Category Archives: Hot Topic
Building the Bridge
This time last year, I put my daughter on the bus for her first day of kindergarten. Little did I know that the bus doors opening to her new beginning were a metaphor of what was to come for her father.
One year ago, I was let go from my job. It was the best thing that could have happened to me. My own “bus doors” were opening to the start of my consultancy, JRM Comm. The ride so far has been exciting, exhilarating, draining and stressful. Read those four words again. This was not something I ever expected.
I’m going to be brutally honest. There are days that I’m still learning about running my own business. Does this affect my work with clients? Absolutely not. But, I’ve struggled with the behind the scenes things. I want to be the best. But there are days that I’m not the best. As a matter of fact, there are days where my batting average is zero.
That is the biggest test for me; trying to understand the balance of success and failure. My highs are very high. When it comes to my lows, I let the little things get to me. Why hasn’t this mail come through? How can someone actually post that on Facebook? When is this potential client going to respond?
My wife said something great to me the other night. She told me, “You need to be real. Don’t be someone online and a different one off of it.” This is something I mention and talk to people about all the time, yet I’m not listening to my own (and my wife’s) advice. Well, that changes now.
I’ve decided to build the bridge. This phrase is something that New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin told the team prior to the start of the 2012-13 season. He said:
“‘Build the Bridge’ means to carry over all the good things that happened at the end of the season last year over into the new season. The qualities that allowed us to go forward and win the World Championship.”
While this may not sound like the most inspiring thing in the world, that phrase is key for me. By building a bridge from the good things that happened and eliminating the negatives, I can be a better business owner, PR pro and speaker.
I’m lucky to be in this position… and I’m thankful for the support I’ve had from family and colleagues. My advice to you? Build your bridge, but don’t try to do it in one day. You’ll find success over time, not overnight.
That’s reality and something I absolutely embrace.
NHL/NHLPA Face PR Issues with Lockout
For the second time in eight years, the National Hockey League has locked out its players. In 2004, the lockout wiped out the whole season. At that time, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman sought fiscal responsibility (read: Salary Cap) and a better game. He seemed to have received it.
Teams are (apparently) better off now than they were eight years ago. Well, ok, let’s not include the Atlanta Thrashers; they picked up and left for Winnipeg and became the (new) Jets.
Here is what Commissioner Bettman said during the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals:
“During the regular season, we played to nearly 96% of capacity and attracted about 21.5 million people, and we’re at nearly 102% of capacity for the playoffs.
In the face of what remains a challenged economy, we estimate that we did $3.3 billion worth of business, which is another record for revenues for us. I can’t thank adequately our fans, business partners and broadcasters for all of their support.
In addition, we had record ad sales, record sponsorship activation, connecting our sponsors’ brands with our brands and with our fans on a deeper level than ever before. We look forward to an even brighter future in traditional and non-traditional media.”
Pretty rosy outlook, eh? Fast-forward to September. The lockout took effect on the 19th because… team owners feel they are losing too much money using the Collective Bargaining
Agreement system that expired. So is the NHL a moneymaker or is the league not as strong as the commissioner has said?
This is PR issue number one for the NHL, which is coming off a season where a top five market (Los Angeles) won the Stanley Cup. The NHL must be up front and transparent. Are you losing money or is the league strong? No fuzzy math is needed, commissioner.
Should there be a sympathetic eye put towards to NHL Players Association? Just because they are locked out, doesn’t mean they are without blame. The NHLPA is already ramping up their PR, with players tweeting and saying that they want to play in front of the best fans in the world.
Sure, that’s great but if the players care for what is “best for the sport” they’ll work harder at getting a deal done. The players are winning the PR “war” now, but if this continues to stretch, the Donald Fehr-led players’ association will find less and less support.
I put the question out to folks on Twitter and Facebook on Wednesday: Will the NHL and NHLPA still have a PR issue when the lockout eventually ends? Here are some of your thoughts.
Dan Carubia (via Facebook)- This is all about money, greed and power on both sides. No one wins here, but in the end TV income will be there, sales of team apparel will be profitable and fans will have interest, (especially the) Canadian cities, original six cities and a hand full of others (Philly, Pittsburgh, St. Louis).
