Next Communications

Short Pause for a Cause: Spain Bound

2012-03-08T09:47:00.000-06:00

I'm taking a short pause in my blogging here for next 10 days or so while I travel abroad to Spain for a short-term music mission for my church. Instead of sharing some thoughts on strategic communication, PR ttopics or other typical professional fare for this blog, I'm opting to share a more personal side to my life.

In addition to being a school public relations guy, I'm also a musician and serve on my church's worship team. Playing music is a passion for me and my favorite creative outlet. Add to that the chance to serve and this promises to be a remarkable experience. If you're interested, our team has a blog that you can follow along.

Until we return,

Solid Crisis Response and Damage Control by TCU

2012-02-21T21:24:00.003-06:00

Image via Wikipedia

It's been a week since news broke on the drug arrests of 17 TCU students shocking the university and local Ft. Worth community on Wednesday, February 15. Much has already been written in the wake of the arrests involving the Ft. Worth Police Department and TCU Campus Police and their six-month investigation that included some students.

I think TCU navigated this challenging situation quite well. I was particularly impressed with the openness and use of their digital communication channels very early before the story developed. There are some great tactical lessons here for PR pros who are paying attention. (Disclosure: I am familiar and acquainted with staff members of the communication and media relations team at TCU.)

At 9:24 AM, Wednesday, February 15, the university tweeted the following:

At 9:25 AM, they also posted to their Facebook page:

Both links went to the university's online statement and were shared right before the Chancellor's 9:30 AM press conference. TCU then tweeted a few updates during his statement.

The communication team also provided FAQs and one additional update related to drug testing through their 'Other News' section of Recent News online.

And that pretty much covered things for them since the Ft. Worth Police took things over and explained the investigation and arrests in addition to releasing documentation. By that point, TCU had sustained some bruises, particularly the football team because of some misinformation and corrections. The arrests, while an unfortunate and sad reality for those individuals involved, gave TCU something to point the attention toward to help deflect the media spotlight a bit.

A quick check on Google News search for stories shows the typical spike in news articles and posts immediately following any major issue and then it tapered off as the recovery phase sets in and the news moved on to other things.

PR Gold
TCU must have learned some valuable transparency lessons and damage control from other high-profile crisis communication issues at other higher ed institutions. Fortunately for them they came forward very early with their information. They shared what I consider a quality statement and response to the investigation and arrests along with details about the process.

Through the university's communication, expectations for students were reinforced along with encouragement for the university community.

Others in public relations have approved of the way TCU initially navigated this issue including Helen Vollmer, president of Edelman Southwest. Vollmer wrote via email on TCU's response:

"...TCU has done a GREAT job in the last couple of days with the drug busts happening. We do a lot of work in education (not for TCU)—Notre Dame, Ohio State, U of H, Princeton, etc. and I laud them highly for their handling of this issue and their great use of social media to convey their 'no nonsense' approach."

Social Media Issues and Best Practices #tspra12

2012-02-18T20:02:00.000-06:00

This is my presentation for last week's Texas School Public Relations Association 2012 Conference. I told attendees I'd have the deck available on the blog. Thank you to all who came to the afternoon presentation and for the great questions. I hope you took away something(s) useful.

And remember, don't be afraid to ask for help.

Social Media Issues and Best Practices for School PR

View more presentations from Richie Escovedo

Special thanks to Craig Verley (Mission CISD) and Scott JuVette (Ft. Worth ISD) for letting me use you and your districts as good examples for the group.

Let Them Eat RPIE: Communication Planning

2012-02-11T10:36:00.002-06:00

It's unclear who actually said the oft-quoted phrase, "Let them eat cake." This flippant phrase about consuming pastry is commonly attributed to Marie Antoinette, the frivolous queen in the days leading up to the French Revolution. She allegedly spoke the words upon hearing how the peasantry had no bread to eat. However biographers and historians have found no evidence to support the attribution.

What does that have to do with communication? Not much, really. I just thought it was a neat little bit of knowledge worth sharing. Plus, it made me think of pie.

Hungry for RPIE

The communication planning process of RPIE (Research, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation) has been on my mind a lot lately. Listening to two local PR pros share their insights from their award-winning PR campaigns at the Ft. Worth PRSA luncheon this week, both speakers framed things using RPIE. At work, I have a number of plans for events and campaigns running right now, all using the RPIE template to keep us on track. And most recently, while preparing a presentation on social media issues and best practices for the 2012 TSPRA Conference next week, the RPIE process made yet another appearance.

So I figured it was again time to revisit RPIE and share some themes for the process.

Research

What do we know?
What don’t we know?
Who do we want to reach? What do we know about them? Where do we find them? What do we want them to do?
It starts with thinking about the people.
School District Buyer Personas
What do School Districts Sell?

Planning

Goals
Measurable Objectives (who, what, by when, by how much)
Strategies Tactics/Tools
Notice the tactics/tools are the last thing before implementation

Implementation

Execution of the plan or communicating
Creative
Materials
Budget
Timeline
Delivery
Actual messages sent through what channels?
How many messages reached your targeted audiences?
What monitoring tools will you use for execution?

Evaluation

Did you accomplish your objectives? Prove it.
Identify ways to improve and recommendations for the future.
Media hits are not measurement.
Measure effectiveness of the program against objectives.
Adjust the plan, materials, etc., before going forward.
Can serve as research for the next phase or program.
Were you able to get key messages out and heard?

Using the RPIE method (or similar methods) is a solid way to make sure your key messages have the greatest opportunities to reach your target audiences. It's also the foundation to determine what's working, what's not, and how to tell the difference.

