Get everything out in the open, no big secrets.
Once your company is in the news for a major crisis, people are going to dig for follow up stories. If you hide information, people are going to find out and it will do even more damage to the company’s reputation than if you had just shared the information from the get go. Also, if your company shares the information first, you can explain the situation and shed the most positive light on the situation. When companies withhold the details, people are naturally inclined to assume the worst. Again, not good.

Plan ahead.
In college, we did a case study on BP’s oil spill and the basic principles apply here as well. From my point of view, it looks like the Costa Concordia crew and Carnival Cruise Lines did not have an effective crisis communications plan in place. The company has not made their statements readily available and easy to find. After a quick search, this was the only press release I could find, which was dated six days after the incident.

Be proactive.
If you know that there are issues or controversies within your organization that could lead to a crisis, have a well thought out plan (that is understood by your internal team) and perhaps even suggest that the organization make changes to avoid a crisis all together.

I am interested to see how the rest of this crisis plays out. What kind of crisis communications advice do you give to clients, either before or after disaster has struck?

This is a serious reason why, despite the perceived importance of all communications flowing in and out of our mobile devices – and public relations is a business that thrives on the exchange of information, checking these tools while driving isn’t logical.

While significantly less life-threatening, here’s another good example of chaos that has resulted from checking a phone while driving:

I traveled to New York today for meetings in the afternoon and evening. I have a PMDA board meeting tomorrow – one that I’m very much looking forward to – and scheduled meetings around it as I typically do. Unfortunately, I had some hiccups getting to the city – and my very bad habit of checking my phone while driving is to blame.

 Driving from our office in Newburyport, I checked my phone at the precise time I was supposed to bear left on Route 95 South and accidentally took the exit on the right side for Route 128 North. At first blush, that’s really not a big deal. I should have easily been able to take the first exit and head back toward the airport. However, that turnaround activity took five minutes – a crucial five minutes when weather patterns threaten the airways and Delta Shuttle flights are being cancelled with good regularity.

 Here’s how things went at the airport once I arrived: naturally, I missed the 9:30 AM by less than five minutes. Then the 10:30 and 11:30 AM flights were cancelled. I arrived in New York late. (Like, very late.) I had to reschedule my afternoon appointment to the evening, and the evening appointment to even later in the night.  All of this unnecessary scheduling ridiculousness and a really long day spent trying to get to New York – all due to the fact that I had to check my phone at the 128 North/95 South split.

I’m certain that what I was reading at the time was important and meaningful in some way, but I’m equally certain it would have been just as important if I read it at the airport when I arrived.  While I’ve learned my lesson, I suspect I’ll see someone at the airport today with that same pained expression.  Oh well…

Today, I’m sending out dozens of holiday packages filled with my clients’ product samples. The power of touch can be extremely powerful, especially when if you’re looking to get your client into a holiday gift-guide.

If you’re planning to send out holiday mailers this season, here are a few tips to ensure you’ll get the most out of every shipped package:

• Know your targets – do your research ahead of time to make sure that each recipient is the right fit for your clients’ brand or product
• Plan ahead – if you know that who your targeting writes their gift-guide in late November, make sure they receive their samples ahead of time so that they have plenty of time to review and / or compare to other products
• Stay in touch – your mailer shouldn’t end with the package delivery. Following-up with your target is crucial to ensuring coverage for your client. This will help the writer with any questions that he or she may have

These are just a few tips to help you plan your holiday mailing. What has proved successful for you or your clients?

One company that really caught my eye was Matter Communications. From the start, I knew there was something really special about Matter and I wanted to learn more about it. I decided to start applying for a position and even though I didn’t realize it at the time, through that process I learned a lot about PR. Below are three PR lessons I learned when eagerly courting Matter for a PR position.

1. Think targeted

I was sure to use LinkedIn and other online resources to find the right hiring manager and the correct contact information for positions at Matter. I didn’t send a mass email addressed, “To Whom It May Concern.”

When applying for a job and in PR, it’s all about finding the right contact. Anyone can use Google to find the email address of the News Desk or Managing Editor and send out a mass mail merge. The key is to set yourself apart. Put in the extra few minutes to do your research and find the most appropriate contact for what you are pitching. It will save you tons of time in the long run.

