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🌪️ Exploring the remarkable work of crisis communicators during Hurricane Beryl. Part 1 of a series. 🚨 New Series Announcement! In the next two newsletters, we’ll highlight the stories of two exceptional public communicators who excelled before, during, and after Hurricane Beryl ravaged the Houston area on July 8. The storm left over 2.6 million people without power, and at least 23 people died due to the storm and ensuing power outages. 🏡 Local Insights: Houston Summers Losing power in Houston is not just uncomfortable; it means all the food in your refrigerator spoils. After a hurricane, you're left with tree limbs and sometimes entire trees that need to be sawed up and hauled away. It’s a colossal mess, and people rightly expect their government agencies to help clean it all up and get life back to normal. 🌳 The Woodlands Township's Response: We’ll start with the story of how LeaAnn Dearman Petersen, CPC, CPM of The Woodlands Township, a suburb north of Houston, handled the impact. Next time, we'll share the perspective of the City of Houston’s Office of Emergency Management public information officer, Brent Taylor. 📅 Programming Note: GGF will be taking its annual beach sabbatical next week, so we'll be back with Part 2 on Friday, Aug. 9. 🚀 Stay tuned for more inspiring stories of public service! 🔗 Read more and subscribe to Good Government Files. https://lnkd.in/gQhWWDaA #CrisisCommunications #PublicService #HurricaneBeryl #GoodGovernmentFiles #EmergencyManagement #Houston

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🎤🎸🤘🏻🚨 Latest from The Repute: "Crisis Comms Under the Microscope: Dave Grohl’s Approach" 🎤🎸🚨 In this edition, we take a real-time look at how rock legend Dave Grohl is handling the media fallout from his recent infidelity scandal. Using data-driven insights, we break down the New York Times' coverage of Grohl’s crisis communications strategy and analyze what worked—and what didn’t. https://bit.ly/3MIZy76 The analysis explores: - The effectiveness of proactively addressing scandals before they spiral - Why timing didn’t minimize media coverage as others have suggested - The nuanced balance between controlling the narrative and avoiding sensationalism Whether you’re dealing with a major PR issue or simply curious about how the media operates during high-profile scandals, this edition offers valuable lessons for managing your brand’s reputation. Read the full analysis and let me know what you think. I’d love to hear your thoughts! Have a great weekend everyone! Will Valentine Publisher, The Repute Founder and Principal, Valentine Advisors

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As a #comms leader, there are several takeaways I appreciate about this article, the primary one being: communications work is strategy work. (It's not an accident that Biden's Chief Strategist is also his speechwriter.) The act of framing and messaging a decision is often what helps leaders to more fully appreciate, and feel secure in, the impact and implications of their choices. Time to kick off the campaign of a lifetime... #LetsGo

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If this isn't a PSA to bring in your communication leader in early and often.... Read a lot of great commentary from my comms colleagues on this piece, interesting parallels and case studies to watch. Couldn't agree more with Darren Brandt from Sloane on the acceleration of the 100 day plan for new leaders. It is now a Day One plan onward. Often. Timely. Authentic. Clear. #executivecommunications #leadershiptransitions #transitioncommunications https://lnkd.in/gAD_DnKA

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⚠️ Comms Pros: I need your help! ⚠️ I'm speaking to a group of up-and-coming communicators about a career in corporate communications. I'd like to create a leave-behind with some top advice from those who have blazed a trail in communications. Can you help? 🙏 If you have 2 minutes to complete the below survey, I'd be hugely appreciative. It's just ONE question, plus a couple qualifiers (industry, title, etc.)… Link to Survey: https://lnkd.in/dj97Nzgj Thanks so much! You totally rock 👊 #corporatecommunications #branding #mediarelations #pr #pragency #communications #internalcommunications #executivecommunications

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As our world gets more fraught and complex, audiences are increasingly choosing news sources which are more visual, reports are more watched, less read, with YouTube continuing its rise. The implications of this trend for deep understanding of difficult issues is worth pondering. More people are concerned about how to grapple with the rising torrent of fake news, and many having doubts about how AI might be deployed by newsrooms. Edelman has partnered with the Reuters Institute for this annual report as we are all in the business of communicating and good, credible and trusted information is critical to everyone in that process

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The October monthly episode of our For Immediate Release podcast explores critical communication trends. Shel Holtz, SCMP, and I discuss six compelling topics, including Reddit's potential for crisis comms, the state of blogging in 2024, ethical concerns in celebrity news coverage, workplace connection challenges, and AI's impact across industries. In a blog post, I've set out some key takeaways that present opportunities for communicators, including leveraging Reddit for stakeholder engagement and preparing to guide organisations through AI adoption. Read more and listen now for valuable perspectives and insights on navigating today's complex communication landscape. https://lnkd.in/e5_CcMR2

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20+ years of writing and reviewing press releases has left me with a deep hatred of the words "iconic", "innovative", and especially "paradigm shifting"! This is a smart piece by Eleanor Hawkins. And I agree - as long as the time investment is kept to a minimum and all parties are aligned on the goals of a "press release", there's still a place for them in the comms toolkit as a way to memorialise a moment in time. One add though. With data hungry LLMs looking for more and more content to ingest, and given the shift among many publishers to block the use of their IP, will we see a resurgence in the impact of press releases as influencers of AI answer engines? I predict yes.