Photo credit: mackenziedreadful via Flickr Creative Commons

Just keep writing

2012-01-30T22:44:00.001-06:00

Photo via kentigern

I was pleasantly surprised to find that this is my 200th blog post. (Woohoo.) It's sort of like watching your car's odometer roll over to a high mileage. Now I know I'm not in the upper echelon of bloggers and I honestly didn't think I'd have anything to say of any consequence. There are tons of other writers who do a much better job. Many of whom I read daily.

This blog was started as a way for me to pass along the strategies, tactics, tools, and tips that I'm learning as a communication professional. It has had some hits and misses. Not everything gets noticed, or comments, but it's been well worth my time to take a look at a variety of topics and trends in public relations. I've gone through my bouts of writer's block as have most writers. There have been short pauses here and there to get my thoughts together. There have also been times when I wished for more hours in the day so I could get thoughts down and fill up this white screen in the hopes of helping out others who've come across similar issues or who identify with problems or ideas.

To the writers that I read for brilliant thoughts, trends, or topics (such as Geoff Livingston, Kami Watson Huyse, Arik Hanson, Deirdre Breakenridge, Gini Dietrich, Mike Schaffer to name just a few): Please keep up the great works. Each of you (along with so many others) provide a tremendous wealth of resources and discussions.

To the readers who stop by this blog frequently (or infrequently) as well as those who at some point decided to receive these blog posts via email: Thank you.

To the new(er) bloggers out there who have ever felt discouraged by the writing process or who hit that wall and don't think it's worth it anymore: Just keep writing. Get that groove back.

Cheers.

Pondering Three Candidate Definitions for PR

2012-01-18T21:36:00.000-06:00

One week ago, PRSA released three candidate definitions for PR on their 'Public Relations Defined' blog. They are now in a public comment period that will last through January 23. Next is to

"Analyze [the] feedback in preparation for a second “Definition of PR” summit meeting with [PRSA's] international partners, from which three final definitions will arise for voting by the profession."

Fair enough. So let's look at their three candidate definitions:

Definition No. 1:

Public relations is the management function of researching, engaging, communicating, and collaborating with stakeholders in an ethical manner to build mutually beneficial relationships and achieve results.

I like PR as a management function and the reference to ethics.
I don't care for stakeholders. I know it's probably a decent word choice, but it's just cold to me.

Definition No. 2:

Public relations is a strategic communication process that develops and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their key publics.

I like PR being equated with strategic communication.
I don't really care for the recycling of mutually beneficial relationships concept. I get it, it's a great standard, but I'm not sure it works for what we're trying to do now.

Definition No. 3:

Public relations is the engagement between organizations and individuals to achieve mutual understanding and realize strategic goals.

I like that this definition is only 17 words, it's clear and pretty concise in my opinion.
I don't care for the fact that there is no mention of management function or strategic communication process. That being said, I think No. 3 has the greatest chance of being understood inside (and outside) the industry and captures the logical and distinguishable character of PR.

What do you think? Are any of these three candidate definitions close to being a new solid modern definition for public relations? The comments are yours. (Also, don't forget to share your thoughts on the PR Defined blog via comments before January 23.)

Keep up with the conversation by following the #PRDefined hastag.

Photo credit: splorp via Flickr Creative Commons

The Best Communication Tool: Your Brain

2012-01-08T22:53:00.000-06:00

While flipping through my Pulse newsfeed I ran across a headline that required a double-take and click-thru: Coffee Cup Alerts Mount Rainier Campers. I was familiar with the bizarre and tragic story that unfolded last week in Mt. Rainier so I had to see what a coffee cup had to do with things.

On Monday, January 2, four Seattle hikers were enjoying a weekend of winter camping at Mount Rainier National Park when a helicopter buzzed overhead with a mostly incoherent message through a loudspeaker. The campers were unclear as to the pilot's spoken words, so he went to Plan B. He dropped a coffee cup with a warning written in black ink: "A ranger has been shot shooter at large. Call on cell if able to Pierce Co Sheriff."

Communication Win
In addition to things working out in the end for the campers as they made it to safety, I also really like this story from a communication professional's perspective. This is a fantastic reminder that quick-thinking and creative problem-solving are sometimes necessary to get a message across. Those typically faithful effective communication options and channels may fail you when you least expect it. Do whatever it takes to communicate. Be ready for your Plan B.

I think one the comments from the Discovery News post said it best: "This proves (again) that the best tool humans could ever have is brain. With or without technology at hand."

What do you think? As always, the comments are yours.

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Photo credit: NWhikers.net along with more images and a full report from the campers
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(BTW, Pulse is a sweet interactive mobile news aggregator if you're looking for one.)

New Year's Hat Tip For PR Triumphs

2012-01-01T16:31:00.001-06:00

There's no escaping the glare of ever-present shine of media, masses, and individuals waiting to pounce on the failures of others. As 2011 came to a close, another round-up of listings of public relations blunders made their yearly trek around the interwebs. (Some examples here, here, here, and here.)

This brief Twitter exchange between Shel Holz and Richard Becker got me thinking about the topic:

I keep seeing posts on PR blunders of 2011. Has anybody written about PR triumphs of 2011? Surely there have been some.
— Shel Holtz (@shelholtz) December 30, 2011

@shelholtz Many public relations triumphs go unseen, which is why they are triumphs. ;)
— Richard Becker (@RichBecker) December 30, 2011

@richbecker And yet the abundance of blunder-focused posts skews the public perception of PR, don't you think?
— Shel Holtz (@shelholtz) December 30, 2011

Indeed.

