The Susan G. Komen self-defense is making matter worse for them.  Their YouTube explanation is a good example of how NOT to handle a crisis.

The video is long, self-justifying and takes up 2/3 of it with worthless explanations that dodge the issue.  If you’re going to use YouTube, get to the heart of the matter quickly.  This strategy strikes me as a giant stall and sleight-of-hand to distract us for the real issue.  The lesson for every #crisismanger is this: meet your critics head-on.  Stalling with good words, mission statements and policy explanations makes us wonder what you’re NOT saying.

As a long-time fan of both #SusanGKomen and #Planned Parenthood, I have to say the #Komen folks are coming off here as the villains and Planned Parenthood’s looking like the victim.  Not a good interplay for #Komen.  We know who we root for and it’s not the villains!

UPDATE FEB. 3: Looks like someone at #Komen wasn’t tone deaf.  Decision was reversed today: http://bit.ly/wHUUfP.  It’s a start now GO OUT THERE AND START REBUILDIING YOUR REPUTATION, KOMEN.  You’ve got a way to go!

When their Twitter campaign using #McDStories went terribly wrong, they admitted it and took it down.  They introduced the hashtag Thursday with they tweeted “When u make something with pride, people can taste it.”  People jumped on the hashtag, using it to kvetch about all things McDonalds ranging from food poisoning to chipped molars from the burgers.

They moved quickly to take down the campaign.  Here’s part of the smart, self-effacing email from McDonald’s social media director Rick Wion that explained it:

Last Thursday, we planned to use two different hashtags during a promoted trend – #meetthefarmers and #mcdstories.

While #meetthefarmers was used for the majority of the day and successful in raising awareness of the Supplier Stories campaign, #mcdstories did not go as planned. We quickly pulled #mcdstories and it was promoted for less than two hours.

Within an hour of pulling #McDStories the number of conversations about it fell off from a peak of 1600 to a few dozen. It is also important to keep those numbers in perspective. There were 72,788 mentions of McDonald’s overall that day so the traction of #McDStories was a tiny percentage (2%) of that.

With all social media campaigns, we include contingency plans should the conversation not go as planned. The ability to change midstream helped this small blip from becoming something larger.

Bravo, McD’s!  You admitted a mistake and didn’t let the need to be right keep you from admitting a screw up.  Here’s the lesson to all corporations where arrogance gets in the way of such actions: you can admit a mistake and people will forgive and forget.  Or you can think of yourselves as infallible and NO ONE will forgive OR forget.

When their Twitter campaign using #McDStories went terribly wrong, they admitted it and took it down.  They introduced the hashtag Thursday with they tweeted “When u make something with pride, people can taste it.”  People jumped on the hashtag, using it to kvetch about all things McDonalds ranging from food poisoning to chipped molars from the burgers.

They moved quickly to take down the campaign.  Here’s part of the smart, self-effacing email from McDonald’s social media director Rick Wion that explained it:

 Last Thursday, we planned to use two different hashtags during a promoted trend – #meetthefarmers and #mcdstories.

 While #meetthefarmers was used for the majority of the day and successful in raising awareness of the Supplier Stories campaign, #mcdstories did not go as planned. We quickly pulled #mcdstories and it was promoted for less than two hours.

Within an hour of pulling #McDStories the number of conversations about it fell off from a peak of 1600 to a few dozen. It is also important to keep those numbers in perspective. There were 72,788 mentions of McDonald’s overall that day so the traction of #McDStories was a tiny percentage (2%) of that.

 With all social media campaigns, we include contingency plans should the conversation not go as planned. The ability to change midstream helped this small blip from becoming something larger.

Bravo, McD’s!  You admitted a mistake and didn’t let the need to be right keep you from admitting a screw up.  Here’s the lesson to all corporations where arrogance gets in the way of such actions: you can admit a mistake and people will forgive and forget.  Or you can think of yourselves as infallible and NO ONE will forgive OR forget.

