So as I was saying…

Posted on May 23, 2013 by DoubleDimond PR

I thought it was just me, but apparently people have been noticing this occurrence for quite some time: the use of the connective word “so” as the beginning of a sentence.

Indeed, it was featured three years ago in a New York Times column by Anand Giridharadas, who examined the current usage, gathering the opinions of experts and finally speculating on the fact that in a world in which communication is fragmented and there is so much competition for our attention, the use of “so” is our effort “to be heard,” and he concludes: “We insist, time and again, that this is it; this is what you’ve been waiting to hear; this is the ‘so’ moment.”

My concern is not based on linguistics or psychology, as interesting as those topics are; it’s more about what the use of “so” to begin every sentence does to “messaging” – the ever-important PR tool.

As I listen to media interviews on the radio or watch them on television, I hear “so” at the start of responses to questions so frequently that it’s hard to ignore.

Interviewer: “What is the nature of your business?” Response: “So our main product is information.” Interviewer: “That’s a pretty broad topic. What do you mean by that?” Response: “So we collect and analyze data for surveys and productivity studies.”

You get the idea.

This is the problem with crutch words in general, and “so” is only the latest to join the crowd. Well, like, um, uh and the ubiquitous you know are all distracting fillers. What’s even more of a concern, the use of these words seems to be contagious. We often hear them a few times and begin using them ourselves. Like weeds in our gardens, we must be ever-vigilant to keep crutch words from invading our vocabulary.

These words are a serious impediment to good communication, and they can completely overshadow your message points in a media interview.

Posted by Margot Dimond

Write Right

Posted on April 23, 2013 by DoubleDimond PR

One of the most important skills for a public relations professional is the ability to write clearly and concisely. Writing well takes practice, and practice often means opening yourself up to the critique of others.

Unfortunately, some people take offense to criticism about their writing. They either want to think they are good at it, or that they should be good at it because…well…because it’s supposed to be something everyone can do.

As someone who has been writing for a living for many years, I’m happy to pass along some basics for writing well:

The most important part of writing is re-writing. Nothing is perfect the first time around. If I’m writing something important, I like to do a draft, then let it sit there for a while (assuming there is time). Waiting even an hour after writing something makes me more objective about what I have written.
There is a difference between style and basic grammar. No, that run-on sentence is not creative. It’s just wrong. Yes, you can occasionally use a sentence fragment for emphasis, but know the rule before you break it.
Punctuation is not an afterthought. In fact, punctuation provides the framework for communication. It’s what helps people understand what you mean. A misplaced or missing comma can change the whole meaning of a sentence, as was cleverly demonstrated in the title of a book on punctuation, published in 2003: Eats, Shoots and Leaves, by British author Lynne Truss.
Sometimes what looks good on paper may not be what it seems. Especially in the era of computer editing, it’s easy to become sloppy when making changes. If you are writing an important paper, read it aloud. You may be surprised by what you have written.
Be careful with your tone. This is especially true with email, which can cause all kinds of misunderstandings. If you plan to discuss a sensitive subject, it’s often best to just pick up the phone.

Most of us have pet peeves regarding the written word. Here are some of mine:

Misplaced modifiers: Don’t confuse your readers. “She saw two cows on the way to school.” Were the cows on the way to school?
The use of less when you mean fewer: If it’s something you can count, use “fewer.” The use of “less people,” for example, is like fingernails on a blackboard to me.
Misplaced quotation marks: Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks, even inside single quotes (unless you are using British English).
Not finishing the comma set-off for nonessential sentence elements: “The author, who was born in New York, wanted to write about her city.” When you leave out the comma after New York, you are separating a subject and a verb with a comma – a big no-no!

I’m sure you have your own pet peeves. Please feel free to share them.

Posted by Margot Dimond.

Planning: The All-Important PR Tool

Posted on March 25, 2013 by DoubleDimond PR

“Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong” is the only part of Murphy’s Law most people remember, and although the anonymous adage is meant to be humorous, it’s a good guideline to keep in mind when planning any PR project – especially an event.

Expect the unexpected: promised items that don’t arrive on time, weather that doesn’t cooperate, audio visual breakdowns, last minute requests – all of these and plenty of other things can pop up. Planning for an event is not the time to be a positive thinker. Rather, it’s the time to think of everything that could go wrong and plan for every contingency.

