I am sitting here with perma-grin on my face after creating a presentation for the GVSU Public Relations Student Society of America. The group asked me to speak on the Nitty Gritty of PR, in other words, what you don’t learn about in the classroom. You know, the long hours, coordination, logistics, wrangling, headaches, stress, etc.

But…you know what…I really fucking love my job. I decided instead of words, words and more words, I would show my experience in pictures. I have spent the last 2 hours looking through and inserting photos into the Prezi and it dawned on me…I have had one hell of a career so far.

Sure there are long hours, annoying people, unexpected surprises and more but holy shit the stuff I have gotten to be a part of…wow. Here are my major takeaways from my 15+ year career:

1. People, so many people. I have met some of my best friends that started out as acquaintances, reporters or clients. I met Susan Ford Bales when I worked on a project for the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum – she was as awesome and intelligent as you would expect. My partner in crime, Adrienne Wallace, became the #2 of 8THIRTYFOUR and we experienced Lights in the Night Grand Rapids, Bissell Pet Foundation Howlween Hoof & Woof, Unity Bridge of Holland, multiple events, press conferences, speaking engagements and more.
2. Experiences. I was able to travel to New York City with a client after setting up meetings with Seventeen Magazine, SELF magazine and more. Sure it was in the dead of summer and easily 100 degrees in the City but it was like I was in an episode of Sex in the City…but not as well-dressed.
3. Clients. 8THIRTYFOUR has represented companies that have appeared on Shark Tank, are global, were launching a kitty litter product, were opening an ER and more. We once took on a client that wanted to launch thousands of lanterns into the sky over Grand Rapids – what a bunch of nut jobs.

This easily makes up for the sleepless nights, zero work/life balance and crushing stress. I would do all of it again in a heartbeat.

Take some time in the next week and just reflect on all you have done and accomplished. It is pretty damn impressive, be proud.

Dear Sarah Sanders:

It’s time. No one is debating your talent, well some are, but we are all beginning to question your sanity. I mean, how much abuse can someone subject themselves to? Do you believe the stuff you are saying anymore?

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) code of ethics clearly states, “We adhere to the highest standards of accuracy and truth in advancing the interests of those we represent and in communicating with the public.” As a PR professional with a stellar career, up til a few months ago when you took on your newest role, I am sure you are very familiar with code of ethics and have taken the pledge personally.

As a reminder of what is expected of a PR professional, whether you are a member of PRSA or not.

A member shall:

• Preserve the integrity of the process of communication.
• Be honest and accurate in all communications.
• Act promptly to correct erroneous communications for which the practitioner is responsible.
• Preserve the free flow of unprejudiced information when giving or receiving gifts by ensuring that gifts are nominal, legal, and infrequent.

You have broken every single one of these guidelines – well maybe not gifts, pretty sure no one has you on their gift list. Besides the obvious screw ups,  journalists are the reason we exist and your treatment of them is horrific, I mean truly awful. Your job is about managing reputation – you have got to laugh out loud at that one. A career in PR involves gaining understanding and support for your clients or the President, as well as trying to influence opinion and behavior. You’ll use all forms of media and communication to build, maintain and manage the reputation of your clients. It does not involve defending lies, fake news accusations and misleading the public. Just stop.

My wish for you, is that you will do what is best for your career before it is too late. Resign, apologize and do better. You are an embarrassment to our field and are giving all of us PR practitioners a bad name.

I have a rule that has served me well in my 15+ year career, only work for those you respect, like and see your value. If you take this to heart, you will set yourself up for success. You will only sink your career continuing to represent this lunatic and defending the irreversible harm he is doing to our country.

Above all else, respect yourself, because no one else will unless you do.

Sincerely,

Kim Bode
Fellow PR practitioner and concerned citizen

Me Too. A powerful two word phrase that has been spreading like wildfire on social media started up on Sunday night. With the Harvey Weinstein sexual assault allegations dominating headlines, actress Alyssa Milano took to social media asking women to post “Me Too” if they had ever been a victim of sexual assault and/or harassment. She tweeted a note that read “Suggested by a friend: If all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote “Me too” as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem.”

