Why PR - www.stratcommsolutions.ca

Peter Turkington
pturkington@stratcommsolutions.ca

Advertising is everywhere we look today. It is in the papers, magazines, on TV and on billboards as we drive to and from work.

Everyone is competing for mindshare. The problem is how to break through all that clutter and stick in people's minds.

Sure, ads can get the brand name out there -- but they don't build the credibility of the brand. When consumers see advertisements, they know they've been paid for by the company being featured. They know that the messages being communicated come from Coke, Pepsi, Tim Hortons, McDonalds and others.

Where's the objectivity, balance, and credibility?

Enter public relations.

Public relations is about building relationships. Relationships are built on trust. Trust leads to credibility.

I'm not arguing that public relations should replace marketing efforts. On the contrary, a public relations campaign -- when properly executed -- will bolster marketing efforts.

Feedback from our own clients supports this idea. Through tracking of advertising and media hits and customer comments, we have witnessed first hand the perfect scenario. News articles in print, on TV and radio, pique the interest of viewers and readers. Shortly afterwards, marketing flyers and ads attract their attention again prompting them to think, "hey I read about this in the National Post, Toronto Star, Globe and Mail."

Consumers assume objectivity on the part of reporters. They are trained to look at stories from all angles. It's their job.

Media coverage along with marketing builds both credibility and the brand. When used together, there is a better chance that an organization's key messges will cut through the everyday clutter that bombards us and motivate target audiences to action (i.e. purhase, donate, join etc.).

What makes a story newsworthy?

What is news?
~Peter Turkington, Strategic Communications Solutions
www.stratcommsolutions.ca

In today’s constantly connected, media centred world, this is the billion dollar question.

The basic premise that attracts a reporter to a story is friction – two competing agendas; two people facing off over a contentious issue, two groups that are at odds with each other.

Friction tends to lead to interest, and that’s what reporters and editors want. Ultimately, they want a story that will cause their readers, listeners, or viewers to sit up and pay attention. If the story isn’t out of the ordinary – if it’s just every-day stuff – it will not be read, heard or seen.

Once journalists have found a story that their audience will find interesting, they stick to a simple formula – the five W’s.

We are taught to use the formula of who, what, where, when, why and how from the earliest years in school. And, it’s just as important today as it was when we first learned to frame a story. However, there is one significant difference when dealing with the media. There’s a sixth W.

Why should anyone care?

This is, perhaps, the most important W – as every editor will ask it before letting a story see the light of day.

The bottom line is, that we as communicators have to make the stories we tell newsworthy. The more that we strive to hit the right buttons with the media, the better the chances of seeing them on the evening news.

But what makes a story newsworthy?

Let’s take a look at some headlines and see what gets a story published or aired.

Thousands of Ontario farmers protest – Plea for government aid to avoid crisis

This story is newsworthy. It deals with a point of friction between two organizations. Disagreement generally leads to an interesting story. The simplest example is politics. Political arguments and posturing get a lot of press for precisely this reason. There is disagreement, conflict, unrest.

What about this one – is it news?

Wall Street firm wants to purchase NHL

Absolutely! It’s dramatic. It’s shocking. It’s emotional.

How about this one?

20th Annual Oakville Polar Bear Dip raises $49,000 for Tsunami Relief

This is a local twist on a larger story (i.e. the December 26, 2004 Tsunami in Southeast Asia). Local angles are important as they have a direct impact on a targeted audience. Brent Hanson, news anchor for CKCO TV, describes the relevance of localization, “the viewer will want to know if they know anyone involved and if it will have an impact on their own lives.”

In addition to the examples above, the unusual and unexpected often make interesting news. You just have to look at the popularity of tabloids such as the National Enquirer for proof.

Another important aspect of newsworthiness is universal appeal. That is, a story that has an impact on ‘everyone.’ Consider the outpouring of sympathy from around the world when Pope John Paul II passed away. Those that went to St. Peter’s Square and tuned in on television were not all members of the Catholic faith. There was universal mourning for a man that had managed to reach out to people of many faiths during his pontificate.

Last but not least, entertainment or celebrity often garner instant newsworthiness. A little over ten years ago, viewers were glued to their television sets as OJ Simpson led a squad of police cars down an L.A. highway in a white Ford Bronco. Today just as many people are following the daily reports of the case against Michael Jackson.

To conclude, the words that seem to repeat over and over again as I write this piece are story and interest. Ultimately, it’s all about the story and how you package it. An awareness of the components of what makes a story newsworthy will help you become successful in getting your key messages to the right audiences.

