PR Pro Bono Day: Elements of Effective Graphic Design

Presenter: Scott Qurollo, Partner, pearl brand communications

Scott begins with a humorous disclaimer that his presentation will "not make you as cool as Don Draper or land you a job at a big New York ad agency. It may however give you a leg up on your competition through better layout, and possibly make you more effective at promoting your product."

While referring specifically to ad layout, these basic elements of graphic design can be applied to any piece of design.

Determine your goals

• What's your message?
• Who is your audience? This will drive your style and layout.
• What information needs to be communicated? Call to action, contact information.

Determine the elements of your layout

• Graphic
• Headline. Grabs attention, conveys your message.
• Body copy. Provides support for message, draws reader further into ad.
• Signature. Most typically this is your company logo, identifies who is running the ad.
• Call to action. Not necessary if it is a branding ad.

Start designing with pencil and paper

• Rough sketches save time
• Strive for dominance and balance. Dominance gives design a focal point; balance draws the reader in and creates a "feel good" reponse

Use C.A.R.P. techniques
C=Contrast: creates intrusiveness (attention getting), adds interest to a page. Create contrast with color, dimensions (both within the ad and within the page).
A=Alignment: used to unify and organize; elements need to visually connect; find a strong line and use it.
R=Repetition: adds drama and visual interest; creates unity; underused! Use your copy as a visual element.
P=Proximity: grouping items creates unified elements; used to simplify and organize. Stand back from your ad and squint at it, counting the number of elements you see. If you have more than 5, start over, it's too much for the reader to digest.

Evaluate your ad, review your ad from the consumer's viewpoint and ask yourself:

• Did I achieve dominance and balance?
• Would it stop me?
• Would it differentiate me from the competition?
• Do I understand the message?
• Is it persuasive ?

PR Pro Bono Day: Branding Yourself and Your Business

Presenter: Christin Collins, Corporate Sales Manager, Norman Love Confections

Three keys to personal branding:

1. Name tag - with your company name, logo, colors - and use it!
2. Note cards.  Hand write as many notes as you can.
3. Introduce yourself with your full name and who you're representing.

Personal/self branding is about building a bond with the customer, showing you care.  Find out their passions and what's important to them.

Pretend you're peeling an onion when finding out what the customer wants and what's important to them.  Go to a deeper level to identify their needs.  Relating this to the non-profit world, you can grow commonality and build relationships by becoming involved in charitable causes. Let them know you care.  Be in the community, be passionate, be open, be celebratory of something off the topic of direct selling.

Remember it's not about you.  It's about the person you're talking to.  That's the key to being in the community, representing your brand and creating positive relationships.

PR Pro Bono Day: Customer Service and Surveys

Presenter:  Debbie Webb, APR, Executive Director for Hope Clubhouse

Customer service performed through building relationships.   You will be judged by what you do, not what you say.  If you truly want to have good customer service, make sure your business consistently does these eight things:

1. Answer your phone.  Get call forwarding or an answering service.  Hire staff if you need to.  Make sure callers can get a live person.
2. Don't make promises unless you will keep them.  Reliability is key to any good relationship.
3. Listen to your customers.  Let the customer talk.  Acknowledge them and make appropriate responses; suggest how to solve the problem.
4. Deal with complaints.  Give it your attention and you may be able to please this one person this one time.  
5. Be helpful, even if there's no immediate profit in it.  It will build loyalty.
6. Train your staff (if you have any) to be always helpful, courteous and knowledgeable.  Empower your staff with information and power to make small customer-pleasing decisions, so they never have to say, "I don't know," or, "I'll have to ask a manager."
7. Take the extra step.  Don't just point the way, lead the way.
8. Throw in something extra.  It doesn't have to be a large gesture to be effective.

Surveys are critical to providing good customer service.  This is how you know whether customers are satisfied or not. Ways to ask them... face to face, phone, mail, email a questionnaire or email an invitation to participate in a survey.  (Be careful not to violate the spam laws, though!)

