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The GBA Blog provides insight for Marketing Decision Makers and other fun people
by Alison Walsh
In an effort to start the week off right, Green Buzz Agency is offering a little bit of education – call it a piece of “flair” – each Monday. We’ll tackle a different part of PR each week. Think we’ve missed one? Let us know and we’ll write one or post yours as a guest blog!
Since you only get what you give, we’ll start with Corporate Social Responsibility and the 8 questions you should ask when selecting a partner charity.
Muhammad Ali once wrote, “Community service is the rent we pay for our room here on earth.” In the spirit of “every little bit helps,” Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is important, regardless of the size of your business. You may have a charity in mind, but your PR team can help you get the most out of what you give through presence and alignment. Furthermore, they may have worked with these charities in the past or know their past work well from a media audit or similar connection.
Sure, every charity is a worthy cause, but there are questions you should answer before choosing one (or more) charity. We also recommend using Charity Navigator, as you vet out your options.
To start:
- Do I want to spread my donations to many different charities throughout the year or focus on a sole partner?
- Is their cause something around which my company and employees can rally?
- Does this charity’s donor base match my target customer base?
- Is this charity like my company: a well-oiled machine?
- Do they keep their web site fresh?
- Are they willing to include links and logos for my company in charity promotional materials online and in print?
- Do they hold events and fundraisers in which my company can get involved?
- Are they fairly well-known or on a growth spurt?
Here’s hoping your Monday’s productive and you don’t have to take a bat to your printer anytime soon, a la Office Space (the movie we’ve been referencing throughout this post).
The PR Specialist behind this post is Alison Walsh. Email Alison: alisonhope.walsh@gmail.com
Learn more about GBA and our video production prowess!
Learn more about GBA and our video production prowess!
by Margie Maddux Newman
Not all public relations practitioners (a.k.a. “flacks”) are created equal. I can say that because I am one. Day after day, I see folks out there giving my craft a bad name. Fortunately, there are many great PR pros who will ethically and strategically work to advance your goals. The good flacks serve as knowledgeable, curious and creative partners. Here are three signs you’ve found one:
Effective flacks listen: if your new firm or in-house communications director shows up on the first day with a plan already drawn up and ready to implement – you’ve got a problem. How can someone craft your communications strategy when they’ve never asked you about your vision, strengths, opportunities, threats, audiences, and goals? If your firm/comm. director does more talking than you do, tell them to hush; or go find a new one.
Effective flacks teach: I believe online reputation management will be the cornerstone of your successful PR campaign, but the mainstreaming of social media has ushered in a lot of self-declared “gurus.” It drives me nuts. Your business plan doesn’t call for a spiritual leader; you’re seeking the support of a tech-savvy person who will make your message more effective among people, on paper, and in pixels. Your PR pro should be transparent and coach you through the process. At the end of the day, you should be a better communicator because you’ve met this person, not rendered speechless by some secret sauce.
Effective flacks want you to win: one sign your PR pro has her eye on your prize is her willingness to do whatever it takes to get you there. To be clear, I’m not talking about unethical practices; I’m talking about playing well with others. There may come a time when you need more than just that firm/individual’s hands on deck. You may need support from both sides of the aisle; maybe you need to hire a digital marketing specialist or Web designer – whatever it takes. If your firm is hesitant to assemble an arsenal of creative/political/technical folks to advance your cause – you can bet they’re more interested in their invoice than your victory.
Whether you use an in-house communications director or an outside consultant, take your time and invest in high-performing, ethical, goal-driven public relations professionals. Your reputation – and bottom line – will be ever-so-grateful.
Margie Maddux Newman is an award-winning pr flack, technology columnist and social media guinea pig. A Nashville native, she currently lives, works, blogs and talks to strangers in Washington D.C.
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