John Trader (via Facebook)- I think that if the season is lost, there will be a PR problem. Since you are talking about a league that plays fourth fiddle to MLB, NFL and NBA and is already behind the eight ball in revenues and popularity, this will have some damaging effects. If they somehow manage to salvage part of the season, it will be less damage control. I know one thing – the two sides are far, far apart of revenue sharing discussions so bring in some firewood and warm up the cocoa – it’s going to be a long winter.
James McCusker (via Facebook)- The NHL should have learned its lessons after the last lockout, but I think the main reason this lockout is happening is the NHLPA hiring Donald Fehr as their president. When I saw he was hired, I knew there would be a work stoppage.
My feeling? The NHL will take the brunt of the PR pain. Eight years ago, fans were upset about the lockout, but understood the reasons. The players were seen as having had their way for too long. Now, the owners want some more control of fiscal responsibility, but owners are still throwing money around.
So, what do you think? Let me know in the comments.
Why “I Misspoke” Isn’t Good Enough
By now, you have heard and read the about Missouri Republican Representative Todd Akin’s infamous rape victims cannot get pregnant quote. Needless to say, it received a ton of play on television, print, and social media shortly after he said it on Sunday. His own party has even asked him to drop out of his U.S. Senate race.
As if Rep. Akin’s comments weren’t bad enough. He had this doozy of a statement after his
initial remarks later that same day.
“In reviewing my off-the-cuff remarks, it’s clear that I misspoke in this interview, and it does not reflect the deep empathy I hold for the thousands of women who are raped and abused every year.”
I read this and was baffled… and that was aside from being blown away by Rep. Akin’s initial quote. Let’s put the political fallout aside here and look at public relations lessons we can learn from this.
1) Off-the-cuff remarks- This is the kind of thing that makes me cringe as a PR pro. Having done a few media training sessions in my time, we always counsel CEO’s, etc. to not stray off message. Off-the-cuff, or off the discussed talking points, will most times get you in trouble.
2) “I misspoke”- This isn’t even something that should come out of your mouth. Saying I misspoke shows you a) didn’t bother to think about what you said in the first place and b) is an excuse that will not hold any water in the eyes of the media and the general public.
3) Media training is absolutely necessary- I mentioned this already, but I cannot stress how important media training is. It can make a CEO more comfortable in talking with the media. It also serves as a way to make sure higher-ups understand just how powerful the media can be.
4) Don’t put a CEO/representative in a position to fail- Of course, Rep. Akin’s interview probably seemed simple enough at the time. But maybe it wasn’t an interview that was necessary. A studio interview may not have been the best idea. Putting a CEO (or politician in this instance) in a position to be comfortable is paramount.
5) Understand the news cycle- The days of something going to the wire services and not getting quick play are over. Within minutes of Rep. Akin’s comment, Twitter came alive with tweets and remarks. It sounds like a broken record, but statements like these are immediately jumped on and rehashed. The cycle is meteoric and can either make or break you in seconds.
Rep. Akin’s comments will hurt him for a long time. And that’s not me misspeaking.
The Post-Internship Rules
Summer vacation is over, but it never really started if you had a PR/marketing/social media internship. Even before you packed up your dorm/apartment, you were already working at that internship.
Well, now it’s time to head back to campus and say goodbye your supervisor and co-workers from that agency, firm, or business where you (hopefully) had great learning experience. Wait, did I tell you to say goodbye? Don’t!
Now is THE MOST IMPORTANT TIME of your internship. Why? Because you need to effectively use these last days in helping you move forward for your career. Here are five things that should be part of a Post-Internship Checklist:
- Check with your internship supervisor regarding work you can use in your portfolio. You may have felt you did a bulk of the work, but review the projects you worked on with your superior(s). See if it is okay to use clients’ names, projects in a portfolio to show potential future employers or internships.
- Provide tangible results. You may have nailed a number of media placements or garnered new Facebook followers. Use statistics to show the before and after as well as the planning behind it. Potential employers love to see your planning and implementation skills.
Miranda certainly remembered Andy, right?
- Ask for a letter of recommendation and to use as a reference NOW. Don’t wait until later when a supervisor MAY not remember who you are. You are on their minds now. Ask if you can call down the road and use them as a reference. Also important: Make sure that you let that reference know you are going to use them. Nothing is more embarrassing than a potential employer calling a reference and they are caught off guard.
