The first quality of a great entrepreneur and PR firm owner is not your ability to bring in the green and service your clients, but your sense of curiosity and love of novelty… two foundational characteristics that lay the groundwork for a great PR practice. Afraid of technology, or to try something shiny and new? Read on for inspiration.

A recent post on Inc.com by one of my favorite Inc. writers and business authors on the subject, Jeff Haden, outlines “Nine qualities of remarkable entrepreneurs” got me thinking about our own independent PR practices. What skills do we already possess, and where are we lacking? Are we great at billing out, but lousy at giving back? Do we give too much of our time to charities, but not find time to seek out something new for ourselves? Do we try to hard to separate work from family without recognizing that the business is simply another family member? Fascinating to think about.

According to Haden, great business leaders make a huge impact on their employees, industries, and communities.  Do these qualities describe you as a PR firm owner – or a client or prospect you admire?  Here is my own spin on six of Haden’s nine qualities; click the link above to his article for the rest and see if any of these motivate you to change the way you view yourself as an entrepreneur.

1. Seek new experiences relentlessly.

Some people prefer jumping out of a plane or buying an African bush lodge, most of us prefer to novelty seeking in their own backyard. My mentor called it a calculated risk; my parents called it imagination. However you view and pursue novelty seeking, it is a recipe for health, happiness and personality growth: adventurousness and persistent curiosity with a pinch of altruism and cup of empathy and creativity.

2. Don’t think work/life balance; just think life.

Take a deep breath before you read this.  According to Haden, symbolic work-life boundaries are impossible to maintain because you are your business, your business is your life, and your life is your business. Separating them means changing who you are, and I have always believed that great independent PR firm owners find creative ways to build their client base with companies they truly love AND find ways to include family and friends in their convoluted lives, instead of ways to exclude work.

I once had the pleasure of hearing famed animator and artist Chuck Jones speak at Harvard and he passed along some simple and memorable advice: “Simply figure out what you love to do, then find someone who will pay you to do it.”  Love golf? Bring in a golf resort as a client, combining your hobbies and your work.

3. Be empathetic.

In my experience, I have watched highly successful PR pros who are incredibly creative, sensitive and empathetic. I’ve also seen the reverse may be true: strategists and tacticians without social graces or empathy… and a “revolving door” client list the size of their egos. Simply put: you can’t solve a problem if you can’t put yourself in someone else’s shoes long enough to see from a different perspective. 

4. Prove something to yourself, not others.

What keeps you up at night? What gives you the drive to continue running your own practice day after day, year after year? This is where it gets personal: great firm owners recognize that their own drive comes from within, rather than a drive to prove themselves to anyone – your parents, colleagues, or that guy bragging at the gym.

5. Forget about the traditional workweek.

It’s great to be productive, but I believe smart PR firm owners know that when the pressure is on, true leaders get cooking. Haden retells this famous Kennedy tale: “The author Richard North Patterson tells a great story about Robert Kennedy. Kennedy was seeking to indict Teamsters head Jimmy Hoffa (who some believe is chilling in Argentina with Elvis and Jim Morrison). One night Kennedy worked on the Hoffa case until about 2 a.m. One his way home he passed the Teamsters building and saw the lights were still on in Hoffa’s office, so he turned around and went back to work.”

According to Haden, “There will always be people who are smarter and more talented than you. Remarkable entrepreneurs want it more. They’re ruthless—especially with themselves. Remarkable entrepreneurs simply work harder. That’s the real secret of their success.

6. Success is fleeting, but dignity and respect last forever.

Providing your small firm’s employees/subcontractors, vendors and clients with higher pay, better benefits, and greater opportunities is important, but lead with your heart. No level of pay and benefits can overcome damage to self-esteem and self-worth.

What qualities did we leave out? What do you think is a recipe for success for PR firm owners?  Comment below or tweet me @dennehypr to continue the discussion.

“A lion’s work hours are only when he’s hungry; once he’s satisfied, the predator and prey live peacefully together.” 

– Chuck Jones

When I worked in corporate America, I had many sleepless nights waiting to see the first headlines of the day as my employer was often the subject of less-than-flattering news.  By the time I got to the office, senior executives were running around like their head was on fire – like that would be helpful.  Sadly, managing the crisis du jour often was determined by what the media said or didn’t say on the morning news, which became exhausting. After a few of these, I finally realized what a bad crisis management strategy that was and changed my ways.

