Public Relations Princess

White Papers: A Value-Add for Your Client

Writing a white paper is a great way to add value to your client relationship. When you've done a great job on a research project and have a great story to tell, there is no better tool to generate credibility for your point of view.

If you've spent the last month of your life immersing yourself in your client's business, you know what you're talking about. So compile a summary of what you've learned in the form of a white paper and present it to your client. Trust me, they'll be impressed.

Here are some tips from Stelzner Consulting on how to write a great white paper:

1. Know your audience: A good white paper will quickly identify a problem or concern faced by your reader. If you don't grab their attention right away, they will not spend the time to read it.
2. Decide on an approach: Simply put, you can focus on your own needs or those of your reader. Obviously, the second approach will get you farther than the first, and you will instantly establish credibility with your readers.
3. Add substance: A white paper must contain persuasive information. Some examples of substance include a historical overview and examples of similar problems and resolutions that have taken place in the past.
4. Add credibility: Write objectively as possible (this is no place to brag) and try to quote reputable third-party sources when making claims that involve numbers of any kind.
5. Keep it short: Try to keep the finished document at 12 pages or less. If it's any longer, consider breaking up your topic into separate white papers.
6. Use images, charts and illustrations: Don't use clip art, but stock photos are ok.
7. Break content into small, digestible chunks: Using bullets, subheads and white space can help you accomplish this goal.
8. Add sidebars and callouts: These visual tools add interest and summarize content without adding too much text.
9. Come back to your paper later: Don't write and publish all in the same stretch. Give your mind and your eyes a 12-24 hour break. Gaping holes in copy and flow will be more apparent after a rest.
10. Have an editor review your work: A grammatical error will ruin your reputation with your reader. A good editor can also suggest slight changes to make your words more powerful.

 

Is There a Line to Cross in Radio Shock?

Has Don Imus finally crossed the imaginary line in the sand?

Don Imus hosts a syndicated talk show that is broadcast on MSNBC, which is owned by WRC's parent company, NBC Universal. He was talking to three guests when he said about Rutgers, "That's some nappy-headed hos there," after his executive producer, Bernard McGuirk, called the team "hardcore hos." Watch the video yourself and decide.

Radio is one of the most consumer-interactive mediums in the world. I hope the advertisers all pull out of Imus' show, and MSNBC gets out the pink slips.

Social Media ROI

Measuring public relations return on investment, or any marketing return on investment is always a dicey matter. Unless your marketing expenditure equates to a direct increase is sales or a favorable upturn in public opinion, it is really guesswork.

Social media has many distinct advantages. ROI measurement in the form of trackbacks, blog posts and comments is immediate and qualifiable. Companies and agencies also get to be a mouse in the proverbial corner during conversations between consumers.

The best reason to be in the social media arena? You consumers expect you to be there. If you're not, they'll be looking for other places to be heard. The social media paradigm is here to stay. You might as well get on board sooner rather than later.

Travel Writer Coming to Iowa

A reporter from the St. Louis Dispatch is coming to Iowa for a piece on fascinating places in Iowa to visit. I'm calling on the Iowa Blogosphere to help me...what is your favorite place in Iowa to visit and why? I'll serve your recommendations up on a platter to the reporter. See if you can convince him to come to your favorite place! And we all know how I love Great Places!

I'll be suggesting Fairfield, Des Moines and Mason City. Tell me about your favorite Iowa place and why it's the place you love to visit!

The Samsung Master Narrative

I saw the most amazing presentation yesterday at the Central Iowa PRSA Institute. Bret Walrath from Edelman New York described the process of telling the "master narrative" of Samsung's transformation from Sony wanna-be to global electronics powerhouse.

One the tactics they used was to create a signature event every year for business reporters and special guests. The inaugural event was at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. They invited 140 reporters and 89 actually showed up. Anyone who works with reporters knows that this is an almost unheard of turnout.

At the event, Samsung executives were allowed to talk to the media (gasp!) and then they proceeded to rollout their brand new techie "Roadshow" to introduce the new quality and reliability of the company, which was literally rebuilt from the ground up.

The Master Narrative concept is something that Edelman uses to transmit the importance of "peer to peer" communications from CEO to employee, and then out to the world. A company's Master Narrative should be able to be articulated in one sentence... also known as the "elevator pitch."

Bret's talk was so relevant and interesting. That's why those guys make the big bucks.