7 Common Pitfalls of First-Time Political Candidates [Abbott PR]

As first-time candidates throughout the U.S. begin to prepare for elections this year and in 2022, it's a good time to take a look at some pitfalls these candidates often encounter.

1. Trying to self-manage a campaign. If you serve as your own campaign manager, you're being managed by a fool. Why? Because you cannot objectively make decisions affecting yourself. For example, you cannot objectively tell yourself that your wardrobe is inappropriate, that you must tone down your favorite diatribe, or that you're speaking too long. This is true for your spouse and other close family members, too. They cannot be totally objective. To run a winning campaign, it takes an outsider's clear view of the campaign to make these kinds of decisions - objectively. Sometimes it's hard to hear that you're approaching a campaign from the wrong direction, and you may even be upset, but better you hear it from someone who WANTS you to win, rather than from voters on election day. (Note: For some races for smaller offices with smaller budgets, a strong campaign adviser - or a communications consultant - may be fine as a substitute for a full-fledged, full-time manager. But the advice holds - get outside help.)

2. Failing to raise and spend the right amount of money. Speaking of money, if you don't have the cash, you must raise it. First-time candidates often delude themselves into thinking money doesn't matter. It does. Without money, there isn't a campaign. And it must be not only raised, but spent, wisely. Even if you think you only need a small amount of money, media and voters will be watching to see if you have the ability to raise more than you need. The truth is, candidates need professionals to help them to raise money - or force them to, if necessary.

3. Focusing on the wrong issues. You have 40 issues that you want to tackle in your campaign: abortion, the IRS, Federal defense spending, social security, etc., etc. But wait a minute, you're running for a seat in the state legislature! Much of this will be irrelevant to the office you're seeking. Spending time on issues you would have no control over if you're elected is a waste of time, and can unnecessarily give voters reasons to vote against you. A campaign must focus on a select few, relevant local issues, and not deviate from them.

4. Talking about the wrong issues ... to the wrong people. You should never lie or change your views to chase poll results in order to get votes. Voters can sniff out a phony. But it simply makes sense to speak to groups and individuals about things they care about. Making wildly irrelevant speeches to influential groups is a sure way of looking foolish - and irrelevant, yourself. Relying on speech writers, your manager and/or your communications consultant to direct your campaign's focus on issues is a wise move. It will likely keep you from looking completely out of touch, and will give your campaign a polished look and feel, without compromising your principles.

5. Steering out of the Mainstream. Okay, so you believe in UFOs and aliens, you  think flying cars can solve traffic jams, and that JFK was shot five times by CIA operatives, Castro and the Mob working together. Keep it to yourself. While some of this may seem "folksy" coming from long-time politicians, remember this: nuts don't often get elected. And if they do slip in, they frequently don't stay elected. Say something off-the-wall and it by very well be the only thing voters remember about you, and the only thing the media will focus on, and can easily destroy your chances of victory. In short, keep irrelevant views to yourself. A speechwriter will be able to "filter out" items that you may not notice in a first draft, and keep you from saying things that will "ALIENate" voters.

6. Running to lose. Sometimes, the better part of valor is not running at all. If you don't have the financial resources, if you don't have the support of colleagues and family members, or if you don't have the willpower, health, time or effort to run an effective campaign, don't do it. (And if you can't keep your head above water in one of these areas at any point in the campaign, consider dropping out.) If you do run, however, you must run to win, not to make a point. People don't vote to make a point, they vote for winners. And voters sense when you're just riding a hobby horse, and don't really care about winning.

6. Being Unprofessional. Failing to present your campaign as professional is a sure sign you haven't hired professionals to design your campaign. For example, you had better use professional design and printing, because if you don't, you may be viewed as not credible as a candidate. Independent candidates often get carried away with their message, filling a sign, website, or brochure with trite slogans and LOADS of text, resulting in unreadable nonsense no one will actually read. This is the sure sign of an amateur candidate - one who will not be  taken seriously. Keep it brief and keep it professional, and the best way to do this is to have it written by a professional.

A professional campaign consultant will help you to avoid these pitfalls, and many more, in the course of your campaign. Abbott Public Relations offers a wide array of reputation building and campaign consulting services for right-of-center candidates and future candidates in Florida and throughout the US.

Stephen Abbott is a public relations consultant and political messaging specialist, and the principal of Abbott Media Group, specializing in helping political candidates, business leaders, groups and start-ups craft effective messages. Visit Abbott Media Group for more information.

