Archive for December, 2009

PR and Reputation Management for the Future – Clear Vision, Moving Horizon

Friday, December 18th, 2009

The Moving PR Horizon

The Moving PR Horizon

Posted by Tom Gable

As reported here previously, a PRSA Counselors Academy survey identified the key issues facing the PR agencies and internal staffs in the ongoing transition of the PR professional from vendor to trusted counselor. The top line action items: demonstrating return on investment (ROI), providing authentic counsel, embracing social media, improving technology and finding new ways of measurement.

My segment during a panel discussion of the findings at the PRSA International provided ideas on enhancing client service. As covered earlier, Gable PR and many others recommend getting off to a fast start by using internal and external audits. They are a cost-effective and quick means of gathering the intelligence required to create strategic long-term programs.

With research in place, agencies and internal PR staffs can start planning to build future image from a strong foundation and based on a bright, strategic vision. As an analogy, think about creating a beautiful new high-rise office building, cathedral, synagogue, museum, football stadium or other major architectural undertaking. What do you want the finished product to look like – the final rendering? Then, what are the essential elements needed to bring the vision to life?

Steel-Solid Facts, No Hype

In PR, branding and positioning, the foundation must be legitimate, ethical, credible, authentic and steel-solid with facts. From there, image builds on three to four core values. Then, every piece of communications provides additional support for each core value, building a row at a time to create a future award-wining edifice. Add a row or two of hype? And the walls will come crumbling down.

How to organize the PR efforts necessary to create new images and reputations? We call it Horizon Management, a concept that assumes you can plan for and achieve the desired results. Then, once the desired position is reached, positive communications must continue to perpetuity. Markets change. Competitors come and go. New communications tools are created and channels opened. So aim for the horizon – and keep moving the horizon!

The pro-active PR professional routinely looks a year or more ahead for new opportunities and provides the leadership that keeps relationships and results growing over time. Go beyond the ordinary and expected. Fresh ideas keep clients and bosses engaged and enthusiastic. The approach also builds trust and respect. Even if there is disagreement, clients know the professional is focused on their future success, not personal agendas. As a result, the PR professional is transformed from vendor or staff person to trusted counselor and strategic partner, building relationships that endure and prosper.

Horizon Management

Here are a couple of quick tips for launching horizon management.

Conduct an Environmental and Situation Analysis

  • Annual plans, milestones, events, conferences, quarterly reports, audit info, other “knowns”

Get Creative with the “Flip Side”

  • What exists? What doesn’t?
  • Where are the holes?
  • What new ideas can we bring to the table?

Take Your Plan Over the Horizon

  • Propose bigger ideas, new programs, and added value
  • Have short-term action items for daily engagement
  • Set a vision for the future (changing image, behavior)
  • Brainstorm regularly, provide continuous creativity
  • Update monthly and keep moving the horizon
  • Manage for results, not time
  • Understand client rhythms, synchronize
  • Set new standards for responsiveness

Monthly Litmus Test on Program Success

Examine recent client experiences, relationships, evolution, momentum, stagnation and any confusion or misdirection:

  • What worked?
  • What didn’t?
  • What (or who) changed?
  • What was missing?
  • What steps do we need to take to generate clearly superior results?

Detailed Check List for Client Success

  • Understand the client business, plans, and goals
  • Match expertise to client needs
  • Do your homework
  • Set realistic expectations
  • Build a team – internally and with the client
  • Develop long-range plans, critical steps
  • Establish procedures, protocols for planning, ongoing creative, approvals, measurement
  • Be strategic and authentic
  • Use appropriate tools and tactics
  • Communicate consistently and creatively!
  • Keep moving the horizon
  • And celebrate as you build relationships that endure to perpetuity

Obviously, these are bullet points that require a lot more thought for each and could be turned into a chapter in a book (They are! The Fifth Edition of the PR Client Service Manual is advancing toward release in Spring 2010). For a free PDF of the Fourth Edition, circa 2001, email me at tom@gablepr.com.

Posted by Tom Gable

As reported here previously, a PRSA Counselors Academy survey identified the key issues facing the PR agencies and internal staffs in the ongoing transition of the PR professional from vendor to trusted counselor. The top line action items: demonstrating return on investment (ROI), providing authentic counsel, embracing social media, improving technology and finding new ways of measurement.

My segment during a panel discussion of the findings at the PRSA International provided ideas on enhancing client service.  As covered earlier, Gable PR and many others recommend getting off to a fast start by using internal and external audits.  They are a cost-effective and quick means of gathering the intelligence required to create strategic long-term programs.

With research in place, agencies and internal PR staffs can start planning to build future image from a strong foundation and based on a bright, strategic vision. As an analogy, think about creating a beautiful new high-rise office building, cathedral, synagogue, museum, football stadium or other major architectural undertaking.  What do you want the finished product to look like – the final rendering? Then, what are the essential elements needed to bring the vision to life?

Steel-Solid Facts, No Hype

In PR, branding and positioning, the foundation must be legitimate, ethical, credible, authentic and steel-solid with facts.  From there, image builds on three to four core values. Then, every piece of communications provides additional support for each core value, building a row at a time to create a future award-wining edifice. Add a row or two of hype? And the walls will come crumbling down.

How to organize the PR efforts necessary to create new images and reputations?  We call it Horizon Management, a concept that assumes you can plan for and achieve the desired results.  Then, once the desired position is reached, positive communications must continue to perpetuity.  Markets change. Competitors come and go. New communications tools are created and channels opened.  So aim for the horizon – and keep moving the horizon!