This goes for small events, such as ribbon cuttings, open houses or press conferences, to large special events involving thousands of people. Be prepared and plan ahead should be your bywords.

Tradeshows are in a special category, since most exhibitors are traveling some distance to attend them. This makes it essential to plan every detail, as is wonderfully related by Katie Creaser in her article, “Going Back to Basics: Tradeshow Must-Haves” on Tech Affect.

In this article, Creaser not only shares some “nightmare” tradeshow scenarios, she also provides an extensive list of “must-haves” for the tradeshow exhibit planner.

Posted by Margot Dimond

Is Media Training Worth My Time?

Posted on February 14, 2013 by DoubleDimond PR

I’m a university professor, and our dean has decided that all of our faculty should sign up for an on-campus media training, since our new media relations person has been getting us a lot of media interviews. With teaching, writing, researching and serving on committees, I really don’t have time. After all, I’m speaking publicly all of the time – to my students and at various conferences. I see that you write a lot about media training on your blog and offer it at your firm. Can you tell me why someone in my position should bother with this?

Thank you for asking because we have heard this question quite often in the past, although not as much recently. Increasingly, chief executives and others who are called upon to represent their organizations are realizing that being interviewed by a member of the news media is not the same as doing a sales presentation, speech or classroom lecture. It’s a special skill in and of itself.

The rise of social media has played a big part in this transformation by making media gaffes more damaging to reputations than had previously been the case. Something said in an interview in Cleveland can now be broadcast around the globe in a matter of minutes. Even on a smaller scale, the rapid spread of information is daunting.

Most people who do media interviews do not have to worry about responding to a negative situation; they are more concerned with promoting their organization and its products or services. A media interview is a great opportunity to do so. Unfortunately, many people don’t take full advantage of that opportunity and are disappointed with the results.

That’s where media training can help. The important thing to remember is that when you are being interviewed by a member of the news media, you are not just talking to that person; you are conveying information to the people who are reading or listening to his or her report.

Keeping that in mind, here are some things to think about before you decide whether or not to participate in media training:

When you speak in class and at conferences, how much time do you have to get your point across? 15 minutes? 30 minutes? 50 minutes? Can you do it in 10 seconds?
If someone asks you about an award you won for a research project, do you: a. Start by describing your research process and how you finally came to the conclusion that won you the award? This can work for a conference speech where everyone is interested in the details of your project. b. Tell them what the award was for and what it will mean to the audience reading – or listening to – your answer? This is what the public is interested in.
When an interviewer asks what you consider a “dumb” question, do you: a. Get irritated that they haven’t done their homework? Be careful not to talk down to the interviewer – and the public he or she represents. b. Realize you haven’t been doing a very good job of communicating and try a different way of explaining yourself? The clear explanation is the one that will be quoted.
What kind of preparation do you do before an interview? a. You feel you know your subject area, so you plan to just answer the interviewer’s questions. This could present a problem, especially if the interviewer is not familiar with your work. b. You come prepared with messages to work into the interview so you can get the most important information out to the public. This is the path to a successful interview.

In short, giving media training a chance. You may be surprised at how much you learn.

Posted by Margot Dimond

Email Marketing: Does it Work?

Posted on January 24, 2013 by DoubleDimond PR

Often neglected or forgotten, email marketing is the stepchild of the social media world, regularly taking a back seat to The Next Big Thing. Yet, depending on your business goals, it may be one of the best ways to expand your client base.

Email marketing is “one of the most effective means of communicating your brand identity and generating sales,” according to Michael Beaulieu, group manager for digital media at Wayfair – a U.S.-based multinational e-commerce company – who is quoted in a recent article on Digiday.

At our firm, we have had success with e-news – a more subtle form of email marketing that includes newsletters, news announcements and articles on topics of interest to the people on your email list. Clients who were initially reluctant to try it have been surprised at the positive feedback they get with this means of communication.

Obviously, it’s just one tool in the PR toolbox, but if your firm is trying to reach a specific market, rather than promote to a broad consumer base, it is a cost-effective way to get your message out. In addition, by using a professional program, you can see who opens your email and how often they do so. A regular reader might be someone who is interested in hearing more from you.

So while e-news coming from your company will not replace external media coverage, it does offer distinct benefits:

Clarity: Your message is sent – exactly as you want it worded.
Frequency: You can send emails as often as you have news to impart.
Targeted: You can send directly to the decision-makers who can influence your business.
Feedback: You will know if and when your news is welcome – if your email is opened; if you get new subscribers; or if your subscribers “unsubscribe.”

