1. Appearing in other types of media is the best way to attract TV notice. The more your name appears in print, the more likely it is that you’ll be approached to appear on TV.

2. If a TV researcher phones you, treat the conversation like a mini-audition. They’re listening out for how you say things as well as what you have to say, so let your personality shine.

3. Pictures rule when making TV programmes. When sending ideas to TV companies, make sure that you have thought it through from a visual point of view. It’s not just about what you say; it’s about what you show and how you look as well.

4. Negotiate money only when your appearance is definitely confirmed. Be confident and neutral when discussing fees and decide beforehand if you are prepared to do the interview for free. If there is a fee it’s unlikely to be large.

5. When doing a TV interview, keep talking, be aware of body language and tone of voice

6. Ask what the first question is likely to be before filming starts to help you prepare. The interviewer will have prepared a list of questions and may share some of them with you beforehand. Remember that the interviewer wants the interview to go well just as much as you do.

7. What to wear – avoid spots, stripes (including pinstripe shirts and suits) and small patterns – they make the camera go squiffy (‘strobing’ to be precise). Also avoid all black and white.

8. Ensure that everything about you is congruent with the message you are giving. If your message is sober, dress accordingly (leave the Homer Simpson tie at home).

9. Remember that virtually everyone who ever appeared on television (including famous people) felt nervous beforehand. Nerves just show you that you’re part of the human race. Use your nerves to create energy.

10. Use your appearance to give you the most benefits. Tell your past, present and future clients all about it and if possible include a link to it on your website.

© Joanne Mallon 2005 

Joanne Mallon was a producer for all of the UK’s leading TV channels including the BBC, ITV and GMTV. She has coached thousands of people through TV interviews, from novices to famous celebrities. She now helps women in the media achieve their potential and helps small businesses attract publicity. For your free media marketing ezine visit Joanne here.

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Tags: success tips for TV interviews, public relations tips, PR

Strong for business, non-profit and association managers when they use the fundamental premise of public relations to produce external stakeholder behavior change – the kind that leads directly to achieving their managerial objectives.

And strong when they do something positive about the behaviors of those outside audiences that most affect their organization. And finally, if this is you, really strong when you persuade those important outside folks to your way of thinking, then move them to take actions that help your department, division or subsidiary succeed.

On the other hand, not so strong when you limit your PR activity pretty much to placing product and service plugs on radio and in newspapers. In short, your public relations effort really must involve more than press releases, brochures and special events if you are to get your PR money’s worth.

The fundamental premise of public relations says as much: people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

The strength of that blueprint can appear in results like these: new thoughtleader and special event contacts; membership applications on the rise; new community service and sponsorship opportunities; prospects starting to work with you; new feedback channels; customers making repeat purchases; stronger relationships with the educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities; improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; promotional contest overtures; enhanced activist group relations; capital givers or specifying sources looking your way, and even a rebound in showroom visits.

But first, the division of labor. Just who is going to do the work? Your own full-time public relations staff? People assigned to your unit by a parent organization? An outside PR agency team? Regardless of where they come from, they must be committed to you as the senior project manager, to the PR blueprint and its implementation, starting with key audience perception monitoring.

An alert. Just because someone describes him/herself as a public relations person doesn’t mean they’ve bought the whole loaf of bread. Be sure the PR people assigned to your unit really believe why it’s SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Make sure they accept the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.

Trace out the PR blueprint for them, especially your plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

If you can afford the considerable expense of a professional survey firm, by all means use it in the perception monitoring phases of your program. But keep in mind that your PR people are also in the perception and behavior business and can pursue the same objective: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

Now you establish a PR goal that stands a good chance of doing something about the most serious distortions you discovered during your key audience perception monitoring. It could be to straighten out that dangerous misconception, or correct that gross inaccuracy, or stop that potentially fatal rumor dead in its tracks.

And, of course, you must have the right strategy, one that clearly shows you how to proceed. Please note that there are only three strategic options available to you when it comes to handling a perception and opinion challenge. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. Since the wrong strategy pick will taste like capers on your strawberry shortcake, be certain the new strategy fits comfortably with your new public relations goal. You don’t want to select “change” when the facts dictate a “reinforce” strategy.

Here, the PR staff must prepare a powerful message and aim it at members of your target audience. As is usually the case, crafting action-forcing language to persuade an audience to your way of thinking is hard work. Which is why your crew must create some very special, corrective language. Words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual. Only in this way will you be able to correct a perception by shifting opinion towards your point of view, leading to the behaviors you are targeting.

I’d run it by my PR colleagues for impact and persuasiveness. Then, fine-tune it before selecting the communications tactics most likely to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. You can pick from dozens that are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be sure that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

As you know, the credibility of a message is often dependent on the means used to deliver it. So you may wish to unveil it before smaller meetings and presentations rather than using higher-profile news releases. It won’t be long before calls for progress reports are heard. This tells you and your PR team to start work on a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. You’ll want to use many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session. Difference this time is that you will be watching very carefully for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

Should the program’s momentum flag, you can simply accelerate matters by adding more communications tactics as well as increasing their frequencies.

Yes, what you really want the new PR plan to do, is to persuade your most important outside stakeholders to your way of thinking, then move them to behave in a way that leads to the success of your department, division or subsidiary.

Indeed, this could be the strongest public relations on the planet.

Robert A. Kelly © 2004.

About The Author

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. Visit his website.

Article Source.

Tags: strong public relations, PR, public relations

Above all, you need to know that the right PR can alter individual perception and lead to changed behaviors.

Especially when you create external stakeholder behavior change, the kind that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives.

And all because the core of your public relations lies in doing something positive about the behaviors of those important outside audiences of yours that MOST affect your operation.

The bottom line is, the right PR let’s you persuade those key outside folks to your way of thinking, and help move them to take actions that allow your department, division or subsidiary to succeed.

And now, the bonus blueprint that gets everyone working towards the same external stakeholder behaviors, insuring that your PR effort stays focused: people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

Such a blueprint can produce results like new community service and sponsorship opportunities; improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies; prospects

starting to work with you; customers making repeat purchases; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; promotional contest overtures; a rebound in showroom visits; new thoughtleader and special event contacts; capital givers or specifying sources looking your way; membership applications on the rise; new feedback channels; stronger relationships with the educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities; and even enhanced activist group relations.

It should be a prime concern to you as to who carries out this PR plan for you. Just who is going to do the work anyway? Will it be your full-time public relations staff? Folks assigned to your unit by a higher authority? A PR agency team? Regardless of where they come from, they must be committed to you as the senior project manager, to the PR blueprint and its implementation, starting with key audience perception monitoring.

A cautionary suggestion. Simply because a specialist describes him/herself as a public relations person doesn’t mean they’ve bought the program whole hog. You must be assured that those assigned to you believe deeply why it’s SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Insure that they buy the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.

Take the time to review the PR blueprint with your PR team, especially your plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

For the perception monitoring phases of your program, use professional survey counsel if your budget will allow. But keep in mind that your PR people are also in the perception and behavior business and can pursue the same objective: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

Now it’s time to do something about the most serious distortions you discovered during your key audience perception monitoring. In other words, establish your public relations goal. And that could be to straighten out that dangerous misconception, or correct that gross inaccuracy, or stop that potentially fatal rumor dead in its tracks.

Naturally, you will need a good strategy, one that clearly shows you how to proceed. To keep things simple, note that there are only three strategic options available to you when it comes to handling a perception and opinion challenge. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. Of course, the wrong strategy pick will taste like day-old fried eggs, so be certain the new strategy fits comfortably with your new public relations goal. Certainly, You don’t want to select “change” when the facts dictate a “reinforce” strategy.

Now you need to hit members of your target audience with a powerful message. But persuading an audience to your way of thinking is hard work. Which is why your PR folks must create some very special, corrective language. Words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual. Only in this way will you be able to correct a perception by shifting opinion towards your point of view, leading to the behaviors you are targeting.

Pass your message by your communications specialists to assure its impact and persuasiveness. Then, sharpen it before selecting the communications tactics most likely to carry your message to the attention of your target audience. You can pick from dozens that are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be sure that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

Since the credibility of a message is often dependent on how it’s delivered, you should consider unveiling it before smaller meetings and presentations rather than using higher-profile means such as news releases. You’ll soon need to provide progress reports, which will alert you and your PR team to get back out in the field and start work on a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. You’ll want to use many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session. Difference this time is that you will be watching very carefully for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

If the program lags, consider accelerating matters with more communications tactics and increased frequencies.

