Choosing the Right PR Spokespeople

When a crisis hits, the last thing you should be doing is arguing behind the scenes about who is the best fit to speak with the public. Choosing the right spokesperson for your crisis is not just an option, it is absolutely necessary. Your spokesperson is a representation of your company, sometimes taking attacks and criticism, and you need someone who can handle it with grace. The phrase, “No comment,” or issuing a blanket statement can hurt more than it can help, so it’s important to have someone available who can speak on your behalf.

What does a great spokesperson look like?

First, your spokesperson would typically not be the CEO or owner of the business, but that’s not always the case. We recommend identifying a handful of people who can speak to different types of topics. For example: If the crisis involves a marketing campaign, your Vice President of Marketing is a good spokesperson option alongside the CEO. If the crisis involves your CEO or owner, it’s best to keep them on the back burner for the time being and involve legal counsel or the COO as your spokesperson instead.

You will want to choose someone (or a group of people) who has great communication skills, confidence and a positive personality. Someone who can connect with people easily and who is sincere and transparent during interviews and who has also experienced extensive media training.

You will also want to choose someone who has expertise in the crisis matter. If it is a technological issue, say a computer virus, you’d want someone who has technology experience to be able to explain the issue and the steps moving forward.

You’ll want your spokesperson to look professional, organized and put together. Remember, they’re representing your brand. You’ll want them to look trustworthy and approachable (there are actually studies done on what physical characteristics people have that cause others to consider them trustworthy.)

This is a good place to reiterate that media training is a must. You can have someone who has all of the above characteristics but freezes in front of the camera or mumbles when the spotlight is on them. They can be well spoken but might not know how to field questions, or how to anticipate what reporters will ask. It’s always helpful to do a run-through or hold mock interviews to prepare a crisis spokesperson for the media.

Do you have other tips on choosing a crisis spokesperson? Share them with us!

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Indiegogo and Kickstarter: Comparing the Two

By Brandi Calhoun

A few weeks ago, we talked about crowdfunding and how it can help a business or product. It’s great to get things started or to make advancements, like a bigger space or improved/updated tools.

There are several successful platforms, like Crowdrise and Fundable, but the most recognizable sites are typically Indiegogo, Kickstarter and GoFundMe. Go Fund Me is not as business focused, so we’ll stick with the former two.

Indiegogo

Indiegogo is a crowd-funding platform geared toward business and entrepreneurial ideas. They offer funding choices, analytics so you can reach your target audience and a comprehensive app for iOS and Android to help you keep up with your campaign. They also offer equity crowd funding, which lets anyone invest in innovative startups and growing companies. Indiegogo is another way to break beyond the traditional methods of funding without a middleman dictating the product and terms.

Who uses Indigogo?

Indiegogo hosts funding opportunities for games, movies, gadgets, breweries, books, inventions, clothes, causes and more.

Here are the facts: 

 

  • Nearly 250,000 people have raised money 
  • Equity is available through Indiegogo 
  • Free to create a campaign 
  • Paypal and credit card support 
  • International deposits 
  • USD, EUR, CAD, GBP, AUD 
  • Payments or fees 
    • 5 percent platform fee 
    • PayPal and Stripe (credit card processor) charge a processing fee based on several factors, including the funding type and currency you choose, and the country in which your bank is located.

Kickstarter

Kickstarter is a crowd-funding platform that helps artists, musicians, filmmakers, designers, and other creators find the funding they need to get started or expand. With Kickstarter, every creator has complete creative control over their work. To date, tens of thousands of creative projects — big and small — have been created with the support of the Kickstarter community. Kickstarter aims to give each individual a chance to fund their ideas, starting directly with the people who are closest to it (friends, fans, community-fellows.) And it’s a way to break beyond the traditional methods — loans, investment, industry deals, grants — to discover that we can offer each other value through creation without a middleman dictating the product and terms.

Here are the facts: 

 

  • Payments or fees 
    • Kickstarter collects a 5 percent fee from a project’s funding total if a project is successfully funded. There are no fees if a project is not successfully funded.
    • Pledges on Kickstarter are collected and processed by our payments partner, Stripe. These payment-processing fees work out to roughly 3-5 percent. 
  • You keep 100 percent ownership and control over your work.
  • 12.5 million people have backed a project on Kickstarter.
  • $2.91 billion has been pledged to projects on Kickstarter.
  • Kickstarter is specifically for creative projects in the worlds of Art, Comics, Crafts, Dance, Design, Fashion, Film & Video, Food, Games, Journalism, Music, Photography, Publishing, Technology and Theater. Things like making an album, a book or a work of art.
  • Investment is not permitted on Kickstarter. Projects can’t offer incentives like equity, revenue sharing, or investment opportunities.
  • If a project on Kickstarter does not reach its funding goal, no backers are charged and no money changes hands.
  • Projects must create something to share with others. 

