Archive for August, 2009

Bulldog Reporter Panel: Tips on Writing for the Web, New Media

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

Posted by Tom Gable

I participated in a lively Bulldog Reporter audio conference on “Advanced PR Writing for the Web: New Media Wordsmiths Reveal Copywriting Secrets to Grow.”

The 90-minute session was packed with good advice and enhanced with Tweets from participants and the audience (search for the hashtag #webwrite). Moderated by Jon Greer, it featured: Don Bates, Instructor and Founding Director, Master’s Degree Program in Strategic Public Relations, The George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management, @batesdon1; Debbie Weil, Corporate & CEO Blogging Consultant; Author, “The Corporate Blogging Book,” @debbieweil; Sarah Skerik, Vice President, Distribution Services, PR Newswire, @SarahSkerik; Ken O’Quinn, Corporate Writing Coach, Writing With Clarity, @influencewrite; Nettie Hartsock, Principal, The Hartsock Agency, @nettiehartsock; and Tom Gable, CEO, Gable PR, author of “The PR Client Service Manual,” @tomgable.

Common threads from the participants on how to break through in writing for the new media could have come from senior editors at the world’s leading publications: be relevant, useful, insightful, interesting, focused, topical and jargon-free.

Debbie Weil stressed good story-telling – bringing characters and company stories to life – and planning for future posting. Create an editorial calendar for major themes and stories, which can be enhanced with breaking topical news. Ken O’Quinn said to start with brilliant headlines. Think like a copy editor or the editor in charge of writing the table of contents for a magazine. Can you be interesting in a dozen words?

For short items, Don Bates said to be “snackable” – where readers can take short bites and be pleased.

Sarah Skerik provided insights into search engine optimization and using key words in releases that would tie into common search terms being used by media or anyone interested in the space.

Nettie Hartsock counseled against getting too carried away with search terms so the headers and copy turned into gobbledygook. There is also the downside of technical people getting too caught up in the process, which results in what critics call “typing not writing.”

For outside reading assignments, the group mentioned several classics: Cluetrain Manifesto; Body of Truth; Accidental Genius and Psychology of Persuasion.

In addition to the big ideas, yours truly went over the Gable PR seven-point litmus test as a starting point for issuing real news stories with topical, relevant information and evocative and provocative quotes. This was adapted from an earlier PR University teleseminar and workshops at various PRSA and Counselors Academy conferences.

1. Is it really newsworthy to anyone other than the company and, perhaps, the CEO’s family and a few friends?

2. How big is the impact: company, community, region, market niche or category, industry, technology or science breakthrough, nation, hemisphere, humanity?

3. Has the same or similar story already been told (quick database research will answer the question)?

4. Can the premise be supported by valid data, third party sources, real case histories and ongoing proof of principle?

5. Does the company have credible “gurus,” or spokesmen and women who can bring the story to life and become valuable and trusted resources for the media?

6. Can the company be further differentiated by its people, technology, culture and personality? Or if you lined up all the companies in the space would they all look and sound alike?

7. Can the story be summarized in a compelling headline, Tweet or one or two-sentence sound bite or elevator pitch? If posted through social media, will it generate interest and action (Re-tweeting, links, etc.)?

This quick test can help create a smart, compelling and interesting story or posting that breaks through the clutter, communicates to key audiences and supports the long-term image and reputation of your client or organization.

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Posted in Authentic PR, Brilliant Counsel, Client Service Results, Clutter Busting, Hype Free PR, Social Media | 2 Comments »

GM Volt Hits Reputation Management PR Hype Trifecta; Math Strangely Missing

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009
What's behind the curtain

What's behind the curtain

Posted by Tom Gable

General Motors held a major media event to promote the 230 mile-per-gallon capability of its Volt electric car, preceded by a “What is 230″ viral campaign.  PR and marketing experts jumped in quickly to question the goal of the hype program for a car that wasn’t due out for one year.  Was it a preemptive strike against other electric cars in the queue? Or one small step for GM in repositioning itself?

The campaign did create buzz, plus questions, criticism and skepticism – the PR reputation management Trifecta.

Even worse, the media missed the big story and one that potentially pops the 230 MPG bubble: the Volt will be more costly to own and operate than less expensive cars getting far worse gas mileage.

The media debate centered on the validity of the MPG claims. The Los Angeles Times pointed out that the 230 MPG was based on city driving where the car might never use the gasoline engine. GM had calculated highway mileage for longer trips but didn’t release the data. Cynics wondered if the number fell in the Hummer range.

CNET raised similar questions about the mileage calculations and said it “begs an obvious question: how can the mileage of electric vehicles be compared to gasoline cars?”

