Category

Public Relations

Jun 07
Love0

On Mistakes, and the Benefit of Learning from Them

By Public Relations

Mistakes.

If you can’t admit you’ve made them, you don’t belong here. I’ve made a lot of them; some of them real doozies.  I’ve come  to appreciate the benefit of mistakes; that for every one I’ve made, even the ones that harbor deep regret, I’ve learned, and become better for the experience.

A while ago I watched this video and became captivated by Kathryn Schultz’s topic: read Why Being Wrong is Good for You. I think this is the kind of lesson we all need now and again; and even if we already know it, is worth the regular reminder.

Communications — the industry in which I work — would not exist if it weren’t for mistakes — misunderstandings, missteps (intentional or not) by corporations necessitating public relations strategy, major snafus discovered and shared by media and social media that can make or break a brand’s reputation. I should be grateful for mistakes! Much of what I do centers on keeping clients from making them, or helping clean them up when they occur.

James Dyson, famed innovator and vacuum cleaner mogul shares his story of the 5,000 mistakes he made before creating the Dyson vacuum that took his name to the top of the industry.

If you’re brave enough, tell me in the comments about a mistake you’ve made, and learned from.

While you eat your lunch today, (come on, I know you’ll be at your desk munching on a sandwich), watch the following 10 minute video. Diana Laufenberg teaches us how we learn from mistakes, and why it’s important.

May 18
Love0

What does your digital footprint say about you?

By Public Relations, Social Media

Have we arrived at the moment when it’s actually rude to have not Googled someone before you meet?

I remember when it was still a little odd to discover you’d been Googled — during my interview for a job back in 2004, the owner of the firm referenced something I’d published and sheepishly confessed he’d Googled me.

Naturally, I’d Googled him, too. In fact, I would not think of not doing my homework on someone before we meet — when Google doesn’t give me enough information, I check LinkedIn profiles, look for Twitter accounts and see if they have a Facebook presence. It’s negligible not to, especially when I have a laptop with me almost all the time, an iPad, a smartphone and I suppose, in a pinch, without Internet access, people I could call to do the research and report back to me.

I sometimes jokingly refer people HERE when they ask how they can find me, or for contact information, experience or (gasp) for an old school business card. It’s offered jokingly, but the point is valid — I am cognizant of my digital footprint. More than that, I cultivate and nurture it. That is obviously important to the business I’m in, but I assert that its also important to the business YOU’RE in as well — no matter the business that is. I think especially if you’re in the business of improving your career, if you’re looking for that next great opportunity, managing and intentionally building your online presence is a very important step to take.

What happens when you Google yourself or your business? Are you pleased with what you find? What are you doing about it?

May 11
Love0

“Coal Cares” Crisis: What Peabody Energy Should Do Now

By Crisis Communications, Media, Public Relations, Social Media

Today’s news includes the story of a hoax launched as an attack on coal company Peabody Energy. In short, an activist group calling itself Coal is Killing Kids developed a false campaign including a news release, a Coal Cares website and a Twitter account. The campaign positions itself as a Peabody Energy sponsored initiative (it’s not) to provide free inhalers and discounts for asthma medication for children living within 200 miles of a coal plant.

Close reading of the content on the site quickly reveals the true intent of the site’s creators. From the site:

Coal Cares™ is a brand-new initiative from Peabody Energy, the world’s largest private-sector coal company, to reach out to American youngsters with asthma and to help them keep their heads high in the face of those who would treat them with less than full dignity. For kids who have no choice but to use an inhaler, Coal Cares™ lets them inhale with pride.

Yikes. Peabody Energy should be in full crisis communication mode, prepared to react to this action. The company, however, seems to be under the impression that a social media-based initiative can be fought with traditional public relations. They’ve released a statement, and placed it on their website. The story has been picked up by CNN and Wired Science; CNN noted that “A Peabody Energy spokeswoman did not immediately return a call or an e-mail from CNN” and Wired Science mentions the company’s “immediate response” with the aforementioned statement released to the media.

Unfortunately, Peabody does not seem prepared to react and respond appropriately, using digital communications to combat a digital communications-based attack. Here are six things the company should do right now.

  1. Launch a website with a blog (I’d say launch a blog on their current site but it’s clear the Peabody Energy website needs a complete overhaul and there just isn’t time for that). The blog will provide a platform for the company to respond to questions and publish content correcting the misinformation the company says is being shared by the Coal Cares campaign.
  2. Appoint an active, visible spokesperson who will be accessible and is authorized to engage with the media and the public to address questions quickly.
  3. Create and post videos of the Peabody Energy team talking about the company’s efforts to run a safe and clean coal operation.
  4. Mobilize the coal community (employees, partners, political allies) and enlist their support in “liking” a multi-platform campaign and content designed to share positive stories about the company.
  5. Offer Vic Svec, the leadership team member with a Twitter account, counsel and coaching to leverage the effectiveness of that account and the ability to use Twitter to engage and share content that casts Peabody in a more positive light.
  6. Begin today working with the leadership team to help them understand the culture of transparency, the power of the social web and how they can use it in their own interests, and developing a social strategy that can be executed by members of the Peabody community so future attacks won’t have quite the same effect.

Coal is a difficult industry to defend, but it is not indefensible, nor is it an industry we can do without. Peabody deserves the chance to set the record straight and to have the tools to do so in the same platforms as their detractors. One thing social media makes available to all of us is a level playing field; you just need to know the rules of the game.

May 10
Love0

5 Ways Nonprofits Can Use Twitter for Fundraising, Brand Awareness and Public Relations

By Public Relations, Social Media

I’ve had a soft spot in my heart for nonprofits my whole life. At an early age I tagged along, helping my parents volunteer at a JDRF camp for kids. I continued involvement in volunteering as an adult, serving on boards, raising funds and contributing to dozens of nonprofit organizations over the years.

I’m honored, today, to be available to people representing nonprofits at a national conference focusing on social media in Washington, D.C. Today is the Social Media Summit of the Center for Nonprofit Success. I’ll be talking specifically about Twitter and nonprofits in an intermediate session of the day-long conference; then for three hours I’ll be available for one-on-one mentoring sessions for conference attendees to learn more. It promises to be both an exhilarating and exhausting day!

So while I’m busy conducting some in-person time, I’m sharing here five ways nonprofits can use Twitter — and some of what I’ll be discussing in the session tomorrow.

  1. Establish a consistent, responsive presence for the organization, monitoring and interacting with followers interested in what the nonprofit has to share in tweets.
  2. Following other nonprofits to learn about what is trending, happening and being shared via Twitter.
  3. Find interesting content to read via links being shared (and pass them on by re-tweeting).
  4. Share links to information about your organization, to interest funders and future donors in the real stories behind your nonprofit.
  5. Provide regular tweets with timely news about your nonprofit and the community it serves.

We’ll also be talking about some of our favorite Twitter tools at today’s workshop. Come visit our Facebook page to find out what they are!