The initiative, a $33 million bond authorized by school district voters in June of 2018 to convert an abandoned high school campus in Daly City to 100 apartment units for educators, will help the district retain quality employees in a market where median rent prices for one home – $4,150 – have exceeded starting salary rates.

“(Dale) Scott, the school district financial adviser, has spoken with about a dozen districts already that have expressed interest in putting bonds for teacher housing before voters — and not just in pricey locales like the Peninsula,” per the Politico piece. “At a recent California School Boards Association workshop on the topic, Scott asked how many attendees were from beyond the Bay Area, and (Scott) estimates it was one-third to half of the room.”

The story was the result of a communications campaign Fineman PR launched for Dale Scott & Company when Bond Buyer named the housing measure the winner of its Small Issuer Deal of the Year November 2018. In doing so, the measure was placed among six finalists for the Deal of the Year award.

The awards are given each year by the publication to acknowledge innovations in municipal finance benefitting public projects. Previous winners recognized Kaiser Permanente and the San Diego Unified School District for record breaking sales and transactions that prompted industry change.

In all, the campaign promoting the November 2018 nomination generated about 35 million unique impressions for Dale Scott & Company in just under two weeks. Fineman PR provided strategic counsel focused on capturing momentum from the Bond Buyer announcement for a public relations campaign. Efforts aimed at connecting with contacts familiar with the company and reporters focused on local and regional housing issues.

Within days of outreach, Fineman PR played an instrumental role in a 1,000-word feature about the housing measure on the front page of the San Jose Mercury News.  

The piece was critical in securing coverage in Politico. It attracted California Editor Kevin Yamamura, who cited the San Jose publication in his interview requests. The editor interviewed contacts from Dale Scott & Company and the Jefferson Union High School District before citing the measure as a possible answer to issues with teacher retention as the lead to a 2,000-word roundup.

 “The key to convincing voters, (Scott) said, is to emphasize how much affordable housing for teachers can affect the community by retaining good teachers and staff,” per the piece. “High housing prices force many educators to communities far beyond the expensive enclaves, and it’s only a matter of time before long commutes prompt them to seek work elsewhere.”

To support comprehensive outreach campaigns, Fineman PR provides expertise in strategic planning, content development, media relations and training.

The post Politico Highlights Fineman PR Client Impacting Affordable Teacher Housing appeared first on Fineman PR.

This past year at Fineman PR was marked by the onboarding of new and diverse clients and partnerships. Our work included the planning and content development for startup distilleries, driving the continuing rise in popularity for the San Francisco Marathon, expanding our work in the public sector with two leading-edge public agencies, productizing our media training offering, increasing growth in our healthcare practice, and forming significant new alliances.

Strategic Partnership with Hearst Corporation-backed 46Mile

For the last year-and-a-half, Fineman PR has partnered with the Hearst-backed 46Mile, a full-service marketing and advertising agency, to develop integrated campaigns for clients including Meritage Medical Network, Leading Age California, Loch & Union Distilling, and C-5 Children’s School, among others. Our two agencies develop business together, both independently and as a cohesive, integrated communications unit, and there is discussion on new and enhanced ways of working together for greater client solutions. Stay tuned.

Photo courtesy: 46Mile

Public Sector

Fineman PR is working with the San Francisco Department of the Environment on several initiatives that continue to position San Francisco as a global leader of the green movement. Additionally, along with our partner, D&A Communications, we are providing media relations strategy and counsel to the Transbay Joint Powers Authority for the inauguration of the highly anticipated, new Salesforce Transit Center & Salesforce Park. D&A is a top-notch San Francisco public affairs firm specializing in the areas of infrastructure, public health, transportation, environment and community revitalization, and our joint efforts offer clients a powerful combo.

Photo courtesy: Pelli Architects

San Francisco Marathon

The 2017 San Francisco Marathon celebrated its 40^th anniversary. The race sold out at record pace – two months ahead of schedule. We generated a 70 percent increase in media impressions over 2016 with expanded coverage by Bay Area media outlets and in major national media including the New York Times, Bleacher Report and MSN. The San Francisco Marathon was also named by ESPN among the “World’s Best Marathons.”  

