The Clubhouse

iN THiS iSSUE

my business is in the toilet –

and i love it!CArEEr PrOFiLE OF

rOTO-rOOTEr’S Pr POO-BAH PAUL ABrAmS

is your business brand

in Jeopardy, or Just your Job?

TAkE OUr 10 miNUTE QUiz ANd FiNd OUT

happy neW year happy neW year happy neW year starts noW! starts noW! starts noW!

TiPS TO jUmPSTArTTiPS TO jUmPSTArTTiPS TO jUmPSTArTyOUr BUSiNESS yOUr BUSiNESS yOUr BUSiNESS

FOr A SUCCESSFUL 2011FOr A SUCCESSFUL 2011FOr A SUCCESSFUL 2011

10 commonsocial media

mistakes that arecosting you money

iSSUE 3THE

CLUBHOUSECLUBHOUSECLUBHOUSE

CLUBHOUSETHE

EdiTOriAL BOArd OF AdviSOrS

FrOm THE PUBLiSHEr

2010 has certainly been an interesting year for professional communicators – from the economy to fi nding ways to do more with less, and old dogs forced to learn several new tricks. As our industry continues to evolve, it remains critical that we, as the professional marketers

and communicators for our organizations and our clients, strive to become adept with new tools while never losing sight of great strategies and the importance of creativity.

New hula hoops will continue to be put before us and some will succeed, most will fail. It is our job to uncover, discover and weed through these opportunities as we present our businesses and our people in the best possible light, endeavoring to consistently relate to our internal and external publics on main street, wall street or whatever street or path taken.

Now is surely an exciting time as we blaze a trail in to a new decade. What will we see in the next 10 years, and what will be “the next big thing” in connecting and communicating. Will social media continue to grow, or will an entirely new “thing” come along? Most importantly, we must ask ourselves are we, as professionals, staying connected on a personal and professional level even through all the technology and media clutter. It is those that understand how to properly utilize the myriad of “toys” to their advantage, and who constantly strive to stay one step ahead.

It’s good to have options, to have experts and mentors, to look outside and inside for learnings and inspiration and knowledge. Enjoy the Clubhouse, learn from it, use it and share it. Remember, Happy New Year starts today. Rodger Roeser, Editor/Publisher

Share with me your predictions for the coming decade in our Clubhouse Time Capsule on LinkedIn @ Public Relations Agency Owners Association.

THE CLUBHOUSE | 2010 PAGE 1

November 2010. Volume 1, Edition 3

Editor & PublisherRodger Roeser, APRChairman, PRAOA

Layout/Development/DesignAngela DenistonTh e Eisen Agency

Jennifer JonesTh e Eisen Agency

Jessica DiMartileTh e Eisen Agency

Advertising & SubscriptionsInfo@Th eEisenAgency.com859.291.4302

Join us online at www.Th eEisenAgency .com or

keyword Th e Eisen Agency. For advertising inquiries or to share a story idea, contact us at Info@Th eEisenAgency.com or call us at 859.291.4302. Copyright 2010. Th e Eisen Agency. All Rights Reserved.

Th e Clubhouse is published quarterly and is the offi cial publication of the Public Relations Agency Owners Association, 515 Monmouth Street, Newport , KY 41071

2010 PRSA Blacksmith Award:Public Relations Professional of the Year

TABLE OF CONTENTS


Businesses Turn to Leadership & Sales Training to Face Challenges after Layoffsby Dave Mattson ...................................................................................Page 3

Why Hire an Outside Marketing Firm? by Rodger Roeser. ...................................................................................Page 5

Common Social Media Mistakes by Steven Overly .......................................................................... Page 8 & 13

Fact Sheet #71: Internship Programs Under the Fair Labor Standards Act by U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Devision .............................Page 11

Marketing Effectively in a Recession by Ann Subervi ...................................................................................Page 14

How to get Ahead with Reportersby Lisa Fasig .....................................................................................Page 16 The Appollo Attitude- When Failure is Not an Optionby Roxanne Emmerich ......................................................................Page 17

Knowledge Is Power by Debbie Simpson ..............................................................................Page 20

Brand Equity Valuation .................................................................Page 21

Year End Best Practices and Marketing Tune Up by Rodger Roeser..................................................................................Page 23

My Business is in the Toilet, and I Love It! by Paul Abrams ...................................................................................Page 25

businesses turn to leadership & sales training to face challenges after layoffs

In an effort to reduce costs, many companies must do the inevitable--reduce headcount. So, what next? After cuts have been made, managers may feel ill-equipped to deal with the aftermath. Business leaders are turning to leadership training programs like those offered by Sandler Training for guidance to help equip managers with a new skill set to handle, move on and meet company objectives. In fact, Sandler Training® partners across the globe say that specialized leadership training could hit double-digit growth over the next year as companies struggle to manage, after the layoffs. As another sign of the economic times, Sandler has seen an overwhelming response to its new book, The Sandler Rules: 49 Timeless Selling Principles and How to Apply Them, which has already sold out during its pre-release on Amazon.com, ranking #1 in the Sales Category, #2 in the Sales and Marketing Category, and #3 in the Business and Investing Category. The book sold a record breaking 17,000 copies in a single day. “Layoffs bring a unique set of problems which require specific management skills. Leaders need to be armed with real life strategies and tactics to deal with the huge challenges ahead,” says Dave Mattson, CEO of Sandler Training. “In addition, the response to the new book speaks volumes that companies are hungry for information that will ignite their sales as never before,” Mattson also says. Mattson offers these tips for managing after the layoffs: Over Communicate. A communication plan is essential. It is important to communicate immediately to the remaining employees the essentials of what actions the company has taken using straight communication and establish where the company is going. Employees need to be able to ask questions in a safe environment so that issues can be put on the table and

people can move on. A leader’s goal should be to reduce anxiety, let people flush out emotions and establish trust A company’s message must be consistent and reinforced over time. This comes with communicating clearly with tonality that not only makes sense to employees, but sets the mood for the months to come.

