The Lakeview Blog

Is criticism is a threat to survival?

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Sat, 03 Nov 2018 21:24:00 +0000

Whether you have the formal title of manager or not, you will give and receive lots of feedback during your career. If you're like a lot of people, you have a difficult time doing either. Certainly, receiving feedback often stimulates our fight-or-flight impulse.

Does it have to be this way? Is criticism really a threat to our survival?

Of course not! That would be silly.

Our brains are, however, wired to see criticism as a potential threat and it is this underlaying fear that makes receiving feedback so difficult to take.

Feedback is also very hard to give. No one wants to be the difficult boss or cranky colleague. (Unless you already are, in which case, you are likely oblivious and that's a whole other post!)

Here's how to do it effectively.

When giving feedback:

Be timely. There is no point in offering constructive criticism when it's too late for anything to be done about it.
Be clear. Don't use waffly terms that leave your colleagues scratching their heads, wondering what you mean. That isn't to say that you need to be abrupt or cruel, but be clear in the information you're sharing.
Have good intent: You want to help, which is why you're giving the feedback, right? If you're offering your thoughts to blame, scapegoat or dodge responsibility, you'd do better to close your mouth and go for a walk.
Be helpful: Is there something you can do to assist your colleague? Offer some coaching? Point them in the direction of some great training?

When receiving feedback:

Have an open mind. What's that expression, "if you're not learning, you're dead"? Whether you completely agree with the feedback being given or not, take it on and look for something you can learn.
Don't be defensive. Our brains are wired to give more importance to something negative over something positive. This is likely a survival mechanism that taught us that something bad could threaten our survival. That's why we can hear 10 positive things said about us but will obsess about the one negative thing.
Don't be pressured into an immediate response. Take the information on board, but don't feel the need to respond right away. It's perfectly acceptable to ask for a day or two to think about what was said before responding.

There are, of course, many other factors that go into giving and receiving feedback, but these six tips will help you to be more effective (and avoid falling into fight-or-flight mode) whichever side of the feedback conversation you're on.

I'd love to hear your experiences with giving or receiving feedback. In your experience, what has made either a good experience?

Colleen

The risky proposition of not knowing your key message

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 01:00:00 +0000

Communication people spend a lot (A LOT) of time talking about key messages, writing key messages, and coaching clients how to use key messages.

Why all the bother about a simple statement?

Because if you do this one thing well, people (read: clients, customers, staff, your kids) will remember the crux of what you're talking about. Do it poorly, and they remember nothing -- or, perhaps worse, the wrong thing.

The thing about memory that has been shown to be true is that it's a patchwork at best. We may remember bits and pieces of different events and cobble them together to create inexact recollections.

We often remember bad things as being more significant than they were (Like that old performance review when the boss said lots of nice things, but you've focused on the one area she said needed improvement.) and tend to remember those things that struck an emotional cord over things that don't.

When we deliver a lot of information, we're asking people to decipher our meaning. This seems a risky proposition precisely because we know that communication is an inexact art.

Words carry different meanings. Emotions, bias, inattention are just a few of the things that get in the way of mutual understanding.

That's why you have to do the work of creating your key message for your audience.

Remember in grade school when your teacher would ask you to read a passage and find the main idea? Key messages are like that. They are the most important idea you want your audience to remember after they read your email, watch your webinar or hear your presentation.

Next time you interact with someone, whether you're making a sales call or telling your spouse why you're upset, give thought to your key message in advance. You'll get better results and whomever is on the receiving end will appreciate your clarity.

Happy communicating!

Colleen

P.S. If you're a podcast lover like I am, you might be interested in delving into the vagaries of memory through an episode of Malcolm Gladwell's Revisionist History called, Free Brian Williams. It is fascinating.

1 little adjective

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 16:00:00 +0000

We've talked about branding on this blog a number of times. Today, I'd like to tackle it from a different perspective.

We know that people have crummy memories, right? If you tell your kids to do five things, you're lucky if they'll remember two. Whenever you go to the grocery store to pick up a few things, how many times do you return home without the most-needed item?

That's why communication folks say to only have one to three key messages and to repeat them over and over. People will remember very little of what you tell them; I've read that words account for as little as seven per cent of the impact of a presentation, for example.

So, what's the one thing -- the ONE thing -- you want people to remember about you? The one thing you want them to tell others about you?

That you were helpful? Professional? Friendly? Expert? Inspiring?

Have a look at these adjectives. Think of these as a jumping off point and use other words if these don't do it.

Maybe you'd rather focus on how you want your customer to feel after they have connected with you.

Give it some thought. Bounce it around with colleagues, friends and family. It's a difficult exercise, but finding the one word that signifies best what you want to stand for will drive everything you do and that will create a brand to remember.

Till next time,

Colleen

Friends of The Spire: Proof that a small group can make a big difference

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 15:27:00 +0000

We love our clients and like to promote the great work they do in our city. We became involved with Friends of The Spire in 2017 and are delighted to share with you the success the group has had in renovating and reinvigorating a welcoming (and affordable!) space for nonprofits and community groups in Kingston.

