PR Divas

No matter how brilliant…

Regardless of how grand the reputation, how successful the processes or how brilliant the strategists, there are those individuals that cannot get over a name.

Not long ago, a prospective client said he loved the company and all it represents, but he just couldn’t get past the BlabberMouth name. It was the first negative comment we had heard in six years. Curious by nature, the PR Divas conducted a survey of executives to determine whether the opinion of one was the opinion of many. Interestingly enough, 45% of the 5,000 respondents were either not crazy about the name or just flat out hated it.

Who knew!

They’re probably the same people that Google their internet queries, participate in Yahoo! groups, shop at the Gap and Banana Republic, sip on a Zima before dinner, feed their kids Pop Rocks, play a Fender guitar and conduct their copying business at Kinkos. 

For those that love the name, we embrace you.

For the rest, we created a pseudonym. CameronWeeks Public Relations. Of course, it’s more than just a name. It’s a subsidiary company designed to appease those that just can’t get over a quirky name – no matter how brilliant.

For more on this topic, you might be interested in this blog post by PRNewser, this one from Brand Flakes for Breakfast, or these company names that work fine until read as a URL.

Which super hero are you?

I took a particularly interesting personality test recently that named me “SuperGirl –feminine, lean, honest and a defender of the innocent.” I feel so…..empowered!

Seriously, though. How many personality tests have you taken throughout your career? I’m not talking about the Cosmo or People versions. I’m talking about the ones that really drill down and identify aspects of your (duh) personality that are correlated with your preferences, attitudes and probable actions.

I love them. Where else can you see a snapshot of your psyche spelled out in no uncertain terms - splayed across a results page? Whether a field marshal or field mouse, personality reports render us fairly naked. It’s one of the reasons why so many companies favor them for hiring.

The American Psychological Association says they’re just as effective at predicting outcomes as medical tests, without the clinical aspect of course.  Harris Interactive® says 32 percent of U.S. workers agree that personality tests can help determine if a prospective employee will fit in with company or organization, yet 44 percent say personality tests are not fair assessments of actual personality. I believe that means they’re great for the employer, but do not for a moment think that I’m taking that test!

The law says that prospective candidates don't have to complete personality assessments as part of an interview process. Refusing, however, gives the impression of secrecy. The question begs to be asked:  is it better to answer truthfully or based on what the company needs. From my perspective, I can’t imagine something more exhausting than pretending to be an alternative personality type – for the lifetime of a job.

As for the company, could mean they just made a hire that’s not suitable. Bad news all the way around.

I say, have fun with personality tests and profiles. Here are some for fun:

Which super hero are you? 

The Dalai Lama test

Whose got it most going on? You or your dog? 

Trust and Profit

I read recently that employees who trust their management team deliver 108% value to their share holders. Employees who do not trust their senior executives only deliver 66% back to their share holders.

Is it really a surprise to anyone that trust is the foundation of a harmonious, synergistic and efficient work environment!?

NO – but building trust in the workforce isn’t so easy for some. It should be, but it’s not. First of all, *it* rolls down hill - which means that it all starts at the top.

It’s close to impossible to trust in a person or management team whose actions are inconsistent and unpredictable. This generates a work environment that’s fraught with secrecy, internal competitiveness, and political partisanship. I can only hope that no one has to experience an environment where it feels more important to protect your butt then getting results or serving the customer. (~shudder~)

Trustfulness - and trustworthiness - can exist only if top management sets the example through predictability, caring, and faithfulness. When an executive’s behavior is consistent over time and others can reasonably predict that behavior, trust is built.

The fundamentals of building trust are simple, but can only be accomplished over time and with sincerity.

Keep promises

Tell the truth

Communicate openly

Consider all employees equal partners

Focus on shared, rather than personal goals

Do what's right, regardless of personal risk

Is it me, or are these no brainers? They may sound a bit like Sunday school rules – as they should. These are the basic guidelines of virtue.

