John Pilmer

Should Socially Responsible (CSR) Companies Toot Their Own Horn?

John Pilmer — Fri, 11 May 2012 23:34:14 +0000

A recent article in Corporate Responsibility Magazine caught my eye. It addresses well the dilemma faced by every good corporate citizen. That is “when” or “if” a company should draw attention to its own sustainable practices affecting people and the planet. It’s written by Stephen Jordan, executive director of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Business Civic Leadership Center, which makes him a credible witness to me.

Here’s an excerpt on the benefits of CSR recognition:

Recognition and lists are a great way to establish how you are being perceived by others, relative to others.
• Recognition programs are a great way to surface best practices and learn what others are doing.
• Recognition raises awareness about what you do within your
company. We know how much you value your employees being proud of what you do—recognition and lists are tools for employee education and to praise those who make the work happen.

• Recognition raises awareness about the issues that you care about. The Business Civic Leadership Center’s “Best Partnership” award category is popular because it helps elevate causes and nonprofit partners as well as the companies.

• People like lists and awards, because they are excellent mnemonic devices and learning tools.

Now back to John Pilmer. Remember PilmerPR CSR Rule #1 when working on your CSR plan:

“First be good, then talk about being good.”

Original post from PilmerPR.com Should Socially Responsible (CSR) Companies Toot Their Own Horn?

The Power of Crowdsourcing?

John Pilmer — Sat, 05 May 2012 00:31:10 +0000

navocate.com

Crowdsourcing is changing the way entrepreneurs launch new businesses (see Kickstarter), but it is also changing the way people comment, speak out, protest, revolt, unite, and…change the world.

In a board meeting of entrepreneurial leaders (UVEF) recently, we discussed the coming advent of Crowdfunding as covered by the JOBS Act (see Forbes article) going into law January 2013. Just consider the way Investor Relations will be turned on its head for small companies coming out of the gate with potentially 10k, 20k, 100k+ investors. How will these new businesses handle expectations of transparency, accountability, and social comments while maintaining the nimble decision making startups depend on to swim with the sharks. My own Public Relations & communications business will have to evolve rapidly to meet this new challenge.

By the time you see this post, more than 90 million people will have viewed the following 30 minute YouTube video entitled Kony 2012. That’s a lot of donated energy.

PilmerPR watches trends like this with great interest. As I fast forward this Internet connectivity and crowdsourcing of the human race, I see nations and governments limited in their ability to foment the hate propaganda needed to attack other governments militarily, politically, and economically. I see corporate leaders rapidly held accountable for actions impacting shareholders. I see a more informed humanity holding humanity more accountable for actions around the globe, not just in the “hood.”

How do you see the ripple effects of this trend?

Click here to view the embedded video.

Original post from PilmerPR.com The Power of Crowdsourcing?

5 Tasty Tips for Perfecting PR Online

John Pilmer — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:23:49 +0000

Public Relations for Business-to-Business clients differs significantly from PR for Business-to-Consumer companies. However, with the explosion of social networking and online resources, both can benefit from new ways of looking at public relations and marketing. Here are top tips for your online presence:

1) Create cool content: This maxim hasn’t changed since the invention of the printing press. While there are millions of websites and other options for relieving the customer pain or problem your product confronts, your company or offering can stand out in a crowd. Not everyone is an awesome editorial writer like Randy Wright at my local newspaper or has the following of Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal. Yet, you likely have important content your prospect seeks on the Internet. Current and relevant are the key words here.

2) Serve Social Sam/Sally: Consumer focused (B2C) companies discover, sooner or later, that online social conversations about their products are happening and that friends believe friends who recommend “stuff.” Getting “likes” on Facebook is a vital endorsement for your brand. Building that community of Twitter followers or Google+ fans is not an option for you. YouTube video strategy can attract new prospects and make your product top of mind. A drip-drip-drip series of moderately successful videos can yield more results over time than a single viral home run video. Contests and free give-aways can build community and keep folks coming back. This re-enforces brainshare. B2B companies find value in video strategy, professional communities like LinkedIn, but may waste time if focused on contests.

