It's been quite a while since my last blog. That's due to an unusually busy December during which I helped launch a highly successful business in Fort Myers. The business is a long-term off-airport parking alternative to the current more expensive on-airport parking. After frantically applying as many marketing and budget conscious advertising strategies I could muster, coupled with some marketing and sales techniques employed by the company, I can happily say, the efforts resulted in a huge success. The goal was to have 1,000 cars parked in the new lot by Christmas day. The biggest challenge? The lot was not slated to open until Dec. 18 and even THAT was an iffy proposition. We enacted a very intensive radio campaign, Val-Pak coupons, publicity plan, street signage, facebook fan page, and emailed coupon campaign. The end result was 1,075 cars in the lot on Christmas day. Woo Hoo!
One of the interesting aspects of this campaign was applying one of my favorite strategies: Generational Marketing. In the next few blogs, I'm going to focus on different generations as I've studied them. My interest started when I heard Chuck Underwood speak at a conference. His book, "The Generational Imperative" is a must-read for anyone interested in this discipline. I've recently gotten several generational books and my husband used the theories presented for a research paper on cross-cultural communication.
The premise of generational marketing and communication is understanding that we are all similar in our attitudes and beliefs based on the state of the environment in which we experienced our formative years - basically our school-aged years. If you were raised for instance in the 30's, your attitudes are very similar to most others who lived during that time, but drastically different than those raised in the 70s. That seems like a no-brainer, but the interesting part is that you don't have to have had the exact same experiences to have the same attitudes. For example, I am a Generation Xer. Although, the cut-off from Baby Boomer to Xer is only two years prior, my attitudes and beliefs are firmly planted in my generation and not the former. Our generation was the first group to have latch-key kids. We were the first to have television directed strictly to us. We were the first to have a president resign in humiliation and our country defeated in Vietnam. As a generation, we are considered to be extremely cynical and survivors. We rely on our friends more than family and will come up with a solution that serves our purposes and those of our friends. We're not global thinkers as much. We're more worried about what happens at home, then what happens abroad. This is just a quick synopsis of Gen X. There is plenty more and I'll go into that in future blogs. The point is - I was NOT a latch key kid. I was NOT raised by Baby Boomers (unlike many of my peers). These two things were very important in forming the attitudes of my generation. I have the attitudes, but I didn't have the direct experience. It really is facinating to talk about this to a room full of differing generations. You can see each generation nod their heads as it is described - even if the factors that lead to that definition don't fit their lives. It's all about what you grew up with in society.
The Silent Generation
The first generation I'm going to focus on is the Silent Generation. Born 1927 to 1945, this generation experienced some very dynamic societal effects. As they were going through school, they watched war heroes (the GI Generation) return to the United States. These GI's were strong and valiant. They were confident in their abilities and looked up to by an entire generation of worshippers. Silents, relatively small in comparison to the GI generation, wanted to be just like the GIs. They lived in post-war prosperity and held strictly traditional values. They were in the era of the S&H greenstamps and valued bonuses with purchases (coke glasses with purchase of a gallon of gas) Women were valued as mothers and wives who kept a clean and tidy home, had a nice cake baking in the oven for after-school snacks and made sure the children were presentable when father came home. A well-run home was the Silent Generation woman's heart's desire. She went to college strictly to find a good husband or to become a teacher or nurse - the only two acceptable careers for women. Silent Generation males were all about conformity. They wore their gray flannel suits and put the needs of "The Company" before everything else. They were not rewarded for ingenuity, but for being a good and loyal worker. The needs of the company were far more important than the needs of the individual. If you worked hard and remained loyal, you would not only have job security (most Silents remained at the same jobs all their lives) but you would be promoted and paid based on your loyalty. Sometimes, that included remaining silent if you saw corruption and blindly following the GI leaders who must know better. They trusted authority and viewed the news media as a reasonable source for valid information. They read newspapers and watch television news extensively.
The Silents call themselves the Greatest Generation and indeed, in many ways they were. They embraced the joy in life and thrilled to the sounds of Doo Wop. They loved to dance and revelled in the stability and warmth of a loving family.
Where's the Beef?
That's the background, now for the marketing meat. How do you reach Silents? Go for the grandchild card. They have an uncommon attachment to their grandchildren. Prior to the Clara Peller days, Wendy's successfully launched a campaign depicting grandmother and granddaughter sharing some love over a Wendy's burger. Brilliant!
Silents believe that they've worked hard all their lives and deserve to be rewarded. They want to be young and vibrant - spending the children's inheritance is a cool thing for them. They deserve their vacations, big fancy cars and trips to the moon if possible. They want to serve as a role model for their grandchildren because they don't like how their Baby Boomer children have assumed that role. If you can tap into ways they can connect with their grandchildren, you'll have a home run.
Another little trick are coupons and special offers. Even the wealthiest of Silents appreciates a good value. Although they grew up in prosperity, they were still influenced by the frugality of the GI Generation who grew up during the Depression. A millionaire Silent is as likely to clip a coupon to save a couple of bucks as a struggling senior on a fixed income.
That's just a taste of learning about the Silent Generation. Next blog - Baby Boomers. My New Years resolution is to incorporate generational strategies in every aspect of my marketing plans for the coming year. Sometimes we get sidetracked by "good ideas" that don't meet the right generational criteria. Clever and sexy are not usually effective with Silents. Valuable, practical and deserved are all a big plus.
Generational Marketing in Practice
For Executive Valet Airport Parking, the Silent Generation was reached primarily by coupons and news media. When they received their Val Pak coupons for $1.00/day off the advertised price, they made sure to bring in that coupon. They responded strongly to the news coverage of the opening. One very wealthy Silent Generation man told us that he was happy to pay $5.99/day for parking, but if we raised it to $6.99/day, he'd stop using the service. Keep in mind, the alternative is paying $11/day at the airport. I think he'll be a prime target for money saving coupons in the future, don't you? Many of the customers from this generation cited the television as their source for learning about the discount parking.
I hope you enjoy this generational series. Any comments about how generational marketing has been beneficial to you or your company, I'd love to hear them. I wish everyone a safe, healthy, happy and prosperous New Year!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Smart People Aren't PR People
Now, how many ways could that headline be misinterpreted? Probably alot. I'm going to add to this statement to make it sound even worse. Smart people aren't marketing people either. So, being a marketing and pr person, does that mean, I'm not smart? No. The statement doesn't say PR people or marketing people aren't smart. Let me explain.
In my line of business, I work with many many smart people. Some are office managers, some are front line staffers, and some are the ones that get the big bucks. The doctors and lawyers, the engineers and accountants. I don't know about you, but in general when I think of those people, I think of them as, well, smart. They've probably had more schooling than I have. They're probably much better at numbers than I am. Therefore, they are smarter than me right? Maybe.
Here's the rub. Many smart people believe that because they are smart, they understand the nuances of public relations and marketing better than someone who has spent their life honing the skill. This can be very frustrating for a person who has chosen this profession. I promise not to question your court proceedings or consult on your surgeries if you promise to stop telling me that the only thing we need to do for marking is... (add some no cost, ineffective statement here like, "put up yard signs") I can hear lots of my colleagues nodding their heads.
Now, don't get me wrong. I will be the very first to listen when someone has a valid point. I want to improve my skills and look for ways to do so every day. But days like today, I'm reminded why I ended up in PR instead of say, law. It's a well-known fact that lawyers and PR people generally do not get along well. Lawyers want to say "no comment" all the time and PR people just don't. I'm not categorizing ALL lawyers - in fact, one of my favorite people who works for one of my favorite clients is a lawyer and we have a mutual respect for each other's profession. That's the part that is often missing. The other part is called, tact.
The dropping of the bomb
Yesterday, I was informed that a lawyer, who I never met, ripped apart a press release I had written. That's ok. I have thick skin. He then went on to say that for the money they were paying me, my writing was lousy and the press release earned about a "D" in his book. OUCH. That hurts. I never even got a "D" in my english classes at school. How could I possibly have missed the mark so badly? He then sent a revised version of the release with tracked changes that completely obliterated the document.
My initial reaction was, "Oh my gosh. I am totally in the wrong profession. If I can't get a simple press release right, I better turn in my badge."
Then, as I looked much further into the document, I saw that although I didn't agree with all of his changes, some definitely improved the document. But I realized that he stripped the release of all emotion. It no longer had a hook. Instead, it was a sterile, lifeless document that would probably get no more than a brief. That was when I was able to stand up, dust myself off, check the bruises and dive in for a compromise. I realized that he was writing for his intended target market - a well-educated business person. I was writing for a totally different target - a reporter. I know, because I've worked in this profession for so long that these are two different targets. If I can't catch the eye of a reporter with an intriguing headline and strong lead paragraph, I'm finished. That was when my confidence was renewed. I am not a lousy writer. I just don't write like he does. That's ok with me.
The bottom line, after licking my wounds, I have to say that I'm thankful for this experience. Every once in a while, you need to have someone totally rock your world in order to see where you can improve. If my clients are always happy, that's great, but it can lead to complacency. He was right about some things - although he didn't label them right. He stated that there were punctuation, spelling and grammar errors. That's not accurate. There was one typo and some writing that could have been tighter. That made me step back and say, "How well did I proofread this?"
When we are writing, we become involved in the process. It's a good practice, if there is time to step away from the document for a day if possible. When we return, it's easier to see in a new light. I guess my lesson learned from this is to slow down and rethink. Afterall, these people are really smart. Sometimes they have some good ideas and input. Sometimes they don't. It's our job as PR and marketing people to determine which make sense. Then, because we are communications experts, we'll avoid using the word lousy and say instead, "Perhaps this might be a better way."
Lesson I learned from my 9-year-old
I'll wrap up this story with a short analogy. Earlier this week, my son's U-10 soccer team went confidently into the play-offs undefeated. First play-off game was against the lowest rank team in the league. The slam-dunk game ended up to be 4-2 in favor of the other team. My son's first reaction was to blame the ref, blame the kid that kept slide tackling, then, blame his team for not working together. After recovering from this devastating loss, he realized that it may have been his team's fault that they lost.
Now, they have to really fight for the championship. The next game, they won with a resounding 8-3 victory and are revved up for the last game on Saturday. They were beaten, they re-evaluated their strengths and weaknesses and came back on top. That's what we as adults have to do sometimes too. It's easy to blame the referee (lawyer) when you don't do your best. But it's not until you look in the mirror that you find that the solution to the problem is looking right back at you.
In my line of business, I work with many many smart people. Some are office managers, some are front line staffers, and some are the ones that get the big bucks. The doctors and lawyers, the engineers and accountants. I don't know about you, but in general when I think of those people, I think of them as, well, smart. They've probably had more schooling than I have. They're probably much better at numbers than I am. Therefore, they are smarter than me right? Maybe.
Here's the rub. Many smart people believe that because they are smart, they understand the nuances of public relations and marketing better than someone who has spent their life honing the skill. This can be very frustrating for a person who has chosen this profession. I promise not to question your court proceedings or consult on your surgeries if you promise to stop telling me that the only thing we need to do for marking is... (add some no cost, ineffective statement here like, "put up yard signs") I can hear lots of my colleagues nodding their heads.
Now, don't get me wrong. I will be the very first to listen when someone has a valid point. I want to improve my skills and look for ways to do so every day. But days like today, I'm reminded why I ended up in PR instead of say, law. It's a well-known fact that lawyers and PR people generally do not get along well. Lawyers want to say "no comment" all the time and PR people just don't. I'm not categorizing ALL lawyers - in fact, one of my favorite people who works for one of my favorite clients is a lawyer and we have a mutual respect for each other's profession. That's the part that is often missing. The other part is called, tact.
The dropping of the bomb
Yesterday, I was informed that a lawyer, who I never met, ripped apart a press release I had written. That's ok. I have thick skin. He then went on to say that for the money they were paying me, my writing was lousy and the press release earned about a "D" in his book. OUCH. That hurts. I never even got a "D" in my english classes at school. How could I possibly have missed the mark so badly? He then sent a revised version of the release with tracked changes that completely obliterated the document.
My initial reaction was, "Oh my gosh. I am totally in the wrong profession. If I can't get a simple press release right, I better turn in my badge."
Then, as I looked much further into the document, I saw that although I didn't agree with all of his changes, some definitely improved the document. But I realized that he stripped the release of all emotion. It no longer had a hook. Instead, it was a sterile, lifeless document that would probably get no more than a brief. That was when I was able to stand up, dust myself off, check the bruises and dive in for a compromise. I realized that he was writing for his intended target market - a well-educated business person. I was writing for a totally different target - a reporter. I know, because I've worked in this profession for so long that these are two different targets. If I can't catch the eye of a reporter with an intriguing headline and strong lead paragraph, I'm finished. That was when my confidence was renewed. I am not a lousy writer. I just don't write like he does. That's ok with me.
The bottom line, after licking my wounds, I have to say that I'm thankful for this experience. Every once in a while, you need to have someone totally rock your world in order to see where you can improve. If my clients are always happy, that's great, but it can lead to complacency. He was right about some things - although he didn't label them right. He stated that there were punctuation, spelling and grammar errors. That's not accurate. There was one typo and some writing that could have been tighter. That made me step back and say, "How well did I proofread this?"
When we are writing, we become involved in the process. It's a good practice, if there is time to step away from the document for a day if possible. When we return, it's easier to see in a new light. I guess my lesson learned from this is to slow down and rethink. Afterall, these people are really smart. Sometimes they have some good ideas and input. Sometimes they don't. It's our job as PR and marketing people to determine which make sense. Then, because we are communications experts, we'll avoid using the word lousy and say instead, "Perhaps this might be a better way."
Lesson I learned from my 9-year-old
I'll wrap up this story with a short analogy. Earlier this week, my son's U-10 soccer team went confidently into the play-offs undefeated. First play-off game was against the lowest rank team in the league. The slam-dunk game ended up to be 4-2 in favor of the other team. My son's first reaction was to blame the ref, blame the kid that kept slide tackling, then, blame his team for not working together. After recovering from this devastating loss, he realized that it may have been his team's fault that they lost.
Now, they have to really fight for the championship. The next game, they won with a resounding 8-3 victory and are revved up for the last game on Saturday. They were beaten, they re-evaluated their strengths and weaknesses and came back on top. That's what we as adults have to do sometimes too. It's easy to blame the referee (lawyer) when you don't do your best. But it's not until you look in the mirror that you find that the solution to the problem is looking right back at you.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Veteran's Day Tribute
It wasn't long ago that my children's grandfather's and uncle would be pleasantly surprised by a telephone call from my kids. As young as they were, I made them make the call every Veteran's Day and say, "Thank you for fighting for my freedom." The gesture was a little overwhelming each year because sadly, it was usually the only call those special Veterans had received and they didn't expect it. As time has gone on and my father passed away, I will admit, that I've lapsed in my patriotic duty to thank the Veterans. But something this year really hit me as a positive effect of social media. Today, on my facebook pages, it is overwhelming to see how many people really do appreciate our country's finest. I've read about people thanking 100+ year old Veterans, Veterans from several wars, Veterans who gave up their legs, their arms and often their lives so that we, their fellow Americans can live in our country in freedom.
