Juicing the SEO on Your SiteAugust 25th, 2010 3:59pm Peggy Gonder
Searching on the web is becoming more fragmented and personalized. The top search engines are not just Google, Yahoo and Bing; they are joined by Twitter, You Tube and Facebook. Those were some major insights I gained from a webinar by Hubspot gurus sponsored by the American Marketing Assocation. Kipp Bodner of Hubspot proclaimed that SEO rank is "a meaningless metric" because it can vary based on who is searching, where they search and what is happening. As examples, someone seeking a plumber might search Angie's List, not Google. So, what to do? In addition to the obvious advice about blogging to add fresh content to your site, you want to add inbound links. Posting a presentation you've done on Slideshare and linking to your website is an inbound link that adds to your site's authority with search engines. Other tips: 1. Publish more often using multiple venues, including blogs, podcasts, videos, presentations and news releases. 2. Make it easy for site visitors to share your content with buttons to post to Twitter, Facebook, Stumble Upon and del.icio.us. 3. Build a large social following (your reach) with lots of connections on Linked In, Facebook fans, Twitter followers and YouTube viewers. 4. Engage your social following by posting useful content with links. 5. Continue building lots of web pages with keyword-rich content. 6. Promote content to get inbound links. 7. Check the SEO 'juice' of your site at www.websitegrader.com. Hubspot founders have written a book, Inbound Marketing, that is available at Amazon.com. To see a PDF of the presentation, click here. Posted in: NoneAdd Comment: 0 | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, FacebookWinning the Right to VoteAugust 17th, 2010 9:24pm
Courage and persistence. That's what it took for American women to win the right to vote 90 years ago this month (August 2010). New York Times columnist Gail Collins quotes suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt that it took 70 years and 480 campaigns to get Legislatures to submit suffrage amendments to voters. Another 277 campaigns were waged to get party conventions to include women suffrage planks and 19 campaigns with 19 successive Congresses. When it comes to rights and democracy, success may take years and enduring hardship and risk.
In 1917, women in conservative dresses picketed the White House, criticizing Pres. Woodrow Wilson for his opposition to giving women the right to vote. The 33 women were jailed and 40 prison guards beat them viciously. As the women were held for weeks, Alice Paul (right) went on a hunger strike. Guards force-fed her through a tube down her throat. She was tortured for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press. To read about Paul and others, click here. On August 26, the anniversary of women receiving the right to vote, all Americans should toast the brave women who suffered and soldiered on for years to win this precious right to elect our government. But the greatest tribute is to exercise this hard-won right this fall. The deadline to register to vote in Colorado is October 4. Information at www.lwvcolorado.org. Posted in: NoneAdd Comment: 0 | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, FacebookTeacher Evaluation & Race to the TopJuly 28th, 2010 10:16am Peggy Gonder
Congratulations to the State of Colorado for becoming a finalist for Race to the Top Funds from the U.S. Dept. of Education. U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan praised the State for passing SB 191, which ties teacher tenure to student achievement. But the bill was controversial because it provides almost no funding for reforming the teacher evaluation process and could demote teachers with two consecutive ineffective ratings. Improving teacher evaluation is a critical step in increasing student achievement. Beginning teachers need help with discipline and setting measurable goals for what they can accomplish over time. Veteran teachers who struggle to help students succeed need specific guidance on types of additional training, including analyzing student performance data. An improved system should include a learning plan where all teachers can improve their practice. To their credit, the Colorado Legislature empowered The Governor's Council on Educator Effectiveness (created last January) to define teacher and principal effectiveness and establish standards and make recommendations to ensure that evaluations use multiple fair, transparent, timely, rigorous and valid methods. At least 50% of the evaluation is to be determined by the academic growth of their students. The state's largest teachers union, the Colorado Education Association, supports the Council, which includes teachers, principals, a parent, a superintendent, school board members, state leaders from K-12 and higher education. The CEA opposed SB 191 because budget