Kimball Hughes Public Relations 12 Days of Public Relations

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Thank you for following along with Kimball Hughes Public Relation’s 12 Days of PR. We hope you have found value from our thinking on how and why public relations can help for- and non-profit organizations. Please enjoy and feel free to use all 12 insights throughout the year. Have a safe and happy holiday season!

On the 1st day of our engagement, my new client gave to me…

A request to raise awareness around their brand. Public relations empowers clients to share compelling stories in ways that build their credibility, while transforming them into go-to resources for their specialties. It starts with a comprehensive media plan. After gaining an understanding of their goals, target audiences and key messages, we craft a thoughtful plan chock-full of tactics – that get results – leveraging media relations, thought leadership, speaking opportunities and more. 

On the 2nd day of our engagement, my new client gave to me…

A one-off press release.  A stand-alone press release will do little to amplify your brand and is usually not worth the investment of time or money. Rather, press releases should be one component of a comprehensive, ongoing media strategy designed to showcase your company’s expertise. A thorough media plan that incorporates newsworthy and thoughtful press release distribution, consistent with your company’s key messages, will help you to propel your brand and position your company for success. 

On the 3rd day of our engagement, my new client gave to me…

A call for more control over their messaging. These days, smart PR incorporates both earned and owned media. In addition to traditional media interviews where a client cannot totally control what ends up on the page, owned media, which leverages blogs, social media, white papers, sponsored content and more, allows clients to share their messages with editorial control. We work with our clients to determine the best approach for them, often incorporating a mix of both mediums for optimal exposure.

On the 4th day of our engagement, my new client gave to me…

A crisis involving negative online reviews. Negative online reviews can quickly escalate dealing a major blow to a business – if not properly addressed. We start with an assessment of the facts. We determine if a response is warranted, and if so what type. We also confirm the review adheres to the host site’s review policies. If appropriate, we’ll quickly draft a tactful response to deter further discord or advise clients how to petition for the review’s removal ­– helping them keep their reputations intact.

On the 5th day of our engagement, my new client gave to me…

A CEO who had never spoken to the media. Getting in front of the camera or interviewing with a reporter can be challenging. Proper preparation is key, incorporating these three rules: Don’t lie, don’t guess and don’t assume. Liars get caught, guessers make mistakes, and those who assume get caught off guard. We work with our clients to provide interactive media training, including live interview scenarios conducted by our team former journalists, to ensure your spokesperson is interview-ready. 

On the 6th day of our engagement, my new client gave to me…

A question on how we measure PR. When investing in PR, a common question is – how do you measure success? First we establish clear, obtainable goals that will drive PR efforts and work to achieve them. We measure for unique monthly visitors to the host site, share of voice, tone, reach and more. One of our favorite ways to measure PR success, however, is through the client’s new business wins after the prospect has read about them in earned media we coordinated.

On the 7th day of our engagement, my new client gave to me…

A request to grab headlines like their competitors. When prospects express frustration with their competitors dominating news headlines, we conduct a competitive media analysis to benchmark coverage and develop a roadmap to success. That success requires a campaign with consistent thoughtful outreach. We tailor our campaigns to best position our clients as reliable, informed and go-to media sources focused on issues, not self-promotion. This approach has yielded remarkable results for our clients, growing share of voice among their competitors by more than 70% in mere months.

On the 8th day of our engagement, my new client gave to me…

A question asking what media outlets are best for them. Choosing the right media target starts with understanding of the client’s audiences, preferences and goals. Are they looking to target C-suite executives, a geographic segment or specific community? Will they be comfortable being interviewed or do they have a wealth of expertise better suited for opinion or thought leadership contributed articles? Once we understand target audiences, the client’s style and how they define PR success, we dive into our deep database to identify the media outlets that will most effectively and efficiently reach their target audiences. 