Where do nonprofit organizations and community groups find affordable and safe space for assembly, celebration, reflection and social action?

For some, that place is The Spire. And Friends of The Spire – a dedicated small group of tireless individuals – are committed to preserving this beautiful heritage building for Kingstonians.

You can help.

First, a bit of background.

Known for generations as the Sydenham Street United Church, The Spire is located in the heart of the Old Sydenham Heritage Conservation District and has been a gathering place since long before Confederation. Originally serving as the city’s circus site, the land was donated in 1851 by the city’s first mayor, John Counter. The building is now well known as a centre for music and the arts, and as a welcoming and affordable haven for all. The name, The Spire, captures in two small words the historic value and the new identity of this precious community asset.

Despite this august history, however, changing demographics and economics had cast a shadow over the building’s future. Sustaining a heritage building for future generations to enjoy is no small feat. With this reality, a new vision was needed to maintain this important piece of Kingston’s heritage.

Members of the congregation, as well as interested community members, got busy to come up with a plan.

The result of their work is the metamorphosis of Sydenham Street United Church into The Spire, expanding the building’s use from a traditional place of worship to a nucleus of inclusivity and community.

To achieve the grand vision of turning a church into a centre for the broader community, a campaign was launched to raise $1.5 million. Fundraising is led by Friends of the Spire board – made up of Bruce Hutchinson, president; Liz Bates, vice-president; Ross Cameron, treasurer; Ellie Deir, secretary; and Stephanie Lafond, Don Robinson and Jack Soule, members at large. The board gains support from a wider circle of dedicated volunteers with diverse talents.

As of Spring 2018, more than half of the fundraising goal has been raised with donations from people who know what The Spire gives to Kingston. This has allowed the Friends to make The Spire accessible by upgrading and adding new washrooms, and installing an elevator as well as an accessible entrance into the performance hall. The next project is the addition of an accessible entrance from the William St. sidewalk.

Today, more than 1,000 individuals come through the doors of The Spire every week. This iconic piece of downtown offers space to many different groups including the Cantabile Choirs of Kingston, the Kingston Canadian Film Festival, self-help groups including Alcoholics Anonymous, Fung Loy Kok – Institute of Taosism, Helen Tufts Child Outreach, the Kingston Choral Society, the Sydenham Street United congregation and others.

Friends of The Spire is busy raising the balance of funds needed for an endowment fund that will help with the ongoing upkeep and improvements to the building.

This is where you come in.

Take a moment to find out more about The Spire, the campaign and the case for giving, and please donate what you can (every dollar helps!).

If you love Kingston like we do, you’ll be proud knowing that you are contributing to growing and maintaining a valuable community space for generations to come.

Colleen

That fear-inducing question: What's your budget?

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Sat, 16 Jun 2018 16:42:00 +0000

Some months ago, I met with a networking group and we got on the topic of the inherent challenges of writing quotations for clients. One of the things that makes this process difficult is the awkward and sometimes fear-inducing question we ask: What's your budget?

Why do consultants ask you about money?

Let's begin with you.

You need some work done so, you call or email a consultant or two or three to get quotations for services.

"How much it will cost to do "x?"

Sounds pretty straightforward, doesn't it? Yet the truth is, I can't always answer that seemingly simple question in a direct way because (and here's where a bit of scepticism may enter on your part) I want to be sure that what you're asking for will get you what you want.

I pepper you with questions like:

What do you want to achieve?
How much time do you have to achieve it?
Who is your audience?
Who is your competition?
Is everyone on board with the goal?
And finally, the killer question: What's your budget?

There are many more questions to be answered than those I've listed here, but it's the last question that makes potential clients squirm and understandably so. Generally, we are uneasy talking about money even with our best friends. Then there's a fear of being taken advantage of; many believe that if they state their budget up front, the consultant will inflate the cost of service to fit the budget.

I'm sure there are consultants who do this as there are unscrupulous actors in any line of work.

In the vast majority, however, are the consultants want to do the most they can within your means. From a practical perspective, we want you to come back to us for your next project and that isn't likely to happen if you believe we've tried to pull one over on you.

Back to your budget. There is no point in preparing a quotation for services that cost $20,000 if you have $2,000 to spend and the opposite is also true.

A high quote against a lower budget may scare you off, as it may cause you to believe that you can't afford to have anything done. A low quote against a higher budget can be equally off-putting as your project won't get the focus that your budget allows.

Sure, $20,000 will buy a lot more than $2,000 and will get different results, but that doesn't mean $2,000 won't get any results or that the work isn't worth doing. A smaller budget may simply mean that the work may be done in stages or may focus on a particular need instead of tackling many things at once.

When we know your budget, we can be more useful to you.

It really is as simple as that.

Next time you're asked for your budget, don't worry about what your budget is. Together, we'll figure out the best use of the funds you have. It's a productive conversation to have to get you the best value for your money.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about the budget conversation. Please chime in.

Cheers!

