How Much Is Too Much Information?

A couple of recent events have struck a chord with me and reminded me of some key public relations (PR) best practices.

Ryne Sandberg, the Hall of Famer and current manager of the Philadelphia Phillies on a recent radio show shared that he used to eat cat food a lot as a kid. Sandberg said:

“I did that as a youngster, maybe 4 or 5 years old, maybe 6 years old. I don’t know. I guess I was hungry. I still remember the crunchiness of it was the biggest thing. This wasn’t a one-time thing either. This went on for about a year as a little snack.”

Not only did he say that he used to eat cat food, but he emphasized that it wasn’t a one-time thing and that it went on for several years.

In the second event, the White House accidentally revealed the name of the CIA’s top intelligence official in Afghanistan to some 6,000 journalists. The CIA is about secrecy and this error could cause serious security issues for this individual.

One of the things I advise my clients is that you’re always on the record and anything you share or say can and more than likely will be used. Listed below are five tips that will help you maximize an interview opportunity and avoid sharing information that could potentially be embarrassing or damaging.

• If you don’t want somebody to know something, don’t tell them. Just because you know or have certain information doesn’t mean you have to tell people. Everybody doesn’t need to know every detail of your life or your business.
• Be careful who you tell things to. With social media anybody can really be a reporter. If somebody overhears you talking and sharing sensitive or private information in a hotel, restaurant or airport they don’t need to ask your permission to share it on Twitter or Facebook. Additionally, a reporter isn’t required or may not always introduce themselves as a member of the media and if they hear you say something they can use it for their own purposes.
• Be prepared in an interview situation. If a topic you don’t want to talk about or isn’t relevant to the topic don’t be afraid to tell the reporter you’re not going to answer or respond to that line of questioning. Hopefully you’ll have your PR team with you and they can and should step in and do that on your behalf.
• Consider the effects your comments could have on others. In the case of the White House, the effects of disclosing the CIA agents name could result in serious security risks and could require him to be removed from his current position. In another example, a recent article shared information about a woman and her entrance into the United States. The way she entered actually broke federal laws that if the United States Government wanted to, or found out about, could cause this individual serious issues.
• If your mom would be embarrassed by what you say, then don’t say it. A good friend of mine taught me this principle. If your mom would be offended or embarrassed by what you say or do, then don’t say or do it.

Being interviewed by the media is fun and highly advantageous for your career and your business. However, a poorly conducted interview that doesn’t help you accomplish your goals can be equally devastating.

 

Author: Jeremy Kartchner | Google+

There’s No “I” In Team

Over the course of my career I’ve been fortunate to work with a number of successful projects and companies. One of the things that never fails to maze me is how once a successful project is over how quickly people are to take credit for its success.

I worked for the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the Olympic Winter Games of 2002 (SLOC). After the Games, I’d run into people in various capacities and was impressed at times and surprised at others with how well they had leveraged their Olympic experience to further their careers. In some instances the career advancements were deserved. In others they were totally bogus.

About a year after the Olympics I was working at a public relations (PR) firm in Utah and the firm was looking to hire some new employees. After one interview, my boss came to me and said she had just finished interviewing one of my colleagues from the Olympics. I naturally asked who it was and when she told me his name I had no idea who she was talking about. It was somebody I had never met or even heard of.

She went on to explain some of the things he claimed to have done for SLOC. I knew for a fact that he had not done some of the things he claimed. It was obvious to my boss that he had embellished as well.

Recently, with another client, my team and I completed a highly successful event. At the completion of the project one of the clients team members left to take a new job. After she left somebody directed us to her LinkedIn account where we discovered that she had taken credit for not only her responsibilities but those of the entire marketing, PR and events teams accomplishments. Without a doubt, these claims helped her secure her ne position.

From a PR perspective this practice is fraught with potential pitfalls. My best advice in these situations is to be honest. Honesty is always the best policy. If you start embellishing or lying about your contribution to a project or business it becomes difficult to remember what lies you’ve told and to who you told them to.

The media is always looking for facts. Their job is dependent on building trust with their audience and the way to do that is by providing the facts and being honest. If you lie to them, they’ll catch you. You may get away with it once or twice, but when you get caught in a lie the results can be devastating.

