Posts Tagged ‘social media’

PR Day 2010 Coming Up Nov. 12

Tuesday, November 9th, 2010

By Ashley Bowen, MBWC Intern

Communications professionals and students from all over the United States will gather Friday, November 12 at the University of Tennessee for PR Day 2010, a one-day seminar sponsored by the School of Advertising and Public Relations at the University of Tennessee.

Experts and professionals will speak about communicating with credibility in the field of public relations and the challenges and opportunities in social media, political, health and crisis communications. They will also discuss best practices in each of the fields as well as how to use various strategies, key messages and tactics.

Keynote speaker Merrie Spaeth of Spaeth Communications in Dallas, Texas will discuss mastering the elements of communication to enhance the credibility and influence of a speaker. She will define credibility from the point of view of what a target audience hears, believes and remembers. Throughout her career she has been a pioneer in communication theory and executive training and has previously served as Director of Media Relations under President Ronald Reagan, a producer for ABC’s 20/20, and a writer/reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer and the New York Daily News.

Professionals from HGTV, Edelman, The Center for Media and Democracy, Bryant Research, Blue Media Boutique and our very own Mary Beth West Consulting will also be discussing communication credibility in breakout sessions throughout the day.

Mary Beth West, APR, along with Tori Rose of Blue Media Boutique and Rebecca Bryant of Bryant Research will lead one of the breakout sessions on how to integrate social media for authenticity-driven employee relationships. They will also cover recommendations for employer organizations to consider in developing well-managed employee relations and communications programs and measurement and results tracking techniques for monitoring success.

Ed Patterson, senior vice president of Edelman, will discuss Edelman’s 2010 Global Trust Barometer and Good Purpose study as well as how trust and brands working for social change can drive successful communications.

Health industry whistle-blower and UT grad Wendell Potter will discuss the health care debate along with ethical public relations practices in the field.

Gary McCormick, APR, Fellow PRSA, Director of Partnership Development for HGTV and Chair and CEO of PRSA will discuss identifying opportunities for off-channel exposure and defining and implementing the partnerships that will increase ratings and awareness with viewers for the leading home and lifestyle cable network. Research efforts measuring credibility with HGTV’s product will also be covered.

PR Day 2010 looks to be an interesting and enlightening day that communications professionals and students in the area should definitely check out. Regardless of where you might be in your career, the things you will learn at this event will undoubtedly be beneficial.

For more information and to register for PR Day at the University of Tennessee please visit http://www.prday2010.com

 

Post-Election Vents, Rants and Avoiding the Slippery Slope

Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010

By Mary Beth West, APR 

Almost as interesting as the election returns themselves last night have been the social media posts from far and wide today, ranging from “Yay, Team!” to instructing the majority where they can put their vote.

Just as a follow-up observation from our “In the Profession” post yesterday (“Politics – If it Ain’t Ugly, It Ain’t Working”), the Facebook and Twitter transom today offers a great example of the marketplace of ideas in full swing, from happy to ugly to everything in between.

Sometimes, we have to put on our Teflon to wade through it.

I saw one post this morning from a Facebook friend of mine – someone from my high school yesteryears – who was displeased with the election results, to the extent that he offered an expletive-laden argument likening conservatism to racism.

This same Facebook friend posted a far more upbeat, affirming message less than 24 hours before, saying “Good afternoon. . . . Vote, vote, vote. It is your right, it is your voice.”

Interesting how sentiments can turn on the voice that’s heard. It’s also tough to be on the receiving end of opinions that are just as offensive by what they blatantly say as they are frustrating by the risks and downsides of trying to respond to or counter them in a dialogue that is personally acceptable.

Which underlies my point: a big decision comes when deciding if / how to engage with controversial online conversations – knowing that whatever is written becomes part of one’s permanent Internet fingerprint. The marketplace of ideas offers incredible freedom (you can say what you want to say) alongside a harsh reality (you have to live with what you’ve said).

We urge everyone – from individuals to organizations – to keep that last point in mind, whether they’re dealing with a political issue, a crisis situation or any controversial point.

Remember, the conversations and resulting outcomes can slingshot you into a whole different place from where you originally thought you were or have any desire to be. (I’m taking some level of risk myself in placing this very blog post!)

Bottom line: forethought trumps speed of retort as a virtue in the online world, so as you’re exercising your freedom to participate in public online conversations, remember that it can get ugly out there. Exercise good discretion as much as your freedom of expression.

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/

Keep Ethics in Forefront When Tweeting, Blogging, Facebooking

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

By Ashley Bowen, MBWC Intern

As we all know, social media is the big “to do” now.

Companies all over the world use social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and more to increase awareness about their organizations. Tweets are going out every second asking followers to “read this article,” “join our cause,” “use our product,” etc.