Communicating in Crisis Situations

Communicating in Crisis Situations
~ Peter Turkington & Colin Reade, Strategic Communications Solutions

Are you prepared to respond to a crisis?

What would you do if your company's president suffered a fatal heart attack days before the company issued an IPO on the stock exchange? What if the president is incapacitated for an extended period?

How would you communicate with your key stakeholders in the event of extreme weather conditions (i.e. multiple hurricanes, tornadoes, ice storms, etc.)?

Is your company prepared to weather the storm of an Avian Flu Pandemic? Have you considered how it might impact your business? And, do you know how to get information to those that need it during a health emergency.

These aren’t just ‘pie in the sky’ scenarios. In recent years we have had to deal with two out of the three situations listed above, Hurricane Katrina and SARS. And that’s not the end of it. Reports suggest an active hurricane season this year and the WHO continues to monitor the possibilities of human to human transmission of the H5N1 virus. Authorities claim that it’s not a question of if it will happen, but when will it happen.

We live in an environment of intense media scrutiny. Improvements in technology such as the Internet, the Blackberry email device and text messaging mean that there is a 24 hour news environment. Organizations become easy targets for uncontrolled communication in an unregulated cyberspace.

This means that corporate actions will be monitored closely on a daily basis. Imagine the scrutiny when a crisis hits.

As the court of public opinion will decide whether or not your organization is guilty and not a court of law, your response to this scrutiny will determine how your stakeholders view the company.

It is no longer sufficient to send out a team of lawyers to deny the charges or utter a simple ‘no comment.’

The question needs to be asked, are you prepared to handle an incident? Does your company have an action plan? Who will respond to the press when they call (there’s one certainty in a crisis situation, the media will call)? Are your responses perceived as caring and genuine?

There must be complete transparency. Corporate leaders should understand that setting the record straight is the best course of action. An admission that there is a problem or situation must be made and the corrective action being taken must be outlined. Remember, if your reputation is destroyed by negative publicity, a court victory at a later date may not be enough to restore it.

While transparency and clear messaging will help organizations communicate during a disaster, emergency or crisis, it takes intense planning to make sure that they are prepared and delivered properly. Being unprepared can cause a spokesperson to fall into the lethal trap of speculation. In the midst of a crisis media have an insatiable appetite for information and they will not hesitate to ask the “what if” and the “in your opinion” questions. Improper handling of these types of questions could spell disaster for any corporation.

Public relations practitioners cannot predict a specific disaster or crisis. They do know, however, that the unexpected can, and will, occur. According to Christine Pearson and Judith Clair, authors of Reframing Crisis Management, a crisis situation is a low probability high impact event that threatens the viability of any organization.

To help organizations survive, practitioners can anticipate various scenarios and prepare crisis communication plans that meet the needs of top management during an emergency.

Organizations that choose not to develop crisis communication plans often make mistakes in handling crises:

· Hesitation, which leads people to believe that the organization is incompetent.

· Obfuscation, which gives the impression that the organization is telling lies.

· Retaliation, which only serves to intensify the situation rather than diffuse it.

· Not telling the whole truth, which complicates matters when discovered.

· Not dealing with the situation at hand – the head buried in the sand approach.

· Confrontation, which only serves to keep the issue alive.

· Litigation, which guarantees prolonging the life and increasing the visibility of the situation.

These mistakes can be avoided by following the six simple steps outlined below:

· Take the time to identify things that can go wrong and become highly visible.

· Assess the organization’s vulnerabilities.

· Prioritize the urgency of the vulnerabilities identified (i.e. which are most likely).

· Anticipate questions that could arise with each scenario and draft responses/resolutions.

· Focus on the areas of what to do and what to say during the initial hours of a crisis.

· Your strategy’s purpose should be to contain and counteract. It should be proactive and not reactive.

Once an organization has worked through these steps, they will have the outline of a crisis manual. Copies of this manual should be made and distributed to the company’s executives. The key members of the crisis team should ensure they have copies at home as well. Crises don’t contain themselves to regular business hours.

It is important that employees are familiar with the crisis plan once it has been approved. Preparation is key. While you might be dealing with a situation out of your control, your messaging and response will be well within your grasp. The ability of your organization to get the correct message out could mean the difference between weathering the storm and bankruptcy.