2. Let them know you are paying attention

Every week, I scanned for mentions of Matter in the news and new client updates to then turn this information around and highlight it in my cover letters in hopes of grabbing someone’s attention.

Like applying for a job, it’s important to be in the know and fully aware of who you are pitching. Scan. Read. Scan. You can’t expect to impact or be a part of industry news if you don’t know what is going on. Sign up for alerts, join social media communities and pick up the newspaper once in a while.

3. Be persistent

After I sent in the resumes, I would place a slew of follow up phone calls to Matter, hoping that each one might be The One that would open the doors and change my life forever.

Similar to following up on job applications, it is important to be persistent in PR. When pitching it is imperative to follow through with phone calls and make that personal connection. You never know if that next call turns out to be The One.

Overall, I’m glad that the years pursing Matter and keeping them top on my radar finally paid off. It has been a whirlwind adventure but I’m learning tons and loving every minute of it.

I was invited over to a friend’s place to watch the Patriots game surrounded with good company and good food.  Among all the chatty adults was an adorable toddler not more than 3-years-old making the rounds with all the guests.  He had a beaming smile and was very well-behaved.

Of course, kids will be kids, and even though the Pats were on their way to a victory over the Jets, the boy could care less about the score and was too busy occupying himself with none other than the popular Angry Birds game, the mobile app game developed by Rovio where players use a slingshot to launch birds at pigs stationed on or within various structures.

It occurred to me as I watched him focus on that game that at 3-years-old, this little boy was being kept entertained completely by technology.  His attention was being held captive by the sights and sounds of the worldwide web and through mobile phone applications.   Then it dawned on me.   The toys and games I played with when I was a little kid have been outdated and made obsolete.   Consider me ancient!

But what was worse, I further thought, is that the technology available to kids today has destroyed their creativity and imaginations.  When I was a kid, I transformed an old refrigerator box into a house for my dolls and I to have tea parties in!  When I was a kid, I flew around my back yard with a towel tied around my neck pretending to be Supergirl!  When I was a kid, I didn’t have iPhone game apps or the internet to tell me how to be creative or teach me how to play.  My imagination was my babysitter, not Angry Birds!

Then something else happened.  The little boy put Angry Birds down and started to flap his arms up and down as he tiptoed around the house in circles while whistling.  The little boy was pretending to be one of the Angry Birds in the game.  He was, dare I say, using his imagination to create his own game inspired by the iPad he was just tinkering with.

And just like that, my theory that technology is plotting to kill kids’ imaginations was disproved and upstaged by an adorable, make believe Angry Bird with a beaming smile.  Imaginations of kids today have not been replaced by technology.  Rather, technology has only offered a plethora of venues for kids to come up with great new ideas for their own make believe worlds.

So what does any of this have to do with PR?  Today’s PR professional is not your father’s PR professional.  Our typewriters have been replaced by laptops.  Our fax machines have been replaced by emails.  Our landlines have been replaced by cell phones.  Technology has clearly changed the way we conduct business just like it has changed the way kids come up with their make believe games.

But no matter what fancy bells and whistles are thrown onto our desks, PR professionals still rely on our own creative ingenuities when crafting the perfect pitch or brainstorming the perfect branding strategy for our clients, just like how the little boy still relied on his own imagination when turning himself into an Angry Bird. Technology has changed the PR industry, but without our creative imaginations there would be no PR industry.

…and then reality set in.

Me? Speaking to a class? A little over a year ago, I had no idea what I wanted to do, and now I’m supposed to influence young minds about the job search process and life as a PR professional? Oh. My.

However, after all was said and done, I learned a lot about myself and my job. Specifically:

There is no daily routine to PR. A student asked me to describe what I do on a day-to-day basis, but I couldn’t tell them. PR is such a whirlwind, and that’s why I love it. Sure, I could name some of my daily tasks, but that doesn’t accurately paint the picture of what life in PR is like. Schedule? No thanks. I’ll take craziness over routines any day.

I’ve come so far in a year. Explaining to this class how I got here was hilarious, mostly because I couldn’t remember all of my extracurricular activities I did to build out my resume from when I was interviewing. Instead, I talked about how I have awesome clients and get to work with all aspects of their businesses every day. I work with so many people and on so many different projects that I feel I’ve grown more in a year at Matter than I did in four years at college. In the world of social media, I would have to say that I am currently #WINNING (or #failing for my college career, can’t quite decide).