Photo courtesy: The San Francisco Marathon

Foster Farms

Our promotional, crisis management and issues management work remained steady for longtime client, West Coast poultry producer Foster Farms. Our team initiated influencer marketer campaigns with fitness and lifestyle bloggers to promote Foster Farms’ Organic turkey products. We were grateful to help support our client’s wildfire relief efforts in Santa Rosa and surrounding Northern California communities as well as in Ventura following the devastating Southern California wildfires.

Our work to promote the company’s partnership with West Coast food banks – and longstanding holiday turkey donations program – resulted in a 69 percent jump in broadcast news coverage over 2016 that helped raise awareness of food insecurity from Seattle to San Diego. Finally, we wrapped up the year at Levi’s Stadium for the Foster Farms Bowl, a game dedicated to fighting hunger, pitting the Purdue Boilermakers against the Arizona Wildcats.

Photo courtesy: Foster Farms

Dunkin’ Donuts

In 2017, we continued work with Dunkin’ Donuts to support the brand’s introduction and expansion in Northern California with new restaurants throughout the region. Last year, we successfully hosted four grand opening celebrations in South San Francisco, Fremont, Santa Cruz, and Hanford, the brand’s first location in the Central Valley.

In each market, we worked with the local business community, government leaders and charities – all hyperlocal – to promote Dunkin’s commitment to the area. In addition, we supported regional promotion of national initiatives, including Free Donut Friday, Freeze the Day with $1K, National Coffee Day, and National Donut Day.

Photo courtesy: Dunkin’ Donuts

HNTB

HNTB, a national infrastructure solutions firm, experienced a year of wins in 2017, both for its projects as well as its leadership team. HNTB Northern California District Leader Darlene Gee was recognized as Woman of the Year by Women’s Transportation Seminar, a non-profit dedicated to advancing women in transportation, and one of its local project managers received coverage as a rising star in the rail industry.

A major project win, the BART Warm Springs/South Fremont Station, received praise across the Bay Area for its innovative design. HNTB was consistently cited among top-tier regional and trade media, including San Francisco Business Times, Progressive Railroading, ENR California, Mass Transit Magazine, Silicon Valley Business Journal and Curbed, for its growing role as an industry thought leader with experts who are shaping the discussion around infrastructure solutions in the Bay Area.

Photo courtesy: HNTB

Wine Practice

Quintessa, was again featured in Wine Spectator’s biennial Napa issue as a must-visit winery. Napa Valley’s Faust celebrated its 13th anniversary vintage by partnering with noted graffiti artist, known only as “Faust,” from New York City. Faust’s limited release 2015 vintage magnum features the tag which graffiti artist Faust uses internationally.

For Materra І Cunat Family Vineyards, Fineman PR planned and executed a successful 10-year-anniversary media event at the winery which showcased the brand’s range of estate merlots. We also conducted several media training sessions for wineries, including Rodney Strong Vineyards.

Additionally, we continued to assist with crisis and issues management preparedness for Wine Institute, the advocate for California wine and more than 1,000 wineries and affiliated businesses.

HealthRIGHT 360

In our third year with HealthRIGHT 360, one of California’s largest community health care providers, we helped mark significant milestones, including a merger with San Francisco-based Women’s Community Clinic and the opening of the organization’s new headquarters and outpatient clinic, the Integrated Care Center. We also created the organization’s first outdoor marketing campaign with the City’s public transit system. Among the year’s big media wins was a national NPR story, a San Francisco Chronicle op-ed, and a New York Times – California Today story. 

Photo courtesy: Drew Altizer Photography

With 2018 underway, the agency is seeing continued growth with new clients and expanded projects for existing clients. We have made several new agency hires, increased our digital and marketing capabilities internally, and look forward to providing the trusted, strategic counsel our clients have come to expect from Fineman PR.

The post Fineman PR State-Of-The-Agency, 2017 appeared first on Fineman PR.

