Orange Slices

Let’s face it, sometimes bad news happens. Despite all your safety investments, there’s a deadly plant accident. Though you’ve worked hard to generate new business and cut nonessential costs, the weak economy forces you to lay-off employees. And, sometimes, someone sues you just because they can.

Even before the TV crews show up outside, you know you’re probably in for a rough time. However, if your company or organization is one of those quiet, under-the-radar companies that has eschewed publicity, that rough time is likely to extend far beyond the duration of the actual crisis.

Your organization’s reputation is based on what people perceive about your organization, based on what they see in the news media, what they hear from their friends and neighbors, and the results they get when they search Google for you. If there hasn’t been anything – good or bad – about your company until the crisis occurs, then whatever messages are sent during the crisis become your reputation. And that may include negative messages you send unintentionally by being too reticent to comment, too slow to take action or too unwilling to address community concerns.

Smart organizations communicate when times are good and there’s not a crisis brewing. It’s not bragging. These companies are investing in consistent communication that strengthens an organization’s reputational immune system. Smart organizations never stop communicating to key audiences, including the news media, their employees and leaders in their communities. They’re constantly communicating their character and as a result, these companies are in a better position when a crisis hits because they have more goodwill to fall back on. It also helps, by the way, to keep Google’s search results from being dominated by the latest, most negative news.

Steady, ongoing communications doesn’t make you immune to a reputation-threatening crisis, but it at least mitigates the impact of that crisis. If your company isn’t doing this kind of routine outreach and communications now, you’ll probably regret it when the next crisis hits.

On my way to work a few weeks ago I decided to pull into Bojangles’ Famous Chicken & Biscuits for a tasty, but not so healthy breakfast. I “grew up” on Bojangles’ in college. It was the go-to place for my group of friends, whether it was a late breakfast after class or after a long night of socializing. I was and still am a huge Bojangles’ fan (and not just on Facebook).

When I stopped by Bojangles’ a few weeks ago,  I went with the ol’ faithful Cajun, egg and cheese biscuit with coffee and Bo Rounds.

What a surprise I got when I arrived at the office. I reached into the bag and noticed that my biscuit was wrapped differently from the distinctive red and yellow wax paper it is normally covered with. I unwrapped the biscuit only to find that they had given me the wrong order.

I didn’t know what to do; I wanted a deep-fried chicken biscuit, not a deep fried pork biscuit. I took a bite out of it and decided that I was going to vent my frustration to my 800+ followers on Twitter; they would want to hear about my devastating news.

I got a few replies before I received a message from @GottaWannaNeeda, the Bojangles’ Twitter account. It read: “Sorry to hear that. DM us and we’ll take care of ya.” I got in touch with @GottaWannaNeeda by sending a DM (or direct message for the non-Twitterati), and gave the company my home address.

About two weeks later, I arrived home to find a package sitting on my doorstep. Inside I found a yellow Bojangles t-shirt. I pulled it out and also noticed a little slip of paper with a handwritten note:

Hi Charlie

Sorry to hear about your experience with Bojangles’! Hopefully this will help.

Thanks for being a fan of @gottawannaneeda

Also included was a $5 dollar gift card to make up for the biscuit mix-up.

Bojangles’ went out of its way to please one customer who typed less than 140 characters about a negative experience. Now they have created a walking billboard out of me. Mistakes happen to every restaurant, every business and every organization, but handling a customer service complaint – no matter where the complaint shows up — really reflects the character of a company. I was impressed by Bojangles’ efforts to correct their mistake and I will be back soon for another Cajun filet biscuit.

RLF president, Monty Hagler was quoted in the June issue of PRSA Tactics. In the article, Hagler comments on the use of ethics in today’s PR industry. See the article below to read more.

The following Ask the Professor column appears in the June issue of PR Tactics, the monthly newspaper published by the Public Relations Society of America (www.prsa.org). Reprinted with permission.

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If your client is unethical,  are you?

People are questioning the ethics of companies like never before, it seems.  What are the dangers of PR agencies getting tarred with the same brush being used on their clients?  And is PR’s role changing with regard to the ethics of their clients?

Ethical behavior is a constant, not a luxury that fluctuates with the ups and downs of the market, says Tracy Kreikemeier, chief marketing officer of PlattForm, a full-service agency in Kansas City.  “What is changing and is more pronounced during these times is the speed with which people focus on ethics and jump to accusations.”

For example, AIG, the insurance giant surviving on federal bailout money, recently hired additional PR help.  While no agency was singled out for criticism, the profession took a hit, as if seeking PR counsel in an ethical crisis was somehow an ethical lapse itself.  The criticism from some reputable bloggers and TV news talk show hosts was another indication of the media not understanding – or not wanting to understand – PR’s role, which includes advising clients on behavioral conduct that leads to improved relationships with stakeholder groups.