Amid the global flurry, however, is everyone really strategically thinking of what the right message is, or are they throwing out whatever comes to mind first? Most importantly, are the messages ethical and following media guidelines that have been long set for traditional media?

One such questionable ethical situation happened just recently when a Washington Post columnist failed to consider the implications of sending a false tweet. Referring to the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who has been suspended for six games by the NFL after allegations of misconduct, Mike Wise tweeted “Roethlisberger will get five games, I’m told-” meaning he’ll only have to sit out five games.

This important news quickly spread throughout the Internet, but Wise soon admitted it was a joke and was “part of a misguided attempt to comment on the lowered standards of accuracy for information shared on social media,” according to Andy Alexander from the Washington Post.

One lesson is evident from Wise’s post: he wasn’t thinking about the full ramifications of his message, particularly given the context of his fairly prominent role as a member of the news media.

According to the Society of Professional Journalists, journalists should “test the accuracy of information from all sources and exercise care to avoid inadvertent error; deliberate distortion is never permissible.”

The duty of the journalist and any public relations practitioner is to “seek the truth and report it providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues.” Wise now may have followers and the public questioning if his reporting is credible.

To prevent similar situations, companies should consider outlining guidelines for posting to social media websites and via online communications in general. Compiling such a list of standards would help employees know what is acceptable and unacceptable content to post that is associated with their organizations. It could also lead to messages that are more strategic and effective for their audiences. The end result could lead to fewer problems associated with the use of social media.

It’s time to fully embrace social media, but it’s also time to set forth some rules and always be considering the ethical and moral implications of our actions. What we tweet, blog or post could be the catalyst that brings a great deal of attention to ourselves and our organizations.

No “Easy” Button When It Comes to Social Media

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

by Tyra Haag

Each weekday, PRSA Issues and Trends, an online publication of the Public Relations Society of America, reports top industry news related to the field of PR along with current events, professional development opportunities and job resources — just to name a few. 

Since subscribing to this national e-newsletter listserv, I’ve noticed a clear trend—it seems more than 50 percent of the top industry news stories revolve around social media, its impact on the field, controversies surrounding it and best practices.

One such news story led me to Willis Wee’s recent blog post on 30 Social Media Business Case Studies. He compiled 30 business case studies (good and bad) during the past year and how each utilized social media platforms to achieve their goals.

For non-profits, social media platforms have the potential to increase not only brand awareness but also the bottom line if utilized strategically.

How Non-Profits are Using Social Media for Real Results details how non-profit leaders from around the country are using social media to achieve business objectives.

And who would’ve thought the folks at Harvard and Northeastern University would team up and research mood trends experienced throughout the day via Twitter? Researchers from these institutions recently published Pulse of the Nation: U.S. Mood Throughout the Day Inferred from Twitter. Within their site, you’ll find a time lapse video of actual Twitter mood variations, with the happiest tweets occurring during the early morning, late afternoon and weekend hours.

Although several businesses have jumped on the social media bandwagon, it’s important to keep in mind that there’s no such thing as an “easy” button when implementing these platforms. To achieve the most effective social media campaign goals, it takes a clear plan and supporting strategy, so that effort put into utilizing these tools is time well spent—not wasted.

If you have questions related to navigating the waters of online communications, I encourage you to visit Interactive Springboard.

Governments Getting with Social Media Program

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

By Mary Beth West, APR

It recent years, it’s not been uncommon for our clients in the governmental space to push back on the idea of using social media and interactive tools as part of recommended communications programs.

The “uncontrolled” aspect or potential of social media is an intimidating prospect for any organization – but much more so for governmental entities that largely exist by highly controlled regulations, processes and procedures.

More and more, though, it seems that managers working in the public sector are utilizing online communications to meet their objectives, particularly when engaging external audiences with very defined information needs.

For the past year, we’ve worked with a government-affiliated sciences program, and have navigated through the parameters of what their organization can and cannot do per federal guidelines.  It has been an interesting learning process for our team.  We’ve also been encouraged and impressed by the level of openness that this client has shown toward exploring interactive options.

Recently, I came across the website of the Federal Web Managers Council, “an interagency group of senior federal government web managers who collaborate to share common challenges, ideas, and best practices, and improve the online delivery of U.S. Government information and services.”

If you work in a government agency, you might want to check it out for ideas and guidance – particularly if your agency is just starting out with a program of using more interactive / two-way communications tools. 

We also welcome your questions if you need more specialized assistance.  Our collaboration as part of Interactive Springboard currently helps diverse clients in the public and private sectors with creating and managing effective online communications.

Freedom of Speech on Acid

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

By Mary Beth West, APR

Coming off the long Independence Day weekend, it’s appropriate that the Freedom Forum launched its “1 for All” campaign this month to spotlight our First Amendment freedoms. 