Working in a PR agency is not for the faint-hearted. I saw the students’ eyes widen as I explained my job description and responsibilities – and I’m not going to lie, I felt that way too when I first started. I realized that not everyone can – or would like to – do what I do, and that’s what makes PR folks a special kind of breed.

I’m lucky to have such an awesome job. Matter has the coolest employees and benefits, and I’ve come to lean on my colleagues more like I would with a family. A majority of what I talked about with the class was our fun after-hours events and the vibe of our new office. Side note to all future presenters out there: If you tell the college students that your office has a company-branded kegorator, they will pay attention to what you have to say.

So take it or leave it, folks. Sometimes it takes a blast from the past (or a simple return to your college campus) to remember where you are, how you got there, and look forward to what’s next.

Classes. What we learn in class constitutes what we talk about in our daily lives and impacts how we relate to the world.  At Matter, we often participate in professional development seminars, brainstorming sessions, team internals and client calls. We learn different ways to utilize programs, creatively present ideas and speak to the media, which helps us help our clients.

Studying. In PR, we have to be well-versed in all top publications of our clients’ industries. At Matter, we study publications so that we can understand what reporters and publications are looking for. This in turn sharpens our approach to these media outlets and increases the chance that our pitch will be chosen.

Lunch time gossip. For PR professionals, social media is synonymous with lunch time chatter. We are constantly sharing interesting articles or bits of news, creating excitement about something new and keeping in touch with people we don’t see during the daily grind. Social media provides that platform for people to connect, as you once did during high school lunch time.

Extracurricular activities. In high school, some chose to play sports, while others were involved in the drama club or school band. Some even chose to do it all! At Matter, we choose to do it all. In this agency, we learn to work with a diverse group of clients and take the time to learn everything we can about the different industries. This enables us to become a valuable resource to both our internal teams and clients.

The popularity contest. In high school, it seems like everyone wants to be part of the “in-crowd” and befriend the popular kids. The same concept applies to our clients.  We work to ensure that they are highlighted in the top publications and are positioned as an important and relevant company within their industry. Who wouldn’t want their client to be seen as the equivalent of the “prom queen?”

I hope this not only lets you walk down memory lane, but also sheds some light on how you have taken your learned knowledge and applied it to your PR career. The tools we learn throughout our lives shape how we perform at our jobs. This lifetime attitude of learning is what makes us the best we can be.

This is something that applies to work and personal life alike. Let’s face it; working in the PR industry is not a walk in the park. It’s fast paced, demanding, and can definitely be stressful. Not to forget about the exciting, fun, and rewarding aspects, of course.

 Here’s a fun fact for everyone: CNBC named Public Relations Executives the 2^nd “Most Stressful Jobs in America” in 2011 just behind commercial airline pilots.

My point being, we as PR professionals sometimes need to pull away in order to come back and see the big picture. For this exact reason, Matter values the well being (and sanity) of their employees, and has created a sanctuary in the newly-expanded Newburyport office. The recently-renovated kitchen serves as place for Matter employees to gather together for breakfast, lunch, or even a Friday afternoon beverage.

Our new office addition only reinforces the need to, and benefits of, stepping back from the crazy day-to-day that is PR. Take that extra couple of minutes to drink some coffee and read the paper. Sit with some co-workers to talk about trends they’re seeing, or concepts they find interesting. Find a little lunch group that meets for a half hour at lunch (or breakfast, for you early risers). Make sure to laugh every day.

 The point is: TAKE THE BREAK. If no one has ever told you to do this, consider this my gift to you. Take a break, regroup and then go back to being the PR rockstar you are.

Recently I’ve been calling a list of companies in follow-up to a Matter mailing and that exercise has reminded me of my affinity for the phone. Some of my calls have been positively-toned, and some not so much. (That’s part of the gig…) In all cases the calls have been exciting – and often very entertaining.  Case in point: this week I shared some information about our newly packaged TIP program on a call, and heard some details about a son’s start of freshman year at college. I’m a big fan of my time in college – uh, who isn’t? – but I’m also a big fan of that time of life in general. On these calls I’m not only introducing myself and my company, I’m picking up a piece of personal information that I can use as a connection in the future.  Yes, that all can be achieved to a certain degree over email. But attaching a voice, one that supplies a sense of confidence and genuine interest in the conversation, is far more preferable. A good, high-energy interaction (while becoming rarer these days) lets the players read the situation by the words chosen, the volume at which they are delivered, and the tone they convey.

