I am one of those PR people who often gets feelings of guilt when he gets coverage for himself; I would rather get the coverage for our clients.

Still, when we have a good idea and the media likes it, we like sharing the news.  Last week, PRWeek printed an article I wrote which speaks to something near and dear to me–how to create more value out of the results that PR firms generate.

I thought you might be interested in reading it (if you cannot open it or don’t have access, Tweet me @shmaraksmpr and I will send it your way), and hope you can apply some of what is here to your company and its clients.  If you’re ever up for discussing specific ideas within your agency, the door (and e-mailbox) is open.

Many thanks–

Michael Shmarak

It goes without saying that every PR firm has some sort of new business pipeline.  What I have found these days is that there are several firms who don’t know how to fill it–or fill properly.

If I hear one more person say they have gone through their rolodex, their LinkedIn profile, their Twitter account or other forum to find people to start conversations about PR counsel, I’ll get sick.  Know why?  In many cases, these people are having the same conversation.  It goes something like this:

“Has (INSERT COMPANY HERE) ever considered its use of PR counsel?” says the agency representative.

“We like where we are,” says the client.

“Can I send you my capabilities one day?”

“Sure.  We’ll keep it on file.  You never know what can happen.”

What if you challenged convention and asked questions that MATTER to the CLIENT’S business as opposed to that of an agency?  Here is an example of something SMPR did in landing one of its most recent clients.

I asked questions that had nothing to do with PR:

• “When was the last time retailers sought ways to transform passive shoppers into active customers?”
• “Who are the companies that are researching how to transform retail’s current environment?”

No mention of PR anywhere here.  Why?  PR can help solve problems when you find other people who are asking similar questions.

We found one of our latest clients because this company was asking similar questions; we had a different answer than what they had heard before.  We started talking about the paths we could each take in finding answers.  Above all else, we proposed that our answers would unveil new opportunities for the company as it sought  new ways to reach clients.

I asked how to solve a problem.  In doing so, I solved a problem that all of us are trying to answer–where to find new business.  Now, this client and SMPR are answering more questions than just about marketing–we’re getting deep into the client’s business.

Isn’t that what a PR firm’s TRUE measurement is about?

Who knew “inside information” would take on a whole new meaning?

Steve Jobs’ personal health has taken as much a position in Apple’s corporate positioning as the newest iPhone. In its most recent article in the New York Times, there are several people who suggest that Apple’s shroud of secrecy is a significant detriment to telling the world about the company’s performance.

Have you ever seen 12 ANGRY MEN, the movie about a jury who, at the onset, was convinced a crime had been committed, only to conclude that the person on trial couldn’t have done it?  Reviewing this situation reminds me of the movie.

To be sure, Jobs has been the face of Apple and is as much an asset as his company’s sleek designs.  But I am having a hard time siding with people who suggest that the company has a responsibility in disclosing his illness.

Let’s turn the tables for a second and leverage SMPR’s view of ethics in thinking about this issue:

• Morally, is there an absolute reason why the matter should be divulged?  What if Steve Jobs worked for any other company, public or private?   One’s personal health should be viewed in the context of how it affects one’s family first.  If he/his family don’t want the news to be released, then should it matter who else knows about it?
• Legally, what court system would hold Apple accountable for withholding information about its CEO?  Is he the one designing the computers and iPods and iPhones?  Last time I checked, there were a lot of other people who worked there who have as much (if not more) influence on product design and performance.
• The brunt of the argument seems to be on the economic impact that Jobs has on the company.  Again, last time I looked at the stock quotes, the doors are still open, and they WERE open while he was off of work.  Sales were high, people are still flocking the stores, the brand still has high equity among consumers.
• Socially speaking, I can appreciate both sides of the argument–if a company is not accountable and clear with its communications, then there is a perceived level of “untruth” unless the company comes clean.  But if a company believes its intellectual property is an asset that shouldn’t be shared, then they have the right to preserve it–however unpopular it might be.

Last point here–have you ever noticed that neither this story nor others like it have made it a point to ask how Mr. Jobs is feeling?

So Mr. Jobs, if you’re reading this, feel better.  I hope you can make it back to work, but if you cannot, I have faith in the people running your company.

Blogs have become the modern-day version of the press kit. It seems like every client program these days includes at least one recommendation for a blog or video blog to help showcase a client’s story, or a place for a client’s customers to share their stories.

Unfortunately, like many press kits, they aren’t being read. Resources that went into developing blogs have gone for not. Why?

Our guess–there are way too many blogs out there; a select few actually accomplish the connectivity that clients crave.

Now might be a good time to start rethinking about how we segment and position blogs, at least in the eyes of the deliverables clients are seeking.

Our role as PR practitioners starts and ends with doing what is possible to advocate our clients’ positions. Accordingly, our role in making recommendations about blogging—should be based on “BLOGVOCACY,” a term SMPR has coined to advocate a set position or theme on a blog, staying away from personal opinions in order to move toward a measurable objective in communication.

Without question, I am an avid blog supporter. I read them as part of my content repertoire and find many of them interesting. Unfortunately, too many blogs don’t connect to customers and influencers as strongly as we would like; if the Internet had a drain, it would need to be pulled because there are simply too many blogs out there.