cuts have reduced the resources (human and financial) needed to implement a system calling for annual evaluations of "non-probationary" teachers. Currently, such teachers are only evaluated every three years. The new evaluation system and its consequences will take effect in the 2013-14 school year. If Colorado does receive Race to the Top Funding, it will be important to allocate a majority of the funds to developing models for a robust evaluation system and resources to help struggling teachers to improve. It may still be difficult to implement without more funds to help local districts pilot the new system, but it will be a start so all Colorado districts can increase teacher effectiveness and improve student achievement. Posted in: NoneAdd Comment: 0 | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, FacebookLeverage The PR Value of EventsJuly 18th, 2010 10:14pm
Event sponsorships are surpassing traditional marketing strategies, event guru Bruce Erley told PRSA Colorado members recently. Media is fragmented and TIVO makes ads less effective. Events provide a chance to create a personal connection with customers. But companies miss the boat if they don't bring the sponsorship to life by activation, which Erley defines as the mechanism where the sponsor's connect their brand experientially and emotionally to the consumer. Example: at the Colorado Flower Show, Ch. 7 had a weather screen where a child was filmed doing the weather in front of a tornado. The family got a DVD to take with them, generating great interest in the booth. At the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, Volvo charged $1 for kids and $5 for adults to place paint handprints on a car that was clear coated and auctioned to benefit Children's Hospital. The car company made a connection with families making the handprints and demonstrated corporate social responsibility with the fund-raiser to benefit a popular charity. Activation: -- Increases PR opportunities connected with the event -- Maximizes the intangible value of association with the event -- Increases the opportunity to achieve sponsor's objectives Posted in: NoneAdd Comment: 0 | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, FacebookTammy & Noel Cunningham receive Denver League of Women Voters award July 13July 7th, 2010 9:13pm
The prestigious Spirit of Denver Awards given by the League of Women Voters of Denver (LWVD) July 13 honor four citizens who have given decades of outstanding service to the community:Tammy and Noel Cunningham, owners of Strings and 240 Union Restaurants, Mary Gittings Cronin, longtime executive director of the Piton Foundation and Sandra Shreve, who expanded voter service during her three years as LWVD president and has a statewide education award named after her. The four will receive their awards at the Visions of the City Event 2010, Tuesday, July 13 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Grand Hyatt, 1750 Hyatt St. Mayor John Hickenlooper will also give his Visions of the City address at 7:30 p.m.
“Tammy and Noel Cunningham have worked more than 20 years to make Denver and the world more humane,” said Nancy Ulrich, co-president of LWV- Denver. Their “Quarters for Kids” program encourages elementary children in social studies classes to research hunger and homelessness, then collect quarters to alleviate the problem. Over the years, the students have distributed more than half a million dollars, primarily to Samaritan House and Catholic Charities. Noel Cunningham and Billy Shore recruited restaurant owners to create Taste of the Nation, now national, that raises funds to alleviate hunger. Known nationally as Share Our Strength (SOS), the food and wine-tasting events have raised millions and created the concept of social entrepreneurship – using business tactics to solve social justice problems. Through the Cunningham Foundation, Tammy and Noel have taken social entrepreneurship Yetabom, Ethiopia, where they helped establish a school, a hospital, organic vegetable gardens and thriving local businesses. Scroll to earlier posts for information about Mary Gittings Cronin and Sandra Shreve.To register for the event, visit http://www.lwvdenver.org or call 303-3217571. Posted in: NoneAdd Comment: 0 | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, FacebookMary Cronin to receive Spirit of Denver Award from League of Women Voters-DenverJuly 6th, 2010 8:47pm
Mary Gittings Cronin, longtime CEO of The Piton Foundation, will receive the prestigious Spirit of Denver Award from the League of Women Voters of Denver (LWVD) at Visions of the City 2010, Tuesday, July 13 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Grand Hyatt, 1750 Welton St. Mayor John Hickenlooper will also give his Visions of the City address at 7:30 p.m. The event supports the League of Women Voters of Denver Education Fund, which pays for non-partisan information on elections and local government.