That was all it took, for women across the nation and world to come forward and post “Me Too” to illustrate the sheer magnitude and reach of sexual assault and harassment. The goal of this movement, in my humble opinion, is to show how far-reaching and common this type of behavior is and to bring attention to it.

Utilizing social media for advocacy is nothing new and has been used by nonprofits, politicians and other groups for years.  Since 45 took office this past year, we have been experiencing an incredibly polarizing political environment. From women’s rights to Black Lives Matter to LGBTQ rights; social media is being used to advance political agendas and influence public policy.

Take the current president, 45 has used Twitter as a tool since the beginning of his campaign to incite action and spread his ‘truths.’ Social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are used predominantly for advocacy. A Huffington Post article notes that Facebook and Twitter break fifty percent for advocacy use. Twitter ranks first with slightly over three-fourths using that platform. Advocacy organizations may be using Twitter to attract media as those in television, radio, and print look to Twitter for breaking news and interesting story ideas.

This article previously appeared in the Grand Rapids Business Journal on September 29, 2017.

Peanut butter. Jam. Bread.

Besides a craving for a sandwich, do you think of certain brands when you think of these products? Does Jif or Smuckers pop into your head? Companies invest millions into advertising, so their brand is top of mind at the time of a buying decision. They want you to be loyal to their brand, regardless of the cost of their product.

According to Forbes, brand loyalty is the tendency for customers to favor one brand, consistently, above its competitors for goods and services, even when new purchasing opportunities appear. Companies depend on brand loyalty or awareness to influence a consumer’s buying decision.

Enter the millennial generation. Brands = corporations = distrust. Simply put, millennials don’t give a hoot about your brand.

If you are hoping to resonate with the generation born after 1980, then you need to up your game before your competition does. It’s not impossible to build loyalty among this large population that has dollars to spend, but it does take a very strategic approach that may be different than tactics that have worked for you and your brand in the past.

Integrate the ideas below and watch your engagement soar:

User-generated content

Millennials want to hear from people their own age, authentically. They don’t care what the older generation thinks or recommends — they care what their peers say, do, wear and think. They can also tell when something is contrived to gain their attention. Find the right people who really love your products and work with them to share content that is honest and engaging.

3 stars or 4 stars, it matters

Millennials are avid readers of reviews and opinions. They want it real and unedited — and they want it online. Companies need to invest heavily in digital and market with the customer, not to them. What is your plan for addressing a negative review? Are you making it really easy for customers who love your products to share that with others? Strategy here makes all the difference. Entire brands have died, because people shared negative experiences.

Get creative

This is the selfie generation. They love to be seen and heard. Meet them where they are — social media (Snapchat, Instagram and more), mobile, online. You get the picture. Leverage the creativity of your team to create new and innovative ways to share your products and create real conversations.

To quote a recent Inc. article: “Millennials may not trust corporations, but they do trust each other. And they love to share.”

My favoritist (I know it isn’t a word), time of the year is Christmas. I love everything about the holiday season – the gift wrapping, decorations, parties, food, gift-giving and more. While everyone around me is super irritated that retailers are rolling out the holiday marketing, I could not be more excited.

As a small business, the holidays are a great time for us to get creative with our marketing. Here are my recommendations for making the most out of the holiday season. Also, it is already October so you need to get cracking on the planning.

