Posts Tagged ‘pr marketing’

Dick Grove

Client Expectations

01.24.12

Never have so many demanded so much for so little.

 In my forty-plus years in the public relations profession I have never ever heard a client not say, “I have the greatest story that has never been told.”  That the media is clamoring to tell it if it is simply revealed to them.  And while this bit of hyperbole might well be true in a few rare circumstances, in most cases it is but wishful thinking on the client’s part. This is not necessarily a bad thing…a little naïve perhaps…but not without its strengths.  Clients need to have passion for their (company, product, service, cause, etc.) and must be able to convey this passion in all their communications…even to their PR firms.  If a client doesn’t feel passionate about what they’re selling, how can we as their official conduit expect to be less so?

However herein often lies the conundrum.  We are supposed to be the PR pros…media experts…not just flacks or mouthpieces for the clients that pay us.  Our job should not be to fall lockstep behind the “company line,” to be “yes-men or women,” nor to “drink the kool-aid” with out questioning the content or purpose.  Our job should not be to simply rephrase this “story” into a legally approved press release or two, sent over the wire…or worse yet, emailed to a list of influential editors or bloggers.  Our job, if we’re the professionals we profess to be, is to listen to what the client is saying, analyze it against credible facts and even speculative rumor, and judiciously review it as both timely and truly newsworthy within the real media world the client wishes to carry its message.  But most importantly of all…be honest with the client when their all-important story…the very reason you as the PR person has been hired…falls short of being “the greatest story never been told…” as it surely will.

What then?  If you’re in a traditional PR firm, this is when you get to really earn those big dollars you’re charging that client by actually demonstrating that you can work with the client to first get them to understand what the media believes is newsworthy and then translate that understanding into a workable strategy that respects the media’s needs, processes, and deadlines.  If you successfully accomplish this, the result can and should be (no guarantees here…) real media coverage for your client…and of course a few more hours to bill.

If you’re a pay-for-performance PR firm like us, you have no choice but to be completely honest and up-front with clients in telling them how to get maximum press coverage, “it’s not just what you think of yourself or your products, etc., but whether it’s timely and newsworthy…period.” Passion is great but hyperbole doesn’t gain traction or get published…and if it doesn’t get published, we don’t get paid.

Managing client expectations isn’t taught in PR schools or covered in most training programs, but it’s vital if you’re going to be a real PR pro.  And, being honest with an excited and passionate new client about the process of news coverage and what it really takes to get it isn’t always easy and can put your relationship at risk.  But far better than the “kool-aid” alternative.

That’s my opinion…what’s yours?

Categories: Behind INK, Grove Report, pr marketing, pr news

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Dick Grove

Starting the New Year Off Like a Four-Year Old

01.02.12

It’s January first, two-thousand and twelve.  It’s once again the annual time of setting lofty goals for ourselves and our clients that morph all too quickly into unrealistic expectations brought to earth by the realities of the world we actually live in and not the world we wish we lived in.  To compound the difficulty of holding to our best intentions, it’s a presidential election year where not only do the politicians sink to the lowest common denomination, but the media becomes the carrier as well as the instigator of their messaging.  Not pretty.

However it took a visit to my grandson’s pre-school to give me an idea of how we might reset this cynicism and yes, even be optimistic that 2012 is going to be different.  There was a set of “Class Rules” pinned to the classroom wall that struck me as so basic in their simplicity and so targeted in their scope as to be meaningful to all of us as we open yet another year of opportunity to get it right.

 

All well and good, you say, if you’re four years old and don’t have to deal with the modern challenges of a soured economy, internal bureaucracies, response-challenged clients, and a thinned media short on news instincts and time but long on self-preservation…and that’s not even counting our own numerous short comings.  Really?  Not worth it? I know without much imagination these simple rules could be applied to those running for office as well those firmly entrenched in our government institutions.  But it shouldn’t take much creativity to see how “using nice words…or patiently waiting our turn…or at least cutting back on a harmless fib or two (let alone being completely disingenuous) might not greatly improve our daily business and personal lives.  And who knows, such an application might even improve cooperation and profitability.  If these same rules were posting on your office wall…(ok, “running in the class” may not be a problem given the shape of all of us except for the interns)…would they, could they be applied effectively with some imagination? Is it worth it to try to behave as well as we expect a four-year old to?….good question.

That’s my opinion…what’s yours?

Categories: Grove Report

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Dick Grove

It’s Still the Story That Counts

12.05.11

Small Brands I read a really good article recently by Jack Neff in AdAge, How Little Brands Land Big Bang for Their Buck, that is worth perusing for two solid points….a story with a strong narrative can build a brand…and this kind of strong narrative is usually easier for the small entrepreneurial start-ups than the corporate behemoths.

“The common thread through all these no-cost, low-cost marketing success stories is a good story, one that bears repeating and fares well both in social and PR-fueled traditional media. Almost by definition, such stories are easier for bootstrap entrepreneurs to come by than, say, 65-year-old detergent brands. Many of the brands, from Terracycle to Method, Seventh Generation, Honest Tea and Stonyfield Farms, all have taken on the air of social movement.”

