Perfect PR

Recession Knocks: Public Relations Opportunities Loom

2008-07-22T18:05:00.000-07:00

Public Relations and Marketing During A Downward Economy -- Sounds like a boring topic. But in reality, opportunity is knocking at your door. It's up to you, whether you hunker down with the door bolted and shades down or whether you open the door and see what awaits.

Although every industry is different, one thing is common: when the economy takes a downward turn, human instinct drives us to step back, tighten our belts, and spend less. A pessimistic glass-half-empty approach is to sit back and see what fate comes our way (and maybe polish up our resumes). But those of us who are more optimistic (and a little more seasoned) see the glass half full. Now is the time to step out of the box and take a more creative, road-less-traveled approach to our public relations efforts. What I'm saying is -- fall back and punt.

So, I no longer have the budget for the glitzy, multi-faceted public relations and advertising campaign. So what! Some of my best ideas have culminated out of the necessity of doing less with more.

Recession's 7 Rs For Marketing & PR

Revisit your available budget and prioritize dollars based on organizational goals. Be real - if it is "icing on the top" and dollars can be better spent elsewhere with a bigger ROI, then reallocate them.
Reassess your public(s) and prioritize where time and dollars are best spent (again, aligned with organizational goals/profit centers). This includes building relationships with the media, trade organizations, vendors, key customers and employees - everyone is important. Extra attention now (when most businesses are still cowering behind locked doors) is time more noticed and well spent.
Reinvigorate or strengthen existing relationships and foster new relationships. I can't reiterate this enough.... value the folks you have relationships with. Make them feel important and liked and you can be the star of the show.
Recruit help and advice from your publics. My dad taught me, "People like people they can help. It makes them feel good." And he is 100% right. I've experienced this more than once (helping and being helped). When I asked for help, not only did I receive priceless advice, I was blessed with mutually beneficial friendships that would not have otherwise developed. Take heed: there's a difference between getting feedback and advice and asking someone to do your thinking.
Re-engineer innovative, economical approaches to link your business to your publics. Think out of the box. Think like a customer. What do they like, think or do? Go there... be it the soccer field, blog, social media, Second Life, coffee house, lunch, etc.
Reach for the stars and implement these new initiatives.
Review the initial outcomes and realign time, effort and strategy as appropriate. If it doesn't work, move on to your next idea. If it does work, share the good news and see how much further you can take it.

By proactively leading your company through economically tough times with trend-setting marketing and public relations efforts, you not only prove yourself as an indispensable asset to the company, you also boost your own net worth. Knock, knock.

PR and the Pope

2008-04-24T07:28:00.000-07:00

Pope Benedict XVI's recent visit to the U.S. was looked at in a lukewarm fashion by many U.S. Catholics, including me, primarily due to his conservative history and the assumption he would take the Church backwards. And, although Christianity is based on forgiveness and being forgiven, many Catholics still have a difficult time letting go of the Church's handling of the child sex abuse scandal. That also includes the pitiful way John Paul dealt (or better stated didn't deal) with such a heineous crime against children.

Pope Benedict's blunt and heartfelt acknowledgement of the "evil" of the sex abuse crimes before ever touching American soil was a head turner and a calculated change in public relations strategy for the Church. The Pope's personal commitment to "do everything possible to ensure this does not happen in the future," his continued discussion on the topic and meeting many of the victims indicates a re-birth in the way the Vatican is running things.

This situation as a whole reiterates the importance of balancing the value of any organization's brand (yes, the Church has a brand albeit Divine) with litigation risks. When is the proper time to accept responsibility, apoligize and try to make things right?

In textbook fashion the Church faces two courts: the court of public opinion and the court of law. By not addressing the savage treatment of the Church's youth the Vatican lost in the court of public opinion. And, monetary damages lost in the court of law are much more easily regained than a loss of faith, trust and reputation.

Pope Benedict taking on the biggest issue facing U.S. Catholics was a bold and smart step in moving the Church beyond its ugly past. Now, the world congregation will hold the leadership to its word. If Benedict keeps it, his legacy will be that of healing and rebirth for the Church in the U.S.

Photo borrowed from: CNS photo/Nancy Wiechec

Interview during flight to the USA:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2008/april/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20080415_intervista-usa_en.html

Vatican website:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/travels/2008/index_stati-uniti_en.htm

U.S. Papal Visit website:
http://www.uspapalvisit.org/

There's No Such Thing As Perfect...

2008-04-11T07:30:00.000-07:00

Hindsight is always 20/20…. I should have opened this Blog with a disclaimer.
The name of this Blog: “Perfect PR” is a misnomer. Whether approaching the term using perfect as an adjective (meaning flawless) or a verb (bringing to completion or making flawless/faultless), there is rarely one right or absolute way to address public relations. There are, however, best practices.

The Perfect PR Blog is intended to broach on best (or worst) practices. And, perhaps, simply bring to light various trends in the public relations and marketing industry. The goal is to use it as a forum to discuss the many facets and approaches to public relations.

The PR Nightmare That Wouldn't Go Away -- Exxon Valdez

2008-02-28T05:50:00.000-08:00

I always find it interesting to observe corporate crises and discuss what could have been done differently. The March 24, 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill is a textbook PR example of what not to do.

Who would have thought that 19 years later, this crisis still raises it's ugly head to haunt Exxon in the court room, in the pocket book, and just as importantly in public opinion.

Fishermen and Native Alaskans are asking for punitive damages claiming that Exxon is still not accepting responsibility for the world's most publicized oil spill. Not only are they pleading their case to the Supreme Court, they are also pleading it to the Court of Public Opinion (see the PR Newswire and The Whole Truth links below). Exxon acts as though it is trying to accept responsibility but even their own comments via their website appear to sugar coat the facts.

It seems that after almost 20 years, Exxon's corporate leadership might want to figure a way to make this go away. How much is a reputation worth?

Yesterday's reports on NPR:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=75029288

PR Newswire
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/02-07-2008/0004751475&EDATE=

The Whole Truth - Cordova District Fishermen United and Prince William Soundkeeper have joined together to create a website The Whole Truth about the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill
http://www.wholetruth.net/

Exxon - Buried deep within its website, Exxon has released comments on the matter.
http://www.exxonmobil.com/Corporate/about_issues_valdez.aspx