Copyright © 2000-2021 Abbott Public Relations/Abbott Media Group. All Rights Reserved

Why I Believe The Jay Leno/Jimmy Fallon "Spat" Was Faked (at Least in Part)

I don't believe in the old saying "any publicity is good publicity."

As a Public Relations consultant, I'm naturally averse to it.


Is being arrested good publicity (unless you're a rapper)? No. Is being recorded spewing racist epithets during your stand-up routine good publicity? Not at all. Is dying good publicity for a superstar? Only for the heirs.

But there's always an exception to the rule, and the recent Late Night "spat" between Tonight Show host Jay Leno and future host Jimmy Fallon WAS, I believe, that exception.

For about a month, both stars traded barbs about yet another messy Tonight Show host transition. Well, it was mostly Leno, a living legend and comic genius, appearing to vivaciously attack his own network's executives in his monologues.

Each snipe - like the St. Patty's Day snipe about NBC execs being the very same "snakes" that Patrick drove out of Ireland - was repeated eagerly on the news the next evening, and even before that, was breathlessly tweeted out by millions who love to follow the foibles of late night TV, as well as by the Tonight Show itself.

Finally, on April 1, Leno and Fallon got together and, with the help of some talented tenors, who contributed their voices for the voice-over, taped a long-distance duet about the "feud" via telephone in an extremely popular segment, which aired on Fallon's show the next night. The video has had over 790,000 views on YouTube, to date.

The next day, it was announced that Fallon was indeed going to take over for Leno in Spring, 2014, ending Leno's 22-year tenure on the show - excepting, of course, the abortive stint of Conan O'Brien hosting it for seven months in 2010, which ended in Leno's triumphant return to his position.

Ratings soared during this little "spat" between Leno and Fallon, as the entire nation tuned into hear Leno's feathers get ruffled by ruffling the NBC Peacock's feathers. And ratings are the bread and butter of television.


Which got me thinking: Something's not quite right, here, this time. And while I have NO inside information, I believe my hunch is right.

While the tension between Leno and the network during the 2010 abortive retirement fiasco was demonstrably real, and tangible, this latest event didn't have the same feel.

Sure there was animus, and some of that has clearly built up over the years between the likes of NBC Entertainment Chairman Bob Greenblatt and others who reportedly were angry with Leno.

Clearly, some TV execs don't understand that late night comedians have to regularly "snark" at their employers to retain credibility, and because it is enormously funny when Leno attacks his own network's often horrific programming! (He said of NBC: "The Biggest Loser isn’t just a TV show anymore; it’s our new motto. It’s so bad, NBC called Manti Te'o and asked him to bring in some imaginary viewers.”)

But the key for me in comprehending the brilliant publicity tactics used during Leno's latest, and likely last, retirement was the timing of that Leno-Fallon duet.

The fact that it was done at all means that, at least by April 1, both knew that a peaceful, friendly transition was going to happen. But the fact that attacks on NBC were being spewed by Leno right up until that last day (he said on April 1: "NBC and I have reached a peaceful, amicable agreement that is both beneficial to both sides.... April Fools! I got nothing to do with that! Silly! Silly! Ridiculous! [Will] never happen!") tells me that, unless a (literal) last-minute rapprochement was reached between NBC and Leno that night, he knew, likely a week or two earlier, that this was going to happen.

So my question is: What did Leno know, and when did he know it? Did he and Greenblatt, or others at the network, plan this all out together, months ago, to milk the ensuing "controversy" and ratings that could be garnered from it?

And another question: Is Leno the most Machiavellian, clever, comedic and timing genius on the face of the earth for pulling off a ratings coup as his last, great act on the American Television stage?

Now, THAT wouldn't surprise me one bit. And if so, well played, Jay Leno! Well played!

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Stephen Abbott is a public relations consultant from New England. He can be found online at abbottpr.com. He founded and edits world politics news, a blog covering politics throughout the world.

Abbott PR Retained to Promote The Jesus Followers

NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Stephen Abbott, Owner, Abbott Public Relations 603.341.0372 www.abbottpr.com
Thursday, January 31, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Abbott Public Relations Retained to Promote

The Jesus Followers

NEW ENGLAND - Stephen Abbott of Abbott Public Relations, a New England-based Public Relations and Reputation Agency, will promote the Jesus Followers, a religious group seeking to form a church denomination within the next five years.