Involve People in the Process. Include your teams in dialogue about your process. Talk about the reality of what factors you can and can not control to involve teams in the process so that people can help co-create tactical implementation in the process. Leaders should help employees detail how their individual goals translate into company goals. This does a couple of things. It give employees ownership, a sense of control, and power to be part of the solution; and motivation to get to the next step, and go that extra mile. Put tactical elements in 90-day window increments so that adjustments can easily be made and it is easier to track. This also stages goals into shorter bursts so that teams can see the results of their actions in an ongoing way to keep the momentum going or so that changes can be made.

Re-examine the Process. Take inventory. Workforce reductions mean that employees may have new responsibilities. Does the company still have the right people doing the right jobs for today’s climate? Are they trained for their current position effectively? Maybe they need additional training for their new and/or increased responsibility. Since you must maximize or make the most of every opportunity, leaders must find repeatable processes that work, a company playbook if you will. When every effort is made to improve the bottom line, companies can forget that what gets them to the bottom line are their people.

Have an External Contact Plan. Leaders should be involved directly with clients and customers. In a time when jobs are shifting, the worst thing a company can do is rely too heavily on letting their sales force manage all of the company’s relationships. When one sales contact exclusively manages these relationships, many times their relationship is with people at the company, not with the company itself. When and if those contacts change jobs or leave, your company is in danger of losing the relationship. Leaders should be involved at making check-in calls with key clients beyond those relationships. After major company changes, make sure to use this contact plan to communicate with key clients, vendors and suppliers.

ABOUT dAvE mATTSON

David Mattson is the CEO of Sandler Training. Since 1986 he has been a trainer and business consultant in management, sales interpersonal communication, corporate team building and strategic planning throughout the U.S. and Europe. His domestic and international clients include top-name organizations in many different industries.


By dAvE mATTSON

Why hire an outside marketing firm? some signs that you might need some help and, that’s okay

There seems to be a general misconception that hiring a professional public relations, advertising or marketing firm is for “big companies” or “celebrities.” And while both have these professional firms and experts in their pockets, like having a lawyer or an accountant, they are not exclusive to “the rich and famous.” In fact, most small to midsized businesses find that having a professional firm outsourced is far less of an investment than hiring in house.

The average salary of an entry level PR professional in house is $30,000. When you add taxes and other employment items, the cost to a company is actually $42,000 a year.

Fact On average, this person actually performs “billable work” 13% of their day and takes, on average, one month of total time off. Add to that, this entry level person will need a computer and basic “PR” programs—and, by they way, the company will actually have to invest money to “do” the programs. And, after about 14 months, they’ll quit or you’ll fire them (yep, that’s the average lifespan of an internal marketing person). Or, you could hire a professional firm. Gain tremendous expertise and stability, and honestly, save a TON of money. Why hire an entry level person at a cost of $42K a year to enact a program that’s $50,000 (hey, that’s $92K), when you can simply hire a firm to perform the $50K program? You’re welcome, we just saved you forty two large.

Agency Joke: How much is a $50,000 program. Uh, $50,000.

So, if “cost” is a barrier to hiring a professional – you’re talking with the wrong organizations. The actual costs, or in reality “investment” in your marketing, is always commensurate with the size of the organization, the type of the organization, and the work that needs to be completed. Just because the website for Budweiser probably costs tens of thousands of dollars, that does not mean ALL websites cost that much – and so forth. All marketing “things”

vary in cost because of an endless number of factors. A good PR professional can explain that in great detail.

So, let’s eliminate cost to hiring a professional firm. And let’s be honest, if you do “do it all in house,” you’re clearly not “doing it all” – it’s not possible. Let’s look at a few signs:

one yOU’rE CONSTANTLy OvEr ExTENdEdEver said, “I’m so busy, I can’t even think about that right now.” It happens to everyone from time to time, but if that is daily or even just regular, you may need a little help. If you’re trying to take on everything yourself, yes, you’re working hard – you just may not be working smart.

Surely, there are items a good firm can lift from your burdened shoulders, even if it’s simple things like distributing a press release to the right outlets, or making follow up calls and booking and fulfilling interviews. Perhaps you just need something simple designed. Hey, you may need some fresh ideas, concepts and senior level strategy. Damn, call The Eisen Agency, call Pam Gilchrist, call Jill McBride, just call a reputable professional. They’ll be honest. If you call on and hire “Bob’s PR Firm” or that guy that knows that guy that met that guy once – and it fails. Again, that’s not on us, you may have chosen, well, poorly. There are good firms out there. And no The Eisen Agency is not “the best.” No agency is. The “best agency” is the one that’s right for you. Note: while clearly WE think The Eisen Agency is your best choice, there are excellent firms out there that “do what we do” that we suggest you talk to, based on their expertise, high level of ethics and integrity, and the tools and resources.

Regardless of what “it” is, hiring a professional to help, even here and there, can be an enormous savings of time and resources – and, if you chose the right firm, the work is done responsively and professionally. It’s okay to ask for help. It doesn’t mean “you failed,” it means you’re smart enough to understand that you can’t do everything but you still have a job to do and a goal to reach. The agency isn’t there

to “replace you,” it’s there to make your job easier and help – from handling a small project to managing a big campaign.

tWo wE’rE NOT GETTiNG LEAdSUnfortunately, that’s a common theme among organizations that are struggling with their marketing. That is a telltale sign that something is amiss – from not having a marketing plan or direction to simply not doing much of anything proactively and hoping the phone will ring, the traffic will come and the sale will be made.

Too often, I see organizations that have not fostered or protected their brand, and wonder why sales or down or business is slow. Then, when you ask to see their marketing plan, they don’t have one. Their website has not been updated in years, let alone yesterday. They have no quality business collateral and no proactive outreach to prospects. No lists to call upon. No sales protocols to follow. No collateral to share their story. These days, multiple touch points proactive offered multiple times is what will bring in business and help to gain market share.

Just because you built “it” doesn’t mean they will come. Just because you made a better mousetrap, doesn’t mean they will beat a path to your door. The “Snuggie” is a robe you put on backwards. It has sold millions. Marketing. Tide is sodium phosphate and water – like every detergent in the grocery aisle.

If your message is wrong, or unclear, people won’t be able to make the buy decision. If your collateral is old and outdated, or you don’t want to use it, or you don’t proudly send people to your website – you need help.


