Category Archives: pr

Keeping Up Earth Month’s Momentum: Leveraging Sustainability Communications

Posted on by
Reply

While the beginning of May marks the end of Earth Month, sustainability should be a year-round endeavor. Fortunately, there are plenty of opportunities throughout the year for businesses of all sizes to support their communities and maintain and build on the momentum highlighted each Earth Month. With the right communication strategies, sustainability-focused initiatives can benefit not only the planet and the greater good, but your business as well.

Practicing a thoughtful approach

A business that cares for and invests in the environment can offer employees, consumers, prospects and other stakeholders a positive perspective. However, leaders must tread carefully to avoid an adverse impact down the line. Consider posing the following questions when building a sustainability plan:

  • Are your goals clear? Your sustainability initiative plan should clearly outline what your organization is trying to achieve and/or contribute. For example, if your cause is to support forestry, a goal might be to plant 100 trees by the end of 2024. Having clear goals leaves little room for misinterpretation from the public or from team members. 
  • Are your goals attainable? Business leaders who establish goals within a sustainability plan should consider whether they are attainable given employee bandwidth and company budgets. Overpromising and under-delivering in sustainability efforts could leave leaders in hot water and contribute to mistrust among customers, prospects, employees and other stakeholders.

As mentioned above, companies that fail to deliver on their sustainability promises can and have fallen victim to pushback and negative press. In fact, CNN Business reported on research in 2022 that some of the largest companies in the world missed the mark on sustainability targets. For example, just last year The Wall Street Journal reported on several companies, including United Airlines who made a 2021 pledge to reduce carbon emissions but ended up scrapping their short-term goals to maintain focus on longer-term gains.

While goals can be adjusted over time, business leaders should be intentional about their goals and how they are going to achieve them, and of course, in how they communicate them.

Maximizing your sustainability plan

Yes, failed sustainability plans can lead to bad press, but successful initiatives can be a win for the company when communicated thoughtfully and strategically. Keep in mind these best practices with considering communicating sustainability initiatives:

  • Consider newsworthiness. A sustainability initiative may not be newsworthy in and of itself. For example, using the tree planting initiative above, if a business plans to hold a fundraiser to purchase the trees, they might consider sharing the cause with local media to reach those interested in supporting local forestry. Businesses might benefit from inviting local dignitaries such as government officials or local organizations with similar goals to attract media attention.
  • Be transparent. As it is in business, transparency is critical regarding charitable efforts. Business leaders should be forthcoming about their support as well as with the progress they have made toward an initiative with reporters. Exaggerated numbers or claims could lead to suspicion and distrust from key stakeholders and the press.
  • Rally supporters Recruit team members and the community to help advance the business’s sustainability goals. Engaging and having buy in from local supporters and employees will help drum up buzz around an organization that could lead to your effort making a bigger impact and help to attract media attention.
  • Stay the course. Business leaders must be prepared to remain diligent with their sustainability goals. Relevant times to discuss sustainability like Earth Month will help create momentum around a business’s eco-efforts, but they should have plan to maintain it with supplemental activations. Continued activity could also help attract media attention to your initiative.
  • Track your progress. Have a plan to track your progress while executing a sustainability initiative. Make sure to track participating volunteers, dollars raised or testimonials, among other things. Statistics will supplement your business’s efforts and give media outlets a quick glance at your success.

Sustainability has become somewhat of a buzzword in today’s business world, but the sentiment of bettering the Earth is one every business leader should share. As business leaders wind down their Earth Month activations and carry on with business as usual, they should consider how executing on defined sustainability goals year-round, armed with a strong communications plan, can be as good for business as it is for the environment.

Jargon Madness Wrap Up: Top Overused Business Jargon and How to Block It Out

Posted on by
Reply

Well, once again to the dismay of my three teenage sons, I won the family March Madness NCAA basketball bracket. We’ll just say I do not follow college basketball like they do, but please know that I didn’t pick solely on uniform colors or schools I’ve visited.

One topic I do have a better handle on than my boys is business jargon. This year, Kimball Hughes Public Relations thought it might be fun to explore some of the more over-used business jargon and build a bracket of sorts in the spirit of March Madness. The former journalists and word wizards on our team sure had fun with it.  Afterall, as professional communicators, these are words we’d like to see used minimally, if not completely boxed out from content.

