Orange Slices

By David French

As one who communicates primarily through the written word, I’ve made being a better writer a career-long goal. I’ll be the first to confess: it’s a journey and not a destination. There’s still much to learn.

One thing I have learned is that good writers are made, not born. It takes lots of practice, good teachers and probably most important, good editors.

One of my dad’s favorite expressions was “The devil’s in the details.” I learned that little things matter—both in life and in writing—which is probably why I was attracted to the appropriately titled book “Little Things Matter” by Todd Smith, a business consultant.

Todd also writes a blog: LittleThingsMatter.com. One recent post was titled “Improving Your Written Communication Skills.” With a nod to this fellow communicator, here are a few pointers and insights from both of us:

1.  Write short sentences as often as you can. Short sentences are easier to read.

2.  When the topic allows, write conversationally. Just as if you were talking with another person. Incomplete sentences are not proper English, but that’s how we speak.

3.  Write short paragraphs. Short paragraphs, like short sentences, are easier to read. This is especially true if you’re covering a complex subject. The topic is daunting enough without drowning the reader in a sea of black ink.

4.  Be clear. Another favorite expression learned at the knee of Ned Dandridge, composition professor extraordinaire: “Eschew obfuscation.” I confess I had to look up those words.

5.  Be concise. Congratulations! You are not required to write four-page single-spaced term papers any longer. Try to communicate your message with the fewest number of words.

6.  Look for misunderstandings or misinterpretations. Do your words convey exactly what you intend?

7.  Edit, edit, edit yourself. Trust me, you probably did not get it exactly right the first time. Don’t fall in love with the first draft.

8.  Proof yourself and ask a good writer to proof after you. Here are a few tricks I’ve learned. One: read your writing out loud. First, one word at a time and second, as you normally read. This helps to spot errors in agreement between nouns and verbs, and common misusages like there for their. Two: read backwards. Misspelled words will stand out. Three: never, never trust spell check on your computer.

9.  Read. Read a lot. Read a lot of different kinds of writing. You’ll be surprised at what sticks with you and how reading will make you a better writer.

10.  Work crossword puzzles. Second-best vocabulary builder, ever. First best: learning a foreign language – particularly a Romance language like French, Spanish or Italian – as the root of many English words are foreign words.

I’m not talking about mastery to the level of a literary lion, but if you achieve that, kudos! I’ll certainly be reading your next bestseller. But I do believe that the ability to write well is the most fundamental skill required of a professional communicator. Serves everyone else well, too.

By Michelle Rash

There is a growing body of evidence that reporters are not only turning to social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn for recreation, but also for sourcing and research. For example, one survey found that nearly 45 percent of reporters read a corporate blog when conducting research on a specific company and that a quarter of all journalists visit a company’s Facebook page to gather information.

This ultimately raises the question – are companies doing enough on social media to generate the positive press coverage they want? While many companies are still shy about tapping into the power of social media to engage with reporters, one of our clients has recognized the value it can hold.

A Case Study

More than a year ago, RLF began managing a Twitter account for one of our clients targeted specifically at the media covering that industry.

Since taking over the account, it has grown from roughly 500 followers to more than 1,300 followers, including reporters at some of the nation’s largest newspapers, industry bloggers and government regulators. Through this account, RLF has been able to reach out to followers to promote research and press releases issued by our client, share the company’s point of view on important industry issues, and have conversations and engage with key reporters.

This interaction has led to some positive media coverage. In the most notable example, after seeing a tweet by the Associated Press promoting upcoming coverage on a variety of topics related to this client’s industry, RLF responded via tweet asking if sources were still needed for the stories. Less than 48 hours later, a spokesperson for our client was being interviewed by an AP writer for a story that earned national coverage.