Yes, all you REALLY need to know is that the right PR can alter individual perception and lead to changed behaviors. Especially when you create the kind of external stakeholder behavior change that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives.

Robert A. Kelly © 2004.

About The Author

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. Visit his website.

Article Source.

Tags: important things about PR, public relations, PR

Have you ever noticed how the same people’s names always seem to appear in magazines and newspapers articles which quote them as a source of info and advice on their own particular subject, whether it is web functionality and design, cosmetic surgery or investment banking?

They don’t just get there by accident. They, or their PR Company, have put in a pretty concerted effort to become an expert in their field. And here’s how you can become one too…

1. Your first step is to define your niche. Don’t just choose the whole of your industry. Choosing a particular area that has relevance for people’s lives (or their money!) means that you will be more appealing to a journalist or editor. For instance if you are a life coach choosing one area of coaching (say helping people find a new job) is going to be more successful than trying to set yourself up as an expert on everything. Likewise if you deal with investing people’s money, talking about investing for your children’s education and further education will bring you better results as specific situations and articles will bring you into the mind of the journalists.

2. Get your press release written – who you are and what you do should be summed up clearly and precisely. If you can’t handle writing a press release get hold of a copywriter or contact me for details of my press release writing service. Make sure it has a vibrant and attention grabbing first paragraph as many journalists are too pressed for time to read beyond it.

3. Identify your target publications. This might involve some research into what your potential clients read, watch and check out on-line. Don’t be distracted by the thought of getting into gorgeous glossies or huge consumer publications if your clients are more likely to be swayed by something they read in the trade press. Focus.

4. Sort out your press release (or get me to do it for you!) and send it, together with your tip of the month/week on investments, caring for your teeth, getting new clients, or whatever your particular niche may be. Experts have to be adept at putting difficult ideas and concepts into layman’s language so keep tips practical and easy to read. When sending to journalists keep it in the body of an email, no attachments, no fancy pictures or logos.

5. Make a date in your diary to send a new one out every month/week. Don’t forget to include your press release at the same time.

6. Make sure you have your extras (photograph, biography, logo) ready to go at all times if requested by a journalist.

7. Give the press a valid number, possibly even your mobile, where it’s going to be easy for them to reach you without having to navigate switchboards or assistants.

8. Don’t forget radio. Even if you think that you’re unlikely to reach a large number of your potential clients by appearing on a particular show (and you can usually do this from home or the office if time is a problem), it’s great to be able to say “as heard on..” and it’s good practical media practice for you. Finally, even though your clients may not be listening, potential press contacts often are!

9. Advertise the fact that you are available for media comments and articles in as many places as possible – on your website, on your business card, in your email signature – and use your published tips to create a portfolio (both online and in a nice funky folder!) to further enhance your reputation as an expert.

Copyright © Paula Gardner 2004. All rights reserved.

About The Author

Paula Gardner is a PR and marketing coach who works with people who are passionate and serious about getting their business noticed by the media. You can read more articles on PR and marketing here.

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Tags: press coverage, tips to getting press time, PR, public relations

It is virtually impossible to succeed professionally and personally without developing a network of people. There is no career or business opportunity where you can be rewarded entirely for what you know and how well you know your work.

Networking requires a mission, goals, vision and a willingness to share valuable information with others. Networking events, meetings and conferences are places to make plans to reconnect and stay in touch. It involves building relationships, helping others and giving advice to anyone who asks. A trusting business relationship will enhance your base of contacts and build a lifetime of rewards. It’s Not Who You Know, It’s Who Knows You!

Networking is a skill that can be learned. To maximize the potential of your networking skill, you must learn the necessary strategies, and you must practice; just as you would when learning to play a sport or a musical instrument.

Introductions. There is incredible power in first impressions. Therefore, you should make it a priority to make the best first impression you can. For most introductions, the first real contact you have with another individual is a handshake. Your handshake communicates, professionalism, confidence and credibility. Learn how to give a quality, professional handshake – not too limp, but not too firm – to leave the best first impression.

Just as important as the handshake, is remembering a person’s name, as well as its pronunciation and spelling. Moreover, a good rule to remember is people prefer to be called by the name they have introduced themselves.

Business Card Exchange. Challenge yourself not to give out your cards, until you have uncovered a reason for exchanging names and numbers. Lead your conversation in a direction that is beneficial for you to stay in contact beyond the event.

Building the Relationship by:

Knowing how to hold an effective conversation
Engaging your connection
Knowing how to actively listen
Building trust
Networking can Happen Anywhere. Remember that everywhere you go is an opportunity to network. Even at your current job! “Social Networking” is a sensible alternative to traditional organizational charts and everyday business transactions.

Follow-Up! Follow-up is essential in building and maintaining relationships. Don’t let your network forget about you!

Networking as a way of life will bring you personal and professional success. Make the most of your time – be determined, patient and visible.

To get the most out of your networking abilities, you’ll want to have a strong resource that you can trust on your side.

Practice conversations with people in familiar and uncommon places. Asking questions is a sign of a good listener and will help you establish rapport and build relationships. Connecting with people will bring you a world of opportunities.

EXECU DRESS

Patricia Dorch M.S.

President / CEO

Author, National Speaker and Trainer

© 2004 Patricia Dorch

About The Author

Patricia Dorch is a best-selling Author, National Speaker, Trainer and Career Coach. Her clients include both Corporate Clients and Government Agencies in Washington, DC. Contact Patricia for your day or evening event.

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Tags: networking, tips for networking, public relations, PR

Like human nature over time, the power of good public relations remains the same.

Whether you are a manager working for a business, a non-profit or an association, at some point, you will want, or need to create outside stakeholder behavior change – the kind that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives.

Fortunately, you can get that job done by doing something positive about the behaviors of those external audiences that MOST affect your organization. And do so by persuading those important outside folks to your way of thinking, and moving them to take actions that help your department, division or subsidiary succeed.

Fact is, your public relations push must involve more than special events, brochures and news releases if you really want to get your money’s worth.

The fundamental premise of public relations says as much when it highlights the reality that people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

That premise, that blueprint, really promises results. >From new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; rebounds in showroom visits, membership applications on the rise; community service and sponsorship opportunities, to capital givers or specifying sources looking your way; enhanced activist group relations, and expanded feedback channels; not to mention new thoughtleader and special event contacts.

Even, conceivably, results like stronger relationships with the educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities; prospects starting to work with you; customers making repeat purchases, and improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies.

That’s a lot of results from even a high-impact blueprint.

It almost goes without saying that your PR crew – agency or staff – must be committed to you as the senior project manager, to the PR blueprint and its implementation, starting with target audience perception monitoring.

Be wary of PR people who describe themselves as “totally on board the program.” That doesn’t mean they’ve bought into the whole effort. Convince yourself that your team members honestly believe why it’s SO important to know how your most important outside audiences perceive your operations, products or services. Assure yourself that they buy the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.

Then, take time to go over the PR blueprint in detail with your PR team, especially the plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

It would be ideal, of course, to use professional survey counsel to handle the perception monitoring phases of your program, if the budget is available. But keep in mind that your PR people are also in the perception and behavior business and can pursue the same objective: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

At this juncture, you require a public relations goal to aim for as you address the bumps that showed up during your key audience perception monitoring. And that goal could be to straighten out that dangerous misconception, or correct that gross inaccuracy, or stop that potentially fatal rumor cold.

But don’t try it without a strategy to show you how to get there. There are only three strategic options available to you when it comes to handling a perception or opinion challenge. Change existing perception, create perception where there may be none, or reinforce it. The wrong strategy pick will taste like hollandaise sauce on your cornflakes, so be certain the new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. You certainly don’t want to select “change” when the facts dictate a “reinforce” strategy.

The truth is that persuading an audience to your way of thinking is plain, hard work. Which is why your PR team must create just the right, corrective language. Words that are not only compelling, persuasive and believable, but clear and factual. Only in this way will you be able to correct a perception by shifting opinion towards your point of view, leading to the behaviors you are want.