Confusing the Point

According to the Harvard Business Review, jargon exists in workplaces because it can reinforce a shared identity, assist in fast and accurate communications among particular groups, as well as to quench an individual’s desire for professional status.

Prospects and clients want to understand what your company does. They do not want to be frustrated by jargon and buzz words strung together. Afterall, doesn’t your company do more than create integrated solutions that optimize efficiencies, drive alignment and build synergies with an omnichannel approach, all while connecting with ecosystems that align with core competencies?

Placing phrases on an About Us page, on a press release or in another piece of content peppered with heavy jargon could lead the client or prospect to leave the page out of frustration, misunderstand your products and services or decide to completely disengage with your company.

Geoff Keast, VP of Sales and INSTANDA, raised an interesting point in a recent interview on insurance jargon with PropertyCasualty360. He noted that when agents or insurers use jargon, the average insurance policyholder does not understand, they run the danger of leaving clients and prospects feeling as though they are being deliberately tricked. In other words, the overuse of jargon can lead to distrust.

Further, Keast noted that in the world of insurance, certain jargon could be doing the industry a disservice. For example, he pointed out that the often-used insurance term “premium” could leave one to interpret that they’ll be paying a higher-than-normal price for the product or services, when a premium in insurance is simply an insurance payment.

Writing Slam Dunk Messaging

At Kimball Hughes PR, our final four business jargon terms included core competency, integrated solutions, North Star and synergy, with my vote to position integrated solutions atop that list.  The term integrated solutions can certainly sound impressive, but if the content doesn’t explain the type of solutions a company provides and how they can benefit me or my business, what value do those business buzz words really hold?

Other words that made our list are terms we all easily recognize including: alignment, bandwidth, ecosystem, efficiencies, engagement, KPI, leverage, omni channel, psychographics, optimize, scale and viral.

Don’t get me wrong, these terms are essential for business communications. We simply used this amusing exercise to have a little fun and point out this fact: allowing your messaging to get lost in jargon can lead to an airball for your team, missing your key target audience.

Business jargon can and should be used in business communications, but it should not be your only play. For a winning communications strategy, consider:

  • Reviewing your copy for jargon and ensuring that what you are trying to say can be clearly understood by any member of your target audience.
  • Rereading any jargon to ensure it will not mislead readers or be misinterpreted.
  • Sharing the copy with an outsider and asking them to explain what is written.
  • Flagging identified overuse of jargon and exploring alternative ways to convey the same thought. (Finding fresh ways to explain what you do or to share key messages can help set you apart from the competition.)
  • Defining jargon terms that could confuse readers upon first reference on the word.

Finally, to ensure your communication fits your audience and conveys your key messages clearly and accurately, consider talking to a communications specialist or engaging a PR agency – preferably one staffed by former journalists or a proven team of writers. Good communicators will find the right words to tell your story in a way that resonates with your audience and delivers results.

7 Spring Cleaning Tips for Your PR Strategy

Posted on by
Reply

For many of us springtime is a call to begin spring cleaning. But it’s not just our homes that could use a good scrubbing and organizing — it’s also the perfect time for brands to give their public relations strategy a thorough refresh. Revamping your PR tactics can breathe new life into your brand’s image, boost your overall visibility in the market and provide a clean slate to begin again better.

To do so, consider these seven essential PR spring cleaning tips:

