‘Tis the season to reflect

By: Cole Buergi, VP of Business Development, Leonard & Finco Public Relations

'Tis the season and there’s truly no better time of year to take a step back from the hectic pace in your world and reflect on all the wonderful things in your life. At times, it can be easy to forget about all the good things and just focus on wanting more or, in some cases, just not focusing at all

For me, I think about my wife, my two stepdaughters, other family and friends. I’m thankful for the home I have and the life that I share with people I love and that love me.  I’m also lucky to have a great job with a wonderful team of co-workers.

I also think about those less fortunate. Particularly those that struggle to make ends meet or can’t afford to put a simple meal on the table for their family. The holidays are a good time to provide a helping hand, either through volunteering at a local charity or by donating food, health care products, clothes or money to help others in need. It’s also a great time to get the entire family involved so they can understand the importance of giving and helping others.

Just a few of the organizations that would welcome your support include:

• The Salvation Army
• Paul’s Pantry
• Homeless Shelter
• Cerebral Palsy Center
• United Way
• American Red Cross
• Marion House

These are just a small handful of the many organizations providing support to our community and making it a better place to live.

It’s also important to remember that many local charities see a significant boost from donations around the holiday season but then struggle throughout the year. For 2014, make it a point to help out during other times of year as well.

I’m interested in learning what organizations our readers support. Please share them with us and help bring attention to an organization you support.

Happy Holidays and have a wonderful New Year,

Cole

Not following up? Don’t expect success!

By: Angela Raleigh, Senior Account Executive, Leonard & Finco Public Relations 

No matter how great you think your media pitch is, or how often you send pitches to the media, if you don’t follow-up, you probably won’t get the results you’re hoping for. Why bother with following-up?

• The media gets hundreds of emails every day and the reality is that sometimes things get missed. Since you took the time to develop the pitch and send it out, take the time to make a follow-up phone call. It can be what helps the media circle back to the information you sent over and can help keep your pitch from being ignored. 
•  Being persistent can pay off, but don’t be a nag. If you sent your pitch to the media, wait a couple of days before following up. If you sent the pitch via email, don’t immediately follow-up with a phone call because the media needs time to read it and respond. Think about your own email and how sometimes it can take all day to get to it. If the media isn’t interest, don’t keep pushing. Simply thank them for considering your idea. 
•  A phone call adds a personal touch and helps build a relationship with the media. Plus it can help your pitch stand out in a crowded inbox. 
•  A follow-up provides you with the perfect opportunity to explain the benefits of your idea and how it will fit for the targeted media outlet. You can talk about the information in a way that shows how it can be used and you can let them know you have resources available for additional information or interviews.

You want success for your company or your client. A reporter wants a successful story for their outlet. It can be a very good symbiotic relationship if you nurture it and care for it; and that includes following up. Do you follow-up on a regular basis with your media contacts? Do you follow-up in an interesting or unusual way? Please feel free to share your stories or your challenges.

Is your business ready if crisis occurs?

By: Scott Stein, VP of Client Services, Leonard & Finco Public Relations

A new survey confirms what most of us in the communications business have realized in recent years – the speed in which news is disseminated in today’s social media world requires significantly faster reactions in crisis situations.

The survey, which included in-depth interviews of senior crisis communications professionals advising some of the world’s largest organizations, was done by Freshfields Bruckhaus Derigner.

Among the results:

• 28 percent of crises reported spread internationally within an hour
• 69 percent spread internationally within 24 hours
• Crisis news that spreads outside of the country of origin will reach an average of 11 countries

The survey also found that it takes companies an average of 21 hours to deliver meaningful external communications to try to manage the issue and more than 48 hours in 18 percent of the incidents. 

While the survey focuses primarily on large international organizations, a crisis can hit any business no matter the size, industry or location. With the speed in which news can spread via social media, it’s crucial for all organizations to spend some time developing a crisis plan to address operational and communication needs if a crisis occurs.

All-to-often companies put off developing a crisis plan and aren’t prepared when something happens. And once a crisis plan is drafted, it’s important to review it at least once a year to be sure its contents are up to date.

What would your business do in a crisis situation? Would you be prepared to respond in a timely manner?

A full report on the survey can be found at The Holmes Report - http://www.holmesreport.com/expertknowledge-info/14300/Social-Media-Requires-Faster-Crisis-Response-Survey-Says.aspx