The Bailey Blog

And, Now In the “We Needed A Study for THAT?” Department

The school of business at Duke wants to help you with that little problem of finding a fuel-efficient vehicle in these energy strapped times. Well, let me let them tell you what they’ve done, those creative little dears:

Gallons Per Mile Would Help Car Shoppers Make Better Decisions
DURHAM, N.C., June 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Posting a vehicle’s fuel efficiency in “gallons per mile” rather than “miles per gallon” would help consumers make better decisions about car purchases and environmental impact, researchers from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business report in the June 20 issue of Science magazine.

Inspired by debates they had while carpooling in a hybrid car, management professors Richard Larrick and Jack Soll ran a series of experiments showing that the current standard, miles per gallon or mpg, leads consumers to believe that fuel consumption is reduced at an even rate as efficiency improves. People presented with a series of car choices in which fuel efficiency was defined in miles per gallon were not able to easily identify the choice that would result in the greatest gains in fuel efficiency.

For example, most people ranked an improvement from 34 to 50 mpg as saving more gas over 10,000 miles than an improvement from 18 to 28 mpg, even though the latter saves twice as much gas. (Going from 34 to 50 mpg saves 94 gallons; but from 18 to 28 mpg saves 198 gallons).

These mistaken impressions were corrected, however, when participants were presented with fuel efficiency expressed in gallons used per 100 miles rather than mpg. Viewed this way, 18 mpg becomes 5.5 gallons per 100 miles, and 28 mpg is 3.6 gallons per 100 miles — an $8 difference today.

“The reality that few people appreciate is that improving fuel efficiency from 10 to 20 mpg is actually a more significant savings than improving from 25 to 50 mpg for the same distance of driving,” Larrick said.

hmmm…or should I say, in honor of the Duke’s School of Business, “What the Fuqua?”

I’m sorry but did I miss that executive summary that says “Big car, truck, uses more fuel and takes you less places between fill ups; little car, scooter, bike, unicycle, skate board, feet, probably uses less for potentially more trips.”

Well, I’m inspired.

Because obesity among youth is such an issue, I’m doing my own study on weight loss and health. It should be done in …oh, wait it’s done. Here’s the key finding:

Eat less; do more; finish your veggies, get your butt outside and if you want to be a real guitar hero, learn how to play a real guitar, Chubby.

Could work for adults, too, but I need to research it a bit more…OOP! ….yup, works for them, too.

Done.

With the PR goggles on, I can see why Duke would send this now; of course that rationale and my insight on it ranks right up there with their “drive-less-in-smaller-things-to save-more” cure.

It’s all about taking advantage of newsworthiness, aka “news pegs,” to apply one’s expertise to a gaining media attention.

But, watch the line between opportunist and insightful here, you little Blue Devils - we’ll call you when it’s basketball season, k?

Bloomberg News recently reported that Ford and Chrysler chopped their ad buys and expenses by more than 30 percent in the first quarter while GM and Toyota spent MORE as the industry continued to dirt nap.

As Austin Powers may say "But…what does it all MEAN, Basil?"

Which approach is "right?"

The root of what is right is an integrated approach that doesn’t necessarily overdue one element of communications over another. Think of the approach as to what tools you may carry in a tool chest. Certain jobs need a hammer, others no more than a glue gun.

And, as a shameless plug for PR agencies, if you don’t know what to do - the best tool your box is the phone number of a good fix-it-man….an agency to counsel and guide you. Not even to be hired to DO the work, but at least hired to point in the right direction.

Oh, that was quite shameless…but I’m ok with that.

For the longest time, the flawed mentality was "buy some ads, sell something."

Well, ads certainly help with brand awareness. But what do you do when you flip through the magazines? Or the pop up hits that website you need or are reading? You stop for a second and move on to what you really want. Sometimes that second is all you need.

But, if you want to get people talking about you, and more importantly, believing in what you are, you need to hit them with key messages in a variety of mediums that matter to them. That’s a media relations effort; that’s a spokesperson that’s a face to the company and product (a credible face obviously is key - one that knows the product and the audience); and, yes, some targeted ad buys where your specific wish-list audience is and what they are reading, viewing, using to get their info.

And, your employees better believe in what you are doing as well. They are your greatest ambassadors and sales people. The greatest backyard conversation between neighbors is when an employee of a company can say over the fence or at a bbq - "this is what we do..this is what ‘it’s’ all about" in referencing the communications outreach of his/her company…and the messages are the same. Be sure to put some budget aside to educate the workforce on what your are, your goals and the keys to your products.

You’re in this together, people.

Here’s the simple rule - kinda like McCartney sang the sappy ballads and Lennon did the acidic rockers - when it comes to advertising and PR: let each play to their strengths.