3) Battle for Brand: In the days of Pony Express, news crossed the country in days or weeks. Today, it circles the globe in seconds. Companies not watching the brand “farm” find themselves with aging online paths of brand destruction on social media. If left untended for days, these wildfires burn uncontrolled, sometimes into a feeding frenzy any shark would be proud of. If your company doesn’t have time or strategic communications expertise to monitor and respond rapidly, pay someone to. The option “ain’t purty.”

4) Find me, measure me: We search engine optimize (SEO) & measure everything that goes on the Web. Press releases, white papers, case studies, newsletters, website content, blog entries…Well, you get the picture. Start with a Messaging Architecture that executives and your PR/marketing experts agree on. From this framework stems all content. Use this document as the litmus test for anyone creating anything representing your product or service. Then, measure it. Analytics don’t have to be expensive, but disregard at your own peril. Every video, blog entry, tweet, press posting should lead to the sales funnel online and be accountable for it’s success. If a tactic works, by the numbers, then lather-rinse-repeat. If it fails to hit the mark or drive traffic, pivot and try something else.

One of my favorite quotes passed around by successful entrepreneurs like Josh James is to “learn to fail faster.” Not everything works for every company. Get good counsel on proven tactics, but be willing to step out there and try something off the wall…fresh!

5) Become Yoda: I mentioned video and blogging earlier. Some of the most successful bloggers provide industry specific information on a regular basis targeting prospects. This works for B2C or B2B. You likely know a bunch about your offering and the associated industry. Show it off in a regular blog, or video blog. People subscribe to the Yoda in their area of interest every day. Link this back to your online sales funnel. Link everything back to the sales funnel!

Original post from PilmerPR.com 5 Tasty Tips for Perfecting PR Online

Which Avenger is the Best Entrepreneur? Best PR client?

John Pilmer — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:29:39 +0000

Which Avenger is the most entrepreneurial? I vote Tony Stark. He brings hot products to market. Although, in my public relations work, I would likely most want to represent Captain America. Perhaps he’s less of a wild child and a better role model than Tony. Although the Hulk has that whole Green PR angle. The whole group collectively has a real social responsibility (CSR) thing goin’ on, don’t you think?

Click here to view the embedded video.

Original post from PilmerPR.com Which Avenger is the Best Entrepreneur? Best PR client?

Obama vs Romney Social Video- What it Communicates

John Pilmer — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:00:33 +0000

In a previous blog, I shared some thoughts about the important role Social Media plays in this year’s presidential election. As I noted, Mr Obama has a proven track record of swaying voters in mass with viral “new media.”

In PilmerPR‘s work for emerging companies, we counsel clients on best-of-class social media tactics proven to build community, get the word out, and ultimately attract prospects to the sales funnel. Business Wire has previously stated that even a press release coupled with rich media content like video, pictures, and audio is twice as likely to get read. One of the best pieces of news for entrepreneurial startups is that social media done right doesn’t have to be expensive.

This sneak peek at a new PilmerPR video shows how YouTube can communicate certain messages more effectively than traditional print content:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here’s another video we designed for our client Humless that drew a crowd, but cost the client very little to produce.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here’s yet a third video that also uses the sketch artist kind of technique. You may not agree with the message, but you will notice how the video literally “draws” you in and keeps you guessing at what’s next. This video did not cost a ton to create.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Original post from PilmerPR.com Obama vs Romney Social Video- What it Communicates

UVEF Kicks Off Top 25 Under 5 Search…Not American Idol, but…

John Pilmer — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 18:53:42 +0000

Each year 25 emerging Utah companies five years of age and under proudly display their UVEF Top 25 Under 5 trophies after the July awards event. This year will be no different. An institution facilitating Utah’s national rise as an Entrepreneurial Hotspot, the Utah Valley Entrepreneurial Forum (founded 1988) has assisted the launch of hundreds of startups.

Time to apply NOW for this prestigious award. Details

PilmerPR is pleased to be a committed supporter of UVEF. Go Entrepreneurs!

PilmerPR video: How Entrepreneurs get the word out.

Original post from PilmerPR.com UVEF Kicks Off Top 25 Under 5 Search…Not American Idol, but…

Earth Day – Hats off to People Helping People

John Pilmer — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 19:18:26 +0000

The so-called “Triple Bottom Line” of Green, which I first heard years back from Vinod Khosla, is People-Planet-Profits. On Earth Day, we focus most of our attention on the Planet component. However, this year I would like to step outside the box to remind us of the People component of Green.

The story goes, in many religions, that a man named Adam was put in charge of a garden called Eden for the benefit of the human race. He was told to take care of it, be a wise steward of it. If he did this, the planet would greatly benefit Adam (and Eve) and their posterity. Whether or not you subscribe to this story as fact — I for one do — it teaches two points I would like to reiterate: 1) The world is here to benefit the human race – People 2) Only as humans are good stewards of the earth will people benefit most – Planet. These two components of the triple bottom line are tied together at the hip. Hence, my focus today on the People component.

So, here are some great things People are doing for People this Earth Day:

Giving-A-Dime – a charity fundraiser by college students for college students www.GivingADime.org

Yehu – A microfinance project started by US Synthetic employees. www.Yehu.org

Tifie – A humanitarian effort to give children & families a better life. www.Tifie.org

Milk for Wishes – A human milk bank donating breast milk for preemies in NICU care. www.MilkforWishes.com

The Water Project – Providing clean water to the 1 billion worldwide without it. www.TheWaterProject.org

Food & Care Coalition – Providing meals to the needy in my back yard. www.foodandcare.org

Free Medical Camps – Offering greatly discounted medical & dental care. www.freemedicalcamps.com

Comment on this blog to list your favorite People Helping People project.

This blog is created by PilmerPR, a public relations firm focused on promoting socially responsible and cleantech companies.

Original post from PilmerPR.com Earth Day – Hats off to People Helping People

Entrepreneur Student & Classmates vs. Leukemia

John Pilmer — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:33:57 +0000

One of the brightest, most engaged UVU students in my Saturday Entrepreneurship class is Jose Padilla. A naturalized US citizen working the American Dream, he never missed a class until life turned on-a-dime mid-term. Here’s his story and how my brilliant class seeks to make a difference for Jose and others like him by Giving-A-Dime (www.GivingADime.org)

Story on KSL radio

Story in the Daily Herald.

UVU Press Relase

Facebook Page

Click here to view the embedded video.

Original post from PilmerPR.com Entrepreneur Student & Classmates vs. Leukemia

ABC News: Local Moms Keep Preemies Alive

John Pilmer — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:39:57 +0000

ABC Columbia

From time to time I get to be involved in a terrific cause. Doing Public Relations for Milk for Wishes Milk Bank & Helping Hands Milk Bank, both sponsored by Prolacta is one such cause. Prolacta produces the only human milk-based fortifier for severely premature infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICU).

Here’s a story we facilitated in South Carolina that shows why Prolacta and breast milk donation matter.

ABC Columbia television FULL STORY.

Original post from PilmerPR.com ABC News: Local Moms Keep Preemies Alive

What do Kisstixx & Dallas Mavericks have in common?

John Pilmer — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:27:39 +0000

Entrepreneur Mark Cuban!!! And, on Thursday Apr 12 UVEF will host one of them…

No, we haven’t got Mark in the house–yet. Maybe soon! He may just like to know was we put in the water in Utah Valley to pump out so many entrepreneurial superstars.

Our UVEF special guest student entrepreneurs will include Dallas Robinson & Mike Buonomo of Kisstixx, who will tell us about their Shark Tank experience, and Caleb Light, who launched The PowerPot, a remarkable energy technology.

Favorite Kisstixx Flavor combo: Raspberry Lemonade

RSVP: www.UVEF.net See you Thursday!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Original post from PilmerPR.com What do Kisstixx & Dallas Mavericks have in common?