  1. Dust off your messaging: Clearing away dust bunnies from neglected corners in the home is as important as sweeping away outdated or inconsistent messaging from your PR materials. Review your press releases, boilerplates, website content and social media profiles to ensure they reflect your current brand identity and messaging. Consistency is key. Make sure your messaging is clear, cohesive and aligned with your brand values.
  2. Declutter your media lists: Like sorting through cluttered closets, take the time to clean up your media lists. Remove outdated contacts that no longer fit and categorize your list by relevant beats or interests. This ensures you’re targeting the right journalists and publications with your pitches, which increases the likelihood of securing valuable media coverage.
  3. Polish your relationships: It’s important to cultivate strong connections with journalists and influencers in your industry to keep the shine on your brand for others to see. Reach out to key media contacts to ask what they are looking for, offer valuable insights or simply update them on industry topics and trends your subject matter experts can speak to. Doing so keeps you and your organization on the radar of important journalists while also letting them know they have potential sources for topics of interest to them. Polishing these relationships means more opportunities down the line.
  4. Freshen your content: It’s amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do to change the look and feel of any room in your home. Similarly, spring is the perfect time to consider how to give your PR content a makeover to breathe new life into its value and impact. Consider creating visually appealing infographics, engaging but brief videos or interactive webinars to capture the attention of your target audience. Diversifying your strategy can help you stand out in a crowded digital landscape.
  5. Organize your editorial calendar: A well-organized editorial calendar, like an organized pantry or closet, means you will not only be able to put your hands on what you need and plan for what you don’t yet have, it ensures you can remove items that lack priority in your PR efforts. Map out upcoming events for the next three to six months as well as product launches and any industry milestones to ensure timely and relevant opportunities for news coverage. Having a structured plan in place can help you stay focused and maximize your PR efforts throughout the year.
  6. Scrub your online presence: Spring cleaning is largely about removing dirt, grime and unnecessary clutter in the home. For organizations, this is an opportunity to clean up your brand’s online presence. Audit your social media profiles, review your website and any online directories that describe your organization to ensure they accurately reflect your current brand image. Respond promptly to online reviews and address any negative feedback with professionalism and transparency.
  7. Plant seeds for growth: Finally, like planting seeds in your garden, invest in long term growth opportunities for your brand’s PR strategy. Look for ways to position your organization as a thought leader in your industry through speaking engagements, guest blogging, meet-and-greets with reporters at conferences or participation in industry events and panel discussions. Planting these seeds of expertise can help you cultivate a strong reputation and attract new opportunities for media coverage and broader brand exposure.

Incorporating these spring cleaning-inspired tips into your PR strategy will help ensure your brand remains fresh, relevant and impactful in the eyes of your target audiences and the media. Just as a clean and organized your home brings a sense of renewal, a well-maintained and refreshed PR strategy can provide renewed energy and purpose to that strategy, creating further opportunities for success.

Communications that Matter: Raising Awareness around Distracted Driving During #DDAM

Posted on by
Reply

April marks Distracted Driving Awareness Month, which has been a top priority for those working with fleets or auto insurance for the past few decades, and for good reason. In fact, in 2022 alone, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 3,308 deaths from distracted driving. While awareness is rising, continued communications and solid messaging will be key in continuing to curb distracted driving.

As a leading voice to both commercial and personal auto policyholders, insurers play a valuable role in promoting safe driving practices and keeping our roadways safe. Reducing the number of incidents, injuries and fatalities remains the primary mission of many insurers who are combating this issue. There is also a business case to be made for reducing the number of potential claims an insurer may face by encouraging safe driving habits. Many insurers have made an impact with creative campaigns that not only get attention but drive change.

Examining Successful Distracted Driving Awareness Efforts

A campaign should account for various factors including the type of audience and what materials will be most successful in reaching that audience. Below are a few successful campaigns to consider as a guide:

  • Tapping into Emotion: The Travelers Institute has targeted and addressed distracted driving since 2017 through their Every Second Matters® campaign.

What sets Travelers’ campaign apart is their tailored messaging. A successful campaign needs to reach many audiences. This campaign has detailed resources and data that showcase the types of distractions drivers may encounter, how these distractions can manifest into unsafe driving behaviors and what an accident could cost.

A good campaign is designed to connect with a range of audiences. A new generation is getting behind the wheel, and insurers need to reach them as well. Every Second Matters targets young drivers through an awareness campaign acknowledging the victims of distracted driving. This campaign looks at the unfinished stories of distracted driving victims. Emotionally appealing to the next generation may be a more successful tactic for reaching this audience than a data-based approach.

Annually, Nationwide conducts a survey observing driver behaviors and identifying concerning trends. The findings from this survey are then aggregated in a press release which Nationwide distributes over the newswire and promotes over social media. Data from their latest survey was just released and showcases how distracted driving continues to persist as a major threat.

