Tag Archives: nonprofit PR

Trump’s public relations strategy. Brilliant or disastrous?

Since I am essentially apolitical, I can’t comment on President Donald Trump’s political savvy.  But I can comment on his public relations and media savvy.

For decades, Donald Trump has made it a point to be in the media.  If it wasn’t a whirlwind marriage, or divorce, or a new skyscraper, or a new product, show or whatever, it was a regular appearance on the David Letterman show and countless other programs.

It is obvious Trump craves attention and PR.  Oddly, he doesn’t seem to care if the PR he gets is positive or negative.  If it is positive, he will re-tweet it.  If it is negative, he will attack the person or news organization that reported it.

It is clear his voracious need for media attention propelled him into the White House.  Maybe it was an accident, maybe it was a grand plan.  In either event, it worked.

The president of the United States is the most watched and reported person in the world.  His every word, every action, every nuance is recorded.  He can cough at the wrong time during a speech and send the financial markets into a spin.

One would think that a president would want a good relationship with the media.  John Kennedy was a master media manipulator.  He loved his news conferences and the press repaid him by keeping his secrets secret.  Richard Nixon hated the media and they virtually ran him out of the White House with relentless Watergate reporting.

In office a mere two weeks, it is clear Trump marches to his own beat.  He doesn’t care.  If he isn’t attacked, he attacks first.  He seems to relish a good fight and will often raise issues nobody is talking about and nobody cares about.  He just wants the attention.

It is a very strange strategy for someone like myself who has spent a lifetime working to curry favor with the media.  I want the press to like my clients and to report favorably about them.  Negative press is never good, in my view, but not in President Trump’s.

We will have to just wait and see if the friction between President Trump and the White House press corp. is a fluke or a permanent reality.  If it continues for months, it will continue throughout his presidency, and for Donald Trump, that may be just the way he wants it.

“Walking back” — the new darling in media terminology

With the presidential race in full swing, news stations (primarily cable) are in 24/7 mode talking with and interviewing “experts” and “surrogates” for both candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

As both sides send out their PR, marketing, polling and media experts, these poor souls have the unenviable task of having to explain the positions of their bosses (the candidates) and more often than not, “clarify” what the candidate meant to say but didn’t.

This holds true for both Trump and Clinton.  Trump with the immigration issue and Clinton with her email issue.  Both make large statements at large gatherings, and when what they say sinks in, the media want to know why they both keep changing their positions.

Typically this would be called “changing a position” or “taking back” a promise.  Simple and straight-forward language.  But a new term has crept into this election.  It is “walking it back.”

What exactly does it mean to “walk back” something?  Well, apparently it means the same thing as changing a position.

So while Trump originally said he wants to deport 11 million Mexican aliens, his reps have to go on TV and “walk back” that statement and say what he really means, whatever that is.  And the same with Hillary.  When she said she turned over all the emails she had, and the FBI said no she didn’t, then her reps have to go on TV and “walk back” that statement and clarify what she meant to say, but for some reason forgot.

We live in a world of soundbites and a changing of language to keep up with the changing times.

Most of it is fueled by the media, who for some reason find simple, plain English just to boring to adhere to.

Now that’s a statement I will never “walk back.”

 

Staying on message: A basic PR lesson

You undoubtedly have heard the phrase, “stay on message.”  It is currently being used widely by the Republican leadership to advise Donald Trump who, it appears, will be the Republican nominee for the 2016 presidential election.

What does this mean in terms of public relations, marketing and branding?  Or is it just a meaningless cliche?

In the world of politics, messaging is tested over and over again, day in and day out.  Pollsters and advisors want to know what issues resonate with certain segments of the public.  When the statistics fall in line, they advise the candidate to focus on those messages — at least in that State or to that group.

Trump is a different animal, it seems.  He speaks his mind to whomever, with some notable exceptions.  Lately, he has been going way, way off message by pounding a Federal judge hearing a case against Trump University.  While one would think capturing the presidency is foremost on his mind, he seems obsessed with this case, which he could afford to quietly settle and make it all go away.