On the 9th day of our engagement, my new client gave to me…

SMEs with valuable content to share. Thought leadership or contributed content can be invaluable, not only to establish yourself as an industry expert and go-to resource for the media, but to raise the profile of your business. We work with subject matter experts (SMEs) to determine topics in line with industry trends matching their interests and expertise. In partnership with the SME, we develop a nonpromotional article sharing genuine insight relevant to the focus of that audience – with key messaging strategically interspersed. In authoring thought leadership published by a leading industry trade, our clients have seen their SME’s profiles grow exponentially along with their brand recognition. 

On the 10th day of our engagement, my new client gave to me…

A request for coverage in a specific media outlet. Prospective clients often ask if we can get them in the Wall Street Journal. This can be possible with an ongoing, concerted effort along with the right story to tell. A successful PR program requires a sustained strategy to build credibility highlighting the client’s expertise. Media value insights that go beyond products or promotion and speak to bigger industry issues or trends. Media placements can be achieved through regular, relevant outreach, a stream of trade or regional interviews, contributed content and a thoughtful social media presence. 

On the 11th day of our engagement, my new client gave to me…

A question asking how much PR costs. Engaging with a PR firm is like buying a computer. Some are sleek; recognized name brands, others are smaller and tailored to a specific task. Just like the capabilities and pricing of a new computer may vary, so do those of PR firms. A hefty price tag or brand name doesn’t guarantee the best product or service. Look for a firm that understands your industry, specializes in your specific needs and goals and gets high marks from current and former clients alike. As in all things, you usually get what you pay for.

On the 12th day of our engagement, my new client gave to me…

Their plans to attend an upcoming industry conference. Conference attendance can be a major investment. When done right, it yields a strong return that amplifies your brand’s reputation, creates new connections and sometimes new business. We work with our clients to profit from that investment with media attention. We advise our clients on the events most likely to draw media onsite. Then, we secure introductory meetings and interviews with journalists, and work with clients to prepare them for interviews with media training, if necessary, as well as carefully crafted talking points and more. 

The Lesson of 2023: Messaging Matters More Than Ever

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From the explosive exploration and application of generative AI across society, to bank failures and financial upheaval, inflation and more, 2023 was the year that surprised no one and everyone at the same time while keeping us all wondering what might follow.

This was also a year where proper messaging, or the failure to provide proper messaging, played into the headlines at a level we hadn’t seen since the height of the pandemic.

Introducing:  AI

Across the calendar, 2023 was the year where everyone wanted to talk about technology, specifically artificial intelligence. From an ill-considered public discussion about using AI to advance diversity at Levi’s to the very public spectacle that was the firing and rehiring of Sam Altman at OpenAI — and all manner of speculation of how AI would improve nearly every business — poor messaging drove headlines and cost their brands.

In March, Levi’s announced plans to use AI-generated clothing models to allow customers to see clothes on models who looked more like them. The initiative was met with backlash for failing to include in their messaging the platforms to find the AI models or information on how to customize the models, as well as what the change would mean for human models. The company was forced to issue a follow-up statement clarifying the initiatives and explaining, among other things, that it was not meant to substitute real action on diversity, equity and inclusion at the company.

Of course, the messaging around Sam Altman’s firing and rehiring at OpenAI made our list of messaging gone wrong in 2023. First, the board of directors of OpenAI fired Altman with a public announcement claiming he was “not consistently candid in his communications with the board,” and that the board “had no confidence in his ability to exercise his responsibilities.” After Microsoft swooped in to try to pick up Altman and his colleagues, pressure from employees and investors mounted, prompting OpenAI to post on X that Altman would be returning as CEO.

It seemed not a day passed this year when the public square did not feature a discussion about the digital world. And, regardless of your technological interest or acumen, few can honestly say they were not aware of or participating in the buzz around AI.