By rOdGEr rOESEr

Simple Note: How Does a Good Agency Get Paid? Great question and a simple answer. The truth is, most good agencies simply charge time and materials – think of us like a plumber or drywaller. Your toilet is broken. It will take us 3 hours in labor @ $100/hour and $500 for a toilet, seal and pipe in materials. So, $800. Probably just like your company bills. Now, if you want a $10,000 gold toilet with a heated seat and remote control, we can do that too, so that work is $10,300. Make sense?

Also, a simple note of caution: publicity – you probably call it PR but that makes my brain turn to cottage cheese – does not work like a light switch. You are either doing publicity or you’re not. You can’t turn it on and turn it off. You must simply invest the time in doing the work and it must be done long term. Or not. There is no “one cost” to do things. It depends on the quality of the work, what’s involved and, well, how much it costs. Our firm can do “anything” from a marketing perspective. Keep in mind, “anything” has a broad price range. If you don’t know what you “should budget”, call us, we’re the honest guys. We’ll give you a good ballpark. As would any reputable agency.

three OUr COmPETiTiON SEEmS TO BE EvErywHErEThey hired someone like us. We are a firm whose sole focus is to develop tremendous awareness about your company and your offerings, and get those customers to make a conscious choice to select your business or your product. We get you in the papers through publicity and media relations, we run advertising programs that generate leads and build your brand, we create websites that generate traffic and so on. We create integrated marketing programs that build your business. If you always seem to be seeing your competition, they are most likely “working smarter.” They are creating an image – fostering and nurturing their brand. It is far more difficult to sell if no one knows who or what you are.

Something To Noodle On: Maybe you or your boss wants to do more speaking engagements. How about we create a speaking series and speaker’s bureau, book the gigs and manage all the logistics. Then, we combine that with a webisode series to generate some custom branded content, create publicity and experiential marketing opportunities, terrific


social media opportunities and even a subsite to share the expertise and develop the company and the boss as a thought leader.

Agency Joke: What’s an ad cost? Whatever you want to spend. The variables are endless. A good agency will work with you to determine what you need and what that investment would be before you ever spend a nickel, or a dime.

four wE’rE STALEOften times, organizations hire a firm just to get some fresh perspectives or ideas on how to market their product, their business or their service. You might be amazed at all the ways to go about marketing and creating engagement for your organization – things you may never even thought of or heard

about. Know what? That’s okay, because that’s what a good firm is for.

What is the last WOM campaign you did? How is your podcasting and webisode series doing? Are you developing solid custom branded content, and being sure it is shared on social media, technorati, and RSS feeders. If that all sounds like jibberish, sadly, you’re far behind. If you know what it is, but just don’t have the time – well, refer to item #1. The fact is, good agencies know all the tricks and tips and tactics to get you noticed for all the right reasons, and do so expertly.

We understand proven, fresh, traditional, innovative, solid strategies so you need not “figure it out as you go along,” but rather really rely on someone that knows what they’re talking about and has the contacts, tools and expertise to actually get it done. A great idea and concept well executed will indeed grow your business.

And, perhaps equally important, they have the focus and firepower to invest the time and serve you. Even a fresh look at your collateral is important. It is amazing where design has come and how amazing collateral pieces can be conceived and developed for a modest investment. You should do what is called a “communications audit” each year, review all your stuff and see how it looks, feels, reads and fosters the brand so you can share your story – ultimately creating engagement.

five HiGH EmPLOyEE TUrNOvEr ANd LACk OF mOrALEWhich means they don’t feel that they have good leadership that is communicating to them the direction of the company. Oh, you don’t have a direction? Refer to item #3. Perhaps your employees don’t know what’s going on, what is the “State of the Company,” or even something as simply as “I always see our competition, but we don’t do anything.”

What are you doing to communicate internally, but more importantly, is it resonating and are they understanding? Are you in the papers? Are you advertising? Do you give your team the tools they need to succeed? Do you innovate? Do you have regular updates with the entire team? Are they proud of your company, you don’t know? Have you gone through speaker’s training and can confidently say that I’m awesome on stage and in front of people?

Truth: 98 percent of b2b decisions are based on the top official. If they don’t know who you are, don’t vicariously trust you through the myriad of marketing outreach efforts, or don’t believe you can do what your sales guy on the phone right now that I’m trying to get off the phone because I’m busy writing this article is saying – you have virtually no chance of winning that business. Who was that guy? What do they do? Just send me some information. Okay, he’s gone. Was that you’re firm?

six wE HAvE NO rOOm FOr imPrOvEmENTThen we would like to hire you to share. The fact is, every business has room to improve.

Note: According to research, most business executives say the biggest area of weakness is internal communications and cause marketing management.

That is the sign of good leadership, of valuing innovation and fresh ideas. If you truly believe that nothing could be done better in the action of building, growing and protecting your business and your brand, then we applaud you – you are the first. You may be doing all sorts of things “right,” and

that’s a great place to be and you should indeed be proud, but you must constantly evaluate and scrutinize and research and grow. Change is a constant.

The bottom line is simple. Large organizations hire firms for fresh and amazing ideas, to look at entirely new concepts and come up with something truly extraordinary. Small organizations hire firms to develop even simple items, but items that are professional in quality so they can grow as well. Like a good drywaller or plumber, they are there when you need them and they provide expertise and management that you may not have time to do, you don’t have the “bodies” to do it, or you just need a professional to look at it and recommend.

Noodle on This: Most often, your first “touch point” with a prospect or colleague is a business card. THAT is their first impression of your business. Why are you printing them on your in house ink jet? The most expensive business card is the one that people look at and go…huh?

Nothing, absolutely nothing is more important to your business than your brand and the reputation. Grow it, foster it, protect it.


Rodger Roeser, president and founder of The Eisen Agency is one of the foremost experts in marketing, branding and public relations in the United States.

Millions of people log onto social media Web sites daily, prompting such varied organizations as Gaithersburg-based MedImmune, the American Red Cross and the Department of Housing and Urban Development to follow.

But simply creating an account on Facebook or Twitter rarely equates to being plugged in. Area consultants said many organizations spend ample time and resources on social media without seeing much return. Here are common mistakes that they see businesses, nonprofits and government agencies make.

dOiNG TOO mUCH AT ONCE For businesses and organizations with small staffs and smaller budgets, it’s often best to start with a small social media presence, too. Steve Ressler, creator of GovLoop, a social network for government workers, said some organizations try to be on every network at once and fall short in the process. Ressler recommends organizations first identify the tools that best reach their intended audience, be it customers, colleagues or constituents, and use them well.