In recent conversations with our agency’s clients, more food and beverage communicators are embracing artificial intelligence technology, specialized influencer marketing and increasingly sophisticated social media content to increase brand authenticity and improve the overall consumer experience.

Artificial Intelligence? Wine Not?

For many food and beverage artisans, the environment in which a product is grown or made is a vital part of the overall product experience. Quintessa is a renowned 280-acre wine estate in Rutherford, one of Napa Valley’s most distinctive properties, with five soil types, hills, valleys, a lake and a river. The diverse estate inspires the impressive wines for which it is known.

“At Quintessa, our strongest asset and differentiator is the world-class estate from which we source our wine,” said Leslie Sullivan, DWS, Napa Estates Director of Huneeus Vintners, who manages communications for Quintessa.

“For those consumers and trade who are able to visit the estate, we are able to build ambassadors; however, our reach is limited. As a result, we’ve begun to better utilize technology to connect with our consumers and trade. For instance, we’ve used video, drone footage, 360 video and virtual reality to allow our consumers and trade to engage with our property. While nothing compares to the full sensory experience of enjoying a glass of Quintessa at the estate, we are able to better express and share what Quintessa is all about.”

Photos courtesy of Quintessa Instagram

Community, Convenience, Quality

With a 68-year heritage and nearly 12,000 locations worldwide, Dunkin’ Donuts continues to evolve while keeping its focus on fast, friendly service and community involvement.

According to Public Relations Senior Manager, Justin Drake, Dunkin’ Donuts maintains its focus on fast, friendly service while delivering innovations that today’s consumer expects from sophisticated food brands:

“As Dunkin’ Donuts continues to grow and evolve, remaining authentic to the core of our brand is very important. Dunkin’ Donuts was founded as a brand offering high-quality coffee and baked goods to our guests, all served with fast, friendly service and at a great value, and we remain true to this mission to this day.”

“We’ve expanded our coffee and espresso menu in recent years to include options like Cold Brew, Rainforest Alliance Certified Dark Roast Coffee, and Macchiatos. These menu additions remain true to our 68-year heritage as a coffee company, while also staying on trend in terms of what customers are looking for today from a coffee brand. We’ve launched On-the-Go Mobile Ordering for DD Perks members through the Dunkin’ Donuts mobile app, where guests can place their order in advance and then speed past the line in-store to pick-up their order. This innovation remains true to our mission of offering fast service and unparalleled convenience to our guests.”

Photos courtesy of Dunkin’ Donuts Instagram

Community giving is a core value for Dunkin’ Donuts that empowers franchisees around the world to give back and strengthen their own communities:

Continued Drake, “At Dunkin’, we feel fortunate that our restaurants are part of the fabric of so many communities and neighborhoods around the globe, and our franchisees value the role they can play in strengthening their communities. Our franchisees donate millions of dollars annually to local non-profits. Additionally, our organization collectively supports our national foundation, The Joy in Childhood Foundation, which is dedicated to bringing joy to sick and hungry children.”

Consumers Seek, Expect Info Online

For family-owned poultry producer Foster Farms, a robust social media presence is required to address the questions and provide the reassurance that consumers actively seek.

“Increasingly consumers are asking more and more questions about where their food comes from and how it is made,” said Ira Brill, Foster Farms’ Director of Communications. “Our commitment to product quality is at the heart of authenticity, and Foster Farms is one of the west’s true authentic brands — having been founded in 1939 on the values of locally grown, and continuing as a family owned company today — has continuously evolved to include digital and social media tools to enhance our consumer engagement and contribute substantively to consumer conversation. From engaging influencer programs, to enticing recipes and social media content, Foster Farms aims to be a part of the discussion at every touchpoint.”

Photos courtesy of Foster Farms Instagram

Building Authenticity with Influencers

Social marketing strategists at Collectively understand how deeply consumer brands and consumers value authenticity.

“Influencer marketing works best when creators are empowered to make decisions about how best to present a brand story to their audiences,” said Natalie Silverstein, Collectively Vice President of Brand, Marketing and Culture.

