The Importance of Avoiding Social Blunders

The Importance of Avoiding Social Blunders

As a Chicago FranchisePublic Relations Agency, we understand that social media can be a double-edged sword.  In a matter of second, your 140-character tween could have your brand ‘trending’ for better or worse. Since the beginning of social media, several companies have fallen victim to the all too familiar rogue tweets and communication blunders.  This often times happens by accident because company or organization social media accounts are linked to personal accounts and the administrator forgets to switch usernames before posting.

For example, Cynthia Soledad, the head of KitchenAid, made a large Twitter error after the presidential election in November 2012.  She tweeted her negative thoughts towards the election referencing President Obama’s deceased grandmother from the KitchenAid Twitter instead of her own.  The company quickly deleted the offensive message and issued a public apology, but the tweet went viral in seconds and was retweeted numerous times.  This mistake required a strong Chicago crisis communication agency like All Points Public Relations to help render the blunder.

While many people may be shaking their head and wondering how something like that could happen, it actually happens quite frequently in Chicago social media and elsewhere.  Our PR agency has come up with a few tips for you to consider in for you franchise public relations agency to prevent any social media mishaps in your PR campaign. 

Think before you tweet: It is important to remember you are protecting and building an image.  Social media pages should mirror the company's brand. Keep your franchisesocial media professional, and if it sounds like something you wouldn't tell your mother it is probably not the best status to post.

Always log out: Blunders often happen because an employee thought they were posting on a personal page.  Once the mistake was realized, the post had already gone viral. General rule of thumb, always log out and your company won’t be in need of our Chicago crisis communication agency.

The world is watching:  Knowing your audience is key and with social media, your audience is the world.  You need to be up on current events and remain empathetic/neutral to sensitive issues.

No posting after hours: There is a saying that nothing good will happen after 2am.  Well, in social media, nothing good will happen after 10pm for any PR campaign.  Your online persona could be tarnished by a regrettable 'retweet,' a sarcastic joke or an unflattering photo.  It's best to save the social media updates for working hours and working hours only.

People do make mistakes: Nobody is perfect and mistakes will be made.  If in need, you can depend on All Points Public Relations as your Chicago crisis communications agency.

April Fools Day and a Good PR Moment

As a Chicago PR firm we love all things public relations and love seeing companies embrace unique ideas to separate themselves from the competition.  Just recently we stumbled across a brilliant PR moment and April Fools Day joke all rolled into one provided to us by popular clothing brand, American Eagle Outfitters.  As a franchise PR firm we are always trying to think outside of the box and come up with original PR strategies and PR tactics for our clients.  At the end of the day, that is what good PR is all about.

American Eagle certainly hit originality and humor on the head with their latest video for what they claim will be their newest jean called the "Skinny Skinny." At first glance this looks like a typical video for the clothing retailer, but as the video progresses it looks more and more like this video is a joke-- and lo and behold, it is a joke and a relatively good one at that.


Why is this a good PR moment?

To us this is a good PR moment for a multitude of reasons.  AE is able to poke fun at themselves and even poke fun at their most prized possession, their clothing line.  The video was published on March 20, 2013 and was able to attract more than 300,000 people in that time.  We've talked about the power of video and the ability to make a video a viral sensation and it appears AE is on to something.  They have done something with this particular video that all PR professionals can take note of.  AE did not originally disclose that the video was a joke, in fact they kept rather tight-lipped at first. Eventually an AE representative admitted (to Yahoo!) that the jeans and video are all a part of an April Fool's joke.

Carrying on with the joke, AE claims that there are only 1,000 pairs of the jeans available and are also offering a limited edition package.  If a shopper goes to the website in hopes to buy the "Skinny Skinny" jeans they would currently find the jeans and be able to click on them as if they are a real product.  From here a screen pops up with two spray paint cans offering the jeans in one size only.  If a shopper goes to add the jeans to their bag a pop up window appears stating that the jeans are "sold out," but entering in your email will allow you to be notified when they return.  What a genius way to capture genuine emails!

Not only did they make a fun, popular video, but they were able to grab a ton of media spotlight within just days of putting the video up.  They were successfully able to carry the idea over on to their website by making the "Skinny Skinny" jeans a "real/fake" product.  Genius!  The transition from video to product was incredibly successful and a great PR moment for the retailer.

