Mom Knows Best When Her Child is STUPID

As someone who works in public relations, I love a good soundbite, and I'm quick to notice them when they appear in the media. One person I wouldn't expect a good soundbite from is the mother of a hacker from Chicago who was part of the Anonymous group that hacked into company and government websites.  

When Jeremy Hammond was arrested, his mother was quoted in a Chicago Tribune article as saying, "I love my son, but he is a genius with no brain."

That's a great quote that really captured a couple of concepts: she was able to convey the love she has for her son, while at the same time she spoke the truth about his alleged illegal activities. She managed to stay "in character" as his mother but also make a comment about his arrest succinctly and effectively.

I don't know if she had public relations training, but she really knew what to say at that moment, and since then that quote has appeared in a lot of places.

Of course, we don't want to have to be in a situation where we're quoted about a tragic or illegal incident involving our children, but her response does show us that we have to be ready to say something that is interesting, compelling, and simple enough for people to understand and be interested in so that our soundbites travel even further.

Running for Mayor? Or Mayor is Running?

When I saw this news piece on Fox Chicago about a strip club opening next to a convent and school, I was surprised that the Mayor of Stone Park ran away from Dane Placko and shut the door on him, right on camera for all of Chicago (and the world online) to see. After all, nowadays people know (or should know) that their behavior on camera, in print, online--wherever the media is--will be captured and will definitely affect their reputation. The Mayor not only looks like a coward, but his response seems like he's got something to hide. Does he? I don't know, but sometimes actions speak louder than words. It could help the public form a "guilty" verdict down the road.

Stone Park Community Protests Strip Club Opening Next to Convent : MyFoxCHICAGO.com

Does Your Weight Impact Your Publicity Potential?

The Wall Street Journal had an article about how overweight doctors tend not to tell their obese patients to lose weight. There was no reason discovered, but the article says “it’s possible that subconsciously, obese physicians may look at a patient and think ‘they look like me, but I’m healthy’ and focus on more acute problems rather than their extra pounds.”
 

As someone who's gone from 250 to 185 to 200, I certainly have been at every extreme of weight gain and loss, and I'm certainly not at my ideal weight now. I don’t know what I’d tell a patient if I were a doctor, but it's interesting that even doctors can't face the facts of losing weight because they feel self-conscious about their own weight.

You might not have a weight issue that relates to your legal practice, but when you think about your own publicity, is there something in your backstory that hinders your PR success? Was there an issue with your license being suspended? Did you get some bad publicity after being sued for malpractice 20 years ago? If you're going to launch into a new PR effort, you have to deal with the skeletons in your closet so that you can move forward. Your past actions don't have to affect your future.

So when your past does come up, be prepared. You might have practiced in one area where something went wrong, such as real estate, but you currently do something else. However, someone might dig up something from your previous practice and ask you questions about it. You might get asked about one charge that wasn’t dropped against you, even though nine others were. So think about those past mistakes, and come up with a way to talk about them. Otherwise, the media will think you’re trying to hide something.

Can a Dog Be Trained to Sniff Out Public Relations Opportunities?

I came upon an interesting article in Businessweek about“Argentina’s Dollar-Sniffing Wonder Dogs” and how they’re sniffing for US currency to prevent “capital flight” from that country. That’s the first time that I’ve seen something about dogs sniffing for money, not drugs, but I guess countries have to get creative to prevent disasters.

It’s too bad that the online article doesn’t show the picture of a cute sniffing golden retriever in the ferry terminal, so if you get a chance, try to take a look at the magazine picture. Actually, I can walk down any street in Chicago and smell different kinds of pizza. So if the city ever has a pizza problem, I could be the guy for them (even though I’m not as cute as those dogs).

That sniffing-dog article reminds us that we should be sniffing out media opportunities. While media websites have reporters’ or producers’ bios, you shouldn’t stop there. Search on Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn to “sniff out” a better personal connection between you and that journalist so that you can pitch them better. At the very least, it will allow you to include something that is more personal and customized. And they’ll appreciate it, though you have to remember to be sincere because the media don’t like phonies.

Marketing for Today's Niche & Small Firms

Not sure if this fits my style of PR for Laughs, unless you find it to be shameless self-promotion.

This Friday, January 20, I will talk about Marketing for Today's Niche & Small Firms at the Chicago Bar Association.  

 

Information About the Event

Date: Friday, January 20 

Time: 2 pm to 5 pm

Location: The Chicago Bar Association, 321 South Plymouth Court, Chicago, IL 60604

Registration: No charge for CLE Members; $80 CBA Members; $160 Non Members

The seminar will cover the most important strategies in three fundamental areas necessary to increase your practice's business:

•        Expanding your network to increase the size of your audience and potential client base

•        Engaging public relations to become known in your industry/community and build credibility

•        Employing online technology to reinforce your offline efforts and stay connected with contacts

Get more information at the CBA website.

Lawyers Lie and Other Truths About Attorneys

Inside Counsel has an article called "37% of people say lawyers have 'very low' ethical standards" and the title really says it all: too many attorneys do not have a good reputation.

 The article gets that statistic from a Gallup poll that was conducted earlier this month, and even though we're almost at a new year, I don't think these statistics will improve much, unless some lawyers work on developing a better reputation.

When an attorney really is dishonest, he or she doesn't deserve to have a good reputation, so I'm not talking about that type of lawyer. Even though there are unethical people in every profession, I doubt that the number of unethical lawyers adds up to 37 percent.  

Which means that attorneys have a lot to fix if they want the public to trust them. Think of all the education they've gotten and all the hard work they've done, to only be greeted with disdain from the public. That's not good. 

What you should think about doing in the new year is planning to work against the negativity by offering good advice and help in the public square. There are many ways to improve your reputation and not get lumped in with the rotten attorneys. You can post helpful information on your own website, write an article, do an interview, be an expert in the media, make a speech at an organization, volunteer at your children's school, participate in community projects, and more. 

Maybe Gallup will do another poll, and by the end of 2012, attorneys' reputation stats will be better. Let's hope so. 

Would Jon Bon Jovi Be Better Off Dead?

Recently, to prove to people that he's not dead, Jon Bon Jovi posted a picture of himself online with the statement that “Heaven looks a lot like New Jersey”. I’m sure a lot of people think what he did is funny and are probably very happy to find out that he's really alive, after rumors of his death were all over the Internet. However, I’m not laughing. I don't consider myself a serious guy and I like to find humor wherever I can, but Bon Jovi is really making light of an eternal matter.

Newsflash to Bon Jovi: heaven isn't really New Jersey. I think it's arrogant to say that, and he never really died to find out where heaven really is. Plus, if he was right, how come no one has found John Lennon, Elvis, or Ray Charles there? 

Bon Jovi's joke is a way to think about how your reputation is on the line in whatever you do. It's important to not make light of serious matters when it comes to your own reputation management. What will people think of him from now on? Have you ever made a mistake by saying or doing something that was too frivolous for a serious situation? How did people respond? If you're thinking of saying something in public you know is questionable, then consider what kind of image you're putting out there. Everyone doesn't have the same sense of humor and doesn't see the world in the same way.