Colleen

Networking without fear

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Tue, 03 Apr 2018 20:16:00 +0000

Networking.

The idea of it gives many people knots in the stomach. I used to be one of them.

But it doesn't have to be that way.

The best advice I ever received was to stop thinking about networking as a way to sell yourself and to think of it as an opportunity to help others.

"Attend networking events with the intent to be a connector."

Ask others about themselves and their work. Listen to what they do and who they need to meet. Think about how you might help them through your networks.

When you make networking about service to others rather than focusing on yourself, the fear of facing a crowd melts away. At least it did for me.

Sure, you still need to have an elevator speech because when you are interested in others, they usually ask you about you, so be prepared.

But, when you attend to others, the spotlight changes direction and that's a lot more comfortable than feeling like you're at a speed dating event.

Since those bygone days, I often carry the business cards of others to share. I do far more listening than speaking and am more relaxed too.

Does the idea of networking tie your stomach in knots? What have you tried that has worked for you?

Colleen

What's culture got to do with it?

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Tue, 13 Mar 2018 12:00:00 +0000

I've written and spoken (a lot) about brand. What it is and what it isn't.

It's a favourite soapbox of mine.

Over the years, I've been asked many times to "create a brand."

As soon as I begin to ask questions about their customer service, internal culture, market position, etc., I am often met with that deer-in-the-headlights look.

They aren't really asking for help with their brand. What they are saying is: "Create a logo for us."

Your logo, motto or slogan, the colours, fonts and images that you use represent your brand -- or what you think your brand is or want it to be.

Brand itself is quite different.

To define your brand, ask yourself some questions.

How would you describe your business's culture?
What behaviour do you recognize and reward among your employees?
How do you think your customers would describe their experiences with you?
How responsive are you to requests for service after the sale?
Do you give back to your community?
What kind of boss/communicator are you?
What's your digital presence? Your tone?

Now ask your customers and your employees.

If they're being honest, their responses will tell you what your brand is -- for better or worse.

If you don't like it, you can do something about it.

Take heart. Be honest. Get help. Make sure that everything you say and do represents the brand you want to have.

You don't get many chances for a do-over so make this effort count.

Colleen

Hello? Is anybody listening?

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Tue, 06 Mar 2018 13:00:00 +0000

Over the past few weeks, I've been teaching a course in health care communication to a group of international students at the local community college. One module was on effective listening.

What has struck me since that module, is the number of times during the course good listening skills have arisen. In almost every other conversation we've had, the art of listening has been key. When the group presentation assignment came around, one group chose this as the topic.

The ability to listen -- to really listen -- affects our relationships, the decisions we make, how well we engage others, how we show empathy and respect.

Great listening means doing more than waiting to speak. It means putting your biases aside and opening your mind to hear not only what's being said but what's behind what's being said. It's about being curious and wanting to understand another person's point of view.

"Seek first to understand," as Stephen Covey wrote in the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

One of the things that I have loved most is the idea that to listen is to give a gift -- the gift of hearing someone out. How often do we walk away after a conversation, feeling like we haven't been heard at all? To feel heard is to feel understood and that's a wonderful thing.

So, tips for listening well?

Commit to listen and get into a receptive mindset.
Understand your biases and learn to put them aside.
Don't assume or pre-judge.
Cultivate the desire to learn about someone else (or from someone else).
Don't nitpick the details. Listen for the big picture.
Be patient.

It's a gift you can give to others, but I believe it's also a gift you give yourself.

Colleen

It's not my job.

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 13:59:00 +0000

Communication is everyone's job.

That's right. I said it.

Your communication department can't do it all alone.

Whether you lead a team or are an employee, you are the face of the organization inside and outside.

As a manager or supervisor, your team counts on you to share organizational updates, to recognize good performance and to listen to ideas and concerns, and escalate them as appropriate. The communication culture you create can build a great team or destroy it.

An an employee (regardless of where in the organization you work) you should be aware of what your organization is doing, what it's goals are and how you fit into the picture. Your employer should be providing this information. It's up to you to stay informed.

So, if we have to do all this, why have a communication department? you might well ask.

Your communication experts not only must provide information and set up the avenues for you to be informed, they are also responsible to:

provide you with great advice on all aspects of communication from website content to social media management to stakeholder engagement
help the organization achieve its goals by developing creative communication plans and implementing them effectively
support managers and supervisors with the tools they need to be able to communicate with their staffs
provide communication training and coaching
stay abreast of new techniques and technologies
provide ways for employees to communicate upward
monitor the environment to ensure that the organization is as prepared as possible to handle issues before they become crises

Communication is a big job. Doing it well involves everyone.

I'd love to hear your on-the-job experiences with communication? Could you find the information you needed to do your job? Did your manager keep you up-to-date? What do you think works best?

Colleen

Why you need plain language

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Tue, 20 Feb 2018 13:00:00 +0000

Great writing begins with knowing your purpose, your audience and your message. But that's just the beginning. Learning how to write with impact takes practice.

