L is for the way you…. LOVE Public Relations

Posted on February 14, 2013 by aoquin

Six months into my first public                                                                       relations job  and I am still learning.                                                                     The public relations industry is definitely not something that can be learned overnight. The term “sink or swim” was definitely crafted with this profession in mind.

For a successful long-term relationship with PR, I encourage newbies to keep LOVE top of mind:

L is for the way you Listen

Listening is the best way to learn, regardless of where you are on your career path. Absorb as much information as possible from everyone around you and really think before you speak. You may get the answer to the question in your head by simply listening to others.

O is for Organization

The number one way to succeed at public relations is to have an amazing organization system set up for yourself. I can’t tell you the best way to stay organized because it’s different for everyone. It takes time combined with good ol’ fashioned trial and error.

V is for Very Very Extraordinary

Be voracious! Go above and beyond what is expected of you. Don’t punch out at five when it’s “time to go home.” Make sure you finish what you’re working on and assist with anyone else in the office that needs help so they can go home too. “A happy wife = a happy life” and the same goes for your work environment. “A happy team = a happy everyday dream team!”

E is for Even more attention to detail  

The devil is in the details when it comes to public relations. With the combination of internet and mobile devices, there are more eyes on what you’re putting out there than ever before. You can proofread something a million times and there will still be mistakes. Ask a trusted co-worker to take a look at your work before you send it out to an editor or client just to ensure you’ve covered everything and you haven’t made any grammatical errors.

Stepping into the PR world and becoming great at it isn’t a one night stand, it’s a long-term relationship!

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The Flacktrack

Posted on February 13, 2013 by Molly Delaney

By Dawn Sullivan, PR Strategist

Thanks to services like Songza and iHeartRadio’s “Perfect For”, customizing music to fit your mood or “activity” is a snap. But, for the modern PR agency professional, tunes designed for “working” hardly cut it. Our job is a constant state of flux – ups and downs, frustration and adulation, fire tamping and blue-sky thinking. It’s no surprise “PR professional” is one of the top five most stressful jobs on the planet. To help us get through it, we need a soundtrack that bobs and weaves right along with us.

As part of HB Agency’s Blog the 13th 2013 blog series, here are tunes for 13 common PR situations. The rest of the soundtrack is up to you…and I hope you’ll share it with me!

Go to HB Agency’s GrooveShark page and Hit PLAY for:

1.       Brainstorming an explosive idea – TNT by AC/DC

BONUS TRACK: Symphony No. 25 in G Minor, Mozart

2.       Writing a press release – Chariots of Fire, Vangelis

3.       Calling a reporter – Eye of the Tiger, Survivor

4.       Recovering from getting turned down by a reporter – Fighter, Christina Aguilera

BONUS TRACK: Mean, Taylor Swift

5.       Celebrating a piece of amazing, on-message, earned media coverage – Walking on Sunshine, Katrina and the Waves

6.       Needing some light at the end of the tunnel – Somewhere over the Rainbow, Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

BONUS TRACK: Red Solo Cup, Toby Keith

7.      Finding Inspiration – It’s a Wonderful World, Louis Armstrong

8.      Winning a piece of business – You Can’t Touch This, MC Hammer

9.      Losing a piece of business – I’m Gonna Find Another You, John Mayer

10.    Thanking colleagues for always having you covered – Umbrella, Rihanna

11.   Receiving client praise – Can’t get enough of your love babe, Barry White

BONUS TRACK: Give Me All Your Lovin’, ZZ Top

12.   Tending to a fire – Rolling in the Deep, Adele

BONUS TRACK: Let Me Stand Next to Your Fire, Jimi Hendrix

13.   Having a happy client – Just Like Heaven, The Cure

What’s your Flacktrack? Tell me @dawnsullivan or dsullivan@hbagency.com.

Posted in Blog the 13th, Media Relations, Public Relations, Writing | Leave a comment

No Snow Job Needed

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Steve Brownell

The recent snow storm once again caused power disruptions across many towns in eastern Massachusetts, with notable areas concentrated along the South Shore, an area where I live. Although the snow itself was ultimately manageable, the resulting damage it caused to power lines led to several days of no electricity and cold homes for hundreds of thousands. The two companies responsible for restoring power to these areas have made very visible efforts this time in communicating to their customers, providing a toll-free line to speak with a live person to report downed lines to or request further information (if your phone works…), near real-time updates via their corporate websites showing where power outages exist and when affected customers can expect restored power, and regular statements from their senior executives regarding the status of their efforts.

