Michael B. Perini, ABC
perini & associates

Deciding how to do public relations can be a difficult task.  The world of PR has changed dramatically in the past several years due to the instant nature of communication brought on my mobile technology, the need to build stronger relationships to drive business and any “call to action”  and the global aspects of the right messaging, i.e., every story is now global.

Look, we know it’s  a tough time, but now more than ever there is a need to manage conversations.  In spite of the recent difficult economic times organizations, according to a recent report from Forrester Research, are now increasing their PR and marketing budgets — up 6.7 percent over last year.

The recession coupled with falling readership of traditional media, the rise of online resources and the emergence of digital networks have lead to dramatic changes in the PR industry.  More than ever it is time to have a professional practitioner conduct an “exam” or better worded an ASSESSMENT.

The Communication Assessment Tool (CAT)© developed by Perini & Associates is a useful process to analyze the communications environment within an organization.  The tool can assist with a special event activity or even issue advocacy.  The tool works for start-ups, non-profits and businesses of all sizes.

The purpose of the tool is to accurately provide a business owner, CEO or organizational leader with a roadmap to integrate public relations strategies, tactics and procedure to  build brand awareness and credibility.  Connecting with target audiences through various tools/outlets is an organic method of communication. Doing so enhances brand loyalty and influence to create a demand for your product/service/support or event attendance.  However, you need help in establishing a solid baseline.  In other words, finding out the health of the “patient” before a road to recovery is chartered.  I often tell folks I am trying to find out if you need “two aspirins or open-heart surgery! ”

It is important when going through the assessment to be honest in responding to the five areas listed:

• Communication Environment
• Reputation Management
• Business Development
• Public Affairs
• Access Services

by Michael B. Perini, ABC
perini & associates

In today’s economy successful fundraising is difficult at best.

Making it even harder is the strategy used by many organizations to jump right into to what is commonly called, “the  ask”.  In other words, to figure out the simplist way of getting the donor to give, i.e. by check, credit card, payment  program, any amount is ok plan, etc.  This effort is often followed up with the promise of recognition of some sort, i.e., name on a banner, flyer, program, brief mention in remarks during a post campaign event.  All these elements are necessary, yes, for successful fundraising, but  have limited long-term value without first building a foundation with the potential donor by creating and facilitating conversations around the “who” and “why”.  This critical component, that  will result in achieving better fund raising results, is the role of public relations experts partnering with fundraisers and using well tested strategies and techniques.

We all need to remember: The choices supporters make about which charity to donate to today can be won or lost on establishing the right messages -- this important task needs to be left to experienced public relations professionals.

Here are 10 important reasons why fundraisers need to give more attention to public relations strategies and methods.

1.  Well lead PR programs (message development, story placement, marketing, advertising, use of social media) can raise awareness.

2.  PR programs can reinforce and build on the messages that fundraisers are giving to supporters by garnering media and public support.

3. PR professionals can help find and target potential fundraising audiences and encourage the conversation and thus commitment.

4. PR can be the cornerstone of telling a good story about how the fundraising made a difference to transform the way people think about  the next fundraising campaign.

5.  Fundraising aims to encourage donations. Strong PR supports  that “call to action” by showcasing the charity’s integrity, need for funding and benefits from how the money was spent.  PR can help develop a strong and effective case study library that will help motivate fundraisers and donors alike.

6. The PR and fundraising teams (or individuals depending on the size of your group) should be pulling in the same direction.  Meeting and sharing information on a regular basis is vital.

7.  PR experts can help fundraisers think about the difference between donors (those who give donations) and supporters (those who give their time to volunteer or help raise funds).  Both these groups have stories and they need to be recognized.

8.  Worth repeating from #1: use of social media. Social networking sites such as Facebook, YouTube, Flickr and Twitter are useful PR tools and growing in usage every hour.  Your PR expert can develop a strategy tailored to generating income.

9.  Using PR in fundraising campaigns can be measured to determine how much it contributed.

10.  PR should always be practiced. This is a strategic discipline and not a tactical technique.  Fundraising, in my view, should be viewed as a specialization of public relations, not the other way around.

Times are tough.  The pot for giving is small.  Therefore, great communication is even more important.  Now it is especially important to let supporters know about your organization, cause or special donor event BEFORE “the ask” as well as following up afterwards.

I know from experience that  a strong and integrated public relations component will result in persuading more supporters to come your way. So, please think about the role of PR in fundraising.  We would like to hear how you have used PR in your fundraising efforts.

Call us as we can take your fundraising efforts to new levels by integrating public relations.

Recommendations: Worth reading or viewing

Occasionally, I will recommend a  news article, book, blog post or a short video clip to view. This “eperini Readview” references a MACWORLD article about a survey by the Donald W. Reylonds Journalism Institute about the ipad and impact on reading news — mbp

by Dan Moren, Macworld.com

Many thought that the iPad would save journalism—but, as it turns out, you can’t save journalism without breaking a few eggs…wrapped in newspapers. A survey by the Donald W. Reylonds Journalism Institute(RJI) at the University of Missouri found that the iPad could have a deleterious effect on print newspapers, with many iPad users being likely to axe their print subscriptions in favor of consuming news on their tablets.

