7 Common Pitfalls of First-time Candidates

As first-time candidates throughout the U.S. slog towards Primary and General elections this year, it's a good time to take a look at some pitfalls these candidates often encounter.

1. Trying to self-manage a campaign. Paraphrasing Mark Twain's observation about lawyers, if you serve as your own campaign manager, you're being managed by a fool. Why? Because you cannot objectively make decisions affecting yourself. For example, you cannot objectively tell yourself that your wardrobe is inappropriate, that you must tone down your favorite diatribe, or that you're speaking too long, or on the wrong topics. This is true for your spouse and other close family members, too. They cannot be totally objective. To run a winning campaign, it takes an outsider's clear view of the campaign and its upcoming challenges to make these kinds of decisions - objectively. Sometimes it's hard to hear that you're approaching a campaign from the wrong direction, and you may even be upset, but better you hear it from someone who WANTS you to win, rather than from voters on election day. (Note: For some races for smaller offices with smaller budgets, a strong campaign advisor - or a communications consultant - may be fine as a substitute for a full-fledged, full-time manager. But the advice holds - get outside help, and LISTEN TO THEIR ADVICE.)

2. Failing to raise and spend the right amount of money. Speaking of money, if you don't have the cash, you must raise it. First-time candidates often delude themselves into thinking money doesn't matter. It does. Without money, there isn't a campaign. And it must be not only raised, but spent, wisely. Even if you think you only need a small amount of money, media and voters will be watching to see if you have the ability to raise more than you need. The truth is, candidates need professionals to help them to raise money - or force them to, if necessary, because media and opponents watch "The money race," too.

3. Focusing on the wrong issues. You have 40 issues that you want to tackle in your campaign: abortion, the IRS, Federal defense spending, social security, etc., etc. But wait a minute, you're running for a seat in the state legislature! Much of this will be irrelevant to the office you're seeking. Spending time on issues you will have no control over if you're elected is a waste of time, and can unnecessarily give voters reasons to vote against you. A campaign must focus on a select few, relevant local issues, and not deviate from them.

4. Talking about the wrong issues ... to the wrong people. You should never lie or change your views to chase poll results in order to get votes. Voters can sniff out a phony. But it simply makes sense to speak to groups and individuals about things they care about. Making wildly irrelevant speeches to influential groups is a sure way of looking foolish - and irrelevant. Relying on speech writers, your manager and/or your communications consultant to direct your campaign's focus on issues through scripted speeches is a wise move. It will likely keep you from looking completely out of touch, and will give your campaign a polished look and feel, without compromising your principles.

5. Steering out of the Mainstream. Okay, so you believe in UFOs and aliens, you  think flying cars can solve traffic jams, and that JFK was shot five times by the CIA, Castro and the Mob working together. Keep it to yourself. While some of this may seem "folksy" coming from long-time politicians, remember this: nuts don't often get elected. And if they do slip into office, they frequently don't stay elected long. Say something off-the-wall and it by very well be the only thing voters remember about you, and the only thing the media will focus on, and can easily destroy your chances of victory. In short, keep irrelevant views to yourself. A speechwriter will be able to "filter out" items that you may not notice in a first draft, and keep you from saying things that will "ALIENate" voters.

6. Running to lose. Sometimes, the better part of valor is not running at all. If you don't have the financial resources, if you don't have the support of colleagues and family members, or if you don't have the willpower, health, time or effort to run an effective campaign, don't do it. (And if you can't keep your head above water in one of these areas at any point in the campaign, consider dropping out.) If you do run, however, you must run to win, not to make a point. People don't vote to make a point, they vote for winners. And voters sense when you're just riding a hobby horse, and don't really care about winning.

6. Being Unprofessional. Failing to present your campaign as professional is a sure sign you haven't hired professionals to design your campaign. For example, you had better use *Local* professional design and printing, because if you don't, you may be viewed as not credible as a candidate. Speaking of signs, having a lot of them up, often illegally on public property, won't win the election. Get permission to put them in the right locations. Independent candidates often get carried away with their message, filling a sign, website, or brochure with trite or off-topic slogans and LOADS of text, resulting in unreadable nonsense no one will actually read. This is the sure signal you're an amateur candidate - one who will not be  taken seriously. Keep it brief and keep it professional, and the best way to do this is to have it written by a campaign professional, who will report your spending to local clerks, the state, or FEC, and also ensure you have the right legal disclaimers on all signs, stickers and mailers.

A professional campaign consultant will help you to avoid these pitfalls, and many more, in the course of your campaign. Abbott Media Group offers a wide array of reputation building and campaign consulting services for current right-of-center candidates and future candidates in Florida, Texas, and throughout the US.

Stephen Abbott is a public relations consultant and political messaging specialist, and the principal of Abbott Media Group, specializing in helping political candidates, business leaders, groups and start-ups craft effective messages. Visit Abbott Media Group for more information.

Copyright © 2000-2024 Abbott Public Relations/Abbott Media Group. All Rights Reserved

New Roles For the Old News Release

 

Long gone are the days of your PR firm or your own organization simply sending out a press release to the local TV and print media, sitting back, and thinking that the job of promoting product, service, or individual has been completed.

That's because the news media are no longer the sole audience of the news release; and understanding this new truth is vital to keeping this communications tool fresh.

Stephen Abbott of Abbott Media Group is skilled in using tried and true tools and techniques such as the news release, but putting them to work in new ways.

AMG understands that news releases today can play several functions in the promotions process,. Releases sent to the media aren't necessarily to ensure immediate coverage. In fact, it's unrealistic to assume that everything sent will be published.

In Abbott's political campaigns, frequent releases have served the purpose of showing that a campaign is active, has hired staff, is raising money, is engaging with voters, and is seriously contesting the race. 

From these roles, it becomes clear that releases from political campaigns have several audiences. 

It's not just local news media, which may or may not be covering local politics, but also political leaders, local business leaders, elected officials, and of course, voters, especially those who are engaged in the process early on. 