What do you think about American Eagle's PR tactic?  Let us know your thoughts in a comment below or feel free to contact us.

Check out the links:

Check out the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfNF57jHbFc

Yahoo! Article: http://shine.yahoo.com/the-thread/american-eagle-skinny-skinny-jeans-are-an-april-fool-s-joke--say-sources-170449508.html

On the American Eagle Website: http://www.ae.com/web/browse/skinnyskinny.jsp?catId=cat6280060

Questions to Ask Before Choosing a PR Firm

Choosing a PR firm to work with can be difficult, but asking the right questions can help you figure out whether a PR firm is the one for you or not. Ask yourself the following questions to help you figure out which PR firm is the one for you:

1- "Does your PR firm fit with my company?"

This first question requires you to think a bit about yourself and your company first.  Perhaps you and your company aren't looking for a full blown PR campaign, but are looking to have a few press releases written up and distributed, then maybe the best bet is to work with someone freelance and instead of an agency.  The PR firm you choose has to be able to fit in with your company and be able to fill your needs.

2- "What are your PR firm's qualifications?"

When looking for a PR firm it is always a good idea to get more information on their qualifications. Some firms specialize in specific industries, so if you feel like working with an industry-specific PR firm is important, seek these firms out.

3- "Can we get along?"

Before committing to working with a PR firm it is important to figure out whether you can work well with them.  Ask to meet their team and get to know them better to get a feel for what it would be like to work with them.

4- "What are some of your greatest achievements as a PR firm?"

Ask a PR firm about some of their greatest achievements as a firm to see what kind of experience they have and how they have gotten to where they currently are.  Greatest achievements will speak volumes about a firm.

5- "Can you provide references?"

You should be able to ask your prospective PR firms for some references and even case studies to get a better perspective on what a firm is capable of.  If they are unable to provide some references you may want to consider working with a firm who has references to provide you with. 

6- "Will your services fit within my budget?"

Budget is crucial whether your company is small or big.  Budget woes should be addressed before you even begin looking for a PR firm to work with.  Before starting to search for a PR firm address how much you have to spend and figure out what kinds of services PR firms have to offer that will stay within your budget.  See what your PR firm options would suggest you do within your budget and consider how they would charge you (retainer fee, project fee, flat fee).  

7- "How is success measured?"

No one wants to enter into PR blindly and not understand how success is tracked.  Without tracking it wouldn't be clear which PR strategies and which PR tactics are working and which are not.  Before beginning to work with a PR firm ask them how they measure success with their clients and how they would measure success for you if you were to become a client.

Before working with any PR firm make sure you have a complete list of questions to ask them to help make sure you choose the right firm.  Have comments or questions?  Leave them below or contact us.

Optimizing Press Releases

As a Chicago franchise public relations firm we know how important it is to send out powerful press releases and one of the best ways to ensure a strong release is to make sure it is optimized.  Get the most out of each press release by optimizing it for internet search factors. Here are some tips on optimizing your press releases:

1- Strategy first: Before starting the process of optimizing press releases, you must establish a solid strategy which you will continually utilize which each press release.  Strategy always comes first when it comes to optimization.

2- Use keywords frequently: Keywords that you have chosen and pre-identified in the strategy step should be used throughout the content in each press release and especially in your press release's headline. Using keywords help tell readers and most importantly, search engines, what your content is all about.

3- Inner links should be scattered throughout content: In each release keyword phrases should be linked to pages on your website to show the relationship between the linked words and your page.  This is how SEO works in a nutshell.  Through the keyword phrases you use, a search engine's perception is shaped in regards to what your website or press release is all about and how your website or press release's content fits in with your keyword phrases.

4- Photos and videos should be optimized: Photos and videos used in a press release also give you a good opportunity for optimization.  You can optimize a photo or video's tag to include keyword phrases to again get the association established between your keyword phrases and your website or press release.

5- Use a distribution service: A press release distribution service will help ensure that your press release is seen by the maximum number of relevant people.  Making sure that your releases are getting in the right hands should always be your main focus when it comes to creating effective press releases.

Looking for more tips on optimizing press releases?  Feel free to leave us a comment below or contact us.