It saddens me so much to watch our country bicker. We are so divided on many things, but yet, if you really look at it from a macro view, because of those brave Americans, we are strongly United. We may hate Obama. We may have hated Bush. Half of us agree with everything going on now, half of us don't but in the end, we are ALL Americans. We all speak the same language, we all worship the God we choose, we all have the ability to use our ingenuity to earn a living - even if it's not the living we necessarily want right now - we have the right and ability to earn money. We all have the right to disagree with each other without a terrorist faction threatening to kill us if we disagree. We get into verbal wars with each other, but no guns are brought into Congress. No bombs in the Senate. We argue. ALOT. But when push comes to shove, we are all Americans.
Alot of wars for a peaceful nation
Our Revolutionary War veterans assured that we would have these rights. Our Civil War veterans fought to preserve our unity. Our World War I and II vets defended us from foreign enemies. Our Korean vets - sorry - don't know much about Korea other than what I learned from M*A*S*H and that my father-in-law was stationed in San Francisco. Our Vietnam vets taught us that they could follow the orders of their government, fight bravely and face unspeakable rejection when they returned home while retaining their dignity and gaining their honor as we grew up and stopped blaming them. Our Desert Storm vets gave us a new found courage in the first war many of us would remember. We'll never forget those blessed scud missles. Iraq and Afghanistan vets are fighting to protect us from an enemy we truly don't understand.
For a peaceful nation, we certainly have been in our share of wars. Interestingly, only one was Civil. I know I left a couple out, but I think I made the point. When we thank our Veterans, do we really think about what they have done or are doing for us? It sounds like rhetoric sometimes when we say, they are fighting for our freedom, but think about the alternatives. Whether or not we agree with the current war is irrelevant. Most of us commoners do not have the inside Intelligence that our military leaders have. It's easy to play armchair quarterback when thousands of lives are not being held in the balance by our hands. It's easy for us to get a tiny bit of information and make a vast and far reaching decision. Just for a moment, let's imagine what would happen if our soldiers are defeated in Afghanistan. I don't mean withdraw - I mean wiped out. It happened in biblical times. What if it happens tomorrow. Our country would become completely vulnerable to any other military force in the world. Which one would you choose?
We can complain about our government. We can complain about our president, but I ask again, which country would you prefer take over? China? I hear they have a pretty strong military. Any of the muslim countries? I hear they are pretty staunch in their religious beliefs. Which country would be better than ours if our military fails us?
Could we be turning a corner?
I'm feeling a slight amount of hope for our government with the process the health care reform bill is going through. I don't know if the end result will be good or bad for the American people. I really don't. But what I'm encouraged by is the fact that some Democrats jumped party lines because they wanted to do what they believed was for the good of ALL the people. Not just one party or the other. Until the abortion issue took front and center, did you know that most Catholics were Democrats? It's true. Look it up. That's why JFK was so wildly popular among the Catholics. Not just because he was one, but because he was a democrat, and so were they. Our country has become warped, but I think that the ice melted just a little tiny bit over the past couple of weeks. In the paragraph above, I asked you to imagine the unspeakable. Now, I ask you to imagine what the world would be like if our elected leaders did what was right for the people instead of the politics.
Communication Now and Then
So, now I have to tie a PR concept to this blog. I guess, the closest I can come is to give an official nod to social media. I truly hope Veterans everywhere are reading the wonderful comments being posted. I also want to reference the unparalleled ability to keep in touch and know what is happening with our loved ones over seas. A mouse click. A text message. A facebook or myspace contact. It's all so easy now.
I will end with this memory of me being 4 years old and my big brother Chip was in Vietnam. We had a telephone conversation with him and everyone was so excited. I was very young, but I do remember this.
"Hi Colleen. Over."
"Hi Chip, when are you coming home. Over."
"Soon, I hope. Over."
He did. we met him at the airport. For some reason when his plane came in and everyone ran to greet him, I felt that it was my responsibility to gather everyone's coats and carry them so that no one stole them. So when my brother came in from Vietnam, I was carrying the coats.
These days we don't talk very often. He's not much of an email or facebook person, but I hope and pray that he knows how much I love him and am proud to say that he was a brave soldier in the Vietnam war and received a purple heart. Thanks Chip. And thanks to all Veterans. Over.
It saddens me so much to watch our country bicker. We are so divided on many things, but yet, if you really look at it from a macro view, because of those brave Americans, we are strongly United. We may hate Obama. We may have hated Bush. Half of us agree with everything going on now, half of us don't but in the end, we are ALL Americans. We all speak the same language, we all worship the God we choose, we all have the ability to use our ingenuity to earn a living - even if it's not the living we necessarily want right now - we have the right and ability to earn money. We all have the right to disagree with each other without a terrorist faction threatening to kill us if we disagree. We get into verbal wars with each other, but no guns are brought into Congress. No bombs in the Senate. We argue. ALOT. But when push comes to shove, we are all Americans.
Alot of wars for a peaceful nation
Our Revolutionary War veterans assured that we would have these rights. Our Civil War veterans fought to preserve our unity. Our World War I and II vets defended us from foreign enemies. Our Korean vets - sorry - don't know much about Korea other than what I learned from M*A*S*H and that my father-in-law was stationed in San Francisco. Our Vietnam vets taught us that they could follow the orders of their government, fight bravely and face unspeakable rejection when they returned home while retaining their dignity and gaining their honor as we grew up and stopped blaming them. Our Desert Storm vets gave us a new found courage in the first war many of us would remember. We'll never forget those blessed scud missles. Iraq and Afghanistan vets are fighting to protect us from an enemy we truly don't understand.
For a peaceful nation, we certainly have been in our share of wars. Interestingly, only one was Civil. I know I left a couple out, but I think I made the point. When we thank our Veterans, do we really think about what they have done or are doing for us? It sounds like rhetoric sometimes when we say, they are fighting for our freedom, but think about the alternatives. Whether or not we agree with the current war is irrelevant. Most of us commoners do not have the inside Intelligence that our military leaders have. It's easy to play armchair quarterback when thousands of lives are not being held in the balance by our hands. It's easy for us to get a tiny bit of information and make a vast and far reaching decision. Just for a moment, let's imagine what would happen if our soldiers are defeated in Afghanistan. I don't mean withdraw - I mean wiped out. It happened in biblical times. What if it happens tomorrow. Our country would become completely vulnerable to any other military force in the world. Which one would you choose?
We can complain about our government. We can complain about our president, but I ask again, which country would you prefer take over? China? I hear they have a pretty strong military. Any of the muslim countries? I hear they are pretty staunch in their religious beliefs. Which country would be better than ours if our military fails us?
Could we be turning a corner?
I'm feeling a slight amount of hope for our government with the process the health care reform bill is going through. I don't know if the end result will be good or bad for the American people. I really don't. But what I'm encouraged by is the fact that some Democrats jumped party lines because they wanted to do what they believed was for the good of ALL the people. Not just one party or the other. Until the abortion issue took front and center, did you know that most Catholics were Democrats? It's true. Look it up. That's why JFK was so wildly popular among the Catholics. Not just because he was one, but because he was a democrat, and so were they. Our country has become warped, but I think that the ice melted just a little tiny bit over the past couple of weeks. In the paragraph above, I asked you to imagine the unspeakable. Now, I ask you to imagine what the world would be like if our elected leaders did what was right for the people instead of the politics.
Communication Now and Then
So, now I have to tie a PR concept to this blog. I guess, the closest I can come is to give an official nod to social media. I truly hope Veterans everywhere are reading the wonderful comments being posted. I also want to reference the unparalleled ability to keep in touch and know what is happening with our loved ones over seas. A mouse click. A text message. A facebook or myspace contact. It's all so easy now.
I will end with this memory of me being 4 years old and my big brother Chip was in Vietnam. We had a telephone conversation with him and everyone was so excited. I was very young, but I do remember this.
"Hi Colleen. Over."
"Hi Chip, when are you coming home. Over."
"Soon, I hope. Over."
He did. we met him at the airport. For some reason when his plane came in and everyone ran to greet him, I felt that it was my responsibility to gather everyone's coats and carry them so that no one stole them. So when my brother came in from Vietnam, I was carrying the coats.
These days we don't talk very often. He's not much of an email or facebook person, but I hope and pray that he knows how much I love him and am proud to say that he was a brave soldier in the Vietnam war and received a purple heart. Thanks Chip. And thanks to all Veterans. Over.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
How are we doing?
OK, I'll start off by saying, I know that I'm going to sound like a grumpy old curmudgeon who likes to complain about simple things. While the tendency for most is to say, "Just get over it and stop sweating the small stuff!" I simply must post about this because it seems to be happening more and more and it keeps bugging me on a regular basis. What could cause such angst? The simple greeting I've been hearing from servers at restaurants lately. "How are we doing?"
I'm not sure how to answer that question. I know how I am doing. I have no idea how you are doing. I've only laid eyes on you 10 seconds ago. Do you mean, how are we - the restaurant doing? Well, I'll let you know after I've had my meal. Sometimes when I'm feeling a little ornery, I'll say, "I'm doing fine, but I'm not sure how you are doing. How are you?"
I know, I know, you're saying, "Be nice! Servers work hard to make you feel comfortable. Don't give them a hard time." I won't. I promise.
One time when I mentioned this awkward question to a server, he told me that he was trained to say that so that guests would feel included. At that point, I invited him to join us for lunch. That way, he would make me feel included. Because, in fact, we would then be a "we" instead of an "us and you."
Picky, picky, picky
Picky? Yes. But hear me out. Especially if you are a restauranteur or business owner. Don't make your employees learn some stupid gimmick to make people feel comfortable. Train them to be courteous and friendly, but don't make them use the word "we" when they really mean "you."
This is an item of contention that annoyed me when I worked in the corporate world. Customer service gurus suggested using words that we don't mean. I am not very good at that. In fact, I hate to do that. I like to be genuine. Sometimes, that offends people and when it does, I apologize and move on. I'm not saying that I'm totally tactless. Just real.
One time, I was called out for sending an email that said, "I need you to (insert whatever it was I needed here). Can you let me know if you have what you need to get this done?"
The complaint, which did not come from the email recipient, but a manager who happened to be with me at the time, was that I was too abrupt in my request. Personally, that's the way I prefer people converse with me. There is no question about what was required or who needed to perform this particular task. Supposedly, it would have been better to say, "We have a project that needs to be completed and would greatly appreciate your help in this matter." Um - who's we? All of this inclusiveness is driving me crazy. I can understand if it's a real statement, such as, "We are so pleased that you have chosen our company to ....." But why does some expert somewhere believe that by using the word "we" everyone's self esteem will go up?
I've never been accused of beating around the bush or being unclear with how I'm feeling about something. Sometimes I really wish that I could be a little gentler (see apologizing in previous paragraph) but overall, in communications, I am a staunch believer that the goal is to make it very clear.
Keep it simple - and real
Managers, if your employees are genuine and truly care about their customers, it will be obvious by the way they interact with them. Personally, I as a consumer do not need a false "we" thrown in to make me feel like I have a whole new set of friends at the restaurant. To me, it sounds just as patronizing as "hon" and a bit less genuine.
Thank you for allowing us to get that off our chest. We are feeling much better.
I'm not sure how to answer that question. I know how I am doing. I have no idea how you are doing. I've only laid eyes on you 10 seconds ago. Do you mean, how are we - the restaurant doing? Well, I'll let you know after I've had my meal. Sometimes when I'm feeling a little ornery, I'll say, "I'm doing fine, but I'm not sure how you are doing. How are you?"
I know, I know, you're saying, "Be nice! Servers work hard to make you feel comfortable. Don't give them a hard time." I won't. I promise.
One time when I mentioned this awkward question to a server, he told me that he was trained to say that so that guests would feel included. At that point, I invited him to join us for lunch. That way, he would make me feel included. Because, in fact, we would then be a "we" instead of an "us and you."
Picky, picky, picky
Picky? Yes. But hear me out. Especially if you are a restauranteur or business owner. Don't make your employees learn some stupid gimmick to make people feel comfortable. Train them to be courteous and friendly, but don't make them use the word "we" when they really mean "you."
This is an item of contention that annoyed me when I worked in the corporate world. Customer service gurus suggested using words that we don't mean. I am not very good at that. In fact, I hate to do that. I like to be genuine. Sometimes, that offends people and when it does, I apologize and move on. I'm not saying that I'm totally tactless. Just real.
One time, I was called out for sending an email that said, "I need you to (insert whatever it was I needed here). Can you let me know if you have what you need to get this done?"
The complaint, which did not come from the email recipient, but a manager who happened to be with me at the time, was that I was too abrupt in my request. Personally, that's the way I prefer people converse with me. There is no question about what was required or who needed to perform this particular task. Supposedly, it would have been better to say, "We have a project that needs to be completed and would greatly appreciate your help in this matter." Um - who's we? All of this inclusiveness is driving me crazy. I can understand if it's a real statement, such as, "We are so pleased that you have chosen our company to ....." But why does some expert somewhere believe that by using the word "we" everyone's self esteem will go up?
I've never been accused of beating around the bush or being unclear with how I'm feeling about something. Sometimes I really wish that I could be a little gentler (see apologizing in previous paragraph) but overall, in communications, I am a staunch believer that the goal is to make it very clear.
Keep it simple - and real
Managers, if your employees are genuine and truly care about their customers, it will be obvious by the way they interact with them. Personally, I as a consumer do not need a false "we" thrown in to make me feel like I have a whole new set of friends at the restaurant. To me, it sounds just as patronizing as "hon" and a bit less genuine.
Thank you for allowing us to get that off our chest. We are feeling much better.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
"What if?" "Why not?"
Sometimes something happens that causes you to pause and think, "Have I done that lately?" Thanks to Dr. Terri Ann Bailey, an assistant professor at Florida Gulf Coast University and very smart woman, I had such a moment. As a recent guest speaker at PRSA, Dr. Bailey reminded us long-time pros that we sometimes become somewhat complacent and get caught in a rut of just doing what we do because we know it works. We get caught in the act of churning and doing instead of developing and creating. Yes, we know a press release will get coverage. We know what garners news and what is simply folly that won't get a second glance from a reporter. We know what messages work and what ones don't right? Maybe. But how can you be sure. That's one thing fresh-faced rookies bring to the field of marketing and public relations that us old farts sometimes forget. They come with a whole new (old) question.... "What if?" and the age old question, "Why not?"
We're all pretty savvy when it comes to identifying our target markets, right? Well, "What if" there is a whole different market that we're missing who could prove to be crucial to the success of our campaign? Dr. Baily offered up an example of one of her student groups who searched for target donor audiences for the Animal Refuge Center (ARC). The old stand-bys were easy to target: Animal lovers, animal owners, wealthy philanthropists who had a reputation for giving money to animal shelters, etc. But the kids didn't stop there. They dug deeper and looked at a philosophy to find another market. "Why not" target Pro-Life advocates. Know why? Because ARC is a NO KILL animal shelter. Hmmmm. Interesting.
Make a chart
Sometimes, inspiration can come from the very simplest, most basic practice. Make a chart. In that chart identify: Target Audiences/Key Messages for each target/Intended outcome or action/Appropriate channels.
