Here's the thing, you shouldn't mix business with pleasure. In the publicity world, this can be very hard to do. You have to create relationships with people but you have to keep it professional. Does this mean you don't go out for drinks after an event with your co-managers from different marketing and event teams? No. Does this mean you get black-out drunk, make-out with the cute AR from a competing agency, and tell your client what's up via YouTube? Heck, no!
Publicity people can turn on you. I don't care how loyal you think they are. Making friends with other industry insiders isn't advised unless you know that person for at least five years! The same goes for any other industry peers. You need to maintain your professional edge all of the time with everyone, even when out in social situations.
I recently ran into a junior AR who was mortified when her drunken client rant from an industry night went on YouTube and then was sent directly to her client account. "But the video was on my personal FB page," was her explanation to me. Really? And she didn't think the guy from the competing company - the one who wants her client account- wouldn't swipe it off her personal page and pull this trick? Remember, not everyone is PRSA certified!
Always be friendly but professional when working- even at social "after work" events!
Until Monday (yes, there isn't a blog tomorrow- Happy Halloween),
Velma Trayham
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Reputation Building & PR
A bad PR move can ruin your brand, even with the best public relations teams on board! So, why is it that Tylenol, Charlie Sheen, and others survive scandal where many others (sometimes worse off or not) fail? Well, it is all about reputation.
I know what you're thinking... there's no way I just used the phrase "Charlies Sheen" and "Reputation" in the same sentence and in a positive manner! The truth is that people love him regardless of whatever shenanigans or Tiger Blood he produces. People still take Tylenol in spite of the major scare so many years ago.
Reputation management has to be built long before a crisis ever takes place. Why? So when a crisis does take place, the crisis communication aspect of publicity actually works. This said, there are three rules every publicist follows when working with reputation management. I've listed them below;
1. First, don't assume people care about your press release, media kit, or other collateral. Guess what, if the media doesn't spin it or it doesn't go viral- people don't really care, and if they do- only until the next breaking news story comes along. Reputation management is about likability and making people care about you, your client, or your brand.
2. Second, don't assume what you or your client says can't or won't be taken out of context. It will. Some stringer journalist will look to make a name of him or herself. Make sure you have a plan to deal with these types of reporters ahead of time. Know what you can and can't do when responding to this legally and from a PR POV.
3. Play the relationship / favor card. You will have to bite the bullet here. If you have a really green client, reporters may not see their media value. You may have to trade a feature with a major client to get small clippings for the yet-to-be major client.
I hope this information helps you. Contact me, however, if you have any questions.
Until tomorrow,
Velma Trayham
I know what you're thinking... there's no way I just used the phrase "Charlies Sheen" and "Reputation" in the same sentence and in a positive manner! The truth is that people love him regardless of whatever shenanigans or Tiger Blood he produces. People still take Tylenol in spite of the major scare so many years ago.
Reputation management has to be built long before a crisis ever takes place. Why? So when a crisis does take place, the crisis communication aspect of publicity actually works. This said, there are three rules every publicist follows when working with reputation management. I've listed them below;
1. First, don't assume people care about your press release, media kit, or other collateral. Guess what, if the media doesn't spin it or it doesn't go viral- people don't really care, and if they do- only until the next breaking news story comes along. Reputation management is about likability and making people care about you, your client, or your brand.
2. Second, don't assume what you or your client says can't or won't be taken out of context. It will. Some stringer journalist will look to make a name of him or herself. Make sure you have a plan to deal with these types of reporters ahead of time. Know what you can and can't do when responding to this legally and from a PR POV.
3. Play the relationship / favor card. You will have to bite the bullet here. If you have a really green client, reporters may not see their media value. You may have to trade a feature with a major client to get small clippings for the yet-to-be major client.
I hope this information helps you. Contact me, however, if you have any questions.
Until tomorrow,
Velma Trayham
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Do Your PR Efforts Measure Up?
Here are a couple of ways to measure PR efforts for you “Do-It
Yourself’ers” out there.
1.