As cited in Editor & Publisher in referencing the need for the campaign, “Only 4% of Americans can name all the ‘five freedoms’ guaranteed in the Amendment, and the other 96% don’t appear embarrassed by their ignorance.” 

Even if they aren’t up on their civic lessons about the First Amendment’s direct role to ensure our freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition, everyone participating in the U.S.-based blogosphere and social media realm should count those blessings with tremendous gratitude and pride.

This month, “In the Profession” will focus on social media, with some observations on how the light-speed evolution of online communications tools, tactics and strategies are advancing public relations programs – all the while wreaking more than their fair share of havoc.

It’s that dichotomy of outcomes that makes social media such a parallel representation of the First Amendment itself.

Like social media, the doors that these freedoms open can let wondrous light shine in, but they can also unleash many ideas, opinions, sentiments and messages that are troubling, controversial, offensive, inaccurate, and, for lack of more to-the-point phrasing, can make for a big damn mess that people like me working in the public relations profession must ride herd on daily to clear up and clean up.  Such is our lot in life, but truthfully, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

As an American, I learned long ago that the exercise of First Amendment freedoms doesn’t come wrapped in some neat little contained package or encased within a D.C. museum under Plexiglas in a climate-controlled environment. 

To the contrary, our First Amendment freedoms’ strength, power and beauty are typified by the fact that they run amok all over the landscape, oftentimes making colossal, inconvenient spectacles that require us to have to stop, listen, consider, reconsider, and discuss with one another – even to the point of passionate wars of words – points of view that are not our own. 

Sometimes, the net result of those freedoms even goes so far as to change how we do things, both as individuals and as a society.  And we can argue yet some more as to whether those changes are good or bad.  The circle of First Amendment freedom therein continues.

Quite similarly, social media operates and produces outcomes in much the same way, only in faster and more dramatic fashion . . . a veritable freedom-of-speech on acid.  However unbridled, chaotic and maddening it can be, social media extends powers to the people that the Founding Fathers undoubtedly would have reveled in and embraced as a legacy to the Constitution’s spirit and intent. 

To that point, I think those visionary forbearers would have insisted that social media and online communications exist as an unregulated, unfettered platform for our society’s advancement – both domestically and globally.  And they would have credited us with enough intelligence to utilize it in such a way that the First Amendment would not only continue to survive, but thrive. 

So to that end, let’s exercise those freedoms, and that intelligence, in such a way that would make them proud.

There’s Definitely a Business Case to Be Made for Public Relations…

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

By Gary McCormick, APR, Fellow PRSA; Director, Partnership Development, HGTV; 2010 PRSA Chair/CEO

       

I recently had the opportunity to ring the opening bell for the NASDAQ – a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I clearly had never placed on my bucket list. Even more curious, it was done for an organization that is not a listed or public company. I was there representing a professional association of public relations professionals, which represents a multibillion-dollar global industry.

So how did this happen? It was the result of an advocacy program for public relations launched by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) to outline the value and impact that public relations has on an organization’s success – The Business Case for Public RelationsTM.

Many don’t understand the essence of our business. Stylized notions of celebrity publicists and Beltway spokespeople pervade the news and popular culture, and the term “PR” itself has become common shorthand for the impression – good or bad – that organizations create.

That’s why PRSA developed The Business Case for Public RelationsTM. The program showcases the role of public relations and the professional value it delivers to essential business outcomes:

  • Distinct skills provide services like crisis mitigation, reputation and brand building, wealth creation and consumer engagement.
  • More than other communications and marketing disciplines, public relations engages all stakeholders of an organization, identifying and delivering impacts that are strategically aligned with concerns of the boardroom, employees, customers and investors.
  • Public relations skills are critical to restoring waning public confidence in government and financial institutions as well as being essential to define, develop and maintain the transparency that consumers expect from the companies with whom they choose to do business.

Today more than ever before, companies and organizations need the value that public relations can deliver. As consumer engagement grows through social media, companies will need to outline an increased ability to manage the relationship and conversation that impacts their success in the marketplace. But companies need to engage a public relations professional that understands how to research, plan, execute and evaluate based upon the organization’s defined objectives in order to achieve value.

If your public relations activities are focused on business output and media clips instead of business outcomes, then you are coming up short in a return on your investment. On the other hand, your investment in public relations will garner attention when you can show how that investment delivers value in financial performance by generating sales, revenue and profit; improves your brand equity and reputation; allows for stronger and more efficient employee recruitment and retention; and increases the support you seek for policy decisions or achieving market position.

I hope that you will take time to find out more about the value of public relations on an organization’s performance by visiting www.prsa.org/intelligence/businesscase/.  Moreover, I hope that you find and define the value that public relations is currently delivering or can definitely deliver in your organization.

