According to Kami Huyse at Communication Overtones, starting and maintaining a company’s involvement with social media can be done in three easy steps. I have to say, though I am not a huge fan of social media, I understand its importance and can appreciate the information in this blog post. While the steps are very self-explanatory (listen, participate and contribute), Kami goes into detail on how any why these steps are important. Within the post are links to other helpful sites. The information Kami provides is quite helpful for anyone trying to make better use of social media.
October 10, 2008
Actions speak louder than words
With less than a month until election day, the presidential candidates are strapped for time. Assuming we have all caught CNN at one point or another over the last couple weeks, we have probably heard the insults and the “he said, she said” go back and forth between parties. In this post from The Firm Voice, an interview with CEO and President of Xenophon strategies, David A. Fuscus, reveals all of the valuable lessons PR practitioners can take away from watching the presidential race unfold. I especially liked Fuscus’s response to the question: How is this relevant to agencies and PR people not in politics?
Fuscus responded:
“Emphasizing action over messaging is important in communications overall—not just in politics. It depends on the situation, but messages have to be built around your actions and not the other way around. For example, you have to take definitive action in the consumer field if something happens that will result in a loss of confidence.”
I believe action is key in expressing confidence during times of crisis… whether on Wall Street or as a PR executive working on a client’s campaign. From watching the presidential race from a communication perspective, I agree with Fuscus that it is important to (1) act quickly and (2) find touch points for your public, meaning simple messages to touch people as individuals. Do you agree with Fuscus’s perspective on what we can learn from a presidential campaign? What lessons, from a communication standpoint as a PR student, have you taken away so far?