Get the input of your communications specialists as they review your message for impact and persuasiveness. Then, sharpen it one more time, and select the communications tactics most likely to carry your words to the attention of your target audience. You can pick from dozens that are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be sure that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

Remember the old saw about the credibility of a message depending on its delivery method. You might consider unveiling it in presentations before smaller gatherings rather than using higher-profile tactics such as news releases. When the moment for doing a progress report arrives, it will sound the alert for you and your PR team to get back out in the field and start work on a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. You’ll want to use many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session. Only this time, you’ll be watching very carefully for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

And for those among us who are just plain impatient, you can always move things along at a faster clip with more communications tactics and increased frequencies.

The reason the same old, same old PR is still tops is that it continues to focus sharply on those key external audiences that most affect your organization, and you as a manager. And it does something positive about them by persuading those key folks to your way of thinking, and moving them to take actions that help you achieve your managerial objectives.

end

As a business, non-profit or association manager, what do you want?

Publicity that delivers newspaper and talk show mentions, or behavior change among your key outside audiences that leads directly to achieving your managerial objectives?

Special events that attract a lot of people, or public relations that persuades your most important outside audiences to your way of thinking, then moves them to take actions that help your department, division or subsidiary succeed?

Zippy brochures and videos, or a way for you to do something positive about the behaviors of those external audiences of yours that MOST affect your organization?

What I believe you need to know about PR are two realities:

1) The right PR really CAN alter individual perception and lead to changed behaviors that help you succeed, and

2), your public relations effort must involve more than special events, brochures and news releases if you really want to get your money’s worth,

The underlying truth about PR goes this way: people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

And it can generate results like prospects starting to work with you; customers making repeat purchases; stronger relationships with the educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities; improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies, and even capital givers or specifying sources looking your way

Once the program gets rolling, you also should see results such as new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; rebounds in showroom visits; membership applications on the rise; community service and sponsorship opportunities; enhanced activist group relations, and expanded feedback channels, not to mention new thoughtleader and special event contacts.

That’s a lot of results from even a high-impact blueprint.

It almost goes without saying that your PR crew – agency or staff – must be committed to you, as the senior project manager, to the PR blueprint and its implementation, starting with target audience perception monitoring.

Is it crucially important that your most important outside audiences really perceive your operations, products or services in a positive light? Of course, so assure yourself that your PR staff has bought into the whole effort. Be especially careful that they accept the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.

Sit down with your PR team and review the PR blueprint in detail, especially the plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

Professional survey people obviously can handle the perception monitoring phases of your program, IF the budget is available. But always remember that your PR people are also in the perception and behavior business and can pursue the same objective: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

What about your public relations goal? You need a goal statement that speaks to the aberrations that showed up during your key audience perception monitoring. And it could call for straightening out that dangerous misconception, or correcting that gross inaccuracy, or doing something about that damaging rumor.

When you set a goal, you need a strategy that shows you how to get there. You have three strategic choices when it comes to handling a perception or opinion challenge: create perception where there may be none, change the perception, or reinforce it. A bad strategy pick will taste like marinara sauce on your brownies, so be certain the new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. For example, you don’t want to select “change” when the facts dictate a “reinforce” strategy.

Because persuading an audience to your way of thinking is awfully hard work, your PR team must come up with just the right, corrective language. Words that are compelling, persuasive and believable AND clear and factual. You must do this if you are to correct a perception by shifting opinion towards your point of view, leading to the desired behaviors.

Sit down again with your communications specialists and review your message for impact and persuasiveness. Then, select the communications tactics most likely to carry your words to the attention of your target audience. You can pick from dozens that are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be sure that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

You’ve heard the old bromide about the credibility of a message depending on its delivery method. On the chance it’s true, you might think about introducing it to smaller gatherings rather than using higher-profile tactics such as news releases or talk show appearances. The need to produce a progress report will sound the alert for you and your PR folks to return to the field for a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. Using many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session, you’ll now be watching very carefully for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

If impatience enters the fray, you can always accelerate things with more communications tactics and increased frequencies.

Finally, like a military unit, your public relations effort can use an action-oriented motto: the right PR really CAN alter individual perception and lead directly to changed behaviors that help you succeed.

Robert A. Kelly © 2004.

About The Author

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. Visit his website.

Article Source.

Tags: shopping around for PR, public relations, PR

The power of public relations is its ability to alter individual perception, resulting in changed behaviors that lead directly to your organization’s success.

Its power really lies in doing something positive about the behaviors of a business, non-profit or association manager’s important outside audiences – behaviors that MOST affect his or her operation.

That’s how external stakeholder behaviors are created that help achieve managerial objectives. In particular when managers persuade those key outside folks to their way of thinking, then move them to take actions that help the manager’s department, division or subsidiary succeed.

A basic public relations blueprint looks like this: people act on their own perception of the facts before them, which leads to predictable behaviors about which something can be done. When we create, change or reinforce that opinion by reaching, persuading and moving-to-desired-action the very people whose behaviors affect the organization the most, the public relations mission is accomplished.

So, two key messages radiating from that fundamental premise are (1) your public relations effort must involve more than special events, brochures and news releases if you really want to get your money’s worth, and (2), the right PR really CAN alter individual perception and lead to changed behaviors that help you succeed!

A variety of results can flow from this managerial approach to public relations. It can generate follow-on activity like customers making repeat purchases; stronger relationships with the educational, labor, financial and healthcare communities; improved relations with government agencies and legislative bodies; prospects starting to work with you, and even capital givers or specifying sources looking your way

You can even see results such as community service and sponsorship opportunities; new proposals for strategic alliances and joint ventures; enhanced activist group relations, and expanded feedback channels; rebounds in showroom visits; and membership applications on the rise, not to mention new thoughtleader and special event contacts.

Because those kinds of results can be expected from such a high-impact blueprint, your PR staff – agency or staff – must be committed to you, as the senior project manager, to the PR blueprint and its implementation, starting with target audience perception monitoring.

Certainly you agree that your most important outside audiences really must perceive your operations, products or services in a positive light if you are to succeed. So be certain that your PR staff is completely onboard for the whole effort. Be especially careful that they accept the reality that perceptions almost always lead to behaviors that can help or hurt your unit.

Review the PR blueprint in detail, especially the plan for monitoring and gathering perceptions by questioning members of your most important outside audiences. Questions like these: how much do you know about our organization? How much do you know about our services or products and employees? Have you had prior contact with us and were you pleased with the interchange? Have you experienced problems with our people or procedures?

The perception monitoring phases of your program can obviously be handled by professional survey people IF the budget is there. But you can always choose to use your PR people who are also in the perception and behavior business and can pursue the same objective: identify untruths, false assumptions, unfounded rumors, inaccuracies, misconceptions and any other negative perception that might translate into hurtful behaviors.

Let’s talk about the public relations goal. You need one that addresses the aberrations that cropped up during your key audience perception monitoring. In all probability, it will aim to straighten out that dangerous misconception, or correct that gross inaccuracy, or do something about that hurtful rumor.

Of course, when you set a goal, you need a strategy that shows you how to get there. You have three strategic choices when it comes to handling a perception or opinion challenge: create perception where there may be none, change the perception, or reinforce it. A bad strategy pick will taste like ketchup on your pecan pie, so be certain the new strategy fits well with your new public relations goal. For example, you don’t want to select “change” when the facts dictate a “reinforce” strategy.

Here’s some really hard work for your PR team, because they now must come up with some carefully targeted, corrective language. Words that are compelling, persuasive and believable AND clear and factual. You must do this if you are to correct a perception by shifting opinion towards your point of view, leading to the desired behaviors.

After going over your message for impact and persuasiveness with your communications specialists, work with them to select the communications tactics most likely to carry your words to the attention of your target audience. You can pick from dozens that are available. From speeches, facility tours, emails and brochures to consumer briefings, media interviews, newsletters, personal meetings and many others. But be sure that the tactics you pick are known to reach folks just like your audience members.

Taking no chances with the time-honored warning that the credibility of a message can depend on how it’s delivered, consider introducing it to smaller gatherings rather than using higher-profile tactics such as news releases or talk show appearances. When the calls for progress reports get loud enough, you can respond by returning to the field with your PR folks for a second perception monitoring session with members of your external audience. Using many of the same questions used in the first benchmark session, you’ll now be alert for signs that the bad news perception is being altered in your direction.

Should things slow down, you can always accelerate matters by using more communications tactics along with increased frequencies.