These insurers have found success with their distracted driving messaging because they developed detailed and informative materials that reached and addressed a wide range of audiences. In addition to considering the audience, a powerful campaign will provide a wide range of resources and tools, such as data, examples and case studies and more.

The Elements of a Good Campaign

What are the key elements of a strong campaign to raise public awareness? Implementing the right tactical approach is essential. A press release distributed the right way is an effective method to get the word out that your business is running a campaign, so people know where to look for resources. Both digital and physical articles and brochures are ideal materials to start with. Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Company (PLM), for example, offers an entire section of their website dedicated to downloadable auto safety materials, including distracted driving.

Other tactics vary based on the campaign. In some cases, an advertising campaign may be a good tactic to reach the widest range of people. The Ad Council has seen success with this type of work on distracted driving in recent years, as their advertisements have showcased the dangers and cost of distracted driving. An op-ed piece can be a great tool for expressing concerns about a public safety issue more freely and with as much detail as needed. When dealing with a timelier issue, newsjacking and keeping an eye on breaking news stories can be an effective tactic as well. 

Business owners, insurers in this case, have the power to guide change on major public safety issues like distracted driving but need the right tools to do so. A well-planned campaign with the right tactics to address the general public is key. Taking the time to consider your audience and what types of messaging you include can be the key to a good public safety campaign.

Understanding the Medium: Tips for Navigating the Changes to Social Media

Posted on by
Reply

No matter where you turn, social media issues are in the headlines.

Just recently, former President Trump’s Truth Social platform had its IPO, legislation to ban TikTok in the United States has stalled in the Senate, and the Supreme Court has expressed concerns related to free speech and state-level social media legislation. On the consumer side, according to TechCrunch, in 2022, TikTok’s monthly active users grew an average of 12% year-over-year per quarter, but this figure fell to 3% year-over-year per quarter in 2023.” Setting aside the politics and social concerns related to these headlines, the social media landscape is actively changing, and businesses will need to reassess how they utilize social media.

Understanding how the social media landscape is changing will require individual users and businesses alike to acknowledge the changes already been made. We are well past the days of Facebook’s monopoly on the social media market, and even traditional influencer relationships have changed with the growth of platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts. Now, businesses and users are seeing signs that these platforms are under attack, and some are asking if they will go the same route as Vine in 2017, when it was bought by Twitter (now X), and essentially shut down. Looking to the future, there are a few things that social media users of all levels should keep in mind.

Short-form content will remain dominant

While platforms are changing, the content has followed a similar trend — users want short, easy-to-digest content they can share and react to in a streamlined way. This means that even if TikTok is banned in the U.S., or bought by a different owner, other contenders will jump into the vacuum left in TikTok’s wake. Channels like Instagram and X continue to invest in video content, and that content will continue to be short as each brand’s content feeds continue to compete for attention.

Strategy is a must have

When choosing what platform to use, it’s important to consider how consumers interact with it, and how those audiences will then share and consume future content. Is a user looking to reach local business owners or C-level executives? For the former, community platforms like Facebook may still have a place in strategy, while the latter is more likely to capture engagement on LinkedIn. Understanding audiences and their media consumption habits will help users create a sustainable, long-term plan for engagement that makes a difference, despite ongoing changes or regulatory considerations. Reference the Twitter/X evolution as an example of how not thinking through these strategies can impact your long-term social media plans.

Names fade, but content remains king

Like many businesses, the names and identities of those at the top of the industry can change quickly. Facebook knocked Myspace off its throne at the onset of modern social media, and X has taken leaps away from the identity and goals it had as Twitter. While the names on the door may change, the user’s need to engage with relevant content remains constant. Now, as new platforms rise and identities change again, users are looking for the next big thing. While we don’t know what social media’s next big players might be, we can be sure there will be an emphasis on content that can be easily consumed, shared and analyzed.

As the role of social media in shaping politics and opinions has rapidly grown, businesses and individual users should pay attention to how the platforms are changing and being regulated. While it is impossible to predict every change that may come to a platform, social media users can be prepared by having a strategy and recognizing the kinds of quality content that remain popular on a given platform. By developing and sharing good content, users will remain at the top of social media home pages, regardless any changes to the platforms.