Sometimes several releases, specifically targeted to these Publics, make more sense than a single, standard release.

Releases written for business can play a similar role by simply reminding local news media and others that the business is active in the community and open for business.

Releases sent to internal Publics - sush as repeat, regular clients - also have a reassuring effect, and can communicate best practices within a business organization, as well as communicating new policies and procedures to everyone, not just to a select few.

Effective internal Communications  like this can also build a sense of rapport and togetherness within organizations,  reduce gossip and misunderstandings, as well as lower employee turnover.

They can also be employed to convey the new or long-held mission and vision of a group or company. 

These reminders, written in news-worthy, fresh ways, help solidify the reputation of the group or company within a community, and help clarify the purposes towards which they're striving. They can also clear up misconceptions that could damage reputations or cloud the purpose of a company in the public's perception in the long term.

News releases, of course, continue to fill the traditional role of introducing new products and services to current and future clients and customers. 

They still must primarily be sharing something NEW, and be News Worthy in order to be considered for print and digital distribution. 

But they also can demonstrate to clients that a business has the expertise in the field in which they operate, and that they are capable of bringing the latest technology and techniques to bear on their behalf.

Frequent news releases posted on a company or campaign website are an easy way to provide fresh content for visitors. Web content that is frequently changing and updated ranks higher in searches, and encourages future traffic to the site.

Finally, news releases can play a vital role in conveying to relevant Publics within the community that a business is engaging actively with it, playing a positive role by giving back through charitable giving and social involvement. 

This has the effect of building positive feelings towards the business, enhancing its reputation and making future business transactions with them more likely.

AMG and Stephen Abbott understand how to fully employ all the aspects of news releases, and use them to the fullest effect on behalf of clients. 

Contact AMG today for more information. 772-261-1173.

Objections to PR Spending Answered [Abbott Media Group]

 

"I can't afford public relations to build my company's reputation." Really? If you aren't building a reputation, customers won't view your company as reputable, and will visit your competitors. You are either losing or gaining a good reputation every single day. Guess what's happening to your business if you are ignoring it?

"Money is tight. There's a recession coming." Money will get even tighter if your customers stop using your products or services because they don't know how they will benefit from using them or they don't grow to like your company.

"PR isn't effective." it may seem that way in the very beginning, but even short-term PR campaigns can reap great benefits by changing perceptions of your company or the services that it offers. 

"the PR people on the internet promised to get my name in the paper a few times for a flat fee."  Public relations, when done right, isn't just an ad or mention placement service. Anyone with media contacts can get you into Dog Journal or a community shopper or other irrelevant media that won't drive sales, and PR is meant to be a long-term relationship in which the professional gets to know your business and its needs.

"We tried public relations once, but they charged too much and it wasn't effective." The fact that you overpaid, probably for people who were new to the profession, doesn't mean you should judge an entire field on one bad experience. Generally, you get what you pay for. But there are some people who price gouge in every field, whether it's your mechanic, a hospital, or a fancy restaurant. You wouldn't hopefully judge all mechanics, hospitals and restaurants based on those bad experiences. And it's hard to believe anyone would say,  "I tried a mechanic once, but they charged too much. I'm never going back to one."

Race Car Driver's Tweet illustrates Huge #PRFAIL

Oscar Piastri, a reserve driver with the Formula 1 team F1 Alpine, put out a statement on Twitter yesterday noting a substantial disagreement with the team's news release: "I understand that, without my agreement, Alpine F1 have put out a press release late this afternoon that I am driving for them next year. This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year." His tweet caused a bit of a storm on Twitter among the racing community.

It turns out that Piastri was hoping to sign with the McLaren racing team in 2023, although that, too, has not been finalized or formally announced. 

The episode shows a remarkable lack of communication in public relations finesse on the part of the team and the driver. 

And the News Release itself is an embarrassment to the team and a huge Public Relations FAIL. PR professionals must double and triple check all facts before placing them in print and releasing them to the media like this was done. 

The miscommunication here boggles the mind. How difficult would it have been to speak to the driver himself, and ask if negotiations had been completed and a deal has been signed for his continued participation on the team as the main driver next year?

New Roles For the Old News Release [Abbott Media Group]

Long gone are the days of your PR firm or your own organization simply sending out a press release to the local TV and print media, sitting back, and thinking that the job of promoting product, service, or individual has been completed.

That's because the news media are no longer the sole audience of the news release; and understanding this new truth is vital to keeping this communications tool fresh.

Stephen Abbott of Abbott Media Group is skilled in using tried and true tools and techniques such as the news release, but putting them to work in new ways.

AMG understands that news releases today can play several functions in the promotions process,. Releases sent to the media aren't necessarily to ensure immediate coverage. In fact, it's unrealistic to assume that everything sent will be published.

In Abbott's political campaigns, frequent releases have served the purpose of showing that a campaign is active, has hired staff, is raising money, is engaging with voters, and is seriously contesting the race. 

From these roles, it becomes clear that releases from political campaigns have several audiences. 

It's not just local news media, which may or may not be covering local politics, but also political leaders, local business leaders, elected officials, and of course, voters, especially those who are engaged in the process early on. 

Sometimes several releases, specifically targeted to these Publics, make more sense than a single, standard release.

Releases written for business can play a similar role by simply reminding local news media and others that the business is active in the community and open for business.

Releases sent to internal Publics - sush as repeat, regular clients - also have a reassuring effect, and can communicate best practices within a business organization, as well as communicating new policies and procedures to everyone, not just to a select few.

Effective internal Communications  like this can also build a sense of rapport and togetherness within organizations,  reduce gossip and misunderstandings, as well as lower employee turnover.

They can also be employed to convey the new or long-held mission and vision of a group or company. 

These reminders, written in news-worthy, fresh ways, help solidify the reputation of the group or company within a community, and help clarify the purposes towards which they're striving. They can also clear up misconceptions that could damage reputations or cloud the purpose of a company in the public's perception in the long term.

News releases, of course, continue to fill the traditional role of introducing new products and services to current and future clients and customers. 

