public relations

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Giving, FEELing & Communicating in Uncertain Times

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As more news and information is shared about the Coronavirus pandemic, the public is bombarded with messages and the volume of noise increases. Yes, these are uncertain times and communication can either help or it can be confusing. You have to choose wisely how you communicate and interact with the people and the communities around you.

At the same time, the way you’ve operated and shared information in the past, whether it was a month ago or even last week, will be different than how you’ll approach your communications today. In the spirit of helping, giving and FEELing for others, I’ve decided to do something a little different myself.

I’m launching what I call a “555” Series to offer complimentary FEEL consulting to 5 businesses, uplift 5 giving professionals by sharing their resources and provide 5 tips for communicating during times that require leadership focused on Emotional Intelligence (EI). I’ve mentioned in my video that the first 5 businesses or professionals who contact me via email (deirdre@pureperformancecomm.com), will receive a complimentary consulting session to assess how much they FEEL First in their communication with important constituents.

You can check out my video for the full 555 on helping businesses, amplifying the voices of colleagues with giving resources and to learn some simple tips to communicate wearing your EI hat.

Here’s to giving, helping and feeling more. We’re in this together. Stay healthy and be well, my friends.

Featured Image Photo by Aziz Acharki on Unsplash

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Three Tips for Communicating in Uncertain Times

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We are in uncertain times. Your customers, employees, partners, the media and other important constituents are looking to you for helpful information. Unfortunately, a lot of the communication shared in uncertain times ends up confusing and frustrating these groups even more.  

As we witness the stock market lows, travel bans, event cancellations and more businesses asking employees to work from home, here are three tips to help guide your communication.

Tip #1: Stick with what you know — be direct and don’t share hunches and guestimates.

Tip #2: Show up with your Emotional Intelligence (EI) so you can respond thoughtfully and not react to challenging communication.

Tip #3: Appreciate the feedback you receive — it’s a gift — even the negative feedback helps you to learn and grow.

Here’s my video discussing these tips in more detail and how they can help you.

It’s time to FEEL First in your communication. I’ve been working on my passion project, the FEEL Model, gathering research about the type of communication that builds relationships and creates stronger bonds. In uncertain times, FEEL (facing Fears, engaging with Empathy, Using Ethics and unleashing Love) can make a difference. As the Coronavirus spreads and new cases are reported in the U.S. and globally, effective, meaningful and valuable communication requires a FEEL First approach.

Check out the tips and please share yours too. Together, we can lead with compassion and understanding, and offer helpful and accurate information to the people who matter the most to us professionally and personally in our lives.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Green Chameleon on Unsplash

PRStudChat-blog-post

On March 24th, The #PRStudChat Community Discusses How to Land Your 1st Job Like a PRo!

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Are you confused about the public relations job search? Would you like to learn more about finding and landing an entry-level position in the PR industry?

In this #PRStudChat session, guest Jennie Donohue (@jenniedonohue), senior lecturer and director of the PR curriculum at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, will be joined by @UMassJournalism students to offer tips and insights to kick start your PR career and prepare for your future now.

Jennie, her students (#DonohuePRCases) and the #PRStudChat community will cover several topics during this chat sponsored by @SpinSucks. Join us Tuesday, March 24, at 12 p.m. ET for a dynamic, hour-long discussion about:

Q1.  What does the current PR job market look like?

Q2.  What are some tips for searching, both online and off, for entry-level PR positions?

Q3.  How can I make my application stand out from the crowd? For example, what skills and experiences are PR pros looking for in an entry-level candidate?

Q4.  What materials should I include in my portfolio?

Q5.  There’s a lot of talk about the importance of networking. How do I get started when I haven’t worked in PR nor have any professional contacts?

Q6.  How can I prepare for the interview?

Q7.  What are the next steps after the interview? 

Q8.  I’ve landed my first PR job. Now what? What can I expect to do my first year?

Q9.  What happens if I graduate and don’t get a job right away? What should I do?

Q10.  Any final suggestions for finding and landing a PR job?

As always, be sure to follow the #PRStudChat hashtag. You can tweet @PRStudChat, @SpinSucks, @LKPetrolino, @ValerieSimon or @DBreakenridge in advance with any additional questions related to “The Future is Now: Landing Your First Job Like A PRo” on March 24th at noon ET.