The best time to conduct a survey is right after the service or contact.

A survey of one question, "will you buy from me again?" makes it too easy to answer yes, whether they mean it or not. Ask more questions to collect information about what to change, what not to change and buyer behavior.

However you decide to do your survey, the imporant thing to remember is to fix what people say they want fixed.  Let your customers guide your business.

PR Pro Bono Day: Media Interviews and How to Get your CEO Camera Ready

Presenter:  Susan Bennett, APR, CPRC

Susan Bennett Marketing and Media, L.C.

There are tricks to handling the media.  You can be in control.  Don't let the media control you.

Do your homework!

1. What do you know about the publication or program?
2. What do you know about the reporter?  Who's interviewing you makes a huge difference in what kind of approach you should take.
3. Who's the audience for that publication or program?  This will help you give appropriate answers for the audience.
4. Prepare a fact sheet about the issue.  You are the expert, not the media.  It's your role to teach them quickly.  Fact sheets allow you to get your message across in the way you want.
5. What are your 1 or 2 clear messages?  That's what you want to focus on in your interview.  Everything else can be on the fact sheet.
6. What questions do you NOT want to be asked?  Ask yourself how would you respond to that question if they do ask.  Be prepared ahead of time.

You should prepare and practice a "quotable quote" - a short 25-30 word statement or sound bite focusing on your key message, covering your primary point in simple, straightforward language.  Their clip will be 15-20 seconds out of the entire interview, which THEY select.  Keep your answer short and concise so it won't be taken out of context or edited inappropriately.  Use "nickel" words instead of "dollar" words -- use the shortest words possible.  Practice and rehearse this.


Here are some video examples of interviews gone wrong...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3iNxZ8Dww  (Miss Teen South Carolina pageant)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXiWX0HmuUE  (Sarah Palin Katie Couric interview)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1R0a9xq6uek  (Miss California on Larry King)


Preparing your CEO:

1. Review background materials.
2. Know what primary message you want to disseminate. (see "quotable quote" above)
3. Discuss the topic with members of your organization to discuss viewpoints and synthesize your best approaches.
4. Practice practice practice.  Mock interviews.
5. If your CEO needs notes, that's OK.
6. Consider what your CEO or spokesperson wears.  Never wear white or black.  Wear solids, not patterns.  The best colors for men are pale blue or ecru. Glasses are fine.
7. When the news is bad about your agency or company, never conduct the interview in your office.  That way, you can leave if you need to.  If the news is good, make sure your logo is front and center, though!

Another tip... Whenever you're being interviewed and there's a microphone or camera present, consider it live.  Whatever you say or do could be recorded and used.

Ways to answer...

1. Direct and immediate answers are best.
2. Do not ramble.
3. Buy time.  Just because they're there, suddenly at your doorstep doesn't mean you have to do the interview that very instant.  Ask for 10 minutes to finish what you were doing.  Then use that time to prepare and develop your message.
4. You don't have to answer every question that's asked.
5. If you don't know the answer, say so, but try to find out the answer.
6. Don't say "no comment" - it's never an acceptable response.  You can say the same thing without using those two dreaded words.  Come up with a friendly, alternative response.
7. When the question is negative, never repeat the charge in your answer.
8. Bridging is one of the most important techniques available.  A-B-C 
1. Answer the question  
2. Bridge to what you want to talk about 
3. Communicate your message

How to avoid negative interviews:

• Don't be caught by surprise. Develop contintency plans ahead of time.
• Know your media representatives.
• Develop a news release that answers the questions.
• Assign a spokesperson who knows your issue, your stand on it, and who is articulate.

Do all these things and become an EXPERT SOURCE.  The media will call you when they are covering a topic, resulting in positive coverage for you and your organization.

PR Pro Bono Day: Sponsorships and Media Kits

Presenter:  Karen Ryan, APR, CPRC, Public Relations Manager, LCEC

Most our audience are individuals who are solely responsible for communicating with the media.  Anything you can do to keep the media informed will help result in positive media coverage. 

