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Tag: messages

Creating an Inclusive Workplace

Written by Andrea Holmes on . Posted in Firm Culture.

As the director of human resources, it’s my job to ensure that our workplace culture is open, inclusive, welcoming, and safe. As a boutique health care PR agency, every new hire brings new energy and perspectives to the team and influences the team dynamic. With several new hires joining this summer, I sought to beef up our training programs.

Our culture focuses on leading from a strengths perspective and building each other up, However, to do that, we must continue to challenge our assumptions and beliefs to ensure our words and actions are having the intended effect. SHRM, the Society for Human Resource Management, defines unconscious biases as “occurring when individuals make judgements about people based on gender, race, or other prohibited factors without realizing they are doing it.”

The first step to changing your behavior is becoming aware of these implicit biases that we hold. Awareness alone won’t lead to behavior change, but it is a vital first step that must be followed up with action.

To build awareness and engagement of implicit bias and its impact, I chose an online training program from the Clear Law Institute called “Unconscious Bias, Diversity, and Inclusion Training.” We had the entire team take the online training and then held an informal discussion about the content. I was pleased with the positive feedback and some of the learnings that several team members shared:

  • “I think the biggest thing for me was realizing that even though you may try to be as open-minded and “unbiased” as possible, we all have these inescapable biases that are ingrained in us by society. It’s important to acknowledge that we do have those biases and find ways to identify and correct them.”
  • “I didn’t realize that by requiring a college degree for an entry level position, we might be missing individuals with valuable work experience, as well as people who are older who may excel at the tasks needed for that particular role.”
  • “Besides the fact that we can experience these biases without even realizing it, I think another key learning is that these biases can take many different forms and affect our relationships in various ways, meaning that there is not just one bias or stereotype to fight against or one way to fight it.”

This is a conversation that we will continue to have to make our workplace the best it can be. Next up will be trainings focused on harassment.

Message Testing: The Foundation of a Successful Communications Strategy

Written by Kathleen Petty on . Posted in Positioning Issues and Brands.

This article also appeared in PR News.

When our clients ask our team to help them grow their membership or reach a new audience, we usually begin with message testing. It’s a critical part of the process for a solid communications strategy. Unfortunately, it is often skipped due to tight deadlines or limited budgets. But message testing can be as simple as reviewing a core message platform with a small sample of people, or as involved as hosting multiple focus groups with your target audience. However it’s done, it should help you understand how to effectively communicate with your core audience, identify any crucial flashpoints or key issues that your campaign may stumble upon, and help you get buy-in from leadership on the current or new messages that you plan to use.

Our team at The Reis Group ensures that every campaign begins with sound messaging. Here are three reasons why you should consider doing message testing before launching your next campaign.

Communicate Effectively

Whether we like it or not, we all fall prey to our own biases. Our experiences will inevitably color the kinds of messages we write and the means by which we communicate them. But messages shouldn’t be developed by an isolated group of people who don’t have direct insight into the experiences of the target audience. Those real-life experiences are critical in determining the true perspective and needs of your campaign targets. For instance, as a healthcare communications agency in Washington, D.C., we work on many campaigns to reach physicians. We are a team of communications professionals, but none of us have been to medical school. In creating campaign materials that will resonate with physicians, it’s important that we get input on the messaging that will speak most authentically to them and address the key issues that they really care about. And when writing for the general public, there are specific best practices around testing materials that can help ensure your resources are accessible and understandable for a more general audience.

Identify Issues Ahead of Time

Message testing will also help you determine which points will resonate most strongly and which will fall flat. It opens the door for conversations to identify issues you may not have even considered. Maybe the message platform you thought was solid, is missing a critical issue that your target audience is focused on at the moment?

Perhaps there are certain words or phrases that have a variety of meanings for various groups you want to reach. As shown in this recent poll conducted by the nonpartisan de Beaumont Foundation around the COVID-19 pandemic – words matter. Whatever language you use, it needs to quickly engage the broadest audience possible. And you won’t know what those words, phrases, and meanings are to various people until you speak to them. We are often surprised at the nuanced language or unintentional omissions that are very important to people and can make or break an effective message platform. More importantly, this part of the process can help you identify flaws with your current messages that may require you to take a step back, analyze the areas where you are hearing consistent feedback, and decide where to make changes before continuing with your testing. Taking this iterative approach ensures you are improving on your key points and that you are getting to a place of consensus before your testing phase ends.

Get Buy-in from Leadership

Testing gives you the support you need to defend changes to an organization’s long-standing messages. It can also help in convincing leadership to adopt the new messages in any public-facing speaking opportunities. But leaders must be brought along in the process – from start to finish. As many public relations practitioners know, it can be challenging to get leaders to avoid reverting back to the old points when you’ve given them new ones. But when they are brought along in the process, understand the methodology of how the messages are tested, see the feedback from their target audience, and understand the importance of the changes to the messaging, they will be more likely to accept it and even enthusiastically put it into practice.

Message testing is a valuable and essential part of any communications strategy. Ensuring this step is a part of the planning process can make the difference between an effective communications campaign and one that doesn’t deliver.

After Covid-19, Will Americans Still Struggle to Make Health and Well-Being a Priority?

Written by Sharon Reis on . Posted in Promoting Science.

This blog also appeared on PRSA-NCC.

COVID-19 has exploded the healthcare system. But sometime in the future, Americans will return to “normal” and once again will concentrate on the basics of staying healthy in their everyday lives. The coronavirus has revealed how vulnerable so many of us are because of underlying conditions. Two years ago, our team conducted qualitative research to try to determine why this has always been such a struggle for many people.

Most Americans know what it takes to be healthy. And nearly everyone says it’s one of the things they value most in life. What, then, is getting in the way of our country truly making health a top priority?

Our team conducted in-depth interviews with 60 individuals to understand how various age groups specifically define health and well-being. How do they interact with the healthcare system? What do they try to do to improve their health? What medical conditions do they worry about the most? And what would it take for them to make health and well-being a more serious priority?

Our biggest surprise came in finding a fascinating behavioral paradox in many people’s thinking about health: The reason they most value their good health is that they want to spend time with their family and friends, engaging in social activities. Yet, when asked to name the biggest barrier to taking actions to improve their health, they reported that it was the demands of spending time with their family and friends. So herein lies the challenge: How do we inspire individuals and their families and friends to embrace health and well-being and—together—make it a priority?

Differing perspectives among generations. We conducted in-depth interviews with roughly 10 people from each from six generational categories. They came from across the country and represented various races/ethnicities, levels of education, lifestyles, and income. We were intrigued by many of our findings.

First, when asked to define “healthy,” nearly all participants talked about eating healthy, nutritious foods and engaging in physical activity. Maintaining a healthy weight, limiting alcohol, avoiding tobacco, and not taking illegal drugs were also part of that definition.

Younger generations tended to emphasize mental and spiritual health, alluding to the need to be not only physically but psychologically and emotionally healthy. The youngest group even included environmental health and the quality of their surroundings as important influences on well-being.

Health happens outside of the healthcare setting. Many respondents are hesitant to admit whether they see doctors. Many view the doctor’s office as a place to go only when feeling very sick and only after trying to cure their ailments on their own. For many, the main reason to visit the doctor is to refill medications.

Dr. Google will see you now. Doctors are not even the top source of health information, unless you are referring to Doctor Google or WebMD. Instead, family and friends are the most important health resources whose opinion is frequently sought.

The attitude transition period occurs around 50. Another surprising finding from our interviews was that a major shift in attitude occurs with the Baby Boomer 2 group (52-62). This is a time of evolving thinking. There is a marked shift away from trying to improve health to simply trying to maintain current levels of health and mobility. Younger generations are focused on what they can do better, and are constantly striving to exercise more, eat healthier, and take new steps to promote their well-being.

The generational connection. There are many differences in the way generations define and manage their health. In the end, they are all connected by the fundamental desire to be healthy. They share similar needs and barriers to achieving that goal. It is that sense of community and connection that needs to play a major role in campaigns to influence healthy behaviors and lifestyles.

We can’t do it alone. What we learned is that health and well-being mostly occur outside of the healthcare system and often among our family and friends. Being social and spending time with the people who matter most to us is what pushes us each and every day to want to be healthy. The very nature of simply spending time together fosters a sense well-being. So, when we are finally able, once again, to spend time with friends and families, think of it as your own prescription for health and well-being. It does your mind and body good.

Healthy Perspectives

  • Most Americans think about their health every day.
  • Most define health as eating nutritious foods and exercising regularly.
  • The top reason people want to be healthy is to spend time with their family and friends, being social.
  • Older generations tend to emphasize the need to maintain their current level of health and mobility.
  • Younger generations often focus on constantly trying to do more to improve their health.
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Long Live the MSM!

Written by Peter Perl on . Posted in Promoting Science, Building Credibility.

The conventional wisdom of the digital age long ago declared that nobody really pays attention anymore to the mainstream media…that mainstream media had become irrelevant…that the MSM was dead!

But as the great Mark Twain said after a newspaper erroneously reported that he had died while touring Europe: “The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”

The Washington Post and The New York Times, in particular, have broken story after story after amazing story about the unprecedented historic events, the serious threats to democracy, and the downright bewildering weirdness of American politics and government in 2017.

I will here confess my bias: I spent 33 rewarding years as a reporter, magazine writer, and editor at The Post, retiring as Assistant Managing Editor in 2013 at a time when it seemed that conventional journalism was on life support. I sadly helped preside over an unprecedented shrinkage in The Post newsroom from roughly 800 people to less than 600, drastically diminishing our ambitions and abilities.

But America has once again become a news-hungry nation, and the MSM—at least the leading news outlets—have risen to the occasion by producing what my onetime boss, Bob Woodward, called “Holy Sh-t!” stories. I was proud to have written and edited some of those amazing stories over the years, and I am greatly encouraged to see The Post regain its greatness in the field and adopt a new motto: Democracy Dies in Darkness. There’s a message here for communications professionals:

If you have a story worth telling, don’t give up on working with the MSM.

  • Learn how to improve your technique in trying to pitch stories there,
  • Closely observe which reporters and editors are involved in your primary subject areas,
  • And take note of how they operate.

Modern-day journalists are inundated with information and totally overloaded with demands to instantly turn complex stories into 140-word shorthand summaries. Usually, they just don’t have time for your stories or your op-eds. So you need to constantly sharpen your thinking about what is really new and potentially interesting to mainstream readers, and how to craft your approach.

Today’s top journalists do not want or need to be spoon-fed. They are energetic and aggressive, and they need only to become intrigued by new ideas or new data to propel them to produce eye-opening stories.

The Mechanics of a Mesmerizing Event

Written by Caroline Campbell on . Posted in Promoting Science.

As a Republican attending my first Democratic National Convention, my experience being in the hall was very much different than watching it on TV. The ambiance of the entire week culminated in one single moment. The pageantry, participation and execution were brilliant, and we know that was the result of hard work by teams of people behind the scenes making it look effortless.

In PR, events of all sizes and scale are a regular part of our lives. I was inspired by this expertise and I was reminded that whether it’s a press briefing, Capitol Hill event, or fundraising gala, there are a few key lessons that can make your event just as memorable as the DNC.

Be timely.

Did you notice that in between the speeches the podium magically appeared at just the right time and at just the right height? The balloons dropped precisely at the reigning moment, the camera moved precisely with the speaker, and the lighting brought a vibrant feel to the space. Making those details work together is only possible with a highly collaborative team that is anticipating each moment.

Reinforce messaging.

Speakers, videos, musical performances, and signs repeated and reinforced the campaign themes, ensuring enthusiastic reception and maximum impact. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder in the packed arena, sometimes I found it hard to focus.  But strong visuals and directive cues helped delegates and supporters understand the message, know what to anticipate, and sense exactly when to cheer wildly.

Bring people together.

The agenda consisted of a speaker and content lineup that appealed to a range of demographics and perspectives, and even included opposition. Elaborate, coordinated and colorful outfits and musical numbers all bring to life a vibrant energy, engaging the audience much more deeply than just having them listen to speech after speech. Consider all perspectives on your issue, and enlist speakers that will help unite people and find common ground.

My favorite part of the convention was the fireworks! I loved them. Theatrical tricks can bring the audience together and celebrate a momentous occasion and a job well done.