TOP PUBLIC RELATIONS NIGHTMARES FOR 2008

Vollmer Public Relations Releases Annual List of Year’s Top PR Blunders!

From call girls to smelly tourists, we’ve seen and heard it all this past year. Nationally ranked Vollmer Public Relations has compiled its annual list of stunts, comments and actions that should have required intensive public relations support and a handful of Rolaids:

· Pay to play U.S. Senate Seat for sale. Act fast! Limited time offer! Only serious offers please. Cash only. Contact Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Or his wife.

· A little higher and he’d be a New York Soprano New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress was hit with two counts of illegal weapons possession after it was discovered he entered a Manhattan night club with a loaded, concealed weapon, shot himself in the leg, club security failed to call police and the hospital did not report the shooting to authorities.

· 12 is the new 16 The Chinese government apparently employed a new form of math in order to get underage athletes into the Summer Olympic Games.

· I can see Russia from my porch Sarah Palin’s painful interview with Katie Couric on CBS.

· Mother of the Year Britney Spears’ mother Lynne Spears announced that she would delay the release of her book on parenting when information was released that her other daughter, 16-year old un-wed, pre-teen role model Jamie Lynn Spears was pregnant with her first child.

· Would you like nuts with that? Civil rights activist and media minister Jesse Jackson, assuming his mic was off on a national TV show (have you paid no attention to your media training?), was caught whispering to another guest that he wanted to "cut [Obama's] [family jewels] off.

· Call me any time New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, famous for his crackdown on prostitution in the state, was caught with his own pants down in a call girl ‘situation’.

· I need a vacation AIG executives, after receiving a company saving $750 billion dollar bailout from the government, went on a luxury company retreat at a cost of $500,000.

· Drive & Whine Following in the missteps of their AIG brethren, Detroit automaker executives came to Washington looking for their bailout, each arriving in their own private jet.

· What happens in Vegas O.J. Simpson was sentenced to years in prison after being convicted of armed robbery and kidnapping in Las Vegas. His conviction came 13 years to the day after he was acquitted in an earlier trial of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman.

· What’s that smell? At ceremonies celebrating the installation of air conditioning in the Capitol Visitor’s Center, Senator Harry Reid commented that members and employees would no longer have to "smell the tourists" on hot summer days (even after his staff advised him not to say it).

Crisis Communication Book Features Shelton & Caudle's Tony Shelton

CRISIS COMMUNICATION: PRACTICAL PR STRATEGIES FOR REPUTATION MANAGEMENT AND COMPANY SURVIVAL

New book brings “how-to” approach and international perspective to crisis communication

No company or organization is immune to crisis. A crisis, however, does not necessarily have to turn into a public relations disaster. Crisis Communication provides readers with advice on how to limit damage by acting quickly and positively. Moreover, it explains how to turn a crisis into an opportunity by communicating efficiently via a successful public relations strategy.

Crisis Communication is a thorough guide to help prepare an organization for unexpected calamities. It provides information on accountability, planning, building corporate image, natural disasters, accidents, financial crises, legal issues, corporate re-organization, food crises, negative press, media training and risk management.

Released on December 8, 2008 in the United States, Crisis Communication takes a comprehensive look at crisis communication with a ‘how-to’ approach and an international view of the subject. The book is illustrated by copious examples, from the public and private sectors, analyzing real-life crises and their outcomes. It is also designed to offer practical guidance, with “how to” advice throughout. A separate section is devoted to templates covering everything from strategic planning tools through to flow-charts, checklists, sample copy and documents.

The 20 authors who contributed to the book are senior crisis communication consultants from IPREX, the worldwide corporation of independent PR firms. IPREX Worldwide President Jim Walsh (Walsh Public Relations – Dublin, Ireland) welcomed the book: “Crisis Communication is well-organized and practical advice from experts around the world. It is one of the early results of our strategic program to derive maximum benefit, for clients and partners, from our outstanding knowledge base.”

About IPREX

IPREX (http://www.iprex.com/) is one of the world’s major corporations of independent public relations firms. Founded in 1983, its 64 partners have 86 offices in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific, with annual revenues of $116m. Its 1,000 professionals provide a comprehensive range of services for some of the world’s most successful companies.

About the Contributor

Tony Shelton is the President of Shelton & Caudle Communication Training & Crisis Counsel, a division of Vollmer Public Relations with offices in Houston, New York, Dallas and Austin. Shelton brings more than 20 years of experience in corporate communications and training to the task of advising clients in communicating successfully in a crisis. He is a contributor to two chapters in Crisis Communication: Practical PR Strategies for Reputation Management and Company Survival and is considered a leader in the field of business communication.

Book DetailsTitle:

CRISIS COMMUNICATION: Practical PR Strategies for Reputation Management and Company Survival
Editor: Peter F Anthonissen
Published by Kogan Page
USA Release date: December 8, 2008 $39.95
Hardback 240 Pages
ISBN: 978 0 7494 5400 5

Available at www.Amazon.com

Santa's Got a Brand New Bag

by Denisha Stevens, VOLLMER Dallas/Dayna Steele, VOLLOCITY Editor

Strong brands evolve and change as trends and consumers change. Since Rudolph had recently gone through a rebranding effort, and with the holidays fast approaching, Mrs. Claus and the elves decided it was time to follow suit and give the Santa brand a bit of a refresh.

Where to turn? VOLLMER’s positioning and branding experts, of course!

So, we took the Polar Express and secretly headed to the North Pole to meet with the big man himself for a branding workshop in Santa’s private conference room. Flip charts and ideas were flying. And while we can’t tell all (we don’t want the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy to know all our secrets), the VOLLMER group’s SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis quickly pointed out that Santa has been violating some key branding guidelines:

· Be consistent. The client goes by Santa, Santa Claus and Old Saint Nick, just to name a few. It would be helpful if the jolly guy would pick one name and stick to it. Also, there are too many shades of red being used in his logo. The elves need to put out a graphic standards manual right away.

· Define your brand personality. What does Santa stand for these days? Is he big, sweet, round and jolly? Or, is he hip, cool and connected and wants to be Paris Hilton’s new BFF or the next Dancing with the Stars contestant? Should he play up his speed and amazing ability to make reindeer fly? Whichever it is, Santa needs to pick a lane.

· Deliver on your brand promise. Over the years kids have come to expect great things from Santa and it’s hard to live up to all of the hype. Our research shows that he’s been a little late making his rounds to deliver goodies. We think he could improve his delivery times by investing in a few more reindeer. Also, he needs a Blackberry to help him maintain his list of who has been naughty or nice.

After a lunch break VOLLMER shifted gears and brainstormed suggestions for updating Santa’s image. Some of the Vollmervillians’ suggestions included:

· Lindsay Stout, VOLLMER Dallas To keep up with the times, Santa should be accepting e-mails, Facebook messages and Tweets from Twitter to track wish list requests. He also needs a branded email such as - ivebeengoodthisyear@claus.com

· Lori Martin, VOLLMER Houston Santa really needs to consider promoting a healthy lifestyle. He needs to get in shape and set a good example for children.

· Kim Tillinghast, VOLLMER Austin Everyone who is anyone has a New York Times best-selling memoir. Santa should let the world know the real story behind the beard, and - naturally - work with his publicist to ensure a spot on Oprah's Book Club list.

· Nicole Buckley, VOLLMER New York City There's a lot to be said for a man who has been around technically since the 4th century and who remains a household name to this day regardless of religious/cultural beliefs. And it's nice that we have at least one "person/mythical figure" who will always reward good behavior and remind us that common courtesy to others is never lost. However, there are some instances where Santa is in need of an update. Because Santa's main audience is children still, I think that's where the re-branding focus should remain. Children are becoming more tech savvy at a younger age than ever before. So, let's create a space on the computer where young children (with the aid of parents) can go online, upload their Christmas list and letter to Santa. That way Santa has less wait time for the list which will then increase toy production in a more timely fashion. Another way to stay connected with the children is to attach a GPS to the sleigh so children all around the world know where he is and how much time they have before he arrives at their house.

