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Corporate Communication PR

Hello – can you PR this for me?

Hello – can you PR this for me?

No. Neither can I ‘PR the hell out of this one’. (Both things I have actually been asked to do, I should point out.)

Public Relations is a lot of things – but it’s not a verb

At its core – and very simply – PR is telling people things so that they will like you.  And if people like you, they will be happier doing business with you. They’ll be better at doing business for you. They’ll be happier giving you permission to do business.

Of course, there’s lots of different people you might want to build relationships with. Which is why PR is divided up into different areas.

Broadly speaking, those areas are:

In order that they keep buying it, or decide they want to give it a try

Or that are important in the production of their own products and services

Walking the walk as well as talking the talk, authentic, beyond reproach and prepared for the unexpected

Because it’s mandatory, or because the company wants to sell something, to buy something or just wants to raise money

Particularly when it comes to regulation and legislation, by talking up the organisation’s societal and economic benefits

News about performance, strategy, product development, positions on issues, vision, values, culture, purpose, benefits and reward

Letting them know what it’s doing, how it’s doing it and why, and sometimes lending a helping hand, though sponsorship, or donations, or simply doing a bit of work around the place – so that the community feels involved and important

OK – got that – but how’s it done?

By telling stories, mostly. You see, you don’t often get to tell people things on a one-to-one basis. Mostly, you’ll be using media to get your information across – digital, social, print, broadcast and your own channels – social media feeds and your website.

And to get journalists to publish your information, or people to read it on your website, or engage with it via social, it’s got to be interesting.

And that means wrapping it in a story. We can give you guidance on what makes a story – and how to tell it.

Right – but back to what PR is – do I have to do all of it?

No – do the bits that help you with whatever it is you want to achieve.

That might be one element, or it might be two or three – we can make a recommendation as to what bits you should be considering.

How much does it cost?

Nothing.

OK – it costs nothing to have a conversation about public relations and strategic communication.

After that, when you’ve considered what we’ve discussed, and decided what’s right for you, we’ll look at what it might cost.

The cost will comprise the cost of our time (the fee) and any third-party costs – which could include research, photography, videography, design and possibly print.

The fee can be calculated in one of two ways.

The first is as a fee per activity or piece of work, which is based on our day rate. Second, as a ‘retainer’ fee, which is a sum paid monthly that includes the cost of our time to carry out the agreed activity and – importantly – any extra activities (within reason) that we might agree together.

Right then – how do I get my free conversation?

Put your details into one of the (many) contact us forms on our website (www.4TC.ie) and we’ll call you back.

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Communication Training Corporate Communication PR

Spokespeople and Messages

The Right Message, The Right Spokesperson

So let’s talk a bit about messaging and spokespeople and audience engagement.

So let’s talk a bit about messaging and spokespeople and audience engagement.

A commercial radio news bulletin, here in the Emerald City, concerning the renewal of a corporate sponsorship of a leading entertainment venue.

An opportunity, with the right messages and delivery, to enhance the general perception of a company, and get people on board.

 

Include detail, avoid buzzwords

The spokesperson talked about transforming the sponsored building into a ‘smart venue’.  This may well be a thing – but without any explanation, it’s a lost opportunity to connect with the audience. 

Then there was ‘improving customer experience’. Without specifics, why should anyone care?

It is too easy to substitute a shorthand term for the real message. 

‘Smart venue’, when we mean a building that can tell you where things are, tell you how long the queue for the ladies’ loo is and allow you to pre-order two hot dogs and four pints via an app on your smartphone. 

‘Improving customer experience’ when we mean discounted gig tickets, a chance to meet the band and 4G in the mosh pit.

Messages are the detail that gets people interested, draws them in, makes them want to be involved. In this case, however, both key points sounded like buzzwords from an approved list. 

 

Suitable spokespeople, not senior spokespeople

Agreeing a spokesperson is not easy – often simple seniority carries the day.