“Creators are truly the experts in understanding what resonates with the people they’re in dialogue with every day. Authenticity shines through when an influencer actually believes in the product and has integrated it into their content in a way that feels almost effortless.”

Photos courtesy of Collectively Instagram

“For our food and beverage clients, we’re bringing opportunities to a wider set of creators beyond the more expected food and cooking influencers — lifestyle, health and wellness, parenting, photography, and more.”

Silverstein agrees authenticity is a higher priority now for food and beverage brands: “‘Authenticity’ has been the most-used buzzword of the industry for quite some time, and it continues to be a key goal for most brands. We believe this is a direct result of the broader cultural transformation around trust in institutions and other traditional gatekeepers of information.”

The post As Food Goes Global and High Tech, U.S. Brands Boost Authenticity appeared first on Fineman PR.

Not everyone is cut out to handle a crisis. The deluge of cynical media coverage, a rise of brand detractors and a surge of social media haters can overwhelm even seasoned PR pros.

Fortunately for your brand, that’s not you. Unfortunately, not everyone is like you, and that’s a problem with lasting implications, especially among team members unfamiliar with crisis communications.

Sensitive situations — e.g., injuries, fatalities, criminal investigations, litigation, product recalls, sexual misconduct, activist protests and corporate malfeasance — can trigger negative publicity. While PR pros tend to focus on turning the tide of media coverage, the lack of a cohesive multi-channel response can keep the story rising from the dead, long past the news cycle.

Internal communications usually intensify during and immediately after a crisis. Because employees and board members are often your most effective ambassadors, if you wait until a crisis strikes before developing and managing strategic internal communications programs, it’s too late. Once the crisis passes, consider revamping your internal communications processes to build trust among employees and board members and prepare the ship to weather the next storm.Internal communications, social media, reputation management, SEO, executive positioning and stakeholder engagement all play critical roles in crisis response and reputation recovery.

Social media mavens are generally wired to promote good news, but a bad review or menacing troll, let alone a crisis, can short circuit their reactions. Cookie-cutter responses and canned messaging don’t sit well with people who follow and react to crises on social media. So, just as with internal communications, if you haven’t built relationships with your social media communities, you’re already behind the curve. Work now to earn influencers’ favor. Use content lulls to lift the veil on transparency initiatives and tout advances and investment in safety, training and technology. Brand loyalists will take note and respond to trolls on your behalf — when they’re equipped with the tools to do so.

Google Search is the well-heeled stranger lurking in the shadow of every crisis.

Every PR pro knows a negative story, especially a salacious one, attracts far more clicks than puff and fluff. Lesser-known brands — even those with strong reputations — are not immune to damaging stories following a crisis. Without a robust reputation management program, negative stories will keep garnering clicks and persist. Don’t believe claims about “scrubbing” negative stories. High-credibility sources, such as major daily newspapers, will continue being favored by Google and other search engines. Rebuilding your online reputation will take time, but you can’t do it without a focused, proactive program that ties into all your external communications channels to drive relevant traffic to — and boost the search rankings of — favorable content.

In a high-profile crisis, the voice of the CEO and other organizational leaders lets audiences know the situation is receiving top-level attention. A head-in-the-sand approach cannot calm fears or address concerns. C-suite executives should reach out to priority audiences to get your story across. With proper executive positioning among industry associations, regulatory agencies and other critical groups, your voice will be not just heard, but well received. Remember, when the CEO speaks, put it in writing and make sure it is fully optimized for search engines; this content is evergreen and can improve your rankings.

Your credibility can come into question in a crisis. By reaching out to key external stakeholders, you can inject credible, third-party voices into a troublesome story. For example, academic experts are go-to media resources in a crisis. If such experts know your organization and leadership and are comfortable backing your position, it will go a long way toward balancing negative coverage and helping quiet the crisis. Consider reaching out to them in times of crises, or better yet, beforehand.

Brands must align in-house teams with external agency partners to ensure an integrated crisis response. If you have separate teams for PR, marketing, website, social media and/or SEO, and their responses to a crisis are siloed and uncoordinated, it could actually create more damage. Consider consolidating into a streamlined agency team. All channels need to work together in harmony — whether you’re in a crisis or not.

