Plain English - not for dummies

This is a touchy subject. Some people think you’re dumbing down if you use simple language and short sentences. Not me. Think about it. Do you want your customers to completely understand your new service or products? Of course you do. So use simple language appropriate for your audience.

We’ve all read material then scratched our head because we don’t know what the author is trying to say. I tend to shut down when faced with gobbledygook! I turn off and I choose another supplier. I do the same when faced with too much information e.g. a 100 slide powerpoint presentation. But companies make this same mistake again and again. And in the process you could be turning thousands of customers away.

About five years ago, one of my ex-colleagues introduced me to the Plain English Campaign http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/. It changed my life, seriously. And I’m not the only one who thinks they’re great. Their members include Abbey National, Bupa, BT, British Heart Foundation, Co-op, Glasgow University, HBOS, the Home Office, JP Morgan, London Underground, NHS and O2 (UK) to name but a few. These great brands can’t be wrong.

Plain English tips include:

• Keep sentences short
• Use “you” and “we”
• Keep language active
• Choose words appropriate for the reader
• Remain positive
• Use lists

The Plain English Campaigners are based in the UK but their principles can be used all round the world. The site has some fantastic free downloads including an A to Z of alternative words which includes replacing “acquire” with “get” and “purchase” with “buy”. The site also has free guides on how to write in plain English, how to edit materials and how to make the most of your brochures and leaflets.

Invest in a good photographer

A picture of your products or company activities can have more impact with your audiences than just words.

Many people think they can take a good photograph. Well apart, from me. I am pretty useless at taking photographs. So for business, I always hire somebody that is excellent and who understands what I need.

It is worth investing in a good professional photographer to take shots of your product launches, events, conferences etc. The difference is astounding. I’ve worked with both good and bad photographers and it is something that is absolutely worth spending money on. Bad photography will be more expensive in the long run. Trust me. Blurry, badly lit and unprofessional images will turn off clients. While good, clear, well lit images can attract clients and sometimes be the main focus of your communications.

Make sure you see a photographer’s portfolio before you book him or her. Many portfolios are online. And always make sure that the photographer that turns up is the same one who took the photographs in the portfolio.

Tip: I hire freelance photographers used regularly by the newspaper I want to get my launch photocall into. These photographers already have a good relationship with their photo and news editors and know what works for the newspaper.

To ensure that your photographer understands exactly what you need, you should prepare a brief for him detailing exactly what you are looking for and when you need it by. The brief should include details on how you are going to use the photographs, what you are trying to communicate, whether you need black and white or colour images, the format and so on. Also consider showing him samples of the work you like.

Remember to make sure that both you and your photographer agree on what you need. I always check the photographer's work during the shoot to make sure he is following my brief because if he isn’t, it could be an expensive mistake.

Invest in a good photographer. Your eyes are the windows to your soul and photography is the window to your business.

Photo source: AFP

Don’t lose face

Mistakes do happen but can be avoided. We’ve all made mistakes. Unfortunately, this is one of these areas where you learn from experience. I always ask at least one person, if not two, to check my work for errors. Asking for help from one of your colleagues, is not losing face, it ensures that your company’s reputation remains intact.

It’s important that you thoroughly check all agency work too. Don’t rely on your PR agency to get it right. I’ve had experiences where they have got it very wrong! But remember as the client, it is your company’s reputation on the line if your agency messes up. Ok. You can fire the agency for the mistake. But it was your company’s name that was attached to the mistake. No one will remember the PR agency. So check. And double check.

Reputation – can take years to build, minutes to destroy

First and foremost, a company must tell the truth. One of the key principles of a good PR practitioner (and company) is for them to be honest with their stakeholders – from their employees to their clients. It’s important to check the reliability and accuracy of information before you send it out. And never knowingly mislead clients, employers, employees, colleagues and fellow professionals.

I go to painstaking lengths to ensure that my communications do not mislead. I have strongly opposed the writing of letters to newspapers or issuing statements that I believe to be unethical. Okay, this has not always gone down well BUT a company’s reputation is the most valuable aspect it has (next to its employees) so it is vital that it is well managed. You must also try to stand by your beliefs as the impact to both you and your business can be catastrophical.

A business or individual can spend years and years working hard to build up positive relationships with its stakeholders but all this time and effort could be destroyed in just a few minutes of bad judgment. So it is important for you to ensure that everyone in your company understands that you will not willingly use data which could challenge the company’s integrity, not to mention your own.

The PR industry has had its ups and downs and its reputation has been called into question many times, mostly due to journalists being fed misleading stories, untruths, unreliable sources and so on. PR practitioners also have a responsibility to ensure that the industry is respected. Otherwise we too can destroy the whole industry’s reputation in just a few minutes.

Getting started - The Chartered Institute of Public Relations

So. Where to start? And why am I doing this?

I have worked in public relations and marketing for over ten years and I am extremely passionate about the industry. This blog will feature lots of practical tips