NOT kNOwiNG yOUr NEEdS Social media can serve as a networking tool and marketing platform, but not every organization needs both, said Larissa Fair, the senior online marketing manager at ScienceLogic and president of Social Media Club DC. While a restaurant may aim to attract new clientele, a government contractor may need to connect with key government allies. GiviNG iT TO THE iNTErN Too often, social media responsibilities will be piled on the most inexperienced staff members, or worse, someone who abhors social media. Debbie Weil, a local corporate social media consultant, said proper use of social media requires someone

By STEvEN OvErLy

commonsocial media mistakes

THE CLUBHOUSE | 2010 PAGE 10THE CLUBHOUSE | 2010 PAGE 8

Continued on page 13

This fact sheet provides general information to help determine whether interns must be paid the minimum wage and overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act for the services that they provide to “for-profit” private sector employers. BACkGrOUNdThe Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) defines the term “employ” very broadly as including to “suffer or permit to work.” Covered and non-exempt individuals who are “suffered or permitted” to work must be compensated under the law for the services they perform for an employer. Internships in the “for-profit” private sector will most often be viewed as employment, unless the test described below relating to trainees is met. Interns in the “for-profit” private sector who qualify as employees rather than trainees typically must be paid at least the minimum wage and overtime compensation for hours worked over forty in a workweek.*

THE TEST FOr UNPAid iNTErNSThere are some circumstances under which individuals who participate in “for-profit” private sector internships or training programs may do so without compensation. The Supreme Court has held that the term “suffer or permit to work” cannot be interpreted so as to make a person whose work serves only his or her own interest an employee of another who provides aid or instruction. This may apply to interns who receive training for their

own educational benefit if the training meets certain criteria. The determination of whether an internship or training program meets this exclusion depends upon all of the facts and circumstances of each such program.

The following six criteria must be applied when making this determination:1. The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the

facilities of the employer, is similar to training which would be given in an educational environment;

2. The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern;3. The intern does not displace regular employees, but works

under close supervision of existing staff;4. The employer that provides the training derives no immediate

advantage from the activities of the intern; and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded;

5. The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship; and

6. The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship.

If all of the factors listed above are met, an employment relationship does not exist under the FLSA, and the Act’s minimum wage and overtime provisions do not apply to the intern. This exclusion from the definition of employment is necessarily quite narrow because the FLSA’s definition of “employ” is very broad. Some of the most commonly discussed factors for “for-profit” private sector internship programs are considered below.

SimiLAr TO AN EdUCATiON ENvirONmENT ANd THE PrimAry BENEFiCiAry OF THE ACTiviTyIn general, the more an internship program is structured around a classroom or academic experience as opposed to the employer’s actual operations, the more likely the internship will be viewed as

fact sheet #71: internship programs under the fair labor standards act

U.S. dEPArTmENT OF LABOr wAGE ANd HOUr diviSiON


an extension of the individual’s educational experience (this often occurs where a college or university exercises oversight over the internship program and provides educational credit). The more the internship provides the individual with skills that can be used in multiple employment settings, as opposed to skills particular to one employer’s operation, the more likely the intern would be viewed as receiving training. Under these circumstances the intern does not perform the routine work of the business on a regular and recurring basis, and the business is not dependent upon the work of the intern. On the other hand, if the interns are engaged in the operations of the employer or are performing productive work (for example, filing, performing other clerical work, or assisting customers), then the fact that they may be receiving some benefits in the form of a new skill or improved work habits will not exclude them from the FLSA’s minimum wage and overtime requirements because the employer benefits from the interns’ work.

diSPLACEmENT ANd SUPErviSiON iSSUESIf an employer uses interns as substitutes for regular workers or to augment its existing workforce during specific time periods, these interns should be paid at least the minimum wage and overtime compensation for hours worked over forty in a workweek. If the employer would have hired additional employees or required existing staff to work additional hours had the interns not performed the work, then the interns will be viewed as employees and entitled compensation under the FLSA. Conversely, if the employer is providing job shadowing opportunities that allow an intern to learn certain functions under the close and constant supervision of regular employees, but the intern performs no or minimal work, the activity is more likely to be viewed as a bona fide education experience. On the other hand, if the intern receives the same level of supervision as the employer’s regular workforce, this would suggest an employment relationship, rather than training.

jOB ENTiTLEmENTThe internship should be of a fixed duration, established prior to the outset of the internship. Further, unpaid internships generally should not be used by the employer as a trial period for individuals seeking employment at the conclusion of the internship period. If an intern is placed with the employer for a trial period with the expectation that he or she will then be hired on a permanent basis, that individual generally would be considered an employee under the FLSA.

wHErE TO OBTAiN AddiTiONAL iNFOrmATiONThis publication is for general information and is not to be considered in the same light as official statements of position contained in the regulations.For additional information, visit our Wage and Hour Division Website: http://www.wagehour.dol.gov and/or call our toll-free information and helpline, available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in your time zone, 1-866-4USWAGE (1-866-487-9243).

*The FLSA makes a special exception under certain circumstances for individuals who volunteer to perform services for a state or local government agency and for individuals who volunteer for humanitarian purposes for private non-profit food banks. WHD also recognizes an exception for individuals who volunteer their time, freely and without anticipation of compensation for religious, charitable, civic, or humanitarian purposes to non-profit organizations. Unpaid internships in the public sector and for non-profit charitable organizations, where the intern volunteers without expectation of compensation, are generally permissible. WHD is reviewing the need for additional guidance on internships in the public and non-profit sectors.

U.S. Department of Labor Frances Perkins Building 200 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20210

1-866-4-USWAGETTY: 1-866-487-9243


who is not only communication savvy, but comfortable with exposure to the public. You can’t hide behind a brand, Weil said. Social media needs a personal touch. Thinking everyone cares about the name Many government agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency or HUD, have Facebook fan pages. But who is actually a “fan” of the EPA as an agency?