In this way, you employ the unique power of public relations in just the right way. You alter individual perception, resulting in changed behaviors that lead directly to your organization’s success.

Robert A. Kelly © 2004.

About The Author

Bob Kelly counsels, writes and speaks to business, non-profit and association managers about using the fundamental premise of public relations to achieve their operating objectives. Visit his website here.

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Tags: the power of PR, PR, public relations

What is bad PR?

You may remember Forrest Gump’s Vietnam pal – the one who grew up shrimp farming and was fond of listing the dishes he used to make. “Pepper shrimp,” he started, gearing up for his lengthy monotone monologue. “Shrimp soup. Shrimp stew. Shrimp salad. Shrimp and potatoes. Shrimp burger.”

That was the first thing I thought of when I saw the front page of The Washington Post’s Food section last February. Staring up at me was a half-page photo filled with all sorts of yummy-looking prepared shrimp. The delectable photo was followed by two pages of text glorifying the tasty creature.

But missing from the article was any mention of the environmental concerns about shrimp. For example, the capture of only one pound of shrimp in the ocean kills more than 10 pounds of other marine life, which just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

At the time, I was working with an environmental group. We quickly moved into action. I called a scientist with whom I worked frequently. We drafted a fact-filled two paragraph letter to the editor and submitted it to The Post. It was published the next week, one of the rare letters to appear regarding an article in the Food section.

How did we break through the hundreds of other letters submitted to the Post each day – and more importantly, how can you? Here are seven rules to getting your letter published.

1. Act Quickly. We had our letter in the hands of the Post within 24 hours of the article’s publication. The quicker you submit your letter, the greater your chances of being published.

2. Know the Rules. Most news organizations post the rules for letter submissions – including preferred length and method of delivery – on their websites.

3. Be Concise. Most newspapers will run letters no longer than three paragraphs in length. If you don’t edit your letter, the news organization will either decline to run it or will edit it for you. Maintain control of your words by keeping your letter short.

4. Keep it Simple. Letters to the editor aren’t places for complicated jargon. Your letter should be self-contained, meaning it’s understandable to readers who missed the original article.

5. Take a Stand / Issue a Call to Action. Editors like letters that take a strong position. Be direct, controversial, or adversarial, and tell readers what you want them to do – it enhances your likelihood of getting published.

6. Localize. Most newspapers are considered local or regional. If your letter concerns something larger in scope, give a relevant example. For instance, if you’re writing about your concern over global warming, explain how the effects of climate change would affect the local community.

7. Follow-Up. Most letters pages get an influx of new letters each day. Placing a phone call to your newspaper’s letters desk often gets it removed from the bottom of the pile.

In reality, most letters won’t contain all of the above ingredients, but they should include as many as possible. The Washington Post letter we successfully placed contained six of the seven; we failed to make it local since the original story was global in nature.

As an example, the published letter is below:

EXAMPLE OF A PUBLISHED LETTER TO THE EDITOR

“Your recent article ‘So Much Shrimp’ [Food, Feb. 25] failed to mention the tremendous environmental costs associated with shrimp fishing. Each pound of wild shrimp caught causes the death of 10 or more pounds of other marine life. This ‘by-catch’ is simply tossed back into the ocean. Shrimp fisheries are responsible for more than 11 million tons of by-catch deaths annually. When shrimp trawlers drag their heavy nets across the ocean floor, they destroy coral reefs, sea grasses and other marine life; flatten terrain; and kill numerous fish, turtles, starfish and crabs, among other creatures.

New techniques for farming shrimp are beginning to resolve issues relating to pollution, genetic contamination, disease, and destruction of natural coastal mangroves and wetlands that have long plagued aquaculture operations. Consumers can help by learning about the economic and environmental costs on destructive fishing and fish farming.”

Signed,

Sylvia Earle

Executive Director, Global Marine Program, Conservation International

Brad Phillips is the founder and president of Phillips Media Relations. He was formerly a journalist for ABC News and CNN, and headed the media relations department for the second largest environmental group in the world.

For more information and to sign up for free monthly media relations and media training e-tips, click here.

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Tags: letter to the editor, getting your letter published, public relations, PR

THE TWO MINUTES UNDERDOG

Edward Everett was one of the most famous orators of his time. Standing before an audience of thousands in a Pennsylvania field on a cold winter’s day in November 1863, he delivered one of the impassioned speeches that made him famous. His two-hour speech reportedly captivated the crowd.

The poor fellow who was scheduled to speak after him had only prepared a two-minute speech.

The man was Abraham Lincoln, and the speech was the Gettysburg Address.

Less is more.

ACCOMPLISH MORE BY SAYING LESS

Most interviewees are experts in their fields. They have a lifetime of acquired learning in their subject, and could easily pontificate for hours about even the smallest detail. Their expertise rarely fails to impress at dinner parties, and they are regarded as wise counsel amongst friends.

But in the setting of a media interview, they almost always say too much.

Perhaps they feel the need to demonstrate the depth of their knowledge in an attempt to build their credibility. Conceivably they think that giving a reporter extensive background is helpful. Or maybe their nervousness uncontrollably propels them to chatter endlessly. Either way, they’ve lost total control of their message, and are inevitably disappointed by their quote in the next day’s paper.

An interview isn’t about demonstrating knowledge – it’s about organizing knowledge. Instead of downloading raw information to a member of the press, interviewees should prepare no more than three main message points (single sentences) prior to the interview. During the interview, questions should be answered directly – but quickly – before segueing to a prepared message.

In general, try to keep your answers to 30 seconds or less; complicated questions can occasionally require up to a full minute. By doing so, the audience stands a much better chance of actually remembering your most important points. Remember – even the smartest audience won’t be able to recall everything you said. But they will remember the highlights – if they remain unburied by nonessential verbiage.

THE LESS YOU SAY, THE LESS YOU STRAY

Another reason to “talk short” is that it limits your risk of saying something you’ll ultimately regret. As an interview continues, most interviewees become more comfortable. That’s a good thing. But too often, they become victims of what I’ve dubbed, “The Seven Second Stray.”

The Seven Second Stray is the often inevitable moment when a comfortable interviewee makes a slightly sarcastic or flip remark. The spokesperson may have been on message for the other 59 minutes and 53 seconds of an hour-long interview. But I can almost guarantee that the reporter will ultimately use the less-than-favorable seven seconds. Why? Because it’s unscripted, off-the-cuff and probably more dramatic than everything else you’ve said.

BILL CLINTON BOMBS

Before he became president in 1993, Bill Clinton was best known for his 1988 nominating speech at the Democratic National Convention.

His speech droned on for more than an hour. Television cutaways showed delegates of his own party nodding off. When he finally uttered the words, “And in conclusion,” the delegates cheered wildly.

A few nights later, he appeared on Johnny Carson’s “Tonight Show.” Carson’s first question? “So, governor, how are you?” Without pausing, Carson reached under his desk, pulled out an hourglass, and turned it upside down. The audience roared.

Less is more.

Brad Phillips is the founder and president of Phillips Media Relations. He was formerly a journalist for ABC News and CNN, and headed the media relations department for the second largest environmental group in the world.

For more information or to sign up for free monthly media relations and media training tips, click here.

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Tags: speeches, interviews, length tips, public relations, PR

I heard a speaker recently who was talking about how to maintain strong relationships. As I listened to his basic principle, I realized that it is true in all of our life situations, be it work, family etc. And let’s face it, relationships are what make the world go ’round. So strong healthy relationships will make your work more enjoyable, and prosperous, and will make your family and friend relationships better as well.

What was the principle? The speaker said that each point of connection is like an anchor in the relationship, and the more connections you have, the stronger the relationship will be. He calls one-connection relationships “Simplex,” and multi-connection relationships, “Multiplex.” The strongest relationships are multiplex.

There is also the idea that some connections are stronger than others and so you want as many connections as possible and you want those connections to be as strong as they can be as well. Confused? Let’s put some legs on this. We’ll take a business situation and we’ll take a family situation to illustrate the principle.

Anchoring work relationships. Let’s say you sell insurance. A guy walks in and says, “I would like to purchase some term life insurance.” You have a simplex relationship. The connection is that you both want him to have insurance. As you get to know him better and get information from him, you realize that you have a multiplex relationship growing and the chance that your business relationship will grow is improving.

“You grew up in Iowa? Me too!”

“You like to golf? Me too!”

“Your wife and you like to go to the opera? So do we! We should go together sometime.”