This quote by Penn State President Rodney Erickson made me see red.  He offered this lame defense of the university’s “see no evil; hear no evil” approach to the Jerry Sandusky’s situation. It came at one of three town hall meetings he was holding with alumni in an attempt to return to Happy Valley.  To quote AP reporter MaryClaire Dale, “…the 650 alumni in attendance for the sometimes heated 90-minute session didn’t receive him well.” And that’s probably because neither they nor Erickson continue to miss the central point of the scandal – that no one in authority stopped it.

Most of the meeting focused on how storied Coach Joe Paterno was fired. How, not WHY.  If I understand this correctly, many of the folks in that room seemed to overlook the two parts of the scandal.  Part I was, of course, Sandusky’s ongoing acts of child sexual abuse.  Part II (and the one makes Part I into a Penn State issue) was the ongoing ability of everyone around Sandusky, including Paterno, to turn a blind-eye to these acts.

Paterno may be the Godfather of Football and a heck of a winning coach, but he was quietly complicit in letting Sandusky continue to ruin young boys’ lives.  So, please, Penn State administration and Penn State alumni, stop talking about the pain caused by the way Paterno was fired.  Stop asking Erickson and the trustees to apologize to Paterno.  Instead, ask yourself how the University is going to change its culture from one in which football can do no wrong to one in which it’s everyone’s job to do the right thing.

The Salad Bar Lady? Really? Yes, really. Let me give you an example: When we were on the college search for my son, our first stop was Wake Forest. If you haven’t looked at college since you were in bell bottoms, you’re in for a surprise. Searching for a college is like looking for a time-share – it’s marketing on steroids. Colleges woo you with everything from dining halls (no more cafeterias) to the wireless in the dorms to dryers that email the students when their clothes are done. And they obviously understand that getting that message to prospective students is about mobilizing everyone who sees (or could see) your kid and their parents.

So, back to the dining hall at Wake Forest… As I grabbed my tray and began a walk-through of my dining options — from stir fry to gluten-free alternatives to custom-made sandwiches — my confusion must have been obvious. “Can I help you, Hon?” came a lilting southern voice in a crisp white uniform. “You look a little overwhelmed. Let me show you around.” And, so she did. Me, the marketing professional and she, the well-trained marketing ambassador.

And that’s what everyone in your company needs to be…. A well-versed marketing ambassador. Why? Because it is the people who contact your customers day-to-day who are the living, breathing face of your brand to them. Think Starbucks. Think UPS. Think Nordstrom’s. Who does the customer see in these entities? The VP of Marketing or the people who deliver their products and services? So why would you leave the communications of your marketing messages to chance with these customer-facing people? And yet, most companies do and the result is that highly engineered, pricey brand strategies are sunk by ill-informed workers who simply didn’t get the message.

How do you mobilize everyone in your company as a brand ambassador? By treating them as your first and most important target audience. Make them understand just how critical each and every one of them is to your marketing and business success. Make sure they understand your brand and can give voice to it in their sleep. Do your employees understand what makes you the best place to come for your products and services? Do they understand how you stack up against your competition and where you beat the pants off of them? Do they know which customers are best served by what you do and why? Can they tell anyone about the latest and greatest development in your company? In other words, do they understand the elements of your brand?

How many times have you found yourself on hold listening to the message “Your business is very important to us”? How credible is the company that brags about their devotion to their customer service and puts a sour-faced clerk in the Returns Department who treats every customer like they are trying to get away with something? Doesn’t work, does it? There’s a disconnect and it makes you leery of doing business with that company.

Whenever we research and build a brand with our clients the first thing we do is to explain just how important every one of their employees is to carrying that brand forward. We like to create three to five simple talking points and an elevator speech that’s specifically for employees. This enables everyone in the organization to vocalize it. Then, it’s a matter of charging those employees with carrying that message into their daily business practices and empowering them to do just that. You’ve got to get the message to everyone in the organization that they are the living, breathing embodiment of that brand. In the way they talk about what the company does and their role in it. In the way they treat customers. In the way they dress and comport themselves on the job. Because if the customer-facing members of your company aren’t living your brand, how can you expect your customers to believe it?