When you create a chart like this, it forces you to write down and think about who you are trying to reach, what you want them to know, why they are important and how you plan to reach them. Then, the challenge is to expand on those things. Write the easy ones first. Then, go get a nice glass of wine (or an amazing Samual Adams beer - blackberry something or other - it's amazing! Just had one this weekend!) and look at the list again. Are there other potential targets, messages, etc. that may meet our objectives better? What if there's a big market that doesn't fall into a standard demographic? Why not target a group that hasn't been reached in the past?
I object!
That's where I have to bring in an old fart caveat. Unlike our dewy-skinned counterparts, we actually can answer the "Why not" question in very short order. The "Why not" could be because our budget is not unlimited and we have to reach the most lucrative markets before we hit the fringe. But I challenge all of those who are, shall we say nicely seasoned, to disallow the "Why not" answer to stop our flow of creativity.
"Why not?"
The potato industry said, "Why not" go against the anti-carb craze and introduce the Delicious Nutritious Potato? "Why not" get involved with the biggest heavy weight in the weight loss arena and get Weight Watchers International to endorse the healthy consumption of potatoes? "Why not?"
"What if?"
"What if" your best idea is still cooking in your mind and you just haven't unleashed it yet? "What if" you are so stuck in the day-to-day grind that the solution to a multi-million dollar problem is just sitting on your desk waiting for some repackaging? "What if" something you never thought of before is the answer to the problem you've worried about for weeks? "What if?"
Lou Holtz said, "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you always got."
He was generally referring to complacency. I can see that in our profession, but not necessarily in a totally negative way. If we always follow the rules and do what we know, we'll probably get good results.
BUT "What if" what we've always done is think totally out of the box? Wouldn't we always get something completely unexpected and fresh? It's worth a try. "Why not?"
One more note for those professional wordsmiths who cringed at every quotated "Why not" and "What if." I know it's grammatically incorrect - I just did it for emphasis. "Why not?"
We're all pretty savvy when it comes to identifying our target markets, right? Well, "What if" there is a whole different market that we're missing who could prove to be crucial to the success of our campaign? Dr. Baily offered up an example of one of her student groups who searched for target donor audiences for the Animal Refuge Center (ARC). The old stand-bys were easy to target: Animal lovers, animal owners, wealthy philanthropists who had a reputation for giving money to animal shelters, etc. But the kids didn't stop there. They dug deeper and looked at a philosophy to find another market. "Why not" target Pro-Life advocates. Know why? Because ARC is a NO KILL animal shelter. Hmmmm. Interesting.
Make a chart
Sometimes, inspiration can come from the very simplest, most basic practice. Make a chart. In that chart identify: Target Audiences/Key Messages for each target/Intended outcome or action/Appropriate channels.
When you create a chart like this, it forces you to write down and think about who you are trying to reach, what you want them to know, why they are important and how you plan to reach them. Then, the challenge is to expand on those things. Write the easy ones first. Then, go get a nice glass of wine (or an amazing Samual Adams beer - blackberry something or other - it's amazing! Just had one this weekend!) and look at the list again. Are there other potential targets, messages, etc. that may meet our objectives better? What if there's a big market that doesn't fall into a standard demographic? Why not target a group that hasn't been reached in the past?
I object!
That's where I have to bring in an old fart caveat. Unlike our dewy-skinned counterparts, we actually can answer the "Why not" question in very short order. The "Why not" could be because our budget is not unlimited and we have to reach the most lucrative markets before we hit the fringe. But I challenge all of those who are, shall we say nicely seasoned, to disallow the "Why not" answer to stop our flow of creativity.
"Why not?"
The potato industry said, "Why not" go against the anti-carb craze and introduce the Delicious Nutritious Potato? "Why not" get involved with the biggest heavy weight in the weight loss arena and get Weight Watchers International to endorse the healthy consumption of potatoes? "Why not?"
"What if?"
"What if" your best idea is still cooking in your mind and you just haven't unleashed it yet? "What if" you are so stuck in the day-to-day grind that the solution to a multi-million dollar problem is just sitting on your desk waiting for some repackaging? "What if" something you never thought of before is the answer to the problem you've worried about for weeks? "What if?"
Lou Holtz said, "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you always got."
He was generally referring to complacency. I can see that in our profession, but not necessarily in a totally negative way. If we always follow the rules and do what we know, we'll probably get good results.
BUT "What if" what we've always done is think totally out of the box? Wouldn't we always get something completely unexpected and fresh? It's worth a try. "Why not?"
One more note for those professional wordsmiths who cringed at every quotated "Why not" and "What if." I know it's grammatically incorrect - I just did it for emphasis. "Why not?"
Friday, October 16, 2009
This blog may offend - and that's OK.
Caution: This blog contains overt religious content.
It is rated CS - Common Sense and discretion are advised.
When I started this blog, I fully intended to keep it real and for the most part link it to a public relations or marketing concept so I'm going to start this with a big one. The public relations concept is called The Spiral of Silence. It's a real concept, taught to those gaining accreditation in PR in the book "Effective Public Relations." The spiral of silence refers to a phenomenon where a vast majority of the public disagrees with something, yet, whether through fear, feelings of helplessness or apathy says nothing. When the majority don't speak up, the silence deepens to a deafening roar. Rising to the top to make their voices heard are the vocal minority who are either fanatics or extremely passionate on one side or the other of an issue.
A good example may be the concept of prayer in school. While nearly every person I've ever spoken to supports prayer in school, the spiral of silence effectively allowed legislation to be approved that bans prayer. That's the effect of the spiral of silence.
I introduce this concept to discuss a recent story written in the Fort Myers News-Press by Sam Cook. Now, anyone from Lee County who read this article yesterday, especially my PR buddies, probably just drew in a sharp breath and thought "She is NOT going to go there in public is she?" Well - yes, actually I am. I am not a fanatic, but I am passionate about this subject. I hope it breaks the spiral of silence on this issue.
The Tim Tebow Bashing Story
To recap for those who didn't read the story, allow me to give a quick overview. Sam Cook is a columnist who writes about controversial topics and people in a very confrontational way. Most people either love his style or hate it. Before I go on, I'd like to state my opinion of Sam Cook because I think it's relevant to add credibility to my argument. I really respect Sam as a journalist. Do I think he writes some really bonehead articles sometimes? Absolutely. Frankly, I think he would be flattered by that comment - it's just the way he seems to be. But for the most part, he was hired to write a column based on his opinions that are meant to polarize and cause people to talk. He does that quite well. Sometimes, I even agree with him on some things. He calls it like he sees it and I find that somewhat refreshing, even if he does pick on something that's important to me - like my faith.
Yesterday, Sam, who states he is Lutheran, wrote about Tim Tebow and opined that Tim should not mix sports with religion. He stated that wearing his faith on his eye marks is offensive to many. He also lambasted Tebow's father's mission for being exclusive against every faith view that isn't theirs. OK. Guess what, as a Catholic who is deeply involved with my faith and in love with my God, I can respect that opinion. Why? Because I believe that for the most part, it's wrong. That's ok too. Luckily we live in the United States where Mr. Cook and I can disagree. Fine. This isn't the spiral of silence that I'm talking about. Believe me. Many many many people are telling Mr. Cook exactly what they think of him and his %#&!# opinions.
So, where is my beef?
I have a big problem with a couple of statements that Sam makes to justify his opinion that simply are not based in fact and are promolgated over and over again in the media. There are two things that we hear so often that many have started to believe to be true. The majority remains silent and the lie becomes fact in the world of public opinion.
First, Sam states (not verbatim) that a young Jewish football loving boy who idolizes Tebow cringes when he sees his hero wearing John 3:16 on his face for the cameras around the world to see.
Second, Sam states that we as Christians would be pretty upset if someone wrote God is Dead on their faces, yet we feel justified in promoting scripture verses.
Argument #1
Let's discuss the first argument. Where and how is Sam or the many other journalists who often use this type of argument, getting their facts? I have never spoken to any person of any other religion who is offended or put off because someone professes their faith in public. Maybe if they try to impose their religion on them and forcefully require them to convert, but sharing your faith in public can be a catalyst for learning more about other faiths. As a Christian, I would certainly feel no anger if a football player had the Star of David painted on their face. Are there fanatics who find it offensive? Sure,I'll bet there are, but why do we continue to cater to fanatics? I would also not be upset if a Muslim tatooed Allah! to their forehead. My actual thought would be, "Wow, that's great that the player has such conviction in their faith." Somewhere in the Bible that I believe in (I'm not a Bible quoter, so I don't know the verse - someone else will though, I'm sure of it) there is a quote from Jesus saying, "Anyone who is not against us is with us." Hmmm - what could that possibly mean? Do you think maybe Jesus would have loved Muslims and Hindus and even athiests while he walked the earth? What about Jews - oh, that's right, he was one. And he loved them too. We as Christians believe in our faith. Muslims believe in their faith and Jews in theirs. The list goes on. If that wasn't the case, we'd have one and only one religion. We live in America. We have freedom of religion. Therefore, if you want to show your faith, I'm proud of you for it. If you think faith is a bunch of nonsense and there is no God, I may pity you and pray for you, but I'm certainly not offended by that. If you worship Satan - I really pity you and fear for you, but I'm not offended by that either. How could I be? If you are proud of what you believe in and want to share your belief subtly by wearing it on your sleeve, eye marks or body in any way - I have the complete and total option of ignoring it. Therefore, I take to task this concept that a small Jewish boy would be offended or put off by Tebow's subtle proclamation of his belief. So many people use this argument to justify the elimination of religion and it's just not right. Prove to me that a majority of people feel that way and I may be swayed, but I've never been able to prove it. I have Jewish friends who told me that they receive Christmas cards all the time - some displaying the Christ child. Are they offended? No. They are pleased with the blessing the sender intended. I'll bet - I've never done a formal study - but I'll bet the majority feel that way.
Argument #2
The second item - Would Christians be offended if someone had God is Dead written under their cheeks? Well,duh, of course we would. This kind of argument seems valid until you dissect it a little. God is dead is not really a tenet of any religion. Possibly it's a statement by Satanists, but I doubt it. Athiests don't believe God exists, so it's not their mantra. God is dead is a mean spirited way of attempting to hurt someone's feelings. Back to my former argument. If that athiest or Satanist wrote on their cheeks, There is no God or I hate God, I would not be offended. I would pity and pray for them, but those two statements are true facts for that person, not a shot at someone's religion. If Tim Tebow wrote, "Athiests are idiots" I would think that truly would be offensive.
I guess the bottom line is that people of faith - any faith, or lack there of, have a right to display their beliefs in any way that they want to. We must stop allowing arbitrary examples of supposed political correctness to turn our country into an athiest nation. While Christians and others are criticized for spreading their beliefs and forced to defend unsubstantiated lies, the athiests are eating our lunch. Because of the spiral of silence, they are slowly furthering their cause against all religions. Sam Cook is a perfect example of this influence. Here's a man who claims to be Christian and has fallen hook line and sinker for the lies spread by non-believers. Why is it that athiests are permitted to get their agendas passed through governmental red tape while faithful people sit and watch with horror? It's the spiral of silence ladies and gentlemen. And I for one, am not willing to sit silent on this any longer. Is anyone with me? Or have I become a fanatic?
It is rated CS - Common Sense and discretion are advised.
When I started this blog, I fully intended to keep it real and for the most part link it to a public relations or marketing concept so I'm going to start this with a big one. The public relations concept is called The Spiral of Silence. It's a real concept, taught to those gaining accreditation in PR in the book "Effective Public Relations." The spiral of silence refers to a phenomenon where a vast majority of the public disagrees with something, yet, whether through fear, feelings of helplessness or apathy says nothing. When the majority don't speak up, the silence deepens to a deafening roar. Rising to the top to make their voices heard are the vocal minority who are either fanatics or extremely passionate on one side or the other of an issue.
A good example may be the concept of prayer in school. While nearly every person I've ever spoken to supports prayer in school, the spiral of silence effectively allowed legislation to be approved that bans prayer. That's the effect of the spiral of silence.
I introduce this concept to discuss a recent story written in the Fort Myers News-Press by Sam Cook. Now, anyone from Lee County who read this article yesterday, especially my PR buddies, probably just drew in a sharp breath and thought "She is NOT going to go there in public is she?" Well - yes, actually I am. I am not a fanatic, but I am passionate about this subject. I hope it breaks the spiral of silence on this issue.
The Tim Tebow Bashing Story
To recap for those who didn't read the story, allow me to give a quick overview. Sam Cook is a columnist who writes about controversial topics and people in a very confrontational way. Most people either love his style or hate it. Before I go on, I'd like to state my opinion of Sam Cook because I think it's relevant to add credibility to my argument. I really respect Sam as a journalist. Do I think he writes some really bonehead articles sometimes? Absolutely. Frankly, I think he would be flattered by that comment - it's just the way he seems to be. But for the most part, he was hired to write a column based on his opinions that are meant to polarize and cause people to talk. He does that quite well. Sometimes, I even agree with him on some things. He calls it like he sees it and I find that somewhat refreshing, even if he does pick on something that's important to me - like my faith.
Yesterday, Sam, who states he is Lutheran, wrote about Tim Tebow and opined that Tim should not mix sports with religion. He stated that wearing his faith on his eye marks is offensive to many. He also lambasted Tebow's father's mission for being exclusive against every faith view that isn't theirs. OK. Guess what, as a Catholic who is deeply involved with my faith and in love with my God, I can respect that opinion. Why? Because I believe that for the most part, it's wrong. That's ok too. Luckily we live in the United States where Mr. Cook and I can disagree. Fine. This isn't the spiral of silence that I'm talking about. Believe me. Many many many people are telling Mr. Cook exactly what they think of him and his %#&!# opinions.
So, where is my beef?
I have a big problem with a couple of statements that Sam makes to justify his opinion that simply are not based in fact and are promolgated over and over again in the media. There are two things that we hear so often that many have started to believe to be true. The majority remains silent and the lie becomes fact in the world of public opinion.
First, Sam states (not verbatim) that a young Jewish football loving boy who idolizes Tebow cringes when he sees his hero wearing John 3:16 on his face for the cameras around the world to see.
Second, Sam states that we as Christians would be pretty upset if someone wrote God is Dead on their faces, yet we feel justified in promoting scripture verses.
Argument #1
Let's discuss the first argument. Where and how is Sam or the many other journalists who often use this type of argument, getting their facts? I have never spoken to any person of any other religion who is offended or put off because someone professes their faith in public. Maybe if they try to impose their religion on them and forcefully require them to convert, but sharing your faith in public can be a catalyst for learning more about other faiths. As a Christian, I would certainly feel no anger if a football player had the Star of David painted on their face. Are there fanatics who find it offensive? Sure,I'll bet there are, but why do we continue to cater to fanatics? I would also not be upset if a Muslim tatooed Allah! to their forehead. My actual thought would be, "Wow, that's great that the player has such conviction in their faith." Somewhere in the Bible that I believe in (I'm not a Bible quoter, so I don't know the verse - someone else will though, I'm sure of it) there is a quote from Jesus saying, "Anyone who is not against us is with us." Hmmm - what could that possibly mean? Do you think maybe Jesus would have loved Muslims and Hindus and even athiests while he walked the earth? What about Jews - oh, that's right, he was one. And he loved them too. We as Christians believe in our faith. Muslims believe in their faith and Jews in theirs. The list goes on. If that wasn't the case, we'd have one and only one religion. We live in America. We have freedom of religion. Therefore, if you want to show your faith, I'm proud of you for it. If you think faith is a bunch of nonsense and there is no God, I may pity you and pray for you, but I'm certainly not offended by that. If you worship Satan - I really pity you and fear for you, but I'm not offended by that either. How could I be? If you are proud of what you believe in and want to share your belief subtly by wearing it on your sleeve, eye marks or body in any way - I have the complete and total option of ignoring it. Therefore, I take to task this concept that a small Jewish boy would be offended or put off by Tebow's subtle proclamation of his belief. So many people use this argument to justify the elimination of religion and it's just not right. Prove to me that a majority of people feel that way and I may be swayed, but I've never been able to prove it. I have Jewish friends who told me that they receive Christmas cards all the time - some displaying the Christ child. Are they offended? No. They are pleased with the blessing the sender intended. I'll bet - I've never done a formal study - but I'll bet the majority feel that way.