Here are some tips to ensure that all channels work together, unsiloed, in a crisis.

Preparedness is not merely effective. In the long run, it’s cheap. We have found that organizations that develop a realistic crisis response plan covering myriad scenarios and test it with drills are far better prepared than organizations without such a plan. While planning has an up-front cost, handling a crisis by the seat of your pants usually requires more time and money to repair reputational damage that could have been minimized with planning a rehearsed — and integrated — response.

Create an online hub to focus crisis-related content. For major crises, consider creating a microsite to fully address the issue and provide a locus for audiences to track developments, key facts and progress. This will allow customers to maintain their regular experience on your website while providing crisis junkies a venue that steers negative traffic away from your website.

Divert negative search traffic to credible sources. SEO normally promotes keywords to drive traffic to your website. But in a crisis, negative search terms are widely used, so consider developing an online reputation program targeting negative search traffic that drives interested people to your microsite or a special landing page.

Strengthen your social media presence. Social media can drive higher search rankings for shared content, but if you don’t have an active and engaged community on your social media pages, you’ll miss the benefit. Authentic, timely, consistent engagement with social media followers builds trust over time and strengthens brand loyalists who can weigh in during a crisis.

Build a rapid response team. The first minutes of a crisis are critical. Make sure your team, including external partners, is up to speed on your crisis plan and has been drilled. Consider simulation training, table-top exercises and crisis media training to stress-test your plan — and make sure everyone is on the same page. No silos!

Stay on top of trends. One organization’s problem can affect an entire industry. Monitor social and traditional media to assess trends and developments that could affect you. Adjust planning accordingly.

***

Travis Taylor is EVP of Fineman PR, a San Francisco-based crisis and consumer public relations agency, and Chris Raniere is President of 46Mile, a Hearst-backed, full-service marketing consultancy and ad agency. 

Travis Taylor (L) and Chris Raniere

The post The Death of the Siloed Crisis Response appeared first on Fineman PR.

For PR and communications professionals, our role is becoming more essential – and challenging. Sure, we’ve traditionally served as liaisons between the media and clients, but we are now bridging a quickly widening and more contentious divide. War has been declared: on media, on fake news, on press briefings, on magazine cover authenticity, on facts. And, there are more questions than ever for all involved, from journalists and media executives, to corporate spokespersons and political strategists, as well as public relations counselors:

What are the facts? Who can we trust? Where is the backup? What is the actual impact? Who is listening/reading/watching/reacting/posting? What next?

But before we rush out for emergency disaster kits and tackle each other for the last loaf of bread at the gas station, let’s get a grip. There may not be quick resolutions to the conflict at the national level. But, there are still core certainties to how we do business as PR professionals. Our approach still has a strong bearing on how our organizations and clients are perceived and positioned in the public eye. While techniques and vehicles for communications may be changing, and while tones may be shifting nationally, our professional rules of engagement remain rooted in good faith and good sense:

7 Core Rules of Engagement for PR Professionals:

1. Prioritize Substance and Strategy:

Don’t cave to the pressures of instant news or a 24/7 content cycle. Keep messages informed, backed by the facts, and guided by a long term strategy.

2. Be Credible and Stick to the Facts

Assume that any message or sound bite will be fact checked in real time and plan accordingly. Provide media backup and third party resources for facts or figures. Validate the credibility of any contributing sources.

3. Correct Misinformation Quickly

Humans make mistakes. Most (reasonable) people will correct them. If news coverage or public discussion requires correction, pursue it in a timely, reasonable and politely persistent manner.

4. Save the Flame Wars and Theatrics for the Other Guy

Your credibility (and your client’s) is worth more than a fleeting moment of instant stardom. Resist the temptation to throw a verbal punch for the sake of short term attention or emotional gratification. If you do choose a brazen approach, be armed with the facts and prepare for ensuing attention. Don’t shrink from the spotlight you’ve created.