Do you have tips that have helped you become a better writer? We'd love to hear from you.

Colleen

Engage. Empower. Energize.

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Mon, 05 Feb 2018 16:25:00 +0000

When I worked at the Province of Nova Scotia, I was part of a team that launched the first survey to measure how engaged provincial employees were. The survey measured staff opinions and perceptions in 10 areas: teamwork, communication, employee involvement, quality of work life, leadership, compensation and recognition, personal growth, diversity, safety and security, and recruitment and retention. (You can find out more about this and subsequent surveys here.)

Prior to and during my time at the province, I had often been the go-to person for employee communication programs and had been an advocate of good employee communication practices. This was because none of my PR colleagues thought employee communication was exciting enough. I didn't agree. I thought if organizations were going to say that employees are their most valuable resource, they should show it and I was excited about the possibilities of this work.

The experience with the employee surveys, however, gave me a new way to think about the value of employee communication -- the link between communication and engagement.

Engaged employees are defined as those who are attached and are willing to give extra effort to their organizations.

Willis Towers Watson has studied employee engagement for more than a decade. Its research shows a link between engaged employees, performance and bottom-line results.

WTW reports that: "In a three-year study of 41 global companies, we found that operating margins improved nearly four per cent on average in organizations with high employee engagement levels and declined about two per cent in those with low engagement levels."

So, engagement is important but is it enough?

I have seen high-achieving, engaged employees become frustrated and disengaged due to what they see as unfairness in annual appraisals, lack of input into work and workloads, and disconnects between stated organizational values and those seen in play, among other factors.

While I have my own views about what employers should do to prevent great employees from disconnecting, I was pleased to discover WTW's The Power of Three report that deals with this issue.

In a nutshell, engagement isn't going to last in a vacuum. To be sustainable, the workplace has to support productivity and employee well-being.

The Willis Towers Watson model of sustainable engagement

from The Power of Three, 2016.

From the report:

"Many factors can lead to employee frustration, including inadequate enablement or empowerment, de-motivating work pressures and a recognition-deficient work environment.

"Employers must provide, at a minimum, well-functioning equipment, the necessary supplies, effective work processes and clear direction from supervisors. All of these contribute in a very direct way to employees’ ability to get the job done."

"But providing this type of support isn't enough. As organizations try to do more with less, employees can feel the stress from mounting workloads and tightening deadlines.

"To perform at their best, employees need healthful environments that help sustain high energy levels. For example, clear priorities, effective teams, respectful colleagues, and a balance between performance expectations and job pressures all contribute to employees’ sense of well-being on the job. In turn, positive well-being generates energy and supports sustained effort."

An employee survey at one company identified the key drivers of sustainable
engagement to be empowerment, teamwork and cooperation, and leadership.

Everyone across an organization can play a role in achieving sustainable engagement. Supervisors create good environments for teamwork; managers provide opportunities for employees to contribute to decisions; executives create appropriate recognition systems; and all levels demonstrate the importance of employee well-being.

Communication articulates and lifts the veil on workplace culture -- for better or worse.

In creating your sustainably engaged workforce, don't forget to set up a sustainable communication program to help get you to where you want to be.

As I often say, when your communication efforts fail, your other efforts often do as well.

How would you describe communication in your organization? Does it support or hinder engagement?

Colleen

Here's where you can read the WTW report.

Isn't a paycheque enough?

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Mon, 22 Jan 2018 13:00:00 +0000

Many employers believe that delivering a paycheque is all they have to do to ensure that their employees are doing all the things the employer has hired them to do.

But is it?

There's a big difference between those employees who show up to work, sleepwalk through their shifts and leave the second the clock tells them it's time to go home, and those who are enthusiastic about their work, deliver great customer service and think about improvements or innovations to your business.

Studies over decades have shown that engaged employees -- those who give the extra 10 per cent, who are committed to their workplace -- deliver better results, take fewer sick days and stay with companies longer. Don't believe me? Here are 32 studies that show just that.

Communication is an important piece of employee engagement. HR Review cites it as being a top-five contributor to employee engagement.

Great communication reduces the need for the rumour mill and the negative environment that can create, decreases the stress of the unknown and lets staff know what the organization is trying to achieve. How can they help you get there if they have no idea what "there" is?

What makes for great communication?

Commitment. Communication takes time and effort. Without management support, efforts aren't given the resources (human, financial and technological) so they sputter and fail.
Clarity. Use clear language that delivers unambiguous information. Don't use management- speak.
Honesty. If you can't give information -- perhaps because a decision hasn't been made -- say so, but do speak about the issue to share what you can.
Ability to input. One of the biggest stressors for employees is having no say over their work. Good communication requires listening and giving employees opportunities to share their experience and ideas.
Consistency. This pairs with #1. Communicate regularly to keep the two-way communication going.
Transparency. Let employees know what's happening (goal), how it's happening (process), why it's happening (the compelling reason), how it will impact them (changes to work, benefits, etc.) and what role they have to play in the outcome. Follow-up when you say you will.
Recognition. Although this isn't specifically about communication, it is tied to it. You may not have a formal recognition program in place, but that doesn't stop you from recognizing good work and saying thank you. Team meetings are a good time for this. However you choose to recognize your employees, make sure that you're walking the talk. There is nothing as demoralizing as the disconnect between what is said (think: corporate value statements) and what is done (rewarding or promoting those who do not demonstrate corporate values). When you recognize great behaviour, you're sending a strong signal that clearly aligns behaviour and goals.