Argument #2
The second item - Would Christians be offended if someone had God is Dead written under their cheeks? Well,duh, of course we would. This kind of argument seems valid until you dissect it a little. God is dead is not really a tenet of any religion. Possibly it's a statement by Satanists, but I doubt it. Athiests don't believe God exists, so it's not their mantra. God is dead is a mean spirited way of attempting to hurt someone's feelings. Back to my former argument. If that athiest or Satanist wrote on their cheeks, There is no God or I hate God, I would not be offended. I would pity and pray for them, but those two statements are true facts for that person, not a shot at someone's religion. If Tim Tebow wrote, "Athiests are idiots" I would think that truly would be offensive.
I guess the bottom line is that people of faith - any faith, or lack there of, have a right to display their beliefs in any way that they want to. We must stop allowing arbitrary examples of supposed political correctness to turn our country into an athiest nation. While Christians and others are criticized for spreading their beliefs and forced to defend unsubstantiated lies, the athiests are eating our lunch. Because of the spiral of silence, they are slowly furthering their cause against all religions. Sam Cook is a perfect example of this influence. Here's a man who claims to be Christian and has fallen hook line and sinker for the lies spread by non-believers. Why is it that athiests are permitted to get their agendas passed through governmental red tape while faithful people sit and watch with horror? It's the spiral of silence ladies and gentlemen. And I for one, am not willing to sit silent on this any longer. Is anyone with me? Or have I become a fanatic?
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Headline Grabbers - Great PR Opportunities
Gaining publicity these days can be challenging. Unless there is a tragedy or controversy, your news may just be one of hundreds of pieces of information recieved by reporters daily. I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to PR. For those of you not in the biz, PR does not stand for publicity - which is uncontrolled, but free media coverage. It does not stand for press release. It does stand for Public Relations. Many people get that mixed up. I've heard many people incorrectly say, "We'd like to get some PR on this item. Can you get the press here to cover it?"
Why worry about semantics? Because one local company took the concept of PR and creatively used it to their advantage. How? By scouring the headlines and making their idea relevant to today's news. The company? GrubCab.com. The idea - a $2 discount for anyone who donates a non-perishable food item when they order from GrubCab. GrubCab is a meal delivery service that allows you to go online, order from one of many popular restaurants and have the food delivered to you hot and fresh at a reasonable cost. During the month of October, they are asking for food donations in return for a discount.
Today's headlines in the local newspaper described a food shortage crisis in Lee County. Many food banks are empty or struggling. GrubCab seized the opportunity to help the community. But they accomplished more than that. They built their public relations standing in the community. They are not seeking publicity - in other words, they are not saying, "Hey, look at this great thing we're doing - will the media cover it?" Instead, they are building up good will with their primary public - their customers.
By utilizing social media to spread the word, they are gaining even more recognition as locals who read the headlines today know how important it is to help get these food banks filled again. It's a win-win situation and not one press release had to be sent out. What do you think the chances are of a media person or blogger seeing this act of good will and reporting about it. (Uh, really good as evidenced by this post, I would say)
But even if they don't get any publicity, the positive P.R. they are getting is priceless. Even if someone doesn't buy today, they will have a good feeling about GrubCab and may buy tomorrow.
Today's lesson:
- Grab headlines and support causes that gain publicity and are near to your heart.
- Understand the difference between publicity and public relations.
- Recognize opportunities that can help the community and build positive public relations.
Oh, and if you want to get a great lunch or dinner delivered to your door for just a few dollars for delivery, go to www.grubcab.com and place an order. Have a non-perishable food item ready and it will cost you even less - AND you can feel good about feeding someone less fortunate.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Kamasutra - The Art of Getting Global Media Attention
Who knew?
What started out as a silly complaint by an overactive helicopter parent, turned into a global news story overnight. Without even trying, my client was in the news in every country you can name - and some that you can't even pronounce - all for doing exactly what they were supposed to be doing - teaching an approved advanced placement class. There are many different ways I could go with this story - all of which would leave you shaking your head in disbelief, but I'm going to try to remain focused on the moral of the story - which is assess the damage and act accordingly. The second moral, keep your boss or client calm and ride the storm out. Here's the story.
One of my clients is a charter school company that manages schools throughout the state of Florida. Part of the curriculum in the high schools offer advanced placement classes - which are college level classes. These classes are accredited nationally, so the books that are used are used throughout the country in one form or the other in every high school. All of the content is similar. The book in question in this instance contains the offending word - Kamasutra.
Imagine my surprise when I received a call from a news reporter who was contacted by a parent and told that the high school was teaching Kamasutra in class.
Really?!
Man, I wish I had that class!
Guess, what class it is? World History. Oh. Well, let me take that back. I was hoping for health class, but I digress.
I would think that Kamasutra in a class like World History would be referring to the literary work from India written in the 4th century. I was right. One sentence in the entire book states that the Kamasutra was a literary work written in the 4th century that discusses relationships between males and females. That's it. Finito. End of sentence. End of story, right?
Well not according to the above referenced helicopter parents. They contend that having a word like that in the text is wrong because it's teaching the art of sex to 15 year old children. (Won't even blab on about how all 15 year olds know about the art of sex anyway!)
Hmmm. I had a hard time making that connection and here is where I could rail on the ridiculousness of these parents, but I'm not going to do that. I'll stick with the facts - which is something I wish the news reporter would have done, but she chose not to. Another area into which I could delve at great lengths, but I won't.
In a nutshell, even though other media called to check out the story and dismissed it for the nonsense that it was, one television station decided to run with it. They wanted me to get the principal to go on camera and I refused. I told them that the story didn't derserve to get any more credibility and we would simply issue a statement.
The story aired. It led with the complaint of the parents, incorrectly stated that a handful of parents were complaining instead of just the mother and stepfather of one boy, finished with half of the client's prepared statement, showed video of the wrong school and that was it. Right? No - that would be boring.
Two days later, after I had already forgotten the nonsense, I started getting news alerts in my email that Pakistan Times and Uzbekistan News and about 20 other countries that I've come to know as the "stans" all picked up part of the story. Every stan in the world, plus Beijing, Amsterdam, Phillipines and many many other countries, some of which I truly cannot pronounce led with a headline that said, "Kamasutra just a "word" at Florida school."
As I watched the news reports filing into my inbox, I was shocked. The lead sentence was "India's love tome, Kamasutra has caused a huge stir in Florida where one school has chosen to teach it as a vocabulary word."
Um, no it didn't. This was the complaint of one parent - no huge stir. The book - or a similar book with the same word - is used in all high schools that teach advanced placement classes. I was beginning to think that this was going to cause an international incident. What if the Kamasutra is as important to the Hindus as the Bible is to Christians. How would people react to what sounded like a major diss to an important literary work. OH BOY.
Well - had to kick into crisis mode, but took a step back and analyzed the situation. First, the name of the school is rather generic and therefore unrecognizable outside of the immediate geographic area. The article that was picked up on the newswire did not include the name of the management company. No other local news stations reported on the situation. So what does that leave us with?
Utilizing facebook, I contacted several PR pros who I admire greatly, laid out the situation and received feedback in a really cool forum. I was able to gather some of the best minds in the business in a single place where everyone could see each other's comments (It was in the private inbox - not on the wall) and respond with their opinions. Here's the net result of the plan:
Although that sounds like shutting the barn door after the horse has escaped, I realized quickly that there was no way to get in front of the tidal wave of news. I could only pick up the pieces of what was left behind. I wanted to make sure that anyone who goes to the news site in the future doesn't stumble across the story or be able to search it.
I have to say that it is both thrilling and scary to see how quickly news gets disseminated these days. I also learned an important lesson. No matter how minor an error is in a news report - tell the news director or editor. Make sure it is a true error - not just an annoying spin. I never complained to the news director that the fact that the parents said sex was being taught in the classrooms was untrue. It was true that the parents said that. Sex wasn't being taught in World History, but it was true that the parents said that. What I called to task was the incorrect comment about a handful of parents and the wrong video. Those were true errors. The one word that helped this go global - other than Kamasutra - was handful. Imagine how ridiculous the story would have sounded if it was accurate. "One student's parents are outraged that a word in a nationally accredited book that is used in hundreds of thousands of books across the United States is offensive to them personally."
Looking back, I wish I would have contacted the news director sooner and had the error fixed then. I never in a million years would have imagined that the news would go global. I figured that I would just let it go and choose another more significant battle. We live, we learn.
One more tip for all of you PR pros out there - if you want to get the media to cover your groundbreaking ceremonies in the future, offer a complimentary copy of the World History Advanced Placement Book as a prize for the first to arrive. I figure that if this book causes this much of a stir, it must be a pretty darn good book!
What started out as a silly complaint by an overactive helicopter parent, turned into a global news story overnight. Without even trying, my client was in the news in every country you can name - and some that you can't even pronounce - all for doing exactly what they were supposed to be doing - teaching an approved advanced placement class. There are many different ways I could go with this story - all of which would leave you shaking your head in disbelief, but I'm going to try to remain focused on the moral of the story - which is assess the damage and act accordingly. The second moral, keep your boss or client calm and ride the storm out. Here's the story.
One of my clients is a charter school company that manages schools throughout the state of Florida. Part of the curriculum in the high schools offer advanced placement classes - which are college level classes. These classes are accredited nationally, so the books that are used are used throughout the country in one form or the other in every high school. All of the content is similar. The book in question in this instance contains the offending word - Kamasutra.
Imagine my surprise when I received a call from a news reporter who was contacted by a parent and told that the high school was teaching Kamasutra in class.
Really?!
Man, I wish I had that class!
Guess, what class it is? World History. Oh. Well, let me take that back. I was hoping for health class, but I digress.
I would think that Kamasutra in a class like World History would be referring to the literary work from India written in the 4th century. I was right. One sentence in the entire book states that the Kamasutra was a literary work written in the 4th century that discusses relationships between males and females. That's it. Finito. End of sentence. End of story, right?
Well not according to the above referenced helicopter parents. They contend that having a word like that in the text is wrong because it's teaching the art of sex to 15 year old children. (Won't even blab on about how all 15 year olds know about the art of sex anyway!)
Hmmm. I had a hard time making that connection and here is where I could rail on the ridiculousness of these parents, but I'm not going to do that. I'll stick with the facts - which is something I wish the news reporter would have done, but she chose not to. Another area into which I could delve at great lengths, but I won't.
In a nutshell, even though other media called to check out the story and dismissed it for the nonsense that it was, one television station decided to run with it. They wanted me to get the principal to go on camera and I refused. I told them that the story didn't derserve to get any more credibility and we would simply issue a statement.
The story aired. It led with the complaint of the parents, incorrectly stated that a handful of parents were complaining instead of just the mother and stepfather of one boy, finished with half of the client's prepared statement, showed video of the wrong school and that was it. Right? No - that would be boring.
Two days later, after I had already forgotten the nonsense, I started getting news alerts in my email that Pakistan Times and Uzbekistan News and about 20 other countries that I've come to know as the "stans" all picked up part of the story. Every stan in the world, plus Beijing, Amsterdam, Phillipines and many many other countries, some of which I truly cannot pronounce led with a headline that said, "Kamasutra just a "word" at Florida school."
As I watched the news reports filing into my inbox, I was shocked. The lead sentence was "India's love tome, Kamasutra has caused a huge stir in Florida where one school has chosen to teach it as a vocabulary word."
Um, no it didn't. This was the complaint of one parent - no huge stir. The book - or a similar book with the same word - is used in all high schools that teach advanced placement classes. I was beginning to think that this was going to cause an international incident. What if the Kamasutra is as important to the Hindus as the Bible is to Christians. How would people react to what sounded like a major diss to an important literary work. OH BOY.
Well - had to kick into crisis mode, but took a step back and analyzed the situation. First, the name of the school is rather generic and therefore unrecognizable outside of the immediate geographic area. The article that was picked up on the newswire did not include the name of the management company. No other local news stations reported on the situation. So what does that leave us with?
- No one knows who the school is outside of the local area, so in reality, it's not important that the name is out there.
- The global news story will not be seen by local people near the school, so enrollment will not be affected.
- The corporate identity was safe.
- The story ended up sounding like the school did what it was supposed to do and the parents were a little wacko.
Utilizing facebook, I contacted several PR pros who I admire greatly, laid out the situation and received feedback in a really cool forum. I was able to gather some of the best minds in the business in a single place where everyone could see each other's comments (It was in the private inbox - not on the wall) and respond with their opinions. Here's the net result of the plan:
- Prepare a crisis communication plan to include designated spokesperson and key messages in the event that CNN or Tjekbaianstan News showed up at the school.
- Contact the news director and explain the situation - requesting that the story be removed from the Website since there were inaccuracies in the story and misleading content.
- Sit back and wait for the storm to pass, continually monitoring to make sure no collateral damage would occur.
Although that sounds like shutting the barn door after the horse has escaped, I realized quickly that there was no way to get in front of the tidal wave of news. I could only pick up the pieces of what was left behind. I wanted to make sure that anyone who goes to the news site in the future doesn't stumble across the story or be able to search it.
I have to say that it is both thrilling and scary to see how quickly news gets disseminated these days. I also learned an important lesson. No matter how minor an error is in a news report - tell the news director or editor. Make sure it is a true error - not just an annoying spin. I never complained to the news director that the fact that the parents said sex was being taught in the classrooms was untrue. It was true that the parents said that. Sex wasn't being taught in World History, but it was true that the parents said that. What I called to task was the incorrect comment about a handful of parents and the wrong video. Those were true errors. The one word that helped this go global - other than Kamasutra - was handful. Imagine how ridiculous the story would have sounded if it was accurate. "One student's parents are outraged that a word in a nationally accredited book that is used in hundreds of thousands of books across the United States is offensive to them personally."
Looking back, I wish I would have contacted the news director sooner and had the error fixed then. I never in a million years would have imagined that the news would go global. I figured that I would just let it go and choose another more significant battle. We live, we learn.
One more tip for all of you PR pros out there - if you want to get the media to cover your groundbreaking ceremonies in the future, offer a complimentary copy of the World History Advanced Placement Book as a prize for the first to arrive. I figure that if this book causes this much of a stir, it must be a pretty darn good book!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Cat Poop Turns to PR Gold
Imagine meeting with your boss (or client - which in the agency world is the same thing) and he/she tells you, "I'd like to introduce a coffee flavor that will cost five times as much as a regular specialty coffee and is made out of cat poop. Can you help me get the word out on this?"