What to Look for in a Publicist or PR Firm

Choosing a publicist or public relations firm to work with can be tough. As a Chicago franchise public relations firm, we know how difficult it can be finding the right publicist or PR firm to work with.  Not all public relations firms are built the same.  Some publicists and  PR firms can be flaky and others are strong and dependable. In the market for a publicist or public relations firm to work with, but unsure of what to look for?  Here are some traits to look for in a public relations firm or publicist:

1- Offers a consultation:  A PR firm or a publicist should offer a consultation to potential clients. Some consultations will be free of charge and others will charge. When attending a consultation with a publicist or PR firm they should touch on a few learning points and give you a bit of an education and offer value. During the first meeting with any firm or publicist, they should immediately be able to share some tips, ideas and tricks of the PR trade.  A good firm or publicist isn't all about just being able to get you to become a client, they should show some genuine want to help you.

2- Should have referrals:  A publicist worth having on your side should have a list of referrals or case studies to help show their successes.  What good would it be for a publicist to say they are successful without having any proof of that success?  Not much and would you really be able to believe them?  Probably not.  Having evidence of that success, however is much more believable.  Case studies, testimonials and referrals should all help show whether you have a good publicist on your hands or not.  Be wary of PR firms or publicists who do not have referrals, testimonials or case studies to show you.

3- Experience in your industry: There are public relations firms and publicists out there for everyone and for every industry.  Do you work in a very specific industry that requires your publicist to have prior experience working in your industry?  If so, you should consider this when attempting to find a publicist.  When searching for an industry specific publicist or PR firm, make sure you take some time to research firms and publicists that will fit your requirements.

4- A slew of media connections: Odds are you are trying to work with a publicist because you know they have all the media connections you need.  If so, then consider this on the top of the important list when looking for a publicist or agency.  If you think the publicist or firm you are going to work with is simply boasting about all of their contacts, ask if you can get the name and contact information for a few relevant contacts as a reference check.

5- Solid follow up methods: If a publicist or public relations firm seems hard to get a hold of, then consider working with someone else.  A good publicist or public relations firm will provide you with regular updates and will keep in constant communication with you.  Over-communicating is far better than the opposite.

Looking for more tips on what to look for in a publicist or public relations firm?  Feel free to leave us a comment below or contact us.

Ethics and Public Relations

As a Chicago franchise public relations firm, we frequently hear critics of the public relations field spew hateful remarks about public relations deeming PR tactics as "ploys," "stunts," "spin" or in our opinion the worst and most untrue, "organized lying." It is unfortunate to hear such hateful remarks associated with our industry when so many public relations firms and experts try so hard to go by the book and integrate ethics into each campaign that they run. When a dilemma arises and ethics are called into question, having guidelines to follow and putting a process in place will ensure that you will stay on track as a public relations professional. Here are a few steps to follow to help integrate ethics into a public relations campaign:

1- Pre-determined ethical principles:  It is key in public relations, and really in business in general, that pre-determined ethical principles and guidelines are identified early on and that those involved follow those guidelines.  Pre-determined ethical principles should be identified before any type of ethical dilemma arises to help determine a course of action should a dilemma crop up.

2- Write it out: When an ethical dilemma arises, do not put it out of sight and out of mind.  Take some time to sort it out by writing it all down. Sometimes putting your thoughts onto paper will help you sort out your thoughts and help you come up with a solid decision on how to approach the situation and solve the issue.

3- Identify all factors: Identify internal and external factors regarding an ethical decision you are trying to make.  These factors may be politically, financially, or socially motivated, but all of these types of factors are important when making an ethical decision and must be taken into consideration.

4- Values: What values are involved in making an ethical decision?  This is something you must determine when an ethical issue arises.  If multiple values are being called into question you may need to rank them in order of importance and decide which values are more important than others.  Values, and awareness of values, is key in making an important ethical decision in the public relations field, and really in business as well.

5- Who is involved?: When making an ethical decision, jot out a list of all the parties who may be affected by the decision.  Also define what the obligation is to each party to help make a solid ethical decision.  Based on what the obligation is to each party, a PR professional may find themselves in a spot where they must speak with the parties regarding the situation and what is being done to rectify the decision in an ethical way.