They still must primarily be sharing something NEW, and be News Worthy in order to be considered for print and digital distribution. 

But they also can demonstrate to clients that a business has the expertise in the field in which they operate, and that they are capable of bringing the latest technology and techniques to bear on their behalf.

Frequent news releases posted on a company or campaign website are an easy way to provide fresh content for visitors. Web content that is frequently changing and updated ranks higher in searches, and encourages future traffic to the site.

Finally, news releases can play a vital role in conveying to relevant Publics within the community that a business is engaging actively with it, playing a positive role by giving back through charitable giving and social involvement. 

This has the effect of building positive feelings towards the business, enhancing its reputation and making future business transactions with them more likely.

AMG and Stephen Abbott understand how to fully employ all the aspects of news releases, and use them to the fullest effect on behalf of clients. 

Contact AMG today for more information. www.abbottmediagroup.com.

The Value Of Hiring A Professional Wordsmith

I once noted on Facebook that you know you have a popular profession when everyone tries to dabble in it. Such is the case with writing. Everyone believes that professional writers do something very easy. After all, everyone writes words. How hard can it be?

In fact, every word a professional communications consultant writes must be carefully considered and written with the knowledge and experience gleaned from their entire career.

I know, for instance, that a single improper word, whether written or spoken, can not only lose the trust of your reader, but can ruin a reputation or derail a campaign overnight.

Such was the case of George Allen, a Virginia Senator who was running for re-election in 2006, and planning a future presidential campaign.

During a campaign event, he made an unscripted remark, referring to one of his opponent's staffers, who was there taking pictures, as "Macacca." The staffer was of Indian descent, and the word was used as a slur against dsrk brown people in India. 

The resulting media firestorm ruined his campaign and any chance for a future in politics.

This is among the primary examples I use when telling candidates for office that they must campaign from written speeches and ought not ever tweet or use Facebook themselves.

The same is true for a CEO of the major company, or a single businessperson just starting out in their profession.

Professional writers know what words to avoid, and not just obvious slurs. Avoiding the wrong words, phrases, slogans, context, tone, confusing jargon, trigger words, or trite sayings - and using the most effective words - can keep a message on track, whether you're a politician or a business professional.

Words have the power to move people to action, to inspire the mind, and to touch a human being's deepest emotions.

Words, therefore, ought to be chosen and used with great care and skill. Professional writers are worth having, and worth compensating fairly.

When so much rides on the written word, it just makes sense to have someone assist you who has made a career of writing. 

Consider Stephen Abbott of Abbott Media Group for your firm, campaign, or group's communications needs.

Stephen Abbott is principal of Abbott Media Group, located in Central Texas, but available remotely, worldwide. He brings decades of news media, political, and business writing skills, along with political and social media management skills to the table for every client.

4 Ways To Build #Trust With Your Customers [Abbott Media Group]

People will do business with those whom they trust. Public Relations is an effective tool to help you build that trust with your customers.

There are several ways a PR can help you to begin to build trust with your customers and with future (potential) customers. Among the most important of them are Consistency, Courtesy, Care, and Community Involvement.

Consistency is a critically important factor in a business' future success. There's a reason why fast food restaurants, pet stores, hotels, and hardware chains, among others, are so popular. Ideally, they offer consistent service and products in multiple locations. Customers know they can get the same products and services offered for about the same price, wherever they go. For some, that may seem "boring," but customers actually yearn for boring over the alternative: inconsistent service and the inability to get their favorite products.

Public Relations professionals can guide a business to craft and disseminate standard internal policies, graphics and messaging that will help create a consistent experience for customers.

Courtesy is also an important factor in building Trust. If service is offered in a cold manner, or worse, in a rude manner, the bond of Trust between a customer and a business is broken. This is even the case in a long-term business relationship. There's no such thing anymore as a small incident of discourteous conduct. Even one incident in which a customer is treated poorly can ruin a company's reputation in this era of instant online reviews and cell phone videos.

A Public Relations professional can help isolate and identify areas in which internal standards aren't being met, and can, once those are addressed, help repair and rebuild Trust with customers who experienced a lack of courtesy during a business transaction.

Care is shown in a multitude of ways by a business, and customers recognize when it's not there, contributing to a lack of Trust. Products or services offered in a sloppy, slapdash way can instantly signal to the customer that the business doesn't really care about them. Caring isn't a small thing, it's a major thing, and in fact, should be a top concern of any business. If you're not in business to care for the customer, why are you in business? 

Care can be bolstered by proper training and internal messaging that makes it clear that business owners have high expectations of their employees. (Caring generates caring.) PR can deliver those internal messages in a compelling and clear way that leaves no doubt that Care is required from everyone.

Finally, Community Involvement can be a tremendous trust-building tool. While some effort should be made not to alienate a customer base with involvement in overtly political or controversial causes, showing concern for one's community is more than a gimmick to grab headlines.

Instead, it shows that a business is intimately tied to the community in which they do business, and that they care about their customers' well-being, not just as a source of cash. Public Relations professionals can help identify community activities that reflect well on a business and help this involvement lead to stronger feelings of trust with their current and future customers.

For more information about building Trust, visit Abbott Media Group at www.abbottmediagroup.com.

The Robinhood PR Disaster - What They Must Do To Make It Right [Abbott Media Group]

When the lists of 2021 PR disasters in business is written next January, Number One on that list will likely be the Robinhood app debacle of this week that left their reputation in tatters.

THE SITUATION:

The Robinhood app, which allows average investors access to the stock market, buying trades without fees, abruptly froze users' ability to buy shares of some hot-selling stocks, among them GameStop and AMC.

Of course, they were "hot" because the internet, specifically the Reddit online chat boards, had made them so, deciding that these stocks - and they companies they represent - shouldn't actually fail (as the hedge funds had decided they should, and were "shorting" their stock in anticipation of their immanent deaths.)

This caused both stocks to rise "to the moon," as many on Twitter put it, and cost the hedge funds BILLIONS because their bets now were suddenly wrong.