That was the question Mark Drapeau, the director of innovative social engagement for Microsoft’s U.S. Public Sector, put to a room of government social media enthusiasts two weeks ago. People care about issues, he said. Pages related to issues like water conservation or carbon emissions might help an organization like the EPA better reach interested constituents and promote its mission, Drapeau suggested.

ONLy USiNG THE FrEEBiES Free social network and media Web sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube may be easy to activate, but they don’t give an organization much control. Weil, who also authored “The Corporate Blogging Book,” warns that companies that rely solely on external networks relinquish a certain degree of autonomy. She recommends that organizations and companies using social media have a hub on their primary Web site where users can find links or feeds to blogs, Flickr photo galleries and other third-party Web sites. This also gives customers or constituents a single go-to URL.

mAkiNG CONvErSATiONS ONE-wAy As chair of the Northern Virginia Technology Council’s social media committee, Evan Weisel sees the gamut of social media use. The Welz & Weisel Communications co-founder said too many companies see these tools as just another

way to push out information. Bombarding people with advertisements or press releases won’t earn many followers, he said; there has to be a dialogue that keeps the audience engaged.

SUmmONiNG yOUr dEFENSE The Internet can become a battleground if organizations don’t handle social media with care, Fair cautioned. Companies and political organizations have to understand that criticism is likely to come in the form of tweets and comments, but an organization cannot become abrasive or defensive, she said. Even a mere 140 characters, the length of a tweet, can have the makings of a public relations blunder. Missing out on event follow-up Fair said many companies or organizations will bring people together for a large event or conference, but fail to capture that audience for the long-term. She said Facebook or another social networking tool can give organizers the opportunity to engage with that crowd regularly, even after the festivities come to a close.

Making it about money, money, money Most nonprofits and other donation-driven organizations recognize the potential to raise funds through social media, but Fair

said it is too often viewed as a funnel to the organization’s coffers. She said nonprofits stand to collect more money from a community that participates, through social

media or otherwise, in an organization’s cause. You can’t initiate social media as part of a fundraising effort, she said; it has to happen beforehand.

SO, NOw wHAT? Even if your company is firing off tweets every hour and constantly tending to its Facebook page, how do you know if it’s working? Dean Hua, owner of Bethesda-based Web consultant Sachi Studio, said an organization looking to use social media should first decide how measure whether its efforts are successful. That could be the number of hits on the company’s Web site, donations to a nonprofit’s campaign or many other metrics.


Continued from page 8:

It’s a conundrum that accompanies every economic downturn – short or long, mild or severe. Just when you’re looking to cut costs, and marketing is a big juicy target, you need to promote your products and services more than ever.

Pulling back on marketing means you risk becoming invisible, and if an aggressive competitor seizes the opportunity and fills the market’s attention void, you might not have any market share left when things turn around. On the other hand, you can hardly afford to keep shoveling dollars after strategies on the mere hope that they will produce a return.

What to do?

Maintaining a strong marketing effort during an economic downturn starts by recognizing a few crucial principles:

1 You can’t weaken your sales effort when dollars are tight, but you can improve its focus for better ROI.

2 A good branding strategy needs constant cultivation, and can’t be abandoned every time market conditions change, as that will only confuse your customers.

3 Now more than ever, you can’t afford to trust your marketing dollars with people who aren’t worthy of your trust.

Budget challenges present a good opportunity to examine some of the lower-cost, higher-reward marketing strategies that might deliver big results. These can include traditional tactics like publicity and speaking engagements. They can also include emerging techniques like the use of blogs and social media.

The key is to aim high with strategies, tactics and techniques that come at a good value. That doesn’t necessarily mean doing what’s cheapest. It means investing in things you can do for a reasonable price, and at least have the potential to generate a big impact.

Public relations dollars, for example, have the potential to generate high-profile media impressions for a tiny fraction of what it would cost you to buy the same kind of exposure – and PR-generated exposure comes with the added benefit of lending third-party credibility as a news story rather than as bought-and-paid-for advertising.

That doesn’t mean that an investment in PR dollars will automatically bring such a result, but it means this is a good time to consider – often in consultation with your PR counsel – whether an opportunity exists to generate media attention and build your brand.

And even as you adjust your tactics to fit your budget parameters, remember not to compromise your core branding strategy. After all, during a recession, consumers want to know that the same companies whose brands they’ve always trusted will continue to be steady and reliable. It’s no time to waver. Keep promoting the same brand strategies that have served you well.

Finally, tight marketing budgets must be invested with ethical, trustworthy professionals. If you already have a relationship with a firm you trust, awesome. But if you’re looking for someone, check them out. Find out their philosophy on the ethical practice of their craft. Ask current and former clients if they practice what they preach.

You can’t afford to stop marketing, but you can’t afford to waste marketing dollars either. The investment you make has to bring a return, so conceive of a high-value strategy and expect top performance and first-rate ethics out of anyone you trust to execute it. That’s how you can come out of the recession best-positioned for the good times that will surely follow.

marketing effectively in a recessionBy ANN SUBErvi, UTOPiA COmmUNiCATiONS, iNC.

Ann Subervi is President & CEO of Utopia Communications, Inc., an ethically focus-d public relations agency headquartered in Red Bank, NJ. A member of PRSA’s Counselors Academy’s executive committee, Ann is an endorsed trainer of Trust Inc.’s LEAP methodology for values based leadership in the United States. For more on ethics in the PR industry, visit her blog at www.ethicaloptimist.com..


“““““honor deadlines. alWays. honor deadlines. alWays. honor deadlines. alWays. honor deadlines. alWays. honor deadlines. alWays. and remember that With the and remember that With the and remember that With the and remember that With the and remember that With the Web, reporters are feeding Web, reporters are feeding Web, reporters are feeding Web, reporters are feeding Web, reporters are feeding

the beast in real time.the beast in real time.the beast in real time.the beast in real time.the beast in real time.”””””

1. Do not list yourself as the contact person if you are going to be out of reach the day the release is sent.

2. Be ready to answer basic questions. I used to get releases from a New York PR firm representing an international corporation that I knew well. Twice, I had to call for basic information. Twice, the PR agency could not immediately answer my question. Every time after that, I called the corporation directly. And I complained.