Blink. Blink. Uh, what?
The first thought is probably, "You're kidding, right? Good one." But if you're a true PR professional like Melinda Isley of m creative you pretty quickly see the potential. $20 bucks for a cup of coffee that is brewed from beans that are eaten and digested by a special type of cat-like creature, then, well, eliminated - hmmm sounded like a PR story to her. And she was right. This story had enough of a WOW factor that it not only made the news, it was a front page story on Sunday. http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009909270359
Whether you think this is hysterically funny, immensely gross or incredibly decadant in the nastiest sort of way, chances are you'll read the story. You may never actually buy or taste the coffee, but you'll remember Bennett's Fresh Roast as a coffee cafe that really is different than the run-of-the-mill coffee shops found at every corner. Now THAT's a good PR accomplishment. Only time will tell if this strategy pays off, but my PR hat is off to Melinda for taking something that seems kind of, well, challenging to say the least, and turning into a great story for her client. Also to note, she used an age-old tactic that works wonders. She got the reporters involved. That's almost a story guarantee. If you can get a reporter to sample or interact with something you want them to report on, you'll have success. She planned a pre-tasting event for media prior to the public availability. The reporters simply couldn't resist. It's what they live for. They love to try something themselves so that they can accurately relate the facts.
Not all reporters are thrilled with the opportunity, but most will take advantage. I had an opportunity once to invite a reporter to go on an anti-gravity airplane flight at Kennedy Space Center for Charter Schools USA. The reporter was thrilled and scared to death. She thanked me and cursed me for arranging it. The flight travelled at zero gravity to allow the participants to truly experience weightlessness like they do in outerspace. The effects could be a bit unnerving and many well, throw up. The cost was pretty high, but we were able to offer the seat at no expense to the reporter. Sadly, at the last minute, her seat was no longer available. I can't really express the sound of relief in her voice. "I'm a grandmother!" she said. "I simply could NOT pass this opportunity up, but man am I glad I didn't have to do it." I have a feeling, her thoughts may have been similar had I offered her a hot smoking cup of cat poop. Either way, the resulting stories were really good. She wrote a great story about the anti-gravitational flight and Melinda's reporters wrote a great story about the cat poo coffee. This is the classic story of turning lemons into lemonade...or better yet... cat poop into gold.
Blink. Blink. Uh, what?
The first thought is probably, "You're kidding, right? Good one." But if you're a true PR professional like Melinda Isley of m creative you pretty quickly see the potential. $20 bucks for a cup of coffee that is brewed from beans that are eaten and digested by a special type of cat-like creature, then, well, eliminated - hmmm sounded like a PR story to her. And she was right. This story had enough of a WOW factor that it not only made the news, it was a front page story on Sunday. http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009909270359
Whether you think this is hysterically funny, immensely gross or incredibly decadant in the nastiest sort of way, chances are you'll read the story. You may never actually buy or taste the coffee, but you'll remember Bennett's Fresh Roast as a coffee cafe that really is different than the run-of-the-mill coffee shops found at every corner. Now THAT's a good PR accomplishment. Only time will tell if this strategy pays off, but my PR hat is off to Melinda for taking something that seems kind of, well, challenging to say the least, and turning into a great story for her client. Also to note, she used an age-old tactic that works wonders. She got the reporters involved. That's almost a story guarantee. If you can get a reporter to sample or interact with something you want them to report on, you'll have success. She planned a pre-tasting event for media prior to the public availability. The reporters simply couldn't resist. It's what they live for. They love to try something themselves so that they can accurately relate the facts.
Not all reporters are thrilled with the opportunity, but most will take advantage. I had an opportunity once to invite a reporter to go on an anti-gravity airplane flight at Kennedy Space Center for Charter Schools USA. The reporter was thrilled and scared to death. She thanked me and cursed me for arranging it. The flight travelled at zero gravity to allow the participants to truly experience weightlessness like they do in outerspace. The effects could be a bit unnerving and many well, throw up. The cost was pretty high, but we were able to offer the seat at no expense to the reporter. Sadly, at the last minute, her seat was no longer available. I can't really express the sound of relief in her voice. "I'm a grandmother!" she said. "I simply could NOT pass this opportunity up, but man am I glad I didn't have to do it." I have a feeling, her thoughts may have been similar had I offered her a hot smoking cup of cat poop. Either way, the resulting stories were really good. She wrote a great story about the anti-gravitational flight and Melinda's reporters wrote a great story about the cat poo coffee. This is the classic story of turning lemons into lemonade...or better yet... cat poop into gold.
Friday, September 18, 2009
When is it Edgy and When is it Sleazy
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Having a business name like Edge Communications and promising to give your business the Edge, I am left wondering how far one can go to the edge without slipping off and getting into sleazy. We all struggle with ways to stand out from the crowd. Look different. Make a splash. This weekend, one of my clients, the Vein and Laser Treatment Center is sponsoring the Just Us Girls event with Clear Channel radio. The event is being billed as the ultimate sleep-over and features businesses that cater to women. There will be free services like manicures, hair styling, vitamins, massages, and other fun things. The fun goes on after the vendors close up as guests may stay and dance the night away until they are so tired, they retire to their rooms at the Coconut Point Hyatt. There will be drinks and food and lots of frivolity. Last year's show was a blast. Moms came with their grown-up daughters, friends came and the bonds of sisterhood were evident everywhere. The venue is ripe for edginess. The client agreed to the posters that I've attached and I think they are fine, but I'm wondering where a marketer draws the line. We coined the phrase, "Get Lazed at the Vein and Laser Treatment Center" last year and are carrying the theme through this year. We decided to add these posters as well as some others that are a little less sexy. Personally, I am really proud of these posters and think Janine at Dzine Studio did a wonderful job on the artwork. The response I've gotten from some of my confidants has been positive...some remarking that sex does really sell.Now where is my dilemma? It's my own disgust as I listened to a radio commericial for a local transmission company that gives a shift about its customers. I know this because the company told me that they give a shift about their customers right there on the radio. My first thought was, "They do what??" Then I was somewhat disgusted. It just didn't sound right. A little too crude for my virgin ears maybe. Just a few moments ago I approved a radio commercial encouraging people to get Lazed at the Vein and Laser Treatment Center. Am I just as sleazy as the "shifty" transmission people? I guess only time will tell. I will post an update as to the response we get. But I'd love to hear some opinions on the line we draw in the sand. Where is that elusive edge that we all want to live on?
Monday, September 14, 2009
A BRAND new issue for not-for-profits
Branding. It's a word that gets tossed around like a football. Some perceive it as a great big overwhelming concept. Others think of it as a logo. By way of definition, branding is everything that makes your organization who it is. It's the personality, ethics, image, reputation and environment you want to display every day to every stakeholder. OK, that does sound pretty overwhelming doesn't it? Especially if you are a not-for-profit organization and everybody tells you that a perfect example of branding is McDonalds or Starbucks. Those organizations spend BILLIONS of dollars to build their brand. Most of us don't have those kinds of budgets, right? One of my favorite sayings that seems applicable here is..."How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." The elephant here is the big scary brand concept. So, let's start with the first bite. Where to begin? Well, let's assume you've already established your business' personality. The problem comes in when you try to build that brand. Trying to employ cost-saving measurements, artwork and photography are often done "in-house" by people who are pretty good at that sort of thing. What gets lost is consistency. Does that mean you have to pay top dollar? Not necessarily. Look at your stakeholders. Are there any professionals associated with your organization who would be willing to lend their services as volunteers or for a trade dollar amount? The only stipulation would be that they are normally paid for their services. In other words, don't include a writer on your team who is a pretty good writer - try to get someone who gets paid for that service. Here are some rules to follow that will help with the consistency issue.
When to hire a professional.
When you want the finished product to show who you really are.
If you are a dog groomer that is working from home, a black and white flyer created on your laptop in Publisher may be ok. However, if you are an organization that is trying to attract high quality investors or stakeholders, you better look like you are a professional organization.
Some must-have professionals on your team should be:
1) Professional photographers. You need to get a library of signature photos that take your breath away. These photos will be used every time you are trying to communicate who you are. These photos will be used on brochures, Web sites, newsletters, posters, billboards, everything. They will become synonomous with your name. When someone sees these photos, they'll say, "Oh, that's XYZ organization."
2) Professional graphic designers. In today's world, there will always be a talented high school student who is pretty darn good at creating Web sites and drawing pictures for a cheap price. Don't use them. The problem is that they don't have the background or skills to understand how their artwork fits into the bigger picture and strategy. Many logos are beautiful - until you make them small enough to fit on a business card or large enough to fit on a billboard. A professionally trained graphic designer thinks about all the applications and designs a look and feel that can and should be carried out through every communication distributed by the organization. A good graphic designer will be able to develop templates that can be easily updated by in-house staff. BUT make sure stringent graphic standards are adhered to. In other words, don't allow a talented in-house staffer to make minor adjustments to the final design. A little tweak here and a tiny nudge there and you end up with a totally different animal. Also - just a caveat - all graphic designers are not Web designers. When you hire one, make sure they have Web background. See #4 below for more on Web designers.
3) Marketing/PR professionals. Use a professional wherever you can for consultation. The challenge many marketing/PR professionals find is that by nature, they are very helpful people. Problem solvers. For not-for-profits, that can seem like a dream-come-true. For a marketing professional, that can be a tremendous time drain. If they can't afford it, not-for-profits often rely on pro-bono services from marketing professionals. That's OK, as long as parameters are set. A good consultant will put plans into motion that can be implemented by staff. For-profit businesses often rely on consultants to handle the implementation as well. Budget is always an issue, but let's face it, for-profits usually have a bigger budget for this than not-for-profits. Utilize consultants to see if your message is consistent. Is it the right message? Are we delivering the message through the right channels? Does it fit in with our overall brand? Is our brand still viable or does it need to adapt? Are we properly communicating the mission of our organization in everything we do? How can we get the most from our marketing budget? Use these consultants as a living breathing "HOW TO" manual. Just don't have them implement unless they've agreed to a certain number of hours or you can pay them to do it. Their time is the only thing they have to sell. Don't ask them to give it all away.
4) Web designers. It is so easy to create your own Web site these days. Programs make it a snap to get a Web presence and everyone needs a Web presence, right? WRONG. It is better to not have a Web presence than to have a site that looks like it was developed by an amateur. Your Web site should start with a navigational plan that lays out the exact objectives of your site. A Web site should be approached in the exact same manner as any other marketing tool. What is the objective? What do you want it to accomplish? How will it contribute to your branding? Sometimes Web designers are not great graphic designers (same as some graphic designers are not great Web designers) You may not get a two for one, but find the funds to do this right or don't do it at all.
OK, I lied. This really IS a big overwhelming concept. And that bite was a pretty big monster. Next blog, we can talk about how to incorporate branding into your everyday activities. For now, today's bite is "Know when to hire a professional to help you develop your brand!" Happy elephant eating everyone.
When to hire a professional.
When you want the finished product to show who you really are.
If you are a dog groomer that is working from home, a black and white flyer created on your laptop in Publisher may be ok. However, if you are an organization that is trying to attract high quality investors or stakeholders, you better look like you are a professional organization.
Some must-have professionals on your team should be:
1) Professional photographers. You need to get a library of signature photos that take your breath away. These photos will be used every time you are trying to communicate who you are. These photos will be used on brochures, Web sites, newsletters, posters, billboards, everything. They will become synonomous with your name. When someone sees these photos, they'll say, "Oh, that's XYZ organization."
2) Professional graphic designers. In today's world, there will always be a talented high school student who is pretty darn good at creating Web sites and drawing pictures for a cheap price. Don't use them. The problem is that they don't have the background or skills to understand how their artwork fits into the bigger picture and strategy. Many logos are beautiful - until you make them small enough to fit on a business card or large enough to fit on a billboard. A professionally trained graphic designer thinks about all the applications and designs a look and feel that can and should be carried out through every communication distributed by the organization. A good graphic designer will be able to develop templates that can be easily updated by in-house staff. BUT make sure stringent graphic standards are adhered to. In other words, don't allow a talented in-house staffer to make minor adjustments to the final design. A little tweak here and a tiny nudge there and you end up with a totally different animal. Also - just a caveat - all graphic designers are not Web designers. When you hire one, make sure they have Web background. See #4 below for more on Web designers.
3) Marketing/PR professionals. Use a professional wherever you can for consultation. The challenge many marketing/PR professionals find is that by nature, they are very helpful people. Problem solvers. For not-for-profits, that can seem like a dream-come-true. For a marketing professional, that can be a tremendous time drain. If they can't afford it, not-for-profits often rely on pro-bono services from marketing professionals. That's OK, as long as parameters are set. A good consultant will put plans into motion that can be implemented by staff. For-profit businesses often rely on consultants to handle the implementation as well. Budget is always an issue, but let's face it, for-profits usually have a bigger budget for this than not-for-profits. Utilize consultants to see if your message is consistent. Is it the right message? Are we delivering the message through the right channels? Does it fit in with our overall brand? Is our brand still viable or does it need to adapt? Are we properly communicating the mission of our organization in everything we do? How can we get the most from our marketing budget? Use these consultants as a living breathing "HOW TO" manual. Just don't have them implement unless they've agreed to a certain number of hours or you can pay them to do it. Their time is the only thing they have to sell. Don't ask them to give it all away.
4) Web designers. It is so easy to create your own Web site these days. Programs make it a snap to get a Web presence and everyone needs a Web presence, right? WRONG. It is better to not have a Web presence than to have a site that looks like it was developed by an amateur. Your Web site should start with a navigational plan that lays out the exact objectives of your site. A Web site should be approached in the exact same manner as any other marketing tool. What is the objective? What do you want it to accomplish? How will it contribute to your branding? Sometimes Web designers are not great graphic designers (same as some graphic designers are not great Web designers) You may not get a two for one, but find the funds to do this right or don't do it at all.