The bottom line is this (and believe me it is THE bottom line). Treat every employee as the guardian of your brand. Arm them with your marketing messages. Train them to live the brand in every interaction with the customer and each other. Make sure they understand that marketing is a critical part of their success in the organization and that they will be evaluated by how well they handle that responsibility. Empower them to do what it takes to live the brand and reward them for their part in carrying your company’s marketing efforts forward. That’s how you build a company that customers want to do business with, over and over.

3 examples of a well-written boilerplate:

1. About Andrea Obston Marketing Communications:
   Andrea Obston Marketing Communications works in partnership with its clients to maximize the impact of their marketing dollars. The firm creates and executes marketing strategies that improve clients’ bottom lines. It mobilizes traditional and social media in an approach it calls B2E (Business to Everyone) to bring a client’s message directly to the people and organizations it needs to reach. The firm’s expertise includes strategic marketing planning, brand development and marketing, public and media relations, social media and other website-based connections as well as communications training. Its subsidiary, Andrea Obston Crisis Management, provides public image crisis planning and management. The firm, which celebrated 25 years in business in 2007, is based in Bloomfield, CT. For more information see: www.aomc.comc, facebook/andreaobstonmarketingcommunications, @aobston or 860-243-1447.
2. About Duncaster:
   Duncaster is a life care retirement community for active, healthy independent seniors who want lifetime protection against the potential costs of long-term care. The Bloomfield, CT retirement community is dedicated to helping residents live life to the fullest by providing security and fulfillment. Its campus includes 190 independent residences, assisted living and a short-and long-term healthcare facility. Duncaster’s Caleb Hitchcock Health Center has a five-star rating from the U.S. Government’s Medicare standards. Duncaster’s emphasis on serving the changing needs of older adults lead to an updating and expansion of its dining and hospitality amenities that reflects contemporary styles of dining and socializing. For more information, see www.duncaster.org or call (860) 380-5005.
3. About Forensic Accounting Services:
   Stephen A. Pedneault is the principal and founder of Forensic Accounting Services, LLC, a public accounting firm specializing in fraud investigations, forensic accounting, employee embezzlement, fraud prevention, litigation support services, internal control evaluations, due diligence analysis and various other special projects. A forensic accountant, Steve is also a certified fraud examiner, certified in financial forensics and a forensic certified public accountant. He is an author and frequent public speaker on issues related to fraud. He has authored three books on the subject and is currently working on a fourth. Steve is frequently quoted in the media because of his ability to make sense of the complicated issues surrounding white-collar crime, including fraud and embezzlement. For more information, see: www.forensicaccountingservices.com.

The recent spate of u-turns in crisis response makes me wonder just how dumb some folks think we are.

Most recently, it came to mind when I read a news account of the purported accidental leak of the PR plans for “Pottermore”, the super-secret Harry Potter-themed internet treasure hunt.  It seems the agency handling the PR for Pottermore inadvertently sent the timeline to The Times UK, The Guardian, The Independent and other media.  When confronted with the mistake their initial comeback was that those were “old plans.”  Maybe, but I had a lot of trouble buying into that and it turned out to be as much a fantasy as Hogwarts.

Interestingly, there has been some speculation that the leak was part of some elaborate marketing ploy to raise anticipation for the release of Pottermore.  My Google search had the phrase “Pottermore” and “leak” taking up the first page on Google.  You can’t buy that.  Unfortunately, J. K. Rowling’s PR representative, Mark Hutchinson, confirmed that the leak was nothing more than a mistake.  “Much as we would like to say this is an elaborate stunt to create excitement, I’m afraid it was a simple error,” Hutchinson said, while continuing to call it an “old plan” and pushing the next day’s news conference as the time when the real details would be revealed.  So first it was an “accident”, then it was a clever ruse and now we’re back to “accidental but still old”.  I suppose it fits with the playfulness of the whole venture, but frankly I’m inclined to distrust the whole thing and wonder at their need to continually u-turn.

And, of course, you’re going to have to go a long way to beat the newly crowned King of U-Turn Crisis Management: former Representative Anthony Weiner.  This guy thought we were dim-witted enough to buy his “My-Twitter-Account-was- Hacked” story for five days.  The more this guy u-turned, the more pathetic he seemed.  I’m told it fits with his larger-than-life persona to bluff his way through things, but does he really think the rest of us have minds that are smaller-than-life?