5. Manage Expectations for Media Engagement, Set the Tone

It’s easy (and dangerous) to assume that your audience shares your understanding of the desired outcome for media relations. Give clients and journalists a clear understanding of the context for your engagement and discuss in advance how the process will work to avoid potentially, derailing surprises.

6. Engage Creatively

Social media content drives news and personal engagement. Period.  While traditional media dukes this one out, new media and social content are driving messages home on a personal level for most Americans. Use creative content development to your advantage, and target your audience and message for higher impact.

7. Embrace Diplomacy

It’s easy to engulf ourselves in heated debate, especially when traditional rules of public engagement seem to have gone extinct.  Keep your personal and political assumptions at bay. Set aside conspiracy theories for your personal fans. Journalists, clients, detractors and allies will listen far more intently to a calm, objective tone than a projectile verbal assault.

Now, to diplomatically resolve who devours that last loaf of bread…

The post Put the Popcorn Away, Today’s Media War Means Good PR Matters appeared first on Fineman PR.

My presentation centered on the way social media is leveling the playing field of mass communication for nearly everyone about virtually anything. In 2017, we’re experiencing capabilities in communications far beyond anything available even 10 years ago. Brand supporters and trolls can disseminate messages as broadly as top tier companies with the most experienced brand managers. Through various communication platforms, individual opinions—popular or obscure, insightful or ignorant, owned or anonymous—can be published for all to see.

In today’s highly connected, postmodern world, easy access by consumers and critics to brand narratives can certainly provide influence. Over 500 years ago, Gutenberg’s printing press inspired the masses to read and write. People eventually learned to teach themselves and others; one major effect was religious revolution in which clergy were essentially undermined by individual capabilities made possible by the printing press. Spirituality changed forever. In at least one way, the effect of social media is behaving similarly to that of the printing press: participants of the new medium are enabled with immediate access and engagement to information. Consumers today can interpret brand identities, disperse information and influence consumer-buyer decisions like they never could before.

In addition to traditional business communications strategies, professional organizations must now also master social media and its various platforms in order to be heard popularly and to retain control of their brand. Part of that includes learning the language of social media with sufficient fluency to relate to the world online; recognizing trending pop-culture phenomena, hashtags, emoji and internet memes gives brands social credibility in an age when many consumers live online.

Findings from the recent Sprout Social Index show data on what consumers like in a brand identity

During the Q & A portion of my presentation, a professor asked why large organizations don’t just use social media in the same sarcastic and humorous way by which many internet memes gain virality. I answered that aside from target market and image strategies, brand integrity may be at stake. My response was unsatisfying to many of the academics in the hall. When a brand is on the receiving end of prominent, image-damaging social media posts, the natural tendency is to draft a response meant to defend reputation or correct misconceptions and gain millions of impressions and popular approval at the same time. If such communication, however, lies too far outside the organization’s brand identity and communication strategy, it is often preferable to indirectly address the issue by bolstering approved communications and brand messaging—acting in accordance with brand integrity and dignity to contradict social media hearsay.

Without a robust digital communications plan, brands are susceptible to the fickle influences and opinions shared on social. Brand managers can be prepared for this by knowing how and how not to participate; otherwise they might allow digital influencers to shape their messaging.

Developing a strong and active social media presence helps in controlling brand identity. Many brands are on social media but few develop the voice and outline the plan for an effective, well-managed social media agenda that allows them to extend brand recognition and bolster brand identity. It’s easy to be reactive on social, giving in to trolls’ negative remarks or adapting brand responses to meet the demands of others. Establishing a proactive and equanimous presence like Wendy’s and Bay Area Rapid Transit’s, which leverage trending issues in a consistent voice that invites positive engagement, is more likely to maintain brand integrity and gain positive attention.

My presentation concluded that social media not only provides value to brands by increasing exposure and engagement, it can be a very real method of solidifying brand identity and even defending it from external influences. Today this medium is as commonplace as print, radio and television, but it’s infinitely more accessible to consumers. Independent parties on social can affect brands and organizations by what they praise and protest. Recognizing that individuals can easily express these influential opinions and planning for it by maintaining a strong social media presence founded on brand integrity allows brands to retain control and further establish their values and credibility, even considering consumers’ heightened communications capabilities today.