In business, being virtuous can equate to profits. I want to take example from a few of our most successful business leaders: Henry Ford, Lee Iacocca and Jack Welch. They built trust among their peers and subordinates, and it was this that spurred success and greatness for their companies.

The Six Stages of Persuasion

PR is all about influencing audiences. By providing a variety of information through a variety of channels, PR induces change in the beliefs, attitudes, or behavior of specific groups of people.

There is a lengthy pathway, however, between engaging in PR practices and persuading intended audiences to alter their behaviors in desired ways.   

In order to fully understand how PR campaigns work, it‘s important to know and understand the six stages of persuasion. 

1.       Presentation:  The intended audiences are presented with key messages through media placement (3 - 6 months into the campaign and ongoing).

2.       Attention:   With repeated exposure, intended audiences will see and recognize the messages (approximately 6 - 9 months into the campaign).

3.       Comprehension:  Intended audiences comprehend the value of the offering (9 months and onward).

4.       Acceptance:  Audiences believe the messages (9 - 12 months).

5.       Retention:  Audiences remember the messages and identify the messages with the company and its products or services. This is when the company becomes branded (12 months—to up to 2 years).

6.       Action:  Audiences change their behavior in the desired direction, i.e. they buy the product or service, approach the company for deals, attend the event, etc. (12 months to 2 years).

Success!

ROI - PR’s Holy Grail

PR metrics –they are the elusive measures that we continually seek in order to justify our worth. As PR practitioners, we work diligently to make certain our clients are appearing in the media appropriately, frequently, and in a targeted fashion. Metrics allow us to show attitude changes relevant to the client’s brand and reputation among relevant audiences. What the PR client wants are audiences that have been so influenced that they change their behavior in a way that directly affects the company’s finances.

In short – they’re looking for payola. Increased sales; increased share price (which reflects increased capital value; increased membership in organizations; increased sponsorship dollars; funding – the desired outcomes are as diverse as the clients themselves. The financial impact of PR is real, albeit tough to pigeon hole.

The timeframe for influencing audiences and taking them from spectator to buyer is long. It may be difficult to demonstrate desired changes for a year or two, as branding and subsequent behavior changes are a long-term initiative. There are other factors that enter into the equation, such as how the client delivers on their brand promise.

In order to demonstrate behavior changes, we must first identify the behavioral outcome the client wants, and then conduct comparisons on the chosen behavioral outcomes. Manifestations can include before and after sales records, adoption rates, stock prices, or other buy outcomes.

Realistically, we don’t expect (or encourage clients to expect) a noticeable behavioral change for one to two years. Unfortunately, PR is not a tap that we can turn on and create the desired changes in target audiences. Additionally, we cannot claim that all behavioral changes turn as a result of PR, as campaigns are typically integrated with marketing and advertising.  Likewise, lack of ROI cannot entirely be the fault of PR.  Only an example where PR is the one changing factor and all else is constant could prove the impact of the public relations campaign, and that methodology is beyond the temporal and economic reach of nearly all PR firms. 

Work / Life - Where is the balance?

I had a business partner once who became outraged when I took an afternoon off one Thursday. It was during the firm’s start-up years when a typical work week included seven 12 to 18 hour days. My reaction to the partner’s behavior can only be described as livid. Red freaking hot!

Being keenly aware of the company’s reputation and my place in developing its brand presence both inside and out, I experienced an epiphany. Did I really want to be involved, much less lead a company where one individual felt compelled to disparage another for seeking balance?

Convinced that the atmosphere within a company largely determines the degree in which one can balance work and life, I promptly defined and engaged practices designed to build an atmosphere within the firm that is supportive, enthusiastic, affirming and flexible.

The angry partner is long gone and I have mastered a work / life balance without grief or guilt. I have also created an environment where my colleagues can comfortably develop their own balance, as well. No stress, no anger, no worries.