About Our Sponsor, Spin Sucks

It began with a simple question asked by Angela Hernandez, then President of PRSSA at Central Michigan University (CMU). “Is PR Right for me?” A follow up blog post by PR 2.0 expert Deirdre Breakenridge inspired a series of direct messages on Twitter between Breakenridge and fellow PR industry pro, Valerie Simon. This was an important question and one that should be explored beyond one student or one blog post. Why not build a community to help students across the country, and even the globe, learn from the experience and perspective of industry professionals … A community where everyone can learn and grow together. Read more

About Our Sponsor, Spin Sucks

Spin Sucks was started in September 2006 by Gini Dietrich, an agency founder, author, blogger, CEO, and creator of the PESO Model and PESO Model Certificate. Our mission? To change the perception of the communications industry. What began as a simple blog, soon became a movement. Spin Sucks is the number one PR blog in the world and the go-to resource for forward-thinking PR professionals who want to learn how to use the PESO model to implement the strategies and tactics that drive measurable business goals. It’s also a community where people have fun discussions, brainstorm, ask for help, and make new friends.

#BeAPioneer, Pioneer in Skirts

The Impact Marketing Approach We’re Using to Change the World

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A Guest Post By: Director Ashley Maria & Producer Lea-Ann W. Berst, Pioneers in Skirts

It was the summer of 2015, and filming of this very important impact documentary was going as planned.  We had been traveling throughout the United States speaking with women and men about the setback’s women were still facing in their careers. We were learning about the issues unique only to women.

Pioneers in Skirts® is a movie about ambition in women today.

We had hours of incredible character footage and a strong story arc. Our team estimated we’d finish the film after another year of following characters and fine-tuning scenes. We were almost done!

But, since we had depleted our savings and the donations we received from friends, we decided to head down the road of launching a Kickstarter campaign. The funds we’d raise would get us out of production and take us into post.

Pioneers in Skirts follows Ashley Maria’s journey as she examines the barriers and setbacks women confront in their careers. Our film came to light at a time when the Pioneers in Skirts topic, to many, was considered a non-issue. We were in an uphill battle when it came to educating the public that gender issues still existed. The word “bias” was not a term associated with women. The word “sexism” was a scary and misunderstood term. And “feminism”…many people we met had no idea that they didn’t have to burn a bra in order to show their support for equal opportunities and treatment for women!

Movie Sizzle Trailer from Pioneers in Skirts ® on Vimeo.

Here we were, about to have a Kickstarter campaign for a project that many wouldn’t understand until they saw the movie. We were in a Catch-22 and needed help.

Our PR intern, Lauren McDonald, stepped forward to suggest creative ways of building awareness for the movie and educate the public as we do it. On Lauren’s lead, we reached out to Deirdre Breakenridge for advice and quickly learned that Deirdre is a person who uses her expertise to help amplify others – not just for her clients – but for people who want to find their voices, share their stories, and make a difference.

To help us communicate the right message, Deirdre suggested that Ashley appear on her Women Worldwide podcast. That one opportunity set us up for the next, and then the next. A few months later we kicked off our month-long Kickstarter campaign and successfully raising the funds we needed!

Ashley Monica on Women Worldwide with Deirdre Breakenridge

Today, we’re excited to share that on October 26, 2019, we premiered Pioneers in Skirts in Los Angeles, CA!

Pioneers in Skirts Premiere in Los Angeles, CA

What’s Next?

Our goal is to screen Pioneers in Skirts in schools, communities, and companies, and help them utilize the film to spark conversations about what inclusion really means, and how to support and actively promote gender parity in our culture today.

And, now that the movie is ready to be seen, we are dedicated to sharing lessons-learned with fellow filmmakers. We’ve also started to post behind the scenes career advice videos aimed at helping others elevate in their careers!

Attributes a Mentor is Looking For in a Mentee from Pioneers in Skirts ® on Vimeo.

On January 30, 2020, we’re kicking off our “Ambition In” speaker series at the University of Southern California (USC). Our message reaches across industries, so we are working to influence post-screening discussions called Ambition in Science, Ambition in Robotics, Ambition in Politics, etc.