“When things get tough, people start to point fingers and are quick to believe the worst,” Kreikemeier adds.  “Ethics should always be a part of our counseling, especially in this environment because of the ease with which unfounded accusations can be made.”

Overwhelmingly, society is well served when organizations in trouble seek reputable PR counsel, according to Monty Hagler, president of RLF Communications, Greensboro, N.C.  “The majority of companies that are in today’s headlines are simply trying to tell a very complex story at a very complex time,” he says. “They need our advice, they need our help.”

Harvard social scientist Dr. Howard Gardner, author of  “Five Minds for the Future,” believes that every business leader needs three types of counselors to “speak truth to their power” and help ensure ethical behavior – an independent board of directors, a trusted adviser inside the organization and an outside counselor. Practitioners have the ideal skill sets for those last two roles.

“There are incidents every day that don’t make news, where PR counselors advise against certain actions.  I’m sure ethics play a role in that advice,” says Phil Young, principal of the Omaha, Neb.-based Philip M.  Young Company. “The key is being close enough to your clients that you are called before the action.  Practitioners may not be ringmasters, but we shouldn’t be trailing the parade, cleaning up after the elephants.”

Shortly after he and two partners founded Stratacomm, a Washington, D.C., strategic communications firm, Jeff Conley faced an ethical crisis.  “We advised our biggest client against doing something we believed was unethical.  They disagreed and said they were going to proceed.  So we walked away, losing our biggest account, but we recovered and we never regretted our decision.

“You and your clients go through things – good and bad – together.  You’re in it for the long haul.  A company can fudge with ethics and achieve a short-term gain, but it’ll catch up to them,” Conley says.  “If you’re the agency, eventually you will get tarred with that brush, because you’re really in cahoots with your client.  You can’t advise clients on matters of ethics unless yours are above reproach.”

Practitioners use the front-page test with clients – “Would you want to see this on the front page tomorrow?”

If not, don’t do it.  Harvard’s Gardner suggests a broader question – “If all workers in my profession adopted my mind-set, or did what I do, what would the world be like?”  If that seems too ethereal, he suggests “What would my mother say?”

John Guiniven, Ph.D., APR, Fellow PRSA, is an associate professor of corporate communication at James Madison University. Guiniven spent 25 years as a corporate PR executive, including time at International Paper and Chrysler, before going into teaching.  E-mail: jguiniven@gmail.com.

RLF has been fortunate enough to have some amazing interns over the past two years and this summer’s group is no exception. Head over to “Intern Island” to meet Michael, William and Gini and learn about the great work they’re doing for RLF and our clients

Michael Duff

A rising senior at Elon University, Michael has already impressed us with his dynamic writing skills and upbeat personality. On campus, Michael serves as the executive director for Elon’s Annual Dance Marathon and is a member of the Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity, as well as the Isabella Cannon Leadership Program. Michael’s primary responsibility this summer is overseeing the grassroots outreach project for the city of Chesapeake Va.’s Conventions & Tourism account. A Boston native, he thinks Sam Adams is the best brew there is.

William Nutt

A native of Greensboro, William has returned home for the summer to intern at RLF. He will graduate this December from UNC-Chapel Hill with a degree in communications. William has joined RLF’s Vestagen account team and is the go-to guy for new business work. A former intern for United Guaranty, his strong writing and research skills have already lent him to be an asset for the agency. Of course, the fact that he’s a Tar Heel doesn’t hurt either.

Gini Phipps

Gini (real name, Virginia) also comes to us from Elon University where she will be a junior in the fall. Lucky for us, she has two brothers, so she’s used to being the only girl in the group. This summer, she’s contributing to the CareOne and Debt Diva accounts through her research and media relations work. This should be a cinch for Gini considering she’s had experience as a field reporter for the Elon TV news station, Phoenix 14, and has had a previous internship with the local CBS affiliate in Richmond, Va.

RLF Communications struck silver on June 4, winning two prestigious awards at the 2009 Public Relations Society of America’s (PRSA) Silver Anvil Awards in New York City.  RLF received the awards for its work  with CareOne Services, a leading debt relief company.

RLF Communications was honored with the coveted Silver Anvil Award for Excellence in Marketing Consumer Services – Financial Services, for a creative and professional approach towards debt solutions.  The use of innovative public relations tactics for CareOne also earned RLF the Bronze Anvil Award for Media Relations in the Financial Services category.