So during precious airtime, when he could be delivering messages about the economy, foreign affairs and a million other issues that impact Americans’ lives, he spends it blasting the judge as being “unfair.”

This has not gone unnoticed by the Republication leadership who are screaming and yelling for him to stop with the judge and “stay on message.”  You only get to be president once, maybe twice in your life, and why squander the opportunity over a court case that is essentially meaningless to him.

But in the case of Donald Trump (our firm is apolitical and doesn’t do political consulting) it is obvious his emotions get the better of him and he simply can’t control his impulses.  When he gets angry, when he feels wronged, he lashes out.  And it is obvious he doesn’t care where the chips fall.

There is a lesson to be learned for all companies and organizations in this.  Staying on message means keeping focused and maintaining a connection between yourself, your organization and your audiences.  By wandering off message, for whatever reason, you are loosening or cutting that connection and losing the attention and support of your audience.

Find out what messages resonate with your target markets and audiences, and when you have opportunities to communicate to them, don’t waste those precious opportunities on trivial matters.

 

Telling your nonprofit story

We are often asked “what makes a good news story?”  Interestingly, the answer is in the question.

If you run a nonprofit, you probably have a strong desire to see your organization written about in positive, feel-good ways in the press, online or on television.  Of course you do.  Media coverage brings recognition and often, recognition brings donor dollars.

But what is a good story?  What do the media cover and what do they look for?

Like I said in the beginning, the answer is in the question.  The media look for good stories.

The media are not in the business of promoting nonprofits or any business.  They are in the business of writing stories that are interesting, engaging and will hold their readership or viewers.  That’s why when you structure your message in story form, the chances of it being reported in the press are much higher.

So when you write that next news release, don’t talk about how great your organization is.  Talk about the people you help and how the efforts of your nonprofit are changing peoples’s lives.

You just may get a nice new story out of it.

Trump’s PR 101 class

A number of years ago Donald Trump started a school to teach would-be real estate investors how to be successful, like him.  From all accounts, the school charged a lot of money but didn’t deliver much information, and the school went bust.

The mistake Trump made was he taught the wrong subject.  Yes, he is a master real estate mogul.  But he is even a better PR pro.

Years before Trump declared his candidacy for any public office, he was a national figure.  His high profile projects, reality show and many appearances on late night talk shows, often on the Late Late Show with David Letterman.  He was an entertaining figure and made for good conversation, even if Letterman poked fun at him.

Now that he is running for president of the United States, his PR skills are being put to good use.  While his competitors for the Republican nomination have to shell out millions of dollars in paid advertising, all Trump has to do is say something outrageous and he is on TV that night.

Donald Trump is a master publicist, for the Trump brand.  He knows how to get attention and does it every day.  His formula is simple: say something crazy and controversial, and the media will come running.

With the South Carolina primary a few days away, Jeb (Bush) pulled a great media event by having his brother, the former president, appear at a rally.  George W. has been very quiet since he left office, but now he is on the campaign trail.  But knowing that it would be Jeb’s day in the media spotlight, Trump wasn’t going to have it.  On the same day as Jeb’s event, he threatened to sue Ted Cruz, claiming he is ineligible to run for president because he wasn’t born in the U.S.  Everybody knows such a lawsuit, if it is indeed filed, will go nowhere.  But that wasn’t the point. It got Trump on TV that night, right along side Jeb’s big media event.  It took Jeb Bush money, work and coordination to get George W. to appear at his rally.  All it took for Trump was to pick up the phone and call a news conference.

So if Trump doesn’t become president, and if he gets tired of real estate, he really should go into PR.

That’s where his real talents lie.

PR is more than being; it’s doing

Public relations can be defined in many ways, but what it always comes down to is getting attention.  Every organization, whether a nonprofit or for-profit, wants target audiences to know they exist, and more so, what they do.  Hence, the public relations/marketing campaign.

