Name: Guest Blogger
Bio: BurrellesLuce invites marketing and public relations professionals with valuable information and perspectives to share their thoughts.
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- Understand if the journalist thinks like a print journalist, online journalist or MOJO
- KNOW the hot topics/memes and pitch around those themes
- Understand if your “story” is a story or PART of a story
- Have an online newsroom: Executive speeches sources of quotes
- Deconstruct tweets for influencers
- Kids can read! Kidding. But one of the main reasons I joined into this webinar was my absolute kudos that one literary phenomenon could prove that people do still, indeed, have imaginations.
- Who we are and what we’re made of is as much about choices as abilities. Even Dumbledore said so!
- Dumbledore is key. Turns out, almost every single talent is something Dumbledore does, not Harry, as I assumed when I signed up. I love a good twist in my webinars as well as my books.
- Social media is like Harry Potter wizardry (thanks to Johna for asking this question)! Everyone has a voice and has the power to influence and inspire – no wand required.
- Much like the evil Lord Voldemort at Hogwarts, there is a deadly character spreading around businesses – disengagement!
- Acute awareness of self and others. Treat others as creative, trustworthy and responsible just as Harry did so many times with Hermione, and others…
- Challenge perceptions and interpretations – Dumbledore was a great wizard but kept and open mind. Those scared of feedback make mistakes.
- Think like a visionary. Help people see and touch your values. Be clear and concise. For Alan, his PR team shared a vision to make that book a success and saw everything as an opportunity. Gave them ability to constantly move forward
- Creating alignment as it creates a North Star to set compasses by. Let small steps and victories, like winning a Quidditch match, keep you aligned toward the bigger goal.
- Act decisively. Decision making is shared leadership quality. Make sure people have enough information so they can also make decisions. Share decision making!
- Engage others! You do not do it alone. The more you serve the more impact you have on your team. Go deeper. Go under the stairs. Learn about people – you may have a Harry Potter in your midst
- Possess powerful energy. Dumbledore looked about a million years old but was such a force, he was a great leader to all ages. Lord Voldemort had energy too, but it was intimidating and he lost in the end.
- Emotional intelligence. It’s a bigger predictor of success than IQ! Create space between stimulus and response and remain calm as Dumbledore often did. Look at how you react versus how you want to react. Often, you need to just slow down a bit and ensure you are not leading with fear.
- Communicate dynamically! It isn’t just about what you say, but how you say. And, it’s also about actually very much about listening – within and between the lines. Be present. Care. Try to understand. How do you use your words? Seek clarity.
- See patterns and trends. Left brain is where verbal, rational thoughts turn to numbers and words. Right brain is all about the visual. Try using both sides – see the full story!
- Create high-energy teams. You need your Harry’s, Ron’s and Hermione’s. Everyone has a gift. Everyone has weaknesses. Leverage the good stuff to fight the bad!
- Display integrity through consistency and authority.
- Keep your skill set up-to-date
- Participating on the Internet is no longer an option
- 90 percent of social media users follow/monitor news and information daily
- 75 percent of social media users visit corporate websites after a story
- 73 percent of social media users believe social media sources with news is more timely
When Click-Thru Rates Are Not Enough: New Strategies in Social Media Measurements
May 24th, 2011This post first appeared on Washington Women in Public Relations (5.23.11) and is cross-posted with permission. Joan Coyle is an Independent Consultant and member of WWPR.
Washington Women in Public Relations Executive Communicators Committee Brown Bag Luncheon with Johna Burke, Senior Vice President, Marketing for BurrellesLuce
Addressing a packed room on May 19 at Golin Harris in Arlington, VA, Johna Burke, Senior Vice President, Marketing, BurrellesLuce, began her presentation by telling the group that according to CNBC.com, the second most stressful job is a public relations executive.
She sang the praises of EVERNOTE, an organizational app that allows the user to take notes from phones, desktops and online. The notes can be text, images, files, audio and more and this app is searchable and cloud-based. Other useful tools to consider: Username Check, Google Labs, Screengrab! (a Firefox plug-in) and twitthat.
