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“E-Mail Gets an Instant Makeover” in the December 21^st edition of The New York Times reports that using e-mail is a sign that you are sliding downhill into old age – which could be anyone over 25 these days. Texting has become the communication medium of choice for those on the other side of the age divide – a punctuation-less wasteland, complete with a language all its own. 

Worrisome? Yes and no. Texting is instant gratification, often the hallmark of high levels of hormones surging through young bodies. But it has its place beyond trying to locate tonight’s hot spot. Texting is a valuable addition in the communications toolbox – especially when the communiqué needs to be read in real time. OK, and it’s also fun.

But for business use, e-mails still come way out ahead. E-mail gives you time to compose the important documents in the business world, shape the tone of the communication, and copy others with a need to know. They provide that very valuable “paper trail” when there is some dispute (did I really say paper?). Perhaps their biggest advantage is that they DON’T scream to be read upon receipt and DON’T demand an immediate response. What the kids don’t get is that most of us in the business world are busy working – serving clients, preparing briefs, making the donuts…whatever.

In the spirit of Christmas, I’d say: “Yes, Virginia, texting is awesome. But email lets you get more done – even if it’s not as fun.”

The Power of "Thank You"

Giving thanks at the Thanksgiving table is usually reserved for the big things in life – health, family togetherness, and the successes of the year.  But often it’s the small things that just make life easier that miss our “thank you” list.  As we’re driving in stop-and-go traffic on local roads, do we ever silently thank the Department of Transportation employee who first came up with the idea of a turning lane?  As we’re lugging two-weeks worth of clothes through the airport, do we bestow a blessing on the inventor of wheeled luggage?  Or how about the engineer who first said, “Let’s put a cup holder in the car.”

I imagine each of the people who first came up with these ideas had to convince the corporate bureaucracy that the idea was a good one and then fought long and hard to make sure that it happened.  In my fantasies about these unknown people, I imagine their frustration when their ideas were initially scoffed at and admire their doggedness in pursuing their concept until it was accepted.  I hope that these intrepid innovators got the proper “thank you.”  If not, here’s one from me.

Which brings us back to the importance of a “thank you.” What is it?  Well, it’s a time when you step outside of yourself and think, “Hey, someone else just made my life a little better.”  And, you don’t have to use the words “thank you” to show your gratitude.  As you walk into the office in the morning or into a store and see the window washer at work, try telling him how great it is to look out clean windows.  To rephrase Clint Eastwood, you will “make his day.”

I’ve seen the power of the “thank you” over and over at Epoch 5 Public Relations.  Clients pay us to do the work that we do and they expect us to do it well.  We should expect no more than a check in the mail, and we don’t.   But for clients who also say “thank you” when we have performed exceptionally well, magic happens.  We work harder to be sure to never disappoint and we work extra hours to show that their confidence is well founded.  A “thank you” energizes our efforts and breeds more successes.

Sometimes the “thank you” is in the form of a quick e-mail, sometimes a letter and sometimes it’s an elaborate bouquet or gift basket.  What matters is that it is a sign of appreciation.  It probably should be no secret that two clients for over 20 years, King Kullen and Daniel Gale Sotheby’s, say “thank you” often, through email, letters or, yes, even with a bouquet or gift basket.  The result: Everyone working on their accounts can be counted on to swim across Long Island Sound in January if it meant improved results for these companies.  Well, maybe not January, but you get the idea.

It’s right that we keep a perspective on life when sitting around that dining room table on Thanksgiving and remember the important reasons we are giving thanks.  But, let’s extend the giving of thanks to the hundreds and thousands of times all year long that our lives are better because someone else cared enough to do their job exceptionally well.  These people are all around us – we just don’t often see them because they haven’t been energized by the power of appreciation. 
Beyond our families and coworkers, we can spread the positive vibe of better service – and see a lot more smiling checkout cashiers – by remembering those two very powerful words, “Thank You.”

And, before I forget, thank you for reading.

How to Hire a PR Firm

There are good reasons to hire a public relations agency – the need for PR experience that you may not have, when a special project comes up, or after you downsize and  require outside marketing assistance to take up the slack.  Sometimes, however, hiring a public relations firm can seem like “a box of chocolates where you never know what you're gonna get."  With all due respect to Mr. Gump, there are ways to keep you out of the forest when scouting for PR support.


Know when to engage a PR agency:  Public relations to build a reputation, attract potential clients or customers, or stimulate referrals works best over a period of time, so make sure to plan for it early enough in your annual budget process.  However, for a crisis that is about to hit your company (usually in the form of a pending lawsuit), call in a crisis management PR firm at the earliest possible time – being well prepared for a crisis is the best way to survive bad press, employee panic and a downturn in business.

Know what you are hiring – an organization or a single practitioner:  There are many qualified single practitioners out there, but be sure to ask what they have as back up when they are not available, and how you can be assured that another client’s work will not make them unavailable when you have a deadline.  The advantage of an agency is that there is organizational depth – other professionals who can step up to the plate if a project needs immediate help.

Hire experience:  But not any experience.  Hire an agency that knows how to reach your market with a good strategy and a past history of successful programs for other clients. The experience doesn’t have to be in your industry, but it should be relevant.  In a world where “who you know” can help reach a goal faster, a political and business network is an added bonus.

Toadies need not apply:  A key value in an outside professional is their objectivity.  If your PR firm doesn’t challenge you with straight talk you may not want to hear, or provide demanding but valuable recommendations once in awhile, you’re being short-changed on an important advantage of turning to outside expertise.

Numbers matter:  Sometimes cheap is, well, just cheap.  An agency with years of experience and a staff of veteran professionals will certainly cost more than someone with just a few years of experience.  If it's judgment and direction you want, you will find that such an agency may be the better choice.  On the other hand, if you just need help sending out press releases, the beginner may be the choice for you.

Take the mystery out:  Not only should you have regular contact with your PR firm, you should be getting a report of how much time they have spent on your account.  Every professional maintains a log of time spent and what he or she is doing to achieve results. You should get a monthly report on how they managed their time.

Have reasonable expectations:  Good public relations isn’t going to cure bad management decisions, but good PR expertise is an investment that should pay off many times over.  Make sure that you and your agency both understand what the goals are and agree on how to achieve them.
Public relations professionals should be more than “ideas” people; they should be serious professionals who can provide timely, effective strategies that add to your success.  And nothing, not even a box of chocolates, tastes sweeter than success.

New Beginnings in September

Happy New Year!  It’s September – the real start of the New Year.  While watching the ball drop on a cold winter’s night is the official launch, it’s actually those first crisp September days that give us the feeling we have a chance at a new start.  September memories are all about newness — new lunchboxes, freshly sharpened pencils, and a new back-to-school outfit.  This is the year that we will really get good grades, make the team and make a new best friend.


After years of Septembers we finally climb to the goal of “graduation” — ready for the real world.  Or so we thought.  Of course, we never really graduate.  In fact, some of the most important lessons I’ve learned were not in K to 12 and beyond, but in that classroom we call business. 


Don’t let the urgent drive out the important:  When that deadline starts rolling toward you like a 20-wheel tractor-trailer, it’s natural to shift into overdrive and put all your effort into solving the problem at hand.  But, often the most urgent deadline is not the most important one.  If you get your adrenaline rush from meeting crisis after crisis, don’t worry — guaranteed there will be another crisis to tackle when this one is over.


Clients don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care:  At Epoch 5 Public Relations, this is our mantra.  Our clients expect skills and knowledge, but they deserve more.  They deserve to have us think about and care about their business and their problems.  Firms that don’t put that extra effort into their customers or clients may make the grade, but never the honor roll.


Turn the page:  Yes, you’ve made a mistake — a big one.  It was a stupid decision and, if you were graded, it deserved an “F”.  But, it’s done.  Mentally reviewing it wastes time better spent on the next decision.  Turn the page and move on.  In business there are usually “make up tests.”


Sometimes you can learn more from an “F” than an “A”:  It may be a tired observation, but it’s still true — you can learn more from failure than you can from success.  Years ago, I was told that IBM asked potential customers to meet and tell them why they did not win a proposal.  Wow.  “Big Blue” taught me an invaluable lesson.  At Epoch 5, while we love those wonderful letters of appreciation from clients, it’s the occasional criticism that can make us a better agency.


“Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…and It’s All Small Stuff.”:  Well, no, not exactly.  With a bow to author Richard Carlson, once you’ve mastered the fundamentals of your business, the thing that distinguishes you from the competition is the small stuff.  The thank you notes, the extra effort you’re not getting paid for, the attention to how your emails or letters look and sound…they’re all “just details.”  But details are the “extra credit” when a customer grades your performance.


“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”:  Will Rogers had it right.  If you don’t think your business changes, you are just not looking far enough down the track.  Planning to meet the upcoming changes needs to be done every year — and September is a great time to think about the New Year.
I suppose that if business celebrated a graduation, the closest thing would be a retirement party.  But for some of the most successful people I know, staying in school has more appeal.  As one said to me recently, “Why would I retire?  I’m having too much fun.”  I’m sure it has something to do with the possibilities of each new September.