feature of the month archives
There’s a knee jerk tendency to cut marketing or public relations when things get tough. This is short-sighted and foolhardy.
Good marketing and public relations are the very lifeblood of a progressive organization. Instead of layoffs and the negative drain that is on any company morale and public perception, CEOs should ponder what positive publicity could be generated in a downtime. Just what are your company’s pluses? How can they be turned into something positive and inspiring? That should be the strength of your marketing and PR departments, or the outside consultants you rely on.
One CEO told me recently he was upbeat in the downturn; another that he was “cautiously optimistic.” Yes, the world may be going to hell in a hand basket as the global meltdown continues, but there’s a decision your company has to make as to whether it wants to go along for the ride. Some even see the economic crisis as one huge opportunity. Now that’s my kind of company.
Ray Dykes
President,
PR PLUS Communications
Tell ‘Em Nothing . . . that is one the titles of a PR PLUS workshop on media relations.
It is all a tease. The media needs to be dealt with in the business sense with honesty, candidness and clarity. Don’t mix your messages. Have a clear, concise statement to make and use a solitary spokesperson. As a former journalist there is certain delight in watching multiple spokespersons from a firm mangle a message, especially in a crisis situation. One message, one voice works best and the more senior the spokesperson the better.
So, “Tell ‘Em Nothing” . . . at your peril. Get a clear message out. Take out an advert if you’re concerned the message isn’t getting through as you want. If it’s bad news at least then there’s a stronger chance the story will be a one-day wonder and not something the media can drag out day after day undermining stakeholder confidence and giving the event or crisis a life way beyond what it merits.
Ray Dykes
President,
PR PLUS Communications
PowerPoint Transitions
PowerPoint is an awesome business tool. But, don’t get carried away with sweeping transitions and fancy fadeouts. Save them for a wedding presentation.
Most business presentations are better received if they are kept simple. And limit the number of bullets you place on each slide. It is more memorable to have two slides with fewer bullets than to try to jam them all in on one.
Remember, PowerPoint is also better with the careful use of graphics. A strong picture can really help make a point. Words, words, words often can be simply boring for your audience.
Ray Dykes
President,
PR PLUS Communications