The pro-active PR professional routinely looks a year or more ahead for new opportunities and provides the leadership that keeps relationships and results growing over time. Go beyond the ordinary and expected. Fresh ideas keep clients and bosses engaged and enthusiastic. The approach also builds trust and respect. Even if there is disagreement, clients know the professional is focused on their future success, not personal agendas.  As a result, the PR professional is transformed from vendor or staff person to trusted counselor and strategic partner, building relationships that endure and prosper.

Horizon Management

Here are a couple of quick tips for launching horizon management.

Conduct an Environmental and Situation Analysis

Annual plans, milestones, events, conferences, quarterly reports, audit info, other “knowns”

Get Creative with the “Flip Side”

What exists? What doesn’t?

Where are the holes?

What new ideas can we bring to the table?

Take Your Plan Over the Horizon

Propose bigger ideas, new programs, and added value

Have short-term action items for daily engagement

Set a vision for the future (changing image, behavior)

Brainstorm regularly, provide continuous creativity

Update monthly and keep moving the horizon

Manage for results, not time

Understand client rhythms, synchronize

Set new standards for responsiveness

Monthly Litmus Test on Program Success

Examine recent client experiences, relationships, evolution, momentum, stagnation, confusion

What worked?

What didn’t?

What (or who) changed?

What was missing?

What steps do we need to take to generate clearly superior results?

Detailed Check List for Client Success

Understand the client business, plans, and goals

Match expertise to client needs

Do your homework

Set realistic expectations

Build a team – internally and with the client

Develop long-range plans, critical steps

Establish procedures, protocols for planning, ongoing creative, approvals, measurement

Be strategic and authentic

Use appropriate tools and tactics

Communicate consistently and creatively!

Keep moving the horizon

And celebrate as you build relationships that endure to perpetuity.

Obviously, these are bullet points that require a lot more thought for each and could be turned into a chapter in a book (They are!  The Fifth Edition of the PR Client Service Manual is advancing toward release in Spring 2010).  For a free PDF of the Fourth Edition, circa 2001, email me at tom@gablepr.com.

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

The external PR image audit: quick benchmark, reality test for measuring reputation

Friday, December 4th, 2009

The Ears Have It

The Ears Have It

Posted by Tom Gable

Client relations and finding new ways of measurement were two key issues facing PR firms based on results of a recent PRSA Counselors Academy survey which was released at the International Conference in San Diego. Connecting better with clients through an internal audit and other methods was recommended in the previous posting and in a talk to the conference. For developing valuable insights into image and the competitive environment, conduct an external audit, Although not new (probably first done by Edward Bernays), it can be done quickly, at far less expense than many other forms of qualitative research and will provide insights you can use in developing brilliant long-term plans for your clients.

Where internal audits delve into the soul and culture of an organization, external audits can probe the perceptions of media, analysts, customers, suppliers, academicians and visionaries in the space, serving as a reality test of the quality of a client’s image. As we found in some cases at Gable PR, the results can be a rude awakening.

Popping Bubbles (and organizational charts)

Gable PR was working with a scientific and research institution that was incredibly full of itself. An external audit showed it to be held in much lower esteem than several competing institutions. The findings helped get management focused on a program to first change their culture, planning processes and internal communications before getting pro-active with a new public relations program aimed at raising reputation to new heights. With one software company, the media thought that it had gone bankrupt because it hadn’t issued updated software in 18 months, much less a news release.

The best external audits are conducted by skilled interviewers and without the participants knowing the identity of the client. The audits can be positioned as gathering information for a marketing study to be published in a trade journal (which we often do). Stress confidentiality and anonymity to encourage candor and promise to send a copy of the results.

Start with a 30,000-foot question that establishes the focus of the research, such as: “In looking at companies in the accounting software (biotech screening, wet suit manufacturing, real estate development, etc.) field, who is the industry leader?”

The Qualities of Leadership?

The respondent may mention more than one. Pick one and ask: “What are the attributes that make them a leader?” If they make general statements like “quality,” probe deeper; do the same for categories such as technology, science, people, financial strength and culture (“Tell me more about the people.”).

Then, look at the flip side: “Any negatives?” Become an investigate reporter, of sorts. “Anything they need to change?” Open-ended questions work wonders.

Have a list of other companies in the field to ask about, including your client, and move through a reasonable number. “What about HyperGalactic Turboware?” “Effluvia BioDiagnostics?” “Are you familiar with the NanoMolecular Research Institute of Fleem? Your thoughts?” Delving into three or four, including your client, will provide a reasonable number for analysis.

With just seven or eight smart open-ended questions, a skilled interviewer will secure sterling insights into perceptions from the outside world. Move toward closure with a big picture question such as: “What are the two or three biggest issues facing the industry in the next two years?” And: “Anything else you would care to add?”

The Message Not the Messenger

Once the audits are complete, create a master document with all the answers inserted randomly after each question. Don’t include attribution. By mixing up the answers and eliminating sources, the focus is on perceptions and messages, not the messenger.

Conduct a gap analysis with the internal audit. How do perceptions line up? What exists? More importantly, where do you need to go?

At this stage, the PR firm can use the findings to brainstorm on recommended long-range plans for the client. Set timetables for repeating the external audit as one means of measuring progress in moving an image in the right direction. Establish other means of measurement, which can include social media monitoring, content analysis and regularly scheduled online surveys using tools such as Survey Monkey and Zoomerang. Both are inexpensive, easy to use and can provide additional insights to consider in your strategic planning on positioning, differentiation and more importantly, getting the organization aligned to move its image and reputation in the right direction.

(For a sample external audit questionnaire, email: tom@gablepr.com)

Next: Basic Check List for Success in Client Relations

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Posted in Authentic PR, Brilliant Counsel, Client Service Results, In the Beginning | 2 Comments »