Surveys - Ask relevant questions and tally
results. Yes, survey results count as part of reporting. In fact, it is a major
role if your client isn’t a B2B client.
2.
Scores - Create indices or scoring mechanisms to
identify valuable outcomes and results, recognizing quantity (volume of media
hits) and quality (scoring for content feature, prominence and mention).
3.
Correlations - Identify correlations between
outputs, outcomes and business results. Track public relations events with lead
generation (online, email, phone, events) and track public relations events
with web traffic.
There are some online applications that can run your social
media and clipping reports too, but you often have to pay for these. Yes, they
are expensive.
Even if you have to create and keep reporting data in a
spreadsheet, do it! Not sending clipping reports or reel reports- heck, any
report, can shortchange both you and your client.
Until tomorrow,
Velma Trayham
Monday, October 27, 2014
Journalists Wet the Bed!
I was recently asked by a public relations and communications student if having a relationship with a journalist matters. The answer is yes and no. If you ask a journalist, he or she will say - on the record, of course- that it doesn't matter. The journalist will tell you that everything in life is fair and that they treat every single press release with the same consideration.
If you ask someone like me, the answer is 'yes'. Relationships do matter. They matter because it is easier to call up someone you know and get your pitch moved forward vs. a cold call- or worse- a press release via email.
Journalists can't promote something based solely on a relationship. But, they can vet it based on the relationship. A publicist is a sales person. He or she must sell the pitch in spite of the relationship, which is where a journalist may "wet the bed" in industry speak. If a PR person fails to follow AP style or is pitching something that isn't timely or has media value, then the relationship doesn't matter. If the publicist has something with media value to pitch, then the relationship does matter.
The truth is, media -in general- has more than 50 shades of gray when it comes to rules, policies, and relationships. I saw trust your gut and always be honest.
Until tomorrow,
Velma Trayham
If you ask someone like me, the answer is 'yes'. Relationships do matter. They matter because it is easier to call up someone you know and get your pitch moved forward vs. a cold call- or worse- a press release via email.
Journalists can't promote something based solely on a relationship. But, they can vet it based on the relationship. A publicist is a sales person. He or she must sell the pitch in spite of the relationship, which is where a journalist may "wet the bed" in industry speak. If a PR person fails to follow AP style or is pitching something that isn't timely or has media value, then the relationship doesn't matter. If the publicist has something with media value to pitch, then the relationship does matter.
The truth is, media -in general- has more than 50 shades of gray when it comes to rules, policies, and relationships. I saw trust your gut and always be honest.
Until tomorrow,
Velma Trayham
Friday, October 24, 2014
3 PR Tools Worth Having
Happy Friday. I was recently asked a question about what PR tools are worth having. Well, there are a lot of select from when it comes to publicity tools and apps. However, I will say that the follow three are "must haves" for newbies and seasoned PR professionals.
1. PitchRate. This free service connects journalists with topic experts – such as small business owners – for free media coverage. HARO is good, but PitchRate delivers results!
2. Zemanta. Basically, this is a blog service on steroids. The service will index your marketing content for multiple Content Ad formats. It saves you tons of time and is worth signing up for.
3. Aminstitute.com. This clever website helps you develop the perfect headline for your next release or ad campaign. Oh, it is free too! You want to write in AP style, but you want to capture emotion- this website tool helps you do both.
Until Monday,
Velma Trayham
1. PitchRate. This free service connects journalists with topic experts – such as small business owners – for free media coverage. HARO is good, but PitchRate delivers results!
2. Zemanta. Basically, this is a blog service on steroids. The service will index your marketing content for multiple Content Ad formats. It saves you tons of time and is worth signing up for.
3. Aminstitute.com. This clever website helps you develop the perfect headline for your next release or ad campaign. Oh, it is free too! You want to write in AP style, but you want to capture emotion- this website tool helps you do both.
Until Monday,
Velma Trayham
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Wendy Feldman Is Wrong!