Having made a career and built a PR business working with such “bootstrap entrepreneurs” (a couple mentioned here) I can vouch for both points of Neff’s thesis.   The story is what counts…and the smaller and more flexible the company, the easier to find and tell it.

That’s my opinion…what’s yours?

 

 

 

 

 

Categories: Grove Report, pr marketing, pr news

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Dick Grove

Hoggin’ the Headlines… with the media in tow

06.06.11

No BozoFloods, horrific tornado devastation, economic chaos, and a debt crisis beyond compare…and what does the venerable old New York Times feature in an above-the-fold story on its “Week in Review” front page?  The ex-governor of Alaska hitching a ride on the back of a Harley to an event she wasn’t even invited to, of course.

This story by Mark Leibovich, and a previous one during the week appear to be focused on the renegade nature of the ex-governor’s current PR campaign and how she is purposely not following the protocols of either politics or the press…yet seems to be attracting even more press by doing so…including Mr. Leibovich and the Times.  It seems the ex-governor may not know exactly where Russia is, but she obviously knows how to get media coverage.  Even Mr. Leibovich observes, “If the press really wanted to punish Ms. Palin, they would ignore her.”  “What’s the sound of an 18-wheeler when not trailed by a caravan of reporters…silence.”  Yet he along with hundreds of other national media offer not silence, but a deafening din of words and photos completely undeserved for such a non-news event.  And in spite of that, Mr. Leibovich along with probably the majority of the trailing media, suspect “political calculation and personal image crafting of the highest order,” they continue to push this non-story to the forefront through this “suspicion” and analysis rather than the silence it deserves.  Oddly, it’s the media folks on the left side of the aisle that appear to be the most vulnerable.  Even MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, hardly a big fan, has devoted heavy coverage, albeit with heavy sarcasm, to the ex-governor’s recent happenings.

Reminds me once again of the bumper sticker I once saw plastered to the rear of some dummy’s car that read, “NO BOZO’s ON BOARD,” obviously not taking into account the driver himself.  Perhaps the press devoting all this coverage to analyzing and even disdaining this non-news silliness, needs a little of the same self awareness as that driver.

That’s my opinion…what’s yours?

Categories: Grove Report

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Cindy West

How my GPS inspired me to write this post

06.02.11

NavLast week I almost became a statistic from the extreme weather we were experiencing in the Midwest. I happened to be on our annual “working vacation” at our cabin where we take on a makeover project on our 800 square foot retreat each Spring. Unfortunately, this project required another visit to the nearest home improvement store to pick up additional supplies which we  needed to complete the job.  My husband was in his groove on dismantling and rebuilding so I decided to make the 30 minute jaunt to town to pick up the supplies.

As I arrived at my destination, the storm clouds were rolling in and looking quite ominous. I started to get that uneasy feeling that it might just be more than your typical thunderstorm. My intuition has always served me well and I decided to stay at the store until it passed. Had I not followed my instinct, I may have become a statistic as a tornado touched down right through the area I would have been driving through.

Once the storm passed, I started to make my way back to our retreat with supplies loaded up when I came upon roadblocks that were the result of debris left by the tornado and emergency vehicles blocking intersections. I was relieved to find out that no one had been seriously injured. Every turn I took, seemed to end up back at the same road block. Remembering my phone had a navigation app on it, I entered the address of my destination and I was soon on my way heading east.  I soon found myself down roads I had never driven, exploring areas that I never knew existed. I would sometimes become distracted  by the beauty and miss a few turns in the process causing my GPS to re-route to keep me on track. It was patient and persistent in letting me explore but nudging  me back to the destination I wanted to arrive at and mapping my steps to get there.

I am back at work this week and as I reflect back on that experience, I discovered that their were ironic similarities to what we do for our clients on a daily basis in developing and executing  a  road map when it comes to navigating the media. Here are some of those tips.

Destination-What is your clients vision and the result they want to achieve to arrive at that destination?

Map it out- Today’s landscape of media is so much broader with more opportunities available. Most media outlets have an online presence, and have incorporated social elements that reach even more audience. Work with your client on how they can leverage the coverage they get. Your map is a guideline to get started, but be ready for an occasional turn in the road.

Explore New Landscape-Ever heard the saying, “never waste an opportunity?” Educate your clients to be open to exploring other media opportunities, building expertise and credibility that can trigger interest. Journalist and reporters search for information online and could come across an article written about your client in one of their favorite blogs.

Roadblocks-many times when working with the media you encounter roadblocks, identify the roadblock and map out a new route.

  • Identify why a pitch is not working and  collaborate with the client on what is needed to overcome the push back
  • Explore new angles that can position your client as an expert in contributing to current news that is happening
  • Do your homework when choosing the right outlets, and pitching those outlets. Don’t rely on a media database to give you everything you need to know
  • Clients should look at their own internal roadblocks that might be hindering progress
  • Stay focused and persistent, analyze and adjust tactics only if it brings you closer to that destination

And like my trusty GPS will tell you (if it could really talk):

  • Have patience
  • Allow for the occasional missed turn
  • Re-route when you stray to far  and focus

You will ultimately arrive at your desired destination. How are you navigating the media today?

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Categories: Behind INK, Behind the scenes, pr marketing

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