Enter Robinhood, which had tweeted early on in its life, "Let the people trade." That slogan became one of bitter irony when, on Wednesday, upon rumored pressure from Wall Street hedge funds and even the Securities and Exchange Commission, they froze the ability to buy further stocks in these two hot properties (but still allowed sales.)

They posted a message which said, in part, "In light of current market volatility, we are restricting transactions for certain securities to position closing only, including $AMC and $GME."

While other brokerage firms reportedly did the same - including TD Ameritrade and other big names - Robinhood received the brunt of the online firestorm that soon erupted. And in the age of Twitter, the reaction was a tsunami of anger and criticism.

What Chris Buskirk, a contributing writer for the New York Times tweeted was typical:

"$AMC was struggling due to COVID lockdowns. Hedge funds shorted the stock to force bankruptcy.

Small investors saw an opportunity & bought $AMC driving it’s price up. $AMC raised $900 million, saved the business & 1000s of jobs. But they’re the bad guys for saving the company?"

One investor said, "There is no free market. There is only a manipulated market that is built to enrich hedge funds. The "capitalists" on Wall Street are being exposed as a bunch of cry babies who aren't actually that smart. If they were so good, why not compete in the free market??"

The cynicism did not end with investors. Politicians were also    quick to express outrage at Robinhood.

New York Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for hearings in Congress about Robinhood and its actions. 

"This is unacceptable. We now need to know more about @RobinhoodApp’s decision to block retail investors from purchasing stock while hedge funds are freely able to trade the stock as they see fit. As a member of the Financial Services Cmte, I’d support a hearing if necessary."

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R- Texas) agreed with the liberal Democrat, tweeting simply, "Fully agree." (Prompting an outburst from Occasio-Cortez, in which she said she would work with other Republicans but not with Cruz, who allegedly, "almost had me murdered three weeks ago." During the Capitol Hill riot.) Whatever.

Republican Congressman Madison Cawthorn was also blunt, tweeting:

"Part of Free Market Capitalism is having a Free Market. Wall Street is pressed because normal, working Americans outplayed them."

Regardless of party differences, this rare demonstration of bipartisanship seems to indicate they will at least be some hearings in the app's future.

For its part, Robinhood tried to stop the bleeding, posting a policy U-turn Thursday afternoon (4:15 pm ET) posting on Twitter and on the app that they would restore the ability to both buy and sell these hot stocks. Vlad Tenev, the Bulgarian entrepreneur who co-founded Robin Hood, tweeting:

"Starting tomorrow, we plan to allow limited buys of these securities. We’ll continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments as needed."

But things continued to spiral out of control for Robinhood. On Thursday, a class action lawsuit was filed in federal court (the Southern District Court of New York) against Robinhood on behalf of its clients, legitimately claiming loss a millions of dollars due to the inability to buy these stocks as they rose drastically on Wednesday morning, and while hedge funds were not similarly restricted.

Late Friday, Robinhood kept digging a hole for itself, releasing a list of 50 stocks for which they were restricting buys. This prompted the investment site  Seeking Alpha to predict the new restrictions "could lead to big exodus" from the app.

As Inc. columnist Jason Aten wrote: "It takes a long time to build a brand, but not long at all to destroy it. In Robinhood's case, it took less than a day."

PR SOLUTIONS:

So, how does Robinhood regain its reputation as a fighter for the little guy investor? Or can it?

I believe it can, but it must demonstrate in the coming months that it did not respond to pressure from Wall Street, or even the White House which many speculated had occurred.

It has already begun the work it must do, including dispelling rumors that it acted to stop trading on behalf of a hedge fund, Citadel - something which would likely mean the death of the app, if true.

Tenev tweeted,

"As a brokerage firm, Robinhood has many financial requirements, including SEC net capital obligations and clearinghouse deposits. Some of these requirements fluctuate based on volatility in the markets and can be substantial in the current environment. 

To be clear, this decision was not made on the direction of any market maker we route to or other market participants."

(The California-based Sequoia hedge fund sought to squash such rumors late Thursday afternoon, tweeting, "Sequoia did not pressure Robinhood to halt the trading of any stocks. This rumor is completely false.")

Over the next few weeks and months, Robinhood needs to act decisively and speak out clearly to restore confidence and trust in its product, and, frankly, the system it works with. Speaking for an entire market is definitely a tall order, and usually not one public relations would need to take on.

But given the tremendous lack of trust that has accrued in such a short period of time (just a few days!) It's one the app must take on.

Hopefully they have a PR team that is instructing the Robinhood application's board that it cannot hide behind technicalities or even the SEC, and preparing them for the Congressional grilling that surely awaits them.

The Robinhood app must take strong, clear actions, and their PR team must then explain those actions in a confident way to investors and customers alike. 

Then, maybe six months from now, the Robinhood app just might still exist.

Petco's Year-End PR Disaster: Killing Their Cat And Dog Logo

If you're one of the largest pet supply retailers in the USA, how do you take off all your pet owner customers? Removing the beloved cat and dog characters from your stores logo is probably the best way. And that's exactly what they did.

PR Week reports that the pet store giant announced in early December its plan to remove the red and blue characters from the front of its stores nationwide, replacing it with simply the word "Petco" in black lettering.

The logo change is reportedly part of Petco’s rebrand to "Petco, The Health + Wellness Co" from "Petco Animal Supplies.

But many customers were having none of it.

The new, pet-free Petco corporate logo was an immediate PR disaster, trashed online and dubbed as "cold and lifeless." 

The pet store clarified that the animals - apparently named Ruff and Mews - are “here to stay.” But only in their advertising.

That didn't do much to mollify Twitter, which scathed the brick and mortar retailer.

"I don't CARE if they're still present in advertising I want them back to being present on the LOGO gosh darnit," said one Twitter user, @anoutlawed, in one of the more printable remarks.

Another wrote:

"Dear @Petco, Your new logo is cold and lifeless. Is the next step phasing out pets, until you're just "co" Cause at this point - might as well."