Advertising
Shapes an image of a product or company through paid spots which are controlled (hence paid for) by the company; you buy the space, you say what you want with whatever visual/text you feel is appropriate to say "This is the brand." You’ll never see a Dodge ad or vehicle in pink, for example. That brand tries to highlight it’s performance and "bold" nature. Red is its color. Richard Simmons won’t be a spokesperson for the brand. If he is, those guys at Chrysler have bigger issues than Nardelli’s supposed bad back that strategically keeps him from attending major media events.

PR
Third-party credibility is gained by a journalist writing ABOUT your product or company. The credibility is based in the fact that you have no control as to what that media outlet might say about you. But if it’s good because your messages were bullet proof? You get a free ad that would have cost you three or four times that if you tried to purchase an ad of equal space in the publication or outlet. You get a story in the Wall Street Journal or USA Today that’s positive and is x amount of column inches long? BAM! Now go upstairs to the CEO and tell him/her you want $$ to buy the same amount of space in one those? Prepare to get the ol’ parent speech that starts with "What….am I MADE outta money,here?"

The power of ads vs. PR
Major studios pay for previews and ads for movies to make everything look like something you should see. Result: you are smitten and now curious.

Then, you read the review in the daily paper that a reporter wrote giving the same flick one half star out of 18 and you blow that movie off for another. Doesn’t matter if you like the reviewer, but it makes you think twice as to where you are going put hard earned cash for it and your Raisinets.

So, again then, which approach is "right?"

Being "out there" when times are tough is vital. When a consumer is limiting choices as to what services or products they are going to buy/"need," the messages they hear clearly through the clutter are the ones that regularly touch THEM.

But, the key is developing a strategy that takes the budget available and maximizes it with more than just the same-ol-same-ol elements.

PR is the duct tape that can cost-effectively complement any tool in the box.

It seems rather apropos that the passing of journalism giant Tim Russert offered an opportunity for learning about the news industry.

As a certified news junkie and a guy who has to teach MSU students and clients about what makes the media tick, I’m always interested not just in the news but how it’s delivered.

When Russert died last week, I was one of the first people in my circle of friends and colleagues to hear about it. So I spread the word via email and that’s how much of the world’s news is now delivered. What’s more interesting, however, is where I originally heard it from. There was a post on Twitter that caught my attention, followed minutes later by news alerts from Yahoo and USA Today .

Now, the post on Twitter provided a link back to an Associated Press story, so the original news didn’t come via Twitter, but it certainly aided in the rapid distribution. That says something for all forms of online networking. There are times when even a cheerleader like me gets fed up with having to stay connected and keep up with all the various forms of networking out there – but then a moment like being the first to hear about Russert’s death makes up for it.

Another lesson learned from Russert’s passing is that often people end up in the news because they are available.

I often tell clients that you have to build relationships with reporters so they’ll call you. The second part of that lesson is that when they call, you have to answer.

I was quoted in the MSU State News for a story about Russert’s death. As my fiancé put it, “Why did they call you?” Gee, thanks, honey, I’m sure you meant that in the best possible sense!

But, let’s be honest: the plain and simple truth is I was available. I’m an adjunct instructor at MSU’s School of Journalism and I have almost two decades of experience working with the media. Sure, I have some opinions that might matter to folks. But the bottom line is that reporters were looking for someone to speak to for a story on deadline. That meant calling folks on a Sunday afternoon – and on Father’s Day to boot.

So, why was I quoted? Why do people get to hear what I have to say? Because reporters have my number and when they call me, I always pick up the phone.

Rest In Peace Tim Russert, 1950 - 2008

I recently blogged about some basic media training tips to which everyone should adhere. A colleague who is on the other side of the interview said it would be nice if reporters had some rules to follow, too.

Hey, they do! Don’t be afraid to be a good source that isn’t a push-over.

3. Journalists are busy in offices that are understaffed and they have too much work to get done on too tight of a deadline. Sound familiar? If I just described your job, then you get my point. Journalists have a deadline and we should work with them as best we can. If it’s impossible to get them the information before their deadline, you need to be up front with them. Tell them you need more time to collect that kind of data or your boss simply isn’t available to drop everything to come running to talk to them. After awhile, good reporters learn not to leave things to deadline unless it’s an emergency, and then you’re usually more willing to help anyway. And what about those reporters who don’t get good interviews because they wait until the last minute for all their stories? Well, everybody has a boss.

 4. Journalists may call looking for your boss as the know-it-all in the office, but don’t be afraid to help them out, even if it’s not for attribution. (And often, that’s the only way you can talk to them.) It will save them and you a headache if they don’t end up on the phone asking mundane background questions that they could have gotten answered at a Web site you directed them to. Reporters who insist on talking only the top person in an organization won’t land good stories. And when you don’t land good stories often enough, well, everybody has a boss.

5. And, finally for this shortened list of rules – it’s ok to say “I don’t know.” And it’s ok to keep saying “I don’t know,” even when the reporter asks the same question in 10 different ways. If you don’t know the answer and you can’t find it out, say that. Be honest! If you don’t know and you can find out, then do so. Good reporters will understand that if the answer is complicated it may take some time. Because you’re working on your own deadline headaches – and everybody has a boss.