“As CEO of the Piton Foundation, Mary Gittings Cronin has supported quality public education for all children,” noted LWVD co-president Buzzy Hassrick. One lasting contribution was Piton’s support of a public education campaign to approve a sales tax to fund preschool for 4-year olds. By 2009, more than 5,100 4-year olds from low income families received full-day preschool education. The fund remains in place to support 4-year olds well into the future. For more than 20 years, Piton has marketed the federal earned income tax credit to more than 1 million eligible taxpayers in Colorado. “It is the single most effective strategy nationally for moving hard-working families from poverty to the middle class,” Hassrick added. In 2009, low income residents received back nearly half a billion dollars in tax credits, which benefits not only these families, but businesses in their communities. For more information and to register for Visions of the City, call 303-321-7571 or visit http://www.lwvdenver.org. Posted in: NoneAdd Comment: 0 | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, FacebookExtent of Oil Spill - Admiral's UpdateJuly 3rd, 2010 1:39pm
NEW ORLEANS -- Rear Admiral Paul Zukunft briefed the media Friday, July 2 on the current weather and its effect on the oil spill response. A downloadable audio recording of the briefing is available here: <http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2_itemId=925645> ; a transcript follows. Paul Zukunft: As Alex has now moved inland, we're still seeing some of the residual effects of that tropical storm, which has prevented us for the past 48 hours from doing any skimming or in-situ burning both near shore and offshore due to weather conditions. As a result of the waves that have washed ashore, it has displaced some of the boom. And in the Gulf of Mexico, the footprint of this oil sheen runs as far east as Panama City, Fla. and as far west as Fourchon, Louisiana. The more concentrated oil is closer to the well site itself, but we now have a northeast wind direction, and it's going to gradually shift to the east over the weekend. And so that footprint is going to slowly march to the west. And what that means is that some of that oil is going to wash along Mississippi Sound. And where it first meets a permanent barrier, that's the Mississippi River Delta and then Chandeleur Sound. I'm concerned, because as I look at the environmental sensitive areas across the region, besides Barataria Bay, that area is an equally sensitive one and there will be oil impacting that area, in the past probably 24 hours and perhaps in the next 24 hours. I'm especially concerned with some of the wildlife habitats in Chandeleur Sound and Brush Island, which is a wild bird fowl rookery, and there could be oil impacting that area, as well. Offshore the seas are now down to seven feet, and that's out at the well site. They're moving out to resume the skimming operations out there. The supertanker, the A Whale, has been assigned a five-by-five-mile square area just to the north of the well site, and they'll be working that tomorrow. We have Coast Guard research and development and strike team personnel to assess the effectiveness of the A Whale and the skimming, as well. As water enters Lake Borgne, it then goes through an estuary system, through the Rigolets, and then into Lake Pontchartrain. And for me, that is where I'm losing the most sleep right now, is if oil were to enter into that system and ultimately into Lake Pontchartrain. I'm not here to say that it's there, but I'm going to look, and if I see even sheen, I'm going to push to make sure that we're moving all available resources to respond. Now we've got 450 miles of oil-impacted shoreline and ongoing activity in those locations, as well. But doing this in triage fashion right now,my most critical patient right now is the Chandeleur Sound area. Posted in: NoneAdd Comment: 0 | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, FacebookSandra Shreve to receive Spirit of Denver Award -July 2nd, 2010 9:04pm
Visions of the City features Mayor Hickenlooper July 13 at Grand Hyatt Mayor John Hickenlooper will give his Visions of the City address Tuesday, July 13 at the Grand Hyatt, 1750 Welton, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. The event benefits the League of Women Voters Education Fund, which supplies non-partisan ballot issues every election and publishes a civic directory of elected officials.
Sandra Shreve, President of the League of Women Voters of Denver from 2006-2009 will receive one of the prestigious Spirit of Denver awards. As president, she expanded voter access to information by partnering with Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation to sponsor candidate forums throughout Denver. The forums, cosponsored by neighborhood groups, drew hundreds of voters and was televised on Cable Channel 8. Shreve was appointed by Mayor Hickenlooper to a special task force that recommended changes in the city election process. They recommended a different model that led voters to elect a Clerk and Recorder. To register for Visions of the City, visit www.lwvdenver.org.
