Taking Responsibility Can Prevent a PR Disaster

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about a situation in my personal life that has to do with the importance of leaders taking personal responsibility and being accountable.

This same principle applies to business as well. Regardless of the type of business, whether for-profit or not-for-profit, real leaders take personal responsibility for whatever situation arises in their organization — just like Chrysler Corp. Chairman Lee Iacocca did in 1987.

He apologized to his company's customers because they were not told cars were tested while the odometers were disconnected. Not only did he acknowledge the problem and express regret, he did what he could to make it right when he gave 40 owners of Chrysler cars damaged in testing new vehicles and owners of 60,000 tested cars two extra years on their warranties.

These types of PR strategies and tactics help make the best of a bad situation and prevent further damage.

Unanticipated problems and mistakes happen to all of us. We don't always make the best decisions. Or we take actions that we later regret. That's a big part of life and how we learn. It applies to both our business and personal lives.

How do you typically respond? Do you immediately assume responsibility or wait until your back is against the wall and then step up? Do you look for ways to solve the problem and then enact a plan? Or do you get upset, blame others and fail to look at your role in the situation?

The following tips were provided in an online article* headlined “Leadership in a Crisis — How to be a Leader,” adapted from a Wall Street Journal column by Bill George, author of “True North” and former CEO of Medtronic.

• Face reality. Leaders can't solve problems if they don't acknowledge their existence.

• If there are sacrifices to be made, leaders should step up and make the greatest sacrifices themselves.

• Leaders must have the help of all their people to devise solutions and to implement them.

No company, nonprofit organization or individual wants to deal with a crisis. Taking responsibility, acknowledging the problem and devising a plan that addresses the situation with integrity and truth will help prevent a PR disaster.

So the next time you’re faced with a problem, whether in business or your personal life, remember the old adage, "Life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we respond to it."

*Read the entire article here, http://guides.wsj.com/management/developing-a-leadership-style/how-to-lead-in-a-crisis/.

Doreen Poreba, APR, is an accredited public relations professional with more than 25 years of experience on both sides of the media fence in both PR and journalism. She is the founder of The PR Czar® Inc., a full service PR agency serving the Treasure Coast, Palm Beaches and now with the Internet — the world!

Important PR Lessons Learned from Chick-fil-A Debacle

And the beat goes on … an unending flurry of articles, blogs, Facebook and Twitter posts, radio and TV shows, and public outcries … about the Chick-fil-A controversy that put Dan Cathy, the chain’s beleaguered president, smack in the middle of a major PR crisis when he publicly made statements opposing gay marriage.

There are many ways to handle questions from a reporter. One way to answer is to not answer — at least not directly — saying something to the effect of … “This issue has nothing to do with Chick-fil-A’s products and is one that’s best left to the government and politicians.” His comments were anything but that and not surprisingly, they set off a firestorm that continues today.

In addition to stirring up the public at large, his comments caught the Chick-fil-A headquarters in Atlanta, its franchise owners and their employees off guard.

Why should a CEO avoid commenting on such an issue? Because addressing such an emotionally charged topic either way is guaranteed to offend a portion of the company’s customers and potential customers because of its inherent controversy.

Why take a public stand on an issue that really has nothing to do with your day-to-day business? It’s a no-win situation. No business — corporate or otherwise — is in the business of insulting its customers nor the public. That’s why it’s called public relations.

As a PR professional, watching this story unfold has been interesting to observe and will, no doubt, make a great case study for PR students.

In this post by Steve Cody at Inc.com, he talks about where Cathy went wrong and how he could have handled the situation better.

Read it here for yourself: http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/advisor/chick-fil-5-most-boneheaded-133815760.html.

Doreen Poreba, APR, is an accredited public relations professional with more than 25 years of experience on both sides of the media fence in both PR and journalism. She is the founder of The PR Czar® Inc., a full service PR agency serving the Treasure Coast, Palm Beaches and now with the Internet — the world!

What's your USP?

