Posted by Ruth Atherley of AHA Creative Strategies on March 30th, 2012

I have been travelling across the country this week for client meetings. Contrary to what some believe, this doesn’t mean that I saunter into meetings at 10 a.m., that we break for lunch at noon and then in the evening, drink good wine and eat fabulous meals. It does mean I get up early (earlier than usual… which is already pretty early!) and that I watch a lot of television news shows and read even more newspapers than usual. (Hey – if they are going to make the effort to deliver it to my hotel room door, I am going to read it.)

I have been following several big stories this week, including the tragic Trayvon Martin case and the Jet Blue pilot who had to be subdued by passengers (two of the biggest stories). Both traditional media coverage and social media play a big role in what the public is learning in both these cases.

That got me thinking about context and how it impacts what we take in. I have been as interested in comments on news pieces and the social media discussions as I have been in the traditional media coverage itself. The comments and discussions provide insight and context and that is important. Our world has become more complicated – we have access to many opinions and perspectives. That’s important. It can help us to put information into context and to understand what the actions and reactions mean relevant to social norms and expectations. This gives us a broader scope of understanding, I believe.

However, because so many people have the ability and opportunity to participate in discussions, it’s also important to put the comments and opinions into context. In another completely random – and yet surprisingly related – moment, I was on Amazon.com looking for a book. I was reading reviews and there was one review that was really negative. It stood out from the other good to great reviews. So I checked out the person’s other reviews. She hated everything she read. That allowed me to put the review into context, and in this case, discount her opinion because, for me, she lost credibility. It’s important to keep the comments and discussions in context as well. Don’t take them at face value; make sure you understand the context of the information and of the person making the statements. It might change what you think about a specific topic, subject or issue.

Posted by Ruth Atherley of AHA Creative Strategies on March 27th, 2012

U.S. President Barack Obama is in hot water because he had a conversation that should have been private in front of a hot microphone. You can learn more about that story here.

This blog post isn’t about Obama; it is about the fact that you need to be vigilant when dealing with the media – especially when there is a camera, microphone or audio recorder involved. Obama is a smart guy, he deals with the media on a daily basis… it was a lapse in judgment. And it happens to the best of us.

Of course there are things you wouldn’t necessarily want to say publicly. It doesn’t mean you are hiding anything. It’s just a fact of business, of politics, of life. It’s important to remember that whatever you say or write – in an email, in a text, in a memo, on Twitter or Facebook or LinkedIn, leave on a voicemail or say to a colleague in the line at Starbucks – can be shared. And depending who you are, what organization you work with and what you are saying – it may well be shared.

Be careful what you say out loud. Be careful what you say on social media. Be careful what you write in emails. Never discuss confidential topics if there is a microphone, camera or tape recorder in the room. They might be on – and hot.

Posted by Ruth Atherley of AHA Creative Strategies on March 23rd, 2012

In today’s AHA Fast Take Friday, Ruth is in Toronto talking about why it’s important to create a “Plan B” for your communications initiatives.

Posted by Ruth Atherley of AHA Creative Strategies on March 22nd, 2012

I read an article recently about a computer company in Germany that undertook what they thought was a smart promotion. They began gluing hard drives to alarm clocks and sending them to companies with a note reading, “Your time is running out.” Well, many of the people who received them were terrified and called the police, thinking the package held a bomb. You can read more about it here.

It reminded me of an old episode of WKRP in Cincinnati in the late 70s/early 80s, where they did a Thanksgiving promotion by dropping turkeys out of a helicopter… only problem – turkeys can’t fly.

When it comes to these types of guerilla promotions or any kind of publicity stunt, you need to think it through from all angles. You need to be critical and tough on the idea and think about the worst thing that could happen and the worst reaction someone could have. In this day and age, it’s likely someone will have that reaction and share it via social media.

I think the days of the “shock value” publicity stunts are gone. From our experience, if you are going to do something that will get the attention of the media, the public or your stakeholders, a smarter approach is to do something with great visual appeal that contributes to the world in some fashion. Even if it is just to make people smile. (Like a flash mob, although that’s been done a lot.)

