Category Archives: Talking to your customers

Good PR shouldn’t sound like PR

Talking to your customers

I heard a Chief Executive the other day providing some perfectly legitimate information about the performance of his business and then being derided by the business journalist interviewing him as providing  ‘just a load of PR’. Unfair, I thought.

It’s funny how an industry – Public Relations – that devotes itself to managing the reputations of others, has such a shabby reputation itself. The media, the public, all demand greater transparency and access to information. But when it comes, that extra information is derided as ‘puff’ or manipulative PR.

It’s all good
Who’s to blame? Well, we all are to some extent. Hiding behind corporate and financial jargon doesn’t help. Who watched the BBC’s Twenty Twelve mocumentary on the Olympics and failed to recognise some element of truth in the ludicrous language pedalled by the team.

What to do about it? We could perhaps start by working with the spokespeople we work with and ‘rehearse’ to talk in a language that not only makes sense but is emotionally more engaging.

The Chief Executive of Ocado was also on Radio 4 talking about the performance of his business the other day. He undoubtedly had some good news to share but much of it was hidden behind phrases like:  “there’s an enormous channel shift, we’re at an inflexion point in the market” or “customers who rely on us to deliver outstanding quality to their homes”. In both instances, I know what he means but I can almost hear the journalist sighing.

What about sharing an interesting delivery anecdote for instance, or some feedback from a customer? Don’t tell me the market is at an inflexion point, tell me about how many thousands of loaves of bread have been bought online in the last 12 months?

The point is, we can help people like the Chief Executives of the world relate what they do in a way that not only makes for better radio/TV/ or whatever channel you choose, but might actually do a great deal for stripping away the general cynicism that PR has attracted.

After all, really good PR shouldn’t sound like PR at all.

I read stories (I consume bananas)

Talking to your customers, Talking to your employees

Since when did we all start to consume content? I read content, I watch content, I listen to content but do I really consume content?

Have a listen to the creators of JacksGap on the BBC’s Media Show, a massively successful You Tube channel. How they love to talk about consuming content.

Is it just me or is there something slightly uncomfortable about content becoming a metaphorical feast? Is it just a commodity to be eaten?

It’s jargon of course which, ironically, is often employed to cover up the lack of content – or at least interesting content.

Fortunately I haven’t started to read content to my children, they still prefer a bedtime story.

Be a braveheart

Case Studies, Social media, Talking to your customers, Talking to your employees

Bravery is a hard thing to define. It comes in all shapes and sizes. Here though I’m not necessarily talking ‘My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, Commander of the Armies of the North … father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next,’ type bravery. That would be a stretch. I’m thinking more about how brave as a communicator you can be.

Being bullied by a brute nosed journalist can of course make you feel like Maximus, but how many times have you written a stock phrase in a press release such as:

“We’re delighted so and so has joined, bringing with him a breadth of expertise…”

Cosy and comfortable
Or resorted to overused sound bites, or just retreated to the cosy world of corporate jargon and acronym where you know what you’re saying might not have much impact, but hey, no one ever got fired for using corporate jargon did they?

So here’s a challenge. How brave can you be? There’s the CEO to defy, or the inhouse lawyer, or simply those people who expect to see the formulaic press release, intranet article, blog or whatever.

Maybe it’s time to put yourself out there and take a few more risks.

A lesson in communication

Talking to your customers, Talking to your employees

Have you noticed how good many schools have become at communicating with parents? I get regular text messages about school events, my daughters’ homework, as well as reminders about term dates.

They’re also good at using ‘real’ message boards (as opposed to digital ones) positioned at entrances to remind parents about events or simply to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Nice eh? It makes me smile anyway.

Many companies could do a lot worse than take a leaf out of a school’s exercise book when it comes to communicating with their customers and employees. Letter home anyone?

What a grind…Starbucks readies itself for the harshest of cuts

Communicating in a crisis, Social media, Talking to your customers, Working with the media

Poor old Starbucks. The 8th December looks like it could be a bad day for the baristas as UK Uncut takes its ‘day of action’ protest to the coffee giant, accusing it of dodging millions in taxes.

I’m sure their PR team will be in full crisis planning mode for what is guaranteed to be a day of less than positive media coverage.

So what’s Starbucks saying about it right now? Well, to be fair, it’s not the radio silence that many a corporation often employs when facing down some bad news. Check out their website and there is at least some blog content addressing the issue. But it’s a bit, well corporate, and frankly still seems to duck some of the issues.

When you have politicians on the radio (Today programme, 3 December) openly talking about boycotting your store, your brand is in serious trouble. If they used the same creativity when it comes to their crisis management as they do to market their coffee, they might have a chance.

A free coffee on the 8th December for any British taxpayer who can show their most recent P60 tax certificate? There’s an idea…