· Dayna Steele, VOLLOCITY Editor I can’t say it enough. Black is the new red.

· Alyson Gomez VOLLMER Dallas What if he enlisted a posse of multicultural Santas to help him out? Jewish Santa, Kwanza Santa, etc. This could be interesting because it would mean that his brand would be spread out throughout the year instead of just around the Christmas season. And he really should consider a blog for the elves.

· Tony Shelton, Shelton & Caudle Training & Crisis Counsel Given the state of the economy, Santa could benefit from having a crisis communication plan tucked away in his sleigh. Anything that affects Santa will be news. Not only is he a celebrity, but he’s seasonal and that’s always an attractive news peg. Were Santa’s reindeer to fall through a “blue tarp” damaged roof, for example, Anderson Cooper likely would fly in for on-the-scene coverage. To save his reputation, Santa would need to act quickly. Issuing a statement reinforcing his commitment to serving children around the world and demonstrating action through flying in reserve reindeer and expressing concern for the wellbeing of those reindeer who may have been injured would be essential. Through such quick action, Santa surely would be able to, not just protect his reputation for compassion and on-time delivery, but actually enhance the Santa brand. Godspeed, Jolly Old Saint Nick!

· Mauren M. Kunz, VOLLMER Houston In this day and age of being environmentally conscious, perhaps you should consider showing your “greener” side as part of your new rebranding campaign. You’ve been doing your part to be green for years by using pollutant free animals for your means of travel, where all byproducts are naturally recycled by the environment. I don’t know a single person in the entire world that can say they’ve traveled the globe without using any kind of pollutant – you’re unique, so make a big deal of it!

· Karen Marino, VOLLMER Dallas Santa should consider taking advantage of new technologies such as the Internet and Google maps for satellite images and real time tracking data.

· Peggy Hubble, VOLLMER Austin Tell your story! Have we forgotten the meaning of Santa and the holidays in the hustle and bustle of it all? Children (and the media) love stories of old. The customs and traditions of Christmas are rich in history, myth and culture. Get that story out there for children of all ages. Father Christmas is based on a real person - Nicholas was a Christian leader in the 4th century AD. It is said that one day, he climbed the roof of a house and dropped a purse of money down the chimney. It landed in the stocking which a girl had put to dry by the fire! This may explain the belief that Father Christmas comes down the chimney and places gifts in children's stockings.

· Helen Vollmer, VOLLMER Houston Why not look at new target market groups? Maybe the kiddos have had too much attention for too long from Santa. What about all of us grown-ups who could use a different kind of holiday greenery in this economic downturn? Santa, look to those who can help your brand grow the most!

Finally, after much deliberation a consensus was reached. Santa may need a few tweaks, but his overall brand remains strong as long as he stops giving out lumps of coal. So, while you may note a few changes this year in Santa’s image and his channels of distribution, branding done well takes time. You better watch out though, ‘cause VOLLMER is keeping our total Santa rebrand under wraps until 2009!

Ho, Ho, Ho . . . Happy Holidays to all (by the way, we’ve already gotten a call from the Seven Dwarves after they heard about our working with Santa)!

In Control - You or Your Business?

by Duane Geyer, VOLLMER CFO

Do you control your business or does it control you?

Wall Street is down since the election. Unemployment is the highest it has been in ten years and rising. Japan has declared it is in a recession as has the United States. The Consumer Price Index and home values are dropping. Credit markets are tight. Everybody is asking the government for a bailout. Given all these conditions, how do a business owners/managers best control their operations? Prepare and work against a budget.

Begin with revenues – what you expect to come in. Be careful not to be too optimistic (you’ll see why in a minute). Start with what you know - existing clients who will continue with you in 2009. From there add potential new business (but again, don’t be too optimistic). Finally, add in a small portion of business which will come from “who knows where.” Add it all up and compare it to previous years for reasonableness. If it is more or less, how do you justify the change?

Next, plan the cost of running your operation. Spend a lot of time on employee costs (salaries, taxes and benefits); this is usually the urgent expense item. For other expense items, consider what you have done in the past and add in any changes you would like to make, such as new marketing initiatives.

Profit is revenue minus expenses. Calculate a Profit percentage (profit divided by revenue) and compare it to previous years and metrics published for your industry. This will tell you if revenues and/or expenses are out of line. Go back and adjust accordingly. Be careful not to spend all your expected revenue. If you plan revenues too optimistically, you may be tempted to pump up your expenses since you can still show a good profit. This could get you into trouble if you start spending too aggressively in the new year and the revenues you projected do not materialize.

Budget cash flow! Why? Because cash is king – no matter what the economy is doing, positive cash flow will keep your head above water. How? The simple answer is profits plus depreciation minus capital expenditure (computers or other equipment) minus loan payments. Too many small businesses only budget their profit and loss, only to wind up with not enough cash to pay their bills.

Budgets can be a lot of work, but they can also be an invaluable tool – especially in uncertain economic times. They are not an end all and be all; they are a guide. Comparing your actual results against your budget will keep you on track by revealing if your plans are realistic, or need to be modified. After all, it’s better to find out sooner than later what is happening to your business – it keeps you in control!

Come Into My Lair!

TRADE SHOW 101
by Karen Marino, VOLLMER Dallas

As you develop marketing plans for the coming year, remember that trade shows are a great way to reach client prospects, industry contacts and suppliers all under one roof – if strategically planned and implemented well. So, how do you get your monies’ worth? Here are a few guidelines:

Get started. First, you need a strategy for your trade show program. Start by asking yourself a few key questions. What do you want to accomplish? Who are you trying to reach? What action do you want your targets to take? How will you track leads / results? Once you’ve answered these questions you can develop an overall approach and select the industry shows and conferences that are right for your needs.

Book it and build it! The earlier you book your space the better. Many shows offer special “early bird” rates. You’ll also have a chance to choose from the best spots on the floor.

You’ll need a booth set up to display and demonstrate your product or service, meet with potential customers and showcase your brand. Your booth can be as simple as a 10’ X 10’ “pop-up” booth that costs anywhere from $500 to $5,000 or a spectacular set-up that can run into six figures. Determine your booth budget and go from there. Also, keep in mind how the booth can be transformed to fit other conference needs in the future. When choosing a company to construct your booth, review a portfolio of their previous work and be sure to ask for references.

Design to sell. Set up your booth in a way that’s easy to meet with prospects. First, you have to attract their attention. One VOLLMER client that was promoting “mini” labels displayed a Mini-Cooper in its booth and conducted a drawing to give the car away. You may not have the budget or space for such a prize, but you can come up with something just as creative. Try attracting attendees with an interactive element such as a hands-on demonstration or game.

Also, your booth should be set up for maximum traffic flow. Space out your furniture and displays so that attendees have access to all elements. If they can’t get in easily, they’ll just move on. Have a few chairs around a table where you can meet with serious prospects. It will keep you from being interrupted when you are in the middle of making a sale.

Kick the tires. When your booth is complete, schedule a date to view it completely set up and conduct a thorough inspection. This is the time to find errors and correct them. In a perfect world, this viewing should be at least three weeks before the show to allow for any necessary adjustments, packing and shipping to the show site.

Mind your messages. Think about what will happen in your booth. What will you say to prospects? What type of product literature will you give them? You should emphasize a few key messages again and again, whether it’s through simple conversation or printed materials. If needed, consider having those working the booth get advance training on how to best communicate what’s important and how to “ask for the sale.”