This is perhaps most true in the world of nonprofits.  A nonprofit exists to do good, and all do, in their own way.  But it isn’t enough to be well meaning and good intentioned.  Not if you want to be recognized.

The media are all about telling stories and showing pictures. Regardless of the good work a nonprofit does, a reporter needs something tangible to report about.

The challenge is for a nonprofit to follow its mission while at the same time do activities and events that will draw media attention.  Sometimes a mission does not call for a newsworthy event or activity.  That doesn’t make it any less worthy, but it usually means it is more difficult to attract the media.

All nonprofits that want recognition need to find ways to do things that are interesting, visual, exciting, unusual and more.  Leadership needs to think about what they watch on CNN, YouTube and Facebook and understand that if they are drawn to that type of story, others will be as well.

This is not to say it’s easy or it always works.  But that’s where experienced PR counsel comes in.  PR professionals know what will draw the media and what won’t.   It is not something that comes naturally.  It is something that comes with experience, trial and error, and understanding what media are looking for.

That’s how you get the media’s attention.

 

Crisis PR: Getting the facts vs. taking action

When asked what is the first thing an organization should do when faced with a reputation management, or crisis PR issue, some will say to first get the facts. Others will say take immediate action — the longer you wait the more it may appear like a cover-up. After all, history has shown that the downfall of Richard Nixon was not Watergate per se, it was the cover-up.

In reality, both are true. And both need to be done simultaneously. Getting the facts is critical to devise an immediate plan of action. How can you know what to do if you don’t know what happened? This is easier said than done, as in the world of immediate communication, when every news outlet wants to be first, miscommunication is often the rule. News outlets can be wrong. They are not held accountable. But an organization can’t afford to be wrong.

At the same time taking instant action is critical. For example, if a staff member sends out an offensive tweet, albeit unintentional, there often is no other course of action than to terminate the employee — depending on the nature of the tweet and other factors. Once something is in cyberspace, and the world deems it racist or sexist or insensitive, there is no taking it back. A million apologies and explanations can’t undo the damage. Plus, it is a chance for an organization to show leadership by cutting the crisis off immediately. Then, a plan of restoring the integrity and reputation of the organization can be devised and implemented with the cause of the problem gone.

What is most important is that organizations be prepared for any eventuality. Anything can happen at any time and every company or nonprofit must be nimble enough to act. Acting can mean finding the facts and devising a plan. It can also mean taking immediate action.

There is no one right answer, as every crisis, or potential crisis, is unique; like every organization is unique. So the real way to prepare is not to decide whether you will first gather the facts or take action, but have an internal system that allows you to quickly make the right decision when and if crisis time comes.

When is a crisis a PR crisis?

If you have viewed our website, you clearly see that one of the services we provide is crisis communications, or reputation management as it has come to be called.  Organizations — commercial, nonprofits and institutions — sometimes find themselves in trouble and they need expert PR counsel to try to contain whatever public damage may result.

This is not an essay on crisis management, but rather one small aspect of the process.  And that is determining when a crisis is really a PR crisis; and when action should be taken or perhaps it is best to lay low.

These are simple questions with no easy answers.  Every potential crisis situation is different. Every organization is unique and the events that may occur are endless.  Sometimes the organization has done something wrong and it needs to make it right.  Sometimes an organization is wrongly accused and we need to set the record straight.

But step one is always an analysis of whether what appears to be a PR crisis truly is.  The worst thing a client can do is overreact to what they think will be a public attack when no such attack is imminent.  Then, they have created a crisis of their own.

When we are brought in by organizations for crisis PR counsel, the first thing we do is gather the facts and make a determination as to whether a crisis exists.  Sometimes we are able to bring clarity to the situation and remind the client that the world’s eyes are not on them and whatever happened will blow over.

There is a saying in crisis PR to “get ahead of the story.”  We understand and often practice this ourselves.  But there have been situations when clients have been advised to get ahead of a story that hasn’t yet been written.  Why write the story and create something negative unless you have to?