6- Making the decision:  Once all of the above have been taken into account and steps have been taken to move forward, typically the next step is making the decision.  Following the decision, develop and implement an action plan that coincides with your ethical goals.

7- Reflection: The last step of the process should be an evaluation or reflection of the ethical decision-making process you have created and followed.  During the reflection phase it is important to identify what parts of the process worked and which did not work so that next time you can more carefully plan.

When a dilemma arises, it is always good to have a process in places to help you more effectively deal with it.  Feel free to leave comments or questions below or contact us.

Mobile Technology and PR

Mobile technology today is all the rage, there's no question about it.  We're all glued to our iPhone 5s, Samsung Galaxy's and our various tablet devices.  The convenience of mobile technology alone makes it incredibly hard for other technologies to even stack up against it.  As a whole, we as a franchise public relations firm and social media consultants, have to make some adjustments to how we do our jobs due to the rise in the popularity of mobile technology.  So how do mobile technology and public relations fit together and really, how has mobile technology changed the face of public relations?

Reaching the Mobile Consumer

The mindset of mobile technology users is incredibly different.  With more and more people turning to mobile devices to attain information, public relations experts must be able to reach consumers where they are spending their time.  Mobile technology, mainly smartphones, apps and the mobile-web have been a big factor in speeding up the news cycle.  Breaking news is broadcasted over Twitter now and this is something that doesn't surprise any of us since we are so used to it.  Mobile technology undoubtedly affects communications professionals as they are now expected to produce content specifically made for mobile and must interact with customers keeping mobile constantly in mind.

Understand this audience

As a franchise public relations firm we know how vital it is for our firm to stay on the cutting edge of technology.  While mobile technology may have complicated things a bit, it has also opened up the door to new opportunities for communications professionals.  Mobile has created new opportunities to take digital and social campaigns a few steps further.  For any PR professional or franchise public relations firm the key to success when working with mobile consumers is to start with a solid understanding of the consumer, their mobile capabilities, and their motivation for mobile engagement.  As a public relations firm, there are a few questions to ask yourself in regards to these consumers to ensure you will have a good chance at successfully reaching them:

1- What devices does your target consumer typically use?: If you are in any of the communications's disciplines you must fully assess your target consumer and start by figuring out what devices your target audience uses most frequently.  Say you find out they prefer viewing information via a tablet device, great!  That gives you some direction as to where you can reach them, which is probably the first thing you should figure out before you start attempts to reach them.

2- What makes your target consumers reach for their mobile device?: Whether you are a public relations firm or a marketing company, you must figure out makes your target consumers tick.  Find out what motivates or makes your target audience reach for their mobile device.  Perhaps a "pin and win" contest is just something they can't help but enter themselves in.  That kind of information is important to know since that will help you shape your PR campaigns or marketing campaigns around their interests.

3- Which mobile apps and social platforms do they use?:  Figuring out what mobile apps and what social platforms they use is another way of helping you assess your target consumer's preferences.  Knowing what mobile apps and social platforms they enjoy using is another way of helping you understand how and where you can expect to be able to connect with your target audience.

4- What do they want from brands in your industry when it comes to mobile engagement? For franchise public relations firms or marketing companies, it is absolutely essential to figure out what consumers are looking for when they content to a brand through mobile engagement.  If you don't know what they are looking for then how can you expect to connect with them?  It would be impossible.  You have to give them what they want in order to succeed.

What are your thoughts on mobile technology and its effect on public relations?  Comments are welcome below or you may contact us.

Preparing Your PR Team for 2013

We are a franchise public relations firm that never stops planning.  2013 may already be here, but we are still strategizing, planning and preparing for this upcoming year.  We are striving to have our best year and hope that we will be able to help our clients have a successful year as well.  In order to have a great year, we need to keep planning and our franchise public relations team here at All Points PR must prepare. 2013 is just beginning, so what are you doing as a franchise public relations firm or really, a PR firm in general, to better prepare your team for 2013? Here are a few things to keep in mind to help your PR team prepare for 2013:

1- Increase your outreach efforts: Let the beginning of the year be a good time to increase your outreach efforts as a PR team.  Have your team reach out to reporters that they worked with in 2012.  Remind reporters that you still have experts that are available to add to breaking stories.  Depending on which publications your PR team typically works with it never hurts to send out a quick "Happy New Year note" and re-introduce yourself a bit, which will serve as a reminder of how you can be of service to them.  Remember, journalists get pitched to by numerous PR professionals, so you have to do your part as a PR team to stick out in their minds and increasing your outreach efforts could help you and your team do just that.