And another said, bluntly:  "New logo is complete garbage. Lol I dont think I've ever seen a worse downgrade. Fire whoever thought of this s****."

Cool Guy Mark wrote: "Why do you hate your customers? New logo is neutered 😞"

It's unclear what the company was thinking. and it's also unclear whether they did any research on how beloved these characters actually were before making the change public. 

The company's initial response was apparently silence, indicated by the PR Week article noting that a comment was not immediately forthcoming from the company PR department, which clearly was not the best move, especially when a magazine and online industry journal for the public relations industry calls for comment.

Chalk it up to the year 2020 taking two more victims. Unless the company backtracks in early 2021, which it surely should.

#AbbottMediaGroup Does Social Media

 

One of the things AMG hears all the time is "Oh, our group can handle social media in-house." The first question we ask the one saying it is usually, "Oh, really? Then why is your last Facebook post and tweet from March, 2015?"

The sad fact is, in-house social media is often viewed as "extra," rather than an integral part of what you're group or company is doing, and it can easily drop from the radar. And many executives and business owners are too busy to do social media, or aren't skilled in crafting effective messages.

AMG not only keeps you up to date with quality social messaging, we can also provide guidance that will help you avoid costly online pitfalls and mistakes. Talk to us TODAY about letting #AbbottMediaGroup manage your online social media presence!

That time when Shark Tank laughed a surgical mask designer off the stage [Abbott Media Group]

When you make a mistake, own it. That's a solid public relations principle far too few in business, politics, and entertainment follow, probably because it's difficult.

Shark Tank's Daymond John recently demonstrated just that principle, however, in a video and post on his Instagram feed.

Barbara Corcoran also says it was a missed opportunity

On September 6, 2009, Irinia Blok, a 32-year-old American immigrant from Russia, had appeared on the ABC show "Shark Tank," then in its first season.

She was pitching her unique business idea, "Face Blok," surgical masks that are whimsically decorated. She told the sharks that there was actually demand for them in hospitals, though she had only sold a few hundred.

She was met with uproarious laughter from all the Sharks almost immediately.

Her segment, when it aired, was clearly played for laughs, with "circus clown" music heard on the show when she spoke.

The Sharks were incredulous at the concept, some even refusing to try on the masks when Blok offered. Kevin O'Leary tried on a mask featuring a pig snout, doubting openly whether anyone would wear such a thing. Daymond John mockingly wore one on his head.

She said she received 700,000 hits on her website after media coverage. But O'Leary noted that the Swine Flu epidemic earlier that year was "an epidemic that came and went," and prophetically said, "You need a new epidemic to get that kind of hit profile again." Prophetic.

Jump ahead to Aug. 26, 2020, when that same Daymond John posted a video of the segment to his Instagram feed titled, "hindsight is 2020." He wrote:

"As we've come to see, many entrepreneurs have visions/ideas better way ahead of the times. Sure, the ideas may seem ridiculous or even comical, at the time, but as we're starting to learn, we shouldn't dismiss them altogether because one day, they may prove to be useful, such as these novelty masks. 

There didn't seem to be a purpose for them back then, but Irinia Blok was definitely on to something because look at us now... we're all wearing masks. The joke is on us now!"

Shark Tank’ star Barbara Corcoran similarly recalls her ‘worst missed investment’: ‘If only I knew then what I know now!’ she told Grow investment magazine in 2021. 

The bottom line is that it's important to admit and "own" your mistakes, hasty judgements, and oversights. Kudos to Daymond and Barbara for doing that so, publicly!

As for Irinia, she's doing just fine. Before her appearance on the show, in 2007, as a member of Google's graphic design staff, she had independently created the now-famous green robot logo later adopted by the company for its Android phone operating system. It became synonymous with the product in the 2010s.

She no longer sells the designer masks, but has a full-time job as design lead at Google Research/AI. Not a bad consolation prize!

Online: https://www.irinablok.com/

Political Campaigning In A Time Of Crisis [Abbott Media Group]

With fears of the Coronavirus sweeping the nation, there seems to be little time for political campaigning.

In fact, election dates are being pushed back by months in many local communities, and political candidates may find themselves way down on the media's list of priorities.

Candidates should definitely not continue with a "business as usual" approach. But this doesn't mean they can sit at home and wait until June (or in some cases, late Autumn) to start campaigning. Actually, this delay presents an excellent opportunity - especially for non-incumbent upstart candidates - to stay in touch with supporters and continue to introduce themselves to new voters.

Of course, the new realities of the outbreak make many traditional ways of campaigning impossible for the moment. These now-forbidden staples of campaigning include door-to-door canvassing, campaign rallies, attending party meetings, and any other kind of face-to-face meetings.

However, there are still a great number of ways to reach out and remain in contact with voters, and keep candidates' names in the public eye, including extensive (daily) use of social media, speaking frequently on major issues your voters care about in print (via news releases and press statements) and short videos with tightly worded messages that convey campaign themes.

That last point is vital. You MUST have a compelling, consistent campaign message, and repeat it often. When I start working with a candidate, we first create a strong stump speech composed of a consistent list of campaign issues their voters care about, written around a short biography that is compelling and interesting. That's the basis of all future messaging, including the stump speech. Voters crave consistency, especially in a crisis.

And speaking of the crisis, candidates must comfort voters, and speak out (in the appropriate way) about how incumbents are handling it, and should be clear about how THEY would handle it.

Let me end by saying that best way to accomplish all this is to HIRE A PROFESSIONAL! I can help candidates navigate the new realities online and off, and present a consistent, compelling message that will keep voters engaged in this time of crisis. If you are one, or know one who could benefit from my services, put them in touch with me.

Stephen Abbott
AbbottMediaGroup.com

New Roles For the Old News Release [Abbott Media Group]

Long gone are the days of your PR firm or your own organization simply sending out a press release to the media, sitting back, and thinking that the job of promoting product, service, or individual has been completed.