Failing Fabulously

Meanwhile, the financial sector was rocked when a few banks formerly ranked as among the 30 largest in the US imploded despite reassurances from business and government officials. In fact, one of the failed banks committed financial suicide due largely to poor messaging. Silicon Valley Bank, in the wake of rising inflation and interest rates, issued a statement in March that made no mention of its financial strength and instead focused exclusively on losses, manifesting an old-fashioned bank run that effectively killed the institution.

Additionally, theories and speculation on inflation and a potential recession offered real-world consequences for the global economy. Notes from a March meeting of the US Federal Reserve didn’t mince the words of Fed economists, noting bank failures were likely to cause “… a mild recession later this year.” This set off a chain of events that saw Silicon Valley leaders like Google, Meta and others publicly trim headcounts while other industries took a long, wait-and-see approach to spending in 2023.

The Value of Words

In short, buzz and speculation that included the active participation of brands and businesses through their messaging not only influenced public perception, but that messaging also drove consumer decision-making.

In a world increasingly attuned and sensitive to business and industry messaging, 2023 offered a bevy of examples too numerous to mention here that reinforce the adage, words matter. One of the key takeaways from this as we look to 2024 and beyond is that minds, as well as markets, can move more dramatically than ever based on how messaging is conceived and delivered. Brands and nonprofits will do well to apply this lesson to their new year planning. And, of course, Kimball Hughes PR is always here to help craft as well as pressure-test the words and content that shape the perceptions of those audience(s) most important to your organization.

A Holiday Message from Kimball Hughes Public Relations

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This month the world will observe 11 faith-centric holidays and several more seasonal observances. For millions, every December offers a buffet of celebrations, time spent with friends and loved ones as well as moments of great delight, remembrance and, in some instances, challenge and struggle.

To our remarkable clients who greet us in partnership and invite us to apply our skills and talents to help navigate the successes and obstacles of their work, we offer our sincere appreciation. We endeavor to bring our best selves and thinking to each engagement, and we hope doing so further contributes to the qualities we believe distinguish our agency from our competitors.

Each day we are fortunate to work with remarkable professionals within the agency who all check their egos at the door and work – genuinely – as a team toward the mutual benefit of our clients, one another and the agency. Rare is the work environment where apprehension is absent, constructive collaboration is abundant and good humor and appreciation is ample and appreciated. This reality exists because each individual on our team chooses to manifest it daily.

Of course, without our families and loved ones, we would lack the emotional, mental, and frankly, the actual physical space to excel at our craft. Thank you is both an inadequate response to all you do to help make our good work viable and joyful, as well as the best and most concise articulation of how important you are to our personal and professional lives. So, thank you.

Whatever holiday you might observe, whether your December is spent in joy or somber remembrance, the team at Kimball Hughes PR wishes you peace, good will and success now, in 2024 and beyond.

KHPR Reflections: Top Moments of 2023

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It’s been an exciting and fast-moving year for the team at Kimball Hughes Public Relations, full of special personal moments, career wins and of course, challenges. As the year rapidly comes to a close, we wanted to take the time to look back and reflect on our favorite moments of 2023. What were some of yours?

Rod Hughes: Perhaps my favorite moment from 2023 – among many – was an April trip to Carmel, California. I’ve been there before, but this trip was special because I played tour guide to my partner, David, who also fell in love with Carmel. After a busy few years focused on growing the agency, this Carmel trip was a needed and welcome respite where so many great memories were made.

Eileen Coyne: In the spring of 2023, my family took the trip of a lifetime. Navigating different languages, subway systems and coffee orders, we enjoyed whirlwind tours of London and Paris, travelled through the Alps, and completed our Griswald-like adventure in Italy.

James McKinsey: After getting married at the end of last year, my wife and I took a honeymoon to Glacier National Park. Seeing the bison and experiencing the mountains were an incredible place to celebrate the beginning of our lives together.

Hari Rajagopalan: This year, I took a trip down to Cancun to wrap up the summer. A nice week at the beach, relaxing and enjoying some beautiful weather and great food was exactly what I needed to recharge.

