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?

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.

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.

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

About That Controversial Gillette Ad - Should Corporations Engage In Social Commentary?

About the controversial Gillette ad, it's beautifully filmed and one could argue that it simply calls on men to step up and do what's right when they see men bullying and belittling women. Great. Long overdue, and there's nothing wrong with that general sentiment.

But the #MeToo movement the ad references often devolves into anti-male hate and a generalization that all men are inherently aggressive by their very nature, and need "fixing." This turns this into a politically-charged ad, and a socially polarizing one.

Should corporations be involved in political ads and "virtue signaling" about social issues at all? From a #PR point of view, these kind if ads can appeal to one side of an issue, but repel others, so they are inherently risky, and divisive.

Gillette, and its parent company Procter & Gamble, likely assumed that everyone would be on the side of not being rude to women, but the perception of the ad as an attack on all men, as some in the Me Too movement have sometimes sounded, seems to be overwhelming this benign interpretation of the ad, leading to a massive #boycottGillette effort, emerging on the social platforms Twitter and Facebook.

We have of course seen this before, as when companies such as 84 Lumber have waded into the immigration debate with a Super Bowl ad featuring illegal immigrants crossing the border.

Gillette now faces a boycott from men, their primary users, while getting praise from women. A dangerous economic strategy, and a warning for other companies that are tempted to wade into divisive political issues.

Stephen Abbott
#AbbottMediaGroup

How #PR Can Subvert The Traditional "Marketing Funnel" [Abbott Media Group]

Public Relations is not Marketing, nor is it Advertising. It's actually better. The traditional "Marketing Funnel" consists of leading people to an Awareness of a brand, then to their Interest in it, followed by Conversion (a Purchase) then Brand Loyalty, which leads to Advocacy of your brand by the loyal customers.

Which is all good, and it tends to drag customers through the process effectively, when implemented correctly. But it can be time-consuming and every step in the process must be followed with the next step in order for it to be effective.

Advertising is also different from Public Relations, and from Marketing. For example, advertisers often want to go from Awareness directly to a quick sale, which can lead to crass, high-pressure appeals.

Note that I'm not saying there's anything WRONG with Marketing or Advertising as concepts or business practices. Both are critical to understanding consumer behavior and directing them towards becoming happy and loyal customers.

But with Public Relations, we have a way in which we can "short circuit" this process, and possibly make it more effective. If such a system existed, wouldn't businesses want to employ it, alongside traditional methods?

Here's how:

In PR, awareness of your brand's Good Deeds and/or its commitment to its Mission and Core Values can lead directly to people becoming brand Advocates, especially online, leading to them become Loyal customers.

We've seen this over and over again online, in which a poster on Twitter or Facebook or Instagram reacts to a positive action by a company, and says, "Great move! I want to do business with a company like this!" When the poster is a known figure, you have achieved a degree of social proof - an Influencer who directs others to buy and support a brand. This is priceless, and can do more for a brand than a thousand TV or radio ads.

Consider letting Abbott Media Group use social media and PR communications tools to build positive awareness of your brand!

Creepy #PR Job Ad Seeking "Youthful" Female To Be The "Face" Of A Company Is All That's Wrong With PR [Abbott Media Group]

A recent job posting illustrates EVERYTHING that's wrong with PR today, or at least the growing perception of PR as a damaged profession with a reputation problem.

The ad, on the popular job search site "Glassdoor," read:

"We are looking for a youthful, energetic, personable, presentable, female for an overseas Public Relations position," it began, "The candidate will be the face of our Asia operation. Please send details and photo if possible."

It's signed - rare for an ad even on Glassdoor - by the male president of this company, which I've blacked out to avoid holding him up to public ridicule. Both his first and last name were included in the original ad.

This is wrong on so many levels. Aside from being an illegal job ad (gender-specific, which is forbidden by employment law) it's a bit creepy for a male president/CEO to be asking for a photograph - akin to a dirty personal ad in the back of a magazine or on the old "Backpage" or Craigslist personals, it sends a horrible message about the profession. One plausibly may wonder if he hopes to travel with her.

The ad's descriptions are equally troubling.