The Jesus Followers are a new organization, laying the groundwork to launch a movement dedicated to Jesus, the Anointed (that is, "Christ") - God's spokesman and Prophet. They plan to launch a revolutionary church dedicated solely to the revolutionary, relevant, timeless teachings of Jesus, and the God he revealed to the world through those teachings and his perfect life.

Along with maintaining an online presence for The Jesus Followers (who can be found on Facebook and their blog) Abbott has been actively writing sermons for the group and has entered the active ministry of The Jesus Followers to extend its mission.

Abbott said the group represents a unique counterpoint to current Christian denominations.

"The Jesus Followers approach Jesus as the sole voice to whom we must listen to obtain salvation and learn how to live," he said. "That alone makes The Jesus Followers unique and stand out as a special witness of Jesus, God’s Anointed One. Drawing attention to him as God's prophet and spokesman is also a different emphasis than many mainline Christians are used to. But there is a dire need for them, and the rest of the world, to hear these differing views, and that's what we will bring to them."

The group stresses the humanity of Jesus, his Prophethood, teachings and life; our ability to fully obey God and our duty to do Good Works; understanding the Scriptures in their historical context; and the use of our God-given Reason.

Abbott said he would promote the group and lay the groundwork for physical locations for church meetings that would eventually lead to churches planted around the world. The Jesus Followers can be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/theprophetjesus and their blog can be found at http://thejesusfollowers.blogspot.com.

Abbott Public Relations offers affordable written communications and social media services that build, strengthen and repair reputations. They can be found online at http://www.abbottpr.com and at 603.341.0372.

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What is "Public Relations?" A brief definition

People often ask, "What IS Public Relations, anyway?" For those people, I've come up with a brief definition that helps address many of the important issues that PR consultants deal with on behalf of their clients. Here it is:

pub·lic re·la·tions (noun)

the communications management function that seeks to:

• build, maintain and protect reputations
• develop and maintain positive images and perceptions
• change negative perceptions into neutral ones, and eventually, into positive ones
• create positive, clear and satisfying communications with customers and others being served
• manage outside communication to ensure accuracy and positive perceptions

Please also take a look at the bold new look of www.abbottpr.com.

No More Back-Slapping Hucksters: The True Role of Public Relations

I’m sure it’s happened to you before. You drive by a business, and, perhaps not even noticing it at first, you cringe.  

"It’s funny," you may think to yourself, "but I haven’t been in the place since last November." Maybe you can't even remember why.

One way or another, you were put off by the place, and never went back.

Then you drive by a second business, and you almost want to invent a reason to stop and go back in, even though you may have no business to transact there. 

How does that happen? And (you might be thinking) how can I make THAT happen for MY business?

Some people view public relations as the domain of glad-handing, back-slapping "yes-men" or pretty faces who tell clients whatever they want to hear. But the  truth is, this kind of PR person wouldn’t be much help to the client who cringed, above, or to that client’s business. They instead could be an expensive distraction. Or worse, as waste of money. Simply trying to distract customers from a bad experience doesn't fix the underlying reasons for the bad experience. And it won't change perceptions if they have new bad experiences if they return.

Changing a negative reputation into a good one, or at least a neutral one, or reinforcing a business’ already-positive image, is really what public relations is all about.
In the negative example above, becoming aware of the company's problems - whether it's poor service, shoddy merchandise or even the bad odor of the establishment - by using customer feedback effectively, then making sure that current and past customers know you are aware of their past bad experiences and are taking steps to correct them, are the first steps to changing bad perceptions.

Perhaps a sign out front, reading, "Newly remodeled," touting a new product line, or, even better, new management, would help entice disgruntled customers back into the door. But of course, real changes will have had to have been made. Customers are savvy, and can see through the old "new paint job" or "new signage" approach, IF there aren't real changes made along with them.

An ad in the paper and a mailer to past customers trumpeting a totally new approach to customer service, may help, too, as long as that claim is then TRULY backed up with EXCELLENT service and products and a clean environment when customers begin to return. (Because, again, savvy customers can not and will not be fooled - and you should not try.)

For the business with an already good reputation, but with little repeat business, a company e-newsletter, mailed every other month to regular customers and containing special deals to reward their loyalty may help remind them why they liked the business so much on previous visits. 

Special programs to reward regular customers solidify that important base, and increase word-of-mouth buzz about a company. And of course, an effective social media presence on facebook and twitter, with perhaps a video element on YouTube, also backs up a company's reputation and are channels for effective and immediate feedback.

A paid advertising campaign highlighting satisfied customers may also be necessary to let people know that they, too, may have good experiences there.