Cassidy Taylor: My favorite memory from 2023 has quickly become my favorite memory yet. This summer, I married my best friend and partner, Matt, in front of our closest friends and family. We had a beautiful ceremony followed by a memorable celebration with lots of dancing and laughter.

Kate Glaviano: While not just one moment, the best part of 2023 was making time with my friends to travel and spend time together. After years of huge life changes and a few moves to different states, it’s been grounding to reconnect, see new places and laugh hysterically with the people who know me best. 

Liz Rubino: One of my favorite memories from 2023 was when my grandson was born right before my birthday. Seeing his brother and our family enjoying the day was the best gift ever.  

Over the River and through the Woods: Takeaways from November Travels

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November kicks off the busy holiday travel season and a month of travel it certainly was for the Kimball Hughes Public Relations team. Our colleagues visited Las Vegas, Chicago, Hollywood Beach, Fla., and more. We enjoyed spending time supporting our clients, speaking at events, attending insightful sessions, catching up with our colleagues in the media and making new connections.  

Below are a few takeaways from our November on the road.

Las Vegas

This month, Account Managers James McKinsey and Hari Rajagopalan had the opportunity to join our client at Insurtech Connect Vegas (ITC) 2023, a three-day conference dedicated to discussing the future of insurance and innovation.

One of the industry’s biggest of the year, artificial intelligence (AI) fueled much of the conference discussion. Insurtech and insurance leaders are still attempting to figure out the role of AI in the industry and whether it will truly serve as a disruptor. In fact, one of the most widespread opinions shared throughout the event was that everyone has their own definition of AI, but no one truly knows what it is. We expect AI to be a valuable supplemental tool to insurance businesses, but the industry still is not quite sure of how and where to best utilize this growing technology.

ITC Vegas 2023 also presented a great opportunity to connect with the industry trade press. Reporters from leading insurance organizations including Insurance Journal, National Underwriter, The Insurer, Risk Management, Rough Notes, Digital Insurance and The Institutes were on hand. In our conversations with the media and with various podcasters, we learned there is continued interest in hearing from sources on topics such as the future of work, innovation, AI, climate change and cyber.

Hollywood Beach, FL

Agency President Rod Hughes visited the Sunshine State to speak about crisis communications at the annual meeting of one of our franchise organization clients, as well as to lead two roundtable discussions on the power of public relations to promote new business openings.

As all entrepreneurs know, there are always war stories shared on crises large and small when gathering at these types of events that create teachable moments for others in the audience. A recurring area of concern was online reviews, their impact on the business and the various platform processes and guidelines that can work in a business owner’s favor – when used appropriately – to remove fake, slanderous or otherwise untrue reviews of a business.

Franchisees face myriad demands on their time and attention. Understanding how small things can quickly become big crises, what to look for and how to best manage an existing or potential crisis was information many of these attendees welcomed.

Chicago

This month, Eileen Coyne, agency vice president, had the opportunity to attend the Digital Insurance Women in Insurance Leadership Conference. After enjoying time with the Digital Insurance staff and meeting women leaders from across the industry, she provided two valuable takeaways from speakers related to the challenges that career and homelife present.

  • Break out of Your Comfort Zone. Joan Woodward, executive of public policy for Travelers and president of the Travelers Institute, captured the room with inspiring and amusing stories from her impressive career journey during the evening awards dinner. She encouraged the audience to embrace the unfamiliar, touching on milestones in her extraordinary career on Capitol Hill, at Goldman Sachs, Travelers and more. She urged the crowd to be bold and willing to try new things.
  • Expect and Embrace Flexibility. “I have one life and one calendar,” Kathy Krantz, vice president and chief financial officer at Pinnacol, told the women assembled for a panel on decoding leadership DNA. She said, she incorporates all of her work and parent to-dos on one calendar. She explained that many employers are more understanding now about work-life challenges. No longer should we feel a need to hide work-life challenges from the office as we struggle to navigate the multifaceted demands of life and work.

