Tag: public relations

Introducing…You

Written by Sharon Reis on December 16, 2016. Posted in Elevating Reputations.

Introducing yourself in a meeting seems easy enough. Then why do so many people fail to make the most of it, and sometimes even leave a bad impression? Some people talk incessantly about all their experience and accomplishments in what ends up putting off rather than impressing their listeners. Others give only the bare minimum, stating their name and organization so quickly or meekly that if you don’t pay close attention, you just might miss it.

The way you go about introducing yourself is essential for establishing not only your expertise and credibility, but also your all-important likeability.

I am a stickler for short introductions that convey just the needed information, but I wasn’t always that way. Early in my career, I took part in an important presentation that had the potential to be really, really successful, but ended up being very, very bad. Terribly disappointed, I was determined to learn from it.

It was one of my first new-business presentations at a new agency. Our team had drafted a very strong proposal, made it to the finals, and were competing against one other firm. We were given 45 minutes to present our recommendations, and we brought a five-person team. Three of my senior colleagues spent a solid 20 minutes introducing themselves. This was not part of the plan, but their nervous energy got the best of them. And, since the first person gave their entire work history, the second person felt compelled to follow suit. These inflated introductions left very little time to present the meat of the proposal, and it gave exactly the wrong impression. The team came off as arrogant and boastful, talking all about themselves, rather than conveying competence and capability, focusing on client needs. Long story short, we lost the business. In fact, the potential client told us that while we had the best proposal, by far, the presentation just did not support it. That defeat left a huge impression on me.

Below are a few tips to consider next time you need to introduce yourself.

Short and sweet is best. An introduction doesn’t need to last more than one minute, and depending on the circumstances, getting it done in 30 seconds might be even better. Start, but don’t end, with the obvious: name, title and organization.
Focus on your role. This is where people often get lost. After introducing yourself, immediately pivot to your role in the meeting. Are you leading, taking notes, facilitating a section, or learning as much as you can about an organization or issue?
Highlight your specific area of expertise. You may be an expert in many things, but the people in the room want to know why you’ve been asked to attend this specific meeting, and how you are going to contribute to this specific discussion. In other words, what do you bring to the table that others around the room will value? This could include a case study or an example of your prior work, but it should be brief and focused.
Share your excitement. If you are happy to be at the meeting, then say so. Tell them what you hope to get out of taking part in the discussion, and say it in one sentence; no more.
Find the sweet spot. Take a few minutes to rehearse and get it right. This is something you will do over and over in your career. Spend some time to fine-tune, tailor, and get it right.

Your introduction is usually the first impression people will have of you. Make them want to talk to you and learn more about you and your expertise. Maybe they’ll even like you–and hire you.

Four Tips for Successful Leaders

Written by Lauren Musiol on December 1, 2016. Posted in Elevating Reputations.

Focus. Confidence. Integrity. Passion. These are key qualities of effective leaders, as outlined in a highly useful presentation at a recent Public Relations Society of America luncheon in Charlotte, N.C.

Establishing yourself as a leader is vital to building your role on your team, and advancing your career to the next level. It’s something that I am personally working on as I continue on my career path and set goals for the future.

The speaker at the event spoke about using strategic communications to more effectively position yourself as a leader in the workplace, and four key points really resonated with me:

Be credible.

To be a strong leader, you must be credible. And the single most important factor that impacts your credibility is being “present.” (Put down that iPhone when you are supposed to be paying attention!) If you are constantly checking your phone or email, or seem distracted, you will diminish your credibility and lose respect from your colleagues both up and down the ladder.

Remember that you are always “on stage.”

When you are in a leadership position, everything you do gets noticed and sends a message. And if you are trying to build your position as a leader at your company, the way you present yourself, your preparation for meetings, and the quality of your work will all set the tone for how you are viewed by your colleagues. Always remember to be professional and think about how you want to be perceived. It will help you better establish your ability to lead – whether it be leading a project, leading an account, or leading a team of colleagues.

Style matters.

Leadership is 100% substance, meaning that you must know what you are doing and must have the experience to back it up—but it’s also 100% style, meaning that you must present yourself in a manner that makes people want to work with you. Most people either fall into “powerful” or “attractive” styles. “Powerful” people are assertive, direct and focused on getting the job done. “Attractive” people are personable, cooperative and supportive. Being too much of one style or the other can hurt your ability to be a good leader. It’s important for a leader to be “powerful” enough to be heard, yet “attractive” enough to be followed.

Don’t underestimate non-verbal communication.

Non-verbal cues can be just as important as how you express yourself verbally. For example, if you work in an environment where the dress code is important, you must play by the rules and dress the part, or you will lose credibility among your colleagues. Additionally, your mannerisms and speech patterns can make a big difference in how you are perceived, so if you tend to use your hands in a distracting manner or talk in a way that lowers your credibility, you could be hindering yourself from advancing to the next level.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to establishing yourself as a leader, but these four tips may be worth remembering as you approach your next meeting or client call, or as you evaluate your everyday interactions with colleagues.

PR’s Role in Patient Engagement | O’Dwyer’s

Written by Staff on October 21, 2016. Posted in Firm Culture.

Patients and families often need guidance to make informed and confident decisions about their health and health care. Check out Sharon’s article in O’Dwyer’s October issue to learn how communications professionals play a critical role in encouraging and influencing conversations and in promoting shared decision-making. Some of the key takeaways include:

Make it a priority for hospitals, health systems
Provide more knowledge and tools
Carve out a role for communications
Create patient engagement initiatives
Approach it together
Watch your word choices
Be inclusive
Be clear

Access the article here.

Write Like You Talk — and 5 Other Unorthodox Writing Tips

Written by Peter Perl on October 12, 2016. Posted in Positioning Issues and Brands.

Clients hire PR firms to tell their stories. Accurately. Interestingly. Powerfully.

It’s not easy work, so that’s why they pay someone else to do it. To be successful, PR professionals can’t just go through the motions. With each project, we must tell stories in a compelling enough way to attract the attention of key audiences, particularly the news media. Here are a few tips accumulated over my 40 years of writing for mass audiences:

Try to write more like you talk. The goal is to make the topic as interesting and accessible as possible to readers. Colleges teach us to try to sound intelligent by using big words in complicated sentences. Don’t.

Imagine your aunt or uncle. If they were to ask you what you are writing, you should be able to explain it clearly. Write it that way.

Tell a story. Don’t write a report. Reports are usually boring. Sometimes boredom is inevitable because of the topic. But it doesn’t always have to be that way.

Avoid “Stop Signs.” The goal is to attract the reader’s attention, and then reward them by having them sail through the content and easily absorb the message. Lo-o-ong sentences with complicated structure, multiple clauses and unfamiliar words can all break the flow.

Mix up your word choices. One Stop Sign for readers is excessive repetition. If you use the word disease 10 times in a 300-word medical news release, readers get annoyed and distracted. Use illness, ailment, infection or whatever else accurately substitutes.

Proofread–and proofread. The biggest mistake is failing to do this. Read it to yourself. Read it one more time. (Maybe even read it aloud, somewhere privately.) See whether you have unwittingly created Stop Signs!