Things to keep in mind:

  • Who is your target audience?
  • What resources and time do you currently have to run this campaign?
  • Who can you invite to be part of your campaign team?
  • Fundraising aside, what objective are you hoping to achieve?
  • What would success look like a year after the campaign ends?

Which is better? 

Several of our clients, including The Biem and The Spyder 360, have had success using Kickstarter. It’s really hard to say which is better. It’s like comparing apples to oranges. Both offer great opportunities; it really depends on what your business plan or product is. If you’re trying to make a movie or build an art studio for your images, Kickstarter is the way to go. If you want to get funding to open a restaurant or create a new and improved coffee press, Indiegogo has you covered! 

 

 

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Rowdy Women Who Have Changed the Future

By Brandi Calhoun

Great women have been leaving their mark on the world since time began, whether recognized or not. There are several famous women who probably come to mind, like Princess Diana, Rosa Parks, Joan of Arc and Michelle Obama, but there are so many others whose names tend to get lost among the rest.

Meet Millicent Fawcett

Fawcett was one of the leaders of the suffrage movement and was married to politician Henry Fawcett. She enabled him to carry on his work after he was blinded in an accident. She is said to have led the biggest suffrage organization, the non-violent National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies, from 1890-1919. She played a key role in gaining women the right to vote and she also helped found Newnham College, Cambridge. She engaged in other political activities, like supporting worker rights and overcoming laws that were based on a dual morality for men and women.

Meet Benazir Bhutto

Bhutto was the first democratically elected female leader of a Muslim country. She was the daughter of Pakistan Peoples Party founder and Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. She was elected prime minister barely three months after giving birth to her first child. While in office, she brought electricity to the countryside and built schools all over the country. She made hunger, housing and healthcare her top priorities, and looked forward to continuing to modernize Pakistan.

Meet Aung San Suu Kyi

Suu Kyi fought for human rights and democracy and is the world’s only Nobel Peace Prize recipient currently imprisoned. The leader of the National League for Democracy in Burma, Suu Kyi has been imprisoned by the country’s military dictatorship off-and-on since July 1989. She advocates nonviolent resistance in the tradition of Mohandas Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She has refused to accept freedom in exchange for banishment from her country. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. To many in her country, Suu Kyi is a symbol of peaceful demonstration and civil disobedience in her country.

Meet Nancy Brinker

If you’ve participated in Race for a Cure or donated to the Susan G. Komen foundation, then you have Brinker to thank for that opportunity. The sister of a breast cancer victim, Brinker founded and organized the aforementioned and rallied more than 1,000,000 supporters from around the world. As a result of her work, breast cancer mortality rates have decreased significantly. She was appointed Chief of Protocol of the United States in 2007. In that role, she advises, assists and supports the administration on official matters of diplomatic procedure. A breast cancer survivor herself, she continues to serve on the board of the Foundation she established.

Meet Sojourner Truth

This is a name you have probably heard before. Truth fought for women’s rights and to abolish slavery. She escaped from slavery with her infant daughter and quickly learned of the illegal sale of her son into slavery. She successfully took his owner to court for his freedom. This was one of the first cases of its kind. Truth regularly delivered speeches and protested for human rights. Her main concerns included prison reform, universal suffrage, women’s rights, criticizing capital punishment and property rights. Her most famous speech at the Ohio Women’s Rights Convention, “Ain’t I A Woman,” is still frequently referenced today. She also recruited African-American troops for the Union Army during the Civil War.

The list doesn’t stop here! There have been countless women who have made an impact on the world, and there will certainly be more to come.

Do you have a favorite rowdy woman in history? If so, add to our list in the comments below!

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What is Crowdfunding and How Can It Help?

By Brandi Calhoun

Doing your own thing can be a costly venture, whether it’s creating your own product or starting your own company. Not everyone has investors that can financially back every idea they have (and not every idea is a winner worth investing in, unfortunately.) Not everyone is comfortable taking out a giant business loan and starting off in tremendous debt.

That’s where crowd-funding platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo come in. Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising several small amounts of money from a large number of people, typically on the Internet. It has revolutionized the way startups fund their projects.

Crowdfunding can help entrepreneurs start their own business or build their own product without the looming worry of debt and bankruptcy. It can also help an entrepreneur gauge how great their idea really is by how much support they are receiving, even before putting out the product.

San Francisco entrepreneur-advisor matchmaking service Clarity teamed up with Column Five Media to build the infographic below that summarizes what crowdfunding is, how quickly the industry has grown and some quick facts about the next generation.

Two Snackbox clients, the biem Butter Sprayer and The Spyder 360, both ran wildly successful Kickstarter campaigns, which have allowed them to produce and eventually distribute their product.