Powerful Tools

While not every company needs to create a unique Twitter account for the media, companies should remember that Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites can be powerful tools for media outreach. Many news organizations and journalists have their own Facebook and Twitter accounts (this study found that four out of five business journalists use Twitter daily). Find which ones matter to your business and your industry, and connect with them through these channels. Praise a story, provide feedback on a topic they are covering, or find other ways to engage to help boost their awareness and increase your credibility.

On the flip side, as a growing number of reporters are using social media for work purposes, it’s important for companies and their spokespeople to understand that news is now more instantaneous than ever. I have seen reporters live tweet from events and press conferences, and tease out the details of interviews as soon as the discussion is complete. Things that were once considered too minor or irrelevant for a print or broadcast story may now get mentioned in a blog or on a Twitter feed. This makes it even more important for those being interviewed to be aware that once something has been said or done, it cannot be taken back. This should not dissuade you from interviews, but just as social media creates more opportunity for positive exposure, there is more opportunity for error.

Our experience with Twitter has found the benefits of social media, whether for customer engagement or media outreach, far outweigh any risks. As media keeps evolving, successful businesses must partner with companies such as ours to make sure both the message, and the medium in which it is delivered, are correct.

By Mark Tosczak

In early September, Charlotte hosted a business conference called SocialFresh. It drew hundreds of professional marketers, had big-name technology and social media figures, and featured sessions with titles “BRAND LESSONS: Modern Digital Loyalty, How Brands Like Coca-Cola Reeses Leverage Mobile to Facebook.”

In a few weeks, Internet Summit 2011, will take place in Raleigh. This conference will cost you about $250 just to get in, and will feature sessions covering social media and related topics.

In most big cities these days, you’ll find some kind of social media and technology conference. Typically they cost hundreds of dollars to attend. These conferences are largely for-profit events, put on by for-profit companies seeking to capitalize on the booming demand from professional marketers for more know-how in using online tools, such as Facebook and Google, to better promote their businesses.

We’re not seeing these conferences yet in Greensboro or the Triad. We’ve got something better: ConvergeSouth.

This year we’ll host the sixth ConvergeSouth at N.C. A&T, on Oct. 6-7. It won’t cost hundreds of dollars and won’t require, if you live in the Triad, travel. We’ll welcome professional marketers and small businesses, as well as nonprofit organizations, artists, university students and faculty, and perhaps even a few government officials.

ConvergeSouth is organized and run entirely by unpaid volunteers. And while there’s a modest admission fee, to ensure the conference is financially sustainable, we work to ensure that anyone who wants to go can. We want local businesses — especially small businesses — to attend, as well as those from education, nonprofits, government and the arts.

A large part of this year’s conference is focused on providing practical, how-to information for people who want to promote their business, organization or cause with social media sites such as Facebook, or learn how to easily build a website without a lot of technical knowledge. There are also sessions for those who already know the basics and want more advanced material.

We have some accomplished speakers, including a senior executive from Microsoft’s upstart search engine Bing, one of the best-known bloggers from the advertising world and a successful technology entrepreneur who now teaches at Duke University. We’ll also have local presenters, people putting these technologies into practice here in the Triad.

ConvergeSouth is a uniquely local event that covers more than just online business. This year, for example, we’ll have an entire day of programming devoted to the needs of not-for-profit organizations, from using email for fundraising to “Saving the World with Social Media.” Attendees who are interested only in the Nonprofit Day program (on Thursday, Oct. 6) can attend that day’s events for half the usual registration fee.

For the first time, we’ll hold an event called CultureXChange where locals who have used online technology to promote arts, cultural and creative events (this year, that means film, comic books and charity roller-derby games) will explain how they’ve used podcasting, online videos and other cheap technologies to gain a wide audience and promote their activities.

You won’t find an entire day of programming devoted to nonprofits at either of those Charlotte or Raleigh conferences, nor would you get to hear about how a local comic book shop is using technology to adapt to an increasingly digital world.

Besides all the value ConvergeSouth provides to attendees in the form of useful content, there is one other thing it does. It highlights the technology talent that Greensboro and the Triad already have, from entrepreneurs to digital marketing experts.