The approach isn’t new.  Who could forget the version played by the John Edwards’ campaign?  It was a variation on Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean” line: “The Kid is Not My Son (daughter)”?  What started as a 2007 National Enquirer story about his affair with a former campaign staffer escalated to an August 2008 on-air interview with ABC News’ in which he confessed to having the affair but maintained that he was not the father of Rielle Hunter’s baby.  That was followed by a 2010 u-turn in which he admitted his paternity, saying “I will do everything in my power to provide her with the love and support she deserves.”  Earlier this month, the whole thing came home to roost.  This former presidential hopeful was indicted by federal prosecutors for violating campaign finance law by soliciting nearly $1 million to cover the cost of keeping Rielle Hunter and her baby out of sight.  Edwards response (and here the u-turns are definitely giving me whiplash) was to essentially say “I may be a lying creep, but that doesn’t mean I’m a felon.”

And let us not forget Tiger Woods’ explanation of his golf-club wielding encounter with his now ex-wife.  His U-Turn Crisis response was to try to sell us on the story that she was using the club to extricate him from the accident.  REALLY?

The lesson here is quite clear: U-Turns don’t fly.  When you mess up, fess up.  Don’t bob and weave hoping people will buy your story and forget it when the truth comes out.  It always comes out.  So why put yourself in the embarrassing situation of explaining two mistakes?  Are you listening, Mr. Weiner and anyone else who’s pondering covering a boo-boo with a tall tale?

My mother had a refrain that was the bane of my existence growing up.  When I’d weave a yarn to cover up a screw-up her response was, “What makes me really mad isn’t what you did.  It’s that you think I’m stupid enough to buy that story.”  I hated that then.  Now, it seems pretty wise.

This column appeared in the July 4, 2011 edition of the Hartford Business Journal.  It was just too much fun NOT to share.

Comments, Questions, Answers, Suggestions?

aobston@aomc.com

860-243-1447

@aobston

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Have you ever noticed how badly people fumble the question: “So, what do you do?”  I can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve overheard someone responding to this question with more words than the average person should be required to ingest in a day.  “Well,” they say, gathering stream, “It’s hard to explain.  Actually what our company does is different than any other company’s approach to the problem.  Let’s just say, we innovate; we re-frame; we really clarify the issues our customers deal with on a day-to-day basis through new and exciting approaches using the latest technology and then…”  That’s right– they are just getting started and all the listener hears in her mind is “Shoot me now!”

And that, my friends, is why they invented the Elevator Speech.  A handy-dandy, well-constructed speech that within thirty to sixty seconds, informs the listener of the benefits your company offers and why you (and you alone) are the only solution to their problem.  Everyone in your company from the receptionist to the president, needs to know your Elevator Speech cold so they can deliver it at the drop of a hat.

What’s the Big Idea?  An elevator speech is a small but valuable component to your company and all that it represents.  This often times neglected marketing tool is beneficial to you, individuals in the organization and existing and potential clients.  It can be used as a reference point so that everyone involved can stay focused and communicate more efficiently while spreading a consistent and clear message.

Why is it called an ‘elevator’ speech?  Fear not.  This isn’t typically, a lengthy speech.  It is called and elevator speech because it should be delivered in the time it takes for an elevator to go two floors, or thirty to sixty seconds.  It is essentially three to five sentences that summarize the benefits of your organization that can be translated into action.

What are the benefits?  An elevator speech quickly allows someone to understand and assess your organization.  It reflects the mission statement but is worded in a more viewer-friendly way so that an individual outside of the organization can easily comprehend it as well as put it into action.

Bottom Line  Be sure that everyone in your organization can recite it, understand it and actually demonstrate it.  It must have content that everyone can use and apply daily so each individual in the organization can be a community ambassador.

Comments, Questions, Answers, Suggestions?

aobston@aomc.com

860-243-1447

@aobston

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Business portraits are like trips to the supermarket.  Nobody wants to do them, you don’t feel any better after you’re done and you almost never like what you bring home.