OK, I lied. This really IS a big overwhelming concept. And that bite was a pretty big monster. Next blog, we can talk about how to incorporate branding into your everyday activities. For now, today's bite is "Know when to hire a professional to help you develop your brand!" Happy elephant eating everyone.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Make No Mistake - Freedom Still Rings
I had the opportunity this week to share with my high schooler about 9/11. She was 6 years old at the time and really had no memory of the events that happened that day. Retelling was reliving. It gave me a deep sense of purpose to help young people today understand. I think I feel like those who experienced Pearl Harbor. While we as a new generation know what happened, it was so far removed that our hearts do not break when we think about it. Our tears do not fall for those who went through it. Probably not so with someone over the age of 65. Pearl Harbor is probably as raw and alive for them when they retell it as 9/11 is for us. When she asked, "What was it like, Mom? What were you doing when it happened?" I was transported back to my office at Priority Marketing. I was talking on the phone to Teri Hansen, the company's owner and president. We were interrupted by a telephone call from her husband, then the chief of EMS. We learned about the tragedy, but didn't have a television. The Internet was still very new and was innundated - so although we were able to get some glimpses of what happened, the system was completely overloaded. After we sat there stunned and in shock for a while, I tried to gather myself and "get back to work" I called a client who said, "Colleen, I can't deal with this right now, I'm watching New York City being destroyed." It was like a slap I needed. What was I thinking? You can't go back to normal when something like this is going on. In fact, an event like 9/11 changes you forever. After the plane went down in Pennsylvania, I began to panic. How many more planes would fall from the sky? Was my family safe? My father was staying just outside of Dover Airforce Base - was he safe? We all came home that night and hugged each other. I cried and went to my friend's house. Her husband was just finishing up his two weeks as an Army reservist and she received a call that he wouldn't be returning anytime soon and to bring some supplies to Homestead. After the shock and pain settled, I noticed something though that I had never felt or experienced in my life to that point. Patriotism. I watched my brother return from Vietnam and be persecuted. No heros. I watched the President of the United States resign in humilation. No pride. I watched our world trudge along while citizens became the "me" generation and the sense of entitlement to all that was good started to emerge. The other guy wasn't important and our nation was a joke. Then, 9/11 changed all that in my eyes and heart. For the first time, I was proud to be an American. Watching people pull together to help and feeling a deep need to be one of those people overwhelmed us all. Our generation - the Generation Xers - never felt connected to "The Cause" as the Baby Boomers often did. We felt hopeless and cynical. But 9/11 changed that for a while. Instead of me-first, we watched our nation step aside out of courtesy. People smiled at each other more. The bigger picture came into view. People were scurrying to get flags and for an entire generation, we finally understood what the flag really meant. For the first time in a generation, we listened to the Star Spangled Banner and cried. Wow. Never really listened to those words before. Now I understood what they meant. Our flag was still there! Following 9/11, Tom Sterbens, a pastor at a local church recorded an amazing song called Freedom Still Rings. The lyrics are unbelievable. At Priority Marketing, Teri dedicated her staff to produce a video to accompany the song. The cd and video were to be sold with proceeds to go to the families of the firefighters and police who were killed. The team consisted of Teri Hansen, Olivia Rill, Christine Polito, Kevin Owen, Gary Sharp, Lindsey Grimes and me. I hope I didn't forget anyone, but those are the ones I remember. We spent days either searching for photos, putting together the video or handling everything else while the video was in production. I am going to try and post this video - I found it on someone's MySpace. I hope they don't mind. I thought about the after affects of 9/11. It inspired artists to use their talents - whatever those talents were - to help make a difference. Musicians put on benefit concerts, Bruce Springsteen wrote an entire album - The Rising - to memorialize the event. Country singers wrote rebel songs to inspire patriotism. Painters created visual memories, sculptors crafted breathtaking sculptures. As our civilization has done forever - we tried to make an unspeakable horror into something beautiful. I think we did this because of the patriotism aspect. That burning feeling inside that you are part of something much bigger. In Europe, if something like this happens, their neighbors say, "Boy, that's a shame that happened to THEM" In the United States, if one our states is attacked - it happened to US! We developed an immediate brotherhood with our kin in New York, Washington DC and Pennsylvania. Some of the girls from our office bought tickets to support the crashed tourism industry in New York. They just went to take in a show. That gesture was felt by many New Yorkers who felt vulnerable and alone. These courageous girls (remember - flying was not exactly a popular mode of transportation at the time) took the time and money to fly all the way from Florida to New York, just to let New Yorkers know they cared. We became all part of a bigger family. So was 9/11 a tragedy? You betcha. The worst in our current memory. But our God, the one who was honored by the president's appeal after 9/11 to the country to PRAY, gave us all the courage and strength to pull together and get through it. Please don't allow our children to forget 9/11 like we have forgotten Pearl Harbor. Don't let this fade into history as just another bad thing that happened. Let's help them realize that no matter how bad things get, there is always hope. Americans are good people. Yes, there are bad apples. Yes, our government is a little shaky sometimes. Yes, we argue alot about silly things...and important things. But in the end, we are STILL the most amazing group of people in the entire world. Nowhere in this world is there a land mass the size of the United States that would foster the brotherhood we feel here in the UNITED States. We can go to bed feeling sure that if something really bad happens in Florida - our brothers and sisters in California and Kentucky, New York and South Dakota - all of those other States will be there for us. We may not always agree, but I can guarantee that we are a nation of honorable men, women and children who when pushed will push back to protect our land and those who live in it. I love you all. God Bless each of us. I've posted the video - but I'm not certain it will play. I'll also post it on my facebook page. We can never ever forget.
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=6602959
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=6602959
Friday, September 4, 2009
Hey, Mr. Obama - you need to read my post about Objectives!
I usually stray away from political discussions. Why? Well the cat is coming out of the bag now. I'm not a Republican. I'm not a Democrat either. I'm of a party that doesn't yet exist. I call it the "Straight Down the Middle" party. I know this disapponts many of my friends on both sides of the aisle because you all assumed I was your way. Well, I am in many ways. In fact, I'll bet, I represent more of a majority than either of the two parties. One thing I CAN say is that of the things that I believe in passionately, neither party will sway me, so please don't try. All of that is being said so that I'm not accused of or praised for Obama bashing. Watching the controversy unfold about his plan to broadcast live to schools, I simply had to post and ask the President and his advisors to read my former post about setting objectives. Sorry, but the school address is a bonehead idea. Why? Let's look at the possible objectives...
Objective #1 - to encourage more kids to stay in school.
Seems pretty straight forward to me, right? WRONG. This is a fluffy, feel good objective that has no basis in reality. Why? Simple - it makes NO sense.
Reasons? You, Mr. President are highly controversial. People either LOVE you or HATE you. As a result of that, your plan to broadcast live will have a direct impact on having kids NOT go to school that day. Think about it. If the County is a Republican County, the District will refuse to show it live. As a result, the Democratic Party parents will keep their child away from school that day in protest. If the County is a Democratic County, the District will embrace the idea and Republican Party parents will refuse to send their child to school that day. Net result - 1/2 the kids get a day off of school. Missed the objective.
Reason #2. Shall I just say the words - Nancy Reagan? Ring a bell? Oh, how about her "Just Say No" campaign. Exactly how many children did she dissuade from taking drugs after launching that multi million dollar campaign. Easy answer - none.
Does anyone, anywhere REALLY believe for one second that the President's message to children to stay in school will make any impact AT ALL on ANY student? Maybe I'm naive, but my guess is NO.
Come on Mr. President. Being a middle of the roader, I try really hard to cut through the crap and screaming on both sides and make an informed decision. I'm not an emotional person who believes in all the conspiracy theories. I don't think you're going to try and warp young minds by some subliminal messages. I do think your objectives are WAY off. I could be wrong. It is highly possible that you and your advisors had a totally reachable objective. Perhaps your objective was: "Let's enflame as many people as possible and make my unpopular health care reform issue get back-burnered" If that was your objective, I think you're closer to the mark. Mind you, I don't think health care reform debates will be silenced, but you may have just found a way to get your extreme lefters to take your cause back up with a vengeance.
Objective #1 - to encourage more kids to stay in school.
Seems pretty straight forward to me, right? WRONG. This is a fluffy, feel good objective that has no basis in reality. Why? Simple - it makes NO sense.
Reasons? You, Mr. President are highly controversial. People either LOVE you or HATE you. As a result of that, your plan to broadcast live will have a direct impact on having kids NOT go to school that day. Think about it. If the County is a Republican County, the District will refuse to show it live. As a result, the Democratic Party parents will keep their child away from school that day in protest. If the County is a Democratic County, the District will embrace the idea and Republican Party parents will refuse to send their child to school that day. Net result - 1/2 the kids get a day off of school. Missed the objective.
Reason #2. Shall I just say the words - Nancy Reagan? Ring a bell? Oh, how about her "Just Say No" campaign. Exactly how many children did she dissuade from taking drugs after launching that multi million dollar campaign. Easy answer - none.
Does anyone, anywhere REALLY believe for one second that the President's message to children to stay in school will make any impact AT ALL on ANY student? Maybe I'm naive, but my guess is NO.
Come on Mr. President. Being a middle of the roader, I try really hard to cut through the crap and screaming on both sides and make an informed decision. I'm not an emotional person who believes in all the conspiracy theories. I don't think you're going to try and warp young minds by some subliminal messages. I do think your objectives are WAY off. I could be wrong. It is highly possible that you and your advisors had a totally reachable objective. Perhaps your objective was: "Let's enflame as many people as possible and make my unpopular health care reform issue get back-burnered" If that was your objective, I think you're closer to the mark. Mind you, I don't think health care reform debates will be silenced, but you may have just found a way to get your extreme lefters to take your cause back up with a vengeance.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Tame the savage beast
As a PR counselor for a major charter school system, I've seen my share of irate parents, overzealous news reporters and complicated situations. Half of my job is calming the emotions of all involved. I watched rumors escalate to mob lynchings (almost) and non-stories get top status. Through it all, there is always a common denominator - lack of good communication. As is usually the case with disintegrating relationships, one side says one thing and the other side hears something entirely different. If I were to get technical, I could probably find a quote from my APR text book that talks about the underpinings of communication models or something, but I don't think we need to go into all that. Instead,there are a few simple rules to getting to a solution before a simple issue blows up into a major catastrophe.
1) Listen to the other side.
I mean REALLY listen. Don't just hear the words. Listen to what the other person is saying. If they are screaming at you and telling you how you are feeling or what you are doing - (ie: You're just trying to make more money and don't care about us!) There is probably something they are having a hard time articulating. Perhaps if we took the screaming and epitaths out, you'd find the REAL sentence to say "I'm frustrated that I'm not getting my way. Help me to get there or truly understand why I can't.
2) Remove the emotional attachment.
Much easier said than done, but critical if you want to move forward. Listen to an upset person and imagine them talking like the adults in a Charlie Brown cartoon. Only pick out the important words. For example: "Wa wa wa wa, my child is not doing as well as I think he should. Wa wa wa, I want to find a way to make this better. Wa wa wa wa wa, this is something you should be aware of and need to take action. Wa wa wa wa, here are some suggestions." Without the "S.O.Bs" and the "you don't know what you are doing", this conversation becomes more manageable.
3) Help the other person feel important.
Most people want to make things better. Many don't know how to express that calmly. Many want to be the big man (or woman) who is the savior who came up with the solution. If you have one of these people standing in front of you, let them be that person. Imagine how quickly an escalating conversation can become tame if you say, "I am so glad you are involved in this solution. I really think your expertise and leadership will help us all solve this problem. Let's figure out how we can get this resolved" Egos are strong things and when you acknowledge someone, that ego can accomplish great things.
4) Know when to stop the conversation.
Regardless of how calm you remain and how reasonable you attempt to be, there will be times when the savage beast just refuses to listen and calm down. In a situation like this, you have to be the one to say, "I'm so sorry, but we are getting absolutely nowhere right now. Perhaps we both need some time to calm down and think things through. I promise, I will call you at ?? time and we can try again, but I believe we've hit an impasse."
Sadly, in a school environment, we've had to actually get police involved to remove irate and abusive parents from the situation. That's really unfortunate, but you know that ego thing I talked about earlier. Without proper stroking, that ego can become completely unmanageable.
Recently, I had an opportunity to be a peacemaker. An irate parent and concerned citizen with a very sarcastic side, a blog and an audience to boot was mad at a situation at a couple of our schools. Legitimate gripes? Absolutely. The problem was that he used violent language. Being from the northeast, I recognized this violent rhetoric as sarcasm. In the education world, however, it is considered a threat. However, instead of getting lawyers involved and issuing a cease and desist, we had a face-to-face with the parent. Setting the ground rules first, we asked him right away to curb any future violent rhetoric in his blog if he wanted to be part of the solution. Afterall, we can't have someone who threatens - even in a sarcastic way - to hit a child to be part of a reasonable discussion. I think it embarrassed him a little. He meant it as sarcasm. I don't think he ever put himself in the shoes of an educator. Once it was pointed out, he agreed. We'll see in future blogs if the reasonable approach works, but I believe it will.
1) Listen to the other side.
I mean REALLY listen. Don't just hear the words. Listen to what the other person is saying. If they are screaming at you and telling you how you are feeling or what you are doing - (ie: You're just trying to make more money and don't care about us!) There is probably something they are having a hard time articulating. Perhaps if we took the screaming and epitaths out, you'd find the REAL sentence to say "I'm frustrated that I'm not getting my way. Help me to get there or truly understand why I can't.
2) Remove the emotional attachment.
Much easier said than done, but critical if you want to move forward. Listen to an upset person and imagine them talking like the adults in a Charlie Brown cartoon. Only pick out the important words. For example: "Wa wa wa wa, my child is not doing as well as I think he should. Wa wa wa, I want to find a way to make this better. Wa wa wa wa wa, this is something you should be aware of and need to take action. Wa wa wa wa, here are some suggestions." Without the "S.O.Bs" and the "you don't know what you are doing", this conversation becomes more manageable.
3) Help the other person feel important.
Most people want to make things better. Many don't know how to express that calmly. Many want to be the big man (or woman) who is the savior who came up with the solution. If you have one of these people standing in front of you, let them be that person. Imagine how quickly an escalating conversation can become tame if you say, "I am so glad you are involved in this solution. I really think your expertise and leadership will help us all solve this problem. Let's figure out how we can get this resolved" Egos are strong things and when you acknowledge someone, that ego can accomplish great things.
4) Know when to stop the conversation.
Regardless of how calm you remain and how reasonable you attempt to be, there will be times when the savage beast just refuses to listen and calm down. In a situation like this, you have to be the one to say, "I'm so sorry, but we are getting absolutely nowhere right now. Perhaps we both need some time to calm down and think things through. I promise, I will call you at ?? time and we can try again, but I believe we've hit an impasse."
Sadly, in a school environment, we've had to actually get police involved to remove irate and abusive parents from the situation. That's really unfortunate, but you know that ego thing I talked about earlier. Without proper stroking, that ego can become completely unmanageable.
Recently, I had an opportunity to be a peacemaker. An irate parent and concerned citizen with a very sarcastic side, a blog and an audience to boot was mad at a situation at a couple of our schools. Legitimate gripes? Absolutely. The problem was that he used violent language. Being from the northeast, I recognized this violent rhetoric as sarcasm. In the education world, however, it is considered a threat. However, instead of getting lawyers involved and issuing a cease and desist, we had a face-to-face with the parent. Setting the ground rules first, we asked him right away to curb any future violent rhetoric in his blog if he wanted to be part of the solution. Afterall, we can't have someone who threatens - even in a sarcastic way - to hit a child to be part of a reasonable discussion. I think it embarrassed him a little. He meant it as sarcasm. I don't think he ever put himself in the shoes of an educator. Once it was pointed out, he agreed. We'll see in future blogs if the reasonable approach works, but I believe it will.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Why exactly do you want to do that?
Imagine this scenario. You and your significant other (S.O.) are getting by OK. Money is a little tight. You have a couple of kids in private school. You're saving for college. You can pay the bills, but there isn't much left over for luxuries. One day your S.O. says, "Honey, I believe we need to purchase a BMW. Not a really expensive one - just one of those convertible models. Nothing too extravagant. Let's go out shopping."