So let's take a moment to start 2012 with a hat tip to all of the public relations pros who got it right. Congratulations to all of you professionals who achieved strategic communication victories big and small. Great job on deepening those relationships within your communities. Thumbs up for releasing relevant stories and engaging a variety of communication channels.

PR triumphs happen on a regular basis throughout our industry because they represent business as usual for public relations. Often these wins go largely unnoticed.

And that's a good thing.

If an organization's leadership or clients expect business success and acumen from the PR team, then the credibility of our profession is buoyed. When things go wrong, learn from the mistakes (yours and others) and move on to what's next.

Who's with me?

Photo credit: ooberayhay via Flickr Creative Commons

Keep your job; update your résumé

2011-12-12T13:39:00.001-06:00

résumé - n. 1. A brief account of one's professional or work experience and qualifications, often submitted with an employment application.
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When was the last time you updated your résumé and why did you do it? Most likely it was while you were searching for a new job and/or because you were ready to leave your current position. Do you regularly update your résumé when you have no plans on leaving?

Assuming you are in good standing with your employer and there is minimal cause for concern of being a downsizing casualty, you probably ignore your résumé. Your short summary of work experience can quickly become an anemic relic to the point of being pretty useless. Bad move.

Regular résumé updates can help you keep your job. Your résumé can be invaluable as your concise record of professional progress, achievements, and assets. Think of it in terms of your own professional ROI. During performance reviews, if you've kept a current résumé, you can point to specific initiatives, projects, or objectives that you've met. And of course, that same résumé will hopefully serve you well when it's time to leave and move on to a new opportunity. Save yourself the time and headache of trying to recall accomplishments from days/months/years ago once the urgency sets in because you're seeking new employment.

What do you think? Is it worthwhile to keep your résumé ready?

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On Thursday, December 15, the Help a PR Pro Out (HAPPO) community will once again hold a Twitter chat. The topic? Résumé writing. Check out the details from Arik Hanson's blog: HAPPO chat set for Dec. 15 on resume-writing tips

When will it be held? Thursday, Dec. 15, noon-1 p.m. CT
How do I participate? Jump on the Twitters [Thursday, December 15] and tweet using the #happo hash tag, as always.
How will the chat be organized? We’ll have 5-6 questions to discuss, and our HAPPO champs from across the U.S. will be chiming in with their personal advice. And, of course, we’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas, too.

(Photo by hanzabean via Flickr Creative Commons)

Lesson from pub owner's Facebook rant

2011-12-10T08:35:00.001-06:00

Image by Diorama Sky via Flickr

Ft. Worth pub owner, Carlo Galotto, isn't making running his new business easy on himself. Galotto operates Zio Carlo Magnolia Brew Pub which opened earlier this fall after some apparent setbacks. Unfortunately for Galotto, the setbacks continue this time at his own hands.

Apparently, the owner had imbibed heavily when he took to his pub's business Facebook page for a single-line rant: (via DFW.com)

On Monday afternoon, a controversy exploded online, when the recently opened Zio Carlo Magnolia Brew Pub posted what seemed like a bitter indictment of President Obama and his followers on its Facebook page: “I would prefer not have spoiled Obama kids around me.”

Although the specific author of the posting is not clear, a later comment from Zio Carlo in the same thread that reads “I was born in Italy” suggests it was written by Zio Carlo owner Carlo Galotto.

The post was subsequently removed, but this screen shot – taken by one angry patron who claimed he would never return to the place – illustrates the instantaneous blowback Zio Carlo received. The vast majority of the nearly hundred 100 comments were negative.

Oops.

Fortunately for Galotto, a local public relations pro, Beth Hutson of Hutson Creative Group in Ft. Worth, offered some pro bono damage control and reputation repair. Hutson assisted with the owner's apology and subsequent free pizza slice and happy hour on Saturday.

I hope this works for Carlo Galotto and his fledgling business. Was getting drunk and dropping f-bombs in the comments on his Facebook business page stupid? Absolutely. But accepting PR counsel and acquiescing to a decent mea culpa after the screw up is actually a pretty smart business move. Most likely this episode has caused enough of a stir in the area that folks will come out in support or even just out of curiosity. When they do, Zio Carlo's food and drinks needs to do the talking. The pizza and beer better live up to the hype. That's the best way for Galotto to get back on message.

Two Developing Wins for PR

2011-12-07T15:59:00.001-06:00

Win No. 1
Last week, the PRSA wrapped up an early collaborative stage of a joint campaign to define the term public relations. I was curious as to the number of submissions for the definition and heard back from Keith Trivitt, PRSA's Associate Director of PR. He responded via Twitter, "927, my friend, for a combined 4,000 lines of data and approx. 16,000 submitted words. We're analyzing the data now."

These are fantastic numbers for the 12-day submission campaign but it's just the beginning. Up next is a process to create the three draft definitions from the PRSA Definition of Public Relations Task Force followed by another round of online responses through a 10-day vote for the top definition on the PRSA website.

Why this is a win: In addition to establishing a concise PR definition, the public relations industry benefits from the ongoing internal discussion about our roles as strategic communicators.

Win No. 2
Businessweek posted an article earlier with some great news for the PR industry, "Public Relations: Coming to a B-School Near You." This is from another solid example of advocacy and research from PRSA's Business Case for Public Relations:

"PRSA surveyed 204 American business leaders in the fall of 2011 to ascertain their thoughts on how well MBA candidates understand the strategic business value and tools of public relations. The survey also looked into the role public relations and reputation management play in modern business leadership and whether business leaders felt that MBA programs were effectively teaching these skills."

Why this is a win: Having business schools create MBA curricula with serious emphasis on reputation management and strategic communication crystallizes further external understanding and appreciation of and credibility for public relations by business leaders.