Former United States President Richard Nixon lied to the country and to the press. Rather than own up to his lies he essentially challenged the media to catch him in a lie. Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein did just that. The two reporters uncovered information suggesting that knowledge of a break-in at the Watergate hotel, and attempts to cover it up, led deeply into the Justice Department, the FBI, the CIA, and the White House ultimately costing Nixon the Presidency.

In the late 1970’s FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone went undercover as Donnie Brasco. His undercover work was designed to infiltrate the Mafia n New York City. Pistone worked undercover for six years infiltrating the Bonanno crime family and the Colombo crime family, two of the Five Families on the mafia in New York City.

During these six years, Pistone’s story was challenged many times and he was consistent in his cover story. After his undercover operation ended, Pistone credited his success to not lying or embellishing unnecessarily. He stuck to his cover story and never deviated making it easy to keep track of the facts and be consistent even under the intense pressure of working with the Mob.

In the examples I gave above of former colleagues, neither lasted very long in these next positions. They had taken so much credit and lied so extensively about their qualifications, abilities and overall contributions to the successful projects that expectations were off the charts and so high that it was only a matter of time before their new employers discovered that they weren’t capable of actually doing what they said the could and had already done.

If you lie to the media, it won’t take long for them to catch on either. Once they do uncover the truth your credibility will be destroyed and they won’t want to have anything to do with you. If you stick to the facts and are honest you’ll build successful, long-term relationships of trust that will benefit you for years to come and will do more to help build your brand as a trusted source than any lie could ever do.

 

Author: Jeremy Kartchner | Google+

Extra, Extra, Read All About It

Every business wants its customers and target markets to know what they’re doing. Some businesses are effective at communicating and sharing news, while others struggle to share.

Press releases are one of the most effective public relations (PR) tools to communicate and share important news. Many people know this, but don’t necessarily understand when, why or how to write and issue a press release. It’s a common problem that I get asked about a lot. There’s no shame in not knowing all the details about how or when to issue a press release.

From a PR perspective I recommend five basic points to consider when trying determining if a news item is worthy of a press release. I’ve listed these five points below.

• Be consistent: I recommend to my clients that they plan on issuing press release on a regular basis. Usually once a month is sufficient. That doesn’t mean that you have to issue a press release on the first day of each month, but if you’re consistent with sharing your news you’ll build a solid electronic footprint of news. I see so many companies that will issue a series of press releases in rapid succession and then go months without making any announcements. The logical question in these instances, especially from a media perspective is, “what happened to this company since they last issued this flurry of press releases?”
• Create a schedule: I recommend clients create a schedule of upcoming news and events that they can refer to and follow for writing and issuing press releases. You may not use every topic but it’s helpful to have a calendar to know what’s in the pipeline. In some cases you may combine some of these news items or replace them with more breaking news topics, but a calendar will help you plan accordingly.
• There is such a thing as too much: Some companies will issue too many press releases. In my experience the companies that do this are simply trying to increase their stock price or attract potential investors. Not every occurrence is worthy of a press release. Similarly, fluff news isn’t news and, from a media perspective, will not garner the attention and respect of the media.       If you’re constantly issuing press releases for non-newsworthy things it waters down your message and when there is legitimate news the press is less likely to listen. In some cases, if there is information you want to share, but are unsure if you should issue a press release to make the announcement, consider a blog entry or social media post to share the information.
• Communicate the news: This may sound simple, but I’ve seen businesses try to announce legitimate news only to leave out relevant details.       In one example, a company announced an event but failed to list the date of the event. If you’re going to share your news through a press release make sure to include all relevant information. Re-issuing a press release is possible, but it’s also costly. In my opinion, you only get one chance to make a good impression, and including all pertinent details is critical.
• Make the news accessible: If you go to the trouble of writing a press release, you need to share it.       Don’t just share some of the news or share it with a privileged few. Make it available to everybody. The best way to do this is via a wire service such as Business Wire, PR Newswire or PRWeb. There are other resources, but a wire service will get the word out quickly and reliably. Social media is another venue, as is your company’s Website, but the wire will share the information with the largest group of people the quickest.

Press releases are an effective tool for sharing important news and making sure the audiences you target know what your business is doing. There is a strategy to press releases that will maximize your exposure and create the most awareness. If you follow the tips listed above you’ll increase the effectiveness of your press releases and benefit from the exposure a press release generates.