There are two forms of media kits:  printed and online.  You should have at least the online version which is least expensive, but you'll need to be sure to drive the media inquiries to the online version.  Karen is speaking today primarily

Tips for great Media Kits:

• Less is More!  Include short, concise and relative background information about the company and key personnel.
• De-Clutter: Leave out the large amount of detail - just provide the high-level snapshot.
• Make it NOW.  Make sure the information contained is relevant and current.  Keep it updated to reflect current industry or community issues.
• Don't forget the brand.  Include photo CD, images, brand/logo throughout the kit.
• Double duty.  Duplicate your print version press kit online - but make sure it's also kept up to date. Send link to the media kit, not the attachment.  Many members of the media do not open attachments due to the dangers of computer viruses.
• Be clever.  Do something creative to inspire opening and retention of your materials.  Attention-getting items don't have to cost much to have great impact.
• Target the right person.  Research the correct contact person to avoid wasting your resources.

Checklist of things to include:

• Cover letter
• Contact information/physical location
• Company overview
• List of products and services
• Key executive bios
• CD high-res images
• Your business card
• Bonuses:  corporate metrics, demographics, testimonials, client list, case studies, recent media clips, awards, FAQ, corporate social responsibility

To optimize your sponsorship opportunities, utilize multiple mediums including traditional, social media, newsletters and mothers.  In making sponsorship decisions, some things to consider would include:

1. Pick the right opportunity.  Does it reflect your corporate values, key messages?  Does it build brand awareness and reach the target audiencee?
2. Sponsorships are opportunities, not outcomes.  What you do with the sponsorship is up to you.  Make the most of your message, think strategically.
3. It's not the same as charitable giving.  Sponsorships are typically funded from ad budgets and outcomes should be measurable.
4. Know what's imporant to your organziation and seek out those opportunities... face-to-face contact? networking? event tickets? logo placement?  distribution?
5. It isn't always about the money.  Consider other ways you can give "in kind" through time and talent within the company to help the cause.

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CPRC tip: Fake it until you make it!

Submitted by Mary Briggs, APR, CPRC

One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received is from my fellow PR pro, Teri Hansen, APR, of Priority Marketing. She probably doesn’t recall this conversation, but it has been burned into my memory. About twenty years ago, Teri approached me after an FPRA chapter meeting. I was surprised when Teri said I had been tapped to serve as the Chapter President. What, me? I was in my twenties and felt waaaaay too young and inexperienced to take on such an important role. When I expressed this to Teri, she said something I will never forget. “Fake it until you make it,” she said. “Act like you know what you are doing, and pretty soon, you will.”

I’ve always treasured that advice, so I’m passing it along to you. Present yourself with confidence and you’ll find your colleagues believe that you really do have what it takes. Act poised and professional, and voila, you are! Don’t let others see your uncertainty. Take on that stretch assignment and then go burn the midnight oil to figure out how to get it accomplished.

The thing about faking it is that pretty soon you aren’t faking it at all. Your positive thinking and can-do attitude will eventually turn you into a genuinely confident and poised PR professional! I’m not advocating arrogance, or encouraging you to think you are Superwoman. Be realistic, but aim high! Believe you can accomplish anything you set your mind to, and others will believe it too.

Now you know my secret. After 25+ years experience in public relations, sometimes I still second guess myself and occasionally question my abilities, but I never let them see me sweat, and neither should you!

Mary Briggs, APR, CPRC, is a marketing consultant and co-owner of Briggs & Rogers, a public relations and advertising firm based in Fort Myers, Florida. The firm specializes in media relations, marketing communications, branding, and issues management.

Mary is a certified public relations consultant, co-chairs the Southwest Florida chapter’s Credentialing Committee and serves on the Executive Committee of the FPRA State Board of Directors. Mary was named the 2006 Public Relations Professional of the Year by the Southwest Florida chapter of FPRA and has received numerous awards for her marketing and public relations programs.