The PR Impact of “Externalities”

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

By Mary Beth West, APR

The current issue of Harvard Business Review features as its cover article, “The Big Idea: Leadership in the Age of Transparency.”  In it, Christopher Meyer and Julia Kirby delve into the issues of managing “externalities,” defined by economists as “the side effects – or, in the positive case, the spillover effects – of a business’s operations.”  

An example of an externality as cited in the article: “A smokestack in Akron may send particulates into the air that descend on farmlands downwind, but in the absence of any measurement of those, the factory isn’t charged for ensuing crop damage.”

Of course, we all know that the company may not be charged a monetary fine by a government agency (yet), but if the matter is brought to public attention, there can be an even higher price to pay.

In public relations, we are confronted every day with managing the reputation and relationship impacts of our employers’ and clients’ externalities.  In more cases than not, we are called upon to mitigate negative outcomes.  And as the Harvard Business Review article title suggests, we operate in an age of transparency wherein every negative externality is in full public view and subject to vast scrutiny – even activism – via social as well as traditional media.

As “In the Profession” focuses on sustainability this month, the issue of externalities in the realm of environmental impact is timely.  My firm advocates for the role of public relations to help guide management leaders in not only identifying and managing the outcomes of externalities – but perhaps more importantly, to be proactive by avoiding practices and decision-making that give rise to negative externalities in the first place. 

That company with the Akron smokestack, for example, might be counseled to seek out cleaner production processes to cut particulate emissions and then communicate with stakeholders about its efforts.  Of course, most decisions are not so clear-cut.  Many costs and complications can make the “right” decision difficult, if not nearly impossible, for a company to make and still be profitable – or even be able to exist as an entity. 

Managing these complicating factors effectively makes the case that public relations professionals should be at the table, influencing decisions and policy.  Our profession seeks out and understands the attitudes, opinions and behaviors of all stakeholders to an organization – particularly relative to externality impacts in the court of public opinion.  As such, we’re best prepared to represent those views in the context of decision-making. 

Whether an externality is environmental or not, the voice of public relations can enable organizations to balance their business objectives with serving the public good.  And this approach can help companies consciously strive for externalities that are positive rather than negative.

Yikes. If you thought you were having a bad week at the office . . .

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

By Mary Beth West, APR

I’m counting my blessings this week that I’m not in the shoes of Nestle’s MarCom Department.  With that said, however, I’m in the public relations business.  And if you’re not an avid student of real-world case studies for guidance on how to handle your own next “really bad week” at the office, then you don’t belong in this profession.  So I’m paying attention here, because this one’s a doozy.

As you can read from The Wall Street Journal piece, Nestle is getting swarmed on the social media front by Greenpeace and Greenpeace wannabes over the candy company’s selection of palm oil vendors (of which the greens are no fans, quite apparently – read for yourself the details). 

With Nestle now counting 95,000 fans on its Facebook fan page – “now mostly protesters,” as the WSJ reports – the question has to be asked:  With “friends” like these, who needs enemies?

Note to self: add to client crisis management plans without fail a Plan B, C and D for when activist groups hijack your client’s fan page.

The WSJ article closes by saying “Marketing experts are split as to whether the company should simply shut down its Facebook page,” citing a few sources on either side of the argument, with one saying that doing so would “cut off all lines of communication” (to which I disagree, since Facebook is a great tool, but come on – it’s not the alpha and the omega of all public contact as we know it); another source saying “The damage has been so done, it might not be a bad idea to shut down the page and start over” (to which I ask the obvious follow-up question – what’s going to keep activists from simply doing the same thing all over again on the new fan page or wherever else?). 

So this is our world, and very few folks in even the highest levels of corporate marketing are used to it yet. 

In this world, the corporation has limited control of messages pertaining to their own entities in the good times and, seemingly, very little to no control in the bad times.  Social media platforms are a shared stage with the rest of the world, and everybody gets a backstage pass, regardless of whether they’re groupies or stalkers.  But you know what?  It ain’t going away. 

To Nestle’s credit, I truly think they are fighting the good fight here, trying to use some restraint and navigate this highly public, ugly situation with some class.  As their spokeswoman was quoted, the company wants to show “we are listening, which we obviously are, while not getting involved in a shouting match.”  Amen to that.  It’s a slippery slope between a level-headed, well-balanced response to criticism and suddenly realizing you’re in a place you don’t want to be – particularly when you’re operating from a supposition of corporate niceness and you’re dealing with a freewheeling, black-ops type of communications insurgency that delights in shock-value.

My final take-away from the temporary sanctuary of the sidelines is that these horror stories don’t give any of us a pass from deepening our engagement in social media – using the judgment of true professionals in how to take the high road, particularly in the face of fringe elements and tactical offensives.  After all, if there’s a battle being fought out there – and there always is – you can’t win it if you don’t show up.