Help Define Public Relations - #PRDefined

2011-11-28T21:13:00.001-06:00

In 1982, a first-class stamp was 20 cents, Michael Jackson's Thriller was released, the world's population was 4.6 billion, and Johnson & Johnson had a PR nightmare on their hands that led to what is now a model crisis response case study. Ironically, 1982 was also the last time the Public Relations Society of America defined public relations.

Last week, PRSA launched a campaign to create a modern definition for PR with a dedicated site and a strategic Media & Advertising column placement in the New York Times. I was thrilled to see this collaborative effort to get an updated (and hopefully better) answer to the question, "What is public relations?"

We've needed something new. Public relations takes a beating outside the industry from those who relegate it to only media relations or worse, spin. And honestly, we seldom do an adequate job within the ranks of PR pros of fighting these and other misconceptions. So it's time for a change. (Disclosure: I've been a member of PRSA since 2001.)

Out with the old, in with the new
In 1982, PRSA adopted a definition for PR as:

“Public relations helps an organization and its publics adapt mutually to each other.”

Today, we have an opportunity to adapt this definition to better fit what it is that we do. Take some time to review the notes from the one-day summit of the Definition of Public Relations Task Force.

The group concluded that a modern definition of public relations should be limited to a single sentence:

Public relations [DOES WHAT] with/for [WHOM] to [DO WHAT] for [WHAT PURPOSE].

The group also saw the need for the modern PR definition to explain two specific things:

How public relations drives business success; and
How public relations protects and/or promotes the organization or brand.

Submit your definition by Friday, December 2, 2011.

Only the beginning
The campaign is just a start to what could be something really fantastic for public relations. Will the final definition end the debate? No way. Consider it the start to a much greater conversation within our field. I can't wait to see what's next.

Follow the conversation on Twitter with the #PRDefined hastag.

Being a 'What's Next?' PR Pro

2011-11-14T15:50:00.000-06:00

Image via WikipediaI loved watching The West Wing. To this day, if I come across it on television I make a point to watch because of the compelling storyline and characters.

One of the random things I took away from the series was a simple two-word phrase by Martin Sheen's character, President Bartlet: What's next?

When Jed Bartlet is in the early stages of his campaign, and his new young crew is laying out the terrain, he says: “What’s next?” – and then, “When I ask, “What’s next?”, it means that I’m ready to move on to other things. So, what’s next?” [source]

What's Next? and Public Relations
A PR pro with a What's next? mentality is a significant contributor in an organization. You can get caught up in the wins/losses of the day or you can decide that whatever this day brings, tomorrow is next and you need to be ready. I think what helps position PR professionals the best is an ability to enjoy the moments of victories (or lick your woulds after defeats) but then quickly pursue the next challenge ahead.

Consider these: Congratulations on that local/state/national media placement. Way to go, you successfully navigated your organization's leadership through some sticky community relations problem unscathed. Take a bow, that newspaper editorial board is on your side for a change. Well done, you were able to convince your executive to dismiss a bad idea that could have been a catastrophic. Three cheers, you got out in front of a crisis situation and were able to tell you side of the story and thus helped with balanced reporting.

The above are a small sampling of what I'd consider to be public relations victories.

But...

Public relations professionals must take the wins, along with the losses, in stride. Too many things are out of your control. Being ready to move on to other things allows for an appropriate level of professional detachment from situations. This comes in very handy during particularly stressful situations. Additionally, having situational awareness is a valuable asset for an organization. You know when things are working well and you should be able to tell when things are going straight down the tubes. Make adjustments and keep moving forward.

Don't spend too much time patting yourself on the back when things go well or kicking yourself in the rear when things go poorly. Instead, look for what's next.

Murphy's Law and the PR Pro

2011-11-07T22:28:00.000-06:00

(Photo credit: vcorne00 via Flickr Creative Commons)

Murphy's Law states anything that can go wrong will go wrong. In public relations, that adage is ever-present because we work within the realm of possibility and organized chaos.

Some days you keep those plates spinning and some days those plates come crashing in spectacular ways. Those times there's nothing else to do but step back and smile at the ridiculousness of the day.

Here are some PR plate-wobbling realities. A few I have personally endured and (thankfully) others I've had the pleasure of only hearing.
Enjoy:

1. You'll have to do an on-camera interview on the day you skipped the tie and/or the razor.

2. Your story will get buried by breaking news.

3. Your carefully hand-crafted email pitch will get stuck in the reporter's spam filter.

4. Your phone battery will die right before that client/supervisor/board member/reporter calls you with urgent news.

5. You will get a jury summons for the same day as a massive special event.

6. A reporter will call after hours for a quote/statement right after you open your first adult beverage.

7. A reporter will contact you to confirm or comment on a situation and all you have to take notes with is the back of a receipt and an eye-liner pencil.

8. You will do an on-camera interview in a muddy field on the same day you happen to wear new shoes.

9. You will have to go after someone cool like a fireman or bomb-squad technician at the local school career day.

10. The day the media picks up that story and wants an interview is the day you wear one black sock and one blue sock.

11. After a year of convincing your boss about a good idea, they tell you the same thing after seeing it a trade show or convention.

12. After multiple design meetings and discussions, your client still wants to use Comic Sans.

13. Your parents still don't know what it is you do for a living.

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Your turn. What would you add to this list?
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But first, in the words of the great Jimmy Buffett:

It’s these changes in latitudes,
changes in attitudes nothing remains quite the same.
With all of our running and all of our cunning,
If we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane...