"Youthful, energetic" is "code" for "no one over 30 need apply. Age discrimination sucks, but it's a reality in the business world. And tolerated.

"Personable," well, of course a PR person will be personable - someone who is likable and generally likes people. Though that's a child's definition of "public relations," and every store clerk or auto show platform model can't be said to be in "public relations," just because they interact with the public - though that's a vital component for business success, for sure.

The final two descriptors, "presentable, female," are at the heart of the problem with this ad. "Presentable" seems to be a code word for "pretty." Now, there's nothing wrong with being pretty, or presentable, so long as the latter means how a person presents oneself, in dress, demeanor, and especially verbally and in writing. If THOSE were the criterion used by the CEO here, that would ELEVATE the profession, not demean it or raise ludicrous stereotypes as this ad does.

Let's also mention that the ad apparently breaks the terms of service Glassdoor has published on its own site, which state, "You may not post any job ad that ... gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, or any other ground(s) prohibited by applicable law."

CEOs of corporations should never use the tactic of pushing a "pretty face" in front of a news conference, so stakeholders and the general public will more easily forget the bad news about a company or CEO. That plays to the basest of negative stereotypes about PR.

This amounts to putting supermodels on catwalks wearing corporate logos. Corporations should be educated by real PR pros that this won't motivate any but the creepiest of men to patronize their businesses and buy their products and services. And it won't be enough to distract the media from a company's missteps.

A bit of a disclaimer. A search for the company on Google on July 7, 2018 at 8 pm (Central) produced no results. A Linkedin profile mentioning his name and company produced a blank page. It's unclear whether the ad, posted on July 7, 2018, is for a legitimate operation. If so, shame on the company's president. If not, shame on Glassdoor for facilitating this gross person's fantasy.

----------------
Stephen Abbott is the principal of Abbott Media Group. He's not "pretty" nor "young." He's a male over 50, and has over two decades of actual experience building brands and reputations. Abbott Media Group can be found online at www.abbottmediagroup.com.

"Stand By You" Budweiser 2018 #SuperBowlAd is a #PR Winner [Abbott Media Group]

Budweiser took the early lead in the "Public Relations Super Bowl" with its ad, "Stand by You," which aired early in the Third Quarter Sunday night.

The ad tells the story, in a simplified manner, of their efforts to provide cans of water to areas in need during natural disasters in Puerto Rico, California, Florida, Houston, and elsewhere.

I say "simplified," because the beer producing company clearly doesn't switch over to making water by pushing a single button in the brewing facility. But switch over they do, and the good they do is undeniable.

The ad is emotional and effective, clearly portraying the company and its dedicated employees in a positive light. And it's bound to be discussed in post-game discussions throughout the country's living rooms, as well as in the media early in the week. Those in areas of the nation they've served during natural disasters will definitely be talking about this.

This is a clear PR Win for the company, with great exposure during this high profile game.

Nicely done, Budweiser. You win the Super Bowl #PR Ad War!

--------------------
Let #AbbottMediaGroup throw a PR and Reputation "Touchdown" for your company, campaign or organization. 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 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.

No, "Any Publicity" Isn't Always "Good Publicity" [Abbott Media Group]

It was an infamous and widely circulated interview. Speaking in January, 2007, Paula Abdul, speaking live to a FOX affiliate about her hit show American Idol, appeared drunk.

She responded to the co-anchor's comment about some bad publicity by saying, "Any publicity is good publicity. You gotta learn to eat it up and embrace it."

She actually wasn't talking about herself. However...

The show was quickly posted on YouTube and within hours, millions of people around the nation and the world have seen her slurring words, swaying and gesturing wildly, and making odd faces.

Later that night, Paula Abdul canceled all her upcoming appearances, as friends and her spokesperson/publicist made excuses for her behavior.

It doesn't help that the story they told (below) contradicts Abdul's publicist's contention that she doesn't take medication.

Abdul Cancels AppearancesSinger-turned-"American Idol" judge Paula Abdul called off all her interviews Friday after clips of an earlier TV appearance appeared to show her drunk. 

The video - in which Abdul slurs and bizarrely gesticulates - emerged on YouTube on Thursday, prompting speculation alcohol or medication were to blame. 

