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True PR: The Power of the Relationship

Tuesday, February 1st, 2011

By Amy Schwinge, MAOM

Have you ever worked with a vendor or colleague via phone or e-mail for a period of time, then one day had the chance to meet that person face-to-face? Isn’t it nice to be able to put a face with a name and get to know the people you work with on a regular basis?

I thoroughly enjoy getting to know the people I see every day in the office and the people I work with by phone and/or e-mail. From my experience, I truly think it helps the camaraderie and teamwork to get to know each other better.

I think the same can be said for public relations. The power of the relationship is essential for practically any business or organization to be successful. In my current position at Mary Beth West Consulting, I focus a great deal of my time on media relations, which is just what it says—relationships with media. I try to make a concerted effort to get to know the members of the media who I work with on a regular basis—either in person or via social media. I genuinely enjoy getting to know them, and it is amazing just how much we usually end up having in common.

According to Drs. Jim and Lauri Grunig and Dr. Linda Childers Hon, there are six qualities to examine when quantifying relationships—“whether in an organization and its publics or a just personal friendship.

Trust: You must feel comfortable making yourself vulnerable in the relationship. You have to give up some control.
Satisfaction: What you put in equals what you get out — you’re not always giving.
Commitment: Especially in times of crisis, both parties are in it for the long haul. It’s loyalty.
Control mutuality: Both parties have a say in the relationship. One side isn’t walking all over the other.
Exchange: If the relationship is built on “this for that,” it’s an exchange relationship.
Communal: If the relationship is built on “what’s more important for the relationship and not for your self-interest,” it’s a communal relationship. This is what ethical PR practitioners strive for and what social media is making easier.”

I think the key to a meaningful personal or business relationship is to keep it real.

Tags: crisis, Mary Beth West Consulting, media relations, Public Relations, relationship
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New Year’s Goals Driven by Grasping the Process, Not Just the Outcomes

Monday, January 3rd, 2011

By Mary Beth West, APR

There’s nothing quite like the turn of a New Year. The dawn of that next 365 days can breathe much-needed renewal into the perspectives we hold of our work, our organization and where opportunities exist for both.

By late December, the business media is awash in Top 10 lists ranging from the trends that were to those that are approaching, the winners, the losers and how to reach for the next brass ring.

For me, the end-of-year introspection is a good thing . . . as long as it leads to the next step: a feeling of motivation and “can-do” to take on the next 12 months armed with a fresh approach that enhances the things I’m doing well and helps me turn the corner on things to improve.

A few items that inspired me over the long New Year’s weekend included a friend’s blog post as well as the most recent edition of Harvard Business Review.

Regarding the post, Greg D’Amico of Knoxville-based Efficience wrote of making affirmative changes for the New Year, “You have to make the most of the emotional state while you’re still in it. Instead of committing to the end result, commit to a process that will get you there…one that will become habit over time.”

That point resonated with me. As a business owner, it’s all too easy to focus solely on the end game, without really creating and managing the roadmap that both you and your team members need to make certain outcomes happen. Like Greg points out, achieving the right process is so fundamental to achieve results, and yet it’s often overlooked.

To the latter point, HBR included in its January-February issue, “Are you a Good Boss – Or a Great One?”, and it’s a must-read for just about any manager of teams.

Linda A. Hill and Kent Linebeck present three imperatives for measuring effectiveness as a team leader: 1) Manage yourself. 2) Manage your network. 3) Manage your team.

Don’t be fooled by the simplicity – the approaches tied to these three tasks are not one-stop-shop action items. They are indeed processes that require managers to keep reassessing themselves amid the continuous changes and, yes, chaos that typify today’s business environment.

Going back to Greg’s point, it’s all about establishing and committing to a process . . . in this case, of becoming innately connected with what you are doing now, what you can do and what you need to do to be a great leader, not just a good one.

It’s all good advice, not just for any manager, but certainly any public relations professional as well.

So here’s to a Happy New Year to all our clients, team members and colleagues – and may the paths we all choose be driven by the purpose and process we need for success in 2011.