First off, thank you to my power company for this, a tremendous improvement over prior efforts during Hurricane Irene, where the lack of consistent and straightforward, unspun communications left many in the dark, both figuratively and literally. Both companies now provide interactive maps and ETA for restoration of our beloved electricity. In the past, we might have seen messaging a bit off the top-line.

Making an honest effort to inform customers and avoiding much of the detached, self-congratulatory back-slapping that plagued past communications is critical to ensure customer trust. We’re in the same boat — the roads were in rough shape for all of us, weather was terrible and conditions far from ideal. And since I made it to work along those same roads, along with tens of thousands of others, you want empathy and information, not needless spin.

In times like these, how about directly cutting to the point – offering a strictly customer-centric voice to your communications – i.e. when is power expected to be restored, and where will this occur. For executives and companies that face the difficult task of updating customers and shareholders in times of crisis or those faced with conveying bad news, the best policy is often “just the facts,” without softening context and spin. Customers and the general public have a vast capacity to forgive and forget, and expect these challenges. Companies, executives and the professionals helping manage their public relations should also understand that in the era of immediate communications where customers can verify the veracity and accuracy of statements, a “just the facts” policy, whether those facts are either encouraging, or more of the same, makes the most sense.

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Five Reasons I Get Out of Bed in the Morning

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Perrin McCormick

Rise and shineOnce again, CareerCast’s list of the top ten most stressful jobs includes public relations executive (number five, after commercial airline pilot). Despite this “status,” I love my job for exactly the factors that do make it so stressful; most days involve a fire drill and I must be an expert in all my clients’ markets and product areas.

A few of the other reasons that I leap (er, roll) out of bed each day:

  1. No two days are alike. The movie Groundhog Day profiles the trials and tribulations of Phil Connors (played perfectly by Bill Murray), who finds himself repeating the same day again and again. Each day at HB Agency brings a new set of challenges to solve and stories to tell. No Phil Connors here.
  2. I see results in black and white. Media success hinges on building relationships between reporters and industry experts. The connections that I forge ultimately lead to “ink” for my clients and their business success.
  3. It rewards my organizational strengths. While a client services role requires top-notch business acumen, it also comes down to achieving the perfect balance of competing, yet equally important, demands. My organizational skills get put to the test daily as I continue to build and fine tune the systems that help me succeed.
  4. It keeps me fresh. I constantly need to push myself and the team to find new angles for existing topics and stories. This keeps me on my toes and fosters stellar creative thinking skills.
  5. I listen to smart people talk. In one day, I set up and facilitated six interviews for the CEO of a publicly traded company. These conversations led to stories in AdWeek, DestinationCRM and Direct Marketing News.

I can’t imagine a day without a solid dose of stress with a shot of result-producing adrenaline on the side.

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Holiday ‘Social’

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Amanda Jayachandran

My husband and I hosted a drop-in party over the holidays. We built the party around the theme of “Desserts, Drinks, Ice Cream Floats, and Friends.”

However, during preparation, something different and unexpected occurred. Typically, I invest time flipping through all of my cookbooks. I wouldn’t want to miss a single recipe that could be “the one.”

But this year, I didn’t open a single cookbook. Every recipe I used came via Pinterest. Users’ reviews and comments helped me make decisions on our menu. In fact, one particular helpful hint saved what could have been a frustrating experience! In the end, everything we served looked and tasted great.

The Power of Pinterest

Pinterest is the third largest social network, behind Twitter and Facebook. Social media has not only changed how we connect with others and give our opinions, but the way we experience, behave, entertain, make decisions, and spend. The tool’s visual marketing has 81% of US online consumers trusting information and advice from Pinterest (according to BlogHer).

But don’t worry, I still love my cookbooks.

Curious about my menu? Check out my “Love of Food” board (which also includes other yummy recipes).

Posted in Design, Food and Drink, Hart-Boillot, Social Media | Leave a comment

To be 13 again…

Posted on January 13, 2013 by Kevin Hart

Floating Cars

In honor of 2013, HB is introducing “Blog the 13th.” That’s right! On the 13th of every month, we’ll share a special post with you (we promise it’s not as scary as Friday the 13th).

I recently sat down with my 13 year-old son, Johnathan, to get his perspective on technology. I was looking for some riveting, insightful and potentially surprising answers about what he likes, expects, and desires from technology. I was “shocked” at the complexity and detail of his answers… well, I guess I wasn’t terribly surprised, so I went to my 15 year-old daughter, Jane, for backup.

