The Learning Centre
Welcome to the Learning Centre.
Come here to learn the latest on protecting, growing and, occasionally, rehabilitating your corporate reputation.
Come here to learn the latest on protecting, growing and, occasionally, rehabilitating your corporate reputation.
There's no such thing as the "general public"
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Any marketing, public relations or corporate communications practitioner who tries to convince you that the “general public” is one of your audiences is lazy and should be given a pink slip.
In any marcom, PR or corporate communications campaign, your team must be clear about who your audiences are, their opinions, how they like to be communicated to, and what you need to do to convince them to embrace your actions or ideas. There’s a great story about a trauma hospital in Florida that wanted to build an emergency helipad to save patient lives and got stuck in an 11-year swamp of resistance by local “publics” because their PR team didn’t do their homework, identify the opponents, and neutralize them or win them over. Don’t be like them. To zero in on your audiences watch the video. |
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do you have a PESO Strategy?
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In these days of integrated marketing and communications, public relations isn’t simply a subset of the marketing mix.
Today’s most forward thinking companies understand the importance of PR as a vital organ in the body of marketing, awareness and reputation building. That’s why your team needs to ensure you have a PESO strategy that serves your business goals. No, I don’t mean the currency of many countries in the Americas. By PESO, I mean the four types of media in your communications mix: - Paid Media - Earned Media - Shared Media - Owned Media Do you know the 3 hallmarks of a successful PESO strategy? Watch the video to find out! |
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video killed the publicity star
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When I started in public relations in the 1990s the written word was king.
You needed a camcorder to record, an editor to produce a video and after hours, and - in some cases days, you would get a slick video of a few minutes. You would distribute it, usually in VHS or Beta tape format and sometimes transfer it long distances via digital lines or satellite from a production studio. Back then, I would advise clients to approach written communications like email as if they are postcards and don’t publish or distribute anything you wouldn’t be comfortable reading on the front page of your local or national newspaper. Today everyone has a video production factory in the palm of their hand. They have access to a global audience via social media and everyone needs to absorb that reality. There is no shortage of footage of politicians, athletes, business leaders, academics, community leaders who have had their reputations damaged or destroyed by being caught saying something or doing something inappropriate. Watch what you say and do. Watch the video and learn why... video killed the publicity star! |
If you're not at the front of the parade, you won't be seen
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I’ve loved parades since I was a small boy.
The colours, sounds, costumes, floats, marching bands, and VIPs - it’s how I saw my city mayor up close, or my country’s Olympic gold medalists, or TV and movie stars. No matter the occasion, parades represent a community coming together to showcase its best, and it was years before I realized it was also an important marketing exercise - with sponsors and messages and factoids about participants and goodwill building and proactive storytelling. I coach my clients that this is how their reputation management needs to be. Their public relations should be proactive, friendly, inspiring, thoughtful and celebratory - just like a parade! One of the best examples of this is in aviation with the race to produce the first working air cab. Watch the video to find out why. Are you leading the parade for your innovative technology, therapy or service? Or are you following behind? Or are you not even there? |
it's your big TV moment, are you "camera ready"?
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You just received word that your favourite business news program on BNN Bloomberg or CNBC has heard about your new product or service.
The Executive Producer called personally and wants you to tell them about it and how it is contributing to your company’s success story. You’ve huddled with your team. You’re ready - You have your key messages down, You’ve got a human interest element to share, You know your numbers cold, You’re confident. BUT are you “camera ready”? TV is a visual medium, if you’re not camera ready your message could be missed because of visual distractions the viewer sees on their TV or device. Find out my tips for being "camera ready" by watching the video. |
The media on lines 1, 2 and 3…
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The light on your phone is flashing, it’s a reporter from the largest circulation newspaper in your city…Are you ready to take the call?
Now your phone is lit up like a Christmas tree with media from all over seeking your comment. One of your disgruntled employees leaked that damaging internal report you were keeping under wraps in the hopes no-one ever finds out… Now what do you do? To find out...watch the video. |
Who DO PEOPLE TRUST? It's NOT WHO YOU THINK
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In this era of polarized politics, fake news and faux sincerity, who do people trust?
A global PR agency has been researching trust and credibility for a generation. In 2019, the data shows people are, more and more, turning to their bosses. Your people are looking to you to be the beacon in an ever changing world. This is an unprecedented opportunity, watch the video to find out why. |