Get the right giveaways. Promotional products can enhance your trade show presence and help you stay top of mind with prospects long after the show is over. Consider pens, pads, koozies or flash drives – the choices are endless – but make sure such promotional items are tied in someway to the booth theme or to a company slogan.

Add the finishing touches. An important component of exhibiting at a trade show is what’s known as show services. Every show has an exhibition company that provides support such as booth installation / dismantling (usually you’re not allowed to do this yourself), draping / carpeting and access to Internet, phone and lead retrieval services. These items can quickly add up, so be sure to factor them into your overall budget. And make a point to learn and understand union rules in the state the show is in!

Ready – set – show! It’s show day. Your booth is set up and your sales force is ready to go. In addition to seeking out prospects, keep an eye out for reporters from industry publications. Offer your expert opinion on issues impacting the industry and you might gain valuable exposure in a post-show article. And if there is a press room onsite, be sure to place company materials there daily.

That’s a wrap. Your booth has been shipped back and the crowds are gone. Now it’s time to organize your leads and determine how you’ll follow up. Don’t delay. To get the best return on your trade show investment, you should connect with prospects while the show is still fresh in their minds.

VOLLMER has a creative services department that can help with every aspect of coordinating a trade show including concept development, booth and collateral design, staff training, media outreach and on-site assistance. Visit out website at www.vollmerpr.com.

Changing Lanes on How We Think About Commuting

by Lori Martin & Helen Vollmer, VOLLMER Houston

With elections about over, workloads returning to normal following a horrendous hurricane year on the Gulf Coast, a domestic financial fallout and the upcoming holiday season, we are, thankfully, easing into our familiar patterns of driving to and from the office or on errands. And while we all welcome a return to the familiar, on one front, this is not the time to fall back on old habits. Now, more than ever, is the time to continue to challenge ourselves to change how and when we drive along our streets and freeways. Our individual transportation habits can truly change our quality of life both personally and collectively as a community.

At least in the greater Houston area bus ridership is up and a recent pledge initiative of the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) and the East Harris County Manufacturer’s Association, My Solution Is . . . that began in August to get citizens to try alternatives to commuting solutions has resulted in thousands promising to finding solutions that better fit their needs. From bundling trips to riding our bikes to teleworking, the way we get around our communities is, in fact, changing.

While our pocketbooks currently have a reprieve from $4/ gallon gasoline, that high price at the pump was a grand wakeup call that the money we save by carpooling or riding the bus is a solution with benefits. Not only can we save dollars on gas, the wear and tear on the vehicles themselves adds up to substantial savings. According to the H-GAC, commuters can save up to $6,500 on gas and other expenses, including maintenance and care insurance. According to AAA’s Your Driving Cost survey, it costs 71 cents per mile to operate a car for every 10,000 miles driven. In fact, the same study suggests that each individual driver spends an average of $54.10 for every 100 miles driven. In a time when we’re all watching our spending, frankly, this kind of saving amounts to pennies from heaven.

H-GAC anticipates that by 2035, the Houston area will have approximately 3.5 million additional residents, 61 percent of whom will live in currently unincorporated areas. And while area governments, planning agencies, and the private sector are aggressively exploring ways to lessen congestion and travel times for the future, this is truly the responsibility of every individual in our community. Each of us can make a difference immediately by realizing that when we drive one person to a vehicle, we are part of the problem, not the solution. By carpooling when we can, walking to the store and using Park ‘n Ride facilities as a matter of course, we are making our community a better place to live.

There is no silver bullet when it comes to the transportation challenges we all face . . . each of us has a responsibility to take action. And we no longer can assume that government or industry can solve these issues for us. This is no longer “somebody else’s problem;” this takes a personal commitment.

So as the weather gets cooler and you plan your holiday errands, challenge yourself to change old habits and think before slipping behind the wheel. You’ll be surprised to see what choices and what incentives we all have when you break old habits.

Top Tips for Managing Projects and Teams Across Offices

by Amanda Borichevsky & Denisha Stevens, VOLLMER Dallas and more!

For more than a dozen years VOLLMER has served as the Agency of Record for the popular online travel site, Travelocity. During this time both VOLLMER and Travelocity have grown and founded offices across the country.

Today the collective team includes Travelocity domestic contacts in New York, Dallas, El Paso and San Francisco, while VOLLMER team members reside in New York, Dallas, Indianapolis and Houston.

So, how do we manage to stay connected, work efficiently and keep the creative juices flowing? Following are tips from the combined Vollmer / Travelocity team on working across multiple offices in a truly dynamic industry:

• Don’t Hang Your Hat on Email - It’s important not to forget the value of voice-to-voice communication when you work in a long distance environment. Communicate major directional changes and deadlines via conference calls and reserve the minor details for e-mail, otherwise things can get lost in translation.
  
• Watch the Clock - Take time zones into consideration and determine prime times for conducting team conference calls. You want to be fair to everyone and avoid having calls that require team members to stay late or work through lunch. Also, it can help you catch everyone at their most productive time of day.
  
• Creativity Through Competition - Before conducting a brainstorming session, give team members background information and ask that they come to the table with at least one starter idea. Then, tap into everyone’s competitive spirit by seeing which office contributes the best ideas. For us, there’s nothing like a little East Coast vs. West Coast rivalry to get the creative juices flowing. Of course, for those of us located in the middle, we always have an edge.
  
• Divide and Conquer - Take turns leading initiatives so everyone has a chance to flex their leadership muscles. Even better, let individuals from different offices partner together to lead special projects or initiatives. In addition to creating a sense of camaraderie between offices, it gives everyone an opportunity to learn how to lead teams long distance.
  
• Be Accessible – To avoid endless games of phone tag when coordinating with colleagues in other offices, make it a point to set aside time each day to check in, answer questions and catch up. Before long, it becomes a natural part of your day and it seems like they are just down the hall.
  
• Share Water Cooler Talk – Important updates and new ideas often are shared through hallway conversations, so it’s all too easy to leave out your long distance team members. Don’t forget to keep everyone updated on the little things.
  
• Give Everyone a Voice - Make sure everyone gets a chance to voice their opinion on group calls by creating an agenda in advance. There’s nothing worse than participating in a call and feeling like you can’t get a word in. If this is a consistent problem for some team members, just put them in charge of leading the next call or give each person a section to lead.
  
• Remember the Fun and Games - It’s important to get together a couple of times a year to have a little fun and get to know each other. Over the years we’ve attended happy hours, New York musicals, spa days, Vegas shows, team dinners and Halloween costume contests. We’ve even given out silly awards and pulled pranks on one another. These shared experiences have helped form relationships that enable us to function as a more cohesive and productive team.
  

‘Tis the Season to Go Viral

by Jimmy Egeland, VOLLMER Dallas

There he sits among dozens, seemingly lost in the crowd. He is just one of many now, no real identity. His metallic ink and snowflake design stood out so prominently once, but somehow in the throng of corporate greeting cards sitting on table his sheen seems dulled, his luster lacking. In a week, maybe two, he will be tossed in the trash. Never to be remembered. Never to be missed. He will be gone. Forever.

This is the life of a corporate greeting card and this sad scenario takes place quite frequently in the U.S. According to the Greeting Card Association, two billion holiday cards are mailed out every year, each with the same fate: the trash can. This translates into more than 250 million pounds of post-holiday greeting card trash. That’s a lot of garbage just to say “happy holidays.”
How can you stand out when you say happy holidays, reduce greeting card garbage and keep your holiday message (and brand) ringing long after the New Year?

Viral e-greetings.

