Communications

It’s More About GAAP Than Gap

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You may have heard me say it before, and you’ll definitely hear me say it again (hint- great series of pros in future posts), but I believe that communications professionals do themselves a disservice by not having a good grasp on broader business principles and strategy.  If you’re offering your clients recommendations on one piece of the puzzle like media relations, social media, or internal communications but can’t make educated, informed comment on their business model and competition then you aren’t providing the full value they need. 

If you are working within an organization and want to have a role in the strategic direction of the company, it’s essential you can speak the same language as those you want to influence.  PR people cannot expect to walk into a C-level discussion and be viewed as an equal member of the team unless you can add real value to a discussion that stretches beyond how the company will capitalize on sales, but how you will drive sales. 

Fundamental to that level of discussion is viewing the business in the same manner that other leadership views the business.  Many communications/PR schools haven’t heavily integrated business programming into a PR track and many practitioners have come from a variety of backgrounds where they may not have been exposed to fundamentals of business strategy.  How can you pick up enough knowledge to put you on the right track?

Find a colleague who can serve as a mentor- This is a great way to learn more about specialties you may not initially understand well. In my experience, if you express an interest and willingness to learn, people are willing to help you along.  Many times they’re actually flattered.  This was especially true when I reached out to accountants who, I’m willing to bet, hadn’t really been approached often with people “wanting” to learn more about their jobs.

Expand that bookshelf- There are hundreds of great books out there that can provide an introduction to basic finance, accounting, sales theory, and business strategy.  A quick search on finance produced a great list of options to help you get started. 

Change your process- Before heading into any meeting, come up with a couple questions that you want to have addressed when you have time to do so without worrying about being on the spot in real-time.  If you’re looking to better understand the sales process, look at recent reports see what seems to be working and ask for more information on the “why” behind the success. Over time, you’ll learn a great deal and be able to better add value.

The Gap is great for a day of shopping, but better understanding GAAP can fund that shopping.

Minnesota AMA and Smart People

Business Communications

I had the great opportunity to attend the Minnesota AMA Conference on Tuesday and wanted to quickly say thank you to everyone I was able to meet while there. It was such a fun experience because many of the pros there were people that I either didn’t know at all or had only met online until Tuesday. The conference brought together a good mix of dedicated marketers along with many from related industries like PR, advertising, or sales.

As I’ve mentioned in other posts, it’s important to understand and continually learn about these connected industries to provide good counsel to clients and/or our own employers. I walked away with a number of new ideas and many good reminders about constantly providing value propositions that will resonate with the end-user.

Some highlights for me included hearing more about how Bahram Akradi, Chairman and CEO of Lifetime Fitness, approaches adding value for members and how Michael Keller, Chief Brand Officer of Dairy Queen, is enhancing a strong emotional brand with a new line of product offerings designed to extend that brand further.

I’d like to also collect comments and ideas from others who attended the sessions. What did you learn? Who did you meet? I’d love to hear about your experiences and thoughts on breaking down boundaries with other pros who have differing responsibilities. That’s how we can all learn and get better.

The Social Media Poker Table

Business Communications, Social Media

One of my favorite movies is Rounders (1998) which features Matt Damon as a young poker player who has a gift for the game.  How could this possibly have any relation to social media? In one of the scenes, the main character travels to Atlantic City to get back into the game after taking some time off.  Once arriving, he finds a table filled with all the local players from his underground club in New York.  One of the players notes, “You know, if we wanted to take each others rolls, we could have just stayed home.”

I thought about this for a while in the sense that many communications and marketing professionals who are big proponents of social media may feel the same way at times.  If you find yourself always reading information and chatting with the same community members, it may be a sign that you’re staying too close to home (so to speak.) If you’re chatting online with the same people you see on your blog who are the same people you’re meeting at a conference, you’re missing one of the great opportunities for growth that social media can provide. 

The ability to meet and learn from others who are physically far away from you and, just as importantly, professionally far from what you do is essential if you’re really going to grow.  If you’re a PR person, reach out to a marketer or salesperson who will approach a customer relationship with a different viewpoint.  Find an economist that will drive you identify the financial impact of your ideas. Consider seeking out a copy editor who can help you improve your writing through tips or developing a genuine relationship.  Or find another colleague who thinks differently than you do in terms of tactics and strategy.

There is nothing wrong with building strong friendships and supporters within your community, it’s actually critical to have that too.  However, there are so many quality ways to improve your skills via social media.  I encourage everyone to resist the urge to succeed in building a community and relaxing too much into a comfort zone where you’re not challenging your own thinking and continuing to grow.

I Want it Now- The Veruca Salt Theory

Business Communications, Public Relations, Social Media

It’s human nature to want things, it really is.  I understand the desire to always have the latest and greatest ‘it’ as well as anyone.  However, while thinking about that concept in terms of communications, it’s an urge that professional communications pros need to restrain when it comes to identifying the right strategy for an organization.  We can’t allow ourselves to want for anything and everything like the wonderful Veruca Salt character, “Hey, Daddy, *I* want an Oompa Loompa! I want you to get me an Oompa Loompa right away!”

The Veruca parallel actually started in my mind when I was having a discussion focusing around social media (SM) and the opportunities that can be gained by playing an active roles in the SM space.  Now, let me be crystal clear here, I thoroughly enjoy and believe in the power of social media.  I’m not a huge naysayer that believes Twitter is a bunch of people posting where they went to lunch but I am saying that not everyone has to have a major Facebook or Twitter presence. 

The first step any organization should take is looking clearly and honestly at their overall goals.  At that point,  the organization and their agency/consultant/staff should look at how to create the optimal mix of social media, sales, marketing, advertising and PR come together to make a real difference to the organization.  In many cases, SM makes a great deal of sense especially for companies that have a strong consumer element.  If you’re customers and audience are there, then it’s a no-brainer that you should be too.  If you’re customers aren’t there…well, I’d figure out where they are.

As communications pros, we can’t just chase the latest shiny object we see.  If we are to provide good counsel and leadership, you have to remain focused first and foremost on the ultimate goals of any organization and that may include saying no to a Veruca Salt in your own group.  It’s hard sometimes (who wouldn’t want an Oompa Loompa of their very own) but it’s ultimately that smart, strategic counsel that will pay off for you and your organization or clients.

Working Without a Net

Public Relations

I was speaking with another PR professional not long ago and we chuckled at some of the “glamorous” tasks we do in the line of duty.  I told him that I could have so easily just gone to business school and been an accountant or some other job that is predictable and pays well.  But I didn’t. 

I chose to pursue a profession that, to do it well, often involves long hours and immense pressure to meet deadlines.  It’s one where success is fleeting and any missteps can follow you for a lifetime.  What is it about PR that draws us in? Perhaps we’re all just gluttons for punishment.

For me, I like the pressure and the fact that you often only get one shot at something.  When you’re on a call working explaining a story idea to a journalist, there’s no second chance.  You need to match a story with what they need.  If you don’t nail it, you’re done.  You’re working without a net.  If you fall you’re done.  But, if you succeed, you’ve made it across that high-wire and you know you’ve survived another day. I love the rush and I love the wins.

The real work should be done before you ever pick up that phone to pitch or send that message to your employees.  It should be done when you set a strategy and identify your goals.  That’s the work.  The fun is when you’re out there with no net.

Why did you get into PR?  What is it that keeps you excited and willing to work up on that high-wire?

 

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