Communications

MacGyver is a Nonprofit

Business Communications, Life, Public Relations

A World of Tools for MacGyverYes, that MacGyver, the one that can create a bomb out of a paper clip, some lint, and maybe a ketchup packet if he’s fortunate to have such luxuries around.  For anyone seeking a trip down memory lane, or context for some of my younger readers, be sure to check out the original geek adventure hero online and have some fun with the SNL spoofs too.

Aside from a good retro laugh, the real prompt for this post was chatting with my friend Arik Hanson who is working with a couple of Minnesota nonprofits in the digital space.  He commented on how dedicated the staff and leadership of these organizations are and how much of themselves they truly put into their work.  The comment Arik made that hit home with me is “this is their life; they don’t leave the job when they go home. It’s part of them.” 

I’ve been fortunate to work with so many outstanding people from a variety of nonprofits and it’s a spot on comment.  As you may know, I  work for a nonprofit so I am commenting as an “insider” but have also worked for a global PR agency, a Fortune 500 medical device company, and a small specialty pharmaceutical company.  I can tell you (relatively objectively) that nonprofit staff invests themselves in their work just as much as any corporate or agency pro…maybe more. 

However, I believe that many in the PR world view nonprofits as a second-tier job.  It doesn’t carry the status that some in our industry want on their resumes which is too bad because nonprofit pros are MacGyver-like problem solvers.   They’re working on addressing major community challenges with limited budgets, increasing demands for accountability, typically lean staffs, and doing it all for less pay and prestige.  So next time you’re at an industry get-together, keep an eye out for some of these smart MacGyvers in the room.  I bet you’ll meet some great new friends filled with passion and creativity.

Resources:

Noted below are some great contacts if you’re interested in learning more about smart nonprofit thinking and other communications pros working to help their communities and important causes.

  • Beth Kanter who has a great blog and a ton of ideas around nonprofit leadership
  • In Minneapolis, for my local contacts, be sure to check out Ashley Schweitzer who is a constant advocate for nonprofits
  • My inspiring pal up north, Danny Brown with his outstanding 12for12k social media/charity efforts
  • Or maybe Katya Andresen focusing on marketing for nonprofits on her blog

PR Resolutions

Business Communications, Leadership, Public Relations

It’s that time of year when we all make resolutions and promises…many of which fall by the wayside by the end of January.  However, I think as PR practitioners we need to do better.  As we enter into 2010 our profession is still not give the respect I believe it truly deserves.  Too often PR is still viewed as “spinning” bad news to make it acceptable to the masses.  There are too many outstanding communicators out there to allow this misperception to continue.

How do we kill off this old stereotype? We collectively step-up to make sure that we don’t allow our profession to be viewed as window dressing but a critical function to every company we serve. How?  Here’s a few starters.

  • Know Your Business and Your Customer
                                                                                                                                    Before you start throwing out ideas about how to obtain more coverage or the greatest new promotional idea, make sure the efforts line up well with the overall strategic plan for the company.  Take the time to think about your work from the customer perspective– ask yourself why would a customer care and how would your ideas improve their experience.  Also be sure that you’ll be able to measure how your work will have an impact.  Even if you fail, you want to learn from the effort rather than have no idea if you made a difference.     

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  • Use New Tools to Improve Your Work       
                                                                                                                                           Don’t recycle the plan your boss used when you started.  That’s a sure-fire way to maintain a very average program that becomes irrelevant…and doesn’t exactly position you as a great strategic mind.  Take advantage of the new technology out there and think critically about how social media may fit in your mix.  Look at if there is a fit in your company for Skype to cut down on some costs and encourage better collaboration. 

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  • Don’t Just Use New Tools to Improve Your Work              
                                                                                                                   
    On the flip side of that last point, please don’t chase after the new shiny toy so much that you forget about core fundamentals.  I don’t care how many followers you can get on Twitter if you can’t explain what the heck it is your company does and why anyone in their right mind would use your product or service.  Be sure to communicate all the methods you want to use in reaching your audience. Your discussions should never strictly focus on a technology but what the technology can do for you. 

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  • Deliver What Reporters Need    
                                                                                                                                                                         One of the issues that hounds our field is the “smile and dial” approach where a PR person is asked, typically by a client, to just call your reporter friends and pitch this great new product.  Here’s the problem, if you have no idea what the product does or (even worse) the product is junk and you still pitch it then it’s your reputation that takes the hit.  We need to be smart enough and strong enough to push back to our companies and clients if there is no valid news angle. 

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  • Be an advocate for communications 
                                                                                                                                                     This is especially aimed at my corporate readers more than agency but it applies to us all.  If you are being paid to be an expert communicator, you also need to help others in your organization understand the true importance of the role.  If you have a truly groundbreaking product that nobody knows about, then you have nothing.  If communications is always viewed as the least important part of a planning session then you know something is critically wrong culturally and you need to change it.  Take the time to explain (supported by examples of your results) the value of communications and be a leader in speaking up for the importance of our profession. 

So, in 2010 let’s all resolve to eliminate the missteps that plague our profession.  Let’s do a little PR work on PR this year.  What else belongs on this list?  What else can we do to improve our collective reputations?  Let’s think big this year and make some real change.