 

Author: Jeremy Kartchner | Google+

Are You Asking Me A Question?

I heard a radio interview the other day with one of my favorite book authors, John Feinstein.  Feinstein was being interviewed about his latest book, Where Nobody Knows Your Name: Life In The Minor Leagues of Baseball.  As the interview started, the radio show host made a statement and then paused.  There was a moment of awkward silence before Feinstein asked, “Are you asking me a question?”

Feinstein and the radio show host have been friends for a long time and in fact have done similar interviews for each of the 22 previous books he’s authored.  Feinstein’s question back to the host was more about giving his long-time friend a hard time than it was about being a jerk, but it provided a valuable example of how to handle this type of situation.

The exchange brings up an interesting dilemma and one that I see regularly in public relations (PR).  What do you do when a reporter says something that isn’t a question but looks at you and is clearly waiting for an answer?

In my part time job/hobby with the Utah Jazz I see a lot of this.  After the game during locker room interviews with players, it’s common to hear reporters say things like, that was some game or you guys really hung in there.  Neither example is a question but players respond to them as if they are.

In one of my favorite Rick Reilly columns in Sports Illustrated, Reilly raged over this very concept.  In his column, Reilly writes about things that bother him about Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls … “For that matter, I’m sick of NBC’s Ahmad Rashad, too. I’ve waited seven years for him to ask Jordan a question, and I’m pretty sure it’s not coming. You guys sure hung in there, Michael is not a question. That was some game, Michael is not a question. When is your contract up, Ahmad? is a question. Are you expecting a real question from a man who sleeps at Jordan’s house, drives with him to games and appears in Jordan’s ads? I just hope and pray that when Jordan finally stops, he doesn’t do it too suddenly. Rashad’s nose could break off.”

When these types of non questions come up with my clients, here are four tips I share and advise them to follow when being interviewed.

• Make sure you understand the question.  If you didn’t catch the question, understand it, hear it or realize a question was being asked, confirm what the question is.  Similar to Feinstein in the example above, don’t be afraid to say, “are you asking me a question?” Or, restate the question and wait for the reporter to confirm the question before answering, “So you’re asking…?”  Upon conformation then you can proceed to answer the question.  If you think the question was one thing and answer it in a way that makes no sense to the reporter you run the risk of sounding foolish or in giving away information you didn’t want to or shouldn’t have given.
• Take your time answering the question. It’s okay to think about the question and gather your thoughts before responding. Don’ take too much time but you don’t have to respond as soon as the question is asked.  A pause of more than a few seconds is to long and may make the reporter think you’re trying to hide something or are about to lie, but a few seconds to gather your thoughts is acceptable.
• Don’t guess.  It’s okay to not know al the answers.  If you’re unsure or simply do not know the answer be honest.  If you can get the information for the reporter, tell them as much but then be sure to follow up with them as promised.  Doing this builds confidence and trust. Guessing because you don’t want to admit you don’t know the answer will more often than not just get you into trouble or make you look foolish.
• Don’t answer questions unrelated to the topic.  Occasionally during the course of an interview you may have a question come up that has nothing to do with the topic at hand.  In these instances I recommend avoiding the temptation to respond.  Just because a question is asked doesn’t mean you have to answer it.  If it’s a question about a social topic that has nothing to do with your business or the expertise you’re being interviewed about, it will be reported as if you’re opinion on the topic is the view of the company you represent.  If that is at odds with customers, partners or clients it can cause serious problems.  In most cases, keep your opinions to yourself.

I say this all the time, but it’s important to remember that you’re always on the record.  Anything you say can be reported or published.  If you don’t’ want something to be known, then don’t say it. If you want to share information there are great ways to do so, but if you’re being interviewed always make sure you know what the question is.

Author: Jeremy Kartchner | Google+

There Is A Time And Place For Everything Under Heaven

If the 1980’s movie Footloose taught us anything it’s that there is a time and place for everything under heaven.  I the town of Beaumont, it was time for Kevin Bacon and his friends to finally have a dance.

In business and specifically in PR there are appropriate times to have specific conversations and other times where it’s not appropriate. You can do everything right in a new business meeting or a media interview and destroy it with one improper or inappropriate conversation.