Tags: Efficience, Greg D’Amico, Harvard Business Review, Kent Linebeck, Linda A. Hill, Mary Beth West, Mary Beth West Consulting
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Social Media a Vital Tool in Crisis Planning

Thursday, October 21st, 2010

Interactive Springboard Provides Solutions to Integrate Social Media in Crisis Preparedness and Communications Plans

Knoxville, Tenn. — According to a recent survey of Tennessee professional communicators, 77 percent say it is “very true” that social media is an integral part of crisis communications planning, but those same professionals say a large gap exists between social media’s importance and how well their own organizations are using it for crisis communications.

Interactive Springboard – a joint venture between Tennessee-based Mary Beth West Consulting, LLC and Blue Media Boutique, LLC – conducted the study of social media attitudes and utilization by Tennessee members of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), with research provided by Bryant Research.

The survey reflected wide gaps between the important role professional communicators think social media plays in a variety of ways and how well organizations are actually using social media – from product testing to employee training and comment monitoring.

However, no greater gap existed in importance versus actual usage than of social media in crisis communications. Crisis communications plans are critical for companies and organizations to have in place to manage emergencies such as natural disasters, facility or site-based accidents, product failures or recalls, and sabotage and terrorist attacks, to name just some of the situations that can arise.

“We found survey respondents indicated a high degree of general uncertainty about many aspects of social media – how to use it in relation to traditional media, how to measure ROI, and whether government regulations are a consideration, for example,” said Mary Beth West, a public relations agency consultant.

“But among all the hot issues in how to apply social media effectively, crisis communications proved to be the biggest stand-out,” West said. “In short, Tennessee communicators know social media in crisis planning is very important, but they may not have all the experience, tools or resources at hand to apply it effectively.”

Interactive Springboard recommends three steps organizations should take to apply social media in their crisis planning: research, integrate and update.

The research step involves taking an assessment of all the ways social media can provide faster, more effective lines of communication in a crisis scenario – from alerting team members internally about steps needed to contain a crisis to broadcasting updates to outside audiences like media or community members about necessary safety precautions.

“You have to involve all members of your management team – from the CEO to marketing and communications, technology, human resources and operations,” said Tori Rose of interactive firm Blue Media Boutique, LLC. “Gathering the team’s collective input and understanding about social media’s potential role is a major part of the research process, just as it’s important to understand key audiences, their concerns in the crisis and how social media can help them.”

The next step – integration – involves applying social media tools throughout every logical piece of the crisis response plan and making sure the full potential of social media is used both to contain the crisis itself and to keep all impacted audiences informed to safeguard lives and property.

For example, developing an action plan to engage a Twitter feed to broadcast situational updates can be a key part of keeping employees and family members, communities and media reporters in-the-know and to prevent the spread of rumor and false reports. Accurate, timely information flow is also a critical factor in preserving as much of the organization’s reputational equity as possible during the crisis and in its aftermath.

The third step – update – is an essential, ongoing process of making sure that the organization keeps the most up-to-date communications technology involved as part of its crisis plan, particularly as social media tools and applications continue to evolve so quickly.

“We recommend organizations revisit their crisis plan at least every six months for the express purpose of making sure the selected social media tools and applications for its plan are still as relevant as possible,” Rose said.

“This review process also helps keep the other pieces of the plan – general procedures and action steps, chain of command and all of the who’s-doing-what – fresh and top-of-mind,” West said. “The last thing you want in a crisis situation is a plan that nobody has really even looked at in several years.”

The public can access a free downloadable white paper on the Interactive Springboard study of Tennessee communicators at http://www.interactivespringboard.com/.

About the Survey Methodology
This census survey of Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) members from across the state of Tennessee was conducted online from June 16 to Aug. 6, 2010. Members from the following chapters participated in the study: Nashville, Knoxville/Volunteer, Chattanooga/Lookout, Memphis and the Tri-Cities. In addition to the core questions highlighted in this release, each chapter had the option of appending proprietary questions of specific interest to the local membership. The survey achieved an overall response rate of 24 percent and provides unique insight into the opinions of those whose day-to-day responsibilities include managing all manner of media, including social media.