Have Work, Will Travel: Images of Work from Away

Posted on by
Reply

Earlier this month, we shared a blog about remote work and travel. Here, PR Manager Hari Rajagopalan shares some photos of some of the interesting food and sights he saw while working in India this year.

A stuffed, pesto marinated paneer steak with onions and spices on a bed of roasted potatoes and arrabbiata sauce.

A view of a restaurant center in Bengaluru, India.

An Indian take on a deep-dish pizza with veggies and a burrata bomb on top.

A view of nearby buildings and nature in Bengaluru, India.

A quattro formaggi pizza with an Indian twist, with a range of spices included.

In a World of Viral Videos, Employers Need a Plan for Hiring and Firing

Posted on by
Reply

We live in a TikTok world with countless Americans (me included) drawn to dramatic online videos of real-life joy and sorrow. How many of us have turned to our phones to watch one brief-but-compelling video, only to find 10 minutes or more have passed as we watch video after video? And those videos filled with relatable, emotional moments, are often the most compelling.

In 2018, Melanie Sanchez was recorded at her college graduation taking a cell phone call from an employer offering her a job. The video went viral, and we all shared in Melanie’s joy. One of my favorites was from about 10 years ago. Marina Shifrin posted an interpretive dance resignation video for her employer. It was fun, with a bit of dark humor, and showcased her creativity in the process. The video went viral. Marina hit the talk-show circuit and even landed a book deal.

Of course, there are also heartbreaking videos. Brittany Pietsch made headlines a few months ago when she recorded her Cloudflare layoff-via-video, showing us the dark underbelly of not only remote work but also how poorly some employers plan these challenging discussions. There are too many examples like Brittany’s, and not enough of those like Melanie.

For employers, however, there are lessons to be learned as we continue to break new ground in a world of hybrid and remote workers. The biggest lesson from a communications perspective is to be human and humane in these discussions of hiring and firing.

When Hiring

  1. Check the Tech: Before you dive into the conversation, make sure the technology platform you’re using works for all parties. Shaky or delayed connections create misunderstandings and frustration. Don’t proceed if the tech fails or is of such poor quality that the messaging you wish to convey is at risk. This step applies to both the hiring and the firing process.
  2. Be in the Moment: Video meetings are part of the new normal of workplace cultures. Treat them like in-person meetings. Greet the candidate and be warm and conversational. Work to maintain a high level of eye-contact by looking at the camera when speaking and listening.
  3. Set Expectations and Don’t Let Suspense Linger: Be transparent about your process upfront. Outline the steps in that process and your approximate timeline clearly. And if you are calling to offer the position to the candidate, be upfront rather than leaving them waiting to know if they have been selected. No one needs to be on pins and needles across an entire conversation waiting for the big reveal at the end.
  4. Record with Consent: If you plan to record the interview to share with colleagues or even for your own internal review, ask for the candidate’s consent first. Show respect for their privacy. And remember, in some states and jurisdictions, it is illegal to record someone without their consent. Parties who break these laws can face serious legal consequences.

When Firing

  1. Privacy First: In addition to checking the tech as noted above, privacy is critical. This is a devastating moment for the employee being released from your employ. Both you and the employee should be in a private setting.
  2. Be Empathetic: Job loss ranks alongside death and divorce as a major life stressor. Demonstrate kindness and empathy as best possible. Acknowledge the hurt and distress of the moment.
  3. Be Direct: Clearly communicate the decision to end the person’s employment without mincing words. However, be kind in the process. Avoid jargon or corporate speak; simply act like a human and treat the person with respect.
  4. Provide Resources: Your human resource representative should join the employee’s manager or supervisor on the call. The manager or supervisor – someone who knows the employee and his or her work product – is there to discuss the decision and provide feedback, while the HR rep should explain any severance package, unemployment benefits, health insurance options (if applicable) and any other services the organization plans to offer following separation. At all times, the employer should be respectful and be sure to truly hear the employee while still keeping the call focused and brief.

As employers continue to hire digital natives, the likelihood of a business matter like hiring or firing becoming click-bait for the rest of us rises exponentially. Millennials and GenZ are the first truly digital generations whose lives online are rarely separate from their offline experiences. So, employers would serve themselves well to consider those hiring phone or Zoom calls or the difficult layoff discussions via Teams or speakerphone might take on lives of their own online. These discussions could put your organization’s reputation on the line and even threaten your bottom line.