Called Ambition in Film: Overcoming Obstacles, Changing the Landscape of the Industry, for the January 30th event we’ve teamed up with two USC groups to instigate a productive action-based conversation!

Ambition in Film Event

We made this film for communities pursuing gender equality movements of their own, companies looking to better their inclusive culture, and schools who want their students to be aware of what’s ahead for them.

We especially made this film for the many young women who need to know: You Are Not Alone.

To achieve our impact goals, we emulated the approach we used for our Kickstarter campaign:

  1. Work to build an audience of screeners and influencers
  2. Research past successful impact film campaigns and try to emulate the steps they took
  3. When we launch, line up initial, targeted screeners who
    • can afford screening packages that will allow us to raise much-needed funds, and
    • are capable of bringing the film into communities and schools
  4. Create buzz and excitement around the film aimed at:
    • incenting people to want to see the film
    • incenting companies and nonprofits to want to support our impact efforts

Pioneers in Skirts is taking its first steps of our impact campaign – with an outcome of having an international deep dive changing-of-the-world for women who dream big. Our success could never have happened without the people we met and the support we received along the way.

Go Pioneers!

By Ashley Maria & Lea-Ann W. Berst

Ashley Maria, Director & Lee-Ann, Producer, Pioneers in Skirts

Pioneers in Skirts is a film from a daughter-mother team dedicated to fast-tracking the cultural change we need in order to achieve gender parity in the workplace.

Ashley Maria is a director, writer, and sound engineer based in Los Angeles, CA. She is a winner of the Directors Guild of America (DGA) award and has also been recognized by the DGA Women’s Steering Committee as a director who represents The Future of Women in Film. Most recently, Ashley won Best New Director by the Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival.

She is also a directing instructor at both UCLA’s Film School and America Film Institute’s Young Women in Film program.

Lea-Ann W. Berst is a Raleigh, NC-based producer, writer, and activation marketer. She started her career in the corporate arena, then, after 17 years, transitioned to competitive positioning consulting with mid-to-large sized companies. She is a winner of several technical and leadership awards – including the Triangle Women in Business award and twice receiving the prestigious IBM Award of Excellence!

Lea-Ann entered her career at a time where she had to fight for many of her career achievements, but – was shocked to hear her daughter, Ashley, had to fight just as hard. With years of studio and independent production experience under their belts, Ashley and her female colleagues started to notice they were consistently turned down for jobs because of being inexperienced “women-directors.”

Years of championing Lea-Ann’s daughter to be and do anything she wanted – wasn’t working!

That’s when Lea-Ann and Ashley picked up their cameras to share Ashley’s story; revealing the career obstacles she and many other women still have to deal with today.

Now that the film is released, the daughter-mother team is focused on building partnerships and tactics designed to deepen and advance the impact the film will have on our culture.

Find out more about Ashley, Lea-Ann and Pioneers in Skirts by visiting www.pioneersinskirts.com.

Nicole Morin Video on Strategic Communications

THE 2nd WINNER OF THE PR EXPANDED STUDENT VIDEO CONTEST IS …

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It’s time to unveil our 2nd PR Expanded video contest winner. A big congratulations goes to Nicole Morin, a UMASS at Amherst student, for creating her video on “Why PR Professionals Should Practice Strategic Communications.”

By way of contest background, After reading my latest book, “Answers for Modern Communicators,” Professor Jennie Donohue tasked her Introduction to Public Relations class with creating a short educational video sharing tips and insights based on one of three communication practices. The areas of practice included media relations, strategic communication/integrated marketing communication, and employee communication – that all related to the class content.

Nicole, our 2nd winner, is a junior who is pursuing a communication and journalism double major at UMass Amherst. Last semester, Nicole took the introductory public relations course where she learned about the industry, important practices, and skills, as well as the importance of maintaining mutually beneficial relationships. As she continues her undergraduate degree, Nicole is focusing on potential careers in public relations, sports or entertainment broadcasting, as well as media relations and content creation.

Nicole Morin, UMASS at Amherst Student

Take a look at Nicole’s winning video and also give her a congratulatory shout out on social media!

PR Expanded Video Contest Winner #1

The 1st Winner of the PR Expanded Student Video Contest is …

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When I teamed up with Professor Jennie Donohue last year, we wanted to create an assignment for her UMASS at Amherst Intro to PR class that was an opportunity for students to create content based on what they learned during the semester. The question quickly became, “should it be another blog post contest?”