Eight Important Steps to Writing an Excellent Speech
~Colin Reade & Peter Turkington, Strategic Communications Solutions
www.stratcommsolutions.ca

"Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel…"Ralph Waldo Emerson

A speech is an opportunity to influence. A speech can alter thought and behaviour. A speech well done can get you a raise, a promotion and support of the shareholders. So, don’t take it lightly.

If you’ve been asked to write a speech then you’re well ahead in the speech writing process. Why? Because the first step, is to identify the speech’s purpose or objective. And if you’ve just been asked to write a speech, more than likely the purpose has already been stated.

Step # 1: Determine the speech’s purpose, goal or objective

It is not enough just to stand up before an audience and say, “Today I’m going to talk to you about…” or “I want to share some ideas about…” You need to be much more specific. Be clear. What do you want to accomplish with your speech? What actions or behavioural changes do you want the audience to make? Do you want to inform, persuade or demonstrate? To be effective, your objective must be clearly stated. Failing to do so could be devastating.

Step # 2: Identify and know your audience

It goes without saying that a speech written to motivate the corporate sales staff and a speech written to persuade the corporation’s Board of Directors to increase funding for the Public Relations Department are two vastly different speeches with two vastly different audiences. To be effective you must speak the language of your audience. It is crucial to know their “hot buttons,” and what interests them. Whenever you design a speech with your audience’s interests in mind you increase your chances of success.

Step # 3: Based on the first two steps, determine the learning outcomes for your speech

The clearer the directions for your speech the greater chance it has to succeed. I believe it was Rick Warren, author and motivator who said that prior to writing his speech he asks, “What do I want the audience to know? What do I want them to feel? And what do I want them do?” A successful speech will engage the intellect and the emotions to effect a change in behaviour. Seldom are actions altered or affected without involving emotions.

Step # 4: Write a gripping introduction

Writing an introduction which demands the attention of the audience is crucial to an effective speech. A good introduction should grab the attention of its hearers, establish the speaker’s credibility, state the speech’s purpose and preview the body of the speech. If the introduction doesn’t convince the audience why they need to listen to the speech, then don’t expect them to hang around to find out. They might physically still be there but they have long since tuned you out. In addition, the introduction should conclude with a transitional sentence that smoothly moves the listener to the first main point.

Step # 5: Creatively prepare the attention getter

There are many methods that can be applied by the speech writer to get the audience’s attention. One can use a quote, a story, an anecdote, a rhetorical question, suspense and of course, humour. Humour, properly used, can be extremely effective, however, it can also be risky. Melanie Novis stresses this fact when she states “It is very disheartening for a speaker to tell a funny story and then the story falls flat and no one laughs.”(Pg. 63 Canadian Public Speaking.) I recall one speech in particular where I attempted to use humour to gain the audience’s attention. It flopped. Recovery was tough—fact is, I’m not so sure I did recover. In short, humour can work for you and it can also work against you, so be careful. In brief, all attention getters should relate and support the subject matter you’re addressing in your speech, and not be an entity unto themselves.

Step # 6: Give substance worthy of the audience’s attention

It would be hugely disappointing for the audience if after building their expectations you gave them nothing of substance to challenge their minds. So, now that you got their attention and all eyes are fixed on you give them what they want or need. Give the substance that demonstrates that you are worthy of their ears. Give the stuff that reaffirms the credibility you established in your introduction. The body of the speech is your opportunity to show that you have done your research, are knowledgeable about the subject and that you are the expert. Anything short of a well-prepared body of speech will erode your credibility.

While not written in stone, the industry standard for the body of the speech is to include three to four main points. I personally prefer three. Each point should be supported by convincing evidence. They should be logically arranged and where applicable, should build on each other.

Step # 7: Don’t hesitate to illustrate

Use an illustration to simplify a challenging or complex concept. It can even provide a break or light moment during an intense session whilst driving a point home. Properly used, an illustration will bring clarity and enhance the speech.

Step # 8: Write a compelling conclusion

You’ve come this far so don’t ease up now. The conclusion should be that “final nail in the coffin,” “the straw that broke the camel’s back,” so to speak. It should be prepared as well as any other part of the speech. Sadly though, this is not always the case. The conclusion is your chance to summarize the body of the speech, reference the introduction and to end the speech with a call to action or a statement that challenges the audience’s thought. Stephen E. Lucas, author of “The Art of Public Speaking,” said this about the conclusion: “Conclude with a bang and not a whimper. Be creative in devising a conclusion that hits the hearts and minds of your audience.”