All of this underlines the seriousness of the profession of public relations. It involves the art of effective communication, writing skill, and  the ability to determine a course of action that will truly be effective in widely varying situations and appealing to diverse publics.

PR isn’t just happy talk, it’s a profession that helps make companies more successful through an approach of identifying positives and negatives and creating plans to addressing them in a systematic way.

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Stephen Abbott is owner and principal of Abbott Public Relations, a division of Abbott Media Group, which can be found online at www.abbottmediagroup.com

Doing What it Takes - Trusting the PR Process

By Stephen Abbott, principal, Abbott Public Relations

This is one of those times when someone dares to say: “The Client isn’t always right.”

Success isn’t guaranteed. You have to work at it.

Seems obvious, right? But in my career, I’ve had a handful of clients, and have heard of many others, who wound up failing because they didn’t understand that they needed to do what it takes to BE successful.

And in public relations, as in any endeavor, you have to actually do something to be successful.

Yet, a few of my past clients simply didn’t believe me, and we parted ways, only for me to later hear of them floundering and then failing in the very tasks to which they refused to dedicate themselves when I was working with them.

Of course, this breaks my heart to see, and I never gloat about it.

Still, without naming names (and in the most general of ways) I think it would be instructive to take note of some of the ways in which they failed to connect with PR, because as I’ve said before, public relations is a greatly misunderstood profession.

They included political clients who insisted that they didn’t need to convey clear, concise messages to the right voters, only to learn, tragically, that targeting a great message matters as much as wearing the right tie during a speech or making the right political contacts.

I’ve also heard of some would-be politicians who believed they could campaign part-time, while their opponents worked full-time campaigning. Their opponents learned quickly that these are the times to one-up them over and over and over again at events while their opponent was home in bed.

There were a couple of business clients of mine who insisted that they did NOT need to build up their reputations over long periods of time in order to generate positive images that would lead directly to sales (a plan that works, if you keep at it!) Instead, they felt only a quick burst of exposure would do the trick.

That works as effectively as the quick “exposure” a streaker at a college game earns. It doesn’t help their reputation at all, and their name, if it’s even known, is quickly forgotten or turns into a local punch line.

Finally, some thought they didn’t need to remain in constant and regular communication with me while I directed their PR efforts. Bad idea. Communication in a couple of cases became sporadic and then dried up altogether, either through miscommunication or new people in the company not knowing they should keep tabs on the campaign.  This basically means the client gave up on PR, despite clear goals and great tactics that would have borne positive fruit. Neither of them used PR services again, with tragic consequences for their businesses.

By failing to keep doing what it takes, a client leaves a PR campaign in limbo and may leave a consultant unaware of changing conditions or of possible new, positive things being done that could boost their reputation immensely.

In fact, many failures of public relations to yield results can be attributed to a failure of the client to remain dedicated to the process.

Failure to stick with a PR campaign because one doesn’t understand PR is inexcusable, and it’s certainly rare in the case of my clients, because I go to great lengths to educate them about how PR works. I discuss, for example,

• How PR must be a long-term effort, requiring frequent interaction between client and the consultant
• How PR campaigns must be planned with a full picture of the client’s needs and problems, so these can be properly addressed in a campaign and measured afterwards
• How PR encompasses reputation management, image creation and online and off-line marketing techniques, and that this is likely to require a commitment to real CHANGE in a corporate attitude towards their customers (yes, REAL and authentic change!)
• And how it uses tactics such as media releases and events to generate positive buzz among a targeted group of early adopters and thought-leaders who will later become their customers, and that a series of un-serious “stunts” and “getting mentioned in the local paper” isn’t always the best, or even the most effective, goal

Despite this, I hear from PR consultants whose clients tell them they want to see results OVER NIGHT, especially from companies and candidates that have done real harm to themselves that must be repaired in order for them to survive. The truth? That’s not possible.

Lawyers need more than one meeting to begin forming an effective case.

Many diseases require more than a day or two of treatment by medical professionals for the treatments to pay off.

Students can hardly proclaim themselves fully “educated” after just one semester at college.

In the same way, a PR consultant can hardly be expected to make miracles happen with only a half-hearted dedication to their efforts, or with a poor understanding on the part of his or her client of what needs to be done, how, and why.

Remaining dedicated to any task – especially building or re-building a reputation – is crucial to success.

That’s a main reason why PR consultants insist on receiving paid retainers at least on a quarterly basis, and often for six-month or even annual installments.