Posted in: NoneAdd Comment: 0 | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, FacebookHuman Cost of Our ElectronicsJune 7th, 2010 9:02pm
My laptop is made by Dell and I use an Ipod to listen to music and to learn and play birdsongs. So the column by business writer Al Lewis about Chinese factory workers jumping to their deaths hit me where I live. The factory in Shenzhen, China is operated by Foxconn, which assembles iPods, Dell and Hewlett-Packard computers as well as video games by Sony and Nintendo. The article and photo caption report that activists blame the suicides on assembly line exhaustion. The electronics companies say they are investigating claims that migrant workers are wooed from poor rural areas, housed in dormitories and then driven at punishing speeds to meet quotas from militaristic managers. But they must do more, both for the good of these workers and to protect their reputation. The Foxconn CEO said he has hired many counselors, established a buddy system and handed out raises. But he also said the suicide rate is normal, given the hundreds of thousands he employs. This attitude is unconscionable. Nike's reputation was hurt when it was revealed that their shoes were being assembled in sweatshop conditions. The company was forced to hire inspectors to visit the factories to verify that conditions had improved to continue contracting to make the shoes. The electronics industry must meet an equally high standard of accountability and transparency to ensure that workers are not driven to death by inhumane working conditions. It is the right thing to do -- and the right choice to protect their reputations and the bottom line. For the full story, click here
Posted in: NoneAdd Comment: 0 | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, FacebookClosing a Failing SchoolJune 2nd, 2010 11:36pm
Philips Elementary School has been a prominent part of the Park Hill neighborhood of NE Denver, commanding one corner of the busy intersection of Monaco Parkway and Montview Blvd. The news that Philips was closing was a surprise, but the seeds of failure were sown many years ago. My son attended Philips in the mid-1980's. At that time, the school was about 50% Anglo. The kindergarten teacher was competent, but was not warm to parents or students. Some parents whose children attended a nurturing preschool in the neighborhood did not enroll at Philips because of this personality conflict. I was protective of our neighborhood school and urged neighbors to check out Philips for themselves. Another problem was that the principal, while a bright person with many skills, strongly resisted suggestions and involvement by parents. Friends who volunteered at Philips and were committed to an integrated public school became very frustrated. The parent who chaired the collaborative decision-making (CDM) committee complained to the central office that this principal was not working collaboratively with parents and teachers. The CDMs were created several years earlier by then-Governor Roy Romer to head off a strike by teachers, who felt shut out from decision-making. The CDM chairman finally transferred his two children to Cory Elementary in SE Denver when the district showed no interest in supporting parents in this disagreement. As more middle class parents chose other options, test scores declined, which drove still more parents in the neighborhood to select other public or private schools. Twenty years later, this elementary school in middle class, integrated Park Hill was nearly 70 percent African American, low income students. Test scores for third graders had fallen from 89 percent proficient as recently as 2006 to 21 percent proficient in 2009-10. I agree with the Denver Public Schools and with Denver Post columnist Tina Griego that it was the right decision to close this school. Turnover among principals and teachers in recent years led to a lack of stability. Test scores continued to decline, accelerating the flight of neighbors with resources from their neighborhood school. There is no one factor that caused Philips Elementary to fail but the presence of a principal who refused to collaborate with parents and teachers certainly played a part. As one who has written about and participated in school reform for 30 years, I know a strong principal is crucial to school success. The principal should have a vision for student success that is shared by staff. Such instructional leaders should also welcome parent involvement in the school. Some administrators cling to power, thinking that collaboration takes too much time and will interfere with operations. In fact, sharing power increases community support and school effectiveness, which, in turn, increases the power of leaders with the confidence and vision to share decision-making. I hope the current Philips students thrive in their new schools. They deserve an environment where they can succeed. Posted in: NoneAdd Comment: 0 | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, FacebookUndermining CredibilityMay 20th, 2010 11:03pm
In a crisis, it is easy to say the wrong thing, if you don't stay on message. BP chief executive Tony Hayward made the astonishing statement to Sky News that he believes the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill will end up having only a "very very modest" environmental impact. This was highlighted by Rachel Maddow of MSNBC on the same day reports were released that the spill could be 300 feet thick and miles long beneath the surface. In the same report, Hayward talked about payments being made to fisherman and others whose livelihood has been harmed by the spill. But those good works were completely undermined by his repeated references to minor damage in the interview below.