In our next blog, we’ll tell you about the aforementioned platforms and compare the two, complete with pros and cons as well as how-tos.

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Event planning: Best PR Practices

By: Jamie Hooker

Events and PR go hand in hand. No matter how big the event is, it’s never a bad idea to get some help on the public relations front. As an Austin-based PR firm, we think these tips are key for a successful event campaign here or anywhere for that matter:

Social media

If the organization putting on the event already has social channels, they’re a great way to get the word out about the event and excite people, as the event gets closer. For example, you can get people talking about the event through social media contests (perhaps you can give away free tickets or swag, because who doesn’t love free stuff?) If you’re creating a new social account exclusively for your event, it’s a good idea to stay active on the accounts if the event will be annual.

Create an event hashtag

Keep the hashtag short to save on characters, but make sure people can still decipher it. Having guests and sponsors use your hashtag is an easy way for people to search and find info prior to the event, as well as sharing about the event during and after it happens. If there are speakers or special guests attending your event, make sure to share their handles with guests as well.

Begin outreach early

Generally, you want to start pitching your event months in advance, starting with a “Save the Date” pitch to get it on the media’s radar. Target bloggers and influencers with large followings and offer the more notable ones free entry; they’ll mention they’re going to the event and also write a blog post about it afterwards… double PR!

Have images on hand 

Most likely reporters will ask for images to accompany your press release. Whether it’s images from the same event in the past or graphics created for a new event, it’s a good idea to have those on hand to share with the media. Sharing new graphics on the social channels will give people an idea of what’s to come, too.

Be prepared

At the event, keep business cards on hand to pass out to attending reporters, but also keep a notebook (or digital note taking capabilities) on hand. You’ll want to keep track of attending reporters and any follow up they’ve requested.

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Three Simple Ways You Can Empower Women Today

By Yahaira Hernandez

Giving advice, speaking at colleges and mentoring employees are just some of the many ways you can empower young women. It’s wonderful to think one piece of advice can make a lasting impression. You can make that impact today and here’s how:

1.     Advise and Absorb

Make sure your mentee(s) not only listen to your advice, but also absorb the knowledge you’re sharing. Encourage them to bring notepads or laptops to record information you know will benefit them now and for the rest of their careers. I’ve personally learned many things (good and bad) that I now like to share with Snackbox interns so they know what to do and what not to do.

2.     Volunteer

There’s nothing more rewarding than giving back to your community. Volunteer at a local business workshop, speak at a networking event or visit a high school or university to teach a lesson on your craft. By taking time out of your busy schedule to help educate and empower women, you’re not only bringing awareness to your brand and expertise, but also giving powerful messages aspiring professionals may remember forever.

3.     Inspire Optimism

Encourage young women to not think about what could go wrong but instead, focus on what could go right. We all make mistakes every now and then but having a positive energy and thought process during hard times will only motivate us to power through and meet our goals. Hearing about challenges and successes make stories sound relatable and goals seem attainable.

Empowering young women comes in many different forms, taking five minutes or five hours to advise and motivate others is all it takes to make a big difference in someone’s life. Start today and talk to young women, chances are they are eager to learn and practice all sorts of ways that will make their lives easier and their dreams a reality.

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Vocalize Your Empowerment

By Jamie Hooker

Imagine you’re at a happy hour with your friends. You’re all talking about your lives, your jobs, what you had for lunch earlier, that big win you had a work this week, etc. Starting those conversations, sharing even the smallest successes and congratulating others for theirs are the easiest ways to vocalize empowerment. Showing support for your friends and the women around you can go a long way!

It seems that now, more than ever, it’s important to talk about empowerment with your friends. Have conversations about how to help others, speak up if you notice someone you know needing a pep talk, and share that great blog post about #GirlPower you read the other day. Keeping empowerment top of mind is key to growth.

How many times have you heard someone say, “It’s all about who you know?” Probably a lot. Networking and meeting other smart, powerful women can be helpful to you and them. There are tons of meet-ups and organizations that host networking happy hours and events, a popular one in Austin, Texas being BossBabes ATX (check ‘em out!). So, you end up meeting a bunch of awesome women, now what? Suggest organizations for them to join or volunteer with. Keep each other posted on career changes and job opportunities. Provide tips on interviews and resume building. The possibilities are endless!

We touched on this a bit in our Empower By Investing post, but being an advocate for small businesses is another way to vocalize your empowerment. Tell people about the cute little restaurant you tried for dinner last weekend, or give the small “Mom and Pop” shop a good review on Yelp. You can also be an advocate for women, which is easy! Speak up for women’s rights or write a letter of recommendation for the young woman intern at the office.

Vocalizing your empowerment may be the easiest way to support women around you. You should do it every single day if you can. There’s always advice to give and take, and there’s always someone to help. We also just gave you a ton of ideas so go forth and use them!