2- Spend more time researching: Let your PR team know how vital researching is when it comes to PR.  Have your team make a list of all the publications that are of interest and review their editorial calendars for 2013.  Create a master calendar for all of the publications you selected so that you don't miss any of the important dates or topics.  This master calendar will help you and your team stay ahead of schedule and know when dates are coming up so that you can pitch in advance.

3- Do some training drills: Preparing for a crisis is just a part of the PR game, so help your team get prepared for 2013 by doing some practice crisis drills.  Give them a crisis scenario and have them act out how they would go about solving the crisis.  If their solutions are less than desirable, let them know what you would do to better address the situation.  Training drills are another great way to strengthen your team for 2013.

4- Check out associations: Is your franchise PR firm looking to land a client or two in a specific industry?  Have your PR team review the target list of your potential clients and have them take a look at the associations in which they participate in.  This gives your a team a great way to get their foot in the door and learn more about the client's industry.

5- Review your contacts: Have your team go through all of their contacts and do some updates.  All of your PR team members probably have long lists of reporters in their contacts, so go through their contact information first and verify that it is correct.  Reporters have a tendency to change their role quite often by moving to a new beat or even working for a different publication.  You could have your team go through each publication's website and review their staff list to ensure you have the correct contact information.  Reviewing contacts will ensure that you have the right information so that when you go to pitch a story you'll be pitching it to the right reporter.

Looking for more tips on preparing your PR team for 2013?  Feel free to comment below or contact us.

Creating a PR Brochure

A PR brochure, like many materials in the world of public relations, is meant to inform, engage and call people to action.  Creating a PR brochure can take on various forms and hold all sorts of information.  A physical PR brochure is a piece of paper that is typically folded into three sections and contains information regarding an event, company, brand or anything else that a company wants to share with the public.  An online brochure will act the same as a physical brochure, but should utilize keywords for search purposes.  A PR brochure can also double as a company brochure providing vital background information on a company, but the PR brochure can also serve a more specialized purpose and can be used to achieve a specific goal as a part of your PR campaign.

While many people lump PR brochures and sales brochures into the same category, they are really quite different.  What is the big difference?  While the typical PR brochure does aim at getting donations, support, or buyers, the PR brochure is mainly informational.  It is similar to a press kit where you as a PR agency, provide information in such a way that it may persuade an action from someone, but it isn't as "in your face" like a sales brochure would be.  If you are looking to have a brochure created for your franchise or business, make sure you know the type of information you want to give to the public and how you want that information perceived.  Here are a few tips for creating a successful, informational PR brochure:

1- Make it stand out: Strive to create a brochure that stands out amongst all the rest.  Lets face it, no one wants to create a brochure that totally flops and is tossed out by everyone and anyone that receives it, so make yours unique.  Make it visually interesting and eye-catching.  Make it a piece that no one wants to throw away.  As a Chicago PR firm we know that isn't always the easiest task, so if you feel that this is an area where you're having trouble, then don't be afraid to call in the PR experts.

2- Make it newsworthy: Making your PR brochure newsworthy is a big part of the key to success.  Ensure that your PR brochure is viewed as newsworthy by making sure that it is relevant, significant and timely.  Always try to strike while the iron is hot.  The brochure won't be able to stimulate interest if the target audience does not find the information important to them.  Anyone that reads your brochure wants to feel like they have need that you may be able to meet and that is what the PR brochure should provide.

3- Make it fit your company's identity: PR brochure's should always fit your company's identity.  Your brochure needs to show your company's identity and be consistent with your representation as it is seen in other places like your website, business cards, sales sheets, etc.  If your brand is fun, exciting and upbeat then your brochure needs to reflect that.  Utilize your company's motto, philosophy and mission statement in your brochure.  A PR brochure is a really great way to show off your brand's personality a bit more, so do just that.

