I recently spoke with a friend who used to be a client.  Neither of us is tied to the company through which we met, but we stay in touch.  That company (I’ll call it ThatCo to protect the innocent) was recently included in an exposé of its industry at the hands of the Wall Street Journal. It’s the kind of story CEOs dread.  The week-long series shed a light on the industry’s accepted, self-policed business practices, and painted those practices as something the world should be concerned about, complete with paranoia-inducing headlines.  The story has since been echoed on NPR and in other outlets.

I’m not writing to condemn the industry’s practices, nor to call the Wall Street Journal irresponsible.  The industry is not out to do anyone harm, and I imagine it’s hard to draw eyeballs to the Wall Street Journal in August.  The story is engaging, and it is better that the general public be aware of these issues.

Not only does the story make sense, but we knew it was coming.  About two years ago the PR team conducted a media training session with ThatCo and we set aside a significant amount of time to cover this issue.  They had the messages – fact-based, reasonable, clear and easy to deliver.  I can say them to myself now.  We also covered when to use them.  This is apparently where the breakdown occurred.

ThatCo’s executive provided the “golden quote” – the one that instantly put miles of distance between a cool, collected executive and an enraged public.  The former client’s words were the first quote in the first story of the series.  Even the industry blogs that have since come out in defense of the client have repeated this quote.  I believe I’ve heard these words come from this client before, verbatim.  I don’t doubt for a second he said them. It’s the context, however, that makes me imagine a giddy reporter (and a reporter not prone to giddiness) stifling a squeal to avoid tipping off the unaware interview subject.

Someone missed a sign.  They followed a path that seemingly led to a glowing review of their mastery in creating value for customers, and forgot to deliver the messages that connect that value to responsible use of their powerful product.

I understand I risk sounding like a spurned partner in saying that if the company still had a PR firm, the spokesperson may have had a briefing sheet in hand that told him this reporter had previously won a Pulitzer for exposing corporate misdeeds.  He might have read the recent article in which that reporter covered a company that knowingly withheld information from customers.  He might have had someone on the line that cued him to step back and provide appropriate context for the reporter’s audience.

That’s water under the bridge, and it doesn’t help the ThatCo now.  But there is a learning opportunity to be had from this experience.  Below are 10 steps companies can take to help them avoid being ThatCo. The one that industry colleagues now look at with equal measures of shame, pity and accusation.  The one that has to explain to family and friends how he isn’t in an evil line of work.  The one that might get the cold shoulder from partners and clients “until this whole thing cools off.”

Before the interview:

1)      Know who you’re talking to. Look up their previous stories. Read their bio. At the very least, if the reporter tells you he or she need to conduct the interview in the next five minutes or the world will end, Google him or her while you’re talking.

2)      Get the context.  If you are discussing something controversial or easily misunderstood, ask the reporter what section the story will run in and who the audience is.  If they say they don’t know, assume it will be the audience least likely to understand.

During the interview:

3)      Hear yourself talk.  Understand how each soundbyte will sound in public.

4)      Ask questions.  Who else is the reporter talking to?  What do they think of the industry? What else are they covering?  Two minutes of seemingly idle chit chat can provide a world of information.

Before the story runs:

5)      Don’t be afraid to follow up.  If you feel you missed the opportunity to strike the right balance, send a note with more information.

After the story runs:

6)      Know how this affects your business.  Do the people who pay your bills already understand this issue?  Are they exposed along with you?  Do you need to defend yourself or take the fall in order to keep business running smoothly?

7)      Deliver the untold story in public.  ThatCo has responded in a blog, but missed the source of the real concern, and further, has yet to deliver the messages that connect value to customers with responsible use of the product.  To its credit, it stepped in the line of fire and offered to respond to any concerned parties.  It would have been better if that response was also public.

8)      Tell the truth, quickly.  This axiom of crisis communications applies to PR crises as well.  Don’t play the victim or pull back from the media or the false perception will sink in further. Use your newfound (if unwelcome) attention to fill the information gap.