3. Honor deadlines. Always. And remember that with the web, reporters are feeding the beast in real time.

4. Do not get the reporter’s name wrong. (Leesa Sesack? Really?)

5. Do not chew gum or eat lunch into the phone.

6. Do not leave long story pitches on voicemail. Reporters are

busy, and they probably do not like the sound of your voice as much as you (especially if it is reeeaaally high).

7. Regarding voice messages: Leave your name and number first.

8. Do not harangue a reporter. I had one PR person hound me for months about the economic significance of buttermilk-battered chicken. No.

9. Do not be surprised if you bury the lead and the reporter finds it. Reporters are not stupid. They ferret out information for a living. I used to habitually read the first paragraph of a press release, and then the last, before attending to the middle.

10. Treat the reporter as you would like to be treated. This means being honest. And be sure the reporter knows you expect the same in return.

Last year, before I joined the world of public relations, I worked as a financial reporter. It is a job I held for almost 18 years.

Over that time, like many reporters, I orchestrated a list of the top pet peeves performed by PR types. Headlines that did not reflect the content of the press release, for example, or a PR person with a reeeaaallly high voice. (Sorry if you can’t help it. I’m just telling you my pet peeves.)

Now that I have crossed over to the “dark side,” I am policing myself not to make the same egregious missteps, while at the same time learning the ropes. It is sometimes a humbling effort, especially when I hear the same derisive tone on the other end of the phone that I occasionally made as a disrupted reporter.

So as a reminder to myself, and hopefully others, I offer my list of “dos” and “do nots”:

Phew! I could actually go on and on, but why belabor the point? (Rule 11: Do not belabor the point, buttermilk-battered chicken lady.) But please, do feel free to chime in.

Perhaps we can make a book.

hoW to get ahead With reportersBy LiSA FASiG


By rOxANNE EmmEriCH

the apollo attitude: When failure is not an option

It’s hard to beat the movie Apollo 13 for drama. Over 200,000 miles from Earth, in the vacuum of space, an explosion disabled a space capsule on its way to the Moon.

The mission was over. And it would have been reasonable to assume the astronauts’ lives were over, too. Yet three days later, the astronauts were standing on the deck of an aircraft carrier.

Then there was the three-masted sailing ship Endurance, which left England in August 1914 under the command of Ernest Shackleton with twenty-eight men determined to cross Antarctica by sled.

The Endurance ended up trapped and crushed to splinters by ice floes. The men lived on the Antarctic ice for another two years.

Total survivors out of the original twenty-eight men? Twenty-eight.

What if you approached every challenge in your life and in your work as if you simply HAD to overcome it? I’ll tell you what—you would do it. You would find a way, and you would get it done.

Whenever I hear the expression, “Failure is not an option,” I think of Apollo 13. I think of Ernest Shackleton and the men of Endurance. I picture them confronting these utterly impossible situations and saying, “Well, lads, let’s see what our options are.”

I then picture them reaching into a pocket and pulling out a scrap of paper. Under the title OPTIONS are two words: SUCCESS and FAILURE.

Like heck. Why would failure EVER be an option? So why not take it off the list entirely?

We’ve all heard the hundred or so reasons such and such a thing simply cannot be done, the many, many reasons failure is the only option.

Tell it to Shackleton. Tell it to the astronauts of Apollo 13 and the engineers at Mission Control in Houston. Tell them all about the insurmountable obstacles you face.

Better STILL—why not just take FAILURE off that list of options?

SHOw mE THE BABy!

I have a friend who I dearly love but who always used to explain why something couldn’t be done. Excuses came easy to her. Then one day her boss gave her a priceless saying to remember: Don’t tell me about the labor pains—show me the baby.

Before a project begins, I don’t want to hear all the reasons it can’t be done. After the project is done, I don’t care how many hours you worked. I don’t care how many obstacles you hit. Save it for your memoirs. Just show me the baby.

Before a project begins, I don’t want to hear all the reasons it can’t be done. After the project is done, I don’t care how many hours you worked. I don’t care how many obstacles you hit. Save it for your memoirs. Just show me the baby.


Decide now that whatever project or challenge you currently have before you simply cannot be allowed to fail—that you must use the ingenuity of the Apollo crew and the fortitude of the Endurance crew to make it happen. It’s a completely different way of thinking.

But be careful—it’s addicting. Once you get a taste of achieving the impossible, it’s hard to quit!

© MMIV Leadership Press Avenue, LLC. All rights reserved, including translation. No reproduction or duplication, whole or in part, in any form or by any means without written permission from Leadership Press Avenue, LLC. Material provided under license, for internal use only pursuant to the terms and conditions of the license agreement.

ABOUT THE AUTHOr

Roxanne Emmerich is renowned for her ability to transform “ho-hum” workplaces into massive resultsoriented “bring-it-on” environments. To discover how you can ignite the passion of your employees, catapult performance to new levels, and boost the morale of your company subscribe to the Thank God It’s Monday™ e-zine at www.ThankGoditsMonday.com .


multi-craft.com | 859.581.2754

Knowledge may be power, but applied knowledge is even more powerful. Today with unlimited information available through books, seminars, webinars, internet, magazines, suppliers and peers, it’s hard to sift through all of it to arrive at the golden nuggets that you can use to sell more of your products and services.

Due to the rapidly changing trends, I’d like to share just a few of the many tools available to help you in developing your next marketing plan.

Variable Data Printing – it’s not just for transactional purposes, but for making each direct mail piece unique. The recipient does not know that the mail piece they receive was designed especially for them, but they do know that the mail piece attracts their attention because it feels like it is “speaking” directly to them. Data is one of the golden nuggets, and they who have the data, win! You win by knowing your clients and prospects – preferences, buying habits, gender, age, ethnicity, income, etc. Then design a campaign where each individual direct mail piece is unique based upon the data you have. It has been proven to drive response rates, conversion rates and most importantly, revenue!

Personal URLs – These unique micro-websites are also one of those golden nuggets because they allow you to gather the data you need to specifically target your clients and prospects moving forward. The real beauty of running a personal URL campaign is it will allow you to identify those who may someday purchase from you. On the flip side, you will be able to identify those who will never be a client and then remove them from your list. There is no sense in printing, mailing and spending time trying to

convert them – it will never happen. Print less, mail less, yet get a higher ROI. One key here is to remember that the ONLY reason to conduct a personal URL campaign is to gather data to use in targeting your offerings in the future. If you aren’t interested in data – then skip the PURL campaign.