For example, early on at AHA we had the opportunity to work with the producers of an excellent documentary series called Healing with Animals. (We blogged about Wallace a bit in a post last month.) One of the animals in the series was a llama named Wallace. Well, Wallace loves people and he is quite good at working with elderly people who have dementia. We wanted to promote the series (that showcased how animals help humans to heal emotionally and physically) so we got Wallace a spot on The Vicki Gabereau Show (now off the air) and we took him into downtown Vancouver for the studio appearance. We leveraged his appearance by having him stand on the corner of Robson and Burrard to sign “hoof prints” (a llama version of an autograph).

When we came up with this idea – we did our research. We confirmed that Wallace would not be put into high stress by this event. The owners of Wallace explained to us that he often went out into public places that had large groups of people and that Wallace enjoyed it. The last thing we wanted to see happen was for Wallace to get stressed out. Not only did we not want that for him, but it could also make him react aggressively and that might hurt someone.

The event was a huge success – his TV appearance was fabulous and lots of people got to meet Wallace on the street. And he was really happy to be there. But – we thought through what could go wrong in the planning stage, and because we did that, it worked out as planned.

Take the time to think publicity stunts through. It’s worth the extra time it takes in planning.

Posted by Ruth Atherley of AHA Creative Strategies on March 19th, 2012

There is an unflattering news clip making the rounds right now of B.C. Premier Christy Clarke’s new communications director. I am sure it is going to be included in every media training session for the next decade – it is a perfect example of what not to do. If you haven’t seen it, you can view it here.

I have an entire rant about how valuable journalists are to a free and just society and how I believe communicators and journalists actually work in partnership (we don’t always have to agree or even like each other, but we do have work together). The actions of this communicator go against everything I believe you should do in media relations. But that’s not what I am going to talk about today. Today, inspired by this video, I want to go back to some common courtesies of communication. The basics.

I am often amazed (and appalled) at the lack of courtesy and common decency that I see in the world. Seemingly small things like please and thank you. Holding a door so that the person behind you doesn’t get it slammed on them. Responding to an email or phone call in a timely fashion. Showing up on time to meetings and appointments… the list goes on.

In the business world, there are a few things that I think are important when it comes to the basic tenets of good communication. Some of these are basic manners like those your mother taught you, some are plain old common sense, and others are about doing the right thing even when it’s inconvenient.

Be Respectful

View the people around you as colleagues or equals – not underlings.

I have had the opportunity to work with some of the best of the best in journalism and as a communicator. The people who have accomplished the most (and I have to say are the happiest) are the ones who build strong relationships with those around them – not just with those in more senior positions who can help.

In this video, it looks like the communications person thinks the media are not her equals – her lack of respect for them is obvious. If she had seen them as colleagues* and had been respectful of their perspective in this situation, this could have turned out quite differently.

*Don’t get me wrong here; I realize that some relationships with journalists won’t be easy. When we pitch media on behalf of clients, we view the information through the lens of a journalist. We poke holes in the news value, we criticize and critique the information we want to share, and we know it has to meet a certain standard before a journalist is going to be interested in what we have to say. I believe that our society needs journalists. They make my job tougher, but they make me a better communicator. And I believe that when communicators do their job well, some journalists see us a resource – and as a colleague.

Be Truthful

I realize that in the business world, sometimes this can feel challenging. Being truthful doesn’t mean you have to tell all – there are parts of your workday that are confidential and need to be kept that way. If you can’t talk about something, explain that you can’t talk about it at this point because of XYZ. If you made a mistake, come clean. Explain what happened, why it happened and how it will never happen again. I would also hope you would show some concern, compassion and care about what happened. Everyone makes mistakes. It’s when you try to lie your way out of them, or don’t seem to care about the people affected, that it becomes a problem.

Be Considerate

There are little things you do all day long that send out a much bigger message than you realize.

Respond to Emails

When you get an email from a colleague, a client, your agency or even your family – what do you do? Ignore it? Put it aside to answer later? Delete it? Unless you are trying to discourage Cousin Edith from sending you another funny cat video, respond to your emails within 24 hours. Even if that response is just – “I received this and I will get back to you by Friday.” Don’t leave people wondering if you got the email or if you are ignoring them.