Remember, these discussions have the potential to become tomorrow’s headlines. Plan accordingly.

Luck or Skill? The Art of Landing a Quality Media Placement

Posted on by
Reply

As we revel in the “Luck of the Irish” this St. Patrick’s Day, we thought we would look at how to get lucky with public relations.

Contrary to some thinking, luck has little to do with landing a good media placement. In fact, a reporter’s connections with journalists is barely a factor. While relationships can be part of getting the right journalist connected with that pot-of-gold placement, its only one of the many components that go into a successful PR campaign. 

Unlike that pesky little leprechaun of General Mill’s fame, we’re willing to share the lucky charms we employ to land a good PR placement.

A Recipe for Success

The first step toward a public relations win is twofold: Identifying your key messages and understanding your target audience.

If your key messages double as marketing or sales copy, your luck has run out right from the start. In this world of smaller newsrooms and overworked journalists, language that even hints at self-promoting messaging will be ignored almost immediately. Today’s media climate requires brands to build authentic messaging that informs, educates or solves a significant problem of the outlet’s audiences.

Every company has a product or service to sell. Every nonprofit or charitable organization has a mission to promote. The question is, what does the target audience need? In most cases, it isn’t a sales pitch or information about a product or service that will save them time, money or convenience. Rather, messaging needs to work backward from the audience’s need, educating them on the situation and options, and positioning the brand or nonprofit as a reliable resource. Once you understand your target audiences, you can refine your message to attract the interests of journalists courting those audiences.

Another important component where most brands and organizations come up short is credibility. Public relations is not marketing if only because it is not — and should not be — about sales of products or services. Confusing the two is about as unlucky a step as one can take in business.

We hear from companies all the time that want to issue press releases about a fundraiser or new product or service. If these companies have done the work of building credibility, there are opportunities to be had. That hard work includes making executives available for commentary on industry trends and issues. It includes demonstrating industry knowledge and insight on matters that have nothing to do with the brand or organization’s products or services.

Credibility is built on being responsive and helpful to journalists who reach out seeking quotes, background and general information. This means fostering and maintaining a relationship with the outlets that matter most. Absent these things, a press release from an organization that is not engaged with the outlets and journalists covering that sector of the economy are of little interest to those media professionals. This is the number one reason why one-offs or project work often proves to be difficult.

You can’t buy your way into the Wall Street Journal’s news coverage. However, you can pay for a comprehensive public relations campaign that positions you as a thought leader in your space by showcasing your insights, commentary on industry trends, sharing of best practices and reacting to news of the day. This requires a steady stream of diverse content — owned and earned — across multiple channels to establish credibility and raise your profile as a go-to source for media covering your space. Consistent messaging and a consistent industry presence demonstrate credibility and brand commitment.

Additional Tactics for Good Luck

  • Thought leadership, the sharing of innovative ideas, insights and opinions — in the form of contributed content, owned content or in-depth media interviews — not only build relationships with media, but they demonstrate that vital credibility media needs to validate you as a source. Contributing to the discourse of your industry or field in this way often results in third-party endorsement by media (because they publish you as a reliable source) that provides reputational fuel, and a bit of luck, for your brand.
  • Newsjacking provides time-sensitive opportunities to help journalists understand or contextualize breaking news or emerging trends, often in the wake of actions taken by others. This type of media engagement helps determine the next phase of the story and, when done correctly, positions your organization as a trusted source.
  • Social Media has ebbed and flowed in terms of influence, and some channels are better suited than others to reach certain audiences or carry certain types of messaging. For business professionals and B2B industries, we continue to find value in LinkedIn. Between LinkedIn’s newsletters, live events, self-published articles and regular engagement by and with executives, LinkedIn consistently proves to be a powerful tool to reach key target audiences as well as media professionals searching for and vetting industry sources. Social media continues to be the investment some organizations are reluctant to make but would be lucky to have supporting their mission.