Today’s crisis situations can change by the hour.  A politician is caught doing something stupid; a company unexpectedly files for bankruptcy;  a community leader is busted; a natural disaster strikes - the list of potential crises is endless.  Recent research shows that the traits of a good crisis manager just happen to coincide with the traits of a good leader, not a surprising thought and maybe a heads up for those making decisions about leadership positions.

In a 2011 Fortune article called What Makes an Ideal Crisis Manager?, Justin Menkes, author of Better Under Pressure, concludes that the people who are going to thrive in the future “are those who can use the pressure (of a crisis) to excel and who have translated very difficult circumstances into opportunity.”

According to the article, the three key characteristics of a good leader and crisis manager are:

* Realistic optimism. Exceptional leaders demonstrate an ability to understand the actual circumstances of a crisis and see a chance to excel.

*  Finding order in chaos. This combines calmness, clarity of thought and a drive to fix the situation. It requires practice to stay clear-eyed and fearless when the world is tipping. It also requires zeal to solve a puzzle by engaging your staff.

*  Subservience to purpose or corporate goals.  The commitment to the higher calling or the greater good can make a huge difference.  By encouraging a team to come together around some important goal, it cultivates tenacity and encourages collaboration.

Some execs will still run around with their head on fire as they can’t help themselves, which makes a crisis communications plan all the more important.  However, those managers who prove themselves to be exceptions to the rule by working well under pressure will survive – and thrive.

What other traits are there of a good crisis manager and leader?

I recently had the pleasure of participating in the annual PRConsultants Group Conference, along with 34 of my PRCG colleagues from around the nation. Our conference theme this year was Making Connections, and boy did we! During our conference, held at the historic Drake Hotel in San Francisco, we explored a variety of topics. I’ve noted below some of my favorite discussions that may be of interest to you.

PRCs Julie Dennehy and Toni Antonetti showcased Prezi, a more interactive way to present content. Prezi, which is available for FREE to some extent and fairly affordable for the rest, is a cloud-based presentation software worth investigating before you pull out the PowerPoint template – please! We also compared tools such as Tumblr, Instagram, Groupshot, PicFrame. And of course, no PRC gathering of late is complete without full disclosure of Pinterest addictions and how monetization may change this hot new trend. To manage the financial business of business, we discussed the ups and downs of tools such as www.freshbooks.com, www.squareup.com, www.yousendit.com  and www.getdropbox.com.

Effective project management in multiple markets is an area of strength for PRConsultants Group, thus PRCs Barb Harris, Sharon Kreher and Alex Greenwood led a lively best practices session on project management success that could apply to every field of work, not just PR or communications. Ever work on a project as a team leader or as a sub and have a big fat #Fail? Even in a 24/7 environment, they reminded us that specifics like scope, goals, budget, outline and clear lines of communication are key to project success for the client, the project manager and the other members of the team. Details, people!

Professor Michael Lenert, from the University of San Francisco, educated us on some of the risks we take when we engage in social media communications, including privacy, copyright, Safe Harbor, trade regulations and the absolute beauty of a good social media policy for every business. In other words, watch your mouth. Did you know that a retweet (RT) of someone else’s content also makes one liable for that same content?

I could go on and on – so many wonderful educational sessions led by other speakers.  These are just a few of MY favorite things. What have you added to YOUR toolkit recently?

As a publicist, I see virtually every commercial message through the PR/marketing lens.  Was that a good idea…a brilliant idea…an embarrassing idea (who came up with that one?)…The marketing wheels turn, and I realize it’s not safe to presume that every marketing professional thinks about strategy and how the customer will perceive a message.  With the ongoing influx of viral/social media, it seems almost anyone can be a producer, a director, a writer.  But to be a really brilliant producer…that takes skill and perspective.

One example from this past year really struck me as as “stand out marketing.”  I wrote about Toyota’s “Swagger Wagon” video campaign on my moms’ website – click here for that post and a link to the video – as a great example of putting the “cool” in minivan.  Guaranteed to make you laugh – check it out.

I’m shifting gears (excuse the pun) about this campaign now as a marketer.  It’s entertaining for sure, and while the idea of commercials that entertain is far from new (think Superbowl without the multi-million dollar production and airtime pricetag)…the idea of airing a longer “commercial” breaking out of the :30 or :60 fence line where you can really tell a story has certainly found its playground on YouTube and other video sites.

The Swagger Wagon videos got some great industry press and views (10 million+ as of today for one video alone, and there’s a series!), but I’m curious, what did it do for the brand?

Toyota teamed with B.A.D. Company for an interesting promotion at the industry’s SEMA Show and created a special edition car, “The Sienna Swagger Wagon Supreme” (art meets life), and engaged Sienna’s online community of fans to engineer the product.  Interesting…get your customers to play architect – talk about consumer engagement!