There are other factors that go into employee engagement, but if you nail communication, you will have demonstrated to your employees that they really are your most important assets.

Have you had a job where employee communication excelled? What was that experience like?

Colleen

It's time for a brand-check!

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 13:00:00 +0000

As the new year gets underway, it's an opportunity to have a look at how your brand is showing itself to the world and whether you may have let things slide just a little.

1. Social media: Are your accounts active? If not, should you scale back, perhaps cutting a platform or two, or should you be planning and scheduling your content? Are you following good social media practices such as sharing and commenting on others' posts?

2. Blog: If you have a blog, when was the last time you posted new content? Sharing your knowledge can be valuable to your clients as well as provide you with original content for your other platforms. Focus information on what you offer and create a publication schedule for the first quarter. Block off time to in your calendar.

3. Customer service: Are your employees trained in great customer service? Are they engaged with company goals? Both of these things need attention if you've hired new staff, heard complaints or seen interactions that don't meet your standards.

4. Advertising or promotions: Are you investing in keeping your brand in front of customers and potential customers? Whether you're facing a downturn or an upturn, this is an investment that you can't afford not to make.

5. Community contribution: Are you investing in your community? This can be one of the cornerstones of your brand and has proven to be a successful win-win strategy for many businesses. It might be time to assess your efforts to gauge whether you're aligning with organizations or causes that you want to support.

It's also a good time to remember that you are the best ambassador of your brand. What people see you doing, matters.

Colleen

How to build a great slide

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 23:09:00 +0000

Watching a presentation the other day (and hoping my loss of consciousness didn't show on my face) I was reminded of the need for people to know what makes a great presentation. It all starts with a great slide.

Why do we use slides?

Basically, because we humans have poor memories and even worse concentration.

Slides are to used to engage another sense (vision) in addition to hearing to increase the audience's attention and retention.

Although there are a lot of different numbers out there, experts seem to agree that you will remember a very small percentage of what you hear (about 10 per cent), about 20 per cent of what you read and about 80 per cent of what you see.

That's why a visually arresting slide makes you and your presentation much more effective.

How to create a great slide

Unless someone gives you a set amount of slides (a completely inane practice), don't worry about the number of slides in your deck. The number of slides has absolutely nothing to do with how long your presentation will be.
One slide for each idea, please. You'll have more slides, but you'll also go through each one faster -- another way to keep your audience's attention.
Use a great visual on each slide. Some presenters only use visuals without words. Your slide is meant as a reinforcement of what you're saying so a strong image can be more useful than a lot of text.
If you can't find a relevant image, make your text act like your graphic. A large single word on a blank slide can pack a punch.
Don't write all your text or even full sentences on your slides. A single word may do it. Remember, the words are only a visual cue about the topic, not a script.
Size matters in presentations. Make sure whatever is on the slide is visible and readable by someone sitting at the back of the room.
Avoid charts, especially those with small labels and numbers.
Don't bother taking up space with page numbers. You might even want to think twice about using your logo on every slide. They often clash with the rest of the visuals.
There is some thought that using dark backgrounds is optimum so the words on the slide are the brightest thing on the page. Whether you choose to go dark or light, be sure there is high contrast between the background and the words for clarity and ease-of-reading.

But what about handouts?

If you have little to no text on your slides, how will your audience be able to use the presentation for future reference? If you need to provide a take-away with detailed information, use the notes section to include the detail and email the deck with notes to them after the presentation.

Do you have other tips to building great slides?

Colleen

Start small

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Mon, 18 Dec 2017 14:47:00 +0000

If you don't know where the goal is...

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Sun, 19 Nov 2017 00:07:00 +0000

This is our third post as part of our strategy series. You can find the first, Strategy vs Tactics here and the second on Audiences here.

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Lewis Carroll said, "if you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there." Where "there" is would be anyone's guess. This might be fun, if you're up for an adventure, but if you're trying to run a successful business or organization, it's a recipe for chasing down a lot of dead ends - or running off the road entirely.

That's why knowing what you want to achieve is so important.

A goal is a long-term proposition. It's a step in achieving your vision - that aspirational dream of success. Examples of vision are:

Microsoft: A computer on every desk and in every home.
Wikipedia: A world in which every single person is given free access to the sum of all human knowledge.
Oxfam: A world without poverty.
Habitat for Humanity: A world where everyone has a decent place to live.

[Side note: Vision is often confused with mission although these are two very different things. Just Google it and you'll see what I mean. Vision is the aspirational and is written in the present tense. Mission is how the vision is achieved and for whom.]