Reacting is usually not a good strategy, and overreacting is worse.  It is a fine line, and that is why PR counselors who have been in crisis PR situations many time are invaluable in sorting out reality and helping clients understand the nuances of PR and how to develop a strategic plan that addresses all situations.

The key is preparation.  Being prepared for launch at a minutes notice, but not launching until we have to.  That is the key to effective and smart crisis PR.

Why starting a nonprofit might not be such a good idea

Who can argue with someone who wants to start a nonprofit organization to better the world?

Having represented upwards of 60 nonprofits of all sizes and missions for their public relations and marketing, I have yet to meet a nonprofit that didn’t have its heart in the right place.  They are started and run by wonderful people.  Many are motivated by a very personal issue that propels them to help others.

But when we are approached by nonprofit start-ups, the issues are always the same.   They need funds to operate.  So they come to us to make them known so they can attract donors, volunteers and quality staff.

When we meet with a start up nonprofit to learn more about them and their strategic plan, the first thing that comes to mind, often, is there are dozens of other nonprofits that do exactly the same thing.  Personal tragedy in losing a loved one to cancer often motives an individual or family to start an organization that supports cancer research.

But starting a nonprofit takes funding.  There is rent to pay and payroll to meet.

So when we meet with a new nonprofit, we often discuss the possibility of perhaps their efforts and fundraising is better spent joining an existing nonprofit that is already up and running.  If someone truly wants to fight cancer, or any one of a million other causes, there are established organizations already doing it.  Why not help them achieve the same mission?

What we learn is that many people want to head their own nonprofit like best work boots agency’s.  They want to make the decisions, be the boss.  There is nothing wrong with that, and many start ups we have worked with have a different approach and are headed by talented people.  But we think it is always worth exploring whether the costs for starting a nonprofit might be better utilized in joining the efforts of an agency already fighting the battle.

We have been successful in helping well-meaning people find their place with other organizations. This is always a win-win.  An established organization gets talent and energy and people with a mission get to immediately put their talent and energy to work.  Their name might not be what they want, and it might not memorialize their loved one, but there is always a way to start a program that will just that.

So if you’re thinking of starting a nonprofit and need PR, we are happy to talk.  But be aware that we may just explore with you how you might make a larger and faster difference joining forces with someone else.

 

Nonprofit PR beyond the box

Every nonprofit organization, and there are thousands, wants two things.  First, they want money so they can continue their good work.  Second, they want PR so they can become known.  If a nonprofit doesn’t spread the word that it exists, how will it grow its donor base?

Yet, the question remains, if there are so many nonprofits — many with essentially the same mission — how does a nonprofit stand out?  How does it become known and how does it garner attention?

That’s where a strong PR and marketing effort comes in.

But even good PR won’t work magic.  There simply is too much competition for print and screen space.  That’s why it is important that the PR a nonprofit undertakes is targeted, smart and creative; only then can it break through the clutter.

Too many organizations write too many news releases that never get recognized.  Writing a news release is easy.  Get a reporter to take notice is the hard part.  So while an organization may think they are achieving their PR objectives by writing news releases, if nobody every sees them, not much has been accomplished.

If you are a nonprofit seeking PR attention, one way it to think outside your own organization.  Every agency wants their programs promoted.  But let’s face it, not every program is unique and newsworthy.  That’s why often the way to get recognition for a program is to find a way for it to help another, non-competitive nonprofit, or a newsworthy event.

To put it in terms that are perhaps more clear, instead of sending out a news release that your agency does disaster relief, make sure that when a disaster occurs your nonprofit is on the scene.  You don’t have to scream your organization’s name.  Just being there, doing what you do, will get you attention.  And most important, it will get you third party endorsement which is the best PR you can hope for.

Examples can go on and on. Don’t expect that the media will write about your organization because you exist. It’s what you do that will interest them.  Just doing is worth a thousand words.