In a crisis, the company involved should express regret and should never minimize the damage that is occurring. Those affected -- and the rest of the country -- will see such statements as uncaring and self-serving. Instead, public statements by company executives should: * Acknowledge responsibility * Express concern for those affected * Work to resolve the problem. Public statements should NOT try to shift the blame as BP and the other company executives did in testimony before Congress. Such statements only fan the anger already being felt by residents along the Gulf Coast and the rest of the country. Posted in: NoneAdd Comment: 0 | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, FacebookJournalism & Social MediaApril 27th, 2010 11:14am
Has social media killed journalism? While many newspapers have closed their doors, some journalists see social media as as a way to extend their reach and influence. Most newspapers now host blogs by journalists and many reporters post on Twitter. Newspapers and TV stations have Facebook pages where they can interact with fans. When an extremist flew a plane into an Austin office building, American Statesman social media editor Robert Quigley asked 20,000 Twitter followers to send in pictures and call information to the reporter heading to the scene. Followers were also able to supply a link to pilot's manifesto and provided much real-time reaction as the story was unfolding. Quigley comments that daily interaction with readers and sources helps newsroom staff "gather meaningful tips, track trends and build valuable relationships with the public." He adds: Critics dismiss the social media realm by saying it's a place where rumors run rampant and ethics are ignored. Some suggest that social media replaces the need for professional journalists. My response is that journalists are even more valuable, exactly because of what we do. When rumors are running wild, journalists can verify what's really going on and report it through social media channels. The code of ethics that journalists live by translates into the social media world. Whether content is being published in print, on our new Web site or on Facebook, journalists are expected to be ethical, fair and accurate. As one who studied journalism and worked for newspapers early in my career, I have watched the demise of newspapers with concern, wondering where the money will come from to pay investigative journalists to uncover fraud and abuse, on Wall Street and elsewhere. There are encouraging signs that social media and the Net can strengthen those news outlets that can adapt. Journalists working for the online web site www.propublica.org are doing important work on public policy issues. They teamed with the Planet Money team from NPR and This American Life to expose how a little-known hedge fund, Magnetar, expanded the housing bubble and made the collapse much worse. The teaming with NPR brought their work to a much wider audience. Social media opens new avenues for public relations professionals to develop relationships with reporters. Blogs, Twitter and Facebook also offer new platforms to bring clients' points of view before new audiences and strengthen relationships with current stakeholders. As with any aspect of PR or marketing, such engagement should be strategic, so the leap into social media will advance company and organizational objectives. It is good to know journalists will still be out there to carry messages with credibility as many continue to embrace social media to stay relevant and build new audiences. Posted in: NoneAdd Comment: 0 | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, FacebookThe Danger of Always Being OnApril 20th, 2010 9:17am Peggy Gonder
The New York Times introduced a video newscast on its web site in late March featuring the daily meeting where editors and reporters plan stories for the next day's paper. "TimesCast" often includes video and photography from the world's hotspots. Clark Hoyt, who writes "The Public Editor" column for the Times, pointed out several gaffes from the webcasts, as well as posts on Twitter and Facebook that have come back to bite the reporters who posted them. On the second day of the webcast, executive editor Bill Keller misspoke about a sensitive story involving Israel. In the meeting, he said Britain had expelled the head of Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency "in retribution for the Israeli's having assassinated a Hamas militant in Dubai." At the time, the British had not accused Israel of the assassination. And the Times had not established that the person sent home was the Mossad station chief, Hoyt wrote. When a Reuter's reporter complained about the characterization, Keller was embarrassed. "This is why I went into print rather than TV," he wrote back. The TimesCast is taped and edited. In retrospect, the editor said he should have said "cut" and given a more careful summary of the story in progress. A Times business reporter in Japan, annoyed due to lack of sleep and a newsmakers' refusal to take questions, Tweeted "Toyota sucks." And two Times bloggers fell for April Fools Day hoaxes. The Times is trying to attract new readers by embracing new media. But these gaffes reveal the dangers of publishing too quickly and letting down one's guard on microblogging sites like Twitter where the style is casual. "The technology may be new, the speed faster, the culture different, but in journalism, the old rules still apply," Hoyt writes. "Be skeptical, check it out." Companies and organizations can fall victim to the same embarrassing "foot in mouth" situations at the fast pace of new media. Some common sense practices can help: 1. Establish a social media policy for employees that states their comments can reflect back on the organization, even if they are commenting as an individual. 2. Encourage employees to re-read their Tweets and Facebook posts and pause before hitting "send" to make sure they will not regret the communication later. 3. Companies should choose bloggers who, by temperment, will exercise caution in their language. Establish guidelines for blog topics and other parameters for what is appropriate for posts. 4. Videos produced for the web should be checked by more than one person for errors and tone of voice that might have negative repercussions. 5. Correct errors promptly. Since videos can live on forever on You Tube, it's best to avoid mistakes. But the public appreciates efforts to set the record straight. Posted in: NoneAdd Comment: 0 | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, FacebookSchool and organizational reform requires strategic communicationApril 8th, 2010 9:04pm