Q: What do you find the most engaging and contagious technology?

John: Cell phone. Why? Talk to friends and play games. And go on social networks… I guess. What social networks? Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. They’re kind of addicting.

Riveting.

Jane: Twitter. Why? It has so many updates and I can follow people that I want (it’s selective) and they can follow me without me HAVING to follow them. Everyone uses it. What do you use it for? Basic life updates and sometimes texting in real time back and forth. I don’t do it that much because I don’t want to flood the twitter feed.

Q: If you had an app that could do anything, what would it do?

John: I don’t know.

Captivating.

Jane: It would learn everything about me and give me advice about anything I ask it. Totally personal to me.

Q: What do you think technology will do for you in 10 years?

John: I think it will be faster, lighter and more mobile. What do you mean? Smaller. I don’t know… floating cars.

Floating cars?

Jane: I think technology will be used even more in schools and throughout our lives. Touch screens and connected technologies to control everything in the house, my car, my life… from anywhere at any time.

Q: What would you do without technology?

John: Basketball. No, I mean what would you do without “technology”? Basketball.

Oh boy.

Jane: I grew up with technology so I have no idea what it would be like without it… read more. Play more board and card games. Have to find more ancient ways of communication. It would be less social because everyone would be less connected. Technology gives me access to other people’s lives.

“Ancient technologies”? I feel old.

These kids have far less wonderment about technology than people who didn’t have it growing up. It’s simply an ordinary part of their lives. Does that commonplace attitude forecast more innovation or less? As Jane says, we’re moving to a world where everything – and everyone – is connected. What will the world look like then? How will communications look? Will our books and libraries and keys to open doors and more everyday life staples become “ancient”? Is the future really “floating cars”? Maybe. Regardless, technology is an ever-changing, captivating and awesome part of our lives.

Posted in Blog the 13th, Social Media, Web/Tech | 3 Comments

Why HB Bets on Clean-Tech – and why the revolution is hard to see when you’re in it

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Nicolas Boillot

Swimming in beer at Fenway Park

The Boston Red Sox play at a cathedral of a field… Fenway Park. If you’re from the Northeast, you’ve probably visited the park for a game or a tour. And if you’ve been there on a summer day, baking in the sun, sweat on your brow and shirt sticking to you and your bleacher seat, you appreciate an ice-cold beer.

Now imagine you’ve been handed an empty cup and your ice-cold beer is merely dripping into it, one drop at a time. Pretend that the content of the cup doubles every minute.

At first, watching it becomes unbearable as your thirst grows, and it looks like the cup will take forever to fill. After six minutes, there is barely a gulp of beer sloshing around the bottom of the cup. But at 10 minutes the cup overflows. After 20 minutes a thin layer of beer covers the bottom of the park, as if a quick rain shower just swept through. Forty-five minutes into this experience, the players on the field are knee-deep in beer. You might think the game will end long before any noticeable difference, but four minutes later, the park is completely full and you’re swimming in ice-cold beer. Forty-nine minutes to fill Fenway Park to the top of the Green Monster. This is the power of exponential growth. Continue reading →

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Selling – an opportunity to show integrity and humility

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Nicolas Boillot

I recently experienced a rare and humbling selling situation. I traveled to meet a prospective customer for the first time, with two of my talented colleagues. We had spoken several times to our main contact, and once to the group we were about to meet. We had shared a glut of information about each other’s businesses, and HB had been selected as one of two agencies to participate in an in-person review. We were charged with bringing our best thoughts on the challenge, spending an hour discussing our plan and then another hour having lunch, an informal Q&A, and getting to know each other. We were well prepared and eager to meet the four-person client marketing team.

The meeting went smoothly, with one member of our team leading the charge and outlining our thoughts about the branding challenge our prospective customer faced. There were moments of strong discussion and brainstorming about how to approach certain internal challenges, and every person in the room seemed engaged and passionate about creating a great outcome.

But when we got to the budget section, our prospective clients became visibly uncomfortable. They raised their eyebrows as they looked at each other. They grew quiet. Their voices gained tension. They asked questions that showed confusion, and the room filled with a palpable aura of discontent. It would not be exaggerating to say that the attitudes around the table went from an optimistic “Show us what you’ve got” to a shocked “what were you thinking?” Continue reading →

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13 Marketing Resolutions For 2013

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Molly Delaney

In honor of 2013, HB is introducing “Blog the 13th.” That’s right! On the 13th of every month, we’ll share a special post with you (we promise it’s not as scary as Friday the 13th).