9)      Understand this is now public record.  Expect the questions to come up again.  Have your answers on hand.

10)   Sympathize with the outrage. In this case, the company already had ways to accommodate anyone who didn’t approve of the standard industry practices.  They made these accommodations widely available, but until the series ran, most people didn’t take advantage of them.  If your company is not as prepared to respond to an angry audience, open your communications channels.  The only way to battle distrust is with honesty.

My friend, the ex-client, said grimly, ThatCo “finally got its Wall Street Journal story.” It turns out ThatCo got half of its story in the Wall Street Journal.  By demanding — and providing — transparency, it might not happen to you.

The Associated Press Stylebook has been guiding word usage, punctuation and grammar for countless reporters since 1953, and while it’s not the only style guide out there, it’s certainly the most popular. AP reporters are known for their strong reporting, and the Stylebook is constantly referenced to ensure consistency and excellence in writing. But as newer forms of media evolve, is there another set of rules needed for online content creation? Yahoo! thinks so.

Yahoo! has launched The Yahoo! Style Guide: The Ultimate Sourcebook for Writing, Editing, and Creating Content for the Digital World, whose purpose is to provide a framework for grammar, punctuation, writing and editing for the Web. Some of the article topics in the guide include, “Streamline Text for Mobile Devices,” “Be Inclusive, Write for the World,” and “Construct Clear, Compelling Copy.” It also includes a word list and an “Ask an Editor” page to help clear up questions about word usage and upcoming developments for the guide.

As Mashable points out, there are a few points on which Yahoo! and the AP disagree, including whether to hyphenate e-mail (the AP says yes), and “smart phone” or “smartphone” (one word, according to Yahoo!). The overall topic is particularly timely, as Matter recently held a training session to refresh everyone on strong writing practices. We explored common mistakes that writers make and looked at the differences between the AP Stylebook and Strunk & White’s The Elements of Style.

But the debate came down to two core factors that guide Matter’s writing: consistency and client preferences. Often, Matter’s clients want their teams to bend AP writing rules, and as long as we’re consistent in our deliverables, the content we generate passes their tests. For example, serial commas are a source of debate between teams. Some clients require them (X, Y, and Z) and others don’t want them (leave out the comma before “and”). For the clients that don’t have a preference, we simply use them or don’t use them throughout all our writing.

It will be interesting to see to what degree writers gravitate towards the Yahoo! guide over the AP Stylebook, if at all. What do you think will happen?

I sat down to write this blog, ready to tell the people of the world wide web all they need to know about monotasking, and I couldn’t. At the same time I was digging up material to reference, I was sorting through my emails, perusing HootSuite for client mentions, pitching a new story idea, and so on. The longer I had an empty Word document in front of me, the more I realized how many other things I should and could be doing.

At a time when jobs are scarce, competition is fierce, and employees can expect to play various roles within an organization, why should we care about learning how to monotask? Monotasking, as defined, means focusing on a single task. However, I’ve yet to see a job description that reads “monotasker preferred.” Is this not a skill that is desired in the workforce? If not, why even bother trying to master the art of performing only one task? I’ll tell you why: because it works. Seriously. Try it. Look at your to-do list, pick one thing, and do it without any interruptions. Ignore email for a set length of time, hold your calls, and just finish the task. Listen, the world doesn’t stop when you take a break from your desk to grab a bite to eat, so why feel the need to open every email as soon as it hits your inbox once you are back in the office?

The truth is, as PR professionals, we have been trained to perform this way. With multiple clients and the need to always be “connected,” we are multitaskers at heart. Maybe this quality has become so engraved in our minds that we have overlooked the importance of monotasking. I think it’s time we give monotasking a chance.