Auto Guide called the campaign “hard core and humorous.”  Sports Bash got into the swagger with a “Yo! Viral Ad Marketing Genius” headline and bordered on a rapper tone in the short piece of coverage.

The closest I could find that reports on the potentially promising business aspect of this tactic was Jim Motavalli’s commentary in Forbes that reports that “minivans could be poised for a revival, as consumers let their image issues be trumped by concern for fuel economy and family-friendly practicality.”  This, despite the fact that “minivan sales have dropped precipitously in the U.S.”

All of this hype made me curious about something…what did it do to move sales of the product?  I reached out to Toyota’s media department and learned that yes, the viral campaign was a good shot in the arm (the sales arm, that is!).  Sona Iliffe-Moon,  Marketing Communications Supervisor for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., shared, “Sienna was a top performer in the minivan segment in 2010 as a result of a variety of factors, including the debut of the Swagger Wagon campaign in early May. We saw a spike in Sienna sales after the release of the Swagger Wagon music video, up 23 percent from the previous month. We’re pleased with the positive reaction to Sienna and that so many people—more than 10 million—have watched the video on YouTube and are still enjoying it nearly a year and a half after its premiere.”

Kudos to Toyota for putting the swagger in the wagon!

By Melanie McCraney, McCraney Communications

SEO: It’s one of those “techie” terms that is annoyingly overused by some who want to keep the web mysterious. Is every CEO tuned in to SEO? Well, no, but your CEO should know about SEO, and that’s where the fundamentals of SEO come in.

SEO means “search engine optimization.” Lots of people simply call it “search”. Like Agent Gibbs on NCIS when he tells his high-tech agent McGee, “In English, Tim,” in English, SEO means making your website more likely to turn up when someone searches with Google or another search engine for the kind of products or services you offer.

How do you do that? It’s not magic – it involves skilled use of keywords and phrases for starters– and there is an elaborate art and a science to it. Watch out for cold calls by “SEO Pros” who want to charge you an arm and a leg and guarantee “front page of Google.” Did you know you can pretty much guarantee you’ll turn up on Page one of Google all by yourself, simply by setting up a (free) Google Plus account? Google your name and there you are. Where’s the value in that? Good question.

It’s great if you’re only trying to get in front of people who already know your name. In fact, everyone should use the free social media tools available to help control on line image and reputation. Google +, Facebook and Linked In are masters of SEO, and when you index your name with them, you have the benefit of riding along with their search savvy for free.

But if you’re seeking to use SEO to build audience and increase visibility for your business, you need to take it a step further. Google, Bing and the other search engines constantly change their algorithms (the metrics that determine who lands on top in search) and it is critical to have an informed strategy to take you where you need to go.

A digitally savvy public relations professional can help put the art and science of SEO to work to enhance your business.  PR firms that don’t have search experts on board full-time frequently partner with digital pros . Search strategy is complex and there’s much more to it than tags and keywords; the good news is that a digital professional can build you a successful SEO strategy with measurable benchmarks on most any budget.

While many of us will spend this week planning holiday traffic routes or preparing a menu for the annual feast, I hope we can take a moment to reflect on those who should receive a bit of gratitude. All year long, our clients and our customers help us become more  profitable by trusting in our services and paying our fees. It is because of them that our table will be filled and we can afford other holiday blessings. Regardless of our industry, communicating our appreciation is a habit that should be adopted year round.

Maybe chicken should be the official holiday bird?

I have to admit that when I place my order at Chick-fil-A, I’m a little startled to receive “my pleasure” in response to my “thank you.” Fast Company has noticed this, too. There is something about that little bit of gratitude that sticks with me, especially when I’m lucky to get anything more than change and a receipt at other restaurants. Are you thanking your customers for the opportunity to use your skills to their benefit? Are you articulating it? Consider ending your next strategy meeting with a client, or your next encounter with a customer with a sincere “thank you” for the opportunity to be of service to them and a reminder than you enjoy the work you perform.

Are you properly and promptly thanking customers for their business referral?

Representing small, service-bases businesses has shown me the amount of new customers that can be generated by referral. Especially for small businesses with little marketing or advertising budget, a word of mouth reference, a favorable post on Angie’s List , or the retelling of favorable service on Facebook can be golden. However, having a system in place to ask for these referrals and rewarding them is key. Be sure to ask customers if they are happy with the service they received and ask that they tell others about it. Here are some tips from About.com. This also allows the customer the chance to tell you if they aren’t pleased, rather than have them blast you to their family, coworkers and friends. Determine how you want to thank people for directing a new customer your way. Will you give them a discount on their next service? Or, is a gift program (complete with promotional items featuring you logo, of course) a better route for you? Duct Tape Marketing has a couple of ideas.