That's because the news media are no longer the sole audience of the news release.

Stephen Abbott of Abbott Media Group is skilled in using tried and true tools and techniques such as the news release, putting them to work in new ways.

AMG understands that news releases today can play several functions in the promotions process,. Releases sent to the media aren't necessarily to ensure immediate coverage. In fact, it's often unrealistic to assume that everything sent will be published.

In Abbott's political campaigns, frequent releases have served the purpose of showing that a campaign is active, has hired staff, is raising money, is engaging with voters, and is seriously contesting the race. And it must be understood that releases from political campaigns have several audiences. Not just local news media, which may or may not be covering local politics, but also political leaders, local business leaders, elected officials, and of course voters. Sometimes releases specifically targeted to these Publics make more sense than the single, standard  Release

Releases written for business can play a similar role by simply reminding local news media and others that the business is active in the community and open for business.

Releases sent to internal Publics also have a reassuring effect, and can communicate best practices within a business organization, as well as communicating new policies and procedures to everyone, not just to a select few. Effective internal Communications also build a sense of rapport and togetherness within organizations, reducing gossip and misunderstandings, as well as employee turnover.

They can also be employed to convey the new or long-held mission and vision of a group or company. These reminders, written in news-worthy, fresh ways, help solidify the reputation of the group or company within a community, and help clarify the purposes towards which they're striving. They also clear up misconceptions that could damage reputations or cloud the purpose of a company in the public's perception in the long term.

News releases, of course, continue to fill the traditional role of introducing new products and services to current and future clients and customers. They still must primarily be sharing something NEW, and be  News Worthy in order to be considered for print and digital distribution. But they also can demonstrate to clients that a business has the expertise in the field in which they operate, capable of bringing the latest technology and techniques to bear on their behalf.

Frequent news releases posted on a company or campaign website are an easy way to provide fresh content for visitors. Web content that is frequently changing and updated ranks higher in searches.

Finally, news releases can play a vital role in conveying to relevant Publics within the community that a business is engaging actively with it, playing a positive role by giving back through charitable giving and social involvement. This has the effect of building positive feelings towards the business, enhancing its reputation and making future business transactions with them more likely.

AMG and Stephen Abbott understand how to fully employ all the aspects of news releases, and use them to the fullest effect on behalf of clients. Contact AMG today for more information. www.abbottmediagroup.com.

Abbott Media Group Launches Funding Campaign For Abbott News Service

NEWS RELEASE
Abbott Media Group
www.abbottmediagroup.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Today, Abbott Media Group is launching a campaign seeking seed funding for Abbott News Service, the next stage in the evolution of news coverage of global politics and social trends.

THE PITCH:

The Abbott News Service will finally expose Americans to unbiased coverage of international politics, elections and global social trends, using multiple online media platforms.

When fully funded and operational, The Abbott News Service (TANS) will feature original reporting and photography and concise news stories of under 250 words. We’ll seek exclusive, local reporting and interviews with influencers.

Using its website, social media platforms and a mobile app, TANS will disseminate original news content in ways that are innovative, interesting and engaging.

BACKGROUND:

The Abbott News Service is the next step in the evolution of the World Politics News blog (worldpoliticsnews.blogspot.com) which Abbott Media Group owner Stephen A. Abbott has edited nearly every day since 2012.

Our mass media is failing us. It's failing to give us the news we deserve about the political events and social trends that, in a Globally interconnected world, could soon reach our shores and drastically impact our lives – both in positive and negative ways.

We need a revolution in Mass Media to ensure that we’re aware and alert to these trends, before they reach America’s shores. The Abbott News Service is the start of this revolution.

We're building the Abbott News Service to take on Big Media and fill the huge gap they’re leaving in international news coverage. We'll bring Americans the news they’re missing, and will insist on news that's accurate, unbiased and unfiltered.

This will not be “advocacy journalism,” since it will not serve as a mask for partisanship disguised as journalism, from the Left or the Right. The only thing TANS will advocate is the expansion of Americans’ knowledge of politics and social trends around the world.

THE DRIVING FORCE:

The Abbott News Service will be overseen on a daily basis by World Politics News Editor-In-Chief and Founder Stephen A. Abbott, a veteran journalist, blogger and communications consultant from Central Florida.

TANS will seek to contract with American and native citizen journalists both overseas and in the US to report on international politics and social trends, paying them by the story. TANS will consider extending internship opportunities to qualified journalism students.

The Abbott News Service will eventually seek to license stories produced by its reporters to outside media organizations, functioning, in part, as a traditional wire service.

FUNDING:
Abbott Media Group is seeking $20,000 in initial/seed funding, using a GoFundMe account and other fundraising methods. For more information and to support the Abbott News Service, go to https://www.gofundme.com/abbott-news-service 

ABOUT:
Abbott Media Group was founded in 2008, the successor to Stephen Abbott Communications (2003-2008.) It relaunched in 2015, with a focus on online media, reputation management, social media management, and ePublishing. They can be found online at www.abbottmediagroup.com, on twitter at @abbottmedia and on facebook at facebook.com/abbottmediagroup.

Founder and owner Stephen A. Abbott graduated with a BA in Communication Arts with a concentration in Public Relations from the University of West Florida in Pensacola, Florida.

###

5 Characteristics of #Reputation [Abbott Media Group]

Like any tool, a reputation constantly needs sharpening to be effective. But it can be double-edged instrument that can cut you and severely damage you, if you're not careful, or mishandle it.

Reputation can be a hard concept to wrap one’s head around. So, bolstered by wise words of wisdom, here are five characteristics of reputation of which businesses and individuals need to be cognizant when seeking to change or improve their reputations.

1. A Reputation can’t be built on false promises - "The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear," said the Greek philosopher Socrates. Your advertising materials won't fool anyone if your promises aren't being kept. If our luggage is lost, we will not believe the ad calling the airline "competent." In the same way, your company’s reality-on-the-ground must match the rhetoric your Reputation Agency is putting out about you, in order for your believability to remain intact.