I recently made that trip and I actually felt good when I brought home the results.

I decided to get an updated portrait because it’s been awhile since my last one and, well, I no longer look quite like the last shot.  No Baby Boomer likes to admit he or she is “of a certain age” but 80 million of us are.   And that means there are lots of us on many a website looking like we did around the turn of the century (OK, just writing that phrase made me feel old).

My rule of thumb is that your portrait should age with you.  Think of it as the Reverse Dorian Gray rule.  You and your portrait need to get old together.  If not, someone who sees that 10-year-old photo first will meet you and wonder what happened to you.  Face it, none of us looks like we did 10 years ago and anything that opens up a comparison is not going to end up in your favor.

So, now that I’ve raised this issue with 80 million of you, in this video you will hear about a few tips to help you make your portrait work in your favor:

• Dress for your business arena – If your normal business attire is a suit or jacket, that’s how people will expect to see you in on your site.  You are dressing for your clients’ expectations, not to indulge your need to look cute or comfy.    If, on the other hand, everyone in your field (and your clients) comes to work in business casual, that’s fine for your shot.  Remember though, that you still need to look neat and pulled together.  No one looks good in fleece or flannel unless they are an American Eagle model.

• Wear clothes that fit and are not revealing – Skip showing off that smoking hot body with revealing or tight clothing.  This is not the venue for it.  You may have spent hours in the gym honing it to near perfection, but it has no place in a business portrait.  If, on the other hand, your trips to the gym are less frequent than you’d like, choose clothing that honestly copes with your expanded girth.  None of us are a size four anymore, so live with it and dress accordingly.

• Choose a shot that primarily focuses on your face – The center of attention for a business portrait should be your face.  Think of it as a little moment of intimacy between you and the camera.  That means no shots of you with fake gestures, on the phone or in the bogus pose with your jacket slung over your shoulder.  Let’s save that for the Sears catalog.

• Look for shots that feature your eyes – People find credibility in your eyes, so make sure they are well represented.  Good portrait photographers capture what’s called “catch lights” in the eyes of their subjects.  These give life to the whole face.  And while we’re on the subject of eyes, if you wear glasses normally wear them in the portrait.  You will look more comfortable with them on.  Don’t worry about glare.  A professional photographer knows how to deal with that.  With that said, do NOT wear dark glasses or half-height reading glasses no matter what you do day-to-day.  Both make you look like you look untrustworthy because we can’t see your eyes.

• Watch that background – Make sure the background is complementary.  I am of the opinion that all business portraits should be shot in a studio with a muted background.  Remember it’s about you and the face you present to the world.  So shooting it in a warehouse, up against an office wall or even in front of a stack of books (yes, attorneys I’m talking to you!) does not do the job.  And speaking of backgrounds, do check to make sure you’re not blending into what you’re in front of.  If you’ve got gray hair, for example, do not pose in front of a gray background.  If you’re skin is dark, brown is not a good idea.

• Spring for the pro – If you take nothing from this blog entry, please take this: Do not try this at home.  A professionally done photo from someone who regularly does portraits is worth its weight in gold.  Not a wedding photographer; not a publicity photographer; not a nature photographer.  A portrait photographer.  They have unique skills, tricks and experience that make their subjects look natural, warm and approachable.  I know your sister’s kid just graduated from art school and needs a portfolio, but she is not the one to immortalize you for all the world to see.  Let her take your holiday photo.  No one looks good in matching sweaters anyway, so she can’t screw that up.  Bite the bullet.  Go to the studio.  Get that haircut and sit still for a professional.  They’ll light you so you look alive.  They’ll pose you so you look natural (yes, I know that’s a contradiction) and they’ll get the smile that makes the viewer say, “I like that guy.  I want to get to know him.”

Okay, Boomers, what are you waiting for?  It’s time our photos and our faces looked alike.  Trust me.  It’s better this way.

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aobston@aomc.com

860-243-1447

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One of the biggest frustrations people have about interviews with reporters is that the story doesn’t turn out the way they expected.  “I spent an hour with that reporter and nothing I said ended up in the story” is a common refrain.   Or, “I don’t understand. I explained myself so carefully and the story’s just wrong.”