In the spirit of students and professionals being PR Tech Testers, we thought it would be a much more interesting assignment for students to create videos based on what they learned in class.

After reading my latest book, “Answers for Modern Communicators,” each student was tasked with creating a short educational video sharing tips and insights based on one of three communication practices – i.e., media relations, strategic communication/integrated marketing communication, or employee communication – that related to class content. 

We selected two winners. Winner #1 is (drumroll please) … Wei Cai, who is an undergraduate at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Winner #2 will be announced next week.

Wei Cai, UMASS at Amherst Undergraduate Student

Wei’s academic studies are in journalism, consumer technology, and resource economics; he is passionate about the intersections of the fields. If you want to learn more about Wei, you can follow him on Twitter at @weicai_.

Here is Wei’s winning video. Let’s congratulate and support Wei by sharing his video on social media!

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Effectively Engage and Build Your Community Through Podcasting

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A Guest Post by Christy Maguire, Graduate Student at American University, PR Expanded Blog Contest Winner

Podcasting is the quickest growing communications medium, and it seems like everyone is jumping on the bandwagon. Research shows that there are more than 750 million podcasts and that 22% of Americans over age 12 have listened to a podcast in the past week. It’s a crowded field to be sure, but it also offers an excellent, and even underused, opportunity for businesses to increase engagement with its community. It’s an intimate medium that builds trust and authority, offers inclusiveness and provides both information and inspiration.

Think of your community when podcasting
instead of focusing solely on promotion.
Image Credit: Pixabay

Universities, nonprofits, museums, law firms, associations, and small businesses have branched out into podcasting – expanding their online presence in ways that serve their business and community. Now is the perfect time to begin. Earlier this year, Google began including direct podcast links in its search results, providing an immediate opportunity for potential listeners to discover and sample podcasts.

While podcasting is a great tool for optimizing SEO and visibility, these shouldn’t always be the main focus. Businesses can get too caught up in using podcasting solely for promotion, without looking closely at building engagement and loyalty. Don’t forget that engagement can also be measured. Have you increased website traffic, comments, reviews, membership, feedback, and event participation through your podcast? Have customers mentioned your podcast on social media, in blog posts, or through referrals?

Whether your business already has a podcast, or you are considering starting one, there are several factors to take into consideration to increase engagement:

1. Invite Feedback

  • Issue a Call to Action

At the end of every podcast episode, issue a call to action. The best calls to action invite your listeners back to your website to further interact with your content, obtain their email address or offer a freebie.  

  • Invite Listener Questions

Get listeners involved by inviting them to ask questions of future guests. This is not only an excellent way to promote a future guest or episode but encourages loyalty by making listeners feel like part of the process. A growing trend is to ask listeners to call in to leave a question, which can be directly embedded into an episode. Google Voice is easy to set up and convert into usable audio.

  • Welcome Comments

Basecamp, a project management software company, encourages feedback by making each show a separate blog page with a comments section. They recently aired an episode around their new logo, which generated a mix of reactions. The company even did a blog post about how important feedback was to them by detailing their inspiration for past episodes, indicating that much of it came from listeners, coworkers, businesses and PR firms.

  • Make it Easy to Connect

Some constituencies may not be familiar with podcasting, so teach them how to use the technology. For populations who may not be acquainted with podcasts, the most straightforward way to tune in is to embed a podcast player directly in a blog post.

Establish a social media account on a platform that has the best reach for your audience, and tell your listeners where they can find you. The Smithsonian has its own social media accounts, but they established a separate Twitter account for their main podcast, Sidedoor Podcast, allowing listeners to share, comment on and engage with the content.

2. Be Creative

Podcasting is personal. The medium offers a chance for your business to tell your customers how to engage with content, build your brand and tell stories. We can’t always predict what will resonate, so it’s important to not stick to a formula or rigid guidelines. Harvard Business Review offers a discussion guide for each podcast episode of Women at Work signaling that this content is intended to be discussed widely, similar to a book or article.

Trader Joe’s podcast, Inside Trader Joe’s, is fun and is filled with puns, which is perfectly aligned with its reputation. The company planned for just five episodesbut continued after gaining a quick following by customers who wanted more. 