Pick Up the Phone

Don’t just email – pick up the phone and talk to people. Emailing, texting and other online communications are great. Don’t forget to call them or, even better, go and see them in person. Nothing replaces in-person contact.

Respect Other People’s Deadlines and Timelines

You aren’t the only person in the world who is under deadline pressure. If you promise something to someone and you can’t meet the deadline, let them know.

Be On Time

Don’t keep people waiting. That sends a message that you think their time isn’t as valuable as yours. Show up on time.

Be Present

If you are meeting with someone, don’t keep checking your smartphone for emails or texts – unless you have an issue or crisis happening. If that’s the case, apologize and explain you have an issue or crisis.

Say please and thank you.
It seems simple, but acknowledging the efforts of others in such a simple way is a big thing.

And Don’t…

Please, please – don’t chew gum like the person in the video. I don’t need to see the gum in your mouth while you are talking.

I would love to hear your ideas of what “little things” make a big impact.

Posted by Ruth Atherley of AHA Creative Strategies on March 16th, 2012

In today’s AHA Fast Take Friday, Ruth talks about surveying what else is happening in the world of your target audience when you have a campaign or initiative on the horizon and need to get their attention.

Posted by Ruth Atherley of AHA Creative Strategies on March 15th, 2012

I am sitting in a ferry lineup as I write this blog post. I commute from Gibsons, BC – a pretty little seaside town on the Sunshine Coast that is only a 40-minute ferry ride from West Vancouver. We have our AHA office in Gibsons and we have a business development office in Vancouver. (I am rarely in the Vancouver office because I go to the offices of our clients.)

We have an Internet stick that I use when I commute, when I travel, and even if we are out and about on the Sunshine Coast and I might need to do something for a client. My computer and Internet stick are my constant companions. I have spent most of my life travelling for work or for pleasure; and when you run your own agency and are a bit of a control freak like me – when you travel for pleasure, you are often working too.

A few months ago, we realized that our Internet stick was pretty old. It was big and cumbersome and, well, not very pretty. I called it the “Monster” (and not always with affection). The newer model looked sleek and efficient and high tech. It was impressive looking. It was smaller, thinner and prettier. We were asked to upgrade by our service provider. So we upgraded. What a mistake. I miss my big old Monster stick so much.

My Monster stick was solid and reliable. It worked. And I knew I could rely on it. In cold weather and in hot weather – I even spilled coffee on it once and it just kept working. This new one is flimsy. We are on our third stick in a matter of months and I haven’t even spilled anything on it yet! It has factory defects and the design of it is challenging – the main piece snaps off easily if you aren’t careful. It is just a poor piece of equipment. I often cannot get Internet…

The lesson I learned that I think translates well for communicators (and just about anyone) – don’t give up on something that is working now and be lured in by the newest fad, trend or technology without doing your research and understanding what you are giving up relevant to what you are getting. Sure, my new piece looks good – but it doesn’t deliver the reliability of the Monster. In this case, the reliability factor is far more important to me than the style and look of the piece.

When reviewing your communications tools, tactics and technologies and if you decide it is time to change, make sure you are changing for the right reasons and know what you will gain and what you will give up. For example, if you think you might want to stop printing an annual brochure and switch to using Twitter to promote your products, services or organization as a whole, there are some questions to ask yourself before you make that leap. Some of them include:

• What benefits do we currently get from this brochure?
• What benefits would I get from Twitter?
• What am I willing to give up to get these new benefits?
• Do I know for certain that what is being promised is accurate?

And go deep. Don’t make assumptions about what the benefits are – ask your stakeholder group(s) what they think, research what other similar organizations are doing, and identify best and worst practices. Make an informed decision.

Change, even small, always has an element of risk. Make sure you know the risk and do everything you can to mitigate it. The one action I should have done before I switched – Googled: “problem with Bell Internet stick.” That would have influenced my decision.

Posted by Ruth Atherley of AHA Creative Strategies on March 13th, 2012

They say: “timing is everything.” It’s true. And perspective is right there beside it.

We have a fun, interesting looking clock in the AHA kitchen. I am sure it was inspired by the works of Salvador Dali. It is kind of melting and surreal, and when a person first sees it, they are unsure how to tell what time it is. It’s been hanging in the kitchen for about a year now. It seems perfectly normal to those of us who spend any time in the room.