Why is it that sometimes the results of an interview seem to bear no relation to the interview you know you gave?  Because you gave too much.

The attorneys we’ve worked with are smart, educated and passionate about what they do.  The interviews they give often reflect the knowledge and zeal they have for the law.  But the flip side of all this knowledge is that attorneys often say too much.  They go into more detail than the reporter needs or cares to know.  Reporters for most news outlets have neither the time nor inclination to share an attorney’s passion for how laws come to be.  What they do care about is what the changes mean.  Whereas attorneys are often fascinated with the process of the law, reporters are only interested in the outcome.  That’s the key difference between attorneys and reporters and the source of frustration for both parties.

So, how do you get your words heard, understood and used by news reporters?  Here are a few suggestions:

• Use MAPS – Narrow the scope of your remarks to three to five main points. We call these your Must Air Points (MAPS).  Make sure you keep an eye on the clock so that you deliver all of your MAPS during the interview.  It’s perfectly fine to start an interview by asking a reporter how long it will last.  If you’re 20 minutes into an expected 30 minute interview and you’ve only delivered one of your three MAPS, you can say something like, “Before we go any farther, there are two other important points I wanted to make with you.  They are the keys to understanding this issue.”
• Dumb it Down – Don’t assume that any reporter is as well-informed as you are. Explain everything from the layperson’s perspective.  Think of it as if you were speaking to a jury.  Avoid legal terms.  If you must use them, explain what they mean and why they are important to understanding the topics.
• Be Succinct - Get to the point quickly.  You’ve probably heard that reporters want 20-second sound bites and nothing more. It’s now down to seven seconds.  Use this guideline for interviews with both print and electronic journalists and you will have a better chance of being quoted.
• Use Visual Images – Paint verbal pictures as you talk.  It makes your words more memorable and more quotable.  For example, “My client’s employees do not leave their child care problems at home.  They cart them into work in a paper bag.”  After these statements, pause and give the reporter time to write down the “pearls of wisdom” you have just imparted.
• Summarize – When you have covered a lot of ground it’s a good idea to summarize where you’ve been in the interview.  If the summary is good enough, it will help the reporter structure the story and give you a better chance of being part of it.
• Examples – The magic words to reporters are: “Let me give you an example.”  Examples help them frame their story.  Concentrate on timely examples from your firm’s experience. If you can’t deliver that, consider a situation in the public eye that demonstrates your point.  If you use a client example, you will probably need to withhold the name but give enough detail so the reporter knows it’s a real example.  For example, “We worked with a manufacturer in Bridgeport that was dealing with this kind of labor situation.  Here’s what happened…”  Be aware, though, that the reporter may request an interview with this client who can illustrate an issue…  Real world examples give a story substance.  Whether or not you can supply these names is obviously a matter of your choice and consultation with a client.
• Interest Makers – Use these phrases to grab a reporter’s attention.  They indicate that something important is going to be said.  When you approach these phrases, slow down.  When you finish with them, be quiet and give the reporter a chance to write down your comments.  These phrases include:
  • “What is important…”
  • “What this all means is…”
  • “The major point is…”
  • “The key to understanding that issue is…”
• When You Just Don’t Know – When you don’t know the answer or if you are still working on the information, it’s okay to admit it to a reporter.  In fact, it’s better to tell them you’ll look into a tough question and get back to them than to fake it.  You want to remain in control of the situation and be recognized as an ongoing, reliable source of accurate information.  Make sure you deliver on all promised information before the reporter’s deadline.  If a reporter is counting on information from you and doesn’t receive it in a timely manner, that does nothing for your credibility or chances of getting another opportunity for an interview.

Fair and accurate coverage of your story is often enhanced by an effective interview with the attorney.   Media interviews give you and your clients the opportunity to get your story out to a large group of people through a trusted source.  Interviews also offer a valuable scenario in which to build relationships with reporters whom you may utilize again, long-term.

Comments, Questions, Answers, Suggestions?

aobston@aomc.com

860-243-1447

@aobston

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www.LinkedIn.com/aobston