We’ve all seen it. The TV interview that goes terribly wrong: the corporate executive blunders in a crisis, making the brand look even worse; or someone on the Today Show stammers through describing a product’s benefits and why customers should buy it. We’ve all sat through it: the chamber breakfast where the speaker drones on about their company, but fails to provide the audience with anything of value to use in their jobs; or the luncheon keynote who provides a compelling vision for the cause they support but doesn’t give the audience any action steps to get involved.

These situations are all the same – a great opportunity for growing brand loyalty squandered because of poor performances with reporters or at a public speech. Each time a representative stands in front of a camera or podium is a real chance to elevate the brand’s image, influence and income. And success requires more than merely knowing the basic block and tackle of public speaking or media relations. Success – and benefit to the bottom line – requires delivering compelling, “sticky” messages that resonate for people, connects the brand to their lives and drives desired action and outcomes. Most media or speaker training programs fail to deliver these critical techniques, instead focusing on how people talk or what they should wear to the interview or speech. 

PR1776 ambassador programs identify and train a pool of capable spokespeople who can make client brands relevant and personal to internal and external stakeholders. These trainings go beyond typical programs, which focus only on the basic mechanics of delivery. We also teach participants how to connect on an emotional level with audiences to drive desired outcomes and action.

PR1776 takes the following actions to ensure an effective client abassador program is developed:
1. Audit existing external media, and internal and external speaking needs
2. Identify a pool of possible ambassadors
3. Deliver one or more training sessions
4. Assist in developing media and speaker targets (key reporters and speaking opportunities)

These tools ensure that clients effectively connect their brand with audiences, no matter the medium. And it’s done in a way that makes the brand relevant, and action easy to see and take.

What will you do when a crisis hits - see how Register.com handled theirs

Most companies face a crisis situation at some point in their existence. The companies that handle them well not only survive, but can leverage the situation to reinforce their corporate values and customer loyalty. Those that don’t, well, they typically suffer accordingly. In this month’s industry case study, The Crier focuses on a recent “service attack” that crippled Register.com, and how the company managed the crisis with their clients.

Let’s first outline the scenario before moving towards the basics of crisis management and how well Register.com met them. April Fool’s Day had people on edge, awaiting Conficker and other menacing viruses to cripple the World Wide Web. The hysteria wasn’t nearly as overblown as Y2K fears. But there was enough concern for the issue to register on most Americans’ radars. The day passed without the expected catastrophe for most companies and end-users.

Register.com and their clients weren’t so lucky, as an unrelated, direct service attack rendered them incapacitated for most of that week. It appears that someone directed a series of attacks that would cripple various parts of the Register.com system. Each effort to fix the issue led to another challenge for Register.com to manage. Essentially, all web hosting and email services – including Register’s internal systems, were not functioning most of the week.

It’s hard to determine what steps Register.com took in advance to prepare for a crisis. But your company should ensure a crisis plan is in place that includes: a threat analysis; detailed responses to each; media trained executives; external messaging; and a customer service script and protocol. This manual is worthless however, without some field testing and training to ensure that all elements work well and unimagined contingencies are covered.

Effective activation is critical once the crisis hits, no matter what the issue or your industry. An important first step is ensuring that clients and customers are not left in the dark. You must communicate regularly, outlining the issues at-hand, the policies and procedures in place to manage them, what you are doing to solve the problem and a realistic timeline for fixing them. Providing a customer contact line is critical. But those folks must be prepared with real answers to frustrated caller questions.

Yes, protecting your company from lawsuits or punitive action is critical. So we hear you lawyers, no need to say or admit too much right away. However, saying nothing – or more pointedly, talking a lot without meaningful answers – is the same as not responding at all to customer concerns. In many cases, it is more damaging because people feel like they are being snowed by “another company taking advantage” of them.

Register.com did a very good job of reaching out to customers on day one. All clients received an email notice from the vice president of operations informing them of the problem at-hand and what was being done to solve it. Unfortunately, the letter provided no timeline for the fix, or a description of how serious the problem was. So customers rightfully became frustrated as one day of service interruption became three, four and five.

It does not appear that Register.com was equipped with a script or training for much of their call center either. Blogs and personal anecdotal evidence shows that customer service representatives did not provide detailed answers of the problem, timeline for restored service or potential customer remedies. I am one of those effected Register clients. And in my first call to the company, a customer service rep actually said, “What do you want me to do. There are lots of people in the same boat as you, so we can only apologize.” It’s possible this rep was overwhelmed or having a bad day. But sympathizing with your clients is critical, then return to the script and inform them of the policies and procedures in place to prevent this from happening in the future, projected solutions and an offer of restitution (as appropriate) for each customer.