New York City

No itinerary would be complete without a stop in the Big Apple. Eileen Coyne and Hari Rajagopalan had the opportunity to join the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation at the IICF Northeast Annual Benefit Event in New York City where the nonprofit celebrated another year of giving and volunteerism – a year that saw more than $1 billion in giving industry-wide. IICF gathered leaders from across the insurance industry to celebrate the industry’s efforts, while raising funds for nonprofit grantees in the Northeast region.

It was a wonderful opportunity to cap off and toast an incredible year in charitable giving and volunteerism for the industry that fueled a fun evening of catching up with friends in the insurance media, within the industry, and introduced another chance to make new connections.

With the year nearly wrapped, the team at Kimball Hughes PR would like to express an appreciation for the re-emerging opportunities we have all enjoyed this year enabling us to get together once again in person with colleagues and industry peers. We look forward to seeing many of you on the road again in 2024!

Getting Festive: Four Ways to Celebrate the Holidays with Remote Teams

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There was a time in business when office employees would get dressed up and gather with their coworkers for the office holiday party. As we know all too well, the pandemic changed everything – including those holiday parties.  

Office holiday parties used to be a significant aspect of a company’s culture where people would bond casually and build personal relationships. Not to mention, people looked forward to the celebrations with coworkers when business dialed down for the season.

Though traditional office parties may have fallen out of favor, we have a few ideas to help you mark a successful year and a happy holiday season with your teams near and far.

Tis’ the season for holiday fun

  1. Take a virtual city tour with the team. Consider marking the holidays with your remote team by taking a virtual city or region tour where they can explore tourist sites around the world with a guide local to those places. There are third-party companies that provide immersive tour experiences such Unexpected Virtual Tours and many of these companies will have a range of options to choose from like European virtual tours, South American holiday and more. To complement the tour, management may choose to send team members a special delicacy from that region to enjoy together while watching the virtual tour. Many of these tours have a strong educational component as well – but at minimum a tour could be a welcome virtual escape for team members geographically dispersed across the country.
  2. Encourage a gift exchange: A holiday gift exchange where team members send gifts to each other anonymously is a great way to engage employees with low pressure. Participants can create a wish list to help guide their coworkers buying for them in the right direction. Alternatively, the team could decide to make it humorous where team members compete to send the “most useless gift” or gift the “ugliest sweater.” If employees are interested in making the exchange more interactive, they can gather virtually to guess who sent which gift.
  3. Host a game or contest virtually: A little friendly competition offers employees a chance to work together and learn something new about each other, or good old fashioned bragging rights. Businesses could opt to use a third-party company for a game of trivia or a virtual escape room where employees work together to solve puzzles. To go a step further, leadership could organize a virtual baking or decorating competition where the team meets virtually to bake or decorate the best cookie, baked good, etc.
  4. Get together in January: Though virtual options have come a long way, nothing replaces in-person get togethers where employees gather outside of the business setting. If feasible, business leaders can consider postponing holiday celebrations to January when travel and accommodations can be more affordable and plan a get together in a convenient location. Holding a celebration in January also disconnects the celebration from a specific holiday, making it more inclusive to the entire team.

In planning any holiday fun, it’s always important to keep inclusivity in mind.Not everyone celebrates Christmas, and it is important that all team members feel comfortable and considered in holiday celebrations. Use terms like “happy holidays” and avoid the use of Santa Claus, or other holiday specific symbols in signage, cards and so on when planning for the season.

While the holiday office party may be a thing of the past for most businesses, employees are still interested in spreading some holiday cheer and deserve to celebrate their accomplishments from the year. While lavish holiday office parties may be a thing of the past, holiday celebrations with a valued team, shouldn’t be. Cheers to a festive and fun holiday season!

Paid Content: Is It Worth It?

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My discussions around paid content, for many years, typically went something like this:

Client: Hi. Amazing Media just emailed saying they want to feature our CEO as the best business influencer of [fill in month or year]. Is this legit? I’ve never heard of this outlet. Would you check it out for us?