I read an article earlier today that really upset me. Why? Well, a well-known crisis management publicist attacked her former client on Twitter. There is a line of respect that should navigate your professional as a publicist- even when you are upset with a client or former client. I always tell up and coming PR professionals to handle unruly clients in court. It is the easiest way to stop them in their tracks- I mean by hitting them in their pocket book.
But I'm not so sure the crisis management publicists, Wendy Feldman, meant to hurt her client when she went on the attack. After all, she is a publicist and in launching the attack, her Twitter followers grew and so did her company's brand. So, was this a strategic move at the former client's expense? I think so!
Among other celebrities, Wendy Feldman formally represented Teresa Giudice of the Real Housewives of New Jersey. She fired Giudice and then she took to Twitter and spoke with several media resources on the firing. She conveniently told Page Six, "“This relationship was filled with more problems than usual clients have because of the constant refusal of Teresa to accept responsibility for the smallest thing. This may be due to poor prior advice and so a coping mechanism or just plain denial. In any event, federal prison is no joke and must be navigated with extreme care. In the end that wasn’t done and so the relationship had to take a new direction.”
Clients and publicists will have disagreements. They may even have to terminate the relationship. But, dirty laundry should never be aired. Period.
Until tomorrow,
Velma Trayham
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Why You Shouldn't Be Kind!
There are two types of PR clients. Those who pay you to do your job, council when needed, and help promote growth. Then there are those clients who pay you to say their ideas are great, never challenge what isn't working, and sit and listen to them blab on about how great they are.....
The challenge in being kind lies with the second type of client. It is not your job to be kind to clients, although there is a way of saying certain things, but rather it is your responsibility to be honest and deliver the raw truth. Clients can become very upset when you do this. They may even drop you for a while. Don't give in and be kind. Instead, restate what you said. Mean what you say and say what you mean.
I had one client who was a celebrity. She thought things were not moving fast enough for her in the campaign. We had many prior branding challenges to deal with. Things weren't going to move fast and I told her this when the contract was signed. Two weeks in, she started to call me every day and complain. I had no choice but to not be kind and be honest. She fired me. She fired the next PR firm and then the one thereafter. A year later, she tried to hire me again. I declined the contract.
You want to work with clients who are ready and willing to hear the truth and to do whatever it takes to build their brand and promote growth. You don't want to work with clients who expect you to be the 'yes' man or women. This said, below are my tips for delivering blunt, unkind PR advice.
1. Don't be sorry... be about shine. Don't ever apologize to a client if you have nothing to apologize for. They may want to hear 'sorry' but this isn't something they are entitled to hear.
2. Back up your words with facts and data. It's hard for clients to blow off your points if you can back them up.
3. Have an exit strategy. If you know a client isn't willing to change, figure out how you are going to exit the relationship within the contract's terms.
Until next time,
Velma Trayham
The challenge in being kind lies with the second type of client. It is not your job to be kind to clients, although there is a way of saying certain things, but rather it is your responsibility to be honest and deliver the raw truth. Clients can become very upset when you do this. They may even drop you for a while. Don't give in and be kind. Instead, restate what you said. Mean what you say and say what you mean.
I had one client who was a celebrity. She thought things were not moving fast enough for her in the campaign. We had many prior branding challenges to deal with. Things weren't going to move fast and I told her this when the contract was signed. Two weeks in, she started to call me every day and complain. I had no choice but to not be kind and be honest. She fired me. She fired the next PR firm and then the one thereafter. A year later, she tried to hire me again. I declined the contract.
You want to work with clients who are ready and willing to hear the truth and to do whatever it takes to build their brand and promote growth. You don't want to work with clients who expect you to be the 'yes' man or women. This said, below are my tips for delivering blunt, unkind PR advice.
1. Don't be sorry... be about shine. Don't ever apologize to a client if you have nothing to apologize for. They may want to hear 'sorry' but this isn't something they are entitled to hear.
2. Back up your words with facts and data. It's hard for clients to blow off your points if you can back them up.
3. Have an exit strategy. If you know a client isn't willing to change, figure out how you are going to exit the relationship within the contract's terms.
Until next time,
Velma Trayham
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