If you’re interested in any of these subjects for your own business or organization, or interested in learning more about what’s going on in the Triad in this field, it’s worth checking out. I hope to see you there.

By Monty Hagler

I recently had the opportunity to hear Norman Stowe, CEO of Pace Group Communications in Vancouver and WORLDCOM partner, present near Milwaukee, WI at the Upper Midwest Travel & Tourism Conference to more than 100 travel and tourism professionals.  The speech focused on lessons learned from a number of catastrophic events that have taken place in recent years:  the tsunami in Japan, Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, the collapse of a coliseum roof in Vancouver, the outbreak of SARS in Canada and the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

During each of these disasters, WORLDCOM partners played (and continue to play) a critical role in helping communities get back on track, with a particular focus on communicating with external audiences what is happening and the steps being taken on the road to recovery. Disasters – whether man-made or natural – take a tremendous toll on a community’s revenue from a travel and tourism perspective. Events get cancelled, hotel rooms go unbooked and attractions are left bare.

Norman shared many good points, but highlighted below are five intriguing tips that he and I discussed at dinner the night before.

Who Tells the Story Best

In deciding who is going to be the spokesperson in a time of crisis, pick the person who can tell the story best. A person’s title matters far less than having someone who is comfortable talking to the media, who is adept at explaining what is taking place and can elaborate on what is yet to come. Storytelling is not a negative word here. You need someone who can capture what is happening and articulate that to the outside world.

As a corollary, Norman and I both agree that trustworthiness is more important than technical expertise for crisis communications. Norman had a particularly sad but funny story about an engineer being named spokesperson during a crisis, despite the fact he disliked talking with the media and refused to answer any questions that he did not think were relevant.

Don’t Forget the Binder

When a crisis happens, take five minutes to pull out the “Crisis Communications Plan” that has been developed, review the core steps that need to be handled – regardless of what the specific nature of the crisis is – and then get to work. Companies and organizations spend a tremendous amount of time preparing crisis plans, but rarely take the time to put them to work when a crisis hits. The steps are laid out, and while they will undoubtedly need to be tweaked, following that big binder will ensure fewer things are missed or forgotten.

Make Decisions

In a crisis situation, the ability to make decisions quickly is a critical skill. A failure to act compounds the entire chain of response. Yes, information needs to be gathered and assessed, and there must be collaboration among various agencies and groups. But someone must be the decision-maker, and his or her most important task is to MAKE DECISIONS.

Norman put it this way: “In a crisis, you have to make 100 decisions a day. You should aim to be right on 85 percent of them. Be decisive and let people move forward. If you only make 50 decisions a day – even if you get them all correct – you have made things even worse and the recovery more difficult.”

News Media Competition Trumps Accuracy

For anyone who has been involved in dealing with the news media during a crisis, this is a sad, harsh reality. Media coverage is driven by who gets the first details of a story – the sadder and more outrageous the better. Accuracy is lower on the list of what matters to media outlets competing for story angles and breaking news. Organizations must be equally aggressive in telling their story to the media.

The Travel & Tourism Practice Group of WORLDCOM has established a speaker’s bureau of top agency leaders who have handled a wide range of crisis communications projects. If you would like to book a speaker for an upcoming event, or learn more about how to help your organization prepare for potential crises, please email me at mhagler@rlfcommunications.com.

By Jennie Klahre

When a 5.9 magnitude earthquake near Washington, D.C., shook the RLF office in Greensboro, N.C., last month, we went straight to the Internet for answers. USA Today or CNN, right? Wrong – Twitter.

News of the earthquake quickly dominated social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare. And we were avidly following the rapid flow of information as thousands of users along the East Coast reported tremors and shaking – even before traditional media sources broke the news.