ECampaigns – since many marketers are proclaiming print as the “new media” for 2011, you might think that the focus would drift away from enewsletters and email campaigns. Not true! What you will see is that integrating your media channels will bring far better results than focusing on a single channel. Direct mail has proven to be the most effective channel for getting new business, while email is a great tool for retention. So, combine them to accomplish your goals – increased business from new AND existing accounts.

Next time you’re developing a marketing campaign, you might want to include your trusted vendor(s) in your strategy sessions. Let your vendor(s) share the latest technology options AND the real-world results they are seeing with you and your team.

5 GOLdEN NUGGETS FOr GETTiNG THE mOST OUT OF yOUr PriNT PrOjECT:

1. Select a vendor who brings not only quality digital and offset print capabilities, but also the newest technologies to the party. Better yet, make sure they actually understand how to use the appropriate technology to help you accomplish your marketing goals.

2. It’s not about price – it’s about value. It makes no sense to focus on getting the cheapest print bid if the project doesn’t bring a measurable return on investment. Look for a vendor who understands the current marketing strategies, has invested in the latest technology and is willing to spend the time with you and your team to develop a successful campaign.

3. Trust your print expert when they suggest a coating- Certain papers are likely to scuff, offset or halo, but using a coating (varnish or aqueous) can prevent that. If you don’t want to spend the extra money on a coating, then stay away from silk or matte coated sheets.

4. Keep it simple. For the best results, clearly state what your vision is for your project then allow the print experts to make your vision a reality.

A5. sk questions. Your print vendor should have endless amounts knowledge on the many different things you could potentially do in your marketing efforts. You will never know all the fun, or potentially very successful options available if you don’t ask.

knoWledge is poWerBy dEBOrAH SimPSON

ABOUT THE AUTHOr

Debbie Simpson is President of

Multi-Craft, a marketing

communications company serving

organizations through strategic integrated

marketing campaigns.




TOTAL

ORDER

FREEDOM

SOCIALEGO

OUTL

AW

JEST

ER

LOVER

CAREGIVER

EVERYMAN

RULER

INNOCENTSAGE

MAGICIAN

HERO

CREATOR

EXPLORER

just like a sign from the zodiac, each

company fits into one (or sometimes

combinations) of these brand archetypes.

Each comes with particular characteristics

that define your business, and differentiate

it from the pack. you have to know this

before you ever embark on any business

building endeavor. which brand are you?

Try to figure it out, and contact us to share

your thoughts and receive a more detailed

analysis and begin positioning your business

for growth and gain of market share.

year end best practices

and marketing tune up

it’s the perfect time of the year to step back, take a deep breath and see What Worked, What needs improved and What needs scrapped according to most business experts.

iT’S THE PErFECT TimE OF THE yEAr TO STEP BACk, TAkE A dEEP BrEATH ANd SEE wHAT wOrkEd, wHAT NEEdS imPrOvEd ANd wHAT NEEdS SCrAPPEd ACCOrdiNG TO mOST BUSiNESS ExPErTS. CiNCiNNATi ANd CLEvELANd PUBLiC rELATiONS ANd AdvErTiSiNG ExECUTivE rOdGEr rOESEr, ALSO HOST OF A NATiONAL rAdiO SHOw ON BEST PrACTiCES iN mArkETiNG ANd Pr, SAyS THAT wHiLE mANy ExECUTivES mAy FOCUS SOLELy ON THE BOTTOm LiNE, HE SUGGESTS THAT THEy TAkE jUST A FEw mOmENTS ANd FOCUS ON mArkETiNG rESULTS – A SimPLE iNvESTmENT OF TimE THAT COULd NOT ONLy SAvE SiGNiFiCANT dOLLArS, BUT ALSO SiGNiFiCANTLyimPrOvE PErFOrmANCE.

1. PErFOrm A COmmUNiCATiONS AUdiT

Roeser advises to take a look at all the pieces produced by your organization that were used for any type of public consumption, including letterhead, business cards, sales presentations, sales letters, press releases, advertisements and the like. Lay them all out on the conference table and make sure they follow your approved graphic standards and brand identity. Double check the messages being sent: are they hitting the mark, does it say what you want it to say? Are pieces outdated and does your material need refreshed? Is it easy to read and understand? What might some better and more interesting stories be about you, your team and your organization. Roeser advises consulting an expert if you feel you cannot be objective or lack the time. 2. SUrvEy yOUr ExiSTiNG CLiENTS

It’s never been easier than with the online software that exists, such as survey monkey or zoomerang – both free services. You simply craft a survey and email it out to your clients to glean valuable business intelligence. If you’re afraid to do that, you’re not following a basic tenant of business: listening to your client. Analyzing the results is also quite simple and you may find some easy things you can do to make some clients happy, but almost always, simply asking the question of “how can we make things even better,” is reward enough in that it lets customers know that they’re feedback is valued. 3. SET BENCHmArkS BEFOrE BUdGETS

Look at what worked, what didn’t perform as expected and set a budget based on anticipated results and expectations. Marketing works because enough “oomph” is put behind it to make it work, and typically, integration is key. Look at your marketing mix and where the dollars are being allocated. Set goals, and above all, set benchmarks of where you are now and where you want to be in as many measurable facets of your organization as you can, such as overall sales, monthly sales, web traffic, store traffic, coupon redemption and the like. That way, you can look at your advertising, marketing and pr from of standpoint of “did it work” rather than “that’s a pretty color.” Most press releases, for example, that are crafted and distributed are poorly written because they are overly centric to the business sending it out, or mandated upon the agency to send it out. Don’t impose success when the release or product is the failure. Same goes with a bad ad, or bad customer service. Creativity and newsworthiness are subjective, while sales increases are not. Understand the difference. 4. iF yOU dON’T HAvE ONE, FiNd A COmmUNiTy rELATiONS OUTLET FOr yOUr BUSiNESS

There are hundreds of great causes and programs you can lend your business to, and dozens that will help strengthen and bolster your brand – if you need help, consult an agency. Cause marketing activities and community relations are proven to strengthen brand, increase sales and increase employee morale. It can be something you believe in personally, it can be large scale or small scale, but regardless, it should be part of your plan. Yes, it’s a good public relations move, but more importantly, it’s good for the overall health of your company and most likely, the community in which you and your employees live.