2. Reputation must reflect what you’re doing NOW - Automobile manufacturer Henry Ford said, ‘You can’t build a reputation on what you're going to do.” It’s all well and good that you PLAN to do something great. But if you’re not doing it yet, or (worse) if you don’t follow through, it will hurt you more than if you hadn't promised to do it at all. In short, your reputation is a result of what you've done in the past.

3. A reputation pays off in the long run - “A reputation for good judgment, for fair dealing, for truth, and for rectitude is itself a fortune,” said social reformer Henry Ward Beecher. There’s not really a way to weigh the value of a good reputation, or that of a good one that’s been lost. Your customers, if they’re happy, reach out to dozens of people about your products and services, but also about your attitude and helpfulness, and that of your employees. A reputation pays off in many innumerable ways, most of which you will never know.

4. A reputation can’t be a con job - Author and artist Elbert Hubbard wrote, “Many a man’s reputation would not know his character if they met on the street.” A reputation must be true and reflective of the subject it purports to represent. No one can "create" a glowing reputation for someone who's character is genuinely bad. Again, today’s consumers simply are too smart for such a cynical exercise in deception, and frankly, AMG (along with every other ethical PR professional) will not participate in such a deception. As in other examples here, the perception must match the reality. A con job will simply further tarnish a damaged reputation, and it’s simply not worth it. Issues involving the character and practices of your company must be addressed BEFORE “re-launching” yourself and your name to the public.

5. Your reputation can be ruined by others - George Washington said, "Associate with men of good quality, if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company." If you’re associated in the mind of the public with a rouge company or an unscrupulous person - even if it’s not YOUR company or employee - your reputation could be hurt by it in the eyes of the public. That may not be fair, but it’s reality. People sometimes don’t distinguish between you and a bad act committed by someone close to you. As Washington said, in that case, it’s better to be seen alone and apart from them, and AMG can help you distance yourself from trouble with a clear reputation management plan.

Contact Abbott Media Group if you need help creating compelling messages that build your reputation!

By Stephen Abbott, Principal, Abbott Media Group, which creates inspiring, engaging messages that build reputations. On twitter and Facebook.

How Your Good #Reputation "Adds Up" To Business Success #AbbottMediaGroup

By Stephen Abbott, principal of Abbott Media Group

Public Relations remains a mysterious and nebulous concept for many, though it's actually not a mystery at all. It's an art and a science, applied to business and personal situations to address and solve problems that, if they're left to fester, can have a deleterious effect on one's reputation. That, in turn, can lead to reduced respect, reduced influence in one’s profession and, perhaps most crucially, reduced sales of one's products and/or services.

I've used the acronym "Add Up" to illustrate the process AMG uses on clients' behalf.

Analyze the situation. Jumping in without even rudimentary analysis of the situation is like jumping into a lake one has never seen before – foolish, and possibly dangerous. A situation analysis in PR usually includes discussions with all of the relevant publics involved. A "public" can be management, owners, employees, customers and other stakeholders involved in some way with an organization, company or community. This helps the PR professional learn all the facts on the ground that could be leading to problems that may be contributing to a decline in reputation.

Determine problems. Being able to name a problem is a first step towards solving it. This is true in one's personal life and of course it's true in business as well. Once the situation is fully analyzed, PR professionals can then research the problems as they truly exist and begin to understand what PR tools and tactics will need to be addressed, which is the next step ...

Diagnose the situation. Doctors use their analysis of a patient's health to determine a diagnosis. In the same way, PR professionals can use the analysis and problems that arose in the early stages of the process to come up with a diagnosis, allowing them to move forward to the next stages.

Understand publics. Without an understanding of the publics who will be affected by the messages to be used to address problems and issues, we can't be as effective as we otherwise would. Some PR practitioners don't get this, and end up "shouting from the rooftops" to get their message out, thus possibly squandering all the previous effort in researching and diagnosing problems. Instead, a clear, targeted message is planned and prepared to go out to clearly identified targets. This is absolutely essential for the success of any PR campaign.

Present the campaign to the relevant publics. All of the research, analysis and planning leads up to a campaign that is presented to predetermined target groups, i.e., those who will most benefit from and be positively influenced by messages that will enhance the client’s reputation and standing in the community, their ability to continue to grow or expand, or other goals that can be measured over time.

This final "implementation phase" utilizes tools and tactics of the PR professional that best meet the needs of the campaign at hand. This expertise, along with the ability to comprehend and work through the previous steps, is why it's best to hire a PR professional to enhance, change and manage your reputation.

Public Relations, and the enhancement of reputation it can bring, "Adds Up" to the continued success of your business, organization or personal fulfillment. 

In sum, the accomplishment of your business goals is in a very real way connected to maintaining good relations with those whom your business interacts with daily, as well as creating inroads with those who will become clients and customers in the future.

Contact Abbott Media Group to learn more about how your reputation can benefit from Public Relations in 2018.

Candidates: What Is Your #PoliticalVoice?

What is your "Political Voice"?

A Political Voice ^(TM) is what I call the vital component of a Message - the WAY in which that message is conveyed to relevant publics. It isn't necessarily the words that are said (though it IS that) it's also the value of the message to the group toward which it is directed, and the tone and tenor at which it is delivered. The message is composed of the policies, plans and promises a candidate or business leader has to convey. The Voice is the MANNER in which the message is conveyed, and how much of the content of that message is conveyed to them.

For instance, with Pres. Trump, his Political Voice is cluttered, but approachable and casual, often having no regard to complex policies or even core beliefs. His speeches are short, brief, and aimed at "average voters."

When in office, Pres. Obama, by contrast, always had a Political Voice that was extremely structured and uplifting, approachable, but with soaring rhetoric, filled with weighty policies but also descriptive of why those policies were relevant, from a philosophical point of view. He was long-winded at times, often losing his audience, which were often upper middle-class city-dwellers.