Reputations aren’t built, or certainly not re-built, of the course of a few days or even a week. A PR-developed reputation isn’t a one-off item a business can buy off the shelf like a can of soup and then forget about it. And like all good things in life, both patience and dedication to the task are required to make PR work.

Speaking for myself, I’ve been blessed with many understanding and wise clients over the years, and I’m very grateful for this.

I would urge clients of PR consultants and those who are considering hiring one to craft a PR campaign, or to hopefully establish an ongoing working relationship with one, to understand that it WILL take time. But chances are, public relations WILL pay off.

Abbott Public Relations can be reached online at http://www.abbottpr.com.

An Introduction to Abbott Public Relations

Abbott Public Relations uses a variety of written communications tools, including social media and the use of news releases, media statements and backgrounders, to convey messages about their clients to the right group of people, called “publics.”

Spreading the good news about you, your cause or your company to people who don’t need to hear it or won’t understand it makes no sense, and is wasteful. But the kind of targeted campaigns used by PR professionals are designed to reach the publics who care, and that is far more effective.

APR works with clients to determine the publics that are necessary to target, and crafts messages and themes most appropriate and effective for each.

APR principal and owner Stephen Abbott is committed to providing PR and reputation management services at reasonable and affordable rates. With APR, even individuals and one-person micro-businesses can afford to effectively and efficiently get the word out about their services and products.

That’s why we offer monthly retainers that are far less than what some major firms charge for ONE news release, and there are attractive discounts for paying quarterly in advance.

APR offers a personal, one-on-one service ethic that is unrivaled in the business and cannot be obtained in larger firms, where clients are often seen as little more than cash cows to be billed by the hour.

Though New England-based, PR services are offered throughout the United States and internationally.

Stephen Abbott brings over a decade of PR and media experience to clients, who range from non-profits to politicians to individuals seeking to increase their visibility and reputation.

He would welcome your call and is eager to help you fulfill your dreams.

APR can be found online at http://www.abbottpr.com, or call 603.341.0372.

How Abbott PR Can Make Public Relations ADD UP in 2011

By Stephen Abbott, principal of Abbott Public Relations

Public Relations remains a mysterious and nebulous concept for many, though it's actually not a mystery at all. It's an art and a science, applied to business and personal situations to address and solve problems that, if they're left to fester, can have a deleterious effect on one's reputation. That, in turn, can lead to reduced respect, reduced influence in one’s profession and, perhaps most crucially, reduced sales of one's products and/or services.

I've used the acronym "Add Up" as an example of how I approach public relations on behalf of clients and illustrate the process APR uses on their behalf.

Analyze the situation. Jumping in without even rudimentary analysis of the situation is like jumping into a lake one has never seen before – foolish, and possibly dangerous. A situation analysis in PR usually includes discussions with all of the relevant publics involved, be they management and owners, employees, customers and other stakeholders involved in some way with an organization, company or community. This helps the PR professional learn all the facts on the ground that could be leading to problems that may be contributing to a decline in reputation.

Determine problems. Being able to name a problem is a first step towards solving it. This is true in one's personal life and of course it's true in business as well. Once the situation is fully analyzed, PR professionals can then research the problems as they truly exist and begin to understand what PR tools and tactics will need to be addressed, which is the next step ...

Diagnose the situation. Doctors use their analysis of a patient's health to determine a diagnosis. In the same way, PR professionals can use the analysis and problems that arose in the early stages of the process to come up with a diagnosis, allowing them to move forward to the next stages.

Understand publics. Without an understanding of the publics who will be affected by the messages to be used to address problems and issues, we can't be as effective as we otherwise would. Some PR practitioners don't get this, and end up "shouting from the rooftops" to get their message out, thus possibly squandering all the previous effort in researching and diagnosing problems. Instead, a clear, targeted message is planned and prepared to go out to clearly identified targets. This is absolutely essential for the success of any PR campaign.

Present the campaign to publics. All of the research, analysis and planning leads up to a campaign that is presented to predetermined publics, i.e., those who will most benefit from and be positively influenced by messages that enhance the client’s reputation and standing in the community, their ability to continue to grow or expand, or other goals that can be measured over time.

This final "implementation phase" utilizes tools and tactics of the PR professional that best meet the needs of the campaign at hand. This expertise, along with the ability to comprehend and work through the previous steps, is why it's best to hire a PR professional to enhance, change and manage your reputation.