1. Blogging. Publish a gift guide that is specific to your industry. Even if we aren’t in the consumer goods industry, 8THIRTYFOUR still loves to give recommendations on what is the hottest in professional gifts. Last year we focused on Grand Rapids’ businesses. 
2. Greeting cards. It isn’t cliche’, so don’t say that. Work with a designer to capture your company brand in a holiday greeting. If you really want to stand out from the heaps of cards businesses receive, then consider a Thanksgiving or New Year’s mailer.
3. Give back. Pick a local charity, cause or create your own. Engage your clients and give them the opportunity to partner with you. For example you could do a gift drive or sponsor multiple families in need. Coordinate all the logistics and make it easy for your clients to participate if they choose to.
4. Gifts. As a small business we invest in client holiday gifts every year. Pick a theme like “Made in Michigan” or “Made in Grand Rapids” or “Holiday Cocktails.” If you don’t have time to coordinate, then work with a local company like, Russo’s International Market to create a custom gift basket.
5. Party! Host a get together for clients, partners and employees. Pick a date and time that is going to be convenient during the busy holiday season. Maybe instead of afternoon or evening, you host a breakfast with all of the fixings.

These are some pretty easy ways to engage in the holidays, if you feel like getting even more creative then give us a call. We like to think big, like real big.

Recently Anheuser-Busch released a statement on the NFL ‘kneeling’ controversy and in 110 or so words said absolutely nothing.

At Anheuser-Busch we have a long heritage of supporting the institutions and values that have made America so strong. That includes our armed forces and the national anthem as well as diversity, equality and freedom of speech.

We proudly employ over 1,100 military veterans and we work every day to create an inclusive environment for all of our employees. Because only together can we achieve our dream of bringing people together for a better world.

We have many long-term sports partnerships, including our NFL sponsorship, and while we may not agree on everything, we still believe in the power of sport to bring people together and overcome their differences.

Other well-known companies such as Bose, Papa Johns, Ford and Nike also released generic statements. Check them out in this Business Insider article.

While I don’t fault these companies for towing the line and making the choice to not alienate sections of their customer base, I do think it is time for them to actually say or do something.

Whether you make a choice based off your company’s core values or you reach out to your customers to decide how you should react; just do something.

Anheuser-Busch reached out to customers for their feedback by setting up a toll-free number that allowed the public to call in and voice their opinions. These calls will undoubtedly be the decision maker on whether they pull their sponsorship of the NFL or not.

A brand needs to make the decision that is best in line with their culture, because if you don’t stay true to that then everything suffers. Let’s face it, you will never make everyone happy and the surest way to fail is to try and do just that.

What do you think?

Phew…this weather…am I right?

I am beginning to think sweating is my new way of life.

The weather certainly seems to be symbolic of where we are as a country right now – chaotic, confused and heated.

Business & Brand Activism

8THIRTYFOUR is a progressive agency, that is something we have never shied away from, and we find it important to take a stance on issues we believe in. Hell yes, Colin Kaepernick and all of the other NFL players should be kneeling. We will take this stance any day.

This isn’t always common practice for businesses, as it can, in some instances affect your revenue stream.

However, the impact on revenue can be a positive one, if done appropriately.

NFL, Racial Injustice, Bathroom Laws, and More – When to Take a Stand?

When is it appropriate for a business to take a stand? A Fast Company article on brand activism made the following points:

• When brands take action on issues their customers care about, it fosters an emotional connection.
• Brands understand the value of following their employees’ lead on issues, both because it helps with retention and recruitment directly and because being known for running a respectful, thoughtful workplace.
• Taking a stand is polarizing, and could turn off or even drive away potential customers who don’t agree with you.
• It’s important for companies engaging in brand activism to be seen as leaders in their industry, not followers.

As a business, this is an important conversation to have internally. We are experiencing an incredibly divisive time in our country and this is leading to more businesses such as Apple, Starbucks and Target issuing public statements on the “bathroom law”, LGBTQ rights, marriage equality, racial injustice (NFL dialogue) and more.

I’m not sure businesses can afford to stay quiet. What do you think?

You’ve heard the saying “evolve or die”, well it couldn’t be more true. If you are a business you can’t continue to do things the same way year after year because you’ve always done it that way. No one cares what you want or what makes you comfortable, if you don’t put your customers front and center you won’t have a business to run.

