Tag: public relations

Crisis Management and Public Relations
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This past week we saw social media at its best. Trending on Twitter was news that Instagram was going to start selling member images to businesses for advertising purposes and those members would not be compensated. Social media was abuzz about this for two days. Account holders started defecting and deleting their Instagram accounts. Celebrities started tweeting that they were through with Instagram and some even threatened to sue them.

Where was Instagram’s Crisis Management team during all of this? Finally, by the end of the day’s ferocious attack on Instagram, out pops it’s co-founder Kevin Systrom.

In his most recent blog dated December 20, 2012 – Systrom stated that, “Because of the feedback we have heard from you, we are reverting this advertising section to the original version that has been in effect since we launched the service in October 2010.” You can see the updated terms here.

He went on to say, “Going forward, rather than obtain permission from you to introduce possible advertising products we have not yet developed, we are going to take the time to complete our plans, and then come back to our users and explain how we would like for our advertising business to work.”

So, why didn’t they think of any of this before they announced their policy changes? Good business practices should have resulted in their public relations/crisis management team telling them that their plans might backfire on them – which it did.

In a document published on The Institute of Public Relations website under Research dated October 30, 2007 by W. Timothy Coombs, Ph.D., “Crisis management is a process designed to prevent or lessen the damage a crisis can inflict on an organization and its stakeholders.” It goes on to say that crisis management can be divided into three phases:  (1) pre-crisis, (2) crisis response, and (3) post-crisis.

The pre-crisis phase is concerned with prevention and preparation.  The crisis response phase is when management must actually respond to a crisis.  The post-crisis phase looks for ways to better prepare for the next crisis and fulfills commitments made during the crisis phase including follow-up information.

Every business needs to have a crisis management plan that is adhered to by the crisis management team and a spokesperson who is the only person responsible for speaking with the media.

If your organization does not have a crisis management plan in place, start out 2013 with a strategy to develop one. You never know when you might need it.

More Elements of an Effective Press Release
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Press releases are still important methods for disseminating information to key target audiences. Though social media has evolved into viable methods to reach desired audiences, the press release is not dead.

The Release Date

This is the date your release is distributed. Many feel the date is important because it can indicate whether the release is current or newsworthy. Many media outlets want to be the first to report on what is newsworthy.

The Body – Who, What, When, Where and Why

Media outlets are very busy and don’t have time to research additional information on the release topic. The body of the press release is going to have the important information they need when deciding to share the story. The more information provided, the less work will be required and the happier they will be.

The lead-in paragraph should briefly detail the press release purpose. It should include the five W’s – Who, What, When, Where, and Why.

  • Who or What is the press release about?
  • If it’s about an event, When does it take place?
  • Where does it take place?
  • Why is this newsworthy or why is it happening?

When sending your release, stick to the facts. You don’t want to overdo it with technical or industry jargon. If the information is difficult to understand, it may wind up in the “circular” file.

The second paragraph should provide additional supporting information, such as details about the people, products, services related to this news item.

If the press release is not about you and your business, but about your client – make sure the company name, contact information, address, telephone numbers, website URL, and any other information that will help the reader if there are questions.

Important tips:

  • Proofread, proofread, proofread… and get someone else to proofread your release. I once worked at a newspaper. We were required to have our coworkers read our information. Our biggest fear? To type pubic instead of public.
  • Always use correct grammar and punctuation.
  • Even though the information has been proofread, still spell check the entire document.
  • Never type UPPERCASE letters.
  • If you can accomplish the press release in two pages … great. A one page release is even better.
  • If available, use pictures and captions. If emailing the press release, be sure to attach the image in the appropriate sized JPG format so the media does not have to contact you later for it. You should include a statement giving them publishing approval and photo credit.
  • Do not add into the body or attach any HTML, embedded codes or MP3 audio files. Most will not open the files for fear of computer viruses.  If a journalist needs this information, they will contact you. You may include important links that will provide pertinent information.
  • As often as necessary, do not attach the press release to the email. For the same reason above, include the release in the “body” of the email.

Always know why YOU are sending the press release.  Remember, press releases are for the press or  other information distributors, to inform them of an event, new product or service that you want shared with their audience…which is ultimately YOUR audience.

Don’t Hit Send! Your Press Release Headline is Boooring
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If your press release subject line or headline doesn’t reach out and grab the reader, there’s a good chance it won’t get opened. So don’t send it. Do this first:

1) Write for your audience. If you’re sending a “press” release, then your audience is the editor, producer, publisher… the main decision maker for your target audience. I know you want to reach men who wear socks with sandals, women over 35 who still live at home or teens who have never tweeted. However, you have to grab the attention of the gatekeeper so that your real audience will get your message.