Surviving a Pterodactyl Invasion with Social Media

2011-11-04T18:58:00.000-05:00

On Halloween Monday the University of North Texas launched an awareness campaign for some official communication channels and procedures in a fun and creative package. The campaign had a simple premise: UNT had been invaded by pterodactyls.

The campaign included a fake press release, safety tips highlighting some campus resources and even a subtitled PSA from the mascot, Scrappy the Eagle.

Alyssa Yancey, a university News Promotion Specialist, pointed out that the project was "designed to show a lighter side of UNT" and encourage students to engage with the university’s Facebook page and Twitter
profile.

(Full Disclosure: I am a proud alumnus of UNT and thought this was pretty cool.)

I sent a few questions to Alyssa to get her take.

What was your inspiration for this project?
The University of North Texas’ Halloween mock-pterodactyl invasion was inspired by the Center for Disease Control’s Zombie Apocalypse preparedness tips from last May.

Why did you choose pterodactyls?
The University of North Texas wanted to choose a topic that would be recognized as a joke and not a serious threat immediately. UNT also wanted something that would resonate with students and alumni. An extinct dinosaur, with a striking resemblance to UNT’s mascot Scrappy the eagle seemed to fit the bill.

What did you hope to achieve through this initiative?
This initiative was designed to increase UNT’s engagement with our Facebook fans and our Twitter followers. We haven’t ever really done anything like this, so we wanted to show our students that we have a personality and a sense of humor.

Was it considered a success?
The invasion was definitely a success. Throughout the day, we engaged with students and others in the Denton community, and had a great time. We encouraged students to submit photos, and they did. Some went on to add to the pterodactyl storyline by submitting historic photos of pterodactyls on campus, and suggesting they know other dinosaurs are plotting a Thanksgiving invasion. Students also joined in on the fun by retweeting the safety tips, release and PSA, sharing information to their Facebook pages and blogging about the invasion.

On Twitter, our retweets, direct mentions and follower counts all showed a strong increase from regular news days. UNT Facebook posts about the invasion, as well as student-contributed content, received numerous likes and positive comments, and the Scrappy YouTube video shot to more than 500 views quickly.

In addition to Alyssa, I reached out to Samra Bufkins, MJ, APR, Strategic Communications Lecturer at UNT's Mayborn School of Journalism for some additional thoughts on the invasion"

"They were hoping for a little more student interaction, but we're finding many students still aren't on twitter or following UNT official accounts. However, I think it's the kind of thing they should try again, maybe at another holiday time. You expect stuff like this at Halloween and April Fool's Day—maybe have some fun around a holiday that's not one for pranks. It was a good, fun, creative outlet and allowed everyone to poke fun at the construction and some other things around here. And at mid-semester, everyone needs a laugh!"

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I really loved this fun and creative attempt to increase awareness and usage of the university's Facebook and Twitter presences along with some basic campus resource information. This is a great example of an organization demonstrating that they have a personality. Well done.

[Top photo credit: UNT Facebook page submitted photo]

Turning Rejection Into Opportunity

2011-10-26T23:30:00.000-05:00

Today I received my first rejection for a conference presentation proposal. I really enjoy speaking engagements but unfortunately my proposal didn't make the cut for the Spring conference.

At first, I was disappointed and immediately felt the stirring of self-doubt creep in. And then it hit me: No presentation, means no preparation. Uh oh.

Like I said, I really enjoy speaking. However, the value for me as a speaker is what I do to to prepare, research, and compile thoughts, data, and insights to be shared with an audience.

So I decided to turn this rejection into an opportunity. Rather than research and prepare to share for someone else, I'm going to study, prepare, and finally become Accredited in Public Relations. I've been flirting with getting the APR few a couple of years now (yikes, I'm such a slacker). Well now I can't use the excuse of having to prepare for a conference presentation which has become common the last few years.

More to come.

Photo Credit: picsonline via Flickr Creative Commons

Speculating to the Media is Playing with Fire

2011-10-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

Image by alykat via FlickrEarlier this week, an area chemical plant was engulfed in flames as a huge fire ripped through the facility. I watched with interest not just because of the captivating videos and shocked reactions to the unfolding catastrophe, but also as the local media scrambled to get the latest information from the scene from anyone who would talk. Anyone. One television news station found a worker willing to speak as the fire raged on screen.

What caught my attention about this was the potential for trouble from a PR perspective. The worker identified himself as an employee of the company and said that he lived near the chemical plant and was sleeping when he "heard a loud explosion." The camera was fixed squarely on the fire as the worker was being interviewed by phone from his home. During the phone interview the worker was asked about the incident and he said something that should make the hair on the neck of any good PR pro stand up on end:

"...I don't know exactly, but I can safely speculate that..."
[emphasis added]

Yikes.

In a crisis situation, this is one of those things that you hope never happens from one of your employees. Proper communication protocol and training should be provided. In my opinion, that worker should have never taken on the role as unofficial spokesperson for the chemical company. I don't know what, if anything, happened to the worker that was interviewed.

It's one thing to provide some decent context to a situation by sharing background information on things you know to be true. It's something completely different (not to mention, an awful idea) to provide guesses about the situation on the fly to the media before any official word has been available. As the problem unfolds on live television. After just waking up. Good grief, what a stupid move.

What do you think, am I being to harsh on this worker's decision to share? Or should his career go up in flames for this lapse in judgment? The comments are yours.
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Thankfully, according to plant officials, employees and visitors of the chemical plant evacuated safely and two employees sustained minor injuries but were not hospitalized.
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Grass Roots Media Relations and Social Media for the Small Non-Profit

2011-10-06T19:40:00.000-05:00

Our local PRSA chapter (The Greater Fort Worth PRSA) held a free workshop for small non-profit organizations as this year's community service project. The workshop included a free presentation and panel: "'Grass Roots' Media Relations and Social Media for the Small Non-Profit" and was held at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.