AdAge took umbrage with the “What is 230?” buzz campaign.

“The push was flawed because it was ill-timed, targeted a group that is not likely to be the core Volt buyer and — most of all — didn’t offer enough clues to engage people,” Abbey Klaassen wrote.

Ian Schafer, CEO of Deep Focus, said he saw more talk about the government moving onto a 230-volt standard than this being for an electric car. Jokesters wondered if the question came from Conan O’Brien asking what was the new weight of Christie Alley.

Scout Labs, which measures social-media chatter, noted in AdAge that the “What is 230″ buzz also helped deliver a spike for rival Toyota’s Prius, an unintended consequence.

AdAge asked GM why do a teaser campaign. CEO Fritz Henderson said that in order to win a new generation of buyers, “we need to relate to people between 16 and 30. They communicate differently and we need to make sure we plug into that.”

“That may be true, but so is this: At $40,000, the Volt will be too expensive for much of that demographic,” AdAge notes, which gets to the BIG issue.

Surprisingly, if you do the math on costs of the Volt versus traditional cars costing less and getting significantly lower miles per gallon, the Volt loses.

The following table shows the cost of owning and buying gasoline for cars costing $20,000, $30,000 and $40,000 (estimated cost of the Volt). The 48-month and 60-month payments were calculated at 10 percent interest using Bankrate.

For mileage, the calculations were based on driving 10,000 miles a year and getting 20 or 40 miles per gallon at a price of $4.00 a gallon. We rounded off the Volt to 200 MPG from 230, assuming there might be a little highway driving.

In the worst-case scenario of traditional cars getting 20 miles per gallon over five years and a total fuel cost of $10,000 versus $1,000 for the Volt, the $20,000 and $30,000 cars are $16,496 and $3,748 cheaper to own and operate than the electric Volt. At 40 MPG, the savings are $21,496 and $8,748 over five years ($5,000 total fuel cost versus $1,000 for the Volt).

Bottom line: before using all your big guns, tools and tactics to launch a new initiative, position or product, analyze the backfire. Will it be minor, from the omnipresent critics and skeptics, or could it create long-term damage to your reputation and future business and marketing goals?

Four and Five Year Costs – Volt Versus 20MPG and 40MPG Cars Costing $20k and $30k

Car Cost

48

Annual

Subtotal

20 MPG

TOTAL

Diff

$20,000

$507

$6,087

$24,349

$8,000

$32,349

$17,147

$30,000

$761

$9,131

$36,522

$8,000

$44,522

$4,974

$40,000

$1,015

$12,174

$48,696

$800

$49,496

48

Annual

Subtotal

40 MPG

TOTAL

Diff

$20,000

$507

$6,087

$24,349

$4,000

$28,349

$21,147

$30,000

$761

$9,131

$36,522

$4,000

$40,522

$8,974

$40,000

$1,015

$12,174

$48,696

$800

$49,496

60

Annual

Total

20 MPG

TOTAL

Diff

$20,000

$425

$5,099

$25,496

$10,000

$35,496

$16,496

$30,000

$637

$7,649

$38,245

$10,000

$48,245

$3,748

$40,000

$850

$10,199

$50,993

$1,000

$51,993

60

Annual

Total

40 MPG

TOTAL

Diff

$20,000

$425

$5,099

$25,496

$5,000

$30,496

$21,496

$30,000

$637

$7,649

$38,245

$5,000

$43,245

$8,748

$40,000

$850

$10,199

$50,993

$1,000

$51,993

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Posted in Authentic PR, Client Service Results, Horizon Management, Hype Free PR, Social Media | 1 Comment »

Update – Aquarium of the Pacific Survey Rises Again

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

Posted by Erin Koch

I wanted to post a quick update to our earlier entry on the Aquarium of the Pacific Web survey aimed at helping them establish a new price for their Child ticket.

In addition to blogging about my experience, I sent a somewhat-critical e-mail to the Aquarium suggesting that their survey might be improved. They graciously responded, almost immediately, and said they were interested in getting input from a public opinion research company on how their survey process might be improved.

We contacted a long-time research partner, CIC Research, and they agreed to help the Aquarium make some edits to the survey. I’ll be posting another update here soon on what CIC suggested. Beyond the survey, this shows how an organization can be responsive and turn a potentially negative PR experience into a positive.