I felt satisfied that these goals had been accomplished when one of my esteemed colleagues wrote the following regarding the culture and work / life balance in BlabberMouth:

At BlabberMouth PR, we specifically recruit for people who embrace a culture of sharing our knowledge, network, and compassion.  We have created and sustained a team with the active desire to be of mutual assistance without expecting anything in return.  This is as true of our relationships with each other as it is of our client relationships.  If any of us is able to offer referrals, information, or assistance, we do so--without charging a fee or demanding in-kind payback.

Patti Hill uses her own indomitable enthusiasm to craft a company that draws that quality out in everyone BlabberMouth touches, from PR specialists to clients; prospects to the general business community.  Ideas are freely exchanged and lauded, both within and outside the company.  To be among us is to be invigorated.

Many people have had the experience of having their ideas, personality, and work thwarted and criticized and micro-managed.  In fact, poor management is the number-one reason people quit jobs.  BlabberMouth's culture, on the other hand, is utterly affirming.  Once a hire is welcomed to the firm, it is assumed that he or she will thrive, will work at a superior level, is a good person, and has worthwhile ideas; micro-management is not only atypical, it is eschewed. 

Because our practitioners are all senior-level and can be trusted to do their best and most creative work without micro-management, we all office virtually and set the hours most appropriate to our activities and to our life.  This maximum flexibility allows for the highest level of service in the PR industry, combined with tremendous savings to clients and the firm.  It also makes for very happy, well-adjusted, and loyal PR practitioners.  People want to work at and with BlabberMouth, and they rave about it long after the contract is signed. 

These summarize the culture that creates the ideal work climate and team spirit present at BlabberMouth.

Hmmmm….I may take tomorrow off.

Loyalty Programs Don’t Create Loyalty

With the proliferation of loyalty programs, more consumes than ever consider themselves entitled to special treatment. It’s a marketplace psychology that was spawned in the 1970s by the airline industry's invention of frequent-flier programs. The marketplace has so transitioned by loyalty programs that they are now considered a price of doing business.

According to a report by Jupiter Research, more than 75 percent of consumers now have at least one loyalty card, and the number of people with two or more is estimated to be one-third of the shopping population.

The rub, and possibly a little know fact - loyalty programs don’t create loyalty. Brand experience does. Customers become loyal when they are provided a positive customer experiences. Loyalty is given to the brands that can provide a consistent experience whether by the products or services, the client / customer interaction with employees, the web site, etc.

Loyalty programs cannot make up for poor-quality products or services. They can, however, enhance existing brand loyalty, improve customer retention and lifetime value, and increase a company’s share of wallet (the percentage of dollars in the product category that the customer spends with the brand).

Freebirds World Burrito is heads and shoulders above their competition when it comes to loyalty. Freebirds is fully aware that a loyalty program requires the hearts and minds of the customers to close the loyalty / brand gap. And who better to know customers than the customers themselves. 

Freebirds uniquely positions their loyalty programs around customer needs and wants by tapping into its own customer base. Market research is conducted directly with their customers. It seems to be working for the Texas fast casual restaurant chain. Freebirds’ Get Stuff(ed) program, in which participants’ cards are stamped with each purchase, rewards customers who present a filled program card with the option to select from Freebirds merchandise or food – aka “stuff”.

According to Freebirds marketing director, Laura Stanley, the main objective of the Get Stuffed program is to further build a relationship with each customer. Because Freebirds creates an emotional connection between its brand and its customers, the loyalty program is merely an enhancement of that experience not a starting point.

What does this mean for the bottom line? Knowing their customers and including them in their decision-making process helps reap bigger rewards. Freebirds has found that "truly loyal" consumers are much more likely than high-risk customers to increase spending with them.

Stanley also notes that profits rise as their customer relationships lengthen. Imagine the customer loyalty that’s created in knowing that Freebirds cares enough to ask the customers what they want, and then delivers it.

Rock on, Freebirds!