Pres. Reagan, the "Great Communicator," had yet another style of Political Voice, one that was at times structured and uplifting, but also approachable and casual, often with humor and kindness as his tone. His rhetoric could be uplifting, and he never failed to convey his policies and core values in what he said. His speeches were of average length, never too long, and were aimed at "average voters" without seeming to exclude anyone.

It's extremely important for candidates who intend to seek public office to work with a professional communications consultant to develop a Voice. This will enable them to approach and appeal to not only to relevant future voters, but also - and perhaps even more importantly - to early donors and thought leaders.

Failure to do this, and to develop the right messaging that will be delivered, results in a failed campaign effort. And with the cost of today's political campaigns, deciding to "wing it" means to fail to sound like a viable candidate, and to come up short on election day.

I can help you develop a message and a Voice to convey it the RIGHT way. Contact me immediately if you plan to seek higher office in 2017 or 2018.

Stephen Abbott
#AbbottPR
#AbbottMediaGroup
www.abbottmediagroup.com

5 Characteristics of Reputation [Abbott Media Group]

Like any tool, a reputation constantly needs sharpening to be effective. But it can be double-edged instrument that can cut you and severely damage you, if you're not careful, or mishandle it.

Reputation can be a hard concept to wrap one’s head around. So, bolstered by wise words of wisdom, here are five characteristics of reputation of which businesses and individuals need to be cognizant when seeking to change or improve their reputations.

1. A Reputation can’t be built on false promises - "The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear," said the Greek philosopher Socrates. Your advertising materials won't fool anyone if your promises aren't being kept. If our luggage is lost, we will not believe the ad calling the airline "competent." In the same way, your company’s reality-on-the-ground must match the rhetoric your Reputation Agency is putting out about you, in order for your believability to remain intact.

2. Reputation must reflect what you’re doing NOW - Automobile manufacturer Henry Ford said, ‘You can’t build a reputation on what you're going to do.” It’s all well and good that you PLAN to do something great. But if you’re not doing it yet, or (worse) if you don’t follow through, it will hurt you more than if you hadn't promised to do it at all. In short, your reputation is a result of what you've done in the past.

3. A reputation pays off in the long run - “A reputation for good judgment, for fair dealing, for truth, and for rectitude is itself a fortune,” said social reformer Henry Ward Beecher. There’s not really a way to weigh the value of a good reputation, or that of a good one that’s been lost. Your customers, if they’re happy, reach out to dozens of people about your products and services, but also about your attitude and helpfulness, and that of your employees. A reputation pays off in many innumerable ways, most of which you will never know.

4. A reputation can’t be a con job - Author and artist Elbert Hubbard wrote, “Many a man’s reputation would not know his character if they met on the street.” A reputation must be true and reflective of the subject it purports to represent. No one can "create" a glowing reputation for someone who's character is genuinely bad. Again, today’s consumers simply are too smart for such a cynical exercise in deception, and frankly, AMG (along with every other ethical PR professional) will not participate in such a deception. As in other examples here, the perception must match the reality. A con job will simply further tarnish a damaged reputation, and it’s simply not worth it. Issues involving the character and practices of your company must be addressed BEFORE “re-launching” yourself and your name to the public.

5. Your reputation can be ruined by others - George Washington said, "Associate with men of good quality, if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company." If you’re associated in the mind of the public with a rouge company or an unscrupulous person - even if it’s not YOUR company or employee - your reputation could be hurt by it in the eyes of the public. That may not be fair, but it’s reality. People sometimes don’t distinguish between you and a bad act committed by someone close to you. As Washington said, in that case, it’s better to be seen alone and apart from them, and AMG can help you distance yourself from trouble with a clear reputation management plan.

Contact Abbott Media Group if we can help create compelling messages that build your reputation!

By Stephen Abbott, Principal Abbott Media Group, which creates inspiring, engaging messages that build reputations. On twitter and Facebook.

"#MostUsedWords App" Launches #PR Offensive After Criticism [Abbott Media Group]

Not that giving all one's personal data to a third party has ever been safe, and not that Facebook "quizzes" have ever been safe, either, but the firestorm around the new Facebook app "Most Used Words" really struck a chord with the 17 million Facebook users gave it permission to use its data.

And after the Comparitech blog did a breathless take-down of the Korean-based Vonvon, creator of the App, on its site Sunday, Nov. 22 in which it called it a "privacy nightmare." Comparitech specifically attacked the App's "oxymoronic privacy policy And called the company and the App a "shady data dealer" but not the only one to "masquerade behind a viral quiz mill."

The "nightmare" angle spread like a virus, shared across Facebook, becoming a trending topic there and also on twitter, where many accused the App of "stealing" personal data.

By Tuesday, the company had already sprung into action.

It posted updated language on its website that it was, as of Tuesday, Nov. 24, acting to "proactively" address the concerns by "significantly" reducing "the magnitude of access privilege" required by the App. It also clarified that the App does not collect users' email addresses, "so there is no way we can spam you." It also note

It's CEO Jonghwa Kim also took to the battle to Comparitech itself, sending a rather predictable legalistic and threatening message to the firm (noting that he was "deeply concerned about your false accusation") but also mentioning the positive steps it had taken, and explaining that the information collected, "is never stored in our databases." Comparitech published his letter as an update to the original post.

As for emails, Kim notes bluntly that, "As we do not store any personal information, we have nothing to sell. Period." He swears that the App never deals with Third Parties.

The company has been in existence for less than a year, but says it has more than 100 million unique users from US, UK, France, Brazil, China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, etc. and operates in 15 languages.

THE BOTTOM LINE:

It remains to be seen whether this coverage will damage this Korean startup. It also remains to be seen whether this App is any more damaging or dangerous than any other Facebook App.

But the PR response by Kim and his company seems on point, and an effective demonstration of how crisis management is done: directly address both the alleged technical and ethical problems, then let people know.


By Stephen Abbott, Principal of Abbott Public Relations, a division of Abbott Media Group, which creates written messages which inspire, inform, educate and engage, in mass media, publishing and public relations. On twitter and Facebook.