A Lucky Match

Finally, finding the right public relations agency for your business is less about luck than it is judgement. In fact, here’s a little secret: most PR agencies do most of the same things, with the same tools and connect with the same journalists. While many will point to a raft of key differentiators, from our perspective it comes down to one big one: matching personalities.

Public relations is, after all, a relationship-building business. While many of us trained the same way, have similar experiences and employ a range of not-too-dissimilar tactics to achieve our own lucky placements, it comes down to asking with whom you would prefer to work. Do personalities align or clash? Do you truly achieve a meeting of minds in that first meeting or is the pitch for the work simply pandering to your ego? Do you want to be surrounded by those who simply agree with you to please you, or do you want the expertise and insight you will pay for to be offered constructively, candidly and all to serve your best reputational interests? If things go wrong, is the PR pro or team you are considering the same individual or team you want standing by your side to fix it? Has the PR team pitching you on their abilities earned your respect and proven their value?

We advise prospective clients to understand all PR agencies offer similar approaches and resources. Some have deep industry specialties while others are generalists. What should matter in a lucky public relations partnership is the professionals doing the work, their knowledge and understanding of your industry, their track record, their ability to write well, their creativity, trustworthiness and their respect for your organization and its reputation.

Maybe there is a little luck in finding the right PR partnership, but the work itself has nothing to do with luck. It’s about tenacity, credibility, creativity and knowledge. If you find that in your public relations strategy as well as your PR partner, well, that truly is a lucky combination.

Remote Work and Travel: How the Online Workplace Supports Working on the Road

Posted on by
Reply

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to work from India where much of my family currently resides. This made for a refreshing shift in day-to-day work, as on any given call, I could be speaking with someone just starting their day while managing a snowstorm outside for example, while in India, the sun would just be setting on another warm day.

While there were challenges, such as navigating the 10.5-hour time difference, the experience allowed me to continue delivering my work to clients while being able to spend quality time with family and friends whom I do not get to see often. This was all possible because of remote work.

Despite the continued return to office push from many businesses, remote work does not appear to be going anywhere anytime soon. Data from Buffer found 98% of workers want to work remotely at least some of the time. According to Upwork, by 2025 approximately 22% of the workforce will be working remotely.

This rethinking of where work happens has become a core component of the future of business because of the flexibility and convenience it offers. While there are some aspects of the in-person experience we may miss, such as the classic water cooler conversations or conference room meetings, that incredible flexibility and convenience found only in the remote work experience tends to make up the difference. In fact, the same study from Buffer determined that remote workers have found it easier to accomplish more focused work, manage stress and avoid common workplace distractions.

At Kimball Hughes Public Relations, we were already set up to work remotely as needed before the pandemic. In our business, you have to be able to work from anywhere, be it the back of a hotel ballroom or your kitchen table. So, when businesses shut down in early 2020, we were prepared. Staying a fully remote company has given our team several opportunities to further develop our professional careers while also pursuing personal endeavors. For me, the best part of a fully remote workplace has been the ability to travel and work concurrently.

Working on the Road

Since our agency transitioned to a virtual environment, I have had the opportunity to work while traveling through different states, countries, time zones and even continents. My laptop joined me while visiting destinations near and far from my homebase in Philadelphia to North Carolina, Massachusetts, Illinois, Florida, California, Mexico, France and India. The flexibility of the remote workplace allowed me to bring my job on the road, working with journalists and leading client Zoom meetings all while experiencing new geographies and cultures and visiting family and friends.

The ability to combine work and travel makes for a more interesting, diverse work-life balance and has served to elevate my engagement with my work. That said, working from the road does require some adjustments. Below are some best practices I recommend considering before attempting to combine business and leisure travel:

  • Plan Ahead: Several weeks before any travel, compile a list of upcoming and ongoing work projects. Share this list with team members and continue updating the list until the date of departure. Similarly, make sure to keep other team members copied on all client communications. Team members should also be looped in on any client meetings so they can assist in case of any issues. This way, in the event of any technical difficulties, coworkers can jump in and cover as needed.
  • Consider Time Zones: Time differences can be difficult to manage. Whether it’s a three-hour time difference working from California or 10.5 hours from the family living room in India compared to the location of work colleagues or clients, proper time planning is key to ensuring you don’t miss meetings, deadlines or experience burnout from working different hours. Work with your supervisor ahead of time to develop a schedule that will enable you to enjoy your travels while contributing to your team and completing your work.
  • Manage Your Time: Managing a longer time difference can be difficult, as your work hours may bleed into the evening, complicating sleep and the time you may like to spend with family, friends or exploring. Proactively building out a schedule can be very helpful. Ahead of my trip to India, I planned out times where I would step away from the computer to go out to dinner, spend time with family, or even just go for a long walk, and communicated these plans with my team. On days where I was particularly exhausted, I also reached out to team members to see if they could cover me on certain projects while I took a quick rest. Open communication and proactive planning can make it much easier to enjoy travel while working.
  • Have the Right Technology: Traveling internationally can create additional challenges to consider. Ensure you have the right technology and adaptors on hand to continue work. This could include purchasing international data or a local SIM card or reaching out to your contacts at your destinations to confirm they have adequate internet for regular video calls, and more.

The flexibility remote work provides can be invaluable. We can travel, extend trips, and no longer have to choose between asking for time off for a beach trip with friends or a visit to see family. With proper planning, remote work can introduce travel opportunities that can lead not only to an improved work-life balance, but renewed interest in the work you do.

Read the Room: Preparing for your next speaking engagement

Posted on by
Reply

Sweaty palms and a microphone in hand, you are called to the stage for your presentation in front of hundreds of your colleagues. You wrote your speech word for word and studied it diligently but as your nervousness grows, those words you meticulously studied begin to vanish. Panic. Anxiety. Is there more you could have done? As in all things, preparation is key.

Power in preparation

A successful speaking engagement is rooted in the right kind of preparation. While writing a speech is an important part of the process, simply putting words on paper could leave a public speaker high and dry on stage. The reality is a memorized speech is full of recollection and verbal landmines, stumbling and missed content. When preparing for your next speaking engagement, consider the following:

  • Focus on key messages: Rather than memorizing a speech, consider the key messages or the main points the speech conveys. Talking points serve as a speaker’s safety net and help pull them back to their main points when stumbling occurs or they veer off on a tangent. Key messages should include the main idea of the speech, how it relates to the speaker and their organization, as well as the audience and high-level content points.
  • Follow a formula: Be sure to make your point, provide reasoning or statistics that support your point and consider offering an example to help the audience visualize what you are saying. Telling a story is often easier for a speaker to recall compared to memorizing theories, data or intellectual arguments. Finally, be sure to drive the point home again at the conclusion of your remarks.
  • Practice makes perfect: Reading your speech ahead of time can be helpful, but nothing compares to giving the speech on camera or in front of colleagues, friends or family. Avoid speaking in front of the mirror as it only serves to distract. Speaking before a friendly audience helps with both familiarity with the topic as well as speed of delivery, your body language, your intonation, articulation and more. Play the recording back afterward to self-evaluate and ask for honest feedback and direction from those who are invested in you making a great impression up on the big stage.
  • Engage with your audience: Audience engagementis crucial to a speaker’s success, but it rarely ever just happens. Speakers must prepare for what some call crowd work; engaging the audience as part of their presentation and considering potential outcomes. In addition to the fact that audiences do not want to sit through a lecture, engaging with the audience can help them remember your key points. Storytelling, adding a little humor, polling the audience or low-pressure activities can be great ways to garner audience attention and prime them to listen attentively.
  • Have a backup plan: When all else fails, speakers should be prepared with a backup plan. Comedian Jo Koy saw firsthand what happens when you do not have a plan at the 2024 Golden Globes when his monologue fell flat. His jokes about Barbie and Taylor Swift left him in hot water and his only fallback was to blame the writers. While the Golden Globes is a much larger stage than your average business conference, all speakers should be prepared to pivot. Consider how an audience could respond to all aspects of your speech and have a plan to pivot to a safer topic should you lose the audience.

Public speaking is among the most common societal phobias, but it can be overcome in many cases, with effective practice and preparation. Comprehensive preparation can instill the confidence a speaker needs to be successful on stage. Speakers are selected for the insights they offer. Come prepared for the stage with key messages and a solid plan of action to make sure your messages are conveyed in way that engages the audience and leaves them wanting to learn more.