Some cautionary notes to keep your subscribers interested:

Keep the content valuable. If your email is all puff and no substance, people will stop opening it.
Don’t send it too often. You don’t want to overwhelm your audience to the point that you are a nuisance.
Make sure everyone on your list is part of your target audience. Sending information to the wrong person can put you in a Spam category.
Have a recognizable design and layout for your email. You want to look as professional as you are.

Posted by Margot Dimond

What does your front desk say about you?

Posted on January 8, 2013 by DoubleDimond PR

There is one client I always look forward to calling or visiting. The receptionist, who also handles all incoming calls, is unceasingly cheerful and professional. She is a valuable – and no doubt valued – employee. I hope she realizes how much she contributes to the success of the company she works for.

The people who are in charge of your front desk and answer your telephone play an extremely important role. They are the “public face” of the company – often creating a lasting first impression. They should be treated with respect, paid well and know how important you think their job is.

What does this have to do with public relations? PR is essentially reputation building and reputation management. “Perception is reality,” we often say. It’s difficult to see how much an executive really cares about his or her company’s image when the first – or even second or third – impression people receive is negative.

And don’t forget to keep your front desk people informed. You may get a call from a reporter wanting to do a positive story on news your PR person has sent out, but if you never communicate with the person who answers your phone, the reporter may get transferred all around the office and finally give up because no one knows what’s going on. (That’s why our firm does call list instructions for clients to distribute to their office staff, by the way.)

Smart company managers know this, but sometimes we all get so busy we forget to become objective observers of our work environment. To quote Scottish poet Robert Burns: “Oh would some power the gift give us, to see ourselves as others see us.”

Posted by Margot Dimond

Does Your Company Need a Social Media War Room?

Posted on October 29, 2012 by DoubleDimond PR

Social media war rooms are in the news right now. In fact, they recently were a featured part of a story by Ned Hibberd of Houston’s FOX 26 TV News. The story, which was prompted by Hibberd’s own experience as a consumer, quoted Lisa Dimond, principal of DoubleDimond Public Relations.

It isn’t surprising that this topic is gaining more attention. While social media channels are great for creating interest, hearing from and targeting consumers, they can create havoc with your company brand. All it takes is one embarrassing video posted on YouTube or one thoughtless comment on Twitter and, with the speed of light, you are dealing with a PR crisis.

Most companies – especially those who sell products or services to the public – are taking this possibility very seriously. It’s dangerous not to do so, considering such recent social media missteps as the tweet by a KitchenAid employee during the presidential debate. The tweet was quickly disavowed by the company, which helped tamp down on the negative publicity they were receiving.

Although corporations are not known for moving quickly, social media demands immediacy. You have to communicate in real time – engaging with consumers and responding quickly to online comments and complaints. In fact, with the appropriate response, you can turn a complaint into a positive experience for your customers.

And that’s where war rooms come in. Many large corporations have in-house war rooms within their marketing or public relations department to monitor the use of their name across social media.

Do you need a war room? Unless you are a big company sporting a well-known brand name, it’s probably not cost-effective.

But reputation monitoring is essential for all businesses.

Posted by Margot Dimond

“Spin,” Part 2: Lipstick on a Pig

Posted on October 8, 2012 by DoubleDimond PR

Putting Lipstick on a Pig, Making a Silk Purse Out of a Sow’s Ear – these phrases have been used for years to describe so-called “PR spin.” It’s the usually fruitless activity of trying to slap a positive face on a negative event.

A few years ago, a struggling charity that had expanded its services beyond what it could adequately fund, sent out a letter to its contributors. The letter, written in a cheerful – almost giddy – tone, described this “exciting” news: the organization was cutting many of its programs (and the people who worked in them) to focus on its core services.

Yes, it was a positive move financially; no longer would the charity have to struggle to pay its bills. However, the tone of the letter indicated a complete lack of regard for the negative impact of its decision – not only on the people who used those discarded programs, but also on the employees who had just lost their jobs.

In trying to make what was a necessary, but distressing, decision sound positive, the letter came across as insensitive and insincere. How much better to just state the facts – that the organization was having financial difficulty and was forced to make cuts to ensure its future survival, since its core services were sorely needed by the community. That could be followed up with a Call to Action, asking donors to help with the current situation and perhaps increase donations for the future in order to restore some, if not all, of those programs. After all, one presumes that a charity’s donor base is essentially a friendly audience that supports the cause.