The post Brand Identity in the Age of Social Media appeared first on Fineman PR.

Because of our high profile crisis communications work, reporters looking for insight into complex organizational or reputation issues sometimes call on us as resource for commentary.

When I receive an inquiry from a reporter, I typically open the conversation with an important disclaimer: I do not propose counsel on situations that I know only from what I gather in media reports. A doctor wouldn’t prescribe a cure without seeing a patient and knowing that patient’s history. Similarly, for any difficult business or dicey public exposure situation and negative media attention, there are many factors that are only known to the client, and those factors often determine their responses. I know too well that there’s a rush to judgment without enough substantive understanding behind it.

I explained that to Paul Farhi at the Washington Post who was doing a story on how Fox News is handling or mishandling the O’Reilly news. Farhi wondered why Fox was keeping so silent about it and wanted my views on what I would counsel Fox if it were a client. Was silence the right thing?

Perhaps it was my comment that organizations should, “not get caught with their pants down” in a crisis that seemed so apropos to O’Reilly. Read Paul Farhi’s  full story here: Washington Post: At Fox News, a wall of silence surrounds Bill O’Reilly

To elaborate more on my counsel, below is PANTCHEK, our handy-dandy acronym of general principles to keep in mind when managing communications in a crisis – and not get caught with your pants down. The caveat here is that this somewhat generic (yet critically important) checklist does not necessarily apply to all crisis ills.

• Public welfare is the first priority
• Assemble the facts. Once they are verified, Announce All bad news at once
• No blame, No speculation, No repetition of negative charges or questions
• Tell your side of the story or Take responsibility
• Care and Concern for those affected – express it sincerely and right at the outset
• High-level organization spokesperson – let the public see the crisis has top-level attention
• Ensure that it will not happen again with a solid plan that will generate confidence
• Keep a separate plan for moving daily business ahead

Then there is reputation recovery. Merely managing your way through is not aiming high enough. You need to rebuild or reinforce your reputation and respect for your brand, and keep your relationships intact. Diligent reputation-building is essential. Depending on the nature and duration of the crisis, success may require a long-term effort.

• Maintain open communications with media, community members, customers, consumers, investors, employees, governing bodies and affiliates via all communications channels, including social media.
• Employ awareness-raising tactics
• Differentiate your organization from the pack – did the crisis make you better and/or stronger?
• Become a category expert among your peers
• Conduct “post mortem” analysis and incorporate what you learn into future scenario planning

The post Fineman Opines on Crises in the Washington Post appeared first on Fineman PR.

Well, yes and no. There are values that are timeless.

To wit, the wisdom of Benjamin Franklin, born 310 years ago come January 17^th. Franklin was a super hero back when our republic was born. I’ve noticed that his profile is diminished of late, but Franklin’s deeds and activities as an author, scientist, statesman, inventor, communicator and diplomat could be compared in breadth and depth to the likes of Da Vinci. So, in anticipation of his birthday, I celebrate Benjamin Franklin, a Founding Father of the United States.

Ben Franklin’s proverbs are embedded in our nation’s lexicon, among the most famous:

• Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
• In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.
• God helps them that helps themselves.
• Fish and visitors stink after three days.
• A penny saved is a penny earned.
• An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
• Instead of cursing the darkness, light a candle.
• A friend in need is a friend indeed.
• No gains without pains.
• Haste makes waste.

