapolis Star Tribune writer James Lileks tackles the topic in an honest, (honestly humorous), yet smart way.  If you’re a business owner thinking about turning away the kettle holders this time or any time of year, you might want to think twice before you jump to say ”no can do.” What’s the public perception worth to you?  I’d say, it’s worth a few rings of that holiday bell that you know stands for a greater good – even if it’s not exactly what everyone wants to hear. http://bit.ly/thkZaj

Is OccupyWallStreet Being as Effective as Possible?

It’s hard to miss OccupyWallStreet. News is everywhere about this people movement that began in September in New York City to fight against corrosive power of big bangs and even bigger multi-national corporations over the democratic process and Wall Street’s role in causing the great recession of our generation.  Good on this group for mobilizing in a major way for something it stands for – a movement that it says has now spread to more than 1,500 cities worldwide.

But, when you take a step back from the protests and organized assemblies, is OccupyWallStreet being as effective as it could be in influencing communities to make a real impact and actually stop the financial corruption and be a part of the solition it says it stands for?

On his Huff Post blog, David Meerman Scott http://huff.to/qy94vV has what I think are smart tactics for OccupyWallStreet to consider to make its efforts even more impactful.  In particular, “Put a face (or faces) to your organization.”  I agree with Meerman Scott that the group doesn’t, and shouldn’t be, a faceless, nameless entity like the very banks and massive corporation it’s targeting. 

It’s been fascintating to what this movement unfold and I’ll continue to watch with interest.

“Just Do It” Brings a New Meaning to Getting ‘er Done

Procrastination usually hits for me on a Friday at 1pm, after lunch, when the deadlines (or the burning ones) have past and I find mystelf tuning into Pandora or on the web catching up on news of the day.  But, given the pace at which business runs, and in order to meet the needs of multiple clients and customers, too much procrastination can kill a company.

If you can figure out what you’re avoiding and what’s keeping you from starting a project, that’s your first step in getting ‘er done.  This article in the Harvard Business Review http://bit.ly/nsIvMB outlines five principles to follow to avoid “avoiding” work that’s gotta get done.  While all five points are valid, I particularly find No. 2 “Set Deadlines for Yourself” particularly useful.  Without deadlines we lack motivation and direction.  By putting down a date we’re automatically telling our brains that we need to achieve an end point.  That very action sets forth movement which will force us to commit to something – even those tasks we despise. 

My dad use to tell me, “Julie, turn right and you’ll always be right.”  What he was saying to me was do something, anything, but move.  Even if it’s not right, it’ll get you to somewhere else where you need to be.  In business, in life, action leads to accomplishment, results and, with sound strategy, results. 

Nike got it right with “Just Do It.”  Now, get to it.

From Failure to Innovation – A Brilliant Path to Success

Are companies today afraid to make mistakes?  Have we become so type-A that we’re unable to be take a risk, float an idea, possibly stumble onto something great? 

This WSJ article, “Better Ideas Through Failure,” tackles the notion of how some companies are rewarding employees for failure.  Not failure because they don’t care or make an effort.  No.  These companies are rewarding their teams for trying something new, different, outlandish that may just win a piece of business and be a successful new strategy for a client.  It’s a great piece and point of view on what America’s built on – ingenuity.  http://on.wsj.com/pPgXvr

Good on Amanda Zolten for her kitty litter client pitch idea.  Hope it proves a ‘win’ for her and Grey New York.