An approach is to establish a panel of ‘subject matter experts’ who take the spokesperson role when it’s their area. 

Another is to spread the responsibility – get agreement that a handful of senior people should alternate as spokesperson, thus limiting the exposure of any one in particular. 

And there’s selection of opportunity – the less able spokesperson gets the less pivotal gigs.

 

Training to tell stories

In the real world, of course, this doesn’t always work. The media want to speak with the CEO, and no-one else will cut it. 

Or maybe the news story is about a ground-breaking use of technology and only the CTO will do. 

Which is where, of course, the message and the spokesperson should be managed in tandem. 

Messages are not buzzwords, and a spokesperson is not someone reading buzzwords off a script. Training and rehearsal – above and beyond a simple ‘briefing’ – help the spokesperson to build their own story around the messages.

Telling a story that they’re comfortable with not only brings the message to life, but allows the spokesperson to be genuine in their delivery.

It’s the combination of interesting detail and genuine delivery, by someone who’s comfortable with the material, that creates audience connection and propensity to engage.

If you would like to know more about messaging, identifying spokespeople and training them to do the best job they can, we’d be happy to talk to you – for free, with no obligations.

Categories
Communication Training Content Corporate Communication PR

The Art Of The Story

The art of the story

At the risk of stating the blindingly obvious, at the heart of every piece of communication is a story.

At the risk of stating the blindingly obvious, at the heart of every piece of communication is a story. It might be a story that wants to be told, or needs to be told, or has to be told. It might be a good story, it might be a dull story, it might be – heaven help us – a bad news story. No matter – there’s no communication without a story.

A good story, one that leaps out at you, one that grabs the attention, is a joy to work with. We were fortunate enough, not so long ago, to be involved with the launch of a new company in the technology space – and, hell, did they have the story. An indigenous company, first in the sector, with a billion euro project that will create more than a thousand jobs. This was news.

Which was reflected in the results – by the end of the week, we were able to report more than 50 pieces of coverage, including TV, radio, national, regional and trade print and online and a smattering of international titles. Probably more importantly, our client’s ‘phone lines were going like the Batfone on a bad evening in Gotham.

Now – obviously – something like this doesn’t come along every day. Most of the time, stories are smaller, or more local, more specialist or simply a result of your ‘business as usual’.

Sometimes you might think that you haven’t got a story at all – but don’t panic.

Broadly speaking, there are a handful of things that make news. If you can find one or two of them in your story – or add them as extra elements – then your communication will be that much more effective.

They Are (in no particular order)

As Tom Cruise famously shouted: “show me the money”. Big numbers make news, whether it’s the cost of something (the million-euro Mont Blanc pen on sale at London’s City Airport), investment in something (our clients and their billion euro project) or money spent on something (millions of euro to provide new medical equipment).

Everyone is fascinated by the rise of the machines. Technology that makes lives easier (Siri, Alexa), technology that shapes the future (contactless payments) technology that was science fiction a few years ago (driverless cars). The current massive interest in AI is a case in point.

Things that touch people’s lives, that they can relate to, that are important to them, or that simply give them a warm, fuzzy feeling. Think job creation, think community initiatives, think food and drink and leisure, think health and exercise and – if all else fails – think cuddly kittens.

Because there’s nothing like a good argument, or a challenge to the status quo. Proposing a new way of doing things, questioning established procedures, espousing causes, targeting the unpopular – all of these can get you noticed and talked about. Corporate Health Warning – being controversial can attract unwelcome attention and less-than-positive responses. Preparation, thought and planning are necessary.

The lives of the beautiful, the famous, the rich and the powerful are fascinating. An endorsement from a celeb (whether it’s a politician in a photo opp, a sportsman at your fundraiser, or a blogger talking you up) adds another dimension to what you’re doing and can help your communication cut through.

At the risk of being repetitive – a good story is a joy to work with. If you’d like some help telling your story, we’d be more than happy to have a chat.

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