Several steps follow the above, based upon the situation. But all crises must end with a resolution. Make sure to provide clients with as much information as possible, about what happened, and ensure them steps are taken to avoid this in the future. Put a trusted corporate face front and center, apologize and reaffirm their confidence that the company is doing everything within their power to prevent a similar crisis in the future. And make relevant restitution meaningful and timely. Doing something for your customers will go a long way towards ensuring they stick with you today – and the next time your company is challenged.

In my case, a customer service manager late in the week provided detailed information on what happened to the company and offered a form of restitution for my business’ financial losses. At the end of the day, I actually felt sorry for what the company endured, appreciated how hard they worked to fix the problem and am a loyal customer because of their willingness to “make it right with me.”

Are you prepared for your company’s next crisis? How will you respond?

Well, PR1776 is already on the move! We recently took office space in Midtown, locating in the Promenade II building right next to the High Museum! The choice allowed us to be a part of the live, walk and work environment really taking root in Atlanta. And the choice was definitely connected to our environmentally sustainable ethos, and encouraging healthy lifestyles and choices!

Please feel free to visit us at:                                                                                                                       1230 Peachtree Street NE

Suite 1809 

Atlanta, GA 30309

Phone: 404.942-5640 and Fax: 404.942-3401

Gary Pfaff & The Heartwells Make First “Band” Trip to Nashville
Blue Bird Café and Exit/In Showcases will highlight local connections

WHAT:  Atlanta-based Gary Pfaff & the Heartwells bring their unique blend of country and southern rock to Nashville for two unique shows. The band is making their inaugural showcase appearance in town but have roots in the local industry that will make this a homecoming of sorts.

• Gary opened the regular Billy Block show at 12th and Porter last year
• Jon “JB” Brown, the band’s guitarist, builds unique custom guitars with vintage looks and classic hardware for artists including: Chris Rodriguez; Chris Nutter, who plays for Keith Urban; and Scott Patton of Sugarland. JB recently delivered a custom 12-string mandolin to Sugarland front man Kristian Bush. 
• Gary Pfaff & The Heartwells will release their first joint EP in late fall, which was polished on the road during opening sets for Nashville veterans Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Edwin McCain, Corey Smith  and Brantley Gilbert.

Gary will be a rare out-of-town participant in the Bluebird Café “Sunday Writers’ Night,” which is the longest running writers’ series in Nashville. And the full “Gary Pfaff & The Heartwells” line-up will headline a Monday-night showcase at Exit/In. 

WHERE/WHEN:           

Gary Pfaff Solo
Sunday, September 28th 8pm
Bluebird Café
4104 Hillsboro Pike
Nashville, TN 37215
(615) 383-1461

Gary Pfaff & The Heartwells
Monday, September 29th 8pm
Exit/In
2208 Elliston Place
Nashville, TN 37203
615-321-3340
www.exitin.com

What Others Say:

Gary Pfaff is a special artist at the top of his game. He’s a musician’s musician and a commercially viable act. His skills are outstanding and his songs are interesting. And, heck, anyone who can use a beer bottle the way he did deserves a shot at success. Besides, with or without such showmanship, this guy is the real deal.
                                                                                             Bernard Bauer, LA Connection Magazine

BACKGROUND:
Atlanta-native Gary Pfaff has been touring the past two years in support of White Stars, his first solo record in nearly six years and the subsequent live record, Under the Influence Live.” The relentless roadwork, which includes stops at venues from Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana in the south up and down the East Coast and out to Chicago and California.

The expressive singer/songwriter has an impressive music career spanning more than a decade, beginning as a 14-year-old playing in Blues clubs up and down the east coast. Armed with an acoustic guitar and influences as varied as The Waterboys, Keith Urban, Cat Stevens, Eric Clapton, The Cure, Ben Harper and Beck, Pfaff is reminiscent of modern day troubadours like Whiskeytown-era Ryan Adams and Edwin McCain, and Nashville’s Will Hoge.

Pfaff’s tour included opening slots for Edwin McCain, Corey Smith, Brantley Gilbert, Tristan Prettyman, Lifehouse and others. His unique sound blends the best storytelling elements of pop, southern rock and country, all rolled up into compelling choruses and hooks that have captivated fans all along the tour. Gary Pfaff has added “The Heartwells” to the tour, and is quickly broadening the base of fan support and filling up increasingly larger rooms!