“The more things change, the more they say the same,” said Johna when she reminded the attendees that AP was the first viral means of distributing information. Today, hyperlocal is the new trend and includes print, online broadcast and hybrids (think tbd.com and Patch). Hyperlocal initiatives are community – not geographically – based and great for niche targeting.
When building relationships with today’s media, communicators must:
Apply measurement best practices
Although no “fix” exists for overcoming measurement challenges, these helpful tips will help you find a solution that works with your measurement goals: Consistency, Manageable and Outside Expertise.
Johna warned the group about graphic seduction. Although graphics can be very pretty and exciting, never use images you do not understand; sometimes all you need is an Excel spreadsheet. She also stressed the importance of knowing your stakeholders “no matter where they are,” with an example of an inmate in jail.
Barcelona principles
The second European Summit on Measurement met in Barcelona last year, where the participants agreed to basic PR measurement reasearch princples, known as the Barcelona Principles. Currently, a working group has used the principles to devise new, validated metrics. WWPR members will have access to the exciting new system of metrics, as soon it is complete, probably in mid-June.
Kim Ash, WWPR Executive Communicators Chair, Speaker Johna Burke, BurrellesLuce, and Kendra Kojcsich, WWPR President
Hogwarts, Harry, and Leadership
January 10th, 2011This post first appeared on HMA Time (1.7.11) and is cross-posted with permission. Alison Bailin is a senior PR account executive at HMA PR, a full-service marketing and public relations firm in Phoenix, Arizona, where she handles media relations, crisis communications, and event planning.
This week, I (Alison, that is), took part in a BurrellesLuce webinar titled “The 12 Essential Talents of Marketing Communications Leadership… and other Lessons Learned from Harry Potter.”
The program was moderated by Johna Burke and hosted by Alan Cohen, who actually worked on the initial promotion for the Harry Potter books in the United States.
Some key insights I learned as a result:
And, of course, the 12 Essential Talents:
The white paper on the topic is also available by clicking here.
So, is Dumbledore the world’s greatest leader?
And how can you “Potterize” your leadership role among your friends, colleagues and family?
IF AN EMPLOYEE SPEAKS UP IN THE FOREST…
January 4th, 2011PLEASE JOIN ALAN COHEN FOR A BURRELLESLUCE WEBCAST ON JANUARY 5, 2011 at 1 PM EST.
THE 12 ESSENTIAL TALENTS OF MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS LEADERSHIP…AND OTHER LESSONS LEARNED FROM HARRY POTTER
REGISTER NOW http://budurl.com/uxym
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We’re all familiar with the old brain-teaser: “If a tree falls in the forest and no one’s there to hear it, does it make a sound?”
A question that’s much easier to answer – and more relevant to effective leadership practices – is: “If an employee offers an idea, and no one pays attention, does the employee stop participating?”
In most cases, the answer is a definite yes. Ignore a staffer’s input, and he or she will feel put out, turned off, alienated, and discouraged from offering suggestions in the future.
It’s no surprise that one of the biggest challenges to leadership today – perhaps the biggest – is that of employee disengagement…staff members
feeling they are not being heard, a feeling they translate into not being valued and ultimately not part of the creative team. So they tune out and stifle themselves from offering potentially valuable contributions in the future.
It’s not much different from the man who complains to his psychiatrist, “Doctor, everyone ignores me.”
The doctor responds: “Next.”
The opposite side of the disengagement coin is that, at some of the nation’s most successful public relations firms, employees at all levels are inspired to present ideas, no matter how far out of the proverbial box, and encouraged to question ideas of top management. And their challenges of these ideas are not only tolerated but even applauded.
When I was publicity director of the Scholastic team spearheading the publicity campaign for the Harry Potter book series, we all knew our mission and were committed to it. But at the same time, we welcomed the questions from everyone on the team, even when they reflected healthy skepticism.