Think about the holiday greetings you received last year. Do you remember any of them specifically—and no, that holiday tin of the three different types of popcorn doesn’t count. Any cards ring a bell? No?

Now watch this clip. What are the chances you will remember that next year? Better still, what are the chances you will want to share that with someone you know? If you chuckled, the chances are pretty good. How good?

In 2006 VOLLMER released its second holiday e-card Holiday Brainstorm to the tune of over 200,000 views that year, this coming from an initial distribution list of fewer than 2,500. Through viral distribution it landed on over 30 different Web sites and blogs, winning awards and bringing in new business along the way. Last holiday season—a full year after its release—Holiday Brainstorm was viewed almost 5,000 times in December and January alone. Compare the viewership and staying power with a traditional holiday card and e-card wins in a landslide.

If those numbers don’t whet your appetite, consider the “green” angle. With a focus on environmentally friendly practices, viral e-cards are the way to go this holiday season. It’s pretty simple—no traditional card means no paper, no trash and no waste—so your company is doing their part to reduce holiday waste.

Creating a holiday e-card is easier than you may think. VOLLMER has produced dozens of animations which have cumulative views in the millions. The creative process is completely customized to every client and everything from script writing to voice acting to animation to Web hosting is done in house.

Our process is tried and true, and the client is along for the ride every step of the way. It starts with the script. We write something that is sure to get a laugh. Then we illustrate the characters and scene to ensure you love their look. Next we apply lip synching to all the characters and make sure you not only like what they say, but how it looks when they say it. We follow that with secondary movements like blinking and gestures making sure you give us the thumbs up. After that, we host it and pass on the URL for you to send to your list. We’ll even help create an image to embed in the email and upload it to some of the best viral animation sites around.

Hopefully you will consider this information when you make your holiday greeting decision this year. Remember: greater impressions, less waste and more fun. ‘Tis the season to go viral indeed.

To view more animations by VOLLMER, try visiting these sites:

http://www.vollmerpr.com/holiday.asp
http://www.eco-bunnies.com/
http://www.pinemountainbrands.com/ILogYou/default.php

Ten Leadership Attributes from Doris Kearns Goodwin

This comes from Doris Kearns Goodwin, noted historian and author - should be a must read for any presidential candidate. The original article appeared in Parade Magazine:

1. The capacity to listen to differing points of view, to let his advisors argue with him, question his assumptions. He created a climate in which people felt free to disagree without fear of consequences.

2. The ability to learn on the job, acknowledge errors, profit from mistakes, withstand adversity, come through trials of fire. Everyone is broken by life, Hemingway said, but some are strong in the broken places. This ability, Stephen Covey argues, literally turns failure into success. It is not our mistakes that hurt us most, but our response to those mistakes.

3. He showed a ready willingness to share credit for success, creating what has been called “an emotional bank account, a reservoir of good feeling. Harry Truman once said: You can accomplish anything in life so long as you do not care who gets the credit.

4. Even more striking than the ability to share credit was his willingness to shoulder blame for the failure of his subordinates.

5. He possessed an acute awareness of his weaknesses which allowed him to compensate for them. Forming a team with his opposite Stanton.

6. He was able to control his emotions. Ritual of writing hot letters hoping if he put it aside he would cool down psychologically and never need to send it. If he did lose his temper, he followed up with a kind gesture immediately.

7. He understood how to relax, replenish his energies, shake off anxiety. Theatre and humor.

8. At crisis moments, his immediate instinct was to go to the battlefield, walk amidst the soldiers, visit the wounded in the hospitals, bolster morale, assess the situation directly. Equivalent to managing by walking around. Indeed, he never lost sight of the people he represented. His White House was open to ordinary people. Sensitivity to currents of opinion allowed him to become a master of timing.

9. He possessed a quiet but steely resolution to stick to his long term goals even at moments when his own popularity was at stake.

10. He had a remarkable ability to communicate his goals to his countrymen, with stories, everyday metaphors, as well as with a beauty of language.

Standing Firm amid Hurricanes and Worse: How to Stay Operational While Blowing in the Wind

Excerpted from The Firm Voice
Helen Vollmer, CEO of VOLLMER and Christine Barney, CEO of rbb Public Relations, recently posted a story about staying operational and surviving when the weather gets a little windy....

As we near mid-October and the rest of the country looks forward to cooler days, those of us who live along the waters of the Atlantic and the Gulf Coast are still mired in the heart of hurricane season. The last several years have seen almost a dozen of these monsters wash across our shores. As recent survivors of Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, we know firsthand that being prepared and communicating often and openly with employees, clients and vendors are the keys to staying operational and functional in even the worse case scenarios.

Of course, it's not just hurricanes we all need to be prepared for—tornadoes, floods, ice storms, health epidemics and the threat of terrorist attacks are just a few more things to keep many of us up at night. As a guide to those whose emergency plans may need a bit of tweaking, we offer the following lessons learned:

• Plan ahead. Put your disaster planning policies in writing and make sure everyone in your agency knows the drill. Have a disaster planning section on your intranet ready to serve as communication central. Update phone trees, responsibilities and procedures every year. When it comes to phone trees, apply ICE. All employees should have a form on file listing the name and numbers of someone to call, preferably in a different city, that they will be in contact with in case of an emergency. Lastly, business interruption insurance and appropriate "contents" insurance are a must have.
  
• Go co-lo. Even small businesses can now afford co-location. For a monthly charge of as low as $500, you can have a totally redundant network ready to go at the flip of a switch. These "bunker" facilities located throughout the country guarantee your network is safe. And, if you use an IP phone system, your calls are routed to voice mails or forwarded to a new number with ease. When the crisis is over, the information is transferred back to your home server with nothing lost.
  
• If you don't co-lo, get computer files out of harm's way. Run a complete back up of your files, make multiple copies and send to other offices within your jurisdiction, to colleagues within the industry you trust as well as for yourself and IT staff.

Read the rest of the story at The Firm Voice - click here.

Keys to Building a Powerful Integrated Marketing Campaign

VOLLMER CEO and founder Helen Vollmer was a presenter at the Bulldog Reporter PR Summit in New York City on October 2, 2008. The following are tips she and fellow panelists-- Barri Rafferty from Ketchum and Andrea Coville from Brodeur Partners - distributed to and discussed with the audience. A handy list for any PR professional to keep near by:

1. THINK LIKE A MARKETER, NOT A PR PERSON.
* What do I want?
* Who can give it to me?
* Why should they?

2. BE A TRENDSPOTTER.
* Research what the public is talking about, doing, engaged in
* Ask what will they be doing next based on this?
* Add twists to leverage popular culture, economic interests and globalization

3. KNOW YOUR CLIENT'S RESOURCES AND BUILD UPON THEM.
* Do they have data to leverage?
* Do they have a volunteer base?
* How are they willing to spend financial resources?

4. SOMETIMES WHAT'S OLD IS NEW AGAIN.
* Engage the audience personally
* Get touchy/ feely with stunts, trials, grassroots events, causes

5. USE NEW MEDIA, BUT DON'T FORGET TRADITIONAL.
* Google, Facebook, YouTube, twitter, etc.
* The strength of SEO
* Broadcast and print still work - bureaus, wires and freelancers even more important

6. KEEP IT SIMPLE.
* Evaluate all the tools in your tool kit, but don't use them all
* Try to not add to the clutter out there-peoples' brains can't hold it all

7. DESIGN A PROGRAM THAT CAN BE BUILT UPON LONG TERM.
* Build a core
* Add extensions to it to keep audiences engaged over an extended period

8. "YOU CAN'T BORE PEOPLE INTO BUYING YOUR PRODUCT"
* David Ogilvy got it right.
* No matter the industry, you must make the campaign compelling, entertaining and distinct

9. CREATE PARTNERSHIPS TO BUILD CREDIBILTY AND SAVE COSTS.
* Your client doesn't have to be front and center each step of campaign

10. WORK AS A COLLECTIVE TEAM WITH THE CLIENT'S OTHER MARKETING ENTITIES
* Advertising, sales, promotions, media and beyond

Get On Your Bikes and Ride!