Nonprofit Save the Children did a six-episode drama series called Anywhere But Home based on true stories of children’s harrowing, yet inspiring journeys. Stories offer hope and connection on a level that direct appeals do not.

3. Leverage Relationships and Build Partnerships

  • Invite Guest Hosts and Feature Client Stories

A simple way to build relationships with top executives, clients, and members is to invite them to guest host an episode on a relevant issue or to share their business story.

Membership organizations have an excellent opportunity to spotlight their members. By doing so, organizations create opportunities for its members to network and connect, immediately drawing them in and illustrating the organization’s usefulness. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s podcast, The Bloodline With LLS, covers a range of topics, including information and resources, but also has diagnosis stories offering hope and connection to those living with blood cancers.

Clothing retailer Rebecca Minkoff hosts a popular podcast called Superwomen. Every week she interviews female CEOs, business leaders, and artists, not only promoting the brand’s values of supporting women-led businesses but sharing their platform with potential partners.

  • Collaborate with Targeted Partners

The lifestyle brand goop has a successful podcast and recently partnered with the clothing brand Banana Republic on a limited series called “Women on Top.” These conversations featuring boundary-breaking women promote their joint efforts to discuss issues around women empowerment. Loyalists of both companies are introduced around shared values.

  • Host Live Events

Listeners like, and are beginning to expect, live podcast events. This affords businesses the opportunity to interact with its community in real-time. There are two ways to do this. The first option is to tape a live podcast event, which could be held at a summit or conference. Be sure to advertise this before the event. The second option is to use audio from conferences, meetings, and panels to engage those who are unable to attend, widening your reach.

There are no hard and fast rules for engagement, though consistency is key. Podcasts can be as short as 5 minutes but would be better suited to daily or biweekly episodes. Longer and more complex shows might only air once a month. They can be limited to a short series or be tailored around a special event. Be sure that it’s on a schedule that allows your business to take full advantage of engaging your community in a meaningful way. Experiment, enjoy and tweak as necessary.

Christy Maguire, Graduate Student, American University

Christy Maguire produces and hosts the podcast Forties Stories, which amplifies the voices of 40-something women and promotes connection and compassion – one story at a time. She is currently a graduate student in American University’s Strategic Communications program. Connect with her on Twitter @_christymaguire.

PRStudChat Sponsored by Spin Sucks

Join #PRStudChat for a Discussion on Beyond Graduation: Easing into the World of Communications

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What questions do you have about the transition from PR and communications student to industry professional? Jason Mollica (@jasmollica), a professor in the School of Communication at American University in Washington, D.C.  and Megan Wagner (@meganmwagner), professor of marketing at St. Bonaventure University are the hosts of the podcast, “Pints and Pizza with Professors,” where they offer up insight on life outside of college.

In this edition of #PRSTUDCHAT, we’re talking to Jason and Megan about preparing for life in your last months of school. On Thursday, October 31st at 12:00 p.m. ET, they’ll answer questions that will help you take a look beyond graduation and ease into the communications industry, such as what skills do you really need to cut it in marketing and real-world advice on careers, classes and more.

Some of the topics/questions Jason, Megan, and the #PRStudChat community will answer include:

  1. How can students best adjust to post-academic life?
  2. What classes in college (grad/undergrad) did you feel prepared you for your career?
  3. Was there a moment in your academic career that you felt you like you chose the wrong path?
  4. Are there skills that students are better off learning in college instead of an internship?
  5. How important are portfolio websites for students?
  6. How can academic changes and life changes help in guiding your career path?
  7. What is the best way to transition your social media profiles from “student” to “professional?”
  8. Is it appropriate to use academic projects as examples of your professional expertise?
  9. In the spirit of reverse mentoring, let’s share advice on how to stand out in PR and communications. Go!
  10. If there was one thing you could tell your freshman self, what would it be?

As always, you can tweet in advance to @PRStudChat, @SpinSucks, @LKPetrolino, @ValerieSimon, or @DBreakenridge with any additional questions you would like answered.

Get ready to learn the smooth transition from student to an industry pro with the #PRStudChat community. We hope you can join our Twitter chat on 31st at 12:00 p.m. ET!

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