If you were Oxfam, your total focus would be on activities that would reduce poverty. Goals might include actions such as: identify root causes of poverty; create action plans to address root causes of poverty; create an awareness campaign to gain international support of Oxfam programs; etc.

What you may notice is that each goal has a verb and is focused on the vision. (You may also notice that they lack a measurable outcomes. That's where objectives come in. We'll discuss objectives in another post so don't worry about that for the moment.)

So vision is verrrrrry long-term but will change over time. Goals are the actions needed to achieve the vision and are long term (think of one- to five-year terms).

What is your dream (vision)? How will you get there? What are you going to do this year and over the coming years to help you get closer to achieving your dream (goals)?

Write them down.

Now you've got your big picture and it's time to plan.

Creating business goals follows the same process as creating communication goals. Communication would be in service of the business. It is a powerful tool to achieve those goals and is usually a key business strategy.

Have you set out your business goals for the short- or long-term? Do you have any tips to share on how you do this? How often do you re-visit your goals to see if they need updating?

Till next time,

Colleen

The general public, you say?

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Sun, 29 Oct 2017 21:01:00 +0000

In the last blog post, I talked about "audience" as being one of the critical factors in figuring out your business/organizational strategy. Understanding your audience is so important that it's worth spending time on the difference between primary and secondary (or tertiary, etc.) audiences.

To begin, can we agree to get rid of the term "general public?" It's a lazy short form that we often use when we think we want market to everyone, hoping that it will resonate with someone.

The problem with this approach is that when we think of the general public, we're really thinking about a faceless blur of people. What we're really saying is that we don't know our produce or service well enough to know who can benefit from it. We're really saying that we haven't done our homework.

Let's consider an example, pretending for a moment that we run a daycare service and have space for a few more children. (A silly example. Who's ever heard of a partially filled daycare? But play along. It'll be worth it.)

For this exercise, I'm going to make a bunch of assumptions about childcare services. They are used only as illustration.
First, we must identify the primary audience from the "general public."

A primary audience is the most important audience to your business. This is the group(s) without which you can't succeed. There will be other audiences for you to market to, but they are less critical.

So, who is the critical audience?

Presumably, we want to target parents. But - yikes!- parents are everywhere! With our tiny marketing budget, how are we going to reach every single parent?

The answer is, we aren't.

We are going to look at factors that will narrow our audience to the key group or groups that are both crucial and manageable for the resources we have.

Let's pretend that you specialize in childcare for pre-school aged children and you do not have subsidized spaces. This immediately eliminates parents of school-aged children and anyone looking for a subsidized spot.

We'd want to look at vicinity. Parents are most likely to want daycare service close to home. Let's say that a reasonable area is within three kilometres of the daycare.

Women still make most of the decisions about childcare so we want to target women. Do men also make decisions about childcare? Of course. But in fewer numbers so reaching them becomes less critical to your business.

We want to focus on mothers who are seeking daycare rather than those who are dissatisfied with the service they currently have because the latter group are harder to find and there are likely to be fewer of them. So, we're looking for mothers who are either new to the neighbourhood or are returning to work.

With those few thoughts, we've gone from trying to reach every parent to mothers who live within three kilometres of our daycare, who have pre-school-aged children, who are actively seeking childcare (are new to the neighbourhood or are returning to work). We can't include moms who are looking for subsidized spaces so are probably looking at average to above-average income levels.

Bravo! We've identified who our customer is! Next, we will figure out where we can reach her as well as what kind of messages and visuals might appeal to her.

Does this mean that you will never target dads? No. It means that you will target them if you have budget and time to do so. Your first focus will be on the woman we've described.

In the next blog post, we'll talk about our customer and where and how we reach her.

I'd love to hear about your challenges and successes with identifying your key/dream customer. Please share in the comment section.

Colleen

Strategy vs tactics

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 18:43:00 +0000

From: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/strategy

How often have you walked into a meeting to discuss strategy only to find your team debating the value of brochures over radio ads or pop-up displays and website content?

The team whips together products that they believe will achieve their (usually unarticulated) goals only to deplete the budget without getting results.

"Is this really what strategy is all about?" you might well ask.

We're going to spend a few weeks talking about strategy in a way that we hope will help you get really comfortable staying away from tactics and helping your team members grasp big-picture thinking.

Let's start with defining what strategy is -- and what it isn't.

First, from the Oxford Dictionary, strategy is a plan to achieve a long-term goal. It is not the detail, which would be set out later in an operational plan. It is high-level. It is the "how" or approach you'll take to achieve that goal or goals. It's figuring out whether you're travelling by air, public transit or car, not which airline, bus company or car-rental firm you're going to use, on what date and at what cost. It's deciding that you're going to use a multi-media campaign rather than deciding that you'll need two 30-second videos, a new website, articles in trade publications and an Instagram account.

Strategy has to take many factors into account.

The goal: This is the #1 thing you must know. Without a clearly defined goal, you can't figure out the right strategy - or appropriate tactics for that matter. What do you need to do to succeed? Does this align with your mission or mandate? Your values or guiding principles?