The VOLLMER New York office has been busy. If you don't believe us, look at the list of hits for the MS Bike Ride held over this past weekend. We love the Big Apple!

NY1: http://www.ny1.com/Default.aspx?ArID=86736

Q104.3: http://www.q1043.com/pages/onair/jonathanclarke.html

WCBS 880: http://www.wcbs880.com/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=2958405 - Mike and Cat’s interview

WCBS 880: http://www.wcbs880.com/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=2961360 - Chris Hennessey and Shasha’s interview

A1trails.com -Link

About.com -Link

Asbury.planetdiscover.com-Link

Blurt-online.com-Link (Article about local band, Yo La Tengo participating in BIKE MS)

Charityofhappenings.org -Link

Dailyrecord.com Link

Hellonewyorkcity.com Link

Internweb.com - Link (Listing for interns to help with BIKE MS)

Examiner.com -Link (Article about local band, Yo La Tengo participating in BIKE MS)

Mainstreet.com-Link (Article with some of the most beautiful/ challenging stretches of roads in the U.S. mentions BIKE MS 2008)

Nyc.gov Link (Volunteer opportunity)

Nycupandout.com Link

Nyse.com Link

Othermusic.com Link

Pedaling.com Link

Qgazette.com Link

Queenscourier.com Link

Sewamazin.com Link

Timeout.com Link

Topix.com Link

Trekofbrooklyn.com Link

V2v.net-Link (A Starbucks Community website)

Velonews.com -Link

Weather.blogs.foxnews.com Link

The Tasting Room Steps Up

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, VOLLMER client The Tasting Room in Houston stepped forward to help neighbors in need:

Ike 101 for the Little Ones

Once Hurricane Ike had passed, VOLLMER was able to secure television coverage from experts at DePelchin Children's Center on talking to your kids about the devastation and destruction in and around the Houston area:

Children Susceptible to Stress after Ike KRIV/Fox 26/Houston

Helping Kids with Hurricane Ike KHOU-TV/Ch. 11/Houston

Ready. Set. Shop. Online.

by Judy Haveson, VOLLMER New York

‘Tis the Season: Readying Your Retail Site Ready for the Holiday Rush

Remember when the official kick-off to the holiday shopping season started as soon as you saw Santa and his reindeer floating down Broadway in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade? Now retailers decorate their stores in hopes of getting people in the “holiday buying” mood as early as October.

Shop.org, a division of the National Retail Federation, coined the term Cyber Monday, referring to the Monday after Thanksgiving when many retailers saw spikes in sales and traffic as consumers went back to work after the Thanksgiving Day holiday weekend.

According to comScore, a leader in measuring the digital world, in 2007, $733 million was spent online during Cyber Monday and overall holiday sales during the months of November and December surpassed $29 billion. ‘Tis the season to get your site ready for the mad holiday rush or miss out on serious sales.

The following are promotable tips and advice for online retailers to consider while getting their “stores” ready for the holiday shopping season:

• Decorate the store – Prepare to alter your logo with a holiday theme after Thanksgiving and include holiday-inspired copy to help generate sales. Word of caution – don’t follow the patterns of the traditional retailer and start pushing holiday shopping after Labor Day! It could turn off customers and make you appear overzealous, not to mention tacky.


• Give Gift Recommendations – Create a section on the homepage that helps shoppers decide what to buy. Drill down to specific suggestions by price, gender, age, gift type, staff recommendations, etc. Provide a broad range of items for each category and include off-the-wall recommendations to keep it fun!


• Create a “Holiday Helper” section – Dedicate a section on the site that gives details on all policies including: purchasing, returns and exchanges, shipping, delivery, etc. Special tips: if you have and brick-and-mortar retail location, make it easy for shoppers to make returns and exchanges in the store. If affordable, cut shipping costs in half or offer free shipping. Also, many online retailers are offering “early shopper” discounts and “first time buyer” discounts in order to convert new buyers.


• Gift Cards & Online Certificates – Great for stocking stuffers and last minute shoppers! Allow shoppers to choose from an array of customized gift boxes and sleeves. Also, for the procrastinators, develop a colorful template to download and print to include something inside a card or stocking.


• Gift Wrapping – Provide a wide selection of standard holiday-themed gift wrap paper for free. Give shoppers a sneak peek so they are able to see what their gift will look like when it arrives. For additional fees, showcase fancier wrapping paper, bags, accessories and cards. For customers that want to wrap the gift themselves, provide them the option of purchasing a gift wrap box kit including paper or gift bags, ribbons, tape and other wrapping accessories.


• Keep your Online Store Safe – You don’t need to hire extra holiday security if you’re already taking the necessary precautions to keep your customer’s information safe. Be sure to have all your safety measures in place and see about joining organizations such as the BBB Online to make your customers feel like they’re always in a good neighborhood when buying on your site!


• Stock Up! – Nothing turns off potential buyers then the words, “Not available to ship until after December 25.” If it’s the hot item of the year, be sure to have enough in stock or at least make recommendations for the next best thing!

Following these tips will help you and your online store be prepared for the best retail time of the year.

Happy Shopping!

Trick, Treat or Transparency – No Financial Tricks This 4th Quarter

by Darren Horwitz, VOLLMER Dallas

Kids, put your costumes on and rush out to get your candy now; it is going to be a long, lean fourth quarter void of tricks and treats.

In the past few weeks we have seen our financial markets crumble as companies like Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch became prey to their own financial hocus pocus. Having purchased investments backed by suspect loans, these institutions lacked the cash to withstand the drop in mortgage investments when the housing market began its downward spiral.

To make matters worse, in just one week, the global markets saw stock losses of $3 trillion and the SEC placed a temporary ban on short selling. Hedge funds and investors have been spooked as government watchdogs are on high alert.
Economists believe that the housing and credit crisis could continue for at least two more years, and the government is struggling to keep our economy from falling into the abyss.

This is no trick.

Dracula has taken a big bite out of Wall Street and threatens to bite even deeper.

Now if that isn’t enough to scare you as we approach Halloween, nothing will.

Here is the quick take. Now is not a time for financial trickery and hocus pocus.

• Financial trickery leads to mistrust
• Mistrust leads to unrest
• Unrest leads to a loss in confidence
• A loss in confidence leads to…

While most organizations will take a wait and see approach, lock their doors, break out the holy water and pray that evil passes them by, thoughtful organizations will take a different path.

As retail and institutional shareholders, employees and clients now live with the specter of lies and mistrust in the financial markets, organizations that communicate consistently and effectively will survive the scare.

Companies that practice true transparency using vehicles to provide investors with greater access and availability to information have a unique opportunity to strengthen shareholder loyalty, when loyalty is hard to come by.

Here are a few things you can do keep your investors happy while you survive the scare.

• Create a perception survey to determine what your biggest institutional investors are thinking. You will be surprised what concerns may exist about your business and your ability to grow.
• Develop metrics and proof points to ensure your company’s strategy and performance are highly visible and accessible to investors.
• Take a proactive approach as we move from GAAP to international financial reporting standards (IFRS). IFRS promises to be the largest change in reporting since Sarbanes Oxley. Asking questions and preparing for these new standards will demonstrate an openness to these new requirements that will support customers, employees and shareholders.