Keep Your Eyes on the Ball

Business Communications, Public Relations

As anyone who has spent much time with me knows, I’m a certified sports nut. I will catch a game whenever possible.  I might be at the game, could be watching on television, or could be reviewing old tapes of games (Yes, I am that geeky when it comes to sports.) This is especially true of football and enjoy finding any chance to weave that into my work. However, this one isn’t a stretch.

A receiver will often drop a pass when wide open without a defender in sight.  Why? They were too eager to get into the end zone and not focusing on what’s right in front of them.  Maybe they were thinking about the glory of the end zone and their celebration (cough, @OGOchocinco, cough) or maybe they assumed it was so easy that real effort wasn’t needed.

Here’s the point- if you take your eyes off the ball, you may miss the big play that can be the difference between a win and a loss.

In communications, a group often overlooked is the one right in front of you.  Your employees are the faces of your organization.  They are the ones that will be asked, “so, what do you do” countless times at holiday parties in the next month.  They are the ones we may miss when busy coming up with the next great pitch to our reporter friends or while busy getting ready for a big product launch.

It’s easy to quick rush by and say “they know what we’re about” but, if they are only updated once a year on your efforts, they aren’t likely to tell the story you’d like to hear.  They are the people you want, and need, to tell your story in a positive and committed manner.  It’s essential to take the time to plan for your internal communications just as thoroughly as you focus on key external audiences. Take a minute to think right now and ask yourself if your employees are they ready to answer those questions in a way you’ll completely love. If you aren’t 100 percent sold on their glowing answers, you better get at it now.  Don’t get so busy looking downfield that you drop the ball right in front of you.

Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Dirk Hansen under Creative Commons Attribution License.

Influence or Authority

Business Communications, Leadership

I had the pleasure of attending a leadership session recently put on by the CDC Foundation in collaborations with the Harvard School of Public Health and the Kennedy School of Government that brought together leadership from government, public businesses, and nonprofit organizations to discuss better collaborative opportunities around preparedness.  The main focus of the session was a concept titled Meta-Leadership.  [You can find out a bit more at http://www.metaleadershipsummit.org/or email me and we can discuss more] In short form, there are three core concepts:

1)      Going to and getting out of the “emotional basement” (natural fight/flight reaction) in critical situations

2)      Moving beyond the silo mentality to build connectivity across organizations and sectors

3)      Collaborating to solve problems effectively

One of the principles that I enjoyed discussing is the idea that people can be leaders either through influence or authority.  However, as most people who study leadership know, the best leaders are often the ones that are able to lead with influence rather than being a “mandated” leader by virtue of title or seniority.  One of the exercises we did as a team was thinking about both good and bad leaders we’ve had in our careers.  While everyone had a good chuckle sharing unidentified stories about the lousy leaders, it quickly became very apparent that real leadership can be fostered regardless of level.  It’s driven more by a shared connection and willingness to work with people instead of directing them.

Think about leaders that you’ve worked with.  What has worked for you and why?  And, just as importantly, what hasn’t worked?

Just My Two…er, Fifty Cents on Marketing Your Brand

Business Communications

How can a brand (corporation, retail product, etc.) connect with its target market?  This is the type of question I tend to ponder at all hours.  Last week, while watching a little late night television, I found a great source in the form of 50 Cent on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien.  Yes, that 50 Cent. 

I watched as the rapper came out and began chat with Conan and I literally put my laptop down and was drawn in.  He was engaging, funny, and charismatic to the point that you couldn’t help but like him. (Check out a clip via the good folks at Hulu here. )

Like him and his music or not, he does a great job of taking advantage of every opportunity put in front of him and clearly keeps business on his mind at all times.  In just a couple of minutes he highlights some of his varied business efforts (Vitamin Water to cologne and a no-go on condoms), flashes a million dollar (at least) smile, pokes fun at aspects of his own reputation and shows off how to properly fluff a pillow.  Seriously, he’s a renaissance man.

What can you really take away from 50?

Engage with personality– Not everyone will have a spokesperson (CEO, owner, or PR person) with natural charisma but the approach is still valid.  If you’re reading from a statement that you don’t believe in, it will show and your audience will know it’s phony.  Find a way to let personality come through in the best way possible to highlight the qualities of your speaker.

Have a purpose before you ever speak– As evidenced by his success and constant willingness to take on new ventures, 50 Cent is able to identify a goal for himself and go after it.  This appearance on Conan is to support the launch of his new album and what he did was show a side of himself that will engage a broad audience well beyond his core listeners.  He tailored his message to fit the audience he was speaking to and did it well.

You must have several channels to promote your brand– In digging around after the segment, I took a deeper look at how 50 approaches his own promotion.  It’s easy to see when you visit his site that he is taking full advantage of all the technology available to him to reach out to his fans, and potential fans, and build his own brand.  He blends his image of street tough performer and charming young businessman to reach his goals.  Facebook, Twitter, heavy video use, and contests to support the community all support his actual performance schedule.

If you can take and apply these ideas to your own brand, you may find some great new ways to put some added fun behind your organization.  And if that won’t work, maybe just call 50 Cent directly. If the price is right, he just might be your next spokesperson.