This type of behavior is not unique to that charity; we see it almost daily in the media. Some prominent organization or person will do or say something that is embarrassing – or, in some cases, just plain awful. Then they will try to pretend that the incident either never happened – or didn’t happen the way it was portrayed. Usually these denials are so transparent they prolong what would have been long-forgotten with a simple mea culpa.

In short, when bad things happen, it’s always best to face up to it. Get the facts out there, quickly and without subterfuge, and tell everyone what you plan to do about the situation. Ask for assistance (if it’s called for) and report back from time to time to inform everyone about how things are going.

You – and your organization – will look a lot more credible without the “spin.”

Posted by Margot Dimond

Pay-Per-Placement PR: Where is the Love?

Posted on September 13, 2012 by DoubleDimond PR

Whatever happened to the “Pay-Per-Placement PR” debate? A few years ago, when Pay-Per-Placement (PPP) made its big debut as a serious PR alternative, a discussion of its Pros and Cons raged on – whether it was more cost-effective to use PPP, which is essentially a “commission sales” type of public relations, or traditional “retainer-based” public relations.

PPP sounds great to some prospective clients, especially small business owners who want an inexpensive way to publicize themselves. After all, isn’t publicity the goal here? Why not just pay for coverage when you get it? That seems like the smart choice, doesn’t it?

While there are still plenty of PPP firms operating, you don’t hear as much about them anymore. It turns out that there are some drawbacks to this approach, and they mostly relate to the services PR firms provide – and client expectations.

What PR Firms Do. Public relations is more than publicity. Retainer-based PR firms offer strategic planning that focuses on the client’s long-term goals, its short-term objectives, target audiences, audience-directed messaging, and the tactics (including, but not limited to, traditional media coverage) that can be used to effectively reach the targeted audiences. PR firms also offer training for spokespersons and counseling in times of crisis.

Traditional PR Firm-Client Relationship. When it comes to publicity, a retainer-based PR firm works hard to design and write releases, articles and pitches that will generate valuable media coverage for their clients – i.e., media coverage that will clients reach their goals. They often develop a strong bond with, and loyalty to, their clients and spend hours researching media outlets and journalists who would be receptive to their approach and whose coverage would serve the best interests of their clients.

The Value of Strategic PR. If you were working on commission, where you would get paid only if you sold a product, you probably wouldn’t be too picky about who bought the product. Consider PPP in that light. If you are being paid per interview or press clipping, you are going to be tempted to seek out the easiest placements to get, regardless of whether or not it benefits the client. This can lead to disjointed and scattershot editorial coverage, with no strategy behind it.

Is PPP Really Cheaper? You may think that paying a PR firm for performance is the cheapest way to go. After all, if they don’t get an placements for you, they won’t get paid. But let’s take a look at some numbers. Let’s say a retainer-based PR firm charges you a fee of $5,000 per month, while a PPP firm charges you a range of fees based on categories of coverage, such as these sample fees from a PPP pricing list: For publications with limited circulation (e.g., a small town newspaper), costs for a feature story would be $1800; for focus coverage (where you are the main one quoted in a survey story), $1,450; and for a mention, $800. For large circulation publications, a feature story would be $5,000; focus coverage, $4,500; and a mention, $3,400.

Here’s a recent example of what our firm generated recently with a simple news release: two mentions and one large circulation publication feature story. The PPP price for that would be $6,600. The previous month, a front page feature story for the same client was generated by an exclusive pitch to the right journalist. The PPP price would have been $5,000 – or maybe more, since front page positive features are rare. (This does not include the Web URL for the feature, which would add $700 to the PPP costs, according to that pricing structure.)

Another reality check: It is not unusual to get at least 10 mentions from a news release or a pitch. For the PPP prices listed above, that would cost at least $8,000.

Where are the savings?

To Be Fair…There are some good PPP firms available, and there are retainer-based PR firms that will do PPP pricing for some projects. Depending on your business, the PPP publicity model may be right for you. It just may not turn out to be as inexpensive as you initially thought.

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So as I was saying…

Write Right

Planning: The All-Important PR Tool

Is Media Training Worth My Time?

What does your front desk say about you?

“Spin,” Part 2: Lipstick on a Pig

Pay-Per-Placement PR: Where is the Love?