Lost in Translation

by Ceci Loup, VOLLMER Houston

Does cooler weather + the changing of leaves + Halloween = Fall?

Growing up along the sandy Caribbean coast of South America, there were no seasons. What’s more, the idea of a ghostly Halloween holiday or la Noche de las Brujas was not customary. So one can imagine how delighted my little brother and I were once we moved to the United States and learned the intricacies of this new holiday. One was supposed to dress up in costume, go around the neighborhood and collect as much candy as possible.

Naturally, our peers often asked about how Halloween was celebrated in our country, and they alluded to the fact that we probably called it el Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

Huh?

A bit confused at first, we’d explain that these are two separate holidays – the former pagan and the latter one religious. They are held on different days and are also celebrated differently throughout all Spanish speaking countries and territories across the Americas. We did not really observe either one of them in our upbringing. It was a rather entertaining cultural exchange for our young minds. Little did I know then that it would shed light on approaching business opportunities in my adult life.

Crossing the Border

To cross cultural barriers, today's PR professionals should strive to develop cultural competency to complement their technical skills. Cultural competency means understanding local cultures and appreciating their importance.

For instance, let us say a large company has plans to launch a product line in Dubai, Mexico and Argentina. As the company develops its strategy, it should learn all it can about each separate market. This includes what makes consumers tick, its media landscape and any other relevant cultural piece of information available.

The differences will be very obvious for Dubai vs. the American countries. Although Spanish is spoken in both Argentina and Mexico, it is important to remember that one size does not fit all. Changes in dialect and culture among countries of the same language can significantly impact the focus and meaning of the campaign. So do not assume anything.

Here are some simple tips to remember as you are planning your targeted global campaigns:

• Remember your mother’s words and “be polite”


• Value the differences in languages, accents and dialects


• When entering unchartered territory, learn as much as you can from people of that ethnic group


• Make sure that any materials developed are culturally sensitive

Entering New Markets

Those who have dealt in international relations know that it can be both an exciting and intimidating experience. The secret to making them work: BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS. Keep those contacts warm! A sincere e-mail or a phone call from time to time goes a long way.

Finally, another great way to succeed in international relations is by employing knowledgeable team members who are multi-lingual and already familiar with a particular market. It will make relationship building more effective for the company, thus yielding higher long-term returns on investment.

Ceci, a native Venezuelan, has a focus on and a passion for international relations.

The Gifts That Keep On Giving

by Allen Caudle, Shelton & Caudle
VOLLMER Communication Training & Crisis Counsel Division

Ahhh, the autumnal solstice: a cooling of the air, a shortening of the day, color appearing in the leaves, cheering of the football crowds and it's not too early to start your holiday shopping for your executives.

Here are a few unexpected gifts you could give your company before the year is out:

• A great early holiday gift for the executive who has everything - Media Training



• Prepare for all those holiday parties with a Key Messaging Session



• Looking to give a gift that keeps on giving, a Crisis Communication Plan



• And for those whose state's legislative season opens in January, get prepared with Legislative Testimony Training

Whether it's an interview with a reporter, an encounter with a group of concerned citizens, response to an industrial accident, dealing with unwanted attention online or speaking with prospects at a trade show - it's a gift you'll be glad you bought!

*Please note: Gift wrapping not available

Meet VOLLMER Client Dr E...

Clinical Psychologist and Author, Erik A. Fisher, Ph. D (AKA Dr. E…), runs a private practice in Atlanta, GA and has helped many adults, children and families develop healthy life perspectives and relationships.

His latest book, The Art of Empowered Parenting: The Manual You Wish Your Kids Came With, explains the importance of equity-based parenting for raising healthy and happy children, and outlines the advantages of this approach over the more traditional "hierarchy-based" family model. Along with his unique therapy techniques and topics for discussion, Dr. E… can comment on every day battles, including those happening in the home between parents and children, in the workplace, in the sporting and political arena, etc.

Dr. Fisher’s comments have appeared in many national publications including, Parenting Magazine, First for Women, and Education.com. He has appeared on CNN, FOX and NBC and is a "pro-blogger" for the parenting website, parentsociety.com. For more information about Dr. Fisher, you can visit his website, http://www.erikfisher.com.

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Parts I & II

Hear Ye! Part 1
by Linda Edwards, VOLLMER Austin

“Gonna Find Out Who’s Naughty and Nice...the Legislature’s Coming to Town!”

The Texas Legislature doesn’t meet until January, but already legislative committees are making their list and checking it twice planning for some big changes. Among state agencies expected to be on the hot seat this session are the Texas Youth Commission – have they shaped up yet; DPS because of its failure to protect the Governor’s Mansion; Child Protective Services with its alleged overprotection of the FDLS children; and the Texas Residential Real Estate Council which has been recommended for abolishment because it hasn’t helped much in homeowner disputes with homebuilders. Transportation and insurance rates are two other areas slated for big debate and proposed changes.

What to do when you’re under review? Anyone in the private sector with a dog in these fights will be lining up lobbyists and, if they’re smart, PR help too. Companies involved in alternative energy and conservation will need to make their case to get government contracts and subsidies. School districts and educator groups will need messages that persuade and dissuade when it comes to education finance and accountability. Home builders will need to convince legislators to save their agency. And, even a seasoned spokesperson like T. Boone Pickens will need help to stave off efforts to derail his water and energy plans.

One of the best ways to influence legislators is to speak before legislative committees. Good preparation is the key to making the most of such an opportunity. Get to the point, and no more than three points, please. House leadership wants to take action next session to further limit the amount of time people have in front of a committee, making witness coaching more important than ever. Even legislators say such training is critical to making sure your remarks are on point and well received. All will help put you on their “nice” list.

Hear ye! Part 2
by Peggy Hubble, VOLLMER Austin

Did someone say PR?

PR is that fuzzy area that many organizations don’t quite understand and, therefore, don’t think they need. But what it all boils down to is “communicating” – to the legislators, to your constituency, to your membership, to the general public – and to the media, to help reach all of the above.

As corporations, associations, lobbying firms and other organizations look toward the legislative session and consider their areas of interest or concern, they should also consider implementing a broad-based PR/media/communications plan.

Transportation, healthcare, education, energy – these are all issues that the media will cover and that citizens want to know about. A communications plan, working in sync with lobbying efforts, might include a press conference, an op-ed to be written and distributed to appropriate media (local, state or national), meetings with newspaper editorial boards to encourage their support of an issue, TV and radio interviews – and, of course, taking advantage of the ever growing digital, online media.

Think about it:

• Do you have clear and concise messages about what might be a complicated matter?
• Do you have fact sheets with convincing data?
• Do you have an articulate and compassionate spokesperson?
• Do you have relationships with the media around the state or around the country?
• Do you know what your opponents are saying about you? And are you responding in the correct fashion?
• Do you have the ability to corral support groups and like-minded organizations?

No matter how important your issue or how much you are convinced of the value of your project, be sure to consider the importance of planning and implementing a communications campaign to go along with your efforts.

Back to the Drawing Board

by Julia Weede, VOLLMER New York

2008 may be the year that we saw the passing of an era. For the last several years PR professionals and others have closely followed the occasional news reports of staff cuts at the nation’s large and small newspapers. We have known that we are experiencing change in American journalism.

Yet for the last several years even as staffs were cut, someone always has been at the end of the phone when we called a daily paper. That “someone” was usually a senior beat reporter with 20 years of experience who was able to know a good story, report and write it to fit into an ever-shrinking news hole.

But it may be that we remember 2008 as the year when it all changed. As buyouts and cutbacks escalate and thin the ranks of American journalism – some counts say more than 6,000 positions have been eliminated so far this year-- we are witnessing the loss of some of the nation’s most knowledgeable journalists. Lawrence Downes recently commented in the New York Times, “As newspapers lose money and readers, they have been shedding great swaths of expensive expertise.”