About Interactive Springboard
Interactive Springboard is a joint venture between women-owned firms Blue Media Boutique, LLC and Mary Beth West Consulting, LLC, providing an integrated, research-based approach to social media, supporting client communications and business objectives. http://www.interactivespringboard.com/

About Blue Media Boutique, LLC
Based in Knoxville, Tenn., Blue Media Boutique provides creative, technology and marketing services, including design, development, animation, video, illustration, branding, print, e-commerce, database, CMS, search optimization, copywriting, promotions, events and campaigns. http://www.bluemediaboutique.com/

About Mary Beth West Consulting, LLC
Based in Maryville, Tenn., Mary Beth West Consulting, LLC advances clients’ communications, relationships and reputations to meet business and organizational objectives. The firm’s services include research strategy, integrated marketing communications campaigns; media, community and employee relations programs; interactive media strategy and program management; crisis preparedness; and special events. http://www.marybethwest.com/

About Bryant Research
Based in Knoxville, Tenn., Bryant Research managed the Interactive Springboard study. The company provides custom, proprietary research to clients across a number of industries. Bryant Research has produced award-winning market research counsel, employing a custom blend of quantitative and qualitative methods to inform clients’ marketing communications programs and to facilitate the best business decisions. http://www.bryant-research.com/

Tags: Blue Media Boutique, Bryant Research, communications plans, crisis, crisis preparedness, Interactive Springboard, Mary Beth West Consulting, social media
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Valuable Lessons for Students Taught Outside the Classroom

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

By Mallorie Mendence

I learned early in life that you cannot always learn everything in a classroom, especially when it comes to one’s chosen profession. Sometimes the only way to learn is to go out and get work experience.

That is exactly what I did when I took on several internships in college. My main focus for completing these internships was to get experience and determine if I was best-suited for agency work or corporate public relations. At the time, I did not realize that agency public relations and corporate public relations were really that different.

I did my first internship at Mary Beth West Consulting and quickly learned that the world of agency PR is fast-paced and requires one to do a bit of a juggling act to complete work for multiple clients. In an one-hour time span, I was working on fundraising for one client, writing a news release for a non-profit client and then transitioning into event planning for yet another client. On top of these tasks, I could not forget to track my work time to be billable to the appropriate client.

For a new intern with not a lot of PR experience outside of the classroom, my internship experience at Mary Beth West Consulting was invaluable. I learned that I really did enjoy the agency world and knew that I could thrive in that type of environment.

After finishing the agency internship, I moved to my next internship at a private school near the college I attended. Fresh off my fast-paced agency work environment, I quickly realized that there was a lot more time to work on projects at the private school. Further, I was doing photography and some graphic design, which was different from my agency experience. I was still writing news releases and doing event planning, but it was different than the agency work. I did not have to track every minute of my day, and I was able to focus on one client as opposed to several.

It was during my corporate internship experience that I decided I enjoyed both the agency and corporate PR environments and could really work in either. However, that is not always true for everyone.

Since I am in charge of our internship program at MBWC, I always encourage our interns to do both an agency and corporate PR internship. What is an ideal work environment for one intern might not be for the next. All public relations college students should do an internship to apply what they have learned in the classroom and to learn a few lessons that only work experience can teach you.

Tags: internship, Mallorie Mendence, Mary Beth West Consulting, Public Relations
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Important life lessons taught through PRSSA

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

By Ashley Bowen, MBWC Intern

Some students breeze through college passing classes, maybe working a side job at the mall and hanging out with their friends on the weekend, but many don’t ever open their eyes to the opportunities through student organizations on their campus.

When it’s time to get a “real job” or an internship, they hopelessly scan over their résumé and realize they don’t really have any experience within the field they’re studying.

A great way to gain experience and meet professionals in the public relations field is through serving as a leader in PRSSA – the Public Relations Student Society of America.

This past year, I served as UT’s 2009-2010 PRSSA chapter president, and it was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had at the University of Tennessee. I had the opportunity to lead a student organization of more than 80 members while also planning the meetings for the organization and working with PR professionals to serve as speakers at the meetings.