Visit www.garypfaff.com for more information on Gary Pfaff and the Heartwells and www.barefootrecordings.com for details on their independent record label support.

For most of us, the word “brand” conjures up images of massive companies that are part of the global supply chain. These corporate behemoths produce pricey products we covet and the more necessary day-to-day items that line our shelves and fill our closets. They are household names like Nike, Coca-Cola, “Bud,” Polo, etc. The brands are so ubiquitous that most Americans – and most global consumers – can recognize them by color and logo. McDonald’s has the “golden arches,” Nike has the “swoosh” and Polo has the “pony.”   

There are even individual celebrities brands. These are people that transcend their profession and have become one-name gods and goddesses. Who doesn’t “want to be like Mike,” Vogue like Madonna, hit ‘em like Tiger or live in the White House like “W.”

But most of us fail to view our company, non-profit or individual person as a brand. For some reason, people do not want to think that grandly, and view their company as merely a local service provider or a non-profit delivering services to citizens in need. This commonly-held view is wrong and often hinders an entity’s success because we don’t think that our “brands” need nourishing or protection.

Let’s be crystal clear: each one of us – as an individual, company or organization – is a brand. We have reputations that require constant attention and shaping. People are seen as good neighbors or the town gadfly. Companies can be held up as providing the best food in town or over-priced steaks you wouldn’t feed to a dog. The point is that people interact with individuals, companies and organizations of all shapes and sizes and form opinions based on those experiences. Their perception is also shaped by what they read in the paper, see on TV, find on the Internet or hear from their neighbor.

Let’s leave the individual brand aside for a moment and focus on companies and organizations. Information on any topic is readily available, the world economy is in recession and media are moving from reporting the news to commenting on it. All of these factors build to a din of white noise that can make getting your message out very difficult. And perhaps more importantly, the Internet and 24/7 media transmit a simple mistake or erroneous facts around the world in a matter of minutes, potentially destroying years of strong sales, quality products and good customer service. A slip in reputation vigilance can send stock prices falling and customers running for a competitor’s product.

Now more than ever before, companies and organizations must take stock of their brands and find ways to differentiate themselves to reach and exceed their goals. This requires: a complete and articulate image and message; channels and tools to effectively tell your brand story to various audiences (governments, customers, donors, critics and influencers); and the right relationships to be heard above the din. Effectively communicating to the right audiences, at the right time and with the right message is required in this 24/7 media, iPod, blog, Myspace and Blackberry-driven society.

The PR department and marketing budgets are typically seen as frivolous expenses in a tough economy, and are the first to get axed. Ironically, effectively communicating is more important when people have less, and are spending less. As an example, non-profits in a sour economy find fewer volunteers and donors, and smaller grants as individuals tighten their wallets and companies have fewer resources to give. It’s critical to send the right message to existing donors, letting them know their assistance is valued and needed more than ever. But there is also an opportunity for non-profits in a tough economy. Some individuals or companies will still perform well, and might find your cause more worthy because demand for your services has recently skyrocketed – think of a food bank whose shelves are increasingly bare and has longer lines of hungry customers. Effectively communicating that through the right channels, in the right way and at the correct time can potentially motivate a new group of volunteers and donors.

At PR1776, we believe reputation management should be a key activity for brands of all shapes and sizes, no matter if the economy is struggling or chugging along. And managing that reputation requires protecting and enhancing 360-degrees of a brand, including internal and external communication. Each of our clients receives a plan tailored to their specific needs, for the specific project. A strategic communications audit identifies the challenges, opportunities and resources required to accomplish each goal. Elements of the strategic plan might include, but are not limited to:

Strategic Planning and Counsel: “C” level analysis of immediate and long-term reputation needs, identifying the source of the challenge, the necessary tools, messaging and an implementation roadmap to reach client goals – always working closely with the client.

General PR: media relations, event management, branding, speaker’s bureau…

Brand Defense (Crisis Communications): planning, media training and “Minuteman Response”

Public Affairs/Public Policy: issue management, public education, “influencer outreach” and grassroots development

Brand Offense (Corporate Social Responsibility): linking activities to company values and delivering charitable, environmental and community programs that protect and enhance brand, relationships and audience acceptance

Non-Profit/Organization/Association: strategic planning, organization management, board development, communications and fundraising.

Its time to view you and your company or organization as a brand. We at PR1776 are ready to help you through the process and deliver the right plan for protecting your reputation and growing it to meet your goals!

We will regularly post blogs on the PR1776 site and encourage you to send us ideas or full postings on communications topics. They can be sent to michael@pr1776.com.