The multiple connections are anchoring your relationship.

Anchoring a family relationship. Let’s take a marriage in trouble. Chances are that at one time, the relationship was multiplex. Because of time, work, and other stresses, the marriage has deteriorated to the point where both are thinking, “What did I marry this person for?” Or “Why do I stay?” The chances are that now the relationship is simplex. Maybe it is that the one connection is that they want to do right by the kids and so they “Tough it out.” What is the answer? I believe that it is regaining a multiplex relationship. Work hard to make those other anchoring connections. Did you used to play tennis together before the kids came along? Go play tennis together on a regular basis. Do you both have a common interest in a specific cause or charity, but time hasn’t allowed you to pursue it? Take the time! It will anchor your relationship again!

I think you get the point.

Take some time to think about your current relationships. Are they as multiplex as they can be or as they used to be? Think about the new relationships you will make in the coming weeks or months. Think of ways you can make them strong by finding multiple connections, securing deeper and more fulfilling relationships.

Make your relationships “multiplex” and you make them strong, with an anchor that will not let them go!

Chris Widener is an Internationally recognized speaker, author and radio host. He has authored over 450 articles and nine books, including a New York Times and Wall Street Journal Best-seller. Check out his website.

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Tags: relationships, public relations, maintenance, PR

You’re trying to recruit a downline into your program, you’ve tried every trick in the book, and no one is signing up. Is there a sign on your back that says you’ve got the plague? Maybe you’re lacking in internet etiquette.

Certain people skills are important for all business people. Online affiliate business presents unique challenges to the webmaster. While modern society tends towards individualism to the extreme, no consideration for others, and oftentimes total lack of self-restraint, internet relationships additionally have the mixed reputation of being cold and emotionless, depersonalized, fake, extreme (as in “flaming”), and untrustworthy until proven trustworthy.

Add to this skepticism towards commercialism both on and offline (“what’s he trying to sell me? what’s the catch?”) and you can understand the importance of learning internet ettiquette for business success. I’ll give you 8 points to keep in mind.

1. Thoughtful attention:

Most internet communication is via the written word. For example, I can tell you that a website is really cool; maybe you’re first impression is that I’m saying I like it because it’s hip and trendy. In the context of a discussion of website color palettes I may be referring to the shades of blue and gray used. Or maybe I mean the site doesn’t draw the visitors…you see my point. Clarity is important.

2. Taking the time for clarity:

The internet has accustomed us to instant gratification. Just as you may not stick around if a website takes more than 10 seconds to load, or if a webmaster takes more than 30 seconds to make his point, you may not take the time to clarify what’s been said in an email or chat and become angry or impatient. It’s important to understand intentions. Be careful to separate your own emotional reaction from what was actually meant. Be sure you understand that the intention was to poke friendly fun, not to criticize, and so on.

3. Timely communication:

Understand the customers’ or colleagues’ expectations and needs, and be considerate of how and when you communicate. Remember that people need to be remembered, recognized and included.

4. Create a culture of caring:

As I stated above, we live in a world of lack of consideration. Think about how careless we can become with our language when we rely on eye contact and body language to communicate our meaning. These are absent on the internet. We have to consciously create a culture of caring. Everyone needs to feel safe, connected and important. Building trust allows everyone to ask questions, which is the only way to learn, even when they risk appearing stupid.

5. Be the Super Affiliate you want in your downline:

Express your goals, accept responsibility for your words, remember that we are all teachers, be visible (in forums, in your blog, with personal notes and changes in your website text, updates and newsletters). Be honest and genuine, listen well, be generous and helpful, be clear in expressing what you need, give thanks and stay in touch.

6. Help others achieve their goals: Refer your customers elsewhere when appropriate, this builds trust like no other action can. This can even lead to reciprocity from your competition or a joint venture.

7. Find common ground: remember you are building friendships and teamwork as well as making money.

8. Remember, you are your team’s greatest advocate. If you’ve learned the above skills well, you know your teammates and can come to their aid and defense if need be. You’re there when they need you, and their testimonials grace your homepage.

If you allow yourself to grow and change in these 8 ways and apply them to your internet communications, you’ll be successful at building trust and rapport with your online colleagues. They’ll be scrambling to sign up and they’ll want to stick around.

Glenn Beach is a poet, writer and home business entrepreneur in Nova Scotia, Canada. Free newsletter, more articles, and business start-up info can be found here.

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Tags: business etiquette, online etiquette, public relations, PR

Sometimes there seems to be no client news worthy of coverage. That’s when the savvy PR pro digs deep into the old bag of tricks and pulls out one of these ideas to perk things up:

* The List
* The Index
                                                     * The Hall of Fame.

Best of, worst of, most of, least of, top and bottom lists can be great ways to get coverage. Designer Mr. Blackwell made a career out of his Worst Dressed List. Country Music Television has turned this into an art form by not just developing the list but making a TV show out of it. Consider its 40 Best Drinking Songs.

You can use these lists to engage your own customers or readers. Do a survey and have them vote. I always like using odd numbers like 11 or seven instead of 10 for my lists. It seems to me they get better coverage. If you are going to develop one of these lists, don’t be boring. Come up with something that has some controversy attached to it to ensure greater coverage.

The Consumer Confidence Index is one of the most well known of the indices. The CCI is an index that requires some heavy lifting to prepare, but you can develop one that is purely for publicity purposes. The National Association of Realtors developed the housing affordability index, an easy-to-compile index that shows how much income you need in order to afford a home of a certain purchase price.

My initial thought when I worked with Carolinas AGC to develop the Carolinas Construction Barometer was to come up with a publicity tool. However, when we enlisted UNCC to help us develop the methodology it quickly became a real tool that required a lot of work. So, be careful with this one or it can get away from you.

Finally, there is the Hall of Fame. You don’t need bricks and mortar to have one. It can be virtual like Bill Stoller’s PR Hall of Fame that exists online and in press releases but nowhere else.

So, the next time there is no news, do some media relations magic: create some out of thin air.

Harry Hoover is a partner in My Creative Team. He has 30 years of experience in crafting and delivering bottom line messages that ensure success for serious businesses like Bank of Commerce, The Bray Law Firm, Brent Dees Financial Planning, CruisingTheICW.com, Duke Energy, Focus Four, Levolor, North Carolina Tourism, TeamHeidi, Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, VELUX, and Verbatim.

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Tags: news, public relations, stories, PR

Public relations and news releases are synonymous in the minds of some. Because the media relations aspect of PR is so “public”, the PR discipline often is narrowly defined by this tactic. PR is much more than cranking out positive client fodder for the media.

My definition: PR is developing, managing and maintaining relationships with any audience that can affect your organization.

Edward Bernays, the father of PR and the nephew of Sigmund Freud, takes his definition into the social science realm. (Well, what did you expect from Sigmund Freud’s nephew?) He advised clients on the social attitudes and actions to take in order to garner the support of audiences critical for success.

Bernays counseled his clients to do something to interrupt the continuity of life in some way to bring about the appropriate media and public response. Typically, these “interruptions” were done in such a way as to leave no trace of Bernays or his client behind.

Consider this. In the 1920s Bernays melded corporate sales campaigns with popular social causes. As an agent for the American Tobacco Company, he convinced women’s rights marchers in New York City to smoke Lucky Strike cigarettes as “Torches of Freedom.” Unlike the Wizard of Oz, Bernays managed to stay concealed behind the curtain.

The problem I have with Bernays’ definition of PR is in its manipulative aspect. I believe that true PR practitioners seek common ground upon which to build mutually beneficial relationships.

Harry Hoover is a partner in My Creative Team. He has 30 years of experience in crafting and delivering bottom line messages that ensure success for serious businesses like Bank of Commerce, The Bray Law Firm, Brent Dees Financial Planning, CruisingTheICW.com, Duke Energy, Focus Four, Levolor, North Carolina Tourism, TeamHeidi, Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, VELUX, and Verbatim.

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Tags: press releases, public relations, PR, networking, relations

As an entry level position to PR, I found myself typing up a forecast by a major Public Relation’s firm for a major pharmaceutical company of what life would be like in the year 2000. Market research predictions included telephones with monitors that could help you see people while you talked, fax machines that could transmit information over telephone wires, microwave ovens for reducing food defrosting time from hours to minutes and other devices that have certainly come to pass. In the lifestyle area, predictions proved less valid. Not only would Americans be enjoying longer lives, it foretold, but they would have shorter work weeks, more vacations and overall, a more leisurely lifestyle. An iota of truth, but mostly wishful thinking when we read 2005 front pages.