 

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Empowering and Educating Young Women

By Yahaira Hernandez

Educating students, mentoring interns and speaking at colleges are a few of the many ways to connect with aspiring professionals. Young women can especially benefit from experts like yourself. Being a mentor to young women is important, but look at the bigger picture: you’re also paving the way for the next generation entering the business world.

Whether you have an hour or an entire day, there are many different methods of mentoring young women. See the list below for ways you can help make a powerful impact in someone’s life.

Internships

Welcoming interns into your workplace is a great way to give students and young professionals hands-on experience in the real world. College classes can certainly prepare students, but an internship or apprenticeship provides an exceptional way to learn and develop professional skills like participating in business meetings, building reports and working through to-do lists.

Public Speaking

Speaking at high schools, colleges and young women’s groups can be a very rewarding experience. Having a professional like yourself talk to young women or lecture a large body of students gives them a great perspective on what they can look forward to in the future. Discussing your challenges, successes and goals can make their dreams look even more realistic and attainable.

Expert Advice

Giving young women small tips and tricks you’ve learned throughout your career can be hugely helpful. In fact, at Snackbox I’ve learned many important lessons to apply in and outside the office. Such as:

  • Don’t limit your resume to one page if you have a wide range of experience, expertise and interests.
  • Writing a handwritten, personalized note will get you miles ahead of the pack when interviewing or networking.
  • Social media is a great way to network with other professionals.
  • If you’re at a professional event, replace alcohol with Ginger Ale or Cranberry Juice so you’re not left empty-handed and still appear to be participating.

As you can tell, it doesn’t matter how small or large the lesson is, young women everywhere are eager to learn. And, it’s even more satisfying to see these same students or mentees apply their strengths and skills on a regular basis and pass on their knowledge to others. Happy teaching!

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Empower By Investing

By Jamie Hooker

Things to invest in: college, stocks, bonds, hedge funds… Let’s be honest, those are very boring. We’re here to tell you there are more exciting things you can (and should) invest in! 

Small businesses especially need investment, whether it’s money, time or even just thought. Investing in a small business owner by inviting them to bid on projects and giving them a chance to pitch themselves against larger players can empower and encourage them. Woman-owned businesses especially need investment. Traditionally, women are not given as many chances as men when it comes to pitching themselves, even if they’re far more qualified for the job.  Inviting small and woman-owned businesses to the “adult table” can empower them to take chances that will pay off.

An obvious way to invest and empower small businesses is to favor them when you’re shopping, whether it’s for gifts, groceries, clothes, etc. The sad truth is money makes the world go ‘round, so when you’re choosing where to take your hard earned dollars, consider small business, too.

Pop quiz! How much do you know about the businesses you buy from? Do you know their story? How they got started? Investing time in learning about the background of a small business can empower them in a couple of ways. Letting small business owners know you took the time to learn about their most prized possession can go a long way. Also, by knowing about the business, you can share that knowledge with others around you to encourage them to check it out. Word-of-mouth across customers is one of the best ways for small businesses to gain exposure.

There are more things to invest besides money, although that’s a good place to start. On your next “Sunday-Funday,” take the time to explore a new business. If your own business is in the market for a new service, consider the smaller guys before spending on a larger company.

One more thing: small businesses unite!

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Empowering Young Women through Mentoring

By Yahaira Hernandez

Graduating from college and entering the real world as an aspiring female professional is intimidating and it’s even more challenging when young women don’t have guidance along the way. That’s why mentors are so important in the business world. Becoming a mentor allows you to empower others and encourage them to become the accomplished professionals they’re aspiring to be.

Below are three ways you can help mentor and pave the way for young women to succeed and meet their career goals (#EmpoweringWomen).

1. Real World Experience

Apprenticeships and internships allow a mentee to fully immerse themselves in a program for a fixed period of time. These temporary positions allow you to learn along the way and develop valuable skills from real world experience. Snackbox, for example, offers apprenticeships under the supervision of its accomplished founder (or as we like to call her, “Snackboss”), Jenna Oltersdorf.

2. Social Media

Another way to mentor young women is by turning to social media. In fact, did you know women dominate several social media networks? According to Business Insider, women in the U.S. are more likely to use Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram. By sharing your extensive knowledge in a blog or Facebook post, you can inspire females around the globe.

3. Public Speaking

Get involved in your community and lead discussions to help young women. Speaking at colleges and hosting workshops are great ways to give career advice to larger crowds. There’s nothing more inspiring than seeing a powerful woman on stage eager to share her knowledge and change lives.

It’s never too late to help young women succeed and make a positive difference in their lives. Whether it’s through an internship, a blog or a speaking event, your words of wisdom will be greatly appreciated.

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