To the colleague that introduced me to this phenomenon known as monotasking, I say thank you. You may have changed my world as I know it. I’ve always prided myself on my multitasking abilities, but am taking a stand for change. Power to the monotaskers! From this day forward, I strive to perfect the art of performing only one task at a time…right after I feed the cats while cooking dinner, call my mom while washing the dishes, read a book while watching the evening news…

*How (and Why) to Stop Multitasking – Harvard Business Review

*Multi-Tasking Vs. Mono-Tasking – Dumb Little Man

*Electronic Multitasking is a Brain Drain – SF Gate /The Tech Chronicles

Over the last few days, some of Matter’s employees (myself included) have been working on a special project that needed some last-minute great results. As I was making a few well-placed phone calls today, I realized that the way we approached the project really set us up for success.

With everyone feeling a full-plate of duties, the project required some time that was a bit difficult to work in; so, we devised a plan to bring in a handful of bodies together in order to expedite the process. By bringing in five people to do the work of perhaps one or two, we accomplished a few goals:

• We each had a very short list of media targets, which kept the time commitment to a minimum and allowed us all to continue to produce on our other accounts with little interruption.

• The short list also meant we were able to spend more time researching exactly who we were reaching out to and what angle provided the best approach – something we all endeavor to do in our daily activities, but can prove challenging in a pinch.

• Pulling together some great teammates allowed us to tap into our special relationships with top-tier targets, which meant our outreach was more meaningful and productive.

Matter works on a team basis with all clients, allowing us to reap similar benefits on all accounts on a day-to-day basis. Working with different people on different accounts lets us widen our horizons – learning new techniques, mixing up duties, and providing variety. On a larger scale, Matter operates like one big team – pulling together company-wide resources when met with new challenges or looking for recommendations. Clients essentially get the expertise of all Matter’s employees, wrapped up in a smaller team as a point of contact.

The moral of the story? You saw it coming….. Teamwork Matters.

Michael Arrington’s recent post about his exchanges with the PR group at Fortune have stirred up some lively discussions – online and around the office. We’ve kept the profanity that is common among TechCrunch commentators out of our debates, but have nonetheless tried to get to the right side of the debate.

I’ll summarize it for you, in case you missed it: The PR team at Fortune reached out to Arrington, offering exclusive posts of The Facebook Effect. In Arrington’s words, “[The rules] were fine. We’d print the excerpts. And we’d link to Fortune. We don’t get much out of that deal, but… we want to support Kirkpatrick and I figured Fortune could owe us a favor.”

After the posts went live, Fortune changed its mind. As Tina Fey might say, they asked for a do-over. The Fortune team wanted Arrington to post excerpts of the excerpts – not the whole excerpt. Sounds crazy, but the publisher cried copyright infringement.

The lessons are numerous, but three really stand out. First, there’s the obvious – that favors are still big currency. Online and off. Make sure you know what you’re being asked, and what you’re asking of others. Secondly, poke holes in plans –someone in Fortune’s PR department should have played out various scenarios and asked more questions (what if they run the full excerpt? Is that the desired outcome? Is it allowed?). And finally, whether you like it or not, remember that your emails are public.

One of the things I love about working at a PR agency is no client is ever the same. There are always new challenges, new pitches and new strategies to be deployed. Though our clients often have products to be launched and reviews to be secured, recently I’ve had the pleasure of working on an account in which our team must rely on the expertise of the company’s executives for pitch fodder. We’ve had some fun and learned some lessons along the way, especially when it comes to responding to breaking news. Recognizing the valuable opportunity breaking news presents for us to mobilize the company’s very-willing executives to comment on relevant topics, our team identified strategies that work well for both our client and reporters.

Of course, with breaking news, there’s really no time to waste and fast action from PR pros (and clients!) is essential. Here are a few additional strategies that have worked really well for our team:

Anticipate the news: Sometimes I think it would be nice to be able to read minds and forsee news. While I don’t have superhero powers, by persistently scouring news outlets and trade publications, it’s not too difficult to identify soon-to-be hot topics and upcoming announcements that are just the right fit for a clients. When you have an idea of what’s coming down the pipe, it’s so much easier to anticipate what reporters will be writing about and to pitch them valuable insights from your client or to provide them with an unexpected angle.