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PRovoke Media recently published its 2024 Comms Index report. While the study focused on senior in-house communications leaders in APAC, the findings apply to what we have seen in North America: Lead generation has emerged as the key business priority, as companies increasingly expect the comms function to demonstrate its value and impact. Of note: ℹ️ Lead generation has moved up to fourth place in business priorities. ℹ️ ESG has dropped to fifth place (social impact) and seventh place (environmental/climate) ℹ️ AI is rapidly gaining ground. Usage and familiarity have increased significantly. ℹ️ The budget for communication is contracting, and the perceived value of communication functions has decreased. ℹ️ Measurement and metrics remain challenging, as higher-value metrics like awareness and behavior change still rank behind media clippings. The findings also remind me of something I recently read from Gartner: 50% of marketing leaders cannot prove marketing's value to their enterprise due to skepticism and traditional beliefs. The precarious macroeconomic environment and the high expectations placed on marketing and communications will continue to be challenging. For agency and client leaders, we need to internalize these dependencies and their potential impact on our work to better guide and support our clients. Thank you, PRovoke Media, for your work. Paul Holmes Arun Sudhaman Diana Marszalek Maja Pawinska Sims Institute for Public Relations #agency #publicrelations #PR

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On this week's #MetricMonday we're looking at sentiment, a tricky data point to come by, but an inherently critical one to understand #crisiscommunications challenges in real-time. First, let me say that NO algorithm or tool allows you to push a button and get a perfect sentiment analysis – it just doesn’t work that way (i.e. "cool" means something different to a fashion brand than it does to an HVAC company). However, in most cases, you can train tools to give you relevant directional data on sentiment based on publicly visible conversations. Once you have a well-trained monitoring tool in place, the granular approach to assessing individual posts matters a lot less than how you plan to use the data. Typically, I'm using sentiment data to: 👉 Determine the scale of an issue: While sentiment tells you the balance of negative, neutral and positive conversation, it can also showcase how much of each can impact your reputation. For example, if there are 10 product reviews on an item with 2M SKUs sold, does it matter that 6 of those reviews are negative? Perhaps, but it's worth noting how big or small an issue is relative to the conversation volume. 👉 Understand trends over time: Net sentiment is typically driven by events in a company's history. A positive net sentiment can change overnight on the whims of a bad newscycle. Analyzing sentiment before, during and after a critical issue will typically indicate whether the issue will persist or dissipate, helping you determine what the proper next steps might be. 👉 Understand topical relevance: Within all the comments and reposts are natural indicators of what topics are driving sentiment. The public will usually TELL you why they feel the way they do, and thus give you data on what the proper response might be, what channel to share it on, and how that statement might be received. Example: If your brand experiences a wave of negative comments on Instagram, does it make sense to issue a press release to tamp down the noise? Perhaps, but there's a case that it might not work based on where the conversation volume originated. If you’re planning to issue a response during a crisis that doesn’t include the trending keywords among negative responses, how might that message be received? Hard to say for sure but your odds of shifting the narrative are narrow without letting the data guide your hand. In all, sentiment is a great signifier of brand health, but as with all metrics, it's only a good tool if we use it to full capacity. And one more thing...can we not use neutral sentiment as a leading insight? It's perfectly fine to note that your audience isn't impassioned at a given moment, but neutral sentiment is easily the least impactful metric when facing a public issue. If it's all you have, shrink the data set and retrain your monitor based on influencer, channel type, publication or post type. There are insights there somewhere, sometimes you have to hunt for them.

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Authenticity is key for senior executives to be influential on LinkedIn, but not every leader finds it easy to engage genuinely. 🔸In episode 342 of our For Immediate Release podcast, Shel Holtz, SCMP, and I explore how communicators can help executives craft authentic online personas and build influence and trust, focused on LinkedIn, with practical examples. I also dive into this topic in a new blog post published today, arguing that authenticity opens the door to success. Communicators must guide leaders who struggle with authenticity, identifying formats or mediums that play to their strengths. Take a read and listen to our discussion ⬇️ #Authenticity #Communication #LinkedIn #FIRPodcast https://lnkd.in/eMu9D48j

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"Better safe than sorry" :) What a great title for an article about crisis preparedness, of which crisis training is a key ingredient. My colleagues Dirk von Manikowsky and Julia Einhaus can tell you all about it. #crisisready #crisiscommunications #crisispreparedness #corporatecommunications