She subsequently abandoned media engagements scheduled for Friday. 

However, Abdul's spokesman Jeff Ballard insists tiredness and a minor throat infection, not inebriation, were the causes of the cancellations and earlier odd behavior. 

He says, "She was exhausted. This was at the end of three days of press (interviews and appearances), and she has had cameras following her around for a reality TV show too.
"She was sitting in a room with just a camera and a mic on, and the controllers dropped the sound twice, which is why she rolled her eyes. 

"She never drinks. I have known Paula Abdul since she was 13, and I have never seen her drink ever in my life. And no, she is not on any kind of medication. She was a little tired."

In fact, in 2005 Abdul had revealed that she suffers from a neurological disorder that causes chronic pain and requires a weekly injection of an anti-inflammatory drug. It's best for PR people not to lie.

THE LESSON:
What can be learned from this? Getting "any publicity" isn't necessarily good publicity. Sometimes, far from it!

Careers can be lost or severely damaged instantly with bad behavior or bizarre statements - Sen. George Allen ("Makaka"), Mel Gibson (THAT word), Michael Richards (the same word), even Howard Dean ("Yeeeehah!")

If you've said something stupid. Call me. Or better yet - call BEFORE you say something stupid.

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

Fair Dealing And #PublicRelations [Abbott Media Group]

Reputations in business, as in life, are built on fair dealing: by treating customers and employees well, by paying employees what they have earned and on time, and by giving customers friendly attention and fair value for what they purchase.

Without this culture of fair dealing, employees grumble, are dissatisfied on the job, and are disloyal, and customers simply leave and never return, making sure everyone knows why they have taken their business elsewhere.

But when a culture of fair dealing is fully embraced, employees are enthusiastic and do all they can to make the company successful, and customers reward it with loyalty and positive recommendations to their neighbors and friends.

Fair dealing cannot be faked. And it is not the job of public relations to pretend a company that is not dealing fairly actually is doing so. Public Relations can never allow itself to be used to paint a false picture of fair dealing where none exists. Employees and customers alike will see through any such attempt at whitewashing. Lying always makes things worse, in the end.

But when a company that has damaged its reputation by not dealing fairly begins to deal fairly in all aspects of its corporate life, it's a pleasure for public relations consultants to tell all who will listen about this more positive attitude towards doing business.

- Stephen Abbott
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.

"Earned Media" And Why You Should Seek It [Abbott Media Group]

I was discussing earned media with a local business owner today and thought I'd share what I shared with him.

Businesses tend to know about paid advertising. They buy an ad, people see it, and then they come and do business with them. But that is a greatly simplified explanation, and doesn't tell the full story about what advertising is, what it can do, what it often CANNOT do, and what can help supplement its shortcomings.

Ads are paid for, by their very nature. Even if those who see them don't consciously think it, they know it's been paid for, and that the buyer (you) has an agenda: that you want them to see it and feel good about your business or the product being advertised.

Unsurprisingly, this tends to undercut the message you're trying to convey. Sure, your product might be good, but the fact that you paid to tell them this fact actually decreases its effectiveness.

Earned media can help solve this problem. Exposure for your brand, business or products can be "earned" from newspapers, magazines and online media sources without the costs associated with paying for an ad.

This is usually accomplished through news releases - documents prepared by public relations professionals who understand how to write about news-worthy items that will attract the attention of the media, and be placed where readers see them usually without changes. Sometimes, the news release sparks the interest of  reporters to do a more in-depth story about your business, product or cause.

And while paid media - advertising - is blatantly paid for, earned media carries with it the credibility of being freely chosen by the owner of the media source. Again, almost subconsciously, the fact that the paper or magazine is doing a "news story" on your product or business is seen as far more credible than if you had paid for it.

THE BOTTOM LINE:
Paid media makes sense when you want 100% control of your message - and a PR pro can make sure that your advertising is consistent with all your other messages. But seeking earned media makes sense when you have something new, unique, and interesting that sets you apart from competitors or other similar businesses, and want greater credibility by getting news coverage to promote them.

Contact Abbott Media Group if we can help create compelling messages!

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.

"#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.