I will always remember being called to account because the final document the Client saw had several typos. Presentation counts in this field.

PR firms attempt to influence the major media who in turn help persuade viewers, listeners and readers to think or act in a particular way. The people who enter the profession and those in the media usually have a gift of gab, a facility with the written word, a decent IQ and a certain love affair with risk.

Fortune tellers don’t make much money. But most PR firms charge a substantial amount of money to present their client, product or service in a positive light to the media. People are continuously reporting polls or surveys as if they are fact, when, in truth, often the questions asked are the reason for the results tendered. Trends are so swift these days, just when buzz begins, another bee is buzzing a different tune.

Here is the PR agency drill. A brainstorming session consists of several persons who try and identify a project, tag line or campaign hook that will capture the right response from the media while delivering the Client message. Then a qualified person writes the plan, another person interfaces with the Client and still other people “pitch” the media. Often times in large firms, a separate TV department usually has close ties with the producers of various programming. You can pitch the same story to ten different venues, and come up with ten different responses. It is an expensive process.

Since everyone is trying for the biggest hits first, and the spots are truly limited, the pitchers have to be focused and persistent. Then it becomes a numbers game. The more balls you throw, the more likely you are to get a strike. The more strikes you pitch, the more likely your team will win, and the competition will be beaten. The more consistent your story, the more believed you will be. The more you can afford to spend, the more you get to use credible spokespeople to help tell your story. It is a numbers game.

So by all means pitch “Oprah” first if you have a story that will hug her heart. Next work the syndicated morning shows. Then try the syndicated writers at the major news services when your news is hard and important. Talk to AOL when you have the money, or put it in the movie theatre, the newest venue for enlightening if not annoying a captive audience.

But you can also tell your story with incredible reach and exciting response if you
use newspaper mat features to newspapers nationwide via Points of Persuasion Syndicate. For $2100, your message gets faxed to 10,000 plus print and online newspaper outlets immediately. Newspapers use the free columns. Your message gets printed exactly as you tell it, or your captioned color illustration tells the story just the way you approved it. You’ve increased your chances of the public reading a product or service mention, you’ve had the help of expert PR people with years of presentation skills behind them, your story will stay on their editorial website for six months to a year, and you get quarterly usage reports to help impress you if you are the business owner or your Clients if you are an agency.

Best of all, the educated, well-off suburban consumer gets time to find out something informational that can help them and their family live a better life. It seems likely that any marketer would find this a low-budget risk worth taking.

# # #

Myrna Greenhut is currently president of P-O-P-S, a service designed to supply incremental PR impressions for companies, Associations and PR agencies. As a consumer product publicist, she has been with numerous independent and advertising affiliated PR agencies like The Rowland Company, Ogilvy & Mather, Cairns & Associates, D-A-Y as well as having done major freelance PR projects for Avon Products Incorporated

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Tags: educated gambling, risks, public relations, PR

Does the thought of knowing your verbs from your adjective scare you? Can the word syntax send you running for cover? Or perhaps putting two words together in front of a crowd sends your body into complete melt down.
If so, there is help for you.

Have you ever wanted to communicate more effectively with other people, or dreamed of writing a novel.
Maybe you just want to write better reports, get your points across more clearly or be able to stand up in front of people and give a talk.

Often people will say to themselves, “I can’t do that, I was never good at English in school.” Yet, this feeling of not good enough is where many communication masters began.

I know of people who stuttered as children and were told they’d never be able to read or talk, yet are well known speakers today. One other person that I know, immigrated to the US and had to learn English, yet today he is a speaker and author. These people discovered that it takes more that knowing your nouns and sentence structure to communicate with others.

Part of the challenge is, we were taught that if we can write a proper sentence then we can communicate are thoughts correctly. That is like saying if you can see than you can read or if you can hear you can listen. Unfortunately, this is not true for reading and listening are skills that we need to learn.

There are many people who have grammatically correct sentences with proper punctuation who can not write anything creative or interesting. It takes more than grammar to connect with other people.

Getting your thoughts, feelings, views and values across to another person are skills that you can learn and master.

It is important to understand that connecting with people can be very intensive and emotional whether you are feeling fear; anger, joy or ecstasy and many people shy away from this. Most often people misunderstand one another because people see things differently and can get upset when people do not see eye to eye with them.

There is a lot of fear of being wrong, of making mistakes, of failing or being perceived as being stupid in anyway. Many misunderstandings lead to disagreements and violence in trying to make or force their way of thinking. People can act as though their lives depended on being right as apposed to having a different point of view.
These create many barriers to communication which need to be overcome in order to connect with another person and master communication.

When you can release the need to be right, you can discover a whole new world of discoveries and wonders. Marianne Williamson said it well when she said, “Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy?” It is important to understand, that to make the world work, we need different views, outlooks, likes and desires.

Many problems happen with people who share the same birth language. There seems to be an assumption that if you spoke the same language that the other person should automatically understand you.

What most people do not realize is that on a physiological level, our brains are all wired differently due to the way, environment and culture that we have been raised in. This also helps to create our psychological out look and personalities.

There is also our metaphysical nature which affects whether we are willing to try and connect with other people. We are influenced by Universal laws, even when we are not aware of them. For example, if you did not know that gravity existed, it wouldn’t stop you from falling off of a cliff. On a quantum level our beliefs and attitudes affects the outcome of our ability to interact with each other. For example many people have heard of “Cause and Effect”. In this law, as you treat others, so shall you be treated. On a scientific level, we are electromagnetic spectrums of energy. So the energy that we give off, we attract back, because like attracts like. This means, when you give off anger, hatred, judgments or love, kindness, and understanding, you are attracting the very same behaviour back to you. This in turn, affects your ability to communicate and connect with other people.

Your beliefs have an impact on whether you are happy or sad, have abundance or poverty, health or suffering and even of what you can or cannot be, have or do.
It is when we are aware of our own beliefs and values we can work on seeing if they work for us, or if we need to change or alter them.
So maybe you’re asking yourself, where do I begin? That question is easy to answer, with yourself. So often people have no idea what they want and hope that other people will figure it out for them. I have seen people get mad at other people for not knowing what they want or for misunderstanding them.
It is important to realize that we can’t communicate to others before we clearly know what we want and where we are heading. The people that I spoke about earlier; their lives improved when they clearly understood what they wanted, and then were able to ask others for guidance and moved forward in helping others. For communicating is connecting with others.
The second area, once you understand yourself, is that it’s important to understand others and their reality. The next step would be to realize that what you think you are seeing and understanding may not be an exact representation of reality. Our brains filter out most information around us so as not to overload us. What it chooses to let through are things that are important to us and things that are a potential danger. Any information that is considered in conflict with our perceived reality and beliefs is filtered away. So you need to be open to learning and discovery.

Now, if you take this information, consider the following. What if you realized that reality is often illusive and personal? What if you where to discover that the main block to your growth and answers are in the way the you perceive yourself, the world around you and of what you believe you can achieve? And what if you were to understand that the answers weren’t out there, but inward and that you already have what you need to communicate clearly to others? What if I told you, that what you had to do was to be willing to look anew, and that it can build from there?
See if you can’t realize the possibilities from understanding yourself and others around you in order to master communication.
Today, we are asking more questions and wanting more answers. Today more than ever people are asking, what if I can?

Maria Boomhower is a professional in communication, media relations and holds a Diploma in the Art of Applied Communication. She has won awards for excellence in her field. Her background in communication management has spanned from supervision and training to productions, photo journalism, running sub-press centres and security videos Her style has been to teach communication in ways that creates a win-win environment for those involved.

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Tags: grammar, public relations, communications, PR

The fast changing dynamics of the world economy is forcing organizations to fundamentally rethink the manner in which they have been communicating with their constituent communities and decision-makers. It is constantly being proven that conventional communication approaches that are designed to raise public awareness may often have the opposite effects of those intended. This is because they fail to take into account the public’s profound resistance to the traditional communication stimuli.