Growing numbers of senior reporters, editors and columnists are leaving mainstay dailies like the Washington Post, the New York Times and the McClatchy and Gannett papers. Reporters that remain at papers like the Wall Street Journal are being reassigned to entirely new beats or double beats. The shift is sudden and increasingly dramatic.

To fill the gap, editors are turning to freelancers, or dropping coverage altogether. As one top section editor of a major national newspaper said when we asked if someone on the editor’s staff might be interested in a story, “Staff? I have no staff. I have two people and a bunch of freelancers.”

This shift is changing the content of stories that American read. Editors are often forced to set aside well-researched stories on tough topics to cover expedient stories written quickly on short turn-around. Recently a major industry reporter with more than 10 years tenure responded to our query, “Sure I think this is an interesting story, and it should be covered. But it will take me three days to research and report, and my editor won’t let me take that much time any more.”
What does this mean if we want to participate in thoughtful dialog on critical issues? How do we have a dialog when the most experienced journalists are no longer there to chronicle the discussion?

Certainly new media, the catalyst for this evolution, are part of the solution. Organizations will always need to engage with their stakeholders, and many see a boon in the ability to have that conversation with customers directly. At VOLLMER we love seeing company leaders risking open, honest dialog with customers in creative new ways – they are almost always handsomely rewarded for their transparency.

In some cases it is time to rethink traditional media roles. Who says you can’t create and distribute your own content? What do you have to offer in this brave new world that people want to know? The barriers to entry are surprisingly low, and the potential is yet unknown.

And for those who believe a story in a national daily newspaper is still a gold standard of PR, it is time to do what we do differently. Now, more than ever, we need to focus on what journalists need to do their jobs:

• In this environment even the best reporters don’t have time to connect many dots. We must help connect research, summarize and offer links to supporting material.
• Don’t just talk about your best attributes; provide simple, direct access for journalists to see those attributes being demonstrated.
• Remember that the number of stories that are making it into print is shrinking – offer up your best and leave the routine press releases to online distribution.

Recently we happened to catch a veteran Washington Post reporter on the day that she and her editor took the buyout. When I jokingly asked, “Who am I gonna call now?” she only half-jokingly replied, “Beats me. We were just sitting around the newsroom speculating that it won’t be long before there is no one left to pick up the phone when you guys call.”

While no one yet believes the Washington Post will disappear, it was a jolt to the system. The good news is that she will continue freelancing. The unbelievable news? She’s going into PR.

(Excerpted from the Council of PR Firm’s The Firm Voice)

Are We There Yet?

by Denisha Stevens, VOLLMER Dallas

Planning a Fall getaway? Whether it’s a simple road trip or an international adventure, you should start by asking yourself one very important question - - is your goal to take a vacation or to travel? Most of us use the two terms interchangeably, but each comes with its own set of expectations. Understanding the nuances can mean the difference between family fun and a family feud.

Vacation Salvation

I, for one, look forward to taking true vacations. This means resting and being pampered. The perfect day would involve sleeping late and enjoying a decadent breakfast. A few mimosas thrown in the mix would be just dandy. Breakfast would be followed by a marathon reading and lounging activity that takes place at a spa, in a pool or sprawled across a beach chair. For me, the relaxation is more important than the location.

All watches, cell phones and laptops would be banished from my presence and I’d strangle anyone who tried to pin me down to a schedule. Even a manicure appointment would be too much of a commitment. I wouldn’t want to strain my brain, so the biggest question I’d ponder would be which flavor of tropical drink to order. I’d wrap the day with a cozy dinner before turning in early. I’d need to rest up so I could repeat the whole process the next day.

Travel Marathon

Not so for my husband. There will be no napping, reading and resting with this guy. He’s all about travel and he likes to cover as much ground as possible on as little sleep as possible. He might start the day with a crack-of-dawn fishing trip followed by a surfing lesson. Then, he’d have lunch at some remote restaurant that only the locals frequent.

He’d wrap up the day with a trek up the nearest volcano or rock face to see the sunset. He wouldn’t worry about toting too much luggage or technology. Once he reached the top he’d whip out his laptop to fire off a few emails while downloading his latest batch of digital photos. Then, he’d throw everything in the car and head off to a new destination. Why linger when there’s more of the world to see?

If you are wondering how two people with such different tastes can have a successful vacation, the secret is in the plan.

• We each outline our ideal vacation and include as much detail as possible. Then, we trade outlines and plan an itinerary around our shared interests.


• Another approach is to alternate activities. I don’t mind a hiking trip if I know I have a spa day waiting for me at the end of the journey. A massage can be a great motivator.


• Finally, we step out of our comfort zones to try something new. By making arrangements to try a new sport or sample a new cuisine our time off becomes a time of true discovery.

So, go for it and plan a fall getaway. Work will still be there when you return.

Currently, we’re melding our interests into one grand napping, hiking, fast-paced, yet relaxing fall travel adventure. I wonder if they have lounge chairs and tropical drinks on top of Mt. Kilimanjaro?

Good Ole’ Miss

by Ileah Ivy, Shelton & Caudle

The life changing moments in my life are often ones that I never saw coming. One of those moments slapped my husband and I in the face as we were driving to Mississippi over the weekend to visit my grandparents.

While driving up the road, we were stopped by the police. In sheer confusion, we asked the officer what the problem was. He proceeded to inform us that our windshield wipers and our lights had to be on as the same time when driving in the rain. We expected him to give us a simple warning, tell us to turn on our lights, and send us on our merry little way. Instead, he asked my husband to get out of the car and get inside his patrol car. I sat in the car calm, but very concerned. This couldn’t be happening….not in 2008!

I waited patiently for about 5 minutes. The cop got out of the car leaving my husband in the passenger seat of his patrol car, came to my window and proceeded to tell me that he probably wasn’t going to write a ticket. He asked what we were doing ‘around these parts’, stuck his head in the car to look around, took note of the cooler, over night bag, and pillows and confirmed that we were indeed on a road trip.

My husband got out of the cop car, comes back to our car. I asked if he was okay…. Silence. I asked “what did he say to you?”…. Silence. Finally, he proceeded to tell me that the cop asked if he’d ever been to jail, did he have any warrants, ran his license, asked what he was doing ‘around these parts’, and asked if he’d ever been here before. He told him that this was a warning, to turn on his lights and have a good day.

We drove up the highway silently in disbelief about what happened. We arrived at my grandparent’s home, told them what happened and began a discussion about where we’ve come from, where we are, and where we’re going. My dad ended the conversation with these encouraging words: “You did the right thing. You were respectful, and you didn’t loose your cool. Not many in the same situation would’ve handled it like that. You didn’t give them the satisfaction they were looking for.”

Until this past weekend, I had only heard about these stories through my grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles…never did I expect for something like this to happen in my generation. We’ve come quite a long way, but this weekend proved to me that we have a long way to go!!

Ileah’s Inspiration Station Take-aways:

• Don’t let the ignorance of others affect your integrity!
• No matter what the situation, always do what’s right, when it’s right, because it’s right!
• Don’t get bitter, GET BETTER – The best revenge is success!
  
  

Allen's Landing

by Allen Caudle, Shelton & Caudle
VOLLMER Crisis Communication & Training Division

As a Crisis Communications Counselor, when business is good, everything that flows into my office is gloom and doom. Recently, I found myself simultaneously working on clients facing protests in front of their property, embezzlement of millions of dollars by a trusted employee, reports of product tampering in a food product and a drug deal gone bad in a room of one of our hotel clients. And all the while, the national news was reporting that the economy is in a death spiral and we will all lose our homes and savings due to bank failures. I almost was afraid to answer the phone.