The Basics

Lastly, here are a few of the basics not to forget when creating your brochure:

- Your company name (you could forget!)
- Logo (branding in general)
- Mission
- Goals
- Reason for the PR brochure
- Why the reader should think it's important
- Call to action
- Contact information

If you're looking for more tips on creating a PR brochure or any other PR collateral, feel free to leave us a comment or contact us.

Signs of a Bad Press Release

The press release is the bread and butter to a Franchise PR company and really, to the PR industry.  Perfecting your press release writing skills is essential to achieving good PR for your company.  We advise working with a skilled PR company to do all of your company or franchise’s public relations since experts know how to make your company or franchise succeed with the use of public relations.  As a Franchise PR Company, we write plenty of releases for our clients and secure media coverage for clients on a daily basis.  Why do our releases go over so well?  Because we know the signs of a bad press release.  Do you?  Here are some of the top signs that you’re reading or writing a bad press release:

(1) All quantity and no quality: Writing just to write is pointless and in fact, most press releases that rely on quantity instead of quality are very easy to spot.  Press releases are by no means supposed to be lengthy.  They are supposed to give all the relevant information to the story up front and give the reader a little more of the meat to the story.  There shouldn’t be a word count quota.  Get the main points across, make it well-written and you’ve got yourself a good press release. 

(2) Takes too long to get to the main point: The main point, or juice, of the press release should be summed up in the very first sentence.  The first sentence should address the who, what, when, where, why and how of your story.  Read any good press release and you’ll see that the first sentence answers all the w’s and the h.  

(3) Too much jargon: A translator should not be needed to read a press release.  Bad press releases use terminology not commonly understood by the general public.  The jargon should be dropped and the press release should be easy to understand to keep people reading and interested.  Good press releases generate attention, not lose it.  

(4) Spelling and grammar errors: Misspelled words, misplaced commas, unnecessary hyphens left in a press release are definitely signs of a bad press release.  Your press release represents your company, so do not let it go out with any errors.  Read it over not once, not twice, but three times.  That will ensure no errors.

(5) Boring- If you read a press release that bores you to tears, or if your own release is yawn-worthy, it is definitely the sign of a really bad press release.  In fact, a press release should have the opposite effect.  It is supposed to sound the alarm to the press about your event or company.  It should make people want to read it and act on it.

Looking for more tips on making your press release effective or looking for PR work for your franchise or company?  Contact us, we’d be glad to talk PR with you.  

McDonald's Canada: PR Through Video

Early in July 2012, McDonald’s Canada took PR into their own hands.  After being asked multiple times why their burgers look so different on commercials and in ads versus the real deal, they finally decided to answer those questions in an rather creative way.  A standard PR approach probably would have been something along the lines of answering the questions via social media or releasing some kind of statement, but no.  Apparently McDonald’s Canada decided to do things differently. They unleashed a video answering the questions about the promo burgers versus the restaurant burgers. 

As a Franchise PR firm, we love to see different, effective approaches to handling the mass public and media.  For McDonald’s Canada, the approach worked and following the unveiling of the popular video they created another video, which revealed the secrets behind the making of the popular Big Mac burger.  McDonald’s executive chef, Dan Coudreaut, lays it all out on the line explaining in great deal how to recreate the burger.  He even goes as far as unveiling the secret Big Mac sauce.  Almost unheard of and pretty brave.  

When visitors go to Youtube and search McDonald’s Canada, up pops their Youtube channel asking Youtuber’s to ask questions saying, “Ever wanted to ask us about the food in our Canadian restaurants?  Now’s your chance! We’ll answer any questions about our food- even the tough ones- then post a personal reply from McDonld’s Canada.”  Brave!  The videos posted by the Canada chain are posted in response to a question from a Youtuber.  And yes, they even answer the tough questions. 

Everyone’s idea of good PR is different.  While standard methods are typically viewed favorably, sometimes taking a different approach can yield great positive results.  The approach by the Canadian McDonald’s is definitely a brave one at that, so for that we applaud them. 

We love to create good PR opportunities for our Franchise PR clients.  Have a good or bad PR moment you’d like to share with us?  Share away in the comment section below. 

Again, here’s a link to the McDonald’s Canada page, check it out.