Twitter

Twitter reported, “Within a minute of today’s #earthquake, there were more than 40,000 earthquake-related Tweets. We hit about 5,500 Tweets per second.” And five minutes later, the earthquake jumped to the third trending topic in the world and Twitter’s average response time doubled from 2.16 seconds to 4.17 seconds, according to monitoring site AlertSite.

An animated map was also created, showing the amount of tweets that appeared about the earthquake.

Users tweeted about locations where tremors were felt while organizations supplied information about earthquake safety. News organizations followed with seismic readings.

A Brooklyn resident wrote, “I saw the tweets from DC about earthquake, then 15 seconds later felt it in NYC. Social media is faster than seismic waves!”

@Twitter responded by saying, “Are Tweets faster than seismic waves? We can’t speak to speed of seismic waves, but a Tweet can reach your followers in less than a second.”

Facebook

Facebook saw more than three million statuses mentioning the term “earthquake” only four minutes after the ground shook. Users posted news links, feelings of shock and confusion, and even sentiments of dismay over missing the tremors.

Facebook chimed in with its own post:

“Facebook D.C. experienced a 5.9 magnitude earthquake. We’re happy to report everyone in the office is fine, and we urge anyone who may have loved ones affected by the Virginia-based earthquake to stay tuned to the American Red Cross and FEMA.”

Humorous pictures, such as the one below, also circulated on Facebook, mocking the natural disaster and generating numerous comments.

Foursquare

Foursquare recorded more than 10,000 check-ins at “Earthquakeapocalypse,” a user-generated location that also featured hundreds of tips about the “venue.”

The spot was created less than 10 minutes after the earthquake occurred and more than 1,000 people quickly checked in – sending it well past “swarm” status.  Just an hour later, Foursquare instituted “East Coast Earthquake Survival” bonus points for users.

Social Media’s Impact

So, why so much social media activity after the earthquake? It could be the fact that the Department of Homeland Security urged people to use social media to reach out to friends and family due to spotty cell service; the organization tweeted, “Quake: Tell friends/family you are OK via text, email, social media (@twitter & facebook.com). Avoid calls.”

But more likely, it was the instant flow of information and the abundant number of constant updates that appealed to the masses. Within minutes of the earthquake, I knew that people in Raleigh, N.C., had felt tremors, but not those in Wilmington, N.C. I knew that offices, including the Pentagon and Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., were being evacuated, but there were no reported injuries yet. And I knew that my friends and family near the epicenter were safe. I didn’t even need to check CNN or USA Today.

The natural disaster further confirms that social media not only allows people to participate in the mass exchange of information, but also connects them emotionally – through friends and the wider community – by commenting on a shared experience. The engaging qualities of sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare create a powerful network of citizen journalism that informs, educates and entertains people around the world.

What social media site or news outlet did you first check when you felt the earthquake? Let us know your thoughts!

“How do you measure PR?” This age-old question has confounded industry professionals and business clients alike for some time. Over the past year, a concerted effort has been made globally to define standard metrics that support qualitative and quantitative measurement. Known as the “Barcelona Principles,” these seven metrics have been endorsed by a wide range of leading public relations associations, including two organizations – the Worldcom Public Relations Group and the Public Relations Society of America – of which RLF Communications has proud and active memberships.

The Barcelona Declaration of Measurement Principles, originally published in 2010, provides guidelines for performance metrics. The seven principles aim to increase the validity of both quantitative and qualitative measurements, and define meaningful public relations data.

The seven metrics include:

1. The importance of goal setting and measurement
2. Measuring the effect of outcomes is preferred to measuring outputs
3. Measuring the effect on business results where possible
4. Media measurement requires quantity and quality
5. Advertising Value Equivalency (AVE) does not accurately capture the value of public relations
6. Social media can and should be measured
7. Transparency and replicability are paramount to sound measurement

In 2009, a survey conducted by the American Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC) and Institute for Public Relations (IPR) found that 88 percent of the 520 global public relations professionals interviewed believed measurement was an integral part of the process and 77 percent were tracking their programs. By defining the measurement process through the Barcelona Principles, industry professionals will now be able to better define return on investment for clients.