What is a USP, you ask? It’s your Unique Selling Proposition. To separate yourself from the competition, you must be able to clearly identify and articulate your USP.

Knowing your USP will allow you to build an entire marketing plan. If you’re not sure what makes your business or nonprofit organization stand out, ask others, starting with your customers or supporters.

It might help to look at your competition to help you determine what you offer that they don’t or perhaps they do offer it but your product or service stands out from theirs. Then the question becomes “Why?” The reason can’t be just because you’re saying you’re the best. You have to be able to back it up with believable information.

I recall one time when I was presenting a marketing workshop to about 25 nonprofit organizations and one of the participants told me her nonprofit didn’t have any competition because no other group had the same mission. I pointed out that every organization has competition, regardless of that fact.

It may not be obvious at first but I made my point by asking her if her nonprofit had all of the money it needed. The answer was an obvious “No.” Then I asked if her nonprofit did any fundraising and the answer was “Yes.” I responded by saying, “That’s one aspect of your competition. You are competing with every nonprofit organization out there that is trying to raise money for its cause.” She quickly got my point.

Even nonprofit organizations must be able to “sell” their cause. Depending on the geographical area, there is often a plethora of nonprofits and the competition is stiff.

So in determining your USP, look at both the obvious and obscure. Assess your strengths and how you differ from the competition. What makes you stand out?

Once you can identify and clearly communicate your USP in a believable manner, you can then begin to formulate or update your marketing plan. Defining your USP will help let your customers and supporters know why you are worthy of their support and patronage.

Doreen Poreba, APR, is an accredited public relations professional with more than 25 years of experience on both sides of the media fence in both PR and journalism. She is the founder of The PR Czar® Inc., a full service PR agency serving the Treasure Coast, Palm Beaches and now with the Internet — the world!

How are you seen in your community?

Whether you’re running your own small business, leading a huge corporation, or managing a nonprofit organization, you need to be able to accurately answer that question. Why? Because your image can make or break your business.

Much has been written about companies whose reputation spirals quickly downward as the result of a major scandal or a disaster. Fortunately, most companies go about their daily business without having to face a crisis. But even without a crisis, your image can be affected by daily interactions with your customers and supporters and messages you convey through various mediums.

Do you really know how your target audience perceives you today? How do you wish to be perceived in the future, not just by your current clientele, but also by your prospects?

First, you have to assess your current situation. Frequently, when I first begin consulting with new clients, I ask them how they think their customers perceive them and they can’t answer the question.

Eventually they come up with an answer, but their first response is typically, “We’re not sure.” So then I ask them how they wish to be perceived. The idea here is that the two perceptions match — that the business is actually perceived how you wish it to be viewed.

If you are not sure how others view your business, there’s a simple way to find out: Ask. This can be done formally through sophisticated market research or informally by formulating your own questions and then talking with both customers and prospects. Be sure to write down your answers. Once you have gathered enough information, compare their answers to your own. If there’s a gap, that’s where the PR strategy begins to get their perception more in alignment with yours. Go through this same process with your competitors.

The concept is straightforward: You have to know where you currently stand before you can decide where you’re going. If you operate a restaurant and one of the things you want to be known for is excellent customer service, define what that means. Be specific. Does it mean quick service? Or does it mean that every meal is prepared to perfection and the selections are like none other?

Whatever your image goals are, the point is to be aware of how you are currently perceived in the marketplace and how you wish to be viewed. Then develop your PR strategies to close the gap. If you find there is no gap, you’ll still need strategies to maintain your position and continue to grow in a positive direction.

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Doreen Poreba, APR, is an accredited public relations professional with more than 25 years of experience on both sides of the media fence in both PR and journalism. She is the founder of The PR Czar® Inc., a full service PR agency serving the Treasure Coast, Palm Beaches and now with the Internet — the world!

How does a charitable auction make front page news?

There are a plethora of charities and nonprofit organizations. Most of them have annual fundraisers with many of them including either a silent auction, live auction, or both. Usually the event itself will receive some media coverage, but the auction is not the part that usually attracts the media's attention. 