Take Toys R’ Us for example, the company just declared bankruptcy which has taken a lot of us (ok, me) by surprise. I don’t have kids, so I haven’t kept up with the retailer as I have no need to buy toys…besides checking out the latest in Star Wars action figures. So…the news came as a surprise to me until I started reading the reasons behind it.

1. The company was resistant to e-commerce. To this I say, know your audience. If I was a mom, there is no way in hell I am bringing my kid into a toy store when I can easily order it online and avoid the inevitable temper tantrum.
2. All of your competitors are in the digital space, refusing to compete is just idiotic. If you want to compete with Amazon, Target, Walmart, etc. then you have to be in the space they are in.
3. Brick and mortar is becoming extinct, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a place for it but it can’t be the only facet of your business.
4. If your audience is moms or young familes then you need to consider their lifestyle, buying patterns – you know do the market research.
5. A quick look at the company’s social media revealed that there are a lot of rogue Facebook pages out there. It would appear there is no company wide policy for individual stores. On top of that, several posts all publish at once, there is no strategy around it. On September 15th, 3 posts went live at 9:00 a.m. – how the hell does that make sense?

The company had so much opportunity to get it right. I mean you are a TOY STORE, what could be more fun to market? I’m talking video, charity outreach, Facebook live, Instagram, Pinterest, influencer outreach, celebrity endorsements…the jingle “I don’t wanna grow up, I’m a Toys R’ Us kid…” still plays in my head.

Toys R’ Us needs to grow up and fast. I hope they can turn this around.

The definition of core values according to dictionary.com is the below:

Core values are the fundamental beliefs of a person or organization. … Core values also help companies to determine if they are on the right path and fulfilling their goals by creating an unwavering guide.

Just this week we rolled out 8THIRTYFOUR core values. As we move into our 10th year, it is important that our small team is on the same page on what the agency embodies and what our approach is.

I’ve never been one that thought defining a vision or core values was important, honestly it sounded pretty cliche’ to me.

Here is why I was wrong:

1. If your staff doesn’t know what you stand for, then how are they supposed to embody it? For example, one of our core values is “We are not assholes.” That means we go above and beyond for our clients, are respectful of each other, approach each day with a positive attitude and go out of our way to make others feel welcome.
2. Our tagline is “It’s About You.” We do a great job communicating this to our clients as an outward facing message, however the message you communicate internally is just as important.
3. Core values build camaraderie. We asked each staff member to display 8THIRTYFOUR’s core values at their desk. It serves as a reminder of what is expected and what their job performance will be measured on. If an employee doesn’t live and display those core values then you know there is an affect to the overall culture.

Core values have given 8THIRTYFOUR a measurement for all future employees and clients. Once you have your core values defined then you can build the rest of your plan for a year, 5 years and 10 years.

Is it too easy to land a job? And I am not talking about those companies that do 6 hour interviews – that is ridiculous and I am not sure how it is legal.

When you first meet someone they say first impressions are everything, however I really think the second, third, fourth and so on are more important. When interviewing someone, they most often can present themselves well for an hour and usually another hour at the second interview. What really matters is how the person will perform once hired. I’m not telling you what you don’t already know.

An interesting idea was presented to me the other day about job “tryouts.” What does this mean? Well, as explained to me, the individual is given 3 months to perform the job duties as outlined, with very specific and clear measurables that need to be completed or achieved each week. At the end of 3 months they are evaluated on all of those metrics.

As part of this, you have the option to start the person at 30 hours a week versus full time and then they would work their way into full time. Instead of celebrating a person for being hired, you celebrate the individual for earning their place at the company and showing their true value.

Some of the benefits of this approach:

• If an employee truly earns their place at the company, they feel invested.
• Expectations are very clear and milestones give the employee something to work towards and achieve.
• There is no sense of entitlement. They are not entitled to the job, unless they earn it.
• Turnover is reduced.
• The employer truly gets to know the employee before they are offered a full time spot at their company. Many times an individual looks great on paper and in reality they are not a fit for your culture.

I’m not saying this is the right approach, I just find this concept very interesting.

What do you think?