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The One-Minute News Cycle; Social Media Critical in Crisis PR

Wednesday, August 12th, 2009

Deep, Fast Searching

Deep, Fast Searching

Posted by Liz Dill

According to an article in The Wall Street Journal entitled, “For Companies, a Tweet in Time Can Avert PR Mess,” many large corporations such as Ford, Southwest Airlines and Pepsi are creating social media teams. By closely monitoring social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.) they can quickly identify potential issues, analyze customer feedback in real-time and craft effective communications strategies to deal with the breaking issue while protecting the reputation of the organization. The article specifically mentions a situation where a Southwest Airlines flight had to make an emergency landing and their emerging media team was able to scan social media sites for passenger response to the incident, and then was able to craft an appropriate message on behalf of the Airline based on their findings.

In an ideal world of strategic public relations, goals are set, actions carefully planned, core messages thoughtfully crafted and outcomes weighed. The same systematic approach is particularly important when confronted with a crisis situation. Avoid the urge to launch a quick reactive response. Use all the resources available to gather information and create an intelligent, insightful situation analysis on the impact of the situation in both short and long term. Gable PR has detailed checklist to help in the process.

Analyze the results and determine the strategic response. With the impact of social media and the impact on the velocity of news and buzz, clients, organizations and their PR professionals need to be up-to-the minute. Look beyond Google News and the other news trackers to monitor the pulse of the conversations and emerging tones in real time. Without intense scrutiny of the social media universe, an organization could see a small incident gain global buzz and quickly escalate into a larger PR crisis – one with long-term impact that extends beyond the short-term issue.

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Aquarium of the Pacific Survey Sinks to Bottom of the PR Tank

Monday, August 10th, 2009

Underwater Wonder

Underwater Wonder

Posted by Erin Koch

We frequently remind our clients at Gable PR of the importance of getting solid audience intelligence before launching a comprehensive PR program. Knowing which messages will move your audience to take action, as well as where they get their information is the foundation of an effective PR campaign. It’s the PR equivalent of plotting a cross-country automobile trip; know all the nuances and details long before you even start packing.

But it is absolutely crucial that this research be conducted in a way that will result in accurate data. The road map can’t be based on leading questions or a biased audience sample.

I recently received an e-mail from the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific. The e-mail asked me to complete a quick Zoomerang survey. I agreed. From the outset, it was apparent that the aquarium was attempting to find a new pricepoint for the Child ticket. So they were conducting audience research on new ticket prices: a topic that will clearly require a good road map for communicating with their guests. Here is how the survey went:

    • Screen 1 – Would you be willing to pay $18.95 for a Child admission to the Aquarium of the Pacific?
    • 2 – Would you be willing to pay $17.95?
    • 3 – $16.95?
    • 4 – $15.95?
    • 5 –$14.95?

Now, as a card-carrying father to three fish-loving kids, how do you think I answered each question? As I continued checking off the “no” box, the amount of the proposed ticket price kept dropping! A wonderful thing! So I obviously continued checking “no” until the survey moved on to a different topic.

Had the question been phrased differently, I might have had a different response. For example:

At Aquarium of the Pacific, we strive to provide each guest with an experience that is worth far more than the price of admission. In this challenging economic climate, we are currently reviewing our ticket prices to determine whether changes might be acceptable to our valued guests, and would appreciate your honest input on what you would be willing to pay for a Child admission. Please check off all boxes that apply:

    • $18-20 [ ]
    • $16-18 [ ]
    • $14-16 [ ]
    • $12-14 [ ]

Giving the question more context, then providing the full range of prices under consideration on a single screen, makes me much more likely to give a straightforward answer, rather than trying to “game” the system to get the price to go as low as possible. It would also be easier and faster to complete, increasing the response rate.

Audience research is crucial. But the effort is wasted if the data is collected in a way that is biased. In this case, the Aquarium of the Pacific is very likely to receive data that indicate that very few of their prior guests are willing to pay even their lowest proposed price for a Child admission.

A final note: once I completed the survey, the screen stated, rather tersely, that I did not meet the qualifications to continue to an additional survey. A simple “thank you for your valued input” would have been good PR and much friendlier. And, more importantly, as a huge fan of the Aquarium of the Pacific, I dread the thought of them making a crucial pricing decision based on an awkwardly constructed survey completed by a non-representative audience sample.

Photo by Kevitivity

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Posted in Brilliant Counsel, Client Service Results, Horizon Management, In the Beginning | Comments Off

PR in Social Media: Not a Campaign, a Relationship

Friday, August 7th, 2009

Building Relationships

Building Relationships

Posted by Krista Rogers

PRNewswire hosted a recent panel discussion about media, public relations and the impact of social media. One of the quotes that struck a chord with many attendees was from Becky Carroll, President of PETRA consulting.