- Update your LinkedIn profile (if you haven’t already). Much like adjusting your resume is number one, taking the time to update LinkedIn should be 1A. It also would be a good idea to take my third point and ask for a LinkedIn recommendation.
- Make ‘em Smile- I know… students don’t always have a ton of money. Dropping off muffins and coffee is something that isn’t going to break the bank. It also shows you appreciated the time you spent there. Yes, a simple “Thank You” note is also fine. Handwritten, of course.
Think your boss may remember you in a few months? Maybe. But, take the time to make sure they WILL NOT forget. Make certain your most-recent (or first) internship helps lead you to success after you get your degree.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
No Curry-ing Favor on “Today”
I didn’t use to be an Ann Curry fan. When I worked in Philadelphia, I was a multimedia producer for WCAU-TV’s MSNBC on the Internet operation. Ms. Curry was an anchor on MSNBC at the time and I saw her on-air often. She seemed too dramatic.
It took me leaving Philly and after five years in NYC (with Fox News Channel/Fox News Radio) to actually watch Ann Curry again. She seemed different to me; seamlessly transitioning from a celeb interview to a serious story. Ann Curry had “it;” a rare combination of smarts, style, and substance.
When Meredith Viera left the Today Show last year, Ms. Curry was named the new co-anchor, alongside stalwart Matt Lauer. It was a solid move… or was it? Fast forward to 2012. A story by Brian Stelter in the New York Times on June 20, reported that the Peacock Network was prepared to fire Ann Curry. I was baffled. The Today Show ratings have slipped a bit (ABC’s “Good Morning America” is gaining a ton of ground) and it appears that NBC needs a scapegoat. They pointed the finger of blame at Curry.
It’s not that firings in the media are all that shocking. Keith Olbermann has been canned more times that I can count. Dan Rather was (technically) fired, too. But it the way that NBC News is handling this situation is a) wrong and b) a public relations faux paux.
Curry is known for her international reporting of major stories from places such as Baghdad, Sri Lanka, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Albania, and Darfur. Needless to say, she has faced harsher times than what NBC is doing to her. As of this posting, the network hasn’t even commented on the speculation, leaving Curry to face questions as to her future. It’s a total lack of respect for a woman who has not only worked extremely hard, but who has shown class and grace.
From a public relations standpoint, NBC is taking a big hit. The media is already speculating who will take Ms. Curry’s place. The move is a bad one, but not something NBC seems to care about. They basically did the same thing with Conan O’Brien in 2010. Secondly, NBC hasn’t said word one about this report, let alone whether Ms. Curry is actually being fired or re-assigned.
Morning television is a big business. But that doesn’t mean that when business gets slow, you remove a piece. NBC should be finding ways to make the Today Show better. Leaving Ann Curry to wave in the breeze like a tattered flag isn’t good business… or good for ratings.
To PPT or not to PPT
Over the last few months, I’ve done a number of presentations and I’m asked the same question: “Will you have a PowerPoint to present?” My answer (so far) is always, “yes.” But, it was a discussion with my wife about a PowerPoint presentation that really got me thinking.
She asked after my most recent talk, “What if you DID NOT have one?” I shuddered and thought, “I can’t just NOT have one. What would I refer to?” But, she made a great point: Do we really need to use PowerPoint during a talk and is it always effective? So, I was officially conflicted.
I decided to reach out to trusted colleague Deirdre Breakenridge; she’s done a few presentations (understatement). I wanted to get her opinion on which way to go. Deirdre stressed the importance of knowing the audience and to have the resources prepared that will get their attention.
With larger groups such as professional associations and training session with businesses, the PowerPoint can be very helpful. “Once again, it’s important for me to use visuals that I can speak to, rather than a lot of bulleted information,” Deirdre said. “Sometimes large, colorful visuals or charts specifically calling out numbers are a great way to get attention and to get a point across.” Deirdre made certain to stress that PowerPoint should not be the sole discussion, but rather a helpful reference (or jumping of point) to aid the speaker to deliver more compelling information.If you could speak at commencement…
“Members of the Class of 2012…” Those words are going to be uttered by college presidents and deans, and commencement speakers over the next few weeks. It has been 15 years since I graduated college. It’s a day I remember like it was yesterday, though. Bill Cosby’s wife, Camille, spoke at Temple University’s commencement ceremony at the Spectrum in Philadelphia that day. It was inspiring. Mr. Cosby even got up to say a few things.