I was the face of our organization, and it was a bit scary at first. I thought, what if I do a bad job and fail at this position? Have they ever fired a PRSSA president before?

Then I received some great advice from our PRSSA faculty advisor, Michael Palenchar. He explained that I could make the organization and anything I do in life as successful as I wanted it to be. It was my choice. But, he warned, not to spread myself too thin by taking on too many responsibilities. It’s better to be very successful at a few big things than it is to be less successful at many different small things.

Keeping this advice in mind, I planned the school year’s meetings accordingly and picked only a few different non-profit events to participate in that semester.

Along with meeting such wonderful and helpful people such as Dr. Palenchar, I was also able to network with different PR professionals in the field. This networking led to many great contacts and eventually internships with East Tennessee Public Television, Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee and Mary Beth West Consulting.

A key aspect I’ve learned about networking, however, is to keep in touch with people, whether it be through social media, email or meeting with them personally. Later on they might come to you with a great opportunity or you might need a favor from them.

While leading a student organization of more than 80 members, I also led a board of seven other executive members. Managing the PRSSA board was one of the most challenging aspects of the organization. I needed to learn people’s work and leadership styles and how to work with them in the most effective manner. I learned some people need to be told 15 times to do something and others only need to be told once and it’s done.

I also learned how to deal with officers when something wasn’t done right and it was necessary to confront them about it. Most importantly, I realized that you can’t do everything yourself. You must hand the reins over to other people at some point, or you might have a nervous breakdown in the end.

I’ve realized by watching Mary Beth West and my other internship supervisors that they have the exact same experiences in the work place. We all have to learn how other employees work and previous experience gives you a roadmap for how to handle situations such as this.

Along with managing a board, I’ve also learned how to manage my time. This is a huge and important lesson in life. I thought I was stressed out from serving as president of PRSSA, serving on two advisory boards, participating in a sorority, interning and attempting to have a social life and see friends and family. It seems from listening to others that I have no idea of what’s to come. This experience has just prepared me for later in life and made me realize that sometimes it’s hard to find that balance, but eventually you find it.

Through serving as the president of PRSSA this past year, I’ve learned many important life lessons and met some truly amazing people. PRSSA has helped me jumpstart my career in the public relations field and taught me many things you can’t just learn in the classroom.

I look forward to coming back to the University of Tennessee in the future and sharing my experiences and advice with students in PRSSA. My first piece of advice to any student, however, is to serve in a leadership position. It could change your perspective about your career and your life.

Tags: Ashley Bowen, Mary Beth West Consulting, PRSSA
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Reflections on My Internship Experience

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

By Allison Fulmer

For anybody, stepping outside of a comfort zone is one of the toughest challenges that people face. For college graduates like me, stepping out of a comfort zone is dreaded, but inevitable, as we finish our last days of classes and enter the scary world called the workforce.

Before working at Mary Beth West Consulting, I had little to no “real world” experience. I am a public relations major, but everything that I had done in the past was in the classroom under the careful watch of my professor. In fact, before working here, the only “work” I had done was that of a student-athlete, which consisted of me constantly training for my sport. Unfortunately, I did not have much time to network and get interview experience as I would have liked.

Needless to say, I was very excited but very nervous when it was time for me to start this job. Looking back, I could not have predicted just how much this internship has helped me.

I first heard about this internship opportunity through a friend who had worked here previously. She was consistently informing me of the great work experience and atmosphere that Mary Beth West provided for her; needless to say, she was right.

When I was accepted to be the new intern, Mallorie Mendence, the internship coordinator, kept in full contact with me, sending me information that I would need to know about our clients. She also made it clear that she was available for any questions that I had and immediately noted that she had full confidence in my ability to be a successful intern.

When my first day approached, there was no hesitation in putting me right to work. I was informed later that I arrived during a very busy week, but I appreciated how they treated me as part of their team from the first day. I also appreciated how the entire staff was willing to help me build my portfolio as they would pass down assignments they knew would benefit my portfolio. Four months later, I have more confidence, better writing skills, a greater understanding of the world of PR and a portfolio that has grown tremendously.