Therefore, organizations are placing more emphasis on developing two-way and more open-ended methods of communication in their public advocacy strategies. This is in preference to the more traditional top-down methods based on elements of audience manipulation or persuasion. Attitudinal, behavioral and social changes are long-term processes. Research into modern communication methods indicate that it is imprudent to regard attitudinal change merely as a shift along a continuum, as it inevitably involves a reordering of individuals’ cognitive structures.

To effect, then, any significant alterations in attitudes and values, or to explicitly form them, requires the identification of both cognitive and affective objectives and the examination and exposure of beliefs and prejudices. This cannot be achieved through the mere imparting of information. This implies that the following years will only reinforce the need for innovative approaches, for creativity and agility and communication agencies will be forced to restructure their strategies. Only those agencies that can keep pace with this transformation will succeed in this unforgiving world.

Quite a few agencies in India have shifted from their existing framework and are now focusing on niche areas of operation. It is becoming evident that increasing competition and the pressure to redesign strategies will force the agencies to identify and specify their particular areas of competence more clearly.

It does not come as a surprise, then, that some very prominent companies are revisiting the strategies presented by their communication partners. The clients’ increasing preference for fast-footed, nimble and proactive agencies has shown dramatic change in their approach to communications.

Another interesting aspect of these changes has been the recent phenomenon of hiring prominent marketing professionals by agencies of all sizes even the mid-sized ones. The need to reorient communication strategies to the clients’ business goals has fuelled such shifts. Soumitro Mukherji, an MBA from XLRI with over 18 years marketing and sales experience in giants like Asian Paints, HLL, Sony Entertainment Television, Pepsi and Airtel recently took over as COO of Blue Lotus Communications Consultancy, a mid-sized agency with capitalized billings of approximately Rs. 10 Crores. His move is demonstrative of the changing face of the mid-sized agency which is gearing up to meet the clients’ imperative today. However, since the older agencies are too deeply rooted in traditional thinking, this trend is being witnessed in a mid-sized set up. The time has come that agencies look at the clients’ brand from a marketing perspective and the migration of marketing professionals to agencies is definitely a sign of evolution in the communications industry. There are clear indications that creativity & results will drive the entire communications industry in the ensuing years.

The author is the CEO of Blue Lotus Communications, one of the fastest growing PR agencies in India (www.bluelotuspr.com). He is also an active blogger and has his own blog called http://PublicRelationsIndia.blogspot.com

N. Chandramouli is the CEO of Blue Lotus Communications Consultancy, a leading public relations agency in India. An engineer MBA with over 16 years of multi-functional experience, Chandramouli firmly believes in knowledge being a core driver for communications. He also runs a successful PR blog (http://PublicRelationsIndia.blogspot.com)

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Tags: creative marketing, public relations, PR

The words are pop culture heroes.

Movies such as “The Insider,” books like “All The President’s Men” and television series including “The West Wing” have immortalized them.

“On-the-record,” “on background,” “on deep background” and “off-the-record” are celebrity phrases, used regularly as shorthand to represent the mysteries of the journalism underworld.

In reality, these words aren’t used all that frequently in newsrooms; moreover, they’re not particularly helpful. Unless you’re a whistleblower or working on sensitive issues at the highest levels of government, it is almost always better to remain “on-the-record,” meaning that everything you say can be published and attributed to you.

As simple as this basic rule may seem, spokespeople regularly get coaxed into saying more than they intended. They may become comfortable with a reporter, decide to trust the wrong journalist, or develop the mistaken belief that a member of the press has agreed to their terms. It often backfires, with the interviewee facing an unwelcome dose of public scorn when the story hits.

Here are three reasons you should (almost) always stay on-the-record:

1) Definitions Vary – Different news organizations – and different reporters within those news organizations – define terms such as, “on background” and “off-the-record” differently. A simple Internet search reveals the problem – to some news organizations, off-the-record means the reporter can’t mention your interview to even her mother, and to others, it means that your comments can be printed anonymously with the corroboration of just one other source. Without shared agreement on what the terms even mean, agreeing to an interview as anything other than on-the-record is a crapshoot.

2) Agreement Breeds Confusion – In 2002, Washington Post reporter Sally Squires interviewed Gary Taubes, an author who had written a controversial article for The New York Times Magazine challenging the accepted wisdom about the role of dietary fat in weight gain. Before agreeing to the interview, Taubes insisted that he have final approval of his quotes before they were allowed to run – in other words, that his comments were off-the-record until further notice. Ms. Squires agreed – or so he thought – so he was shocked and embarrassed when his overly candid remarks were printed. Far from being unusual, the ambiguity of agreements between reporter and source often leads to mismatched expectations.

3) “Official” Interviews Don’t Exist – Many interviewees think they are on-the-record during the “official” interview, but off-the-record before and after. In fact, anything said in the presence of a reporter is quotable, including the off-handed remarks made at last night’s dinner party.

In August 1984, for example, President Ronald Reagan famously leaned into a microphone for a sound check just prior to his weekly radio address. Joking around with those gathered in the room, Reagan quipped “My fellow Americans, I am pleased to tell you I just signed legislation which outlaws Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.”

Even though the comments weren’t broadcast live, the microphone was on and two news networks recorded them. They almost immediately broadcast the comments, which they clearly deemed newsworthy in the midst of the Cold War.

The incident sparked international outrage, with the West German government pouncing on Reagan’s comments as a sign of his ill will.

White House Spokesman Larry Speakes claimed that the news organizations acted irresponsibly since any remark made before the official radio address was “off-the-record.” However, since the journalists didn’t agree to that condition in advance, they had every right to air it.

To be sure, there are occasionally good reasons to leave the safety of an on-the-record conversation. Instances of corruption or fraud, for example, can be leaked to a reporter in an attempt to hold public officials or executives accountable. But do yourself a favor. If you’re unclear of the rules or unfamiliar with the reporter, get a professional opinion before proceeding. It might save your “off-the-record” comments from appearing on tomorrow’s front page.

Brad Phillips is the founder and president of Phillips Media Relations. He was formerly a journalist for ABC News and CNN, and also headed the media relations department for the second largest environmental group in the world.

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Tags: public relations, PR, interviews, professional

What do your customers say about your company?

Would you let your major competitor control your sales strategy?

Public relations is an inevitable consequence of being in business. Whether you like it or not, your corporate image evolves with every interaction with clients, investors, competitors, and even between your own employees. Thus, managing perceptions of your company is just as important to the bottom line as what you sell and who buys it. Unfortunately, many companies see PR as a reaction to external forces and lose control over market direction as a result.

As with all other corporate activities PR should be treated as a strategic process. Adopting a strategic PR campaign enables a company to not only compete better in the marketplace, but also be successful across market boundaries. Being proactive rather than reactive means establishing long-term goals that are measurable and repeatable and that will ensure longevity and achievement for the company. The setting of objectives, milestones, and metrics guarantees that any and all PR activities are aligned with the company’s objectives and will deliver real results.

By answering the following questions, a strategic process will emerge for PR that will support all of the company’s process and goals.

Who are you?

What do others say about us?

What are the corporate objectives?

How can we control the PR process?

Your Internal Identity

The reality is that good PR begins at the office: possessing a strong sense of corporate identity on all levels is key to having a consistent and credible public image. It is the responsibility of management to articulate to all employees the company’s mission statement and make it actionable. This is a message that will be repeated and demonstrated to external audiences daily through virtually every company interaction. Employees who believe in the mission statement will display the corporate image through their actions. Indecision, multiple, or conflicting messages at any level will have a negative impact and inadvertently kill any momentum that might be achieved.

By making PR a strategic process and not a reaction to external situations, a consistent message will be developed across all corporate segments. Applied correctly, it is a message that will eventually evolve into corporate attitude and culture. Actively defining the image of your company ultimately impacts the credibility obtained from all sectors: employees, investors, customers, competitors, and the general public. Actions speak louder than words and govern how all outsiders will interact with you. Establishing a mission that is accepted and adopted by every segment of your company will aid in verifying your value.

Your External Identity

Initiating a strategic PR campaign allows your company to control its place in the market by defining perceptions across all segments of the value network. It is more than just a clever marketing campaign to support your products – it is an extension of the corporate identity. Think about what others say about you – your customers, competition, shareholders, and the general public. In today’s economy the response needs to be in harmony.

A coordinated PR strategy is critical to delivering a consistent and compelling message across all of your company’s interfaces. The focus is on establishing the company image, and will impact the reception you garner from each of these audiences. Confirming the corporate message needs to practiced with all departments working in unison because conflicting signals will undermine the significance of any future efforts. For example, your marketing team cannot be contradicting what the product team asserts for product capability.