Becky said, “Social media is not a campaign, it is a relationship.” Heads were nodding throughout the room and flashing thumbs quickly tweeted and retweeted her words.

A campaign has a distinct beginning and end, she said, where as having an effective social media presence is about communication and building relationships. Social media is not a tactic to check off of your public relations to-do list. It provides a platform to connect with those current supporters of your organization and find new ones.

In one example, Becky cited Coca-Cola currently, with over 3.5 million fans on their Facebook Page, where Pepsi has less than one-tenth that, around 250,000. The main difference? The human approach versus a corporate one.

Coca-Cola’s fan page was started by two men, Dusty Sorg and Michael Jedrzejewski, who simply enjoy the beverage and had no relation to the company. They care about the brand and are Coke brand advocates. Coca-Cola eventually approached the men and asked to partner with them on the fan page. Coke did not try to commercialize the fan because; its PR team understood that for social media to be successful it must remain authentic. The people who read and post on the page do it because they love the product and not because they are paid to post. Being involved on the Coca-Cola’s Facebook fan page doesn’t leave a feeling of being “sold.”

Companies often fail in their social media initiatives because they are trying to sell themselves rather than create an open forum for discussion and interaction. Many post corporate messages and re-packaged press releases on their social media networks. They don’t interact with their followers. For instance, Coca-Cola’s page has over 1,700 pictures that fans have uploaded from around the world to share with Coke and the Coke-loving community. Pepsi’s page only has 52.

Being involved in social media means relinquishing control and cooperating and engaging with your audience. As all the social media gurus note (Robert Scoble, Shel Holtz, Chris Brogan, Seth Godin, etc.), to be effective in social media requires an organization to open up to what others are saying. Listen closely and respond in an open conversation with a human voice. By getting beyond the one-way communication model, organizations can enjoy sustained interaction with their fans and expand the fan base, while letting traditional PR strategies such as media relations and news releases handle the heavy-lifting in an ongoing campaign.

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Posted in Authentic PR, Brilliant Counsel, Client Service Results, Leverage, Social Media | Comments Off

New Must-Win Game for Michael Vick: PR, Reputation Management

Monday, August 3rd, 2009
 
Vick: Pre Dog Days

Vick: Pre Dog Days

Posted by Liz Dill and Tom Gable

In 2007 Michael Vick plunged from admired sports hero to disdained felon for his involvement in running a dog fighting ring. He was convicted of promoting, funding and facilitating this cruel and inhumane operation and sentenced to 18 months in federal prison. The NFL suspended his pay and sponsors cancelled his lucrative endorsement deals.

After being released from prison Vick was conditionally reinstated to the NFL, a move that has been criticized by many. According to an article in The New York Times, one of Vick’s next biggest battles will be how teams and the public will receive him – his personal rebranding.

While in prison, Vick got a head-start on his PR and rebranding campaign by forging a relationship with the Humane Society and announcing that he will be working with the organization to discourage dog fighting and educate youth about its evils. Since NFL fans are historically forgiving of athletes’ follies and legal entanglements, Vick has the opportunity to become a role model and recover his personal brand reputation.

Can he recover? Will he walk the talk, move in a positive new direction and not simply spew platitudes crafted from the Crisis PR 101 playbook? He needs to be sincere in his apology and actively engage in a program of continuous community service. He must be prepared for widespread hostility wherever he appears (imagine the signs, costumes and howling, barking crowds on the attack in every stadium he visits). From an authentic PR perspective, here are a few suggestions for Vick to consider in creating a new reputation:

  • Start a non-profit foundation that focuses on improving animal health and welfare, such as one that works to rehabilitate abandoned fighting dogs and places them in new homes.
  • Create a scholarship program in his name through the Humane Society to provide grants each year to students pursuing veterinary care studies.
  • Donate a portion of his salary and future endorsements to organizations that work to fight animal cruelty.
  • Mend his relationships with animal and pet organizations by appearing in public service announcements that promote proper behavior.
  • Volunteer every month at a local animal shelter and work with the shelter to raise additional donations.
  • Establish a program to speak to groups about the horrors of dog fighting.
  • Write a series of opinion-editorial pieces on lessons learned; place with traditional and online media.
  • Create a Facebook page and communicate directly with fans; create conversations.
  • Open a Twitter account so fans can follow his entrance back into the NFL and keep updated on his many positive public activities.

Even these steps and many more, taken over several seasons and perhaps his entire career, may not be enough to salvage his reputation. The ball is in his hands.

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Posted in Authentic PR, Brilliant Counsel, Client Service Results, Crisis PR, Horizon Management, Hype Free PR | 3 Comments »