Like the best elements of brainstorming, everyone was encouraged to present free-flowing ideas, confident there’d be no snap judgment articulated, no scoffing or rolling eyes or turned-up noses. Everyone’s idea was listened to, encouraged, and amplified. And as a result, we were all strengthened with everyone feeling he or she had shared in moving the team and its mission forward.
Some team leaders need to remember that it doesn’t diminish the boss’s luster to have an idea from a lower-level employee implemented. In fact, it rebounds favorably. Part of leadership is identifying and implementing good ideas, whatever or whoever the source.
An employee’s willingness to present possibly controversial ideas or to challenge those of higher-ups emerges only in a company culture that encourages it. That culture develops only when the leader is willing to identify employees’ hidden assets and potential and helps develop those qualities. The results: greater individual contribution and professional growth.
Leaders who understand this welcome employees who think differently from themselves. Rather than clone themselves, they don’t limit those they hire to “yes-men or -women.” Rather, they seek out even “no-people,” individuals who aren’t negative for the sake of it, but rather who aren’t intimidated about pointing out flaws in the boss’s thinking or who will sometimes take a contrary position, a la devil’s advocate.
A good balance to strive for: while demonstrating he or she is in charge, the boss realizes the possibility of being wrong, and thereby demonstrates an open-mindedness that encourages risk-taking for the ultimate good of the team.
Beyond this, forward-thinking bosses maintain an open-door policy, literally and figuratively, encouraging employees to share not only professional but personal matters as well. This means being a good, attentive listener, an often forgotten component of good communication, whether with an employee or a client.
You may have read recently of the first wedding to take place in space. When the capsule came back to earth, reporters hurried to interview family members. One reporter cornered the groom’s grandmother.
“How was the wedding?” he asked.
“Beautiful,” she said.
“The ceremony?”
“Fine.”
“The music?”
“Fine.”
“The food?”
“Fine.”
The reporter said, “All your answers are positive, but there’s something in your tone that suggests everything wasn’t ideal.”
“Well,” said the grandmother, “to tell you the truth, there was no atmosphere.”
Yes, atmosphere matters. We’re in a serious business, but that doesn’t mean the environment has to be solemn. A wise leader put a premium on fun, light-hearted moments that help foster camaraderie and provide a pleasant cushion for the inevitable long hours and hard work.
They can also reflect the positive – contagious – energy that filters down from top to bottom in a thriving company, one where employees feel engaged and connected.
The plus factors are numerous, not the least of which is what a current Employment Engagement report by Blessing White (http://ow.ly/3vT4h) has found: engaged employees plan to stay at their firms for what they give; disengaged stay for what they get.
The company’s survey also found that “executives appear to struggle with key leadership behaviors, especially what’s required to create a high-performance culture.” It also points out that managers have to understand each individual’s talents, interests and needs, and then match those with the organization’s objectives…while creating personal trusting relationships.
Blessing White emphasizes the importance of leadership focusing on engagement, “creating the dialogue, stirring up participation and driving people to focused, purposeful action.”
It urges the adoption of a “coach approach” as a means of transferring disengagement into “high-energy buy-in motivated employees and strong results.” By focusing on “what is working” and the strengths and individual needs of employees, the report contends, the odds of success are increased. The report notes that recognizing that each individual is motivated differently (seldom by money), will help create opportunities that mesh with individual needs.
The company strongly recommends self-evaluation to determine how open a leader is to engaging in a dialogue even with someone with a contradictory perspective, without feeling the need to prove anything about the leader’s point of view…and flexible enough to accept and implement someone else’s better idea.
All these goals are attainable, starting with listening – really listening – to that employee offering a potentially super idea.
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Alan Cohen, president of Acts of Balance Executive Coaching (http://www.actsofbalance.com/) and a PRSA Counselors Academy member, is an executive coach, trainer and brainstorm facilitator with more than 25 years of experience in business, including public relations and human resources.
Download a free copy of “The 12 Essential Talents of PR Leadership” at http://ow.ly/3vT7d
The PR Intern Who Pitched the Media
September 30th, 2010Kion Sanders is a recent communications and public relations graduate from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He is the former Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) national vice president of chapter development and a current member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Recently, he officially started his career in Cleveland, OH as an account associate for Fahlgren Mortine Public Relations.