In my experience, this happens more regularly than you’d think.  Most of the time when this happens, the offending party doesn’t even know or realize it’s happened but the reporter or potential new clients does and as a result doesn’t write about the company or engage in an ongoing relationship with that person.

Here are four tips to consider during the interview process or when pitching new business to avoid saying something inappropriate that may cost you desired media coverage or a potential new client.

• Avoid sexually inappropriate conversations.  In one business meeting an individual told a story about a friend who provided medical services to a local prison.  He proceeded to tell about an inmate who had cut a specific part of his body off and how his doctor friend had to go in and evaluate if it could be reattached.   This conversation was not appropriate but was made even more awkward by the fact that the other participants in the meeting were all female. The story was not even necessary to the conversation at hand and left the other participants wondering why the story was even shared and why he decided to tell the tale.
• Avoid cursing.  I never recommend a client use foul, profane or curse words in a media interview or new business meeting.  My mother always said that swearing and the use of crude language was a sign of a person that couldn’t think of a more appropriate or descriptive word to express themself.  I agree with this and while a properly used curse word can convey a strong emotion or meaning, I advise that you avoid using this type of language, especially when you don’t know a person very well.
• Be discreet.  I have a friend that works with a medical spa. This medical spa provides a number of services, including laser hair removal.  My friend provides PR services for the company and found an opportunity with one of their target publications to talk about laser hair removal. One of the questions the editor wanted to ask was about laser hair removal in private areas of the body.  My friend was unsure how to approach the client about this question and treaded lightly.  He was more embarrassed than anything else but was discreet in approaching the client.  It turns out that this question comes up quite regularly and is something the client deals with on a daily basis and was not offended or worried about answering the question.  The client did appreciate and respect my friend’s sensitivity to the line of questioning.
• Be honest.  Honesty is always the best policy.  I always feel that if you’re hired to provide a service you should be bold and honest in providing that service.  Just because you’re being paid by a company doesn’t mean you should simply take orders, “Can I supersize those fries for you?”  You should share your expertise and provide guidance and strategy that will help them accomplish the objectives they’ve hired to you for.  Honesty does not equate to being mean or insubordinate in any way, but rather you tell the client if something isn’t right or is being done incorrectly and teach them the proper ways to do it.

One key to remember is that you’re always on the record.  A lot of these instances happen during lunch or dinner appointments where people let their guards down and think there are differing rules simply because an interview or meeting is over.  Don’t let the fact that you think a meeting is over or that the meeting has shifted to a social scene derail you from applying the tips above and keeping the conversation on a professional and appropriate level.

Author: Jeremy Kartchner | Google+

Six Tips to Make Successful Presentations

From a public relations (PR) standpoint, the opportunity to make a presentation to a group is a goldmine.  These opportunities allow you to be seen as a thought leader and an expert in your industry.  It’s also a great means of kick starting, conducting and stimulating new business development.  Presenting to a group is more than simply showing up and turning on the switch to start your presentation.

In my experience there are some simple steps to ensure your maximizing your presentation opportunity.  I’ve listed six easy steps to consider as you prepare to make a presentation.