Public Relations and the enhancement of reputation it can bring with an effective PR campaign is vitally important to the continued success of your business, organization or personal fulfillment. The accomplishment of business goals is tangibly connected to maintaining good relations with publics your business interacts with daily, as well as creating inroads with those who will become clients and customers in the future.

Contact Abbott Public Relations to learn more about how your reputation can benefit from Public Relations in 2011.

Rooftop Publicity vs. "Street Level" PR

Go to the top floor of a 10-story building in a city, open a window, then shout the name of your company or product at the top of your lungs, shut the window, and walk away. Congratulations, you’ve just engaged in PR - all by yourself!

This scenario is about as effective as most companies are when they engage in public relations, if they engage in PR at all, that is. In fact, they’ve actually only engaged in a rooftop publicity stunt.

By contrast, what does hiring a professional Public Relations consultant do for you and your business?

PR pros will offer an objective outlook. You cannot possibly see all of the communications problems your company faces on a daily basis. PR pros will do the interviews and research to get to the bottom of why your messages are falling flat. People will open up about problems they likely won’t tell “the boss.” This strategy, along with analysis of trends and other data, is the Assessment Phase of a PR campaign.

PR pros will be honest with you. Once communications problems are identified, the PR pro can tell you frankly and honestly what your unmet communications needs are, and how to address them. A brief, clear and concise report will outline what’s wrong.

PR pros will target messages effectively. Not all messages are a “fit:” for all audiences. Shouting from a rooftop may be an effective way to create noise, but little else. But people get enough noise already, and they are very good at blocking it out. PR identifies specific publics towards which messages should be directed, rather than a vague “general public” who will tune out your attempts at noisemaking. This plan forward will tell you exactly what PR will do for your firm, so it can be measured later, and adjusted, if necessary.

A professional PR firm like Abbott Public Relations will not shout a message from the rooftop, unless perhaps all the target market happens to be all standing below (which is highly unlikely.) To do so would be a waste of your time and resources.

Using publicity stunts or scattershot advertising is simply not the way you should be spending money when money is scarce.

If you hire APR, we’ll go down to street level, pick out the few people who will deeply care about your product, and will deliver your message concisely and intelligently to the right people, at the right time. That will make all the difference.

Stephen Abbott is a public relations consultant with Abbott Public Relations. APR can be found online at http://www.abbottpr.com.

In Business, Consistency Matters to Your Reputation

I was watching someone create a Website the other day and pointed out to him that the colors on the page he was creating should be consistent with his company’s other printed materials. That wasn’t happening, and that’s a bit of a problem, because when it comes to company’s reputation and image, consistency matters.

When you walk into a Best Buy store, everyone who works there is wearing a distinctive blue shirt, each with the yellow “tag” logo with the words “Best Buy” stitched onto it. You instantly recognize the logo, and the blue color, as representing this national company.

The branding continues in its advertising fliers in the Sunday newspaper, and on its corporate Website. All feature the familiar blue color with the slanted yellow tag that instantly ID the company as the place for electronics sales.

The same is true whether you’re selling electronics, hamburgers or a professional service. If you confuse the customer in any way - with confused logos and branding, no consistent color scheme, or in some other crucial way - you could be failing to make a lasting positive impression on them.

APR’s black and orange logo is distinctive, and is featured on business cards, Website and printed matter.

Consistency builds a brand - but not just consistency of a company’s corporate colors, although we’ve seen how important that can be in the Best Buy example.

Consistency in service, attitude, and promptness can also make or break a company. Every sale must be as close to customer-centered as possible. Every employee must be there to SERVE. And yes, the customer must be able to latch onto visual cues such as logos and colors to instantly and fully understand what store he or she is in, and what products and/or services they are known for selling. If any of these messages is “off” - either because there’s no consistency in logo design or through an inconsistent corporate branding of its products and services, or through poor in-store or online service - then the entire experience is ruined and the loyalty of the customer will likely be lost.

Because consistency plays such a vital role in reputation building, Abbott Public Relations offers a consistency analysis free with a retainer (also available through a la carte pricing) that looks at all of your company’s materials: your Website, your business cards, your fliers and brochures, and your other written materials, logos and yes, even the corporate colors.

Let APR help you build you reputation.

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A Broadview of Banal Branding

On July 10, 1985, “Classic Coke” was introduced to much fanfare after a colossal failure of “New Coke” that Spring, after a huge public outcry.

One has to wonder whether the roll-out of the new name for Brink’s Home Security will be reversed in a few months, too, after much public confusion.