Me: Sure. I suspect this is a pay-for-play opportunity, and it can come with a big price tag. Also, because you’re unfamiliar with this outlet, I suspect it won’t hit the target audience most important to your company. We’ll check it out and get back to you with a recommendation.

My colleagues and I would investigate and, with varying degrees of obfuscating from the outlets at issue, we would find it was a pay-for-play opportunity and often recommend to our clients to steer clear.

Sometimes these were paid broadcast interviews with fading celebrity hosts. Often these interviews would air at 3 a.m. on Sundays on some wildly obscure television station or streaming platform no one I have ever met would admit to watching. At other times, they involved free publications (meaning no one asked for them) so broad in nature that the concept of a specific target audience was practically a joke. In some limited circumstances, these paid opportunities were with good outlets, however, they were often still slightly off-target and, therefore, not worth the investment. In my 20 years in public relations, I have seen these types of unsolicited opportunities range from $2,500 to more than $80,000 for a one-shot deal.

So, of course, for many years I scoffed at these outlets and felt a duty to protect my clients from being taken advantage of.

However, the landscape of journalism is changing and, increasingly, we see paid-content opportunities with legitimate media outlets of value to some of our clients. With shrinking newsrooms and ongoing media consolidation requiring more revenue growth, some of these opportunities are – with a limited few industry trades – becoming de rigueur.

The question, of course, is, are they worth the investment? My evolved answer is, it depends. If the audience aligns with your target audience specifically, not generally, then maybe. The costs should also not exceed 2 to 5% of your total marcom budget for the year. If it’s more, it likely isn’t worth it for a single opportunity. Finally, you want to maintain control over the content for which you are paying. Don’t accept the default writer assigned to you from the outlet. I have seen this go very badly and at great, nonrefundable cost to the clients involved. Insist on your own, vetted and knowledgeable writer and maintain final veto authority on the content and the art that might accompany it.

Paid content, in this dynamic information age, is no longer something to be immediately scoffed at or ignored. Increasingly, this type of content should be built into your marcomm strategy, but carefully.

The Stories We Tell About Insurance Must Change

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For years our agency founder, Gary Kimball, talked about how the insurance industry has an image problem. I continue to share that sentiment.

It’s akin to a plane crash. This time of year, millions of us climb into aluminum/composite tubes to be flung hundreds of miles per hour at 30,000 feet or more to visit family and friends. We do this, mostly, with confidence and not much concern about the airline industry until we learn of an incident of some kind. Suddenly, some are afraid to fly … because of one incident.

Whether it is capacity issues, carriers leaving certain states or regions, rising premiums, the talent crisis or denial of claims, these seemingly jolting situations are a mere fraction of the total contribution of one of the few industries that, without exaggeration, not only helps us in a time of need, but underpins every foundation of our society.

So, what is the solution?

Insurance leaders need to lean into what the industry, and individual companies, enable in the world. The messaging going forward needs to focus less on balance sheets, premium, products and capacity. Instead, a long-term image campaign is required. To do this successfully, a full-throated and relentless discourse is needed on the successes and enablement insurance provides across our society, in things large and small.

  • Businesses can expand – and create jobs – because they have insurance to protect them in the event of an “incident,” whatever that might mean to the business.
  • Technologies can be explored, developed and deployed because insurance exists to protect organizations and entrepreneurs from misapplications or hardware failures.
  • Each of us can invite friends and family to our homes, regardless of season, weather and other conditions, with the reassurance that if a guest trips or gets hurt, there is insurance to protect them and us from financial devastation.
  • Holiday gifts, as well as mission-critical medical equipment, can be shipped around the world without fear of loss or damage because these items are insured.
  • Life-saving treatments can be developed because the scientists and doctors doing the work are covered in case something goes wrong, ensuring the entire enterprise isn’t lost to the detriment of those who depend on these treatments.
  • Volunteers can support charitable events and serve on the boards of nonprofits doing social good because insurance shields them from junk lawsuits or legitimate, but not malicious, errors in action or judgement.
  • You can buy your $1,000 smartphone and rest assured two days later when you drop it that you have insurance to cover the repair or replacement without breaking the bank.
  • And those aluminum/composite tubes can help us get home to our families for the holidays because insurance protects them from complete disaster in even the most minor of errors, delays or missteps.