As my time here has come to a close, I would not change my experience for anything in the world. Mary Beth West Consulting has given me the confidence I needed and has guided me to the right path toward becoming a successful young professional. It has allowed me to take on new challenges and tasks and be successful.

I know leaving here I have not only gained great contacts but also friends who are willing to help me whenever I need it. It was not until working here that I realized how important it is for college students to take an internship position. Internships without a doubt help better the transition from being a student to becoming a young professional. Thank you Mary Beth West Consulting; I hope to see you in the future!

Tags: Allison Fulmer, college graduates, internship, Mallorie Mendence, Mary Beth West, Mary Beth West Consulting, Public Relations, work
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Putting the “Relations” Back into Media Relations

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

By Amy Schwinge

We hope you have found our blogs focusing on media relations for the month of May useful and interesting.

Not trying to toot our own horn (well, maybe a little), the team at Mary Beth West Consulting is honored to have received multiple awards from the Public Relations Society of America this spring, including several for media relations and related strategic communications tools.

I thought I would share a little background on what we did to receive some of these recognitions, particularly with respect to managing media relationships effectively.

As a first example, we kicked off our public awareness campaign for the Blount Education Initiative (BEI) with a news conference. On that front, make sure you have content to support inviting media to a news conference. In this day and time of limited budgets and resources, the last thing you want to do is ask a journalist to leave the office for a news conference if what you have to share could be sent via an e-mail.

The BEI news conference was appropriate, because we had newsworthy – and rather detailed, statistics-driven information – to share, along with introductions of the leaders driving BEI’s mission to make education the local community’s top priority. We released compelling results of a new survey outlining current perceptions as related to education and quality of life for the area. We also introduced the media to the “faces” of the Blount Education Initiative as they explained the reason and need for BEI’s existence along with a summary of BEI’s strategic plan. This news conference also allowed us to meet many of the journalists face to face with whom we would be working during the public awareness campaign.

For LeConte Wealth Management, we met with members of the media individually whenever possible to introduce and recommend LeConte as financial experts on a host of topics and advocates for financial literacy. We also shared numerous consumer finance issues-driven news releases to spread the word.

As a third example, we had a dual strategic plan for national publications and local coverage for Todd Richesin Interiors, and we didn’t have the luxury of meeting the national media face to face. In order to cut through the clutter of other media pitches received by such publications as Traditional Home and House Beautiful, we launched our relationship building with editorial decision makers by carefully ascertaining what specific types of projects and design personalities they were covering and queried them on both subject matter and information-receipt preferences they found useful. We then sent photo-intensive information kits about Todd and his work, including written “case study” profiles of his work style and individual approach for each project. We were able to forge relationships with local media and national publications alike, resulting in Todd receiving a great deal of local and national coverage, such as:

An eleven-page spread highlighting one of Todd’s projects in Key West, Fla., in Traditional Home (June/July 2010 issue)
Traditional Home (March 2010 issue): “20 Young Designers to Watch”
House Beautiful (December/January 2010 issue): “Next Wave of Top 20 Designers”

Collectively, these examples show that each client is different, so a different media relations approach is warranted for each. Don’t try cookie-cutter formulas; they don’t work. Remember, it is called media “relations” for a reason; you must take the time and effort to establish genuine relationships with your media contacts, focused with their own audiences in mind.

Tags: Amy Schwinge, Blount Education Initiative, House Beautiful, LeConte Wealth Management, Mary Beth West Consulting, media, media relations, Public Relations Society of America, Todd Richesin Interiors, Traditional Home
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Media Relations: What Works (Part 2)

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

By Tyra Haag

To continue last week’s recommendations for managing a strong media relations program, consider the following additional points:

-Understand media outlets’ decision-making:

If your story doesn’t air or get printed on the day they say it will, gently find out what happened and determine if there is an alternate plan for it to be carried.
If a reporter or outlet has committed to attending your event, but doesn’t show up, find out why, but don’t behave in a blatantly upset manner. All newsrooms have a “board” of what they plan to cover that day—sometimes particular events or stories make the chopping block due to last-minute scheduling changes, breaking news or even crisis events that take precedence.
Every paper and TV station can’t cover every story you pitch, so don’t play your hand too much.