The principles were formally published at the second annual European Summit on Measurement and have since been endorsed by the Global Alliance, the Institute for Public Relations, the International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC), the International Communications Consultancy Organization (ICCO), the Worldcom Public Relations Group and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).  These organizations use the metrics to align campaigns with client business goals and facilitate strategic bottom lines.

At RLF, we recommend consistent evaluation in order to measure initiatives and campaigns.

As we undertake 2012 planning efforts with clients this fall, we will pay particular attention to what metrics can and should be implemented by each client to better assess the value of their public relations, media relations and social media campaigns. Like most things that are worthwhile, measurement requires time, energy and money. But everyone in the industry will be better served when we can demonstrate how public relations initiatives contribute to achieving client business goals. And although many will still question the ability to measure these efforts, the defined metrics nonetheless prove the industry is dedicated to defining strong practices and conscious of its capacity to impact business strategies.

When I got married last month, I thought myself ready for all the changes that come with starting a new life with someone. I was prepared to think as “we” instead of “I”, to share my beloved (albeit tiny) apartment after years of living alone, and to take my husband’s last name as a symbol of solidarity and family unity.

Apparently, Facebook had other plans- at least on the name change. I was able to modify my relationship status from “engaged” to “married” with relative ease. Changing my profile name from “AK Wilkinson” to “AK Wilkinson Brinson” proved more challenging than I anticipated- and I’m pretty good at the social media thing.

While the United States government required only about an hour of my time for a legal name change (they didn’t even ask for photo ID at the Social Security office!), Facebook required three weeks, about 15 emails, and the eventual upload of our marriage certificate. They take the identities of their users quite seriously:

Facebook requires all members to provide their real first and last names. Please provide the following information to help us verify your name.

• Please upload one of the following files: a government-issued ID, marriage certificate or a legal name change document. Your account may be disabled if you do not upload an image of a document that matches your name request.
• You should also black out any personal information that is not needed to verify your name (e.g., social security number). We will permanently delete your ID from our servers once we have used it for verification purposes.

Uploading my marriage certificate seemed extreme, but I finally caved. Call it vanity, but I was excited to spread the word on my marriage and new name! Personal brand recognition is king on Facebook. Portraying a true and authentic identity on social media sites, whether personally or professionally, makes users flock. We often advise clients that when undergoing a public change of brand or image, make sure to have a strategy and be prepared to overcome obstacles. The process was annoying at best, but worth the effort completely in the long run.

On April 14, the RLF team was represented in full force at the 2011 Spinks Awards, an annual banquet hosted by the PRSA Tar Heel Chapter. It was a wonderful evening recognizing exceptional work our friends and PR industry colleagues produced in 2010.

This year’s event featured key note speaker Philip Tate, APR, who serves on the PRSA national board of directors as treasurer and is senior vice president at Luquire George Andrews in Charlotte, N.C. Tate gave an enlightening speech about seven key operational areas of which PRSA focuses its attention: advocacy, the business case for public relations, community, diversity and the three Es – education, ethics and excellence in society management.

In conclusion, Tate shared a quote from Abraham Lincoln, “Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.” We, at RLF, agree full-heartedly with these words of wisdom.

This year, the PRSA Tar Heel Chapter honored an iconic figure in local broadcasting. The chapter recognized Sandra Hughes for her work at WFMY News 2, Greensboro’s CBS affiliate, as a pioneer of broadcast journalism. As the first African American news anchor in the Triad, Hughes has left an indelible mark on the broadcasting industry after 38 years of service. She retired from the anchor desk in December.

The chapter also honors the ‘best of the best’ in public relations work from across the Triad region. For the third consecutive year, RLF won the chapter’s Outstanding PR Award. We received top honors this year for our work with the International Civil Rights Center & Museum. The campaign produced 192 million media impressions, and more than 200 media outlets and 3,000 spectators attended the Museum’s grand opening. After months of long hours and hard work, the RLF team is incredibly proud to receive this award for such a historic campaign.