So why and how did the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast's auction that was part of its annual Paws & Claws event garner not just coverage — but a front page hit? By having an item so exclusive that it caught the media's eye.


This type of media attention doesn't happen automatically. First, the press release must be written in a way that captures the reporter's and editor's attention right away. In this case, when my client asked me to do a news release about its auction items, the first thing I thought was that most silent or live auctions are not newsworthy in and of themselves. However, when I was told that one of the items to be auctioned was lunch and a golf outing for four people with two-time NFL Super Bowl Coach Bill Parcells, who also served as a consultant with the Miami Dolphins, I knew this auction had a good potential to attract the media's attention.


Indeed, it did. I made sure the headline and first paragraph focused on this particular item. Within 24 hours of writing and distributing this news release to the media, The Stuart News, which is the major local daily newspaper for this area, called me for more information. The result: front page coverage. (http://bit.ly/eUdSwu) 


Garnering any kind of significant coverage for a charitable auction is an accomplishment, but front page coverage is almost unheard of. The same rules apply no matter what you're pitching. First, you must have something newsworthy to promote. Secondly, you have to recognize what you have and determine the most interesting news angle. Thirdly, write it in such a way to quickly bring the unique aspects to a reporter's or editor's attention. Put the newsworthy angle in the headline and first paragraph. Finally, target the most appropriate media and distribute and pitch accordingly, making sure to follow up.


Doreen Poreba, APR, is an accredited public relations professional with more than 25 years of experience on both sides of the media fence in both PR and journalism. She is the founder of The PR Czar® Inc., a full service PR agency serving the Treasure Coast, Palm Beaches and now with the Internet — the world!

"One Hit Wonder"

Every now and then, I get a call or an e-mail from a company inquiring about short-term PR help. Some ask if I can write a single press release for them. While it's certainly possible to do that, I don't recommend it. It could result in some major coverage, but then what?


Public Relations is about getting your organization's name out in the world on a consistent, regular basis. You've heard about "one hit wonders" — those bands that get known, at least temporarily, for a single hit and then fade away into obscurity. Or to use a baseball analogy, would you rather hit a solitary home run and then strike out for the rest of the season or would you prefer to have an ongoing series of singles, doubles, triples AND home runs?


This comes with a strategic PR plan, one that is executed over time. This does not happen with a single press release. 


Why are some companies tempted to take the one-hit wonder approach? Because they're not willing to make the investment. But PR is like anything else — you'll get out of it what you put into it. Whether you work with The PR Czar® Inc., another agency or do it yourself, keep in mind the importance of research, strategic planning, implementation, evaluation and your budget while looking to enhance your company's reputation.


Be willing to invest the time and money to advance your company's goals so your business doesn't become just another one hit wonder!


Doreen Poreba, APR
President
The PR Czar® Inc.


Doreen Poreba, APR, is an accredited public relations professional with more than 25 years of experience on both sides of the media fence in both PR and journalism. She is the founder of The PR Czar® Inc., a full service PR agency serving the Treasure Coast, Palm Beaches and now with the Internet — the world!

Suddenly, the world is getting smaller!

Greetings! I am finally getting into the “blog spirit!” I have considered doing one for some time now, and I’m not sure how often I’ll get to this, but at least I’m finally getting started. As I often tell myself, “the only way to do it, is to do it!”

Even though the Internet has been around for a while now, it still does not cease to amaze me just how small the world really is because of this instantaneous communication.

The Web offers so many benefits, including the fact I have become a better writer because of it. Whether I’m writing a press release or an article, I rely on the Internet for a quick reference or to fact check something. How about you? Has it improved your writing?

Well, it’s time for me to pay attention to my clients now. So I’m signing off for now.

With gratitude,
Doreen

Doreen Poreba, APR, is an accredited public relations professional with more than 25 years of experience on both sides of the media fence in both PR and journalism. She is the founder of The PR Czar® Inc., a full service PR agency serving the Treasure Coast, Palm Beaches and now with the Internet — the world!