“We are now Broadview Security, the next generation of Brink’s Home Security.”

That’s the confusing message that welcomes people to the new Broadviewsecurity.com Website.

Boring, bland, banal, colorless, under-whelming, and a stupid pissing away of 150 years of brand equity.

This new name, announced by company officials June 30, 2009 and foisted onto the world by Ketchum, conveys nothing, other than perhaps weakness, blandness and dullness. Shame on the branding experts at Landor Associates, an otherwise top-tier branding agency, who were engaged to come up with this yawn-inducing substitute. Folks, you’ve got it wrong this time.

I feel very sorry for the Brink’s Home Security employees. They must be devastated.

I know a bad public relations move when I see one, and this could be a big one.

Ad Age Magazine’s June 30 issue quotes a real branding expert, Denise Lee Yohn, as saying, "Trying to transfer that trust from Brink's to a different name is particularly challenging [in a

bad economy.] People are looking for proven suppliers with reputable names."

No kidding. And not only is the name gone, the traditional Brink’s Badge logo will be replaced by a logo with two odd “boomerang-like” swoops that suggest an Internet ISP and seem lifted directly from credit card giant Citi, only rendered in light blue (a weak color.)

In-yard signage and window decals will look something like a white fingernail, or a real estate sign. Will would-be burglars fear a white fingernail-shaped real estate sign in the yard?

The Broadview Website explains that the company spun off from The Brink’s Company last October, and is now a separately traded company. They also reveal that The Brink's Company granted them a license to use the Brink's Home Security brand for up to three years after the spin-off.

So why not keep it until the last possible moment? Why not transition? Why not keep elements of the Brinks name, as some of the “Baby Bells” did after the Bell System broke up in 1984 (Bell Atlantic and BelSouth, to name two.)

Just because change must happen, that doesn’t mean you pick a crap name to replace a time-honored one. That means you try to continue a legacy that has served them for 150 years.

As part of my work with clients who engage me on retainer as a public relations consultant, I always undertake an audit of all materials - Website, printed matter, signage, the works - to ensure that branding is clear and consistent, and that it makes sense.

Most of the time, being vague is a business killer.

Something like “John Doe Enterprises” is a worthless name, because it tells customers exactly nothing about what John does. “Well, I’m trying to be all things to all people,” I’ve heard. Well, that’s not good enough. If you’re doing EVERYTHING, you’re doing few things well. And it’s not about you, it’s about perceptions about you by your past, present and future customers.

In 2006, Stephen Abbott Communications became Abbott Public Relations, in part because the old name sounded like it was a phone company, and PR was my major focus. In 2008, I launched Abbott Media, a company that writes and sells electronic books, explores New Media, news reporting and other writing ventures, because these had nothing to do with PR. That, I believe, is smart branding. [In 2015, Abbott Media and Abbott PR became Abbott Media Group.]

The Broadview Website claims the new name “represents our legacy, our future and our unchanged commitment to "Creating Customers for Life."

Legacy? Seriously? Broadview as a name is the OPPOSITE of building a legacy. But this is marketing-speak, not real English, meant to be understood.

I have no doubt the people at Landor are sincere, and smart. The work on their Website (which, tellingly perhaps, fails to mention Broadview) affirms they are an astoundingly capable firm. And granted, branding is not easy or an exact science. But like many re-brands, this one seems to have clearly come up desperately short in the common sense department.

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Six Possibly Better Names for Brink’s Home Security, off the Top of My Head:

• “ShieldHearth Security” - It even has a warm feeling when you say it, and you know immediately that it shields your home and hearth.
• “HomeSecure” - Again, blazingly obvious and quick to grasp what these folks do. (Although if the company seeks to reach into business security more, this may not be the best option.)
• “SecuriGuard” - Security and Guard. Simple. Direct. Too difficult to screw up.
• “Solidus Security” - From the Latin for solid. In English, it conjures up the same thing. SolidiShield would also help us envision solidity.
• “AmeriBrinks Security” - This one is admittedly tongue-in-cheek, but why didn’t they fight for the name?

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Public Relations in Six Words

Become known - This is the core of everything Public Relations does. If you and your business are unknown, you don’t really exist. Your profile must be raised in order for your services or products to be sold and for your business to flourish in the long term. At the core of Abbott Public Relations is the ability to help you launch a business or help make an existing one better known.