Resources: Do you have the individuals with the skills to carry out the plan? The right tools? Technology? Budget? If you're aiming at something that can't be done with what you have - or can access - your strategy will fail.

Challenges: What is the environment like? Is there opposition to what you want to do? Agreement? What are the obstacles you must overcome?

Opportunities: What strengths can you leverage? Are their groups or individuals in agreement with your desired outcomes? What third-party expertise or support can you use?

Audiences: Who do you absolutely need to be on-side to succeed? Break audiences into smaller groups based on their shared interests, behaviours, knowledge of topic, influence, etc. This will not only help with strategy but will help you better identify the channels and messages (tactics) to reach them when you get to your operational plan. Our next blog post will go into the difference between primary and secondary audiences.

Timeline: How quickly do you need to achieve your goal? Is the result achievable in the amount of time you have to achieve it? If not, consider breaking your goals down into phases and identify the right strategies from there. For example, if you are trying to change behavioural attitudes and have two months to do it, you don't stand much chance of success. You have only to look at seatbelt, smoking cessation or recycling campaigns to see how long it takes to change behaviours.

Make sense?

Next time, I'll post about audiences and how you differentiate between those who are critical (primary audiences) and those who would be good to reach (secondary).

I'd love to hear about your experiences with strategy-building sessions? Has your experience been that participants understand the difference between strategy and tactics?

Colleen

Dressing for the camera

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Wed, 27 Sep 2017 22:44:00 +0000

One of the most common questions I am asked is how to dress for on-camera interviews. With these tips, your attire is one less thing for you to worry about.

It's good to remember that your goal is to dress in a way that doesn't distract from the information you are sharing.

With that, here are a few tips.

Dress appropriately for the situation. If the interview is happening in the field, you'll look silly in a suit.
Avoid hot colours. This includes red, hot pink or orange. The colours will reflect up to your face and may you look warm.
Avoid white. The lights will reflect and wash out your face.
A small bit of any of these colours under a sweater or blazer is fine.
Blue works on all skin tones.
Avoid shiny, sparkly fabrics unless you really want to look like a Christmas tree.
Avoid strong geometric patterned clothes. If you've ever seen clothes that seem to be moving on screen, it's because strong patterns create a moire effect and seem to dance before your eyes. Other smaller patterns are fine.
Avoid large jewelry that can clank against a mic or create a solar flare when studio lights hit.
Dress in mid-weight fabrics even in winter otherwise you'll be sweating in no time under the strong studio lights.
If you're sitting, be sure to adjust your clothing so it isn't riding up around your shoulders when you sit.
Make up doesn't have to be overdone. Men with receding hairlines should consider using facial powder to avoid forehead glare.

Within these parameters, you want to find something that makes you feel comfortable so your clothes don't add to any discomfort you may be feeling. For example, if you don't normally wear heels, this isn't the time to do so.

Have you seen or had any funny experiences with clothing for on-camera interviews?

Colleen

Do your communication efforts need help?

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Tue, 19 Sep 2017 17:16:00 +0000

Do your employees know what they're working toward? Do they know how to contribute ideas?

Are you giving your customers the best experience they can have? Do they love your business?

If your answer is "no," we can help!

Contact us for a free, one-hour consultation.

Colleen

Dry Stone Festival 2017

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Fri, 15 Sep 2017 13:32:00 +0000

We love our clients.

Our most entertaining project this month is for the Frontenac Heritage Foundation, sponsors of this year's Dry Stone Festival.

Each year, Dry Stone Canada finds a location to restore or build walls, bridges or other structures using the dry stone technique. If you've seen photographs of rural Ireland, you've seen dry stone walls stretching for miles. These walls are build with stone only -- no mortar -- and last for hundreds of years.

It's an ancient art that visitors to the festival can observe or actually participate in and learn when they register for a workshop. There's even a free kid's workshop where they too can learn and practice their new dry stone skills.

This year's event is being held at St. Mark's Anglican Church in Barriefield Village, Kingston, Ontario on September 30 and October 1. Barriefield residents are taking part by offering other activities as well. There will be walking tours, scheduled tours of St. Mark's and the School Museum will be open. (We're waiting to hear from weavers and crafters about possible demos so stay tuned!)

Sign up with Dry Stone Canada for the two-day workshop or drop by to watch. Bring the kids. They'll have a blast.

Rick Mercer joined the 2015 event and had "one of the best days of his life."

Hope to see you there!

Colleen

Public engagement and senior-level support: Why do you need it & how do you get it?

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Tue, 29 Aug 2017 16:52:00 +0000

According to studies from various countries, senior-level support of public participation activities is critical to having the results of that engagement have any impact on final decision-making.

Here's a white paper we wrote for the International Association of Public Participation Canada - better known as IAP2 - outlining these findings as well as a case study of one municipality that is successfully engaging both elected and administrative decision-makers in taking public feedback into account.

Tell us your experiences with public engagement.