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As a student, I was fortunate to have internships that provided me with pitching responsibilities. One of the major roles of entry-level PR professionals is building and maintaining relationships with media representatives. My relevant experience made the transition from student to professional that much smoother because I was properly prepared for future responsibilities.
A model from the Nicholas Lindsey Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Show. (Image Rights: Nicholas Lindsey Brand)
A few weeks ago, I concluded my post-graduation internship with Weber Shandwick – a global public relations agency. As a consumer brands intern, one of my major responsibilities was pitching the media on behalf of clients I represented. I was able to practice everything from writing and distributing pitch e-mails, using social media tools to engage my targeted journalists, the proper way to pitch bloggers and of course, jumping on the phones to tell my client’s story.
This experience prepared me for one of my most challenging roles to date – serving as a PR manager for a Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week show. Nicholas Lindsey, a brand designer and one of my fellow PRSSA graduates, was in need of last-minute PR support for one of the biggest shows of his life. Immediately, I jumped at the opportunity; it was a great way to help a friend in need and a way to practice what I learned from my internship.
As PR manager for the show, my main responsibility was media relations. On show day, I had journalists present from Essence Magazine, NBC Universal and fashion bloggers from around the country, including an NYC Fashion Examiner. To solidify these high profile media representatives, I used everything I learned from my internship, especially social media for media relations purposes. My wonderful PR agency allowing me to pitch as an intern led to something I am very proud of – my first national magazine placement: NYFW Designer Q/A: Nicholas Clements-Lindsey.
To answer Tressa Robbins’ question, posted on the BurrellesLuce Fresh Ideas blog, “Should PR Interns Pitch the Media?” … YES, they should – I am a living example of how it can prepare interns for the “real world.” In fact, I recently accepted a full-time position with Fahlgren Mortine Public Relations where I … pitch the media on behalf of clients.
Giving the valuable experience interns can learn from pitching, can you think of any reasons why they shouldn’t?
Professional Development Is A “Must” For PR Practitioners
July 9th, 2010Brittany James is a recent graduate from Quinnipiac University with a degree in public relations and a minor in marketing. Currently she is interning at Source Communications, a New York-based strategic consulting firm.
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At the end of last month, the BurrellesLuce team invited me to attend the Bulldog Reporter’s Media Relations Summit. Being a young PR professional, who had just attended my first PRSA event at the beginning of June, I was eager to partake in the day’s activities. With a lot of great companies being represented at the summit, I knew that I wouldn’t be disappointed in this 
amazing learning experience.
While there were very informative “Meet the Editors” roundtables, I had the pleasure of listening to four panels that all mirrored the same message throughout regarding growing industry trends. Some of the key messages conveyed were:
During the first panel, the skills every public relations professional needs were discussed and writing was stressed to be the biggest skill. Like any PR professional knows, writing is essential to their everyday tasks and the panel talked about how being able to tell stories requires writing skills. These writing skills need to have a visual image and content, which helps to develop the full picture of what is impacting areas.
Moving more towards the social media aspect, during the other three panels I listened to, the need for more incorporation of the Internet into PR was a strong topic. In today’s PR world, there really isn’t an excuse to not be on social media and engaging with your and your clients’ audiences. Steve Momorella from TEKgroup International presented the statistics that:
In the second presentation, Tina Brown from The Daily Beast still thinks that as PR professionals we are still retro and need validation through print or TV. She went on to say how we can help shape the response of stories on the Internet by participating and also assisting to make the story go viral.
By being part of the conversation, we as PR professionals can help to position the story in a positive light. However, if there is no presence, anything can happen. As social media is continuing to grow, Bev Yehuda from Products MultiVu stated that “social media is the start of a transition away from ‘push,’ one-way communications to a world full of interactivity between PR professionals and the media.”
Being a young PR professional, what do you foresee as some future trends in the industry? How are you getting your company and/or clients into social media?