Small non-profits, operating on limited budgets, need information, assistance and training to use media relations, social media and other public relations tools to help raise awareness of their important missions. The free workshop was our chapter's way of providing some insight in these areas for local non-profit organizations.

I was fortunate enough to be one of the panelists along with (L-R) Sandra Brodniki, APR, Gigi Westerman APR, and Nancy Farrar, our moderator.

The following is our presentation:

Grass Roots Media Relations and Social Media for the Small Non-Profit

View more presentations from Richie Escovedo

Special thanks to PRSA members Kendal Lake and Dustin Van Orne from the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth for organizing the community service event.

I enjoy participating in these types of panels because I usually end up coming away with some great insights from the others. This one was no different.

The solid reminders in the areas of media relations and storytelling from Sandra and Gigi, plus the guiding discussion from Nancy made this a wonderful professional development opportunity.

The Benefit of School Public Relations

2011-09-18T14:32:00.000-05:00

The Brownwood ISD School Board could use a lesson in the need for school public relations. In a recent news article about a decision on whether or not the BISD should hire a new Public Relations Coordinator, the board seemed to have a a hard time quantifying the position's value.

“I know that Emily [the former BISD PR person that left earlier in the year] did a fantastic job, it is evident in ways that can’t be quantified, but when we start to think of the future all I am thinking about is cost,” said school board trustee Michael Cloy. [emphasis added]

Another board member seemed to grasp the benefits of school public relations.

“I do believe that there is a residual that comes from this particular position that, though hard to quantify, I think it is easy to see by our attendance, by our enrollment, by the communications that our community gets to experience at a different level,” said school board trustee Eric Evans. [emphasis added]

Thanks to the Texas Legislature once again creating havoc with public education funding, costs and budgets receive the bulk of attention instead of the quality of instruction and student academic success.

In my opinion, school districts that cut school PR programs and staff or those that continue to leave out funding to create a position dedicated to communications, lose a fundamental part of effective district operations.

School districts have staff for business, finance, facilities, curriculum, counseling, nutrition, transportation, etc. Each of the these people or teams bring an area of expertise that is hard to substitute or make up on the fly. But that is exactly what districts do when they disregard or cut communications. And yet, when surveys are done, superintendents are hired, and groups discuss the ways in which a school district can be better, typically, the number one response is, you guessed it, communication.

Communication is crucial to school district operations. The expertise that professional communicators bring is one that is hard to replicate with even the brightest of individuals. I'd bet that most district administrators believe that they are adequate to good communicators. What school PR people should be able to bring is the ability to see all of the moving parts within and outside the district and how decisions will be perceived. School communications pros must be able to have that situational awareness to grasp the challenges that are currently facing the district while navigating leadership through situations. Being able to simultaneously adapt to traps and ultimately reaching the district's patrons are what separates the school PR pros that are there to be strategic components versus those that are just press release writers.

I like that those BISD board members from the article seemed to inherently know that communications is beneficial. I just wish they knew why. Perhaps school PR people need to do a better job of explaining that.
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Photo credit: saxcubano via Flickr Creative Commons

PR is lost without Ethics

2011-09-08T23:21:00.001-05:00

September is Ethics awareness Month for PRSA. I appreciate that the national organization (of which I am a proud member) highlights this important aspect of the public relations profession. According to the PRSA website, Ethics Awareness Month seeks to "inform and educate the public relations profession about ongoing issues and concerns regarding PR ethics."

We talk a lot about reputation management for our clients and organizations. But what about for ourselves? What's your reputation worth?

PR pros must be proactive in maintaining our own credibility. Thankfully, I have never been faced with a situation where I was asked to intentionally mislead, lie or cover-up something on behalf of an organization. And I hope I never will.

But I think it's bigger than an individual decision. Every time an apparent ethics breach occurs and a PR pro is caught in the middle, or worse, the cause, our profession veers off course. Collectively, we lose and the profession is lost without a foundation of ethics.

Take a close look at the fist line of the PRSA Member Code of Ethics pledge:

I pledge:
To conduct myself professionally, with truth, accuracy, fairness, and responsibility to the public...

PR ethics is one of those areas that sadly, sometimes gets forgotten from within, mocked from outsiders, and keeps us from taking steps forward.

I've heard for years about how we need a PR campaign for the PR profession. Well it starts with a focus on ethics to (re)build our profession's credibility.

I love the call to action over on Neville Hobson's blog on this topic:

Why don’t we all make September our own ethics awareness month by asking ourselves: What am I going to do?

Here’s a start: before the end of this month, read your respective professional association’s code of conduct:

Public Relations Society of America Member Code of Ethics 2000 (PDF)

Chartered Institute of Public Relations Code of Conduct and Complaints Procedure (PDF)

IABC Code of Ethics for Professional Communicators

(If you’re not a member of any of these bodies, read the codes anyway.)

Fantastic idea.

Missouri judge makes good call on "Facebook bill"

2011-08-27T09:11:00.000-05:00

Image via WikipediaCole County (Mo.) Circuit Judge Jon Beetem issued a preliminary injunction on Friday against a law designed to prohibit teachers from having private online conversations with students declaring that it “would have a chilling effect” on free speech.

The law reads in pertinent part, "No teacher shall establish, maintain, or use non-work-related internet site which allows exclusive access with a current or former student."