To kick off Blog the 13th, marketers need to think about what changing priorities a New Year will bring, and what that means for you, your business and your clients.

January 1st is like hitting an imaginary reset button; to take advantage of this opportunity and consider your marketing resolutions for next year, here are 13 of our suggestions:

  1. Don’t count on luck. It’s important to take risks, but don’t hit go on an idea and wish for the best. Create a plan.
  2. Step back, slow down. Take an honest look at your marketing activities in the past year. If they were non-existent, does it make sense for you and your business to consider a change in 2013? If your company is a marketing machine, take a step back and evaluate all facets of your marketing plan. Was PR successful in 2012? If the answer is yes and you think it could be even more successful in 2013 with additional investment, consider making a change.
  3. Kill your darling. Next year is a fresh start, so don’t hold on to anything that proved to be useless last year. For example – you sponsored several trade shows which resulted in virtually no leads but ate up a significant portion of the marketing budget. It’s time to reevaluate. Or you clung onto a marketing theme that was inconsistent with your overall messaging, but stuck with it because you loved the idea of it.
  4. Be practical. Big ideas are important, but it’s often the little things that count. Set measureable and realistic goals that you can chip away at during the next 12 months.
  5. Measure. Monitor. Reward. Measurement remains one of the most critical activities we can do as marketers, and still one of the most challenging. Since 2013 is the year you’ll set measurable goals, make sure you monitor progress throughout the year. Have a tough time doing that? Set up a rewards system as incentive. It doesn’t have to be something big, but make it something that will motivate you.
  6. Use money to make money. Businesses have held on to their cash for a few years now. With the economy warming up, it’s time to invest in growth.
  7. Demand message alignment. A critical review of a business’ creative assets will show more often than not that its website language, sales material collateral, press releases and other items tell different stories. Rather, make them tell the same story, but in different ways to appeal to each specific, intended audience.
  8. Explore new media. In general, people like to stick with what they know. Expand your horizons and consider a marketing activity that, while out of your comfort zone, may pay big dividends. There are so many new ways and places you can tell your story in 2013.
  9. Don’t jump on the social media bandwagon. Just because it’s popular, that doesn’t mean you have to do it. Ask yourself first – is my target audience on social media? What do I hope to accomplish through social channels? Do I have time to devote to social media? Define your goals first before you decide it makes sense. And then commit to success.
  10. Create meaningful content. With the internet at your fingertips, you have access to a never-ending resource of fresh content. While it’s important to be seen and heard, make sure you add value with your curation.
  11. Make a personal and intimate connection with your audience. Doesn’t matter who your audience is, but know to whom you’re selling to and make a point to connect with the right people, not all people. Consumers and B2B buyers alike respond to content and ideas that map to their interests.
  12. Listen More. Talk Less. While marketing may seem like a whole lot of talking at people, the most important part is listening. Make it your mission to listen more than anything else next year.
  13. Create your own resolutions and stick to them! What are your marketing resolutions for 2013?

Posted in Blog the 13th, Business, Content Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Twitter Wisdom: Less is More

Posted on December 4, 2012 by Andrea Dunbeck

Twitter may be the best thing that’s happened to me as a PR professional. Nope, not because I have hundreds of followers. I don’t. Not because I’m a social media expert, guru or influencer. I’m not any of those. Not even because it makes editors, reporters and clients more accessible. This is true for some, but most reporters who are terribly difficult to reach aren’t any easier to connect with via Twitter.

Twitter changed my life because crafting tweets is like pitch boot camp. I’m on the phone and emailing with reporters every day, and as I initiate each conversation I know I have 10 seconds at best to grab their attention. If it works, I may have bought myself two minutes tops to keep their attention and secure an opportunity for my client.

Communicating the value of an article, event or company accomplishment in 140 characters or less is excellent practice for pithy email subject lines and succinct phone introductions. Stripping down my content to the essential information in this way also helps me figure out whether my idea is as great as I originally thought. With every tweet I edit, trim and rewrite I improve my pitching skills tremendously.

The best part? It works. Really. All this practice makes a noticeable difference in the results I’m getting for clients. Major reporters respond to my inquiries within a week, rather than the months it sometimes takes to get feedback.  These same reporters trust me. They know I don’t hide between BS and prose. And some of them even come directly to me when they seek fresh ideas and sources. All of this, just from getting to the point, faster. How much faster could your last email have gotten to the point?

Posted in Hart-Boillot | 1 Comment