These and other messages are what consumers, potential industry recruits, business executives, homeowners, nonprofit leaders and others need to hear. In this moment, as we brace for a new year and all the challenges that come with it, we need to change the industry’s approach to its perpetual image problem.

I have spent a career reporting on, adjacent to and supporting the insurance industry. I am a convert. Despite the occasional bad press, there is so much the industry does that makes the world go round. We simply need to tell those stories, often, and starting now.

Attracting the Leaf Peepers: Tapping into PR to Leverage a Seasonal Rush

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In today’s modern world driven by the 24-hour news cycle, social media buzz and influencers, organizations are constantly seeking ways to stand out and attract their target audiences. One powerful tool at their disposal is public relations (PR). However, PR is not just about creating buzz; it’s about utilizing an organization’s existing assets to build a stronger connection with its audiences and playing to your busy season.

This fall, we’ll look at fall foliage capital New England, its tourism bureaus, businesses and nonprofits. New England, with its historical sites and natural beauty, has learned to take advantage of its “it” season, autumn, to attract visitors and boost the region’s economy.

Leaves and Legacy

Renowned for its picturesque autumn foliage, New England attracts tourists and outdoor enthusiasts from around the world, aptly dubbed “leaf peepers,” by locals. Tourists chase the vibrant views up the coastline, swarming the northern states of Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Maine for a chance to snap a picture of the seasons changing. As they flood the northern states, opportunity awaits local businesses and nonprofits as they vie for the attention of paying customers to shop at local boutiques, stay in local hotels and dine in the region’s countless restaurants.

Some sites, such as Plymouth Rock, the Mark Twain House, the Paul Revere House and more draw millions of visitors year-round. Massachusetts and New England tourism groups leverage this reality each year to entice visitors to the area. For instance, one organization, Historic New England, is utilizing tourists’ interest in history to expand their profile. Through local news stories, the group is promoting its growing collection of some 125,000 historical objects in a sprawling cultural center around its headquarters in Haverhill, Massachusetts in the hopes that visitors will take advantage of the opportunity to see so much history in one spot.

Historic New England is not the only group utilizing PR and interest from tourists to boost their profile. Salem, Massachusetts, perhaps best known for its 1692 witch trials, is known to draw upwards of 1 million visitors each October. The town does not miss out on the opportunity to boast about their offerings. Every October, town leaders and their communications teams work to ensure they are included on lists featuring top spots to visit while leaf peeping in New England

Whether year round or seasonal, the historical destinations of New England have leaned into their natural appeal and the power of communications to make the most of their “most wonderful time of the year.”

Raking in the Customers

For those looking to leverage communication to make the most of their selling season, a good public relations strategy can complement promotional efforts to elevate your brand before this captive audience. Consider these tips:

  • Step up your social media efforts: A robust social media presence is critical to amplify your message during your “it” season. Business owners should ensure social channels are prominently promoted and accessible through their websites as well. By leaning into the inherent assets of the organization – a colorful personality in leadership, convenient or scenic location, practical benefits of their products or services – organizations can create a genuine connection with followers and build a reliable customer base beyond what existed before.
  • Get to know local media: Reaching out to local media when there is news that is of interest to the public is always a smart move. Businesses and non-profits must be careful, however, to avoid blatant self-promotional outreach to journalists. Offering sales or other obviously self-promoting information to the news media can have the opposite intended effect, damaging the organization’s reputation in the media and potentially black-listing it from future coverage.
  • Think outside of the box: Consider expanding your audience while the time is right. For example, while New England business’ primary consumers this fall may be folks on leisure excursions, tourism hot spots and hotels may want to consider reaching out to business and meeting publications to share the message of New England as a corporate travel destination if appropriate. Also, while traditional PR can be a powerful tool in cultivating an unbiased image of your destination or business, marketing promotions and sponsored content can complement those efforts helping business owners to capture an even larger audience.