The Washington D.C. Schools announced a tentative agreement this week with the Washington Teachers Union that would provide bonuses to teachers for student growth on standardized tests. It is the most recent in a series of school reforms tying teacher pay to student performance. We helped the Denver Public Schools and the Denver Classroom Teachers Association communicate with teachers, administrators and the general public over a multi-year pay-for-performance pilot and implementation of a revolutionary teacher compensation plan, ProComp, that replaces the traditional salary schedule for those in the new system. Communication is important when an organization undergoes a major change. People fear the unknown and the rumor mill is a powerful force during change and uncertainty. In school districts and other large organizations, strategic communication, implemented consistenty, can greatly enhance acceptance of change. I shared these in a webinar Compensation Innovations sponsored recently. Tips for Communicating During Major Organizational Change: 1. Listen first. We conducted focus groups of teachers in pilot and non-pilot schools as well as separate groups of pilot and non-pilot principals during the research phase. Insights from the research informed our communications strategy. 2. Clearly define objectives. Ours were to identify barriers to communication, credible spokespersons, preferred channels of communication and what messages were most persuasive. 3. Use multiple channels of communication. Information should be disseminated for all learning styles: printed and electronic newsletters, face-to-face meetings, web sites and brochures. The printed and online channels provide a record that is available over time. The meetings and community presentations were important in influencing attitudes and addressing concerns. 4. Interpersonal communication is paramount. Significant change is usually complicated and can be confusing and threatening. Presenting information in staff meetings gives people an opportunity to ask questions and process the information. A meeting also eliminates distractions that compete with your message when employees review publications or web sites at their desk. 5. Communicate consistently over time. Develop key messages that are used in all channels, including speeches and news releases. Consistency builds credibility and repetition increases retention. 6. Seek feedback to improve the evolving system. Leaders designing ProComp were committed to pilot-testing components, asking for feedback and using the information to improve the final product. This not only enhanced the quality of the new system, it built credibility and confidence among employees that the system would be fair and competently implemented. It is important to let stakeholders know how their feedback will be used. Posted in: NoneAdd Comment: 0 | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, FacebookNegotiations, PR, Parenting and GoverningMarch 30th, 2010 9:53pm
I was fascinated to hear the role parenting and communications skills played in Nancy Pelosi’s successful drive to win over most House Democrats on the critical health care vote. The House Speaker ramped up interpersonal communications by holding many targeted meetings with subgroups, including the conservative Blue Dog Democrats, liberal Dems, anti-abortion and pro-choice caucuses. Pelosi was able to forge consensus by listening to each group and seeing what it would take for them to support the bill. The NPR story referred to Pelosi’s mothering skills -- having “eyes in the back of her head” and calling out members of Congress who tried to sneak out of the meetings. She was also using important skills for public relations: listening and negotiations. Often, PR professionals serve their clients best when they can bring in critics or wavering supporters and learn what it will take to win their business or support. Public relations guru Patrick Jackson once told a national PRSA audience that a single critic does a company a favor by calling attention to a problem early when it is more manageable. Such responsiveness can avert a full-blown crisis. Jackson acquired this wisdom counseling clients in the 1990’s from Coors Brewing--who was facing a boycott from Hispanics--to the anti-nuclear Clamshell Alliance in New Hampshire. Toyota’s refusal to acknowledge the problem with unintended acceleration is only the latest example of what happens when companies ignore their critics. For successful negotiations and effective governing, the tools are: Listening first Seeking areas of common ground Compromising where possible Letting the critic/stakeholders know what actions you are taking as a result of their input Keeping the lines of communication openPosted in: NoneAdd Comment: 0 | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, FacebookReform will cut costs, save livesMarch 23rd, 2010 4:13pm Peggy Gonder
As one who saw the uninsured on a daily basis in the 1980's as PR director of Denver Health & Hospitals, I am overjoyed that Congress passed healthcare reform. Below are concise facts about the bill to counter misinformation disseminated by those who benefit from the current system. The bill: 1. Curbs insurance company abuses. Insurors must use 80% of premium dollars on medical care. Some spend as little as 60%; they can no longer deny for pre-existing conditions. 2. Bends the cost curve by requiring for-profit insurance companies to compete with non-profits head to head on price on a basic minimum benefits package. In Australia, people pay Half Per Capita what Americans pay. Insurance companies have not gone out of business, but they don't pay their executives excessively. the Congressional Budget Office says the reforms will cut the deficit by $1.2 trillion over the next 2 decades. 