RLF Communications won for its work on a campaign that helps consumers manage their money and break the cycle of credit card debt.  The campaign earned CareOne coverage on Fox and Friends, ABC News, Fox News, NBC, CBS and in numerous print outlets.  It also used social media tactics, including building a presence on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and YouTube.

“The Silver Anvil is one of the public relations industry’s highest honors and we were pleased to receive the awards on behalf of CareOne Services,” said Monty Hagler, president of RLF Communications. “I am thrilled our team was honored at the national level for the creative and strategic work we do for clients everyday.”

If there is one thing that should be crystal clear to today’s C-suite, it’s that you can’t create a cover up without being smoked out.

I don’t need a Harvard study or a PhD to make my point. Enron, WorldCom, Martha Stewart, Tyco, Madoff and Bear Stearns, to name a few, have already done so.

The lesson from this – other than don’t cook the books – is that communication is powerful and permanent. The phone notes that implicated Martha Stewart, the shredded files of Arthur Andersen, the video of Dennis Kozlowski’s Sardinian party are communications that the guilty tried to take back, hide, ignore or deny. But there is no amount of privilege, fame, money or power that can keep you in total control.

I once held a highly coordinated press conference to announce a business deal between two companies. To the public and the media, everything went smoothly, but behind closed doors it was another story. Both companies wanted to cancel the press conference on the day of the event. One executive demanded another’s quotes be changed in the press release. Another threatened to lock up the event location a few hours before show time. Drama ensued at every turn.

Of course, none of these things happened. Why? Because they made decisions at a point where their power no longer held jurisdiction. CEOs must realize that there are stronger forces in the world than their executive orders. The media, bloggers, special interest groups, legislators and whistle blowers are powerful and mostly credible sources of information in our society. It’s not to say that executive orders don’t matter, but they must be thought of in a larger context than the company itself.

Faced with a situation that questions your decisions, the best option is to be truthful. If you ask me, the best thing that President Barack Obama has done in office was to admit his mistake in the handling of Tom Daschle’s Cabinet nomination.

This excerpt is taken from the FOX News story on the subject:

“I consider this a mistake on my part, one that I intend to fix and correct and make sure that we’re not screwing up again,” Obama said. “Ultimately I have to take responsibility for a process that resulted in us not having a (health and human services) secretary at a time when people need relief on their health care costs.

“So this is a mistake — probably not the first one I’m going to be making in this office, but what I’m absolutely committed to doing is fixing it,” he said.

What else can you say to the man? He admitted his wrong doing, promised to fix it and moved on.  Granted, President Obama may have learned the right moves by watching his predecessor being raked over the coals for the ‘weapons of mass destruction’ comment. Perhaps executives should take note of his honestly policy. You’ll find that the public is more forgiving and the media is less interested in dragging out continuing coverage when people tell the truth.

In today’s economic climate, ostentatious overspending is out of style. Bargains are now a girl’s best friend (though they’ve always been mine). Experts say during challenging economic times, even wealthy consumers trim their spending. With tightened financial resources, all consumers are placing a premium on the quality of the product or service and also considering how spending aligns with their personal values.

What this means for agencies is that we must strive to find unique, innovative ways to emotionally connect our clients’ products and services to cash-strapped consumers. For example, the discount chains Marshalls and T.J. Maxx recently teamed up for a TV ad where a group of trendy young women are seen having an intervention with a friend because she pays full price for her designer clothes. The goal here is not for people (in this case, Jane) to stop buying designer brands, but to buy them at discounted prices.

Other budget-minded messages can be heard throughout the media universe. One of my favorites is the New York Times’ Frugal Traveler, the weekly blog by Matt Gross, who seeks out high style on a low budget. And recently, ABC featured a special called, UN-BROKE: What you need to know about money where mega-stars like Will Smith and other celebs worked to teach kids and families about smart financial management.

Below is a clip from Seth Greens skit which is an answer to grandiose reality shows like MTV’s Cribs and My Super Sweet 16, regarding the current housing market.

RLF has also implemented frugal financial messaging for our client, CareOne. To promote CareOne to consumers, RLF created The Debt Diva. Brought to life by spokesperson Clarky Davis, The Debt Diva helps consumers live life for less and offers tips on being stylish on a budget. Her message of frugal and fabulous has really resonated with consumers, particularly women, who read her blog, follow her on Twitter, download her various financial guides and ultimately sign up for CareOne’s services.

Despite the recession, people will continue to spend money. But where and how they choose to spend it will change. Case in point: In the first quarter of 2009, U.S. retail sales were down 10 percent compared with first quarter 2008. However, during those same four months, sales for N.C.-based Dollar Tree were up 14.2 percent. (Reuters, May 27, 2009)

As The Debt Diva says, Frugal is the New Black.

Online newsrooms have become vital for companies, government agencies and nonprofit organizations. In the past, public relations professionals faxed and mailed press releases. Mailed press kits are still often an essential part of media relations campaigns, but they can be time consuming to produce and expensive to distribute, especially when the media list is lengthy.

Online news rooms can change all that. Once the Web site is complete with a media relations section and an online newsroom, a URL can be shared with a reporter instantly over the phone or through email. The online newsroom can save significant time and money for PR practitioners and journalists. The traditional press kit is not gone completely, but the online newsroom is beginning to take over.

Creating an online newsroom is fairly easy once the Web site is in place. Here are the five most important elements to add to an online newsroom:

1. Press Releases – All press releases should be posted in chronological order for the current year in the newsroom. You may also set up an archive with press releases from previous years, depending on the amount of data and space available.
2. Backgrounder / Fact Sheets – Include background information or fact sheets for reporters about the company. Also add FAQ sheets, white papers, investor relations documents, speeches or other relevant information that is available.
3. Media Request Form – This form provides a way for the media to request more information or an interview with a company executive. The form should provide a place for the journalist to fill in their name and contact info along with the specific request. Online requests should go to a designated media relations contact who can respond quickly in case of tight news deadlines. Along with the request form, provide any contact information for media to reach the public relations office, including a 24-hour contact phone number.
4. Hi-res Photography – The newsroom should include high-quality images available for download. An image gallery may have executive head-shots, company logos and images of relevant products. Provide multiple versions of each image with lower resolution for online and higher resolution for print.
5. Executive Bios – Biographies of top executives who are available for interviews should be included in the newsroom.
6. Subscribe to Updates – Provide a way for journalists to subscribe, either via email or RSS feed, to updates about the company, including new press releases and other information.

Journalists now expect companies to have online newsrooms and will come back to visit them often if the information is valuable. A centralized location on the Web site is essential for success.

The online newsroom helps the company because it allows for measurement of communication efforts through traffic to the site. However, it’s wise not to ask media to register to enter the site. They’re busy and it should be easy for them to retrieve the information.

All companies can create an online newsroom. It’s an invaluable tool for enhancing media relations efforts and ensuring that the media can more easily and quickly get accurate, up-to-date information about the company.

Our current economic climate has many companies coping with slashed advertising and marketing budgets. For businesses seeing the slump as an opportunity to gain market share, the downturn has a silver lining, and many companies are discovering social media as a way to stay engaged with their customers during the recession.

Simply defined, social media is consumer generated content designed to help people connect with information and each other. With more eyes monitoring the budget, social media can be a viable option for companies looking to advance an organization’s goals. Companies are more likely to find success when these new tactics are considered part of a strategic plan that’s integrated with a company’s overall marketing, public relations and business objectives.

RLF client CareOne uses social media as an integral part of its online marketing strategy. RLF worked with CareOne’s budget savvy Clarky Davis, otherwise known as The Debt Diva, to construct social media channels to extend The Debt Diva’s online presence beyond the borders of her Web site, www.thedebtdiva.com.  Using a social media tactic toolbox including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and MySpace, RLF and CareOne created a comprehensive social media outreach plan to engage consumers and ultimately drive site traffic for The Debt Diva.

Online promotions staged on the microblogging site, Twitter, have been an extremely successful and cost effective tactic for CareOne. Working with Davis, RLF designed three giveaways in the months of December, March and May around holiday savings, ways to increase income and pet savings. The Debt Diva tweeted topics daily during each giveaway and consumers were offered multiple ways to enter through Twitter, other social network channels and The Debt Diva blog. Winners received gift cards of various kinds, depending on the theme and structure of each contest.

The giveaways drove Web visitors to www.thedebtdiva.com and to her blog. Giveaway details and daily recaps were posted on the blog and promoted on Twitter. According to CareOne’s web analytics, December and March posted the second and third highest months in unique web visits on record for The Debt Diva Web site. Additionally, The Debt Diva’s following on Twitter grew from a mere 270 to more than 4,500 as a result of the giveaways. The other social media channels, including Facebook, MySpace and YouTube, also saw marked growth.

To tweet or not to tweet? That is the question. Companies struggling with the answer should evaluate their business goals and objectives and consider how social media can be integrated into an overall strategic plan.

This is the first in a series of posts that will take you directly to the right side of the brain of Ron Irons, the Creative Director at RLF, and give you the opportunity to see some of the ideas that he creates and develops at their genesis. Oh, brother!