It’s all about the presentation.

I started thinking about this when we got a letter from our landlord at the Troy office describing the elevator cars getting remodeled soon.

You see, according to the landlord, these are not just elevator cars my friend, these are elevator passenger cabs. Oh, and it’s not a remodeling job either, it’s a “refurbishment project” that will “incorporate elegant wood walls enhanced by new lighting and ceiling design.”

Wow, sounds like some place I’d like to spend some time. Of course, I can’t help but wonder if the “refurbishment” will also take care of the creaking cables and the hope-you-can-keep-your-lunch-down lurch that occurs every time you stop at a floor.

People can be easily distracted into believing anything if presented in the right way, which is even truer if you’re a guy. According to Men’s Health magazine, a recent study in the journal NeuroReport says men act a little crazier around beautiful women. Gee, really? Pass some of that government funding over here!

Apparently, they tested some guys and found out that they made higher bets on games of random chance while viewing images of sexy women. (Insert Eliot Spitzer joke here…)

The control test was made by having guys place bets while also viewing images of snakes and staplers. Those were deemed by the researchers as “scary” and “neutral” images, and led to the men being more cautious with their bets.

See? It is all about the presentation. The poor snakes never catch a break and staplers, well, unless you’re a red Swingline your admirers are probably few and far between. If only they had a better PR firm…or a shot at a “refurbishment project.”

“They are idiots.” “Bold and sometimes stupid.” “We want nothing to do with them.” “They are nincompoops.”

If you were the subject of a survey and those were some of the comments, it sure would make you pause and wonder what the heck you’ve been up to, wouldn’t it?

The ironic thing is that the first two comments were made by legislators about the media, while the latter two comments were made by the public about legislators.

Seems as though both groups have some public relations work cut out for them.

The public comments were made during a focus group about some commercials. The legislative comments were made during research for a recent story by MIRS, a capital news publication in Lansing, Michigan.

Given the legislators’ own abysmal review by the public, they don’t have much of a leg to stand on when griping about the media. But what’s more important is that legislators and others still haven’t learned how to work with the media.

Reporters can be your nemesis or your friend, and it’s much better to be friends with people who buy ink by the gallon!

Here, then, are a few tidbits from a media training program I use for clients and my students at MSU:

1. Be open – never lie. Hopefully, I don’t have to explain this one.

2. Be cooperative – journalists are people trying to do their job, just as you’re trying to do your job. They are going to get the story somehow from someone. Why not make it your story with your input?

3. Develop contacts – it’s about networking, just as in any other sector of your business.
Take good stories to the media – it’s not all bad news out there, but good news doesn’t leak out or have a court case started over it. If you have a good-news story to tell, go tell it.

4. Respond quickly – reporters are on deadline. They call it that for a reason. If you miss it, the story is dead. If you want to be in the story, which is generally better for you than not, you need to respect that reporters are often on a time crunch.

5. Never say “no comment,” – it’s about learning to say something to get your key messages covered.

It’s ok to say, “I don’t know” – but if you can get the answer the reporter will appreciate it and that helps you develop a good contact. (See numbers 2 and 3 above.)

There’s plenty more where those came from and, coincidentally, I happen to know a PR firm that offers media training as a service! But this is a start, so think about it the next time you have to deal with “The Media.”

As I’ve always said, “If the pen is mightier than the sword, imagine what a printing press can do!”

Apparently, Meijer is running a promotion on child booster seats due to a change in Michigan law to take effect on July 1, that requires all children under 4′9″ to be fastened into a safety seat.

Now, I didn’t find this out by reading the news or watching a report on TV or by browsing Meijer.com or visiting the Meijer store on my way home from work – I learned it on Twitter.

Twitter is a microblog site that social media experts, journalists, marketing and PR professionals, bloggers, vloggers, podcasters, self-proclaimed geeks, fellow information junkies and now stores like Meijer, are using to get their fix of the latest bits of information as they happen in real-time. However, Twitterers not only receive the information, they share information and create original content in 140 characters or less.

On Twitter, I am @shannonpaul and Meijer is @meijer. You can also find the CEO of online shoe retail giant Zappo’s at @zappos and Comcast also has a customer outreach profile established on Twitter @comcastcares. By the way, regular Bailey Blogger Ari Adler also has a Twitter profile; @aribadler.

Whether you choose to call it new media, social media, or just plain media, the way people consume information will only continue to evolve toward a higher level of interactivity. The movement away from passive consumption has already taken hold in almost every consumer market. Joe Public has the same access to channels previously held exclusive to media industry insiders. Information no longer travels on a one way street and those who have something of value to share stand to reap the largest rewards.

The conversation is already well underway. Are you involved in the exchange, or are you simply trying to shout your message louder than those you’re trying to reach?