5. dO SOmETHiNG diFFErENT NExT yEAr

Vow to do something different next year with your marketing, such as a podcast series, a custom publication or even start a blog. There are hundreds of new, fun, effective, inexpensive and creative outlets for marketing products, services or people. Again, consult with an expert, but do something and do something different. Remember, sometimes in marketing it can be okay to be that black sheep because the point is standing apart from the crowd and creating a distinctive and memorable brand. If your marketing is a bit stale, do something fresh. If you think blogs are new – it’s time for some fresh, proactive and creative counsel. Overall, marketing should be proactively effective and fun – regardless of industry.


Yep, I get paid to talk about toilets, sewers and clogged drains. Do those subjects excite you? Well, admittedly, they may not. But it’s my job to get reporters excited or at least interested. Is it a tough sell? Yes, it can be, but’s it’s also incredibly rewarding, interesting and quite a bit of fun.

Several years ago, I was working as the marketing/communications director at a brewery. They paid me to talk about beer. Great gig, and perhaps a job that was the envy of many of my peers. I spent a lot of time answering beer questions on talk radio stations, explaining the brewing process and the differences between lager and ale. And whenever people asked me what I did for a living, they always asked follow-up questions, including the one about whether the job perks included free beer. They did. The job was fun and reporters always jumped at the chance to do a beer story.

And then Roto-Rooter called.

I accepted the Roto-Rooter position for the reasons we all take new jobs, it paid well and offered my growing family the kind of security I wasn’t necessarily getting at the brewery or from my previous life a television news reporter. I found myself in an unfamiliar industry

wondering how I could make a seemingly mundane profession seem interesting to the masses. Fortunately, public relations fundamentals are the same for any industry. With that in mind, I dug in with confidence. After all, I understood how newsrooms operated and how to make story ideas tempting to reporters. So I asked lots of questions, took notes and even went out on service calls with Roto-Rooter plumbers.

I quickly learned that most people are scared to death of plumbing. Water heaters are likened to the 800 pound gorilla that homeowners go out of their way to avoid. And few things strike fear into the hearts of all good people like a clogged toilet overflowing onto the floor, especially when it happens at someone else’s house and you’re the one who clogged it! So I realized that people might appreciate some common sense plumbing tips -- free insider information from a plumbing company that would prove useful.

Roto-Rooter had recently come to realize is that it shouldn’t take itself too seriously. The man in charge of Roto-Rooter’s marketing at the time, and the guy who hired me, said it best, “It’s okay to laugh at ourselves once in a while; most people chuckle at the mention of the Roto-Rooter name.” He had already begun pursuing this

my business is in the toilet, and i love it!By PAUL ABrAmS

philosophy even before he hired me so I had sufficient cover to push the envelope when developing creative public relations campaigns. And he had cover too because the new professional PR guy came to the same conclusions and so the C-suite bought in. We began introducing humor into our public relations programs right away. I channeled my inner eighth grader and rediscovered the potty humor that lay dormant in the back of my mind.

It started with the “Pimped out John.” We built a super toilet packed with every conceivable bathroom luxury, including a flat screen TV, video game system and of course, a beer tap. Then we gave it away. The news media loved it and people rushed to Roto-Rooter’s web site to enter the sweepstakes. In the process, a lot of entrants stuck around on the site and became more familiar with the services we provide. Many of them even scheduled plumbing service right from the site and signed up to receive our email tips.

We had found our niche and were getting national media attention on a regular basis. In 2004 a new reality show pilot called Ghost Hunters was in the works. It is the story of two working class guys who happened to be leading paranormal investigators in their spare time. Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, the soon to be stars of the show, reached out to me and asked if they could incorporate their real Roto-Rooter jobs into the pilot. But senior management felt it was too controversial. I fought for it and eventually won their cautious backing. The show is now in its sixth season and our brand is all over it at no cost to the company. And yes, Grant and Jason really ARE Roto-Rooter plumbers.

And, as all good practitioners know, the PR landscape is changing fast with social networks, bloggers and other unconventional influencers. We were early adopters and it is paying off. We also hired a new PR agency with a younger outlook. The relationship is comfortable and we bounce ideas back and forth almost daily. With their help, we published a bathroom book in which we partnered with the Ghost Hunters and capitalized on their popularity to attract media attention. The book is a collection of true stories that came straight from Roto-Rooter’s field plumbers. As you might imagine, they’ve seen all sorts of funny, creepy and disgusting things on the job, and those “Chilling Tales from the Porcelain Seat” make for some very entertaining reading. The book has sold well, earned significant media coverage and also makes a positive and fun brand touch point for Roto-Rooter techs to give to homeowners.

This year our company president was on the CBS reality show, Undercover Boss. It was an amazing experience that brought a tremendous amount of exposure to Roto-Rooter. How will we top that? I’m not sure yet, but I know we will. Some might call us lucky and there’s no doubt about that. However, I maintain that our good luck is no accident. I believe it is the result of the foundation we built, the associations we made and our willingness to take chances and defy conventional wisdom.

Paul Abrams is the public relations manager at Roto-Rooter Group, Inc., North America’s largest provider of plumbing repair and drain cleaning services. He is based in Cincinnati.

CHiLLiNG TALES FrOm THE POrCELAiN

SEAT iS AvAiLABLE FOr PUrCHASE

ONLiNE AT www.CHiLLyTALES.COm

Or AT www.AmAzON.COm. ANd,

wHiLE iT FEATUrES A NUmBEr OF

iNTErESTiNG SECTiONS, BUSiNESS

ExECUTivES mAy BE mOST iNTErESTEd

iN THE CHAPTEr ON “HOw TO POOP AT

wOrk: A SUrvivAL GUidE.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOr

Paul Abrams is the public relations

manager at Roto-Rooter Group, Inc.,

North America’s largest provider of

plumbing repair and drain cleaning

services. He is based in Cincinnati.


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