Colleen

Down with death-by-powerpoint!

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Mon, 21 Aug 2017 14:27:00 +0000

For many good reasons slide presentations have gotten a bad wrap. You've likely suffered through a presenter reading text-heavy slides or glazed over when a presentation is filled with technical terms that you aren't familiar with.

Now I know that YOU would never do either of these things, but you might like to ramp-up the impact of the presentations you make.

We know that the more senses you engage, the more information your audience members will remember.

Here are a few tips to help you do just that.

Use lots of relevant visuals. Visuals have more of an emotional impact than words so take advantage of this. You don't have to have words on every page. Sometimes an image is all you need to make your point.
Remember that your slide isn't a stand-alone product. You are going to be there to speak to the information. With this in mind, use as few words as possible to make each of your points. If one word will do as a cue, that's all you need.
Use more slides. That's right. When someone asks how many slides I have, I answer with how long the presentation will be. The number of slides is not indication of the length of the presentation as each could be shown for seconds. Certainly, you don't want a slide to be up for more than a few minutes. It's boring and your audience loses interest. (Just like you do when you're in the audience.)
Get out from behind the lectern. You are more likely to connect with your audience and them with you, if there is no barrier between you.

If you're a fan of TED talks like I am, you know how impactful a presentation can be. For presentation info, visit TEDx.

Happy presenting!

Colleen

Top 5 tips for successful media interviews

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 12:23:00 +0000

There is likely nothing more intimidating than being interviewed by a journalist particularly if the topic of the interview is controversial. No one wants to look foolish and become the next social media meme.

Here are some strategies to help get your message out.

Prepare: Preparation is your friend. Think about what you might be asked. Be sure you have an answer to the tough questions. I can't tell you the number of times during a coaching session I've been told, "Don't ask me that. I don't like that question." If the question is uncomfortable, you can be sure it will be asked. If you are caught off-guard with a phone call from a journalist, asking for an interview, don't feel that you have to respond in the moment. It is perfectly acceptable to arrange a time that is mutually convenient. Even 10 minutes can help you prepare a key message and get any relevant statistics or information.
Prepare your key messages: What is the one (maximum three) pieces of information you want the audience to remember? Keep it short. Be sure it's easy to understand.
Answer the question: There is nothing more annoying to a reporter (and the public) than someone who tries to dodge a question. Answer the question succinctly so there can be no room for a misquote. Ramblers beware! If you can't offer a coherent, concise answer, it's a lot harder for a reporter to quote you accurately.
Pivot: Once you've answered the question, segue to your key message, using a statement along the lines of "The most important thing for people to know is [insert key message]. You have more opportunity to have your key message reported - especially if it's broadcast media - if you repeat messaging. The formula is RESPOND TO QUESTION + SEGUE + KEY MESSAGE.
Don't say "no comment": If you can't answer the question, explain why you can't comment. If there is a process underway, explain what the process is that will arrive at a decision/conclusion. If you don't know the answer, say so. Don't guess or share inaccurate information. If you can find the answer, offer to do so and follow up with the reporter as soon as you've found the information.

Good luck with your interview!

If you have interview tips to share, we'd love to hear them in the comments below.

Colleen

The Brand Evolution

noreply@blogger.com (Lakeview Public Relations) — Mon, 31 Jul 2017 13:15:00 +0000

Let's talk about "brand."

I would be hard-pressed to find a subject that is as misunderstood as is branding. This confusion is easy to understand since the term "brand" has evolved to mean different things over time.

Many marketers cite the first brand as being that used by ranchers to identify their cattle. I argue that - although it wasn't called a brand back then - the seals used by nobility on their correspondence may have been an earlier use of branding.

The branding of cattle or use of royal seals gave "brand" a physical presence, which has carried on in the minds of some today who believe that a brand is nothing more than a logo.

The next stage in branding evolution came along when corporations began creating their brands. They they owned their corporate reputations. Most of the rest of us had little evidence to disprove them and took it at face value that they were what they said they were.

Today, with the onset of digital and social platforms, "brand" has evolved again.

A brand is, quite simply, whatever someone believes your business to be. Every interaction a customer or employee has with you or your company informs their belief about your brand.

Brands are in the hands of the public and the perceptions individuals have of you.

Does this mean that you shouldn't bother trying to establish your brand or create a logo?

Absolutely not!

It means that as you figure out what you want to stand for - what you want people to think of you - you can't only think of a tag line or slogan. You have to think about how you're going to deliver on your brand promise.

Think about all the points-of-contact customers have with you. Do you have a storefront? An online store? Website? Social media accounts? Phone? Mail service? Newsletter or other email contact? What else?

Is each interface created and managed to deliver on your brand?

And, since we're talking about delivery, who is delivering on your brand? Your brand isn't only external. Do you have employees or partners? How are you expressing your brand to them? What policies or processes do you have in place that support your brand? Training programs? Hiring, retaining and reward processes?

There is so much that goes in to creating a brand. Don't even think about your logo until you've got your brand sorted out.

Till next time,
Colleen