What would your first reaction be? "You're kidding, right?" After the initial shock, you may get caught up in the excitement and say, "Hooray, let's go." More likely though, you are going to ask a reasonable question like, "Why would you like to do that?" Your S.O. may have some very good reasons like, I need to get to work, our other car isn't as nice as I'd like it to be, I want to look hot...etc." As the sensible one in the relationship, you will try to find out your S.O.'s objective. Mid-life crisis? Needs more attention? Had a concussion on the way home from work? His friends all just got new BMW's? Regardless of the reason, you will steadfastly work toward finding the reason and looking for a more cost effective way to accomplish the objective.
Now, let's change the scenario. Your boss or client says, "I've been thinking. We need a new brochure (website, open house event, seminar series). Let's get started on that right away. Chances are, you as a loyal employee or consultant will click your heels, salute and say,"Yes sir/maam I'll get right on it."
Why not ask the same questions? I've had many occasions when a client has requested something that I thought was a bonehead idea. Instead of blindly following the rules, I find that those ideas aren't always written in stone. In fact, if your boss has hired you for your expertise, doesn't it make sense to say, "Why exactly do you want to do that?" Perhaps there is a more effective or cost efficient way to do it. Maybe not, but don't you owe it to your boss/client to find out?
This is where true professionals show what they are made of. It is terribly tempting to say, "Sure, I'll take your $5,000 (or $10,000 or $100,000) to do what you've asked." But think about the respect that you'll get if you say,"Why do you want to do that? Let's look at your objectives and see if this is the best way to accomplish them."
Here's a true story. I met with a doctor client about a year or so ago who insisted on having a seminar in a different county than where he was located. He would have spent about $4,000 total with promotion, food, room rental. I would have gotten some money out of the deal too. After listening to him, I asked him why exactly he wanted to do a seminar in another county. Was he trying to lure patients from the other county when there was a perfectly good provider in that county? Was he trying to expand his practice into another county? If so, did he have the means to accomplish that if it was really successful? If so, did he have enough money to do it right and advertise consistently in that market?
Do you know what? The answer to all of the questions above were "No." It came down to ego. He admitted it. He wanted to be in the face of his competitor. I explained to him that I had a cost saving alternative for him. It would cost him $4000 to do it his way, but I would save him $500. For $3,500, I would call him every day and tell him how great he was. When you shine the light on the situation that way, the seminar didn't make a whole lot of sense either. I saved him a lot of money. Do you think he appreciated it? Probably. He never became a real client though. That was my choice. I don't like to work for egotistical doctors.
One last thought - make those objectives measurable. "My objective is to create a beautiful brochure" is NOT a legitimate objective. "My objective is to create a brochure that will increase Website hits by 10% by the end of the year" is a measurable goal. Why start a project, if you don't know if and when it was a success?
What would your first reaction be? "You're kidding, right?" After the initial shock, you may get caught up in the excitement and say, "Hooray, let's go." More likely though, you are going to ask a reasonable question like, "Why would you like to do that?" Your S.O. may have some very good reasons like, I need to get to work, our other car isn't as nice as I'd like it to be, I want to look hot...etc." As the sensible one in the relationship, you will try to find out your S.O.'s objective. Mid-life crisis? Needs more attention? Had a concussion on the way home from work? His friends all just got new BMW's? Regardless of the reason, you will steadfastly work toward finding the reason and looking for a more cost effective way to accomplish the objective.
Now, let's change the scenario. Your boss or client says, "I've been thinking. We need a new brochure (website, open house event, seminar series). Let's get started on that right away. Chances are, you as a loyal employee or consultant will click your heels, salute and say,"Yes sir/maam I'll get right on it."
Why not ask the same questions? I've had many occasions when a client has requested something that I thought was a bonehead idea. Instead of blindly following the rules, I find that those ideas aren't always written in stone. In fact, if your boss has hired you for your expertise, doesn't it make sense to say, "Why exactly do you want to do that?" Perhaps there is a more effective or cost efficient way to do it. Maybe not, but don't you owe it to your boss/client to find out?
This is where true professionals show what they are made of. It is terribly tempting to say, "Sure, I'll take your $5,000 (or $10,000 or $100,000) to do what you've asked." But think about the respect that you'll get if you say,"Why do you want to do that? Let's look at your objectives and see if this is the best way to accomplish them."
Here's a true story. I met with a doctor client about a year or so ago who insisted on having a seminar in a different county than where he was located. He would have spent about $4,000 total with promotion, food, room rental. I would have gotten some money out of the deal too. After listening to him, I asked him why exactly he wanted to do a seminar in another county. Was he trying to lure patients from the other county when there was a perfectly good provider in that county? Was he trying to expand his practice into another county? If so, did he have the means to accomplish that if it was really successful? If so, did he have enough money to do it right and advertise consistently in that market?
Do you know what? The answer to all of the questions above were "No." It came down to ego. He admitted it. He wanted to be in the face of his competitor. I explained to him that I had a cost saving alternative for him. It would cost him $4000 to do it his way, but I would save him $500. For $3,500, I would call him every day and tell him how great he was. When you shine the light on the situation that way, the seminar didn't make a whole lot of sense either. I saved him a lot of money. Do you think he appreciated it? Probably. He never became a real client though. That was my choice. I don't like to work for egotistical doctors.
One last thought - make those objectives measurable. "My objective is to create a beautiful brochure" is NOT a legitimate objective. "My objective is to create a brochure that will increase Website hits by 10% by the end of the year" is a measurable goal. Why start a project, if you don't know if and when it was a success?
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Pizza, Sweating and PR - A perfect combination
This sounds like the beginning of a really sick joke. What do pizza, excessive sweating and public relations have to do with each other? While you may think this is going to be a ding on Dominoes - think again. This is actually a good news story and an opportunity to think about how positive PR can affect you or your client's business.
Let's start with some background. Gulfcoast Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons offers a surgical intervention called sympathectomy that helps eliminate or reduce excessive sweating from the armpits, hands and feet. This does not apply to overall body sweating or the normal sweating most of us humans do. This is for a group of people who have suffered through their entire life having terribly sweaty palms - to the point where they could not shake hands, couldn't try on shoes in a shoe store, or changed shirts several times a day, even when they weren't exerting themselves. We ran a marketing campaign on the radio and apparently, this is really big news. Over 300 phone calls in one month.
Sounded like a news story to me, so I spoke with a reporter who also found it interesting. She did a big feature story on the subject.
Good news right? Yes... but there is a major caveat. If you score a great story like this, it is IMPERATIVE that you clearly communicate with the people answering the phones. Prepare them for an onslaught of calls and tell them exactly what to do. In this case, callers were scheduled for free screenings. The staff was well aware of the date the story was scheduled to run and they were ready.
Now where in the world does the pizza come in? Well, it has been my experience that when a major story hits, the phones don't stop ringing. Getting away for lunch is a pretty tough prospect. Show the staff how much you appreciate their courteous and professional telephone answering skills. A big coup for a PR person can really be a big pain for the staff - even if it DOES mean more business. The cost of a few pizzas can buy a boatload of goodwill and will encourage the staff when they get weary.
Let's start with some background. Gulfcoast Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons offers a surgical intervention called sympathectomy that helps eliminate or reduce excessive sweating from the armpits, hands and feet. This does not apply to overall body sweating or the normal sweating most of us humans do. This is for a group of people who have suffered through their entire life having terribly sweaty palms - to the point where they could not shake hands, couldn't try on shoes in a shoe store, or changed shirts several times a day, even when they weren't exerting themselves. We ran a marketing campaign on the radio and apparently, this is really big news. Over 300 phone calls in one month.
Sounded like a news story to me, so I spoke with a reporter who also found it interesting. She did a big feature story on the subject.
Good news right? Yes... but there is a major caveat. If you score a great story like this, it is IMPERATIVE that you clearly communicate with the people answering the phones. Prepare them for an onslaught of calls and tell them exactly what to do. In this case, callers were scheduled for free screenings. The staff was well aware of the date the story was scheduled to run and they were ready.
Now where in the world does the pizza come in? Well, it has been my experience that when a major story hits, the phones don't stop ringing. Getting away for lunch is a pretty tough prospect. Show the staff how much you appreciate their courteous and professional telephone answering skills. A big coup for a PR person can really be a big pain for the staff - even if it DOES mean more business. The cost of a few pizzas can buy a boatload of goodwill and will encourage the staff when they get weary.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Finding business everywhere
It has been entirely too long since my last post but my excuse is very legitimate. I've been on vacation - well sort of. My family and I had the opportunity to rent a house at the beach for a month. Being self employed and fairly mobile, I transported my office to the beach location and resumed business as normal. Well, as normal as it can be with a Gulf full of water across the street and a really cool boat beckoning in the canal right out front. Anyway, I digress. During this relocation exercise, I discovered that opening your mouth can get you new business. Everyone thinks of networking while at Chamber of Commerce functions, but how many think about it when they are sweaty and greased up with sunscreen - no makeup and let's face it, a little smelly? This post is primarily for my female readers. Males don't have much of a problem getting sweaty and asking for business. Females on the other hand loathe being caught in ugly moments. We feel the need to dazzle with our brilliance as well as our well-groomed good looks. Men aren't all that concerned usually. Take Ed Bonkowski for example. He's a highly successful Real Estate Broker, contractor and property manager who happened to rent our house to us. I spoke up soon after I met him and told him what I did. I dropped a few names, made a few relevant comments about his industry and he immediately started feeding me business. Now, it doesn't always work this way. There are definitely some factors that must be in play. You have to actually HAVE some industry knowledge before you can speak it. You also can't be pushy - you're on vacation afterall. But a saavy business person will see past the sweat and Coppertone and listen to the wisdom. I'm hoping this relationship develops into a long-lasting friendship. I think we can help each other in our quest for success. The learning moment for the day is: Don't miss those networking opportunities. You can be effective even if you aren't dressed to kill.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Careful of Your Allies
Anyone reading this or any of my facebook entries of late would know that my garage door opener has been the bane of my existence and I've blamed Sears for my heartburn. I have to make an amendment. After stewing about my situation and a little goding from my husband, I called Customer Service and complained. She filed a complaint and said someone would get back to me. They didn't. I called again and was referred to a different number. Ready to get frustrated, I came across a man named Steven. I explained my frustrations and he told me not to worry, Sears would make it right. "Sure" thought I. "I'll believe it when I see it." He ran some numbers and told me that he was authorized to make it right to the tune of up to $150 for labor and $100 for parts. WOW. That means all told, instead of $244, I only have to pay $45. Believe it or not, the math does really work. Parts were more expensive than $100 and labor was less expensive than $150. Regardless, Sears restored my faith in them as a company.
However, if anyone from Sears is reading this, and anyone else running a business in these tough economic times is interested in keeping customers, please take this warning. Be careful who you ally with when they are promoting your brand. Your brand is you. Perception of your brand is reality. A&E is the name of the company performing the repairs on my garage door opener, but in my mind, it was Sears. Yes, Sears came through and made me happy. ( I think...the part hasn't arrived yet) BUT if Sears was a little more careful with the stewards of their brand, they never would have had an unhappy customer in the first place. Don't let anyone sully the good name of your brand. You've worked hard to make it solid and trustworthy.
On the other hand, Precision Garage doors came out to fix the cords on my door. The cords were damaged when we manually raised and lowered the door. Related to the lightening - not exactly, but it's a secondary problem. If the door was working, we wouldn't have been raising and lowering it manually and probably wouldn't have messed up the cords. Either way, the tech came out in a 2-hour time period, told me what was wrong. Told me how much it was going to cost, repaired it and charged me for what it he said it was going to cost. Way to go Precision. Do what you say you are going to do and you'll have a loyal customer.
However, if anyone from Sears is reading this, and anyone else running a business in these tough economic times is interested in keeping customers, please take this warning. Be careful who you ally with when they are promoting your brand. Your brand is you. Perception of your brand is reality. A&E is the name of the company performing the repairs on my garage door opener, but in my mind, it was Sears. Yes, Sears came through and made me happy. ( I think...the part hasn't arrived yet) BUT if Sears was a little more careful with the stewards of their brand, they never would have had an unhappy customer in the first place. Don't let anyone sully the good name of your brand. You've worked hard to make it solid and trustworthy.
On the other hand, Precision Garage doors came out to fix the cords on my door. The cords were damaged when we manually raised and lowered the door. Related to the lightening - not exactly, but it's a secondary problem. If the door was working, we wouldn't have been raising and lowering it manually and probably wouldn't have messed up the cords. Either way, the tech came out in a 2-hour time period, told me what was wrong. Told me how much it was going to cost, repaired it and charged me for what it he said it was going to cost. Way to go Precision. Do what you say you are going to do and you'll have a loyal customer.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Sex sells and I've been screwed
It's probably not best to write a blog when you are totally frustrated. But then again, most people can get a good laugh at another's expense. And expense is what we're talking about here. Today's blog is about warrantees, protection and other marketing strategies that add money to the retailer's pocket and remove it from your own. Now, as a general rule, I NEVER buy extended warrantees. I worked in furniture too long. I know that extended warrantees rarely cover much more than the regular manufacturers warrantee and I also know that salespeople get perks for selling them. Therefore, they make it seem like a must have. I usually say, "Nah" I'll just replace it if it goes two years from now. Of course it will go after the warrantee runs out anyway regarless of the timeframe.
Here's where I make an exception. Electricity. Surge protection. This truly IS a must-have. See, if you live in Florida, chances are great that lightening will strike somewhere near your house eliminating every valuable piece of equipment that you own. For $4/month, my investment has paid off in dividends. Last year, they paid me the money it would have taken to replace my 4 year old computer. Of course, I ended up buying an additional surge protector, an additional laptop and tons of back up software just to make sure it didn't happen again. It did. Last Thursday, God threw a humongous fireball in the vicinity of my house and zappo. There goes the equipment again. Thankfully, Microware - run by technogeek extraordinaire Darius Joseph - was able to save my data and is getting me a new motherboard. I don't anticipate any screwing from Darius as I've done business with him before and know he is an upstanding guy.
The screwing comes from Sears. That's right. You recognize the name right? You probably also recognize the name Craftsman, right? Your dad had Craftsman screwdrivers and hammers. If one of those suckers broke, Sears replaced it with no questions asked and no paperwork to fill out. Guaranteed for life! Therefore, I bought a Craftsman Garage Door Opener. Fine piece of equipment. Works great. Until said fireball was dropped in the vicinity. So I call Sears confident that Craftsman would cover this. Uh, no. "You didn't buy the extended warrantee and it's now 2 years old. Manufacturer's warrantee is only a year." No problem, I thought. FPL, my trusted Surge protector will pay for it. So we set up a service call.
The cost of the service call is $65. Well, $65 is better than the $150 it would take to replace it. The sensors appear to be bad, so how expensive can it really be? Uh, really expensive. See, the sensors are $50 and the labor is $104. Um, I could have bought a new unit by now. BUT if I buy a new unit, I STILL have to pay the $65 for the service call. Oh well, FPL will pay for it anyway, right. Go ahead, put the sensors in. I'll take the hit and get reimbursed. OK, sensors are in. Uh, bad news. The motherboard is also fried. Couldn't tell that until the sensors were in. That'll be 80 additional bucks maam and the piece is on order. Could be two weeks...or less of course. If I don't get the motherboard, I STILL have to pay the $150 it cost to install the worthless sensors...AND a new unit. That would be $300 for a garage door opener that cost $150. For the bargain basement price of $244 I will someday have a garage door that opens and closes again with the touch of a button. Could be three or four days. Could be two weeks. Who knows?