When to Fire your Client

I am absolutely certain of what makes a perfect client for BlabberMouth PR. They are companies run by interesting, knowledgeable and passionate individuals. These individuals, like us, share their knowledge, network and compassion (can you say lovecat?). They understand our value to their organization, they’re appreciative of our work, their thanks are offered willingly and frequently, and their checks arrive on time.   

It stands to reason that I can similarly identify those who do not make good BlabberMouth PR clients. They provide scant or no information, their expectations are inflated (despite repeated attempts to help them grasp reality), their payments are always late, and their passion….well, let’s just suffice to say - if there is any passion at all, it’s completely lost to us.

So – what’s one to do when the realization hits you that your client is not a good fit for your company?

READY, AIM – AIM – AIM, FIRE

It’s entirely possible that the PR practitioner / client relationship is off track and may need a bit of restructuring. It is also possible that the client doesn’t realize he or she is exhibiting behavior that’s not appropriate. A serious meeting outlining relationship parameters may be the best solution and could quickly eliminate the problem.

Or not.

If an in-depth conversation outlining boundaries does not rectify the problem, the issues could be much deeper. It could be a misalignment of values. If the working relationship is such that you cannot deliver on your brand promise to your organization’s standards, it may be best for both parties to terminate the account.

Regardless of the reasons for termination, it is possible to make the separation a win / win situation.  Tell the truth and offer to find a suitable replacement. Even with this, there are those who will not take this well. In which case, you cut all ties and walk away. Maintain your professionalism, exercise your good judgment and begin taking steps to attract your perfect client.

Remember - money isn’t everything. Closing the door on an unsuitable client opens the door to one that is.

What’s Hot and What’s Not in Public Relations

Customer service is hot.

Loyalty is hot.

ROI is sizzling hot.

Junior subordinates calling the media is not.

Public relations is all about influencing audiences. When performed aptly, public relations can be an organization’s most value resource for building brand value, maintaining vitality, and establishing credibility.

Over the past decade the PR industry pedestal has been cracked by less than benchmark standards due to old school practices. Unfortunately, those practices are so ingrained in the industry’s culture and its archaic business model that they’re difficult to shake. Or are they?

What if there were a new PR game? One as next-generation as XBOX 360 and as stealth as Air Force technology? Consider this – senior-level public relations professionals that ask executives and journalists what they want and then deliver!

PR sweatshops and press release factories be gone!

Clever PR firms are opting to break the old PR model of deep hierarchies, big egos, and humongous retainers. Savvy firms are beginning to realize that seasoned professionals with strong business backgrounds will take the PR bull by the horns. Not only do these revered executive practitioners treat editors and reporters with respect and provide them with the services they need in a fast, professional manner, but they’re earning a special place at the elbows of corporate executives by providing much needed strategic counsel.

It’s the ability to strategize that defines the advanced intellectual status; and the ability to implement that strategy that defines a great PR practitioner. Executives love to have someone besides themselves strategizing about their organization for the purpose of winning in the marketplace.

Skillful PR strategists are also keenly aware of the value of customer service, loyalty and ROI, and have the means to deliver. Customer service and loyalty are kissing cousins. Customer satisfaction is the basic entry point of good business practices, and customer service carries that forth – with a loyal PR / client relationship as the resulting golden egg.

Where satisfaction is the catalyst to the healthy client / PR firm relationship, ROI is the holy grail. ROI is also the hottest of hot PR topics.

Measuring the value of public relations services isn’t easy. But it can be done. Although counting articles and clippings demonstrate that a client is appearing appropriately, frequently, and in a targeted fashion, they don’t show changes in attitude relevant to the client’s brand and reputation.

What clients really want is to be shown the money. When their most important customers are influenced and their behaviors change in a way that directly affects the company’s ledger, that’s great PR! Increased sales, increased share price, increased membership, increased sponsorship, funding, or other financial criteria are measurable, and depend on strategic business planning and implementation best handled by senior public relations strategists.

That’s hot!