In a world where organizations vie for attention and consumer loyalty, New England’s approach to soaking up the fall season serves as a powerful example. Know your organization’s time to shine and be ready to make the most of it with the right communication tools.

Trick or Treat: Recent Brand Wins and Fails

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In the spirit of the Halloween season, we thought we would take a look at some tricks and treats in corporate communication efforts from the past several months that have made headlines. From widespread crises to clever spooky-time initiatives, brands and organizations around the world are experiencing tricks and treats impacting their brand.

Getting Tricky

Shein,a Chinese clothing company known for fast fashion, made headlines recently when they invited a group of influencers for an inside look at their factories. This trip came after several journalistic investigations last year revealed unsavory business practices including violations of labor laws and an environmentally unsustainable business model. The idea behind the trip was to have a positive image of the company presented by trusted influencers.

Unfortunately for Shein, this attempt to reclaim their brand image was not well received by the public since influencers only toured and commented on the company’s innovation center rather than multiple locations. Some accused influencers of taking part in a “propaganda stunt” as they shared reports with followers of clean factories and happy workers. After the backlash, some influencers ended their relationships with the company.

Shein’s experience is a key lesson in transparency and influencer marketing. While influencers are trusted by the public, they are not a surefire marketing tool and can present new risk exposure. A better approach from a communication perspective would have been for Shein to have a more honest and open conversation with the influencers, talk about prior news reports of poor conditions, point out discrepancies and note changes that were made to improve the work environment for employees.

In other news, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently pushed for a recall of about 52 million vehicles made with parts by a supplier, ARC Automotive, due to defective air bag inflators. General Motors (GM) manufactured approximately 20 million of those vehicles and recalled nearly one million in May for the same reason. The potential recall comes just two weeks after members of the United Auto Workers began to strike. GM made a statement in response to the NHTSA saying, they “believe the evidence and data presented by NHTSA at this time does not provide a basis for any recall,” per CNBC. “If GM concludes at any time that any unrecalled ARC inflators are unsafe, the company will take appropriate action in cooperation with NHTSA.”

GM has an obligation in the scenario to communicate a message regarding public safety. While vehicle manufacturers have come a long way in terms of safety standards over the last several decades, and the court of public opinion requires they tread carefully. Although GM’s concerns with the data presented could be valid, they could be seen as failing to prioritize customer safety. A good communicator will always encourage leadership to message with a sense of humanity, considering all sides of a situation and would have encouraged any messaging to include customer safety at the top.

Time for a Treat

It can be hard to gauge just how much candy to buy in preparation for trick or treaters.This year, Mars, the manufacturer of M&M’s, teamed up with delivery service GoPuff to create the M&M’s Halloween Rescue Squad. On Halloween after 3 p.m. ET, consumers can visit the M&M’s website to order free M&M’s in all locations GoPuff serves.

As one of the most popular candies in the U.S., M&M’s is taking a smart step to reinforce a positive brand image. Earlier this year, M&M’s was caught up in public controversy when they made changes to their “spokes candies” to remove gender norms from the characters. The controversy was thought to ignite a culture war that garnered the attention of national news outlets, political commentators and more. Less than a year later, the Halloween Rescue Squad is a way for media and the public to engage with M&M’s in a more positive, timely way.

Good communications can be a treat – or win – for your company, elevating your brand and bringing new customers to your door. But beware the trick of an ill-considered communications strategy. Partner with a public relations team who understands your business, your needs and can see the big picture.