-Come prepared:

Have a media kit ready at all events, and always be on time.
Prepare talking points for your client, CEO or other spokesperson well before an interview, and if needed, run through a practice session or two to help that person prepare for on-air / on-the-record interviews, particularly if the subject matter is complicated or sensitive.
Be known for your good follow-through—return each and every phone call or e-mail in a timely manner.

-Be social:

According to the latest Infinite Dial study by Arbitron and Edison Research, the Internet has surpassed TV as the “most essential” medium.
All news outlets and most media personalities use Facebook and Twitter daily. Request to be their friend and start following them on Twitter. Pay attention to what they discuss and how they cover certain situations.
Give kudos when you really mean it, especially if a story has affected you in a certain way, but be sincere about it. Brown-nosing is not the way to keep in touch.

-Be a resource:

Send non-client related info when appropriate if you think it’s newsworthy.
If someone from the media calls asking about another organization in the area that isn’t your client, be helpful and guide them to the appropriate contact.

-Show your appreciation:

A card, cookies or a lunch date are great ways to show your gratitude.
Accompany clients to interviews (when appropriate) to get some quality face-time and to inquire on whether or not anything else is needed.
Remember to thank them for covering your story.

In a nutshell, any organization’s relationship with the media is not a one-way street. You must give in order to receive, or as Jerry McGuire implored, “Help me, help you!”

Tags: crisis, Facebook, Mary Beth West Consulting, media, media relations, newsroom, Twitter, Tyra Haag
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Media Relations: What Works (Part 1)

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

By Tyra Haag

Engaging the media in an appropriate way leads to a stronger working relationship—not to mention gaining fair and positive coverage from time to time. In the constantly evolving media landscape, being a media relations pro means more than just knowing how to write a good news release. Here are a few insights I’ve learned along the way.

-Listen to what they want:

If one media outlet prefers harder news, don’t bother them with purely feature-oriented material.
The most courteous question to ask a reporter, assignment editor or news director is when to contact them—i.e. day of the week, time of day, etc. Daily morning and afternoon meetings are always set in stone, so find out what times those occur so that you can avoid contacting them at an inopportune time.
Several media folks rely on news releases and advisories sent via e-mail. Long gone are the days of faxing a release (although most outlets still allow you to communicate this way). Most also prefer that a release be sent in the body of the e-mail rather than as an attachment to avoid your message getting spammed.
Keep releases one to two pages in length and advisories to a page or less. Create a substantive “hook” for the subject line and make the first paragraph interesting enough to keep them reading. Editors receive hundreds (or more) announcements, pitches, news releases and advisories a day. Make yours grab their attention.

-Find out what frustrates them:

Nothing seems to aggravate newsroom professionals more than a product placement disguised as a news pitch. Advertorials and news releases don’t mix, so don’t confuse the two. Also, include a human element to your pitch or release when possible.
Show sensitivity to media outlets’ competitive concerns relative to other media. Don’t expect the media to care about you or your clients if you aren’t even familiar enough with who they are as a news organization and what kinds of audiences they specifically serve.
Admit if you’ve made a mistake and move on—no sense in dwelling on what might have been.
Any media outlet’s goal is to cover news and generate content that their own audiences will find of keen interest, so if your story isn’t newsworthy, don’t expect them to cover it.
Avoid asking for too much during “sweeps” months—lunch date, station tour, etc.

-Do your homework:

Get on the radar screen of reporters who cover the “beats” or topics from which your clients have their own stories to tell.
Don’t blindly e-mail blast releases. Make well thought-out pitches and send news releases and advisories to the appropriate contact; otherwise, get ready to be “blocked” from their e-mail list or risk your message getting deleted immediately without even being opened.
If an organization is hosting a “Media Training,” make every effort to attend. These forums provide a great way to gain knowledge directly from the source and meet the expert panelists.

Productive media relations require give and take – and it’s critical to take that process seriously. Be sure to check out next week’s blog post for more tips on what works in media relations.

Tags: assignment, coverage, Mary Beth West Consulting, media, media relations, media training, news releases, newsroom, reporter, Tyra Haag
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