A company’s image is most important for non-customers. What do your competitors say about you? Do they take you seriously? Do your suppliers? How about industry analysts? Do potential employees want to work for your company? These impressions do count and can determine the company’s maneuverability in a dynamic market by determining access to needed resources and strategic options. Strategic PR delivers a consistent, credible message that establishes a foundation for future efforts and results.

Corporate Strategy Alignment

Knowing your company’s short-range and long-term aspirations is vital in setting the tone for any and all PR campaigns. Having a clear direction allows definition of long-term goals and short-term milestones to be set and success to be measured. As with other corporate processes, the PR campaign should be aligned with management’s objectives and reinforce the other corporate efforts. Buy-in is needed from all rows and columns in the company’s organizational table. Through strategic public relations initiatives, the necessary steps will be developed to implement the plan that will support and promote reaching desired results. Ultimately, by transmitting the company’s mission through the attitude and actions of all stakeholders, a common vision will take hold that will ensure success

Increasing Your Perceived Value

Obviously, not all of the aspects of external perception mentioned above can be controlled (i.e. competitors). This is the reason, however, that strategic PR must be implemented as a proactive process. A consistently delivered message, encompassing both words and deeds, across all facets of the corporate identity will mitigate even the worst things that others might say about your company. To ensure success, PR needs to be managed with the same seriousness as sales, product development, and marketing activities. The entire corporate team must believe in the goals (which will be infectious to all who hear the message) and the process (which will generate buy-in at all levels). Most importantly, an executive must be assigned to shape and coordinate the message across the various outlets and channels. Inclusion of an outside PR professional can be a valuable addition, to avoid group-think and maintain objectivity (which underlies credibility).

Conclusions

A strategic PR campaign is an often-neglected component in establishing a company’s market position and chances of success. It is not focused on just the marketing or sales team, but provides them with a strong foundation to leverage, built on the attitude and image of the total organization. Like all other important corporate activities, PR must be implemented as a well-defined process that is proactive instead of reactive, with short- and long-term goals as well as objective metrics. By developing this new mindset, your company can maximize its potential by controlling external perceptions.

Agnes Brousseau has more than 14 years of public relations, sales and marketing experience with emphasis on corporate communications. She joined BlabberMouth PR a Vice President of Client Services from JPMorganChase Bank, a leader in investment banking, financial services, asset and wealth management and private equity. As an Austin, Texas-based Branch Manager, she was responsible for over $7 million in sales and increasing the overall ranking for the branch to a top position. As a direct result of her expert communications strategies and sales planning, the branch assumed the number one position in Texas for portfolio growth.

The native Australian began her career in 1988 as a paramedic with Halifax County EMS /Hollister Volunteer Rescue Squad. She transitioned to public relations, where she headed the public relations initiatives for the organization. She was also an EMS, CPR and First Aid Instructor for the State of North Carolina and was the designated community spokesperson for EMS. In 1996 she received a Dedicated Service Award.

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Tags: defining your company, public relations, company image, PR

Got a huge need for publicity and a tiny publicity budget? You don’t need to have a Madison Avenue-sized advertising budget to make your name known.

Here are five ideas to help you promote your company:

1. Write a column. Go to a local paper, no matter how small, and offer to write a column on your area of expertise or on business in general. Don’t ask to be paid for it, and promise not to promote your company. You won’t need to—your byline, words (and maybe even photograph) will do that.

2. Speak up. Make yourself available to talk to every civic, business and educational group that will have you. Stress your expertise, and, as with the column, never try to sell anything—except your reputation as a knowledgeable, trustworthy professional.

3. Write notes. Include a one- or two-line personal message with every piece of literature you send out. You can even write it on the material. This tactic helps customers see the person behind the company.

4. Be a joiner. Get involved in trade associations. You may spend a lot of time with competitors, but it’s a way to let people know you’re out there, and it will offer you opportunities to sell. In addition, be sure to join networking groups, and local community groups.

5. Be a sponsor. A few hundred dollars gets your company name on Little League caps; a little more, perhaps an ad at a roller rink. Donate money or materials to the local parade or a float. This buys goodwill and is great self-promotion.

So start revving up your publicity campaign today!

Copyright 2004 DeFiore Enterprises

Interested in having your own successful, home based creative real estate investing business? Chuck and Sue have been helping folks start successful home based businesses for over 19 years, and we can help you too! To see how, visit for the latest FREE tips and tricks, educational products and coaching in creative real estate investing and home based businesses.

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Tags: publicity, PR, company publicity, generating publicity

The media (newspaper, radio, television) can be of enormous help to the small and home based business. So, it is very important that you develop a relationship with them.

When you first start your business, inform your local newspaper by using a press release that you are starting a new business. Almost all newspapers have a section which announces new businesses. So check out that section, call the newspaper and ask who you would send your release to and in what format they want the information.

When your business is doing something special for the community be sure to inform the media. Newspapers and radio stations love to get local stories. Just be sure it is newsworthy, and don’t overuse it. Always check to see who to send your information to and what format they need. Never blindly send out a release.

Are there trade magazines in your business area? If so, do up a release on your new business. Or if you are an existing business, send a press release on a new product or service.

Another way to work with the media is to write a column. Go to a local paper, no matter how small, and offer to write a column on your area of expertise or on business in general. Don’t ask to be paid for it, and promise not to promote your company. You won’t need to – your byline, words (and maybe even photograph) will do that.

Just recently we did a review for a former newspaper publisher on his book on how to write a press release and generally dealing with the media. He’s promised us a finished copy. Once we get it and re-read it, we’ll let you know more.

So develop a relationship with the media, and watch your business soar.

Copyright DeFiore Enterprises 2002

Interested in having your own successful, home based creative real estate investing business? Chuck and Sue have been helping folks start successful home based businesses for over 19 years, and we can help you too! To see how, visit for the latest FREE tips and tricks, educational products and coaching in creative real estate investing and home based businesses.

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Tags: media tips, public relations, PR

News releases (also called press releases) are an important part of a public relations campaign. They are also an important part of marketing your business. They are the primary means of “selling” your story to the media. All press releases are structured the same way. Make sure you
answer “yes” to these key questions when writing your next press release:

Is it easy to read?

Editors look at hundreds of press releases every day, and if your news release is difficult to read, they will throw it out. It should be on plain white paper and printed in black ink. The main body of the release should be double-spaced and have at least a one inch margin all around the edges.

Your letterhead should appear at the top of the first page to establish your identity.

Have you double-checked your spelling and grammar?

A good press release has no typographical or grammatical errors. If yours contains such errors you’ll lose credibility; it will have the same effect as a badly written business letter or resume. The release should be typed. Print out (or type out) a fresh copy for each person to whom you will send it. Do not send out poor-quality photocopies with dark staple marks or blotches.

Did you include the six news elements?

Because all news articles include six basic elements-who, what, when, where, why, and how – your press release should also follow the same guidelines. Put the most important facts in the lead paragraph, with the facts decreasing in importance as you go down the page. Why? Suppose you send a press release to an editor who has five inches of space open in the newspaper and your release runs eight inches long. Ideally, the editor would trim your press release from the bottom. Therefore, to make sure the most important information gets run, put the less important information at the bottom.

Did you include a contact source?

In the top, right-hand corner of the first page, directly beneath your company name, there should be a line that states, “For further information, contact.” A name and telephone number should follow. The editor must have somebody in your business to call to answer questions or to be interviewed about your news item. If you can only be reached during certain hours, specify them.

Have you included a dateline?

The best press releases have a dateline with the city in which the business is based and the date the release is written. Every press release needs a dateline so that the editor can tell when it was mailed. Nobody wants to cover an old story that has lost its timeliness.

The other morning during my favorite radio talk show they mentioned this guy who wrote a book about selling water beds which was coming out next week. How you do think this guy got the radio stations to talk about this….you got it – a press release or a publicist who sent a press release.

Copyright DeFiore Enterprises 2002

Interested in having your own successful, home based creative real estate investing business? Chuck and Sue have been helping folks start successful home based businesses for over 19 years, and we can help you too! To see how, click here for the latest FREE tips and tricks, educational products and coaching in creative real estate investing and home based businesses. 

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Tags: writing press releases, press release, public relations, writing tips, PR