• Start preparing your presentation early: People know when you’re unprepared or are trying to wing it.  Take the time before your presentation to write a script of what you want to say.  Practice it in advance so that when you get up in front of a group and nerves kick in, you can rely on muscle memory to get you started until your nerves settle down and you get comfortable.
• Be on time:  In fact, more important than being on time is arriving early.  I always like to get to an event early so I can orient myself with the venue and be comfortable with my surroundings.  I like to know where things are and test things out to make sure they’re working properly and that I know how to operate any technology or gadgets I may use during the presentations.  For example, if I’m showing a PowerPoint presentation or showing a video I make sure I’m there early enough to set up and plug in my computer and test the PowerPoint or video.
• Be prepared: This sounds simple, but make sure you have the equipment and materials you’ll need to make your presentation and focus on your message.  This includes power chords, handouts, if necessary, and videos.  Also, if you use a Mac make sure you have the proper dongles to connect to the proper audiovisual equipment.  I recommend having your presentation on a thumb drive in the event your computer doesn’t work or connect properly to the equipment onsite.  Also, e-mail your presentation in advance to the event organizers.  There is nothing worse than showing up and not being prepared when the time comes to start your presentation.
• Have a point or focus for your presentation:  Share successful case studies to illustrate your point and focus on client success as opposed to bragging about how great you are.  If a client is in the audience, point them out and share what they’re doing well or how you’re team is working with them to achieve success.  As a PR pro, I would focus on a series of PR tips or advice the audience can walk away with, implement themselves or kick start their PR activities.
• Don’t agree to speak or present on a topic you’re not qualified to: It’s always exciting to speak or present to a group of people.  However, don’t let your eagerness or excitement to present get in the way or allow you to agree to talk about a subject you’re not qualified to speak on.  People will recognize this and you’ll lose credibility quickly.  Word spreads and the harm or fallout that follows is far worse than the benefits of pulling off a hoax.
• Don’t be overly self promoting:  It’s a turnoff.  You’ve been chosen to present for a reason, usually because you’re an expert in your field or have a specific set of expertise to share.  Share that expertise, but don’t brag about yourself excessively.  Focus on how you and your team accomplished great results and highlight customer wins and successes.

If you have the opportunity to speak or present to a group it’s a wonderful opportunity to establish yourself as a thought leader and an expert in your industry. The tips above will help you maximize the opportunity and leverage the benefits that come from a successful presentation.  If you don’t take the opportunity serious enough, or if you spend too much time bragging about yourself and your accomplishments, you run the risk of losing credibility and hurting your reputation, negatively affecting current business as well as future business opportunities.

Author: Jeremy Kartchner | Google+

What Did You Just Say?

A couple blog posts ago I wrote about getting sponsorships off on the right foot and how important it is in these relationships to pronounce a sponsor’s name right.  I shared the story of how Mitt Romney knew the importance of saying Bombardier’s name the right way.  What I didn’t share in that post was how after the questions ended at the press conference announcieg Bombardier as a sponsor, Mitt Romney decided to climb into one of Bombardier’s snow grooming machines.

As he sat in the cockpit of the snow groomer he said something along the lines of how cool it was to sit in it and how he imagined it being like sitting in a Ferrari.  As he said it, he quickly, almost immediately followed that up with the statement that he had never driven a Ferrari, so he wasn’t speaking from experience.

I remember laughing and feeling bad for Mitt all at the same time.  Had I said that statement it wouldn’t’ have been a big deal.  It would have been clear that I was simply theorizing what it’s like to be in a Ferrari.  However, because Mitt is wealthy the automatic assumption is that he must own or at one point has owned a Ferrari.  Mitt was very conscious of this perception and I’m sure that’s why the clarification came as quickly as it did.

The right words are important and if the wrong word is used it can cause embarrassment or even do irreparable damage. Failure to choose your words wisely may not be as severe as in this Indiana Jones clip, but it can cause lasting damage or be incredibly embarrassing as it was for Oprah Winfrey.

There are other times where you may repeat something and inadvertently say something embarrassing.

Many of these instances arise as a result of nerves or trying to improvise.  In these cases, I recommend taking a minute to pause and think about what you want to say.  There is nothing wrong with taking a moment to decide what you want to say.  If you’re being asked a question, a pause before answering is acceptable.  Don’t pause too long because that can give the impression you’re about to lie or make something up, but a short pause to gather your thoughts is a wise move.

Also, if you know you’re about to be interviewed or in a stressful situation, think about what you want to communicate beforehand.  Practice talking and verbalizing your key messages and the points you want to make.  The more you practice, the more you’ll be able to rely on muscle memory and less on remembering exactly what it is you want to say.

Also, stick to the theme or message.  If you try to get too creative and start talking about things you know nothing about or have little understanding of, your chances of blundering increase dramatically.  If you don’t know the answer to a question or are unsure of the topic of conversation, there’s nothing wrong with simply telling somebody that you don’t know the answer.  If it’s something important and needs a response or an answer, tell the person you’ll check on it and get back to them.  If you do that though, be sure to get back to the person.

At one point or another, everybody has said something they regretted or didn’t mean to and been embarrassed by it.  It happens, but if you stay calm and think before speaking you can avoid these types of embarrassing situations.

Author: Jeremy Kartchner | Google+