If I prefer the personal touch of the phone in sales situations, it’s certainly no surprise that I prefer the same opportunity to chat live with media contacts when I’m pitching a client.  The media relationships I maintain today are a serious source of pride for me, and I can remember numerous lengthy calls with many of these people over the years. More than a few of those calls were way off topic – but the discussion helped strengthen the relationship, built up a level of trust and provided continuity for future pitches. Again, email is the perfect tool of convenience, but I doubt the people I consider friends in the media community would consider me the same if I hadn’t often picked up the phone to connect with them.

I’m always impressed by those adept at setting the perfect tone in an email or letter. I’m extremely fortunate to be surrounded by a strong set of writers here at Matter. They are spot-on when they deliver their messages in pitch notes, press releases and all other communications, and, with obvious exceptions, their content is always a pleasure to read. But what really makes our team exceptional is that they always know when picking up the phone is the best fit for the situation.  They know that some calls, especially cold calls, can be lengthy, inconvenient and potentially awkward or nasty.  But they also know that over the phone is often where the best PR relationships are formed and where the best results lay.  When it’s time for a connection, do you reach for the keyboard instead of the phone?  Maybe you should give your voice a chance to convey your message and let me know how it goes.

Well, let me qualify that: I’ve been in the industry just over 4 months now, and it’s amazing how much one can learn about PR in such a short amount of time.

That being said, I walked through the doors of Matter as a clean slate, willing and eager to learn the ropes armed with the skills and experience I had packed along for the ride.

PR lingo? That I had to learn as I went along, as no phrasebook had been tucked into my new hire packet. Vets, you’ll probably get a kick out of the terms I found to be foreign. Future newbies of Matter Communications, allow me to spell out a few things:

OPP: [op] Noun

1. Short for “opportunity” — not just any opportunity, but a coverage opportunity, or strategic outlet that’s been deemed a prime target to convey your client’s key messages.

EOD: [ee-oh-dee] Noun

1. Acronym for “end of day” — a common deadline.

• “I need this by EOD.”

*Note* I believe it was Nick Porter who got to field my awkwardly formal email in response to a deadline he sent me:

Hi Nick,

What does EOD mean?

Thank you,

Talia

PUB: [puhb] Noun

1. Short for “publication” — this could refer to a magazine, newspaper, broadcast media outlet, or blog.

2. A fine malt beverage establishment…at (you guessed it!) EOD, of course.

*Note* Have you seen the new kitchen kegerator?

Hashtag: [hash-tag] Noun

1. The “#” prefix symbol on Twitter — the community-driven tool used for adding additional context and metadata to your tweets. It helps those with shared interests find information on Twitter.

• #PRisforlovers (No? Ok, I’m still learning.)

2. Also known as “the pound sign” on your touchtone key pad

UV: [yoo-vee] Noun

1. Acronym for “unique visitors,” or the number of individual web users to visit a site.

• Put on those shades…as of today, Examiner.com has a UV number of 7 million. That’s hot.

FU: [ef-yoo] Verb

1) An acronym for “follow up” — a means of being thorough, checking in, or being the squeaky wheel to get results.

• “FU with the executive and make sure we have the right contact information.”

*Note* Best if used in combination with other words, as was not done on my first encounter with the term:

One-line email from a Matter colleague: “FU.”

Me: “GASP!#$….Why are they so hostile?!?

PR: [pee-ahr] Noun

1. Acronym for “public relations” — doing anything and everything communications-based to help your clients with whatever they need, whenever they need it.

• May include: anything (that will get them positive results that matter…by EOD)

My colleague Rachel Schlacter & I share the above definition. What is your personal definition of PR?

*Note* My friends and family have a very hard time understanding what I do. Explaining it? #Forgetaboutit.  I guess my colleague Matt Mendo (#2) has had similar experiences.