Other winners of the night included: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina for Best Event and Pet Sitters International for Best Online Campaign/Element.

The Spinks awards are named in honor of the chapter’s founder, John Spinks, who founded the PRSA Tar Heel Chapter in 1981. Spinks established the PRSA Tar Heel Chapter to encourage professional development, networking and ethics for public relations, communications and marketing professionals across the Triad.

It’s not easy to win a PRWeek Award, one of the highest accolades in the public relations industry. In fact, the odds of bringing home a trophy in 2011 were 4 percent. Agencies across the United States submitted more than 800 entries for only 33 awards representing the industry’s best. Yet these odds didn’t stop the 1,000+ public relations professionals – including Monty Hagler and myself – from venturing out on a rain-soaked New York evening in March to attend the ceremony.

RLF was in the running for PRWeek’s “Promotional Event of the Year” for our work with the International Civil Rights Center & Museum. Last year on February 1, our entire agency stood outside in freezing weather as the International Civil Rights Center & Museum opened on the 50th anniversary of the Greensboro sit-ins. It was a historic day, well worth the six grueling months of planning and conquering unexpected challenges. Our efforts weren’t thwarted by obstacles such as a snowstorm hitting Greensboro 24 hours before the ribbon cutting or the ongoing construction that made it nearly impossible to field media requests. In the end, the grind was rewarded by tremendous results and poignant moments, among them, the three surviving members of the Greensboro Four (Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil and Jibreel Khazan) touring the museum for the first time with their families.

At the PRWeek Award ceremony, Monty and I patiently waited as the winners in other categories were revealed. We quickly noticed the large, global agencies taking home many of the top honors – the trend wasn’t favorable to RLF.

Four hours later (after a three-course dinner and two bottles of wine) the moment finally arrived: finalists in the “Promotional Event of the Year” category. We were competing against worthy campaigns executed by GolinHarris (DowChemical’s campaign to bring water to nearly 1 billon people), Fleishman-Hillard (Boy Scouts of America 100th anniversary) and MSLGroup (PopTarts take Times Square). We held our breath in anticipation…and were elated to hear “RLF Communications” echo across the room.

It’s thrilling to see the meaningful work that we do for clients produce exceptional results, and gratifying to be recognized for that good work. As an agency, we come to work every day with a common goal: to be devoted to ideas, strategy and service that advance our clients’ brands and objectives. So yes, winning a PRWeek Award (or any other award for that matter) is not easy, but it’s impossible without accomplishing something that’s first award-worthy. For RLF, it’s our – and our clients’ – definition of success.

Today is RLF’s four-year anniversary. No fooling. It has been a fun, wild, white-knuckle ride that has only just begun to take us down the road we decided to explore in 2007. 

There are many things I am proud of — the outstanding work of our employees, our contributions to our professional and civic communities, our ability to navigate tough economic times, the national recognition and the successful campaigns we’ve been part of. There are even more things that I am thankful for – clients who have entrusted us with their brands and reputations, employees who have left secure jobs to help build our young agency, friends and family who have provided steadfast counsel and support.

We have evolved significantly in just four years. We’ve added global capabilities and depth with our partnership in the Worldcom Public Relations Group, the oldest and strongest of the global networks. We now have more than 110 partners in the United States and around the world that we can (and already have) call upon for expertise, advice and assistance to better serve our clients. We have also significantly expanded our creative and production capabilities to meet client needs. 

Along the way, we’ve never wavered from the core principles that gave us the courage (and audacity) to think we could build a better agency. Those principles include:

- Clients always define success.

- Only good surprises.

- Work with clients who are industry leaders, or who seek to become one.

- Be dedicated to Ideas, Strategy and Service.

To all those who have supported, encouraged, referred, cajoled or counseled us to help us get better and stronger – Thank You.