The survey talked to more than 1600 iPad users, who were mostly well-off men with bachelor’s degrees, averaging 48 years old. News, for these folks, is serious business: 84.4 percent of respondents said that following breaking news and current events was one of the main tasks they used the iPad for, with almost half of those surveyed saying they spent an hour or more reading news on a typical day. Other popular pastimes were reading books, magazines, and newspapers; browsing the Web; and e-mail.

Now that we know that a burning thirst for knowledge is what consumes these folks, let’s get to the interesting statistics: 93 percent of those who read an hour or more of news a day said they were at least somewhat likely to use an app over browsing to a newspaper’s Website. (Roughly the same is true of those iPad users who weren’t as diligent a newshound.)

And while the regular consumers of news tended to do so in digital and print forms, the more they use the iPad, the less they tend to read printed newspapers. Here’s where print media gets the bad news, if you’ll pardon the expression: 58 percent of respondents who subscribe to print newspapers andspend more than an hour a day reading news on their iPad said they were very likely to cancel those print subscriptions in the next six months. In fact, around 10 percent of respondents reported they had already canceled printed newspaper subscriptions.

What drives this shift? Many users rated the experience of reading on the iPad either slightly better or roughly the same as reading print media. And, as you might expect, older readers are the culprits clinging desperately to their daily publications with newsprint-stained hands: according to the survey, the older a user was, the more likely they were to compare the iPad reading experience unfavorably with that of print (though better, it seems, than reading on smaller-screened devices like iPhones). Of course, given that eyesight also tends to degenerate with age, that’s not exactly shocking.

But, when posed an open-ended question about what would drive users to plonk down their money for digital news over print, the most oft-mentioned factor was decidedly practical: “a price lower than the price of a print subscription.” This seems to get to the nub of the issue: one of the factors favoring digital news consumption over print media is the fact that, by and large, digital news is available for cheap or, more often than not, free. Among readers’ other desires for their digital news were content parity with the print edition and easy-to-use and reliable applications.

Who’s closest to this digital news nirvana? The answer isn’t particularly surprising: according to the respondents, it’s high-profile publications including The New York Times, USA Today, The Associated Press, and The Wall Street Journal. Of course, these are also among the most prominent organizations, with the most substantial budgets and the best ability to withstand losses over the short-term as they investigate the old alchemical dilemma of how to turn eyeballs into money.

So, is print media’s goose cooked? Naturally, one survey does not a future make, but it’s clear that the industry has some challenges ahead of it. Don’t worry too much, though: your local newsstand isn’t likely to become a barren wasteland any time soon; not, at least, until the publications figure out how to bring in money to offset those dwindling subscriptions—or die trying.

by Michael B. Perini, ABC

perini & associates

Hosting a special event is a great public relations activity.

However, be warned:  planning a special event is not for the weak or timid of heart. Obtaining success is possible, but only after exploring these key first steps:

1. Have you answered this question truthfully? Why do you want to organize the event?   Are you looking to enhance your company’s image or promote your organization’s membership, products, services or to promote a social cause?  You really need to have a clear objective.  Without it, in my view, you are just wasting time and resources.

2. What are you going to do at the event? I mean, it sounds simple, but I have seen organizations waffle back and forth. You need to have a focus of activities  –  a menu — to draw interest and to keep it throughout.  Unveiling a statue or laying a wreathe or cutting a ribbon, etc.  These activities catch your audience and the media’s attention.

3.  Do you have a plan? Not just one in your head, but a written strategy or blueprint.  Writing down the what, when, why and how will help focus those involved in executing the event and will serve as a marker for future activities.

4.  Have you created a budget? The objective here is to provide a financial roadmap.  The budget should be specific and include revenue opportunities as well as expenses like printing, permits, speakers, food, insurance, etc.

5.  What form of evaluation will you use? The tendency among event organizers is to fold up the chairs and call it a day at the end of the last activity.  In my view, there is one more critical step.  Take time to evalute right after the event while details are fresh.  A questionnaire, either electronic or printed might suffice.  Use of social media tools should also be considered.

Finally, it is important to celebrate your success and to thank all who have contributed.

I will have more to post about special event planning in the future.  We would like to hear your comments about special event planning.

We at perini & associates have assisted in planning and leading many special events.  Call on us to guide you to a new level.

by  Michael B. Perini, ABC
perini & associates

The facts speak for themselves.  Numbers don’t lie.  For example, look at the two charts presented in this post.  The implications for your business, non-profit or issue are significant.  If you aren’t using social media in your public relations strategies and practices you are loosing multiple opportunities to engage in conversations with current customers, potential customers and supporters. We recommend that you take advantage of the possibilities that social networking allows.   So, how do you accomplish this?

1.  Have your website checked by an expert for SEO. Make sure the search engine optimization or SEO  to improve visitors to your website “physical” comes with a prescription for success.

2.  Design a Facebook company or issue page and keep it updated.  Updates drives followership.

3.  Sign on to Twitter and “tweet” relevant activities, events and news to followers.  Follow key industry or issue professionals.

4.  Build relationships.  Take advantage of the possibilities that social networking allows by showcasing your knowledge.  Make sure you engage with others are a frequent basis.

5.  Become a blogger. Start blogging about your industry, business or issue.  Doing so, speaks volumes about your passion and committment to your product or service.

Research Starting Point:

Total Time Spent Worldwide:

Again, the numbers don’t lie.  You never know who could be watching or whose attention you might attract.  We can guide you.