After seeing blog posts and tweets about student friends that were graduating, I began to think. So I posted this on Facebook on Thursday.
I didn’t initially plan to make a blog post out of these, but the responses were wonderful. So, I share with you what friends in the social space would tell a graduating class.
@MattLaCasse- Your profession is likely practiced in every state in America, and most everywhere else in the world. Your happiness will be more dictated by where you are than what your job is. Do your job someplace that makes you happy.
@JBMHR (Jeannine Brown Miller)- ”Listen” to the direction that you are intended to be going..if you keep running into obstacles..stop and reassess where you are, what you are doing and determine change necessary to remove some of them. If we keep doing the same thing that isn’t working, we will get the same results (the old insanity thing). Embrace change, recognize that challenges bring lessons and blessings, and be open enough to be able to find the good in all that comes your way!
@JoshfromMaine (Josh Morris)- You don’t choose a life, you live one. There are no such thing as limitations, only fears. Pursue a position based on people, profession and location, and paychecks will come. Don’t get cable.
@BigGreenPen (Paula Kiger)- Don’t fool yourself into thinking you have all the time in the world/don’t think you are above doing the unnoticed little work to get familiar with an environment you want to be a part of.
courtesy: Temple U. Col. of Liberal Arts
@PaigeHolden- Stay in your own lane. You only start to doubt yourself when you worry about what everyone else is doing. True success has nothing to do with conventional measurements like position, wealth or winning thing. It has to do with finding a balance that works for you, and only you.
(I liked the honesty with Rachel Donner’s answer) @RMiriam- The next 6-8 years are pretty much going to suck. You’ll be at a frustrating entry-level job with lots of work and no authority. You’ll likely drift away from most of your college friends, and have to establish new relationships. Don’t let it get you down and doubt yourself. You’ll get through it and be better off for it, knowing much more clearly who you are, where you want to be and the path ahead.
And finally… @Buffalogal (Nicole Schuman)- You cannot plan every aspect of your life. Embrace change!
What would I tell a graduating class? “People are going to tell you that you can’t. You can. People are going to doubt you. Don’t doubt yourself. Most of all, you will be faced with adversity. Don’t turn away from it. Take it head on and conquer it. The only way you’ll grow is if you face failure, doubt, and negativity. Why? Because all those things will make you stronger. It’s up to you to use the failure, doubt, and negativity, and make it positive. Go with confidence.”
I’d love to hear what you would tell a graduating class. Leave your thoughts in the comments.
Don’t like new things? Then prepare to be disappointed.
It’s our nature in this day and age to immediately be critical of new forms of communication. Heck, I’ve been part of that group. I criticized Foursquare; I didn’t see the immediate value of Google+; and I’m still not sure about Paper.li.
One of the things I’m starting the realize more and more each day is that the more we criticize the more negative we become. I say this now because I’ve seen a number of posts that have whined about Pinterest. People are even critical of Justin Timberlake and his investment in MySpace. I have no problem with taking an in-depth look into what each network brings to the table. But do we really need to blast a platform before it is really established?
It’s not worth your time to shoot down every new shiny thing that hits the market.
For months, Pinterest was out there. My friend Mikinzie Stuart even did a great job blogging about how Pinterest could be better used. I’ve used it prior to it blowing up. But now that it’s really taken off in the eyes of experts and PR/Social media analysts, the knives are out. Why? Brands have found a use for it and I’ve even had inquiries from clients about how they could use it.
The same goes for Google+. I’ve said I don’t see the value, obviously many others have. The New York Giants used Google+ during Super Bowl week to hold an extremely successful hangout. These examples have caused me to take a better, more refined look at how I can use it for my clients and future clients.
If you find yourself thinking negatively off the bat about new, shiny social media networks, keep these two things in mind:
How can I gain an advantage with my clients by truly understanding it?
What is the downside by learning something new?
Keep your mind open and your eyes sharpened. You never know when you’ll find something that a client will thank you for guiding them to current and future success.