Judge Beetem writes in the preliminary injunction, "Even if a complete ban on certain forms of communication between certain individuals could be construed as content neutral and only a reasonable restriction on 'time, place, and manner,' the breadth of the prohibition is staggering...The Court finds that the statute would have a chilling effect on speech."

Soon after the injunction, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon announced that he will ask the General Assembly to repeal the social media provisions in the controversial law.

Good call.

This clumsy state-wide provision was sitting there waiting to be challenged and (hopefully) overturned. I have no issue with the intent of wanting to curtail inappropriate contact between students and teachers using social media. It just seems these provisions were doomed from the beginning from a free speech perspective and from an enforcement standpoint. It will be interesting to see what comes next or if other states watch the Missouri outcome and tailor similar bans.

Never forget the value of creativity in PR

2011-08-18T23:53:00.002-05:00

Working in school PR just like any other area of public relations has its share of ups and downs. As we start another school year I'm struck by the depth of planning, meeting, discussions, training, etc. that go into getting ready for the new year. It is easy to get caught up in all of the minor (and major) details of the week, day, and hours. Preparation, procedures, and planning will always be a key component for an effective school communications department.

But don't forget creativity.

I recently came across a cool post, 29 ways to stay creative, while stumbling through the web with the often-ignored StumbleUpon.

Some of its tips are solid reminders (or possibly new inspiration) for public relations professionals seeking to quench their creative thirst.

Here are my favorites from the post:

Get away from the computer - I'm guilty of allowing myself to be tethered to my computer and/or office. You need to be able to step away and unplug.
Get feedback - Listen, listen, and listen some more.
Don't give up - The same determination and perseverance we try to instill in our kids should be the same well we draw from in our professional lives.
Allow yourself to make mistakes - You can learn a lot from a dummy. You can learn even more when that dummy is you.
Go somewhere new - Maybe it's somewhere new for lunch or somewhere new in the bookstore for your reading. Get out of your comfort-zone.
Take risks - While you are out of your comfort-zone, explore and push boundaries.
Break the rules - Sometimes those boundaries can be bent or broken.
Stop trying to be someone else's perfect - While I wouldn't advise constant push-back against senior staff, I do think you can (and should) assert yourself when necessary as the organization's strategic communication expert. That's why you're there.
Finish something - Take that project from cradle to grave.

29 WAYS TO STAY CREATIVE from TO-FU on Vimeo.

Bonus Tip: I'd recommend trying StumbleUpon if you haven't already. After you set-up a profile, it's a quick and easy way to explore, find, and keep track of creative inspiration or just things that are cool to you.

How crisis communication theory meets crisis communication reality

2011-08-11T08:15:00.002-05:00

Image via Wikipedia When Worlds Collide!
How crisis communication theory meets crisis communication reality

Guest post by Brad Domitrovich, PR Zealot

What is a crisis? By definition, it is a crucial or decisive situation, a turning point. For those of us who happen to be in the school PR business, a crisis is better defined as any event that causes us to stop what we are doing and react. From a personal standpoint, I define a crisis as any situation that makes me reach into my medicine cabinet and grab my favorite bottle of headache relief!

Over the past year, I’ve presented crisis communication seminars at several conferences across Texas. In attendance at these workshops were School Board Trustees, Superintendents, District Level Administrators, and Campus Level Administrators. It is always such a breeze lecturing people about what to do in a crisis, especially when there isn’t one going on at that very moment. It sure is easy being “the expert” on stage answering questions about managing the media when there isn’t a line of reporters at my door. Life is so easy when you’re operating in “theory” mode rather than “reality” mode. I’m a big fan of the show Seinfeld. So what happens when, as the character George Costanza states, “worlds collide?” What happens when reality is here and theory takes a back seat?

Every school district has to deal with a crisis from time to time. The ones I have worked for are no exceptions. A couple of months ago, I had a crisis situation pop up. A big one. One of those that you know that within the next twenty-four hours, you are going to be contacted by virtually every media outlet in your market.

Instead of getting myself worked up into frenzy mode, I opted to close my office door, sit in the quiet for a few minutes, and jot down some notes as a plan of action. When I finished penning my last bullet point, I realized that what I was jotting down, was a parroting of what I have been presenting as “theory” throughout the past year.

#1: Be prepared
Although each crisis is different and should be weighed on its own merit, preparation is paramount. What does being prepared mean? Being prepared for me in this case was reviewing information with key individuals. I made sure that I had all the details I needed so I knew what to say. There is no such thing as having too much information when you are preparing for a media blitz. I reviewed timelines, activities, and actions and made sure that all of us knew what to do and what to say during and after the crisis period. Bradley D. Smith, School Board President for Georgetown ISD reiterates this thought. “My advice to administrators would be to completely understand the facts regarding the crisis and then articulate a strong strategy,” he states.

#2: Never say “no comment”
Everyone knows that you should never say no comment. I always try to view the crisis from the eye of the public. Do they want to hear you say “no comment”? Anytime you ignore a crisis situation, it only makes things worse. If we provided no comment, we would have lost our greatest opportunity to control the crisis.

#3: Have one spokesperson
Having one spokesperson who is comfortable in front of reporters is an incredible asset in a crisis situation. One individual should always be designated as the primary spokesperson to make official statements and represent the company. A back-up individual should also be identified in the event the primary person is unavailable. “Have a predetermined spokesperson to handle all the information releases and interviews,” explains Craig Verley, Public Relations Director for Mission Consolidated ISD. “One voice with correct and timely info – frees up other staff to do their jobs in dealing with the emergency situation without media distractions,” he adds.