As we move forward with making recommendations, let’s do what we can to amplify clients’ positions; I am sure they’ll thank us for it.

It goes without saying that public relations practitioners wear many hats. Such words and descriptives as advisor, counselor, fireman, relief pitcher are par for the course. I would like to add one more hat to the mix—matador.

The PR field relates well to bullfighting:
• After all, a matador fights bulls like we take on client issues.
• He is often seen on a public stage working his red cape to connect with his four-legged heavy-breathing adversary.
• In some cases, a matador can be heavily wounded if he doesn’t take the right precautions.
• At the end of the day, a matador’s end deliverable is to end the bull’s fight and fury.

Illusionary English aside, corporate communications is all about making sure the bull—in the form of a crisis or adversity—is properly addressed and is promptly handled before the bull goes on a rampage. Success is often judged on how well we get to know the adversary and how he thinks before the rampage begins.

Said differently, many crises can be averted had the crisis been planned out and its ramifications were addressed before the actual situation took place. Too often, companies take a “wait-and-see” approach to their reputation planning efforts, vis-à-vis if ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But because reputations and businesses can be hindered by rogue employees, market downturns or other unforeseen conditions, it is imperative to think ahead of a potential crisis such that it is planned before it happens.

I was talking to a couple of PR friends about their difficulties attracting business within their agencies. Another one was telling me about potential layoffs taking place if they don’t get some business through their doors. With each of these conversations, I asked why they think these situations are taking place. Their answers were the same–”It’s the economy. People don’t want to spend now.”

That might be true–provided that the agencies where these people work don’t change how they operate. In trying economic conditions, successful firms will change how they do business–provide more virtual teams, adapt work processes to accept lower retainer fees, bill for performance as opposed to billing senior people over junior people. We are talking with companies who have PR counsel, but don’t like that they are not changing the way they do business. What’s more, they like that we can adapt to THEIR needs.

SMPR wants to get to a point where the only excuse we make is that we are already working at our capacity, and that we need to hire more people to meet it.

If I hear “spin” as an equal to “public relations,” I could conceivably lose my lunch.

It’s scary to fathom when people don’t understand the role of PR practitioners. In its shortest form, “A” does not equal “B”.

For those who prefer long-form math, here is a breakdown.

If A= Public Relations, and if B= Spin,

Then…

A = Truth. Influence. Strength. Growth.

B = “Untruth.” Weakness. Tail between your legs.

There will be a quiz later; here’s hoping some corporate executives are paying attention.

We just coordinated an interview for the CEO of Flat Top Grill (www.flattopgrill.com) that is slated to run in the Chicago Sun-Times in the coming days. The crux of the story–authored by Sandra Guy–is about how restaurants in the city of Chicago are dealing with the increased tax of restaurants in Chicago, on top of the sales tax hike recently enacted by the Stroger administration.

Discussions around this story got me thinking about how the city of Chicago might wish to consider raising revenue in a downward economy. At SMPR, we advocate learning from other business models and industries to provide insight on how to do things differently. So let’s throw an idea out there, courtesy of sports stadiums, corporate branding and buzz marketing.

Here is the ultimate sponsorship initiative–rename the city of Chicago, with the assistance of the world’s foremost authority on Internet search.

Chicago + Google = ChicaGoogle

What a way to attract Olympic officials for 2016!!! Mr. Daley, Mr. Brin, Mr. Page, are you there? Has one company or group ever gone as so far to “buy” a city? Kim Basinger paid $20 million for a small town in Georgia in 1989, but not even her (ahem) star power could be as powerful as Chez Google.

Is this idea farfetched? Sure. But raising taxes for Chicago restaurants to 11+ percent seemed like a pipe dream, too–and look where we are now.

We’re working with a couple of clients who have similar but different issues.

Each of them is trying to develop an idea that requires the buy-in of different parties in order to make the idea more “whole.” But each client has been spinning wheels in one form or another to make the idea move forward without having the buy-in of all parties connected to the projects. Said differently, they are trying to build a puzzle around one piece, when all of the pieces will make the puzzle more complete.

I created the following catch phrase to encompass how stakeholder involvement helps transform projects into more complete packages; what do you think?

I am wondering if there are any tallies or surveys out there for the industries with the worst overall reputation–not just for their image, but for keeping their word for getting things done.  We hear a lot about used car salesmen images, but even they take a back seat to the construction industry.

Back in February, one of the windows in my house cracked due to the extreme cold weather.  The windows were made by Hurd Windows and Doors, so I needed to get a replacement. Plus, I had a leaky jamb or two, so I’m wanting to get those replaced as well. With a tagline of “Welcome to the state of Perfection,” I shouldn’t be worried, right?

Here we are in October–neither the window company nor the construction company which required a deposit to get the windows ordered has delivered on their promises.  What’s more, the construction company never updated me about the lack of progress about the windows being ordered.  Far from perfection here…

To be sure, I get it that when Hurd filed for bankruptcy and that the number of distributors had been cut, things had changed.  But when a company puts forth a message and relies on finances and other excuses as shields, they are as far from perfection as possible.

In this case, the words/expectations of both the construction company and the window company are worth nothing to me.

Give me ACTION, not WORDS. Right now, both of these company’s words are as valuable as a cracked window in the middle of winter.