2) WIIFT? – It’s that simple. You have to tell the reader, in the headline, how they will benefit from the information. What’s In It For Them?

Write this: SEVEN PLACES TO HIDE YOUR MONEY SO THAT YOU WILL BECOME A MILLIONAIRE

Not this: HOW TO SAVE MONEY

Media professionals read hundreds of releases. You have to get their attention and be honest about it. Don’t use bait and switch tactics by writing a headline that you think will catch the person’s eye only to offend them after they’ve read through it. Delete!

3) List it. Make it easy on the editors and break down your content into lists…if you can. If you’re selling a product, can you list its benefits to fit a list of seven or eight? Maybe nine?

If you’re pitching a story about the latest and greatest most reverent vacuum cleaner, you may write:

SEVEN WAYS TO CLEAN YOUR HO– USE WITHOUT LIFTING A FINGER or

FIVE THINGS THE NEW WACKY VAC WON’T DO

They love lists. It easily spells out the benefits of the product or service and they are easy to process.

4) What’s Trending? If your goal is to get your product or service on a major talk show, then think about how it relates to what’s trending now. Can you tie the Wacky Vac to the latest industry buzz? The economy? You might write:

UNEMPLOYED, CITY MAN TAKES WACKY VAC AND MAKES THOUSANDS IN ONE MONTH

5) Short, to the point, especially for SEO. Keep search engine optimization in mind, i.e, browser searches. Your Internet rankings determine your exposure. When you’re crafting the most awesome headline, keep in mind that Google only recognizes the first 65-70 characters in their search results, Yahoo 72 and Bing 65. These numbers are subject change, so stay on the lower side.

There you have it. A list of five ways to create a not-so-boring headline. Don’t run with the first headline, write, re-write and write it again. Test it out. Ask a few people to read it before sending it out. If your release ends up in the delete file, you’ve wasted your time.

Then you can write a release about how not to waste your time writing boring press release headlines.

Writing a Press Release? Here’s What Not to Do…
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A press release recently entered my inbox with the word “confidential” glaring across the top. My first thought was that the writer knew nothing about press releases. I also noticed that not one of the recipients in the email was a member of the “press.” My second thought was that my first thought was correct.

Before sending out a press release, first know what it is, then know its purpose. Read on…

A press release is written or recorded information sent to media outlets announcing newsworthy information. Media outlets include journalists at traditional news outlets, as well as other individuals who read and report the news. In the new information age, this can include bloggers and other forms of social media.

Press releases typically are used by public relations firms to attract favorable media attention for clients or provide publicity for events, products or services. Some companies have internal public relations and/or marketing specialists who handle this function. There are also non-profit organizations, small businesses and individuals who send media announcements.

Now, knowing the above, the word “confidential” should never be on your press release. An announcement is never confidential. If it is a “press release,” make sure at least one member of the press is a recipient.

It’s also important for the release to include the following:

  1. An attention grabbing headline
  2. The release date
  3. A few paragraphs about the who, what, when, where and why of the press release
  4. An “About” section on the company, organization or individual providing the information
  5. A closing mark such as “###” which indicates there is no more information
  6. The sender’s contact information – name, address, telephone number, email address, website URL and any other information that makes it easy for the recipient to ask questions or get clarification

I will elaborate on the above six points in subsequent blogs. Stay tuned…

Why the Tiger Should Have Roared
By Categories: Blog, Featured, Hey.. Try This Tags: , , , ,

The first rule in public relations 101 is When In Doubt, Say Something!

When Tiger Woods’ Cadillac Escalade hit a fire hydrant and a tree in the wee hours on Black Friday, the 33-year old golf phenom decided  to take the vague route when asked, “What happened?” He didn’t even bother to answer the police.

A note to all of you who want fame and fortune: If the media comes after you and asks questions you don’t want to answer, answer them anyway…or at least tell them when and what time you will talk to them.

When you say nothing, the public and the media begins to speculate. You don’t want that to happen. You want to stay in control and when you don’t talk, the media has the upper hand.

Tiger posted information on his Web site. But that may have been too little too late. The media has already gotten into the public’s minds. The rumors started to fly through the air before Tiger could swat them with his nine iron.

“His wife caught him cheating and ran after him with a club,” “She knocked his window out trying to knock his head off,” “Tiger was raised by a black man who always told him never to hit a woman, so he fled instead.”

These are all speculations.   We won’t know the real answer to what happened that day. Unfortunately the rumors will continue to fly.

Until the Tiger decides to roar.