#4: Media relations is critical
The best time to build a relationship with the media is when you don’t have a major issue in the spotlight. Stay current with reporter names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses. Be proactive. Don’t wait for bad news to begin developing relationships. Mansfield ISD’s Director of Media and Communications Richie Escovedo tells us to “establish positive relationships with the media, community, and advocates before you need them.”

#5: Bleed for a day, not a week
It is always good practice to confront the situation immediately and take charge. If you’re hoping that the radar doesn’t find you because you’re lying low, that just doesn’t work. Embracing the crisis, being prepared, and having a statement ready allows you to get on with business as usual after only one day of controlled chaos.

So those were the five bullet points I jotted down. As I look back, worlds can collide! Managing a crisis can be accomplished as long as you allow “reality” to meet with “theory.”

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Brad Domitrovich is a “PR Zealot” with over thirty years of experience in the academic, entrepreneurial, and corporate environment. He is Past President of the Texas School Public Relations Association and served for six years on the TSPRA Executive Committee. Brad is invited frequently to speak at conferences sponsored by a number of educational organizations. He has delivered keynotes and presentations for several school districts and Educational Service Centers throughout Texas. Currently, Brad is the Director of School and Community Relations for the Georgetown Independent School District. He can be contacted at Brad@Domitrovich.com or (830) 688-9912.

Enough is enough Mr. O'Dwyer, drop your sword

2011-07-20T17:00:00.000-05:00

I don't know Jack. Jack O'Dwyer that is.

I don't know much about Mr. O'Dwyer's media company but according to the site, it appears to provide the "Inside News of Public Relations & Marketing Communications."

However, I am aware of a long-standing and ongoing battle between he and the Public Relations Society of America, the reasons for which are probably well-defined and entrenched on both sides. I've been a PR pro for over 10 years the majority of it as a PRSA member. In general, O'Dwyer and his grumblings don't really show up on my radar. (This is most likely a result of being half a country away from the epicenter of O'Dwyer vs. PRSA in New York.)

The latest battle is over what AdAge has called a "phone hacking" issue coming as no surprise framed in light of the Murdoch/News of the World phone hacking scandal across the pond. AdAge writes:

"The Public Relations Society of America has been a target of Jack O'Dwyer's criticism for years, but generally has opted to stay mum. Now, in a rare move, the trade group is speaking up -- and what it has to say is bold.

In a passionate response to a claim by Mr. O'Dwyer, the publisher of the long-running PR newsletter and website, that the PRSA has auditing issues, the group is accusing the writer of engaging in phone hacking."

From the PRSA newsroom:

PRSA Responds to O'Dwyer's Regarding Society's Financial Reporting and Auditing

The PRSA responded to a July 13 blog post on O’Dwyer’s Blog in which its publisher, Jack O’Dwyer, makes false allegations regarding PRSA's financial reporting and auditing.

"Mr. O'Dwyer, while a free press is essential to our country, principles and profession, not everything—or everyone—wrapped in the mantle of "journalism" is right or ethical, as the News of the World scandal demonstrates. But then again, it would appear that your organization condones such practices, given that records from our teleconferencing vendor show that telephone numbers registered to the J.R. O'Dwyer Company connected to PRSA teleconference calls without PRSA's permission five times between May 22, 2007, and May 12, 2009.

This new skirmish is being hashed and discussed in various corners of the online and PR realm. I don't really know if what happened does or does not constitute "phone hacking" in the same sense of the News of the World. I do know that as a member, I'm pleased that PRSA pushed back. It's important for organizations to assess claims and fight back when it's appropriate. Or as Jason Keith tweeted, "in this day and age you can't sit on the sidelines, you have to respond and react when necessary. That's why I liked it."

Rosanna M. Fiske, APR, chair and CEO of PRSA replied to me in a tweet on this issue: "...We have to speak up when misinformation & half truths are so blatant, esp when they question our management."

Yep, good move.

Additionally, I think it's time for Jack to move on. Mr. O'Dwyer holds a grudge and seeks vengeance by trying to catch PRSA in some wrongdoing or another while attempting to come across as the watchdog journalist out for truth. (A quick check of O’Dwyer’s Blog showed that 22 of the last 30 blog posts authored by Jack O'Dwyer were on PRSA.)

Ok, we get it. You don't like PRSA. Fine.

I'm with Derek DeVries who writes on his blog,

"It would be great if an accommodation can be reached (perhaps by allowing another member of the O’Dwyer staff to cover the PRSA beat to lend more objectivity). Here’s to hoping."

Mr. O'Dwyer, please let it go. Drop your sword or at least pass it on to someone who can be a little more objective.
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Photo credit: toddquinn via Flickr creative commons

For a little while, PR means 'Person Resting'

2011-07-01T22:44:00.000-05:00

Image by Kevin Grocki via FlickrI'm a school PR guy in need of a break. Looking back at the last school year (2010-11), I can easily say that it was one of the more challenging years. And looking ahead at possible hurdles next year makes me glad we've started to take our communication department's planning to greater levels this summer.

But for now, it's time for a pause.

I have a wonderful benefit of having days for vacation. It's time to recharge my mind, enjoy some fun with my family, and remind myself that my focus in life goes way beyond the realm of public relations and school district communications.

As for work, there's much to be done, prepare, ponder and explore. I'm looking forward to (almost) all of that. I plan on being refreshed and ready for what's next. And it'll be because at least for a little while, PR will mean "Person Resting."

And to you, dear reader, I hope you take opportunities to be a Person Resting too.

Cheers!

Next Communications

Short Pause for a Cause: Spain Bound

Solid Crisis Response and Damage Control by TCU

Once things calm down a bit at the Ft. Worth campus, I hope to talk with the TCU communication team about their response. I just want to say to them, publicly, well done.

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