Information is moving at the speed of light these days, and while email can be a quick and convenient business tool, it’s worth it to take the time and care to use them well. Your customers’ perceptions of your business are not only derived from your store front or offerings, but by all the different ways you put yourself out into the public. Good email etiquette is just as important as having a good product, service, or return policy. Below are a few common examples of business email best practices that can give you a PR advantage: Read the rest of this entry »
Fujita&Miura
Public Relations Blog
Email Best Practices to Boost Your PR
Timing is (Almost) Everything
One thing’s for sure, you realize how important timing is when it’s bad. Like when you have a nine-pound fully-cooked ham and you think it’ll only take 15 minutes to warm up until you realize the directions say 15 minutes per pound. Or when you buy a load of stock and the next day the price falls $10 per share and isn’t expected to recover for the next few years. Well, it’s the same thing in PR. Timing is critical. Read the rest of this entry »
Happy Anniversary
A few weeks ago, Fujita & Miura Public Relations celebrated its 10th anniversary. We can’t believe 10 years passed so quickly. We’d like to extend a big mahalo to all of our clients, `ohana, friends, and mentors who helped us survive and thrive through the years. We’d also like to consider the PR opportunities that anniversaries offer.
Public Relations: Holiday Style
The holidays are not only a time for food and festivities, but they also present excellent public relations (PR) opportunities for businesses. Now is the perfect time to focus on your business relationships with employees, customers, shareholders, vendors, legislators or other local businesses; thank those who’ve helped your company run smoothly throughout the year; and spread the holiday cheer.
The following are a few ways to put a little PR spice into your business’ holiday strategy: Read the rest of this entry »
How to Write a Press Release
How do reporters know about all the important things happening in the community? One of the most common ways news stories are generated is through press releases. A press, or news, release is a document that is issued to the media and highlights a newsworthy topic about an organization or individual, in hopes that the media will print or broadcast the story. While social media and other emerging methods of pitching stories to reporters are increasingly available, the traditional press release can go a long way for many businesses. Read the rest of this entry »
5 Daily To-Do’s on Your Social Media Accounts
One of the most common question that our clients ask us is how often do they need to check on and update their social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, etc.). We recommend doing a little each day. Read the rest of this entry »
How to Get What You Want: Ask
Do you know what the first rule is of getting what you want? Ask. Yes, that’s it. We have been intrigued over the years at how often nonprofits simply forget to ask for a donation. By the same token, prior to the recent election, many candidates whom we know, some very well, never asked directly for our vote. Whether it’s fundraising, political campaigning, or selling a product or service, you must connect with your potential donors, voters, or consumers and ask them to do what you want them to. The PR key is asking the right people in a gracious and effective way, at the right time. Read the rest of this entry »
Say “Thank you”
You know that saying, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all”? Well it’s not true. There’s a phrase that comes in handy for most any occasion or incident when something not-so-nice has been said: “Thank you.” Here are a few examples. Read the rest of this entry »
Keep Your Current Customers
We’ve all seen those promotions that companies use to try and attract new customers – gifts, cut rates, special offers, etc. Those kinds of efforts are great and there is a place for recruiting new business, for sure. But what about your current customers, those folks that have stuck with you through all the economic ups and downs, those donors who give a little each year? They are your most valuable assets, and they deserve stewarding and attention. Read the rest of this entry »
Did You Hear About…
The following scenario and script is part of our ongoing series about how to respond in difficult situations. One of these days, when you find yourself in an awkward situation, you just might be able to hearken back to one of these scripts and use the right words that will help smooth out the situation. After all, that’s the basis of public relations: having good relationships no matter what the scenario. So here goes.
Scenario: Jean is busy at work in her cubicle and her office mate, Dan, peeks around from his workspace and says, “Did you hear?” Taking the bait, Jean asks, “Hear what?” Dan rolls his eyes, “You know, Teri, in Customer Service, she’s messing around with Harry Beefe.”
Script for Jean: Jean furrows her eyebrows and says, “Gosh, I hope they don’t get married because then her name would be Teri Beefe. Jean and Dan laugh uproariously. And, Jean adds, “Seriously, I once knew a woman who got married and her new name was “Candy Korn.”
And, the conversation continues about funny names.
Jean could have been righteous and exclaimed that she doesn’t engage in rumor mongering at work, making Dan feel like a jerk for bringing up the rumor in the first place. Or, she could’ve been pensive and said nothing, leaving them both in a state of discomfort. But what she chose to do was respond with a bit of diplomatic humor, which diffused the gossip session. Then, she immediately bridged the conversation to funny names, which took the focus off Teri and Harry. Handling the conversation this way left her and Dan friends, and yet sent the message that she wasn’t going to run in the rumor mill.
If you have a difficult situation for which you’d like us to produce a script in our column, send it to us at info@fmpr.net. Of course we’ll tweak the wording so that you and your business remain anonymous.
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