3. Strengthens Medicare by creating incentives to improve quality and expands access to preventive services and reducing waste and fraud. This extends Medicare Funding for 10 years vs. running out of money by 2017. 4. Requires individuals to purchase health insurance just as people are required to buy auto insurance. A large number of "free riders" who don't buy insurance are 20-something males. When they land in the ER, you and I pay -- up to $1,000 more a year in premiums-- for their care. 5. Expands access to 30 million US citizens through subsidies for low and moderate income families. Every parent wants to buy insurance for their kids, but if you make $30,000 a year, you can't afford $12K in premiums. Now the US joins all other industrialized nations in providing healthcare to its citizens. As it is phased in, the toll of 45,000 preventable deaths a year will be reduced as more people get preventive care on a timely basis. Posted in: NoneAdd Comment: 0 | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, FacebookA "Good" ApologyMarch 10th, 2010 10:20pm Peggy Gonder
Toyota was slow to respond to the problem of unintended acceleration. But one of the positive moves the company has made since fully acknowledging the problem -- and the threat to its reputation -- was the very public apology CEO Akio Toyoda made to the US Congress, to the Chinese government and to the Japanese people at a news conference. This apology was a good step for several reasons. Mr. Toyoda expressed genuine regret for the loss of life. He even cried at the Japanese news conference. People are more likely to forgive a corporation whose leaders acknowledge the suffering caused by a failure of equipment or actions of their employees. Another strong aspect of the appearance in Congress was that the CEO referred to the company's core values, which are safety, quality and volume. "We may have grown too quickly," Toyoda told the lawmakers. Toyoda said he is an engineer and the company had made structural changes in their processes to make sure customer complaints reached the highest levels in the company. So the Toyota CEO invoked three essentials to a "good" apology: * Expressing regret for the damage caused by defective products * Invoking core values and ackowledging where the company had fallen short * Describing concrete steps for correcting these errors. The company has also become far more active in social media, growing its Facebook fans exponentially in recent weeks. These steps help restore credibility to a company that had a stellar reputation but whose initial reluctance to confront the problem caused serious doubts among Americans and customers in other nations. All the efforts Toyota is making are important -- but the CEO's visible stance to take responsibility and make changes is perhaps the most important of all. Especially when the CEO's name embodies the brand. Posted in: NoneAdd Comment: 0 | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, FacebookHow Not to Handle a CrisisJanuary 25th, 2010 10:17pm
When a public figure or company makes a mistake, the best policy is to admit it quickly, express regret and move on. Former presidential candidate and Sen. John Edwards provides a vivid example of the lasting damage that is caused by delaying the inevitable. When he was accused of having an affair and fathering a child with a campaign aide, Edwards first denied it. Then he admitted the affair but said he had not fathered the child. With a book coming out, Edwards has now been forced to admit the truth. This is a much bigger story because he denied it two years ago. This refusal to own up to his mistake has caused more pain for his family and more damage to his reputation. The public is more forgiving of an individual who admits responsibility and takes his lumps when bad conduct is first suggested. Edwards lost whatever credibility he still retained as a public figure by continuing to lie about the situation. Posted in: NoneAdd Comment: 0 | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, FacebookGalvanizing Support for Humanitarian CausesDecember 15th, 2009 5:02pm
Insights from a journalist, psychology research and some tips
How do you motivate people to help end suffering halfway around the world? That is the dilemma Nicholas Kristof of The New York Times pondered after many years of reporting from Africa about the AIDS crisis and the hunger and suffering in Darfur, Sudan. Those communicating on behalf of non-profits in the United States face some of the same challenges -- figuring out what works to engage donors and volunteers. Savvy communicators have known for some time that you need to put a human face on those who will benefit from the philanthropy. People are more likely to get involved if they see how the non-profit helps real people. Similarly, people are motivated by positive, success stories of people overcoming odds. Writing in Outside Magazine, Kristof said stories he wrote about an 11-year old AIDS orphan in Swaziland who had to raise 2 younger sisters "fell flat." Contrast that with a column about a Pakistani rape victim who started a school with some compensation because she felt education was the way to change attitudes. This single column generated more than $100,000 in checks for her. Research in social psychology suggests that we intervene when our efforts seem to make a big difference. One experiment found that people are willing to pay for a water treatment facility to save 4,500 lives in a refugee camp with 11,000 people in it, but are much less willing to pay for the same facility to save 4,500 lives when the camp has 250,000 inhabitants. Psychology professor Paul Slovic explains that saving a large proportion of a group is very satisfying, while saving a small proportion seems like a failure - even if its a high number. This finding follows a large body of research that suggests "people do good things in part because it feels good," Kristof writes. Tips for motivating volunteers and donors:
1. Tell stories that bring a human face to the issue or problem - a single child or adult to illustrate the many who are affected. 2. Inspire hope, not guilt, by focusing on an individual who is overcoming hardship. 3. Make Helping Manageable and Meaningful to the Donor. Structure giving levels so small amounts can have an impact.