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What is CommsConsultants.com? A global directory of elite independent communications talent, handpicked and pre-vetted individually. With more than 200 top-tier communications consultants across 20+ countries, this platform brings together the best experts from every communications specialty, all in one streamlined place. You can easily filter, search, and browse talent at a glance. Whether you’re a Chief Communications Officer whose top executive speechwriter is going on maternity leave, a start-up needing a fractional Comms or MarComm experts to boost brand engagement, or an agency leader working on a complex biopharma project that demands niche expertise (and fluency in French), we’ve got you covered. Here’s what we offer: - 25+ specialties - 20+ countries - 25+ languages - 30+ industries With 200+ highly specialized experts, each bringing 10-40 years of experience, this directory provides quick access to trusted professionals. Every profile includes all the key information you need to make an informed decision, and many even have booking links for immediate scheduling of intro meetings. What we eliminate: 🚫 No middleman delays. 🚫 No more relying on your network for qualified leads. 🚫 No endless scrolling through LinkedIn profiles. What we provide: ✅ Easy, on-demand access to curated communications talent for a fraction of the cost of a recruiter. Visit CommsConsultants.com and discover the future of communications consulting. I’m delighted to be part of this global network and look forward to working with some top tier comms talent across the globe. Thank you Ashley Dennison for all your hard work on this. We appreciate you a lot! #communications #marketing #internalcomms #mediarelations #smallbusiness #founder #entrepreneur #agency #global #CCO #CEO #COO #launch #innovation #consulting #commslife #efficiency #costcutting #strategiccomms #PR

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A new survey from PR measurement platform Memo is a feel-good story for chief communications officers and their teams, but there is a catch. The survey highlights a 34% increase in communications teams reporting directly to the CEO versus last year and a 26% decrease in comms reporting to marketing. In today’s complex, politicized, multi-stakeholder world, getting communications pitch perfect is mission critical for every organization. That’s more likely to happen when comms teams have the CEO’s ear. BUT: The more separation there is between comms and marketing functions, the greater the risk of strategic dissonance between earned and paid media. Blending them creates powerful synergy. Here are 8 ways to do it, starting today: 1. Align your messaging across earned and paid channels for cohesive brand storytelling. 2. Amplify earned media coverage using paid to reach audiences who don’t consume through traditional channels. 3. Boost press coverage with paid media to enhance credibility and trust. 4. Extend the lifespan of strategically relevant earned media using engaging paid formats that keep the story alive. 5. Ensure a well-rounded narrative by promoting owned content that fills gaps in your brand story not sufficiently covered by the media. 6. Redirect key earned media storylines to specific audience segments (e.g., investors, future talent) by leveraging niche paid targeting. 7. Transform earned media outcomes into compelling multimedia formats — animations, videos, or carousels — to enhance your storytelling. 8. Report results holistically by showing exec teams how earned and paid media can work together to create greater impact. A well-rounded, cohesive media strategy is essential for breaking through the clutter. Separate reporting lines and bifurcated budgets shouldn't stand in the way. ♻️ Repost if you find this helpful or add to my list of tips. How do you integrate earned and paid media? #CommsStrategy #EarnedMedia #PaidMedia

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Communications leaders are often the Chief Common-Sense Officers. If, and only if, there is a lot of time spent studying the business, honing the craft and working on soft skills. What I’ve seen from some of the best Chief Common-Sense Officers: - Empathy: sensing other people's emotions and imagining what someone else might be thinking or feeling. Being intuitive and aware of others' experiences leads to good judgement. - Listening to understand: honestly, a long journey for me. Active listening to understand versus responding leads to more common sense takes on matters. - Adaptability: show me a successful PR/communications person, and I'll show you someone with resilience, a growth mindset and flexibility. - Teamwork: collaborating, convening and connecting the dots. Being able to mediate and build consensus when needed. Common sense comes from encouraging others to share ideas, brainstorm and contribute. - Curiosity and constant learning: seeing around corners takes a real understanding of all facets of the business, a big picture look at business and culture, and a pulse on the world at large. The best communications leaders know a lot about everything in the business. - Communication: of course. Conveying thoughts and messages in a clear and compelling way comes with understanding the needs of others. It's also non-verbal as everything communicates. Having common sense is work. It comes from a lot of practice and experience. When you find yourself being an early/first call for executive team, being asked for insight in strenuous or important situations, and guiding discussions and decisions, then you have earned the title of CCSO. Cheers to all my Chief Common-Sense Officers out there.

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“Which reporters do you know in our business?” If you are a communicator, you are often posed this question by executives, colleagues or clients. Many think a communicator’s most important asset is the journalists they know. The truth is that knowing a contact might get your email read. But it is never a guaranteed and published story. What is more important than knowing someone? It’s about creating a relevant and enticing story that matches the editorial focus of an outlet and reporter. Communicators know how to craft a good story for the right audience. Success always hinges on how well they connect the story to the outlet’s audience. It’s always about the story. Connect with me to learn more about connecting your corporate story to your target audience. #Communications #MediaRelations #Storytelling #PR #Journalism

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The Portable Test & Stimulus Standard 3.0 Draft is available for public review! Version 3.0 adds many new features, corrects errors, clarifies aspects of the language and semantic definitions and much more. The most substantial feature added is support for Behavioral Coverage. To download the draft standard visit here https://bit.ly/44xF0Xf. Make comments, leave feedback, and ask questions via the PSS Community Forum https://bit.ly/4dsC4z8 #PSS #Accellera

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