Luckily, this story should still have a happy ending. Last time we submitted a claim to FPL, we received a check from Assurant Solutions just as they promised. Both pieces of equipment were damaged as a result of a power surge which is covered by $4 a month. Assuming I get reimbursed as last time, I may be singing the praises of FPL in a future blog. In the meantime, for all my Florida readers - GET THAT SURGE PROTECTION TODAY!!! Don't wait. A migraine headache that lasts for at least a couple of weeks is just a thunderstorm away.
And my other piece of advice, make sure you have a good computer geek on call 24/7. Darius of Microware is my hero. You can shop his prices and may find something cheaper. BUT there is a peace of mind cost that can't be compared. I know Darius will retrieve all of my data. I know he will get the motherboard, harddrive and whatever other computer intestines he removed back into that tower within the week. He was even going to lend me a laptop when mine froze the next day, but instead, he fixed the laptop. I probably would have had a nervous breakdown this week if it wasn't for him. He has the perfect personality for the job too. When he was retrieving my Quickbooks, he was so calm.
"What did you name your QB file?"
"uhhh, I don't know. Is that important"
"Let me keep looking for it"
"Is it this?"
"No"
"How about this one?"
"No"
This conversation went on for about 20 minutes. My stomach was in knots. He was calm as a cucumber. He never once said, "You idiot, why don't you know the name of your QB file?"
I know it's all on my external harddrive, but it would have been a pain to get it extracted. Instead, Darius patiently went through the process and found my file. There's something about a good computer geek. They just don't get riled up. They are masters at putting freaked out business owners at ease.
Today's lessons: Get warrantee protection against electricity surges; DON'T call Sears for customer service repairs; GET a good computer geek (like Darius at Microware 239-936-4535); Do invest in a bottle of valium in the event of a power outage. It also helps to have some computer geeks as friends in case Darius is busy and can't get back to you for 5 minutes. Steve Bedford was instrumental in talking me off the ledge and I thank him for that.
Here's where I make an exception. Electricity. Surge protection. This truly IS a must-have. See, if you live in Florida, chances are great that lightening will strike somewhere near your house eliminating every valuable piece of equipment that you own. For $4/month, my investment has paid off in dividends. Last year, they paid me the money it would have taken to replace my 4 year old computer. Of course, I ended up buying an additional surge protector, an additional laptop and tons of back up software just to make sure it didn't happen again. It did. Last Thursday, God threw a humongous fireball in the vicinity of my house and zappo. There goes the equipment again. Thankfully, Microware - run by technogeek extraordinaire Darius Joseph - was able to save my data and is getting me a new motherboard. I don't anticipate any screwing from Darius as I've done business with him before and know he is an upstanding guy.
The screwing comes from Sears. That's right. You recognize the name right? You probably also recognize the name Craftsman, right? Your dad had Craftsman screwdrivers and hammers. If one of those suckers broke, Sears replaced it with no questions asked and no paperwork to fill out. Guaranteed for life! Therefore, I bought a Craftsman Garage Door Opener. Fine piece of equipment. Works great. Until said fireball was dropped in the vicinity. So I call Sears confident that Craftsman would cover this. Uh, no. "You didn't buy the extended warrantee and it's now 2 years old. Manufacturer's warrantee is only a year." No problem, I thought. FPL, my trusted Surge protector will pay for it. So we set up a service call.
The cost of the service call is $65. Well, $65 is better than the $150 it would take to replace it. The sensors appear to be bad, so how expensive can it really be? Uh, really expensive. See, the sensors are $50 and the labor is $104. Um, I could have bought a new unit by now. BUT if I buy a new unit, I STILL have to pay the $65 for the service call. Oh well, FPL will pay for it anyway, right. Go ahead, put the sensors in. I'll take the hit and get reimbursed. OK, sensors are in. Uh, bad news. The motherboard is also fried. Couldn't tell that until the sensors were in. That'll be 80 additional bucks maam and the piece is on order. Could be two weeks...or less of course. If I don't get the motherboard, I STILL have to pay the $150 it cost to install the worthless sensors...AND a new unit. That would be $300 for a garage door opener that cost $150. For the bargain basement price of $244 I will someday have a garage door that opens and closes again with the touch of a button. Could be three or four days. Could be two weeks. Who knows?
Luckily, this story should still have a happy ending. Last time we submitted a claim to FPL, we received a check from Assurant Solutions just as they promised. Both pieces of equipment were damaged as a result of a power surge which is covered by $4 a month. Assuming I get reimbursed as last time, I may be singing the praises of FPL in a future blog. In the meantime, for all my Florida readers - GET THAT SURGE PROTECTION TODAY!!! Don't wait. A migraine headache that lasts for at least a couple of weeks is just a thunderstorm away.
And my other piece of advice, make sure you have a good computer geek on call 24/7. Darius of Microware is my hero. You can shop his prices and may find something cheaper. BUT there is a peace of mind cost that can't be compared. I know Darius will retrieve all of my data. I know he will get the motherboard, harddrive and whatever other computer intestines he removed back into that tower within the week. He was even going to lend me a laptop when mine froze the next day, but instead, he fixed the laptop. I probably would have had a nervous breakdown this week if it wasn't for him. He has the perfect personality for the job too. When he was retrieving my Quickbooks, he was so calm.
"What did you name your QB file?"
"uhhh, I don't know. Is that important"
"Let me keep looking for it"
"Is it this?"
"No"
"How about this one?"
"No"
This conversation went on for about 20 minutes. My stomach was in knots. He was calm as a cucumber. He never once said, "You idiot, why don't you know the name of your QB file?"
I know it's all on my external harddrive, but it would have been a pain to get it extracted. Instead, Darius patiently went through the process and found my file. There's something about a good computer geek. They just don't get riled up. They are masters at putting freaked out business owners at ease.
Today's lessons: Get warrantee protection against electricity surges; DON'T call Sears for customer service repairs; GET a good computer geek (like Darius at Microware 239-936-4535); Do invest in a bottle of valium in the event of a power outage. It also helps to have some computer geeks as friends in case Darius is busy and can't get back to you for 5 minutes. Steve Bedford was instrumental in talking me off the ledge and I thank him for that.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
The ol' Bait and Switch Worked for Apple!
There I was minding my own business, doing my own research, asking a million and one questions and I was finally convinced. Blackberry was the way to go. I use my phone for business. I don't play games on my phone. I don't even text if I don't have to. I wanted something simple that I could check email and easily respond. "Blackberry" they all said. "Yes, the iPhone is really cool, but it's not really all that great for business and email," they all added.
Armed with that information, ignoring the snide comments from my facebook friends who laughed at the mere mention of Blackberries when the almighty iPhone was in the same room, I went to the trusty AT&T store to take one more look at the Blackberries and figure out if I needed the $99 or the $199 one that had just come out. The clever salesperson told me that in fact, I could get an iPhone for $199 as well and it did everything the Blackberry did...but more.
Hmmm. But what about the difficulty in texting on that flat screen. "You get used to it." He said. Then he told me how he cried when he lost his iPhone and had to convert back to the Blackberry due to financial difficulties (I assume the $99 fit his bill) As he wiped a tear in memory of his iPhone, I was almost convinced that I should at least consider the $199 iPhone even though I had no original intentions of spending $199 for the Blackberry.
The salesman carefully placed it in my hands and made it do things I couldn't even begin to imagine. The thing can turn itself into a FLASHLIGHT for heaven's sake. Suddenly, angel choirs started to sing (I think it's a sales tactic at the AT&T store) and a bright light started to eminate from this little piece of equipment that I used to call a cell phone. This mini computer was nothing short of amazing. (SCRATCH - insert loud sound like an album being scratched by a needle.) BUT, I don't want to pay $199 for a phone. I'm too cheap. Let me go home and think about this for a day or two and I'll be back to buy the Blackberry as I originally planned.
Then, the news broke. In its unusual and unexpected way, Apple put the cart before the horse and started offering its NEW AND IMPROVED iPhone for $199 and its old boring one (that I held in my hand just hours before) was now $99.
I ran, didn't walk (well, actually drove) to the AT&T store certain that there would be a crush of people. I told the man, "I want the iPhone!" Which one? Uh, duh, of COURSE the $99. Every thought or consideration I ever had about the Blackberry went right out the window. I never even gave it a second thought. Brilliant marketing technique coupled with perfect timing and Apple got the sale that Blackberry wanted. Now, I'm an aging GenXr learning how to use my cool new phone. My few Blackberry friends (who are the same age) are waiting anxiously for my verdict to see if they too could be cool enough to have an iPhone. Apple has made this one of the coolest products on the planet that even a 40 something technobackwards girl can get her arms around.
The marketing lesson to be learned? Timing is everything and if you're going to hype something around generation Xrs, you better start with their friends. In the end, that's really what made me change my mind. The facebook chatter was quite convincing. Use social networking to sell your brand, then put it on sale and create a sense of demand...it will be a winner! oops, my iPhone is vibrating. I think it wants to go out for a walk.
Armed with that information, ignoring the snide comments from my facebook friends who laughed at the mere mention of Blackberries when the almighty iPhone was in the same room, I went to the trusty AT&T store to take one more look at the Blackberries and figure out if I needed the $99 or the $199 one that had just come out. The clever salesperson told me that in fact, I could get an iPhone for $199 as well and it did everything the Blackberry did...but more.
Hmmm. But what about the difficulty in texting on that flat screen. "You get used to it." He said. Then he told me how he cried when he lost his iPhone and had to convert back to the Blackberry due to financial difficulties (I assume the $99 fit his bill) As he wiped a tear in memory of his iPhone, I was almost convinced that I should at least consider the $199 iPhone even though I had no original intentions of spending $199 for the Blackberry.
The salesman carefully placed it in my hands and made it do things I couldn't even begin to imagine. The thing can turn itself into a FLASHLIGHT for heaven's sake. Suddenly, angel choirs started to sing (I think it's a sales tactic at the AT&T store) and a bright light started to eminate from this little piece of equipment that I used to call a cell phone. This mini computer was nothing short of amazing. (SCRATCH - insert loud sound like an album being scratched by a needle.) BUT, I don't want to pay $199 for a phone. I'm too cheap. Let me go home and think about this for a day or two and I'll be back to buy the Blackberry as I originally planned.
Then, the news broke. In its unusual and unexpected way, Apple put the cart before the horse and started offering its NEW AND IMPROVED iPhone for $199 and its old boring one (that I held in my hand just hours before) was now $99.
I ran, didn't walk (well, actually drove) to the AT&T store certain that there would be a crush of people. I told the man, "I want the iPhone!" Which one? Uh, duh, of COURSE the $99. Every thought or consideration I ever had about the Blackberry went right out the window. I never even gave it a second thought. Brilliant marketing technique coupled with perfect timing and Apple got the sale that Blackberry wanted. Now, I'm an aging GenXr learning how to use my cool new phone. My few Blackberry friends (who are the same age) are waiting anxiously for my verdict to see if they too could be cool enough to have an iPhone. Apple has made this one of the coolest products on the planet that even a 40 something technobackwards girl can get her arms around.
The marketing lesson to be learned? Timing is everything and if you're going to hype something around generation Xrs, you better start with their friends. In the end, that's really what made me change my mind. The facebook chatter was quite convincing. Use social networking to sell your brand, then put it on sale and create a sense of demand...it will be a winner! oops, my iPhone is vibrating. I think it wants to go out for a walk.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Advertising in hard times - GM's new commercial
During one of what must be the most difficult times in any business, GM made a surprising move. Last night I watched a commercial that basically said, "We're GM, we didn't do a good enough job, we're completely restructuring, here's how we're going to do it." It was a really good commercial. Against what many believe, in hard times, DON'T eliminate your advertising and marketing budget. In the case of GM, some very smart marketing person (or team) decided that the American people are famous for forgiving when they are told the truth. The ad didn't use a bunch of flowery language, didn't try to temper the message, just told the truth. The commercial clearly told viewers that the company could no longer do what it has been doing. It's our money that's bailing them out, don't we have the right to know? I don't know about the rest of you, but I can handle the truth and appreciate it. If GM would have come out and said, "We're better than before, we are still the greatest, we're top of our game, etc." I would have been disappointed. They're not. Instead, they are saying, "We screwed up and now here's what we're going to do to fix it."
By launching a straightforward campaign, the backlash of naysayers is likely to be less volatile. There will be those who complain that our bail out money is going to the advertisers instead of into the restructuring process, but I would have to disagree. When your company is doing something to improve itself, the only way your publics are going to know is if you advertise it. You cannot rely soley on public relations - even though that's an important part of the communication strategy. Too many businesses see advertising as an expendable expense. Instead, it should be considered an invaluable investment. You can make the greatest product in the world, but if the people don't know about it, it remains the greatest product in the world - sitting in a garage somewhere. It is hard to justify advertising expenditures when you have to lay people off. People are more important, right? The fact is, with a slow down of business, you need fewer people to complete the job. The smart companies are ramping up their advertising right now while media costs are lower. If I was an advertiser, I'd want to be the one who people hear about, talk about and buy from. The others are biding their time until things turn around. Sadly things may not for them.
As a cynical Gen Xr, I must say that I'm taking the wait and see attitude with GM. Maybe it's still a bunch of puffery. But when you tell me that you're decreasing the number of models available, that tells me that you're cutting fat. When you tell me that you're making an environmentally friendly car that qualifies for stimulus money, that tells me that you're jumping on the environmental bandwagon and we may all benefit. We'll see how things turn out. I'm currently a die-hard Honda fan and probably STILL won't buy a GM, but I know there are many who are staunch buy-American types who felt like the world was going to end when GM crashed. This ad campaign gives them hope. Good work GM. Now if you can make a car as reliable as my Honda, there may be some competition. We'll see.
By launching a straightforward campaign, the backlash of naysayers is likely to be less volatile. There will be those who complain that our bail out money is going to the advertisers instead of into the restructuring process, but I would have to disagree. When your company is doing something to improve itself, the only way your publics are going to know is if you advertise it. You cannot rely soley on public relations - even though that's an important part of the communication strategy. Too many businesses see advertising as an expendable expense. Instead, it should be considered an invaluable investment. You can make the greatest product in the world, but if the people don't know about it, it remains the greatest product in the world - sitting in a garage somewhere. It is hard to justify advertising expenditures when you have to lay people off. People are more important, right? The fact is, with a slow down of business, you need fewer people to complete the job. The smart companies are ramping up their advertising right now while media costs are lower. If I was an advertiser, I'd want to be the one who people hear about, talk about and buy from. The others are biding their time until things turn around. Sadly things may not for them.
As a cynical Gen Xr, I must say that I'm taking the wait and see attitude with GM. Maybe it's still a bunch of puffery. But when you tell me that you're decreasing the number of models available, that tells me that you're cutting fat. When you tell me that you're making an environmentally friendly car that qualifies for stimulus money, that tells me that you're jumping on the environmental bandwagon and we may all benefit. We'll see how things turn out. I'm currently a die-hard Honda fan and probably STILL won't buy a GM, but I know there are many who are staunch buy-American types who felt like the world was going to end when GM crashed. This ad campaign gives them hope. Good work GM. Now if you can make a car as reliable as my Honda, there may be some competition. We'll see.
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