Then, I received divine guidance from an unexpected source; a flight attendant who was merely repeating words she chants at least four times a day, “Place the oxygen mask on yourself and then help a passenger who may need assistance.” So, I took a deep breath and reminded myself that business was great, no matter where the national economy may or may not be. And doing that, I began writing emails to all my clients facing crisis situations. I reminded them their business was good and reviewed with each the steps we would take to work through their current crisis issues and return their business to normal.

Take time today to remind yourself of the good things you’ve contributed to your organization and then do a little public relations for yourself, share that thought with a co-worker. The good news just might spread all the way to the doom and gloom reporters of the economy.

Grumble Grouse Gold

by Helen Vollmer, VOLLMER Houston

Ah, the Glorious 12th!

At least that’s what today is called in the UK as Red Grouse season begins. In listening to NPR this morning, it would appear that this is a huge economic deal in rural areas of Brittania as hunters take to the field to stalk field birds. I think for the rest of us, we should take a more literal approach to the term Grouse Season and use it to complain about more frivolous but still newsworthy items.

For example, where is the news coverage during the Olympic Games? While I’ve been a total couch potato watching Michael Phelps rack up his well deserved medals, I periodically have been searching , mostly in vain, for real world events. Come on, news media—something HAS to be happening in the world that deserves more coverage. Also on my grouse list—on a more mundane level—is why Americans don’t get more vacation time. Has anyone else out there tried to find anyone doing business in France lately? If the EU can all go to the beach in Torremolinas for the month of August, why not us?

One more grumble before I let someone else take the mantle of Grouse Season. Coming from a South Texas hunting family, I think all you anti-gun folks should thank hunters for helping to keep game populations under control. You folks living in Austin who have deer munching your gardens know what I’m talking about. Hunting—whether its deer or grouse—is a great sport if done responsibly. The rule in our home is if you kill it, you clean it and you eat it. And as for sport—oops, it brings us full circle back to the Olympics again—anyone been watching the shooting events?

Crisis Publicity Goes Hollywood

by Tony Shelton, Shelton & Caudle

Crisis communication is not just for big companies anymore. More than ever, it seems, there is such a thing as bad publicity for the famous.

So what’s a publicist to do? According to a recent report in Newsweek, get into “crisis publicity.” Think Britney Spears, Michael Richards, Don Imus and Isaiah Washington.
And they may soon have company.

On the same page as the interview with a celebrity publicist, there is a larger story about Raffaello Follieri, the now-former boyfriend of movie star Anne Hathaway. It seems he’s been arrested following some questionable real estate deals.

Hathaway reportedly dumped Follieri in June, after several negative media stories about him. Was it soon enough to keep from tarnishing her image? Maybe.

Newsweek quotes a spokesperson for Hathaway as saying, “’It’s unlikely we will ever comment.”

If Follieri goes to trial and it appears Hathaway either lost money in his schemes or introduced him to people who were later duped, the spotlight may return to the relationship between the two.

Hathaway may have to rethink the “no comment” from her publicist. If she doesn’t tell her side of the story, it’s likely somebody else will.

Tony Shelton is the President of Shelton & Caudle Communication Training & Crisis Counsel, a division of Vollmer Public Relations.

Check Your Pulse

by India Chumney-Hancock, VOLLMER Houston

The Healthcare industry can be confusing and competitive for even the most sophisticated companies with everyone from hospitals, physicians, and payors to consulting and technology companies trying to break through the clutter. How does a company compete for coverage and market share with industry giants?

Know industry trends and keep up with legislative issues. These are the two things that even the smallest healthcare organization can use to their advantage. The market is an opportunity, rather than a battle for share or dominance. So many clients focus their attention on what the competition is doing rather than focusing on positioning themselves as thought leaders. It’s the company that focuses on innovative solutions to the healthcare crisis that gets noticed.

So how do you turn the issue of Medicare and physician reimbursement into something people care about – focus on the patient and the care the physician is able to provide to that patient. Educate the media on the medical home concept and introduce them to the company and physicians that live by that model rather than those that see it as a pilot program. How do you address the new IRS regulations for community benefit and charity care – help a tax-exempt hospital tell its story and show that this is not something new, but something that is at the core of the organizations’ mission.

The more a healthcare company is willing to step up and quickly respond to current events and latest research the more successful it will be in growing and increasing awareness. The most important tool to public relations success is to stop comparing yourself to the biggest players in the market, and focus on what differentiates the company from the competition. The differentiator may not be the most profitable side of your business, but the halo effect can do wonders to a company’s perception and position you as the dominate player in the market.

I’m a healthcare junkie. I keep up with the trends, read industry books for pleasure, and save healthcare articles that I read on vacation so that I can contact the reporter when I return to work. Why? Because I believe that everyone has a story to tell and the more people understand the healthcare industry the closer we will come to finding a solution.

Healthcare is about collaboration and identifying solutions that meet the underlying goal of all healthcare providers – access to quality care for patients. Healthcare is evolving every day be it technology, reimbursement, information sharing or the latest procedures. The company that invests in an advocate who is identifying ways to put that company in front of its key stakeholders is the company that will be seen as the industry leader. People are looking for someone to explain and lead them in the ever changing, complex world of medicine. Check your company’s pulse. Are you ready to take the lead?

To Blog or Not to Blog: Creating a Corporate Blog

by Mary Kate Smither, VOLLMER Dallas

Developing a blog can be a great asset to any company or organization if implemented and used correctly. For example, a corporate blog can provide a great tool for interacting with customers to discover their feedback and learn about their interests, likes and, yes, even dislikes about your company. A blog allows for open and honest communication on a more personal level that, over time, can foster deeper relationships with target audiences, build a trust bank and lead to development of stronger customer offerings that may positively affect the bottom line.

When deciding whether or not to blog, there are a few key questions to keep in mind. Because blogging is very conversational, are you prepared to step away from a strict corporate persona and use your own voice to engage with your target audiences? Are you willing to write regularly – at least weekly – to keep the blog current and relevant? Are you prepared to accept feedback from both your fans and your critics, and to listen to and respond to these audiences equally? Does your blog offer information and advice that readers can put to use and that cannot be found easily elsewhere? If you can answer yes to these questions while also understanding the goals of your blogging, whether to sell more widgets, interact with customers or just build awareness about your company, then developing a corporate blog can definitely be a good option.

Parlez Vous Engineereze?

by Kiska Workman, VOLLMER Houston

Sure, valves, compressors, forklifts and pipelines aren’t glamorous, but who knew these topics could be so darn interesting?

As public relations professionals, it’s all about finding the story and sometimes in the world of B2B communications, you have to speak “engineereze” to get there.

Now you won’t find this term in the dictionary, nor has it been recognized as a new language – at least not yet! However, at VOLLMER, we’ve not only coined the phrase, but we’ve also become fluent in “engineereze”.

Our job is to work with B2B and energy clients to find the story that people will care about. You just have to know how to ask the right questions to get to the core of what’s important to the news media. To find the story, we talk to the person who knows the products, projects and industry best – the engineers – and we always come back with an arsenal of ideas.

The part of this that never gets old is the fact that the topics we uncover are always topics and issues the company is dealing with everyday – it just never occurred to them that someone else might also care.

Time after time, we start with clients that say “we are just an XYZ company – there isn’t much to say, no one really cares” – and end with those same clients being featured in mainstream media such as The New York Times, Houston Chronicle, Wall Street Journal and Forbes…to name a few.

Just remember, your company’s stories are often hidden in the most unlikely places – so brush-up on your engineereze and let us help you find – and tell – your company’s story!