Become known for doing - Being known is great, but known FOR WHAT? If customers have to ask, “What is it that you do, exactly?” then your previous efforts at becoming known have been all for nothing. Clarity, precision and detail must underscore your core business. APR brings this to its clients with creativity and a sharpness of vision. We’ll work with you to clarify your business mission and will craft ongoing strategies to get that message to those who need to hear it.

Become known for doing good - Being known is wonderful. Being known for doing good is even better. Customers want to do business with companies that are socially responsible. Search engine giant Google has a slogan: “Don’t be evil.” While many companies aren’t evil, per se, they aren’t known for being “good,” either. Goodness reaps almost immediate benefits by generating good will for your company, and APR can let your relevant publics and the wider community know about that goodness with a clear communications strategy.

Become known for doing good within - You may know who your customers are, and may even direct a lot of attention to them. That’s a good business practice. But what about the customers WITHIN your company - your employees? Are you neglecting to communicate effectively with THEM? If so, that can undermine all of your external communications efforts. The first step towards positive growth and becoming known for doing, and being, good is to examine the assets you have working for you, ensure that THEY know the good your company is doing, and ensure that they are contributing to that goodness. APR can create internal communications strategies that reconnect you to your greatest asset, and that will set the stage for EXTERNAL growth and prosperity.

Visit Abbott Public Relations at www.abbottpr.com

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What is a “Reputation Agency” and what does it do?

Since January, Abbott Public Relations has been describing itself as a Reputation Agency ^TM. But what, exactly, does that mean?

It means APR is completely focused on creating, building and maintaining your reputation, whether you’re an individual, a new startup, a small business or a home business.

“Reputation,” to some, might seem like a nebulous, hard-to-pin-down term, but it really isn’t, and is actually a vital tool to have in your business arsenal. In fact, without it, your business may have a very short life indeed.

In brief, a reputation is one’s good name, or more specifically, how your name is perceived by those with whom you do business - or even with whom you HOPE to do business or interact with in the future.

Reputation is the quality or character of an individual or business, as seen and judged by others (fairly or unfairly) and it’s the recognition by others of your characteristics and abilities.

But how is a reputation built, exactly?

First, we must assess two things: Where your current reputation stands and where you want to be at a certain time in the near future.

“Where you are” in regards to reputation is defined as how you’re viewed by your customers (and sometimes by your WOULD-BE customers) as well as your vendors, managers and employees.

Sometimes discovering just where you are is quite a surprise. Simply put, often we think things are viewed one way, when in fact, they’re viewed quite differently by others. That’s a very important thing to know, because we have to remember that “reputation” isn’t how we view ourselves, it’s how others view us.

Once we know how others view us as individuals or as a company, we can address that reputation head-on, and honestly.

Do you need to improve customer service? Should you become more active in your community? Do your customers, vendors and others who interact with you (those we PR folks call “publics”) need to be better aware of the good things you’re ALREADY doing? Should you be communicating better with them about what’s new, innovative and creative in your particular business - or in your profession?

All of these are questions to be asked in order to reach a certain “reputation goal,” which can be defined, perhaps, as “increase customer traffic by X percent within the next three months,” or “increase awareness of our business in the community by Y percent at the end of this campaign.” These can be used as yardsticks for your efforts to improve your reputation after you implement them.

So you can easily see that reputation isn’t some mysterious, un-definable thing, but rather, a vital part of your business.

And a small, nimble, affordable, creative Reputation Agency TM like Abbott Public Relations is just the firm you need to get your reputation to where it needs to be.

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PR campaigns help funding, study shows

A study published in PR Week magazine showed that startup companies utilizing PR campaigns are 30 percent more successful in getting funding within one to three motnhs than those that don’t.

The study was condudcted by Chicago’s BIGfrontier Communications Group.

Forty-four percent of the respondents who used PR outreach received funding in the one-to-three-month time period versus 14% of those that did not. The survey also found that 78% of respondents who said PR helped in their funding efforts are planning to use some of their venture capital for additional PR.

“Those entrepreneurs understand that anything they can do to get them an advantage to get limited or finite funding is something they should avail themselves of, especially now,” said Steve Lundin, founder of BIGfrontier. The boutque firm specializes in PR for startups, tech and consumer companies, and law firms.

Overall, though, the survey found that only 18% of the 300 startups surveyed had a PR program in place during the funding process.

This clearly and starkly underlines the importance of an ongoing PR campaign, especially for small start-ups.

Abbott PR prides itself on working with these small companies - even one-person shops - who don't usually have access to "BIG PR FIRMS."

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