Develop colorful quotes from a company executive: Once you have an idea of what tomorrow’s news will be today, touch base with your client to ask him/her for some insight on the topic and to explain how consumers (or other audiences) may be affected. With your client’s help, you can develop dynamic, attention-grabbing quotes to share with your media contacts. Make sure the quotes are short, interesting and could translate effortlessly into a news story. This will help you secure an interview for your client. Alternatively, a reporter on a short deadline (we’re talking about breaking news after all!) may be able to quickly insert one or more of the pre-written quotes into an article.

Respond to reporters who already published articles on the topic: Let’s face it, we can’t always anticipate the news or connect with a reporter before he/she has published an article. It never hurts to follow up with reporters who have already covered the breaking news. Perhaps they’re working on a follow-up story or can direct you to a colleague who is developing a different angle and needs expert input.

Tune into Twitter (and other social media): When it comes to breaking news, it’s not uncommon for an outlet or reporter to post a quick news update on Twitter with a note that the full story is to come. It’s a great day indeed for PR pros when this happens, as it makes it even easier to target pitches and focus outreach efforts.

Surely there are many approaches to PR efforts surrounding breaking news (here are similar but more detailed tips); the above are just a few short and sweet ones that have worked well for us. We’d love to hear your tips, too! What’s worked well and what hasn’t? Please feel free to share.

I have a confession. I love to talk with strangers. As a child you are told never to talk to (or take candy from) strangers, but now that I’m a grown woman, I have thrown this childhood no-no to the wind.

There is this little burst of giddiness that erupts inside when I can sit and dig deep into the life of a complete stranger who I don’t know from Adam. Perhaps it is my natural inquisition to interview people, but over the years, while traveling on a plane across country or sitting on a patio at a coffee shop, I have had several pleasant conversations that have shaped my life in one way or another. On a recent flight to Phoenix, I was chatting with an older gentleman, and he reminded me of the truth behind this well-known quotation: “There are no original ideas. There are only original people.” What a great reminder, from a perfect stranger. Can you really take advice from strangers? I think so.

In life – and in business – you never know who you are going to meet. Just think about all the people we pass by or sit next to on a daily basis. There are many opportunities to experience a pleasant chat with a stranger. As a PR professional, these experiences can result in new business leads, provide sound advice for current problems or lead to candidates for job openings.

I recently came across an article in Real Simple about a fellow woman – who happens to be a writer – who was equally excited about meeting strangers. In this personal narrative, she tells the story of how she met a stranger on a plane and ended up helping him write a love letter to the woman he was trying to win back. It sounds insane, but this article is a must read, and it might even inspire you to take your nose out of that book next time you’re on a plane.

What’s your best stranger story? Please share – we want to hear about your experience.

I’ll admit, I’ve never been one for gambling, yet I can fully see its allure to others. There is something appealing about rolling a winning pair of dice, turning over a winning hand, or pulling down on the arm of a winning slot machine. Heck, even I wholeheartedly enjoy simply walking the floors of a casino and seeing all the excitement unfold. So why is it than that I don’t share in that excitement? Is it because I am not a risk taker? No, that can’t be it. Because as PR professionals, do we not take chances every day? Each time we go after a story and take all the necessary steps to land our clients in these stories, that is essentially what we are doing. Sure, PR is about relationships and utilizing those relationships for the better of our clients, but is there ever an element of pure luck and timing involved with our strategies? I wonder.

Recently, after months of pitching a long-lead story, an opportunity presented itself for one of our clients to be included in a national morning television show segment. As with any great hit, there was such a rush of excitement involved in the events leading up to the airdate. We dutifully prepped the reporter through email exchanges and conference calls, and continuously updated our client on the logistics surrounding the coverage. The pieces were in place. All that was left to do was to wait.

Only a few short days before the piece was scheduled to run, however, we received word that the portion of the segment that would include our client had unfortunately been cut. There was nothing that could have been done differently on our part to change this outcome. These things just happen and in cases that involve broadcast, they can happen at a moment’s notice. Next week’s “Balloon Boy” or an out-of-control Prius hoax could wreak havoc on what should be a shining day for one of your clients.