We had an AHA crew member come by a few days ago and her surprised (and fascinated) reaction to the clock was interesting. It was a clear reminder that if you are exposed to something on a regular basis, it can lose its impact on you. It is important to remember that, especially when you are developing messaging, positioning and outreach campaigns. Not everyone will have your knowledge, your exposure, your familiarity – they may not view what you are communicating through the same lens that you do.

As communicators, we often need to take a step back and look at things from different perspectives. To think about how they will be received by each of the stakeholder groups – and potentially by the groups as a whole. At AHA, we have developed a series of questions to ask as we build campaigns or develop messages, positioning or speeches (or just about anything that will be shared). It is important to remove yourself from what you think and put yourself in the shoes of others. Our approach is always to view the work we are doing from a range of perspectives – from supporters to critics to those that just don’t care (and many in between).

The work we do is called communication, but a large component focuses on perception – how what is being shared, promoted, communicated or told is going to be heard.

It’s important to take a step back and make sure that you have taken the perspective of all stakeholder groups into consideration.

Posted by Paul Holman of AHA Creative Strategies on March 09th, 2012

In today’s AHA Fast Take Friday, Ruth is in Edmonton talking about reviewing your crisis and communications plan – especially the social media component.

Posted by Ruth Atherley of AHA Creative Strategies on March 06th, 2012

As I write this, I am on my way to Edmonton to present on the value of media relations and social media to a client’s senior executive team and the board of directors. I love this part of my job. It’s always interesting to hear what the leadership of an organization thinks about media relations and social media – and believe me, it’s different every time.

We are often asked by clients to present to their senior executive, to their board of governors or directors, and to other leaders within their organization. There are times when having an unbiased “outsider” come in and share knowledge and information in this area is beneficial. We don’t have an agenda, we’re not trying to “sell” them on an idea, and we have a range of professional experience that can help put media relations and social media into context for them.

One of the key components for us in delivering this type of presentation is to collaborate with our client (usually the communications manager or director) to develop the organization’s key messages.

We have had great success in engaging the leadership team and I believe that’s because we build our presentation in a way that speaks to how they see the world. Believe me, the CEO, senior VP, board chair or board member perspective is different than that of the communications manager (and it should be). Our role is to help the communications manager to clearly connect on all levels.

The first thing we do is clearly define what is being done in the specific industry. This is, of course, much easier when we are presenting to a long-term client. We know what the competition and partners are up to – it’s a part of our role. If this is a new client or they want a one-time workshop, and it’s an industry we don’t know well, we research it and do a competitor evaluation as well as review what the organization we are presenting to is doing.

Another key point that we include in any presentation is what the budget (human resources and financial) will be to develop a strategic communications plan or to integrate these new components into the existing plan. We want to be realistic about what it will take because the fact is, if you don’t adequately resource this type of outreach and give it enough time to develop and grow, you are setting yourself up for failure. These days, the leadership team wants to know what it is going to cost them in time, effort, energy and money. As an aside, being open and transparent about the costs is also a support for our client. If you don’t showcase what it takes, there can be the expectation that it is “free” (it’s not) or that it can be added to the current workload, which in many cases, is already too heavy.

We also talk about the value of measurement and how crucial it is that you make sure that you measure throughout the campaign, not just at the end. There are lots of areas of public relations, media relations and social media that are a little “soft” and it’s hard to put definitive numbers to them – we all know that. There are also plenty of opportunities for clear measurement that tells you what is working and what isn’t. Measurement is key. And it isn’t something to be afraid of. It’s a strong tool that helps campaigns become and stay effective. I can’t tell you how often I get calls after a presentation from a CEO or senior VP saying thank you for including measurement. The fact that measurement can be put in place is what shifted their response from one of not thinking this is a good idea to being open to trying it.

That takes us to our last point for today’s post. We believe that small pilot projects are the way to go. Take small steps into the pond and see how the water is. Test and measure, refine and revise – then measure again. Build slowly and give campaigns the time to build momentum and to provide you with small results at first, so you know that it is a positive move forward. You can always ramp up when you see what works. It’s pretty challenging to ramp down from something too big and not have the project be seen as a failure.