Take a break from the food prep, or do some brainstorming while you drive. Simple solutions can help your company be more thankful, and more profitable, throughout the year.

I flew Virgin America to California this past weekend, and couldn’t wait to get back to my desk to write about the unique marketing muscle behind this flying experience.  It’s hard not to look at my own customer service experiences through a marketing/PR lens, and this was no exception.

Initially, I thought I was flying on one of those “off brand” airlines, and wasn’t sure what to expect, if anything!  Instead, I couldn’t believe the swank, nightclub feel on board.  Black leather, comfy seats, decent leg room, magenta-ish track lighting, a safety video cartoon-style with some attitude & humor (didn’t know THAT was possible).

The highlight, though, was the personalized TV/computer control panel (felt like an iPad to me) in front of me where I could order drinks, gourmet food, movies, all with a light touch (and for some options, the swipe of a credit card).  Well done, Virgin America!  Comfort, attitude, convenience, and FUN!  Pretty powerful marketing combination, I’d say!

This “party” video I found gives you a peek on board…I didn’t see this guy on MY flight, but can relate to his enthusiasm!

Oh, that PR professionals had as much influence over journalists as they say we have!  Keith Trivitt (no relation) debunks the myth that is evidently circulating among the journalists.

I don’t hear it from PR professionals!

There are several reasons we ask questions of journalists when they ask to interview clients or CEOs or anyone else in our realm of influence.  One is to be sure they are prepared.  We don’t want to say “I don’t know the answer, I’ll call you back.”  That wastes everyone’s time.

Another is to be sure we are making the right person available to the reporter.  Sometimes the best person to answer your questions is NOT the CEO!

A third reason is that the reporter is not asking appropriate questions…unfortunately, they sometimes go on “fishing” expeditions, looking for issues where there are none, or they don’t have a clear idea of what a corporation does or doesn’t do.  PR professionals are able to direct them to a more appropriate organization to answer the questions.

Like many PR professionals, I was a journalist before moving into PR (more opportunities, but not less stress).  Most of the good PR people I know work hard to make sure the stories they pitch are truly news-worthy and work to manage their client’s and CEOs expectations in regard to the media.  AND most of the journalists I work with appreciate the work I do to help them get the information they need.

Keith is correct…our influence in greatly over rated!

When discussing a work project, a business mentor used to constantly ask me, “what’s the message?”  The same question applies to Occupy Wall Street, a headline-garnering, fast-spreading movement taking place in cities around the country. Even watching the local news in New York last week didn’t clarify unified messages or goals for me. Every person who responded to the “why are you here” question by reporters gave a different answer.  On the upside, crowds were entertained by impromptu musical renditions of 60s classics like “This Land is Your Land”.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m all about fixing a broken system. Contrary to Gordon Gekko’s 1980s “greed is good” talk in the “Wall Street” film, I think reform is better or at least as good.  But give me a common purpose, a call to action or an emotional response rather than universal skepticism.  Even the Occupy Wall Street website lacks clarity of message and goals although it does accept donations to fund protest operations.

Vagueness of purpose makes an organization’s mission impossible. A lack of consistent messaging exacerbates the situation. And while we’re discussing some basic tools of a public relations campaign, the absence of a media policy or at least talking points further confuses the audiences.

While Occupy Wall Street is spreading to the point of an official groundswell, any measurable action achieved (other than media attention) will be negligible. Effective public relations professionals know that our clients judge us by results. Successful results start with clarity. Success continues with consistency.

You get my point.

It was no secret that Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was seriously ill.  Reports of his ongoing battle with pancreatic cancer were part of the news for several years.  His day-to-day condition was shrouded in near secrecy.  Most news reports amounted to nothing more than pure speculation about his condition and long-term prognosis.  That was due in large part to Jobs’ and most likely Apple’s desire to keep his medical condition as private as possible.  That was no small task given the love the world shared for Jobs, as well as the more practical and somewhat seamy side of things, Apple’s bottom line.

Such was Job’s vision and leadership that Apple became the single wealthiest corporation in the world, trading market rankings with the likes of giants like Exxon-Mobile and Wal-Mart, flush with billions in cash.  So it was reasonably understandable that Apple had a lot at stake in terms of keeping Job’s medical condition as quiet as possible.  I can’t fault them for that.