What's your idea of a good story?

Tweet

The media's idea of a good story and the client's idea of a good story are rarely in perfect sync.

That's the job of a good PR team: to find the client's news value (e.g. what the media wants) while crafting key messages that the coverage can deliver (e.g. what the client wants).

"Man bites dog" is the quintessential news hook because it's out of the ordinary. It also conveys many news values such as peril, conflict, controversy and human interest. These factors contribute to a good story. (If the dog is particularly cute, even better.)

By contrast, "dog bites man" is not a story unless its Paris Hilton's chihuahua biting David Letterman. The notion of celebrity is another important news value. If it's a name that everyone knows, then it's news (or gossip masquerading as news). This is why the 'red carpet' is a go-to feature at every club opening. Celebrities create news value where there otherwise isn't any--e.g. appearances at fundraisers, being 'spotted' at a restaurant, or being the spokesperson for a cause. How long until celebrity appearances become "dog bites man?" Or are we there already--particularly with reality TV pumping out celebrities faster than the Octomom?

In the world of business communications, "entrepreneur starts and grows successful business" is not a news hook. That's exactly what enterpreneurs are supposed to do--so it's a "dog bites man" pitch.

Did the enterpreneur overcome some adversity to achieve success? What makes this enterpreneur or company's success extraordinary? Is there some peril that threatens the hard-won success?

Just this morning, I read this post from a business magazine feature writer which perfectly illustrates the point: "I look for pitches about intriguing, controversial characters who are challenging the status quo. If you're going to pitch these people, I expect to get access to them for several days—over a period of time. Pitches should be thoughtful. There also has to be some tension. The best pitches make the client a little uncomfortable." [Emphasis added.]

When a great story comes together with strong messaging and a client that understands what it takes to earn the media's attention, it's a heavenly match and one of the real joys of our profession.

Five tips for a great agency relationship in 2010

Tweet

In the spirit of the season, here are five back-to-basics resolutions for organizations working with agencies. We hope these are common sense to most people, but sometimes the easiest things are the first to be forgotten.

Please feel free to contribute your suggestions. And it goes both ways. Resolutions for agencies are welcome too!

1. Communicate

If you expect a busy quarter ahead or will be consumed with a project, let your agency partners know. Please don't go dark for weeks and even months at a time in the middle of projects. And avoid following such periods of silence with firedrills where everything is now needed all at once. Your agency prides itself on being responsive and making the impossible happen for you, but it can be done better and for less money with a little planning and communication. That's how everybody wins!

2. Don't box people in

Boxes are made for moving and jewelry (though I like the latter best). Neither is meant for people. The more you box in a person or team, the less you get from them. Stay open to ideas. Containing people contains results. 'Nuff said.

3. Help us help you

Think of your agency as an extension of your team. The same way you would tell internal employees of a new venture, product or hire, tell the agency. Even if it's just a quick FYI email or a simple cc or bcc. It will help the agency better understand and manage your communications needs and reach your goals. It will also save you time (a.k.a budget) down the road.

4. Choose the appropriate contact person

Designate a primary contact for your agency representative but be sure that individual is given at least some responsibility for decision making and accountability for agency communications and the PR program. If the designated contact is not made accountable or is not qualified to be so, we guarantee that items 1 through 3 above are not happening either.

5. Make time for face time

Your agency wants to meet with you. Email is an interim solution for agency-client communications and not the permanent solution. Your agency also wants to see the technology demonstrated, taste the new menu, and experience the new service. If you want the agency to sell the concept to your stakeholders, allow time for in-person and hands-on meetings.

Remember, a good agency is here to help you achieve your goals and help identify ones that you might not have thought of yet.

What's the secret to social media conversation?

Tweet

"How are you?" "How's it going?" "What's new?" Most of our conversations begin with such questions. But not so on social media sites. The traditional conversation is reversed on sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Foursquare with the users posting statements. Comments and the occasional question will often follow. But is that really effective communication?

Here are some examples from my Twitter stream recently. They're typical social media ‘blurts:’

Blog Blurt: "How my Blog Landed Me a Book Deal: http://bit.ly/....”

Location Blurt: “I'm at Crunch Fitness (330 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn).”

Peeve Blurt: “Pet peeve #1: People who talk on the phone in bathroom. Stop it. Not only is it inconsiderate to your neighbors, but it's kinda gross.”

Quote Blurt: "'Like farmers we need to learn that we cannot sow and reap the same day.’ – Unknown” (Editor: gag.)

Each of these is meant to be a conversation starter. But, do they invite a conversation?

If the woman who Tweeted the inspirational quote above had uttered it in the supermarket as I passed, I’d give her shopping cart a very wide berth. If I met the blogger who Tweeted his blog title at a networking event and his first words were ‘my blog landed me a book deal,’ I’d offer my congratulations and move on.

For me, what makes starting a Twitter or Facebook conversation a little less socially awkward is falling back on a conversation classic: the question.

Blog Query: “How’d You Like your Blog to Land you a Book Deal?: http://bit.ly...”

Location Query: “Who else is at Crunch Fitness (330 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn)?”

Peeve Query: “Pet peeve #1: People who talk on the phone in the bathroom. It’s not just inconsiderate but don’t you think it’s kinda gross?”

Quote Query: “Need a lift? Like farmers we need to learn that we cannot sow and reap the same day. – Unknown” (Editor: still gag.)

Yestereday, I Tweeted the following question: “Who else finds inspirational quotes on Twitter a nice but annoying idea?” I had responses from eight Twitter followers. I enjoyed engaging with them because each response brought slightly different perspectives, felt like a conversation, and kept the social media experience fresh for me. Without such responses and interaction, I can understand why people abandon Twitter at such high rates and that's why I'm sharing this social media secret today. (By the way, thank you @slightlyserious, @cantondog, @evolutionfiles, @keithbooe, @sdtips, @cjsettles, @nicmcc, and @scerruti for the feedback on inspiration quotes.)

For businesses using Twitter, querying your followers instead of blurting your press release headlines, special events or promotions will also make the experience more rewarding. When you get responses, (a) you know people are reading and (b) that they're connecting with your content.

Sure you can use sites like Hootsuite and Bit.ly to track clickthroughs on your hyperlinks, but that only works if you've got a hyperlink or if you are more concerned with clickthroughs than conversations and engagement.

So, if you’re new to Twitter or have a Facebook account that has grown stale, think about the difference between a blurt and a question. And try querying your followers to get real, meaningful connections and results.

P.S. When you get answers or feedback, respond and acknowledge it if you want to reward that behavior.

$10 Saves 18 Puppies!

Tweet

OK, I don't know if that headline is true, but that is what made me listen to a guy outside of my local grocery store last night. He was explaining all of the great work a particular not-for-profit organization does and asked me to donate $10 a month "because it saves like 18 puppies".

I already support this organization and know they do great work. I would have donated more last night, but something stopped me. It wasn't the fact that I was in a grocery store parking lot at night being approached by a guy with only a clipboard for credentials, it was that I remembered that I donated to this very organization last month and was never acknowledged for it. I actually opted to receive their newsletters and six weeks later, despite double checking that they received the payment, I still have yet to get even a standard autoreply email. That said, I'll continue to support them because it's the work that's important, not the acknowledgement.

However, that got me to thinking about business. Regardless of the size of the customer, they should all be acknowledged. Many times we get too caught up in saving puppies to thank all of the important people who make our work possible.

Now, back to saving those puppies.

A rose by any other name can't be found by Google

Tweet

A rose is a rose is a rose. And nothing smells sweeter for a business than a great search engine ranking in their product category.

So when writing press releases, take a moment to optimize the content to match what your buyers are searching online.

If you sell a new organic fertilizer for roses, be sure to include in your release, not just the word rose, but popular varieties of roses or diseases and funguses that gardeners are likely to research online.

Not only will it show prospects and the media that you know your Floribundas from your Grandifloras but it will help you pinpoint those online targets who are most motivated to purchase such a specialty product.

This applies to companies large and small, and often we see clients get so caught up in the messaging and word smithing, that the release uses expressions or words no human being uses. That's when a rose becomes a 'fragrant petal system with robust stem security.' Can we just call it a rose?!

(W)right On goes to 11!

Tweet

Grant Wright sent the (W)right On team this message today, on Nov. 11, to remind our group of its accomplishments in achieving 11 years of growth. But also to inspire the (W)right On team to adapt to the demands in this new era of communications and business as we move forward. It's a universal message and worth sharing beyond our walls.

Today we recognize this auspicious day for several reasons:

In the USA for Veteran’s Day we celebrate veterans who have sacrificed so much to defend our freedom, and in Canada where it’s Remembrance Day we remember the lessons of history so as to never have to repeat them.

And at (W)right On, we celebrate a different meaning on this 11-11… We have our own celebration of 11 years going strong!

For any business, what does 11 years mean? Well, a quick review of business survival rates indicates the vast majority of businesses (something like 90%) that start out do not survive to 11 years. (W)right On has. And maybe it’s worth noting that the statistics for the past decade really don’t incorporate the past 24 month recession period, the most severe since the Great Depression. So I wonder what the stats will look like a decade from now when this period is taken into account.

But ‘surviving’ and ‘thriving’ are very different things. It may be that many companies eking it through over the past 24 months redefine surviving as the new thriving, understandably so. But overall, I think by adhering to the fundamentals that are the foundation of our success (W)right On thrives.

We’re not only here after 11 years putting us in the elite ‘less than one in 10’ category, but our foundation leaves us poised for continued growth and a bright future. The ‘asset’ pieces of the foundation are numerous and remarkable, and I’ll save a review of them for a separate discussion if anyone would like to chat about it. But my view is also that ‘what got us here won’t get us where we need to go’. Meaning we need to never stray from the non-negotiable standards at the core of (W)right On’s success, but leave behind other old behaviors and increasingly adopt new behaviors fitted to a larger enterprise and a future business and communications world for which there's no precedent. Not an easy thing to do, and it means an even greater risk tolerance and stretching our personal and collective comfort zones. But if I know one team that can do it, it’s this one. And I’m very proud to be part of this team, that extends to our external team members, vendors and great clients, celebrating (W)right On’s 11th anniversary on 11/11.

THANK YOU, everybody!

Grant

Rule #1: Know Your Audience

Tweet

It's the first rule of good communications: know your audience.

Whatever you're communicating, you need to make the content relevant and interesting to your audience, first and foremost.

After attending an awards event last evening, I believe that this rule needs further clarification: you must also respect your audience.

It is only in the rarest of circumstances that an audience will wish you spoke longer. Therefore, be concise and to the point. Short speeches, I guarantee you, will be remembered as more entertaining than long ones no matter who you are. Even professional entertainers know this: "Leave them wanting more."

When you speak without notes, without preparation and to entertain and amuse yourself, you are not respecting your audience.

So, know who you're addressing, make the effort to connect with your audience, and show them respect by preparing and keeping it tight.

And, one last word on this subject, at risk of stating the obvious: remarks by outgoing presidents should be shorter than the remarks of the incoming president, and similarly, remarks introducing an award winner should be shorter than acceptance speeches. When these natural laws of speaking are inverted, audiences revolt.