Did you know, too, that he published a number of adages that serve as the basis for reputation management and crisis communications? Here are a few:

Benjamin Franklin – 8 Crisis and Reputation Lessons

1.  By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.  Plan for crises. Get media trained. Review scenarios that can hurt you and have responses ready in advance.
2. It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it.  Establish a foundation of trust with your audiences. It is not wise to try flying under the radar. Don’t brag or gloat. If you make a mistake, say so and tell how you will do better moving forward.
3. Never ruin an apology with an excuse.  If an apology is appropriate, make it clean, succinct, unequivocal and heart-felt.
4.  He that speaks much is much mistaken. Don’t run on, especially when speaking with media. Know what you need to say, say it and stop. Once you’ve said too much, you can’t take it back.
5.  Humility makes great men twice honorable.  Let others sing your praises. What others say about you (your brand) is so much more powerful than what you say about yourself.
6.  If you will not hear and obey reason she will surely rap your knuckles.  Listen carefully to outside counsel; they are not as emotionally attached as you are.
7. There is no little enemy.  Arrogance and inadvisable comments can only hurt you. Know all your stakeholders and what is important (and concerning) to each of them.
8. Silence is not always a sign of wisdom, but babbling is ever a folly.  State your point, provide evidence, conclude, and stop talking.

The post 8 Crisis and Reputation Lessons From Benjamin Franklin appeared first on Fineman PR.

Even experienced communicators can get rattled when the phones are ringing off the hook – from the media, regulators and other government authorities, customers, the general public, employees and the board. Not to mention the fires breaking out on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Response time has shrunk from 48 hours to 48 minutes to what feels like 48 seconds.

Memorize PANTCHEK to get your priorities in order so you won’t flail and fail in public. Here’s an easy visual story to help you get started.

• Public welfare is the first priority
• Assemble the facts. Once they are verified, Announce All bad news at once
• No blame, No speculation, No repetition of negative charges or questions
• Tell your side of the story or Take responsibility
• Care and Concern for those affected – express it sincerely and right at the outset
• High-level organization spokesperson – let the public see the crisis has top-level attention
• Ensure that it will not happen again with a solid plan that will generate confidence
• Keep a separate plan for moving daily business ahead

View our crisis checklist here.

Michael Fineman is president of Fineman PR, a San Francisco public relations firm that specializes in crisis communications, brand PR and multicultural communications. Contact him here. 

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But this new media shift did not come out of a vacuum. Emerging professionals need a strong foundation in the fundamentals of PR. Clients expect it and need this journalistic lens for their messages 1) to have multilateral impact and 2) to remain effective in conveying their brands in an ever-changing media landscape.

Fineman PR practices a unique and highly focused approach to public relations that I dubbed “Brand PR,” which informs the framework of everything we do. Indulging in some agency history for a moment: In the early years of Fineman PR, there was a widely trending idea among marketers about everything Brand: brand advertising, brand identity, brand marketing, package branding and so on. However, there was a category void; no one at that time was talking about how public relations could effectively help a brand stand apart.  I coined the term Brand PR and introduced it to the communications industry in order to, well, brand this intuitive approach which bridged market/consumer research and brand positioning to effective media relations.  It was an exciting time; I went around the country – visiting potential clients, speaking at various forums, and publishing a newsletter to present my interpretation of how public relations could be an effective marketing option to win consumer trust and brand loyalty.

Today, Brand PR is a common professional communications concept and one that Fineman PR still specializes in. Throughout the years, I have been asked many times…what is Brand PR?

Brand PR takes category ownership of a message and value and provides authenticity, editorially and experientially. Its practice captures the brand’s distinctiveness and appeal, encapsulating the need it fills and what’s memorable; Brand PR defines the WOW.

At its core, Brand PR is the projection of a solid image – the basis on which we can apply new tools and techniques to have success.  It is about parlaying an organization’s primary messages with a compelling story, emphasizing attributes that engage consumers and creating an “experience” with the brand. It is based on a set of values – what the brand’s “trustmark” adds to the product. Brand PR helps to make the brand promise so viscerally meaningful – in language, stories and messages – that other factors (price, for example) lose relevance.

While the core of our signature approach remains the same, the nuances have changed to adapt and evolved to meet the needs of today’s marketers.

With tactics aimed at integrating the brand into conversations about consumer trends and issues, our work is aimed at  making the product a part of the rhetoric for any discussion of the need the brand fills. Of course, the storytelling and contributing tactics must be compelling, provocative, entertaining or, generally, communicated with visible activities and thought leadership.

Why else would anyone pay attention?

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