Times like this though can quickly remind us that no matter how great our efforts, nothing is ever guaranteed. As PR professionals we will forever be at the mercy of the ever changing news cycle, but it is our responsibility to keep taking chances and do everything in our power to make the next big hit happen.

Use of profanity is traditionally accepted as an occasional outburst reserved for situations of duress or frustration, but as recent events have demonstrated, it can also be used to ring in historic government change. By now, we all know that Vice President Biden said on-air, for millions of Americans to hear, that the new healthcare bill was a ‘big f***ing deal’. It sure is. However, as a PR professional, I find the response tactics employed by the White House and the national media disconcerting.

Putting aside all political alignment and opinions of the current administration, the fact remains that Vice President Biden and President Obama are international public figures and as such, the eyes of the world follow them and many aspire to one day achieve greatness like them. Is the use of profanity appropriate for the second-in-command of the free world? Of course it is…as long as no one catches you.

Moments after the bomb dropped, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs tweeted, ‘And yes Mr. Vice President, you’re right…’  As surprising as this bluntness and lack of embarrassment may be, Mr. Gibbs was simply following suite with what was coming down from the big man himself.

President Obama was later quoted at a press conference saying “You know what the best thing about yesterday was? Joe’s comment.”

The White House further dismissed the incident as Biden told supporters at a fundraiser in Baltimore late Wednesday that Obama was not mad at what he delicately termed his “faux pas.”

CBS News later made light of the story by stating that Biden’s F-bomb was ‘the highlight of the day.’ 

From Twitter to late night television, the Biden F-bomb is being tapped as a source of comedy. With a bit of Googling, one can even find and purchase a t-shirt with an image of Biden and the phrase in question scrolled across it. Some comedic highlights from Tuesday night include:

Jimmy Kimmel suggested that Biden get a “swear jar” after playing the video on his show Tuesday night. Jimmy Fallon: “Joe Biden got himself in a bit of trouble. Did you hear about that? Apparently it sounded like Biden said to President Obama, ‘This is a big f-ing deal.’ In response, NBC picked Biden to host the show, ‘Big F-ing Deal or No F-ing Deal.’”

Jay Leno: “In my lifetime, I’ve been fortunate to hear presidents say great things. I heard John F. Kennedy say, ‘Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.’ I remember Ronald Regan saying, ‘Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.’ On this historic day, I got to hear what Joe Biden said to our president. This is real.”

So, comedy is the answer, right? Well, what was the alternative – a formal apology? In my opinion, yes, a very brief formal apology would have been appropriate and would have shown Americans and more importantly children, that this is not an acceptable way to speak. I don’t think it’s a stretch to imagine a child seeing someone they are taught to admire uttering this phrase and then seeing people respond by smiling and laughing about it, and then feeling comfortable repeating it. Perception is reality and I think that Biden and to a lesser extent Obama, have lost a bit of respect by shrugging this incident off. If history has taught us anything, it’s that public figures can do some pretty heinous things, but as long as they apologize, their halo will not remain tarnished for long.

Procrastination – we’re all guilty of it at some time or another. Heck, I did it with this blog post (shh).

I’ve usually looked at procrastination as a bad thing, and I think we can most agree that’s the common connotation associated with the word. But there’s always something on your to-do list that you’re just not keen on starting. Be it writing a highly technical bylined article, putting together a product mailer, or maybe just a chunk of research – I think we’ve all been at that point where the number one priority on our list just isn’t the task that’s getting done.

However, I came across a great article on Fast Company (a wonderful mélange of business, design, and media news) that suggests procrastination isn’t all that bad. The trick is to use that time to do something else that needs to get done. Don’t use your procrastination time on checking Facebook or arranging your pens – use it to do some of those less urgent things on your list that keep getting pushed down. In that sense, procrastination actually creates motivation to get other activities completed.

I’ve found the Work Smart series, of which this article is a part, very helpful. And recommend that while you’re procrastinating on that next big project, you head over to FastCompany.com and give them a read – I’d count that as a few minutes well spent.