Kristof and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, appeared on Oprah to publicize their new book, Half the Sky, about educating and empowering women. Oprah set up a special area on her web site so viewers could "buy" something tangible: $7 for textbooks for a schoolgirl or $29 for a girl's school uniform. She raised $3.5 million in a week. To read the full article, visit http://outside.away.com/outside/culture/200912/nicholas-kristof-philanthropy-advice-3.html What do you think motivates donors? Please add a comment below.
Posted in: NoneAdd Comment: 0 | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, FacebookUsing Social Media StrategicallySeptember 24th, 2009 5:36pm
Social media provides powerful new tools for engaging with your target audiences and building your brand. One-fourth of "search engine results are content generated by users," Internet Buzz examiner Joshua McIntyre told those attending a West Glen Communications seminar in September. "Be sure your brand has a place in the marketplace." But it can take lots of staff time to maintain blogs and updates, so it is important to develop a strategic approach to social media. These tips can save time and help avoid mistakes. 1. Target your audiences and engage where they are gathered. Use google alerts and technorati.com to search for your organization's name to find where your target audiences hang out. Technorati.com is also a good place to find influential bloggers for your industry. 2. Listen first because social media is all about building relationships. Read a blogger before sending a pitch. As with traditional media, it's important to target a story pitch to the blogger's specialty. The message should reference a blog post so the writer knows you've read his or her blog.3. When you engage, set parameters that your organization can fulfill. Frontier Airlines, for example, didn't have the staff to respond to all Tweets from passengers with questions. Instead spokesman Steve Snyder told a BusinessWire panel that they took a segmented approach to Twitter to engage with specific audiences by setting up two Twitter accounts -- one for fare sales and another for storm information that can disrupt flights. Persons who Tweet about specific situations are redirected to toll-free numbers and other resources. 4. Seek ways to stimulate two-way communications. Frontier ran a contest on Facebook for the best stories about flights that brought people together. Fans of the airlines posted their stories on the site, and other fans voted for their favorite stories. The top vote-getting stories won free round-trip tickets, creating buzz and engaging many fans. 5. Reach out to key supporters. A Facebook page is an ideal way for professional organizations to connect with members and for non-profits to engage with donors and volunteers. 6. Share information. Social media is not just about promoting a company, its products or an organization. The way to build credibility and thought leadership is through sharing information. Sharing useful links is a particularly good way to build followers on Twitter. 7. Match the content to the medium. Twitter is a tool to provide thought leadership and let your followers know timely updates on a daily or weekly basis. Facebook can be a portal to share information also sent to traditional news media where your "fans" are more likely to see it. Bloggers can be evangelists for your brand if you engage carefully in a way that shows you've done your homework. 8. Learn more and jump in. There are tutorials on social media on www.mashable.com. You can set up a personal Twitter account and see how the community operates. Set up a personal page on Facebook before making one for your organization. Posted in: NoneAdd Comment: 0 | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, FacebookWhen an Employee Makes Your Patients SickJuly 27th, 2009 5:47pm
Managing a Crisis in Healthcare
The hepatitis C contamination from a former employee at Rose Medical Center represents a serious threat to the reputation of a 60-year-old medical institution in Denver that is nationally known for its quality of care. Reputations take many years to build but can be threatened by a crisis of this magnitude. Posted in: NoneAdd Comment: 0 | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook |
