Focus On Communication Newsletter Archives
December 2009
End the Frustration
Savvy communicators know that PR programs can do a lot to build a company’s credibility. But showing results in a way that both executives and communications pros alike will understand has been a point of frustration since the dawn of the profession...
Start with Solid Objectives
At the end of 2010, you may be surprised to find that your two favorite words are “measurable objectives.” That’s because measurable objectives make it so much easier to evaluate a public relations program.
Think in Terms of Impact
No matter what kinds of measurable objectives you set for the year, it’s still important to monitor your company’s media placements – not so much for quantity (although we know that some execs love to see lots of impressions and high ad equivalency dollars), but for quality.
Download PDF
October 2009
Smarter planning now, better results later
Not to put any pressure on you, but the choices you make right now will have a huge impact on your PR success for 2010.
Research, the forgotten art
Without good research, your PR strategy will be based on hunches and assumptions, which don’t make for a very solid strategy foundation. The reality, however, is that research can be expensive and you may not have the budget for it.
Everyone else is doing it…
Today it’s social media. Tomorrow it will be something else. No matter the trend, one thing’s for sure – PR pros will always be urged to try one new tactic or another just because “everyone else is doing it.” It’s definitely a sticky situation.
Download PDF
September 2009
Taking Charge
Every industry has its share of issues – from pending legislation and regulation to reoccurring urban legends – that can affect the public’s perception of your business. And their impact can range from a minor blip in business to triggering major events that cause a mass customer exodus. That’s why you need a strategy in place to...
What's Your Issue?
Your business could have a handful of really big issues on the horizon or a spate of smaller ones that could pop up at any moment. The trick is anticipating what has the potential to become an issue and what will fade. It’s all about knowing the industry landscape, the organization’s...
Keep Current
Most issues tend to have a shelf life, so while you’re keeping a constant eye on current issues, be on the look out for the new kid on the block...
Managing
Once the issues have been identified, don’t just sit there – manage them! Many companies find it helpful to maintain an issues book, creating a separate chapter for each issue, as well as any research and customizable...
Download PDF
August 2009
Doing Good – the Right Way
Done right, community relations can help an organization create and maintain mutually beneficial relationships with key audiences. Done not-so-right, community relations is just a string of feel-good programs with short-term impact.
Finding Your Focus
Smart companies know that a community relations program can’t be everything to everyone, so they focus efforts to maximize positive impact. There’s no right or wrong in choosing a theme, issue or organization to support, but there are some things to consider as you...
Your Community Approach
To make a real impact, your company’s community relations approach should be in sync with its business strategy. Think about who you want to reach – customers, employees, other stakeholders, or all of the above – and how they like to be reached. Then take a look at...
Share the Success
Promoting community outreach is a tricky proposition because it can come off as looking for a pat on the head. And that can be an ugly headline. But at the same time, both company and cause do want to attract attention...
Download PDF
July 2009
Headquarters
The online pressroom serves as the home base for all information and news that an organization wants to share. But unlike a paper media kit, the contents should be geared for all stakeholders, not just media. Therefore, whether you’re enhancing, editing, or building your first online pressroom, it’s important to consider who your audiences are and what they need.
Room and Board
The pressroom is often the most active place on an organization’s Web site. Over time, it can become a well-visited, one stop shop, for information hungry consumers and users of a product or service, investors, even competitors, and of course media.
Assessments
Because you’re being read by news media and consumers, your writing style should appeal to everyone. It’s important to keep in mind that people rarely read Web pages word for word. It’s more like a college student cramming before an exam; they scan the page, pick out the bold words and read only what’s important to them.
Amenities
Organizations can maximize their presence online, resulting in better media coverage and interaction with stakeholders, with a complete online pressroom. Whatever your perspective, if you want your online room to be effective, it should have:
Download PDF
June 2009
On Your Mark – Launching an Executive Positioning Program
Positioning the man or woman at the top can be a challenge. Because while you may have plenty of opportunities to get your company out there, they’re usually the kind that specific subject matter experts can handle. So if you want to generate opportunities for the CEO, then you need to develop a separate approach. But don’t worry – it’s worth it.
Get Set - Creating a Theme for Your CEO
You don’t have to have a Jack Welch to launch an executive positioning campaign, but you do have to stand for something. And that something should be exclusively for your CEO to address and build around a big-picture topic.
Go – Executing Your Campaign
Because an executive positioning campaign is a tactic to strengthen the organizations message, it’s important to consider what you want to accomplish and how you will do it. Take into account what platform your CEO or president is comfortable with, then find the best venues to drive the message.
Download PDF
May 2009
Training’s True Value? It Goes Beyond the Media
For some the realization occurs halfway through the media training session, while for others it’s the next day or even the next week. But sooner or later all spokespeople start to understand one of the great secrets about media training: it isn’t just about making them more effective with the media, it’s about making them more effective in their career.
The Ingredients of a Good Media Training Session
The audience may be varied. Some potential spokespeople are great experts, but would rather hide from the media. Others are willing and confident in their subject matter but could use some help with getting their point across. But no matter who’s participating in the session, there are some common elements that make it valuable.
Know Your Rights?
Sometimes we get so caught up in the obviously important parts of media training – like messaging, bridging, and body language – that we forget the little things. So leave a little room in your media training for the Bill of Rights. Spokespeople should know that they are entitled to:
Download PDF
April 2009
Why You Need an Internal Communications Strategy
When companies think about their key audiences, they often leave out one important group – their own people. They assume employees know what’s going on and understand their role in the big picture. But more often than not, they don’t.
The Internal Communications Toolkit
Communications tools have a lot of bells and whistles, but if your employees don’t use these tools and don’t buy into what you’re saying, the tool – along with the bells and whistles – is useless. Finding methods that fit your company culture, your strategy, and – most importantly – your employees’ preferences is key
Creating an Internal Dialogue
Sir Isaac Newton said that what goes up must come down. But an internal communications pro would tell you that what goes down must come back up. Successful internal communications necessitates a
two-way flow of information that moves it from the top to the bottom, and then moves feedback back up to the top.
Download PDF
March 2009
What’s Your Home Base?
If someone asked you to describe your company in one sentence, could you do it? Would you be able to synthesize what you do, why you do it, and what makes you who you are? It seems a difficult task, and you’d want to make sure that one sentence was spot-on. You need a home base.
Be On Message, Not Robotic
It’s important to keep messaging consistent in internal and external communications. But delivering a consistent message is not the same as delivering the same message – there are ways to stay “on message” while also being fresh and original and not sounding like a pre-programmed robot...
Creating the Message was the Easy Part...
You’ve established your home base and can deliver it with ease in a practice session. But even the most seasoned PR pros will tell you that remembering to actually use your message can be the biggest challenge because it requires a fundamental shift in thinking. For example, when someone asks you a question, your general reaction is to give that person the information he wants – not the information you want to give him. Integrating a key message requires you to take a minute to consider how to connect the requested information with the message. It’s not an easy skill, and it’s even harder when you’re on the spot – but you can master it.
Download PDF
February 2009
Telling Your Own Bad News
When it comes to working with the media in a crisis, industry experts agree that you’d much rather be the source of bad news than the victim of it. And knowing what to say, when to say it and who should say it are all critical in a crisis situation. After all, you’re dealing with the court of public opinion, not the court of law – you only have one chance to get it right...
Building Up Your Goodwill Bank
During a crisis, more than at any other time, you need people to listen to what your company is saying and believe you will make good on your promises. Good business practices and solid relationships should be a part of your company’s culture from the start, not just called on in a crisis...
Keeping the Family Informed
The credibility of your external message in a crisis begins internally. Your employees must understand the nature of the problem, how and why it happened, and what steps are being taken to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Preparing your internal audiences effectively can make them an asset to crisis response and make your external communications even stronger...
Download PDF
January 2009
Building a New Media Strategy that Works
Ask any expert why it’s important for companies to participate in new media, and they will all give you the same answer: it’s where the customers are. And while it’s easy to put a blog on your Web site or launch a Facebook page, these tactics don’t mean a thing unless you have a strategy...
Harnessing Social Media to Drive Reach
In the age of Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and YouTube, the quantity and variety of social media outlets seem endless. The proliferation of social media has truly changed the landscape of information sharing. Now more than ever, individuals are creating, distributing, absorbing, and searching for information at...
Measuring New Media
Page views, click-throughs, visitors per month – the list goes on and on. What does it all mean in the realm of measuring the impact of new media? With so many different types of new media available for use, not to mention such a vast amount of new media users, it’s often difficult to get a good grasp on your impact...
Download PDF
End the Frustration
Savvy communicators know that PR programs can do a lot to build a company’s credibility. But showing results in a way that both executives and communications pros alike will understand has been a point of frustration since the dawn of the profession...
Start with Solid Objectives
At the end of 2010, you may be surprised to find that your two favorite words are “measurable objectives.” That’s because measurable objectives make it so much easier to evaluate a public relations program.
Think in Terms of Impact
No matter what kinds of measurable objectives you set for the year, it’s still important to monitor your company’s media placements – not so much for quantity (although we know that some execs love to see lots of impressions and high ad equivalency dollars), but for quality.
Download PDF
October 2009
Smarter planning now, better results later
Not to put any pressure on you, but the choices you make right now will have a huge impact on your PR success for 2010.
Research, the forgotten art
Without good research, your PR strategy will be based on hunches and assumptions, which don’t make for a very solid strategy foundation. The reality, however, is that research can be expensive and you may not have the budget for it.
Everyone else is doing it…
Today it’s social media. Tomorrow it will be something else. No matter the trend, one thing’s for sure – PR pros will always be urged to try one new tactic or another just because “everyone else is doing it.” It’s definitely a sticky situation.
Download PDF
September 2009
Taking Charge
Every industry has its share of issues – from pending legislation and regulation to reoccurring urban legends – that can affect the public’s perception of your business. And their impact can range from a minor blip in business to triggering major events that cause a mass customer exodus. That’s why you need a strategy in place to...
What's Your Issue?
Your business could have a handful of really big issues on the horizon or a spate of smaller ones that could pop up at any moment. The trick is anticipating what has the potential to become an issue and what will fade. It’s all about knowing the industry landscape, the organization’s...
Keep Current
Most issues tend to have a shelf life, so while you’re keeping a constant eye on current issues, be on the look out for the new kid on the block...
Managing
Once the issues have been identified, don’t just sit there – manage them! Many companies find it helpful to maintain an issues book, creating a separate chapter for each issue, as well as any research and customizable...
Download PDF
August 2009
Doing Good – the Right Way
Done right, community relations can help an organization create and maintain mutually beneficial relationships with key audiences. Done not-so-right, community relations is just a string of feel-good programs with short-term impact.
Finding Your Focus
Smart companies know that a community relations program can’t be everything to everyone, so they focus efforts to maximize positive impact. There’s no right or wrong in choosing a theme, issue or organization to support, but there are some things to consider as you...
Your Community Approach
To make a real impact, your company’s community relations approach should be in sync with its business strategy. Think about who you want to reach – customers, employees, other stakeholders, or all of the above – and how they like to be reached. Then take a look at...
Share the Success
Promoting community outreach is a tricky proposition because it can come off as looking for a pat on the head. And that can be an ugly headline. But at the same time, both company and cause do want to attract attention...
Download PDF
July 2009
Headquarters
The online pressroom serves as the home base for all information and news that an organization wants to share. But unlike a paper media kit, the contents should be geared for all stakeholders, not just media. Therefore, whether you’re enhancing, editing, or building your first online pressroom, it’s important to consider who your audiences are and what they need.
Room and Board
The pressroom is often the most active place on an organization’s Web site. Over time, it can become a well-visited, one stop shop, for information hungry consumers and users of a product or service, investors, even competitors, and of course media.
Assessments
Because you’re being read by news media and consumers, your writing style should appeal to everyone. It’s important to keep in mind that people rarely read Web pages word for word. It’s more like a college student cramming before an exam; they scan the page, pick out the bold words and read only what’s important to them.
Amenities
Organizations can maximize their presence online, resulting in better media coverage and interaction with stakeholders, with a complete online pressroom. Whatever your perspective, if you want your online room to be effective, it should have:
Download PDF
June 2009
On Your Mark – Launching an Executive Positioning Program
Positioning the man or woman at the top can be a challenge. Because while you may have plenty of opportunities to get your company out there, they’re usually the kind that specific subject matter experts can handle. So if you want to generate opportunities for the CEO, then you need to develop a separate approach. But don’t worry – it’s worth it.
Get Set - Creating a Theme for Your CEO
You don’t have to have a Jack Welch to launch an executive positioning campaign, but you do have to stand for something. And that something should be exclusively for your CEO to address and build around a big-picture topic.
Go – Executing Your Campaign
Because an executive positioning campaign is a tactic to strengthen the organizations message, it’s important to consider what you want to accomplish and how you will do it. Take into account what platform your CEO or president is comfortable with, then find the best venues to drive the message.
Download PDF
May 2009
Training’s True Value? It Goes Beyond the Media
For some the realization occurs halfway through the media training session, while for others it’s the next day or even the next week. But sooner or later all spokespeople start to understand one of the great secrets about media training: it isn’t just about making them more effective with the media, it’s about making them more effective in their career.
The Ingredients of a Good Media Training Session
The audience may be varied. Some potential spokespeople are great experts, but would rather hide from the media. Others are willing and confident in their subject matter but could use some help with getting their point across. But no matter who’s participating in the session, there are some common elements that make it valuable.
Know Your Rights?
Sometimes we get so caught up in the obviously important parts of media training – like messaging, bridging, and body language – that we forget the little things. So leave a little room in your media training for the Bill of Rights. Spokespeople should know that they are entitled to:
Download PDF
April 2009
Why You Need an Internal Communications Strategy
When companies think about their key audiences, they often leave out one important group – their own people. They assume employees know what’s going on and understand their role in the big picture. But more often than not, they don’t.
The Internal Communications Toolkit
Communications tools have a lot of bells and whistles, but if your employees don’t use these tools and don’t buy into what you’re saying, the tool – along with the bells and whistles – is useless. Finding methods that fit your company culture, your strategy, and – most importantly – your employees’ preferences is key
Creating an Internal Dialogue
Sir Isaac Newton said that what goes up must come down. But an internal communications pro would tell you that what goes down must come back up. Successful internal communications necessitates a
two-way flow of information that moves it from the top to the bottom, and then moves feedback back up to the top.
Download PDF
March 2009
What’s Your Home Base?
If someone asked you to describe your company in one sentence, could you do it? Would you be able to synthesize what you do, why you do it, and what makes you who you are? It seems a difficult task, and you’d want to make sure that one sentence was spot-on. You need a home base.
Be On Message, Not Robotic
It’s important to keep messaging consistent in internal and external communications. But delivering a consistent message is not the same as delivering the same message – there are ways to stay “on message” while also being fresh and original and not sounding like a pre-programmed robot...
Creating the Message was the Easy Part...
You’ve established your home base and can deliver it with ease in a practice session. But even the most seasoned PR pros will tell you that remembering to actually use your message can be the biggest challenge because it requires a fundamental shift in thinking. For example, when someone asks you a question, your general reaction is to give that person the information he wants – not the information you want to give him. Integrating a key message requires you to take a minute to consider how to connect the requested information with the message. It’s not an easy skill, and it’s even harder when you’re on the spot – but you can master it.
Download PDF
February 2009
Telling Your Own Bad News
When it comes to working with the media in a crisis, industry experts agree that you’d much rather be the source of bad news than the victim of it. And knowing what to say, when to say it and who should say it are all critical in a crisis situation. After all, you’re dealing with the court of public opinion, not the court of law – you only have one chance to get it right...
Building Up Your Goodwill Bank
During a crisis, more than at any other time, you need people to listen to what your company is saying and believe you will make good on your promises. Good business practices and solid relationships should be a part of your company’s culture from the start, not just called on in a crisis...
Keeping the Family Informed
The credibility of your external message in a crisis begins internally. Your employees must understand the nature of the problem, how and why it happened, and what steps are being taken to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Preparing your internal audiences effectively can make them an asset to crisis response and make your external communications even stronger...
Download PDF
January 2009
Building a New Media Strategy that Works
Ask any expert why it’s important for companies to participate in new media, and they will all give you the same answer: it’s where the customers are. And while it’s easy to put a blog on your Web site or launch a Facebook page, these tactics don’t mean a thing unless you have a strategy...
Harnessing Social Media to Drive Reach
In the age of Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and YouTube, the quantity and variety of social media outlets seem endless. The proliferation of social media has truly changed the landscape of information sharing. Now more than ever, individuals are creating, distributing, absorbing, and searching for information at...
Measuring New Media
Page views, click-throughs, visitors per month – the list goes on and on. What does it all mean in the realm of measuring the impact of new media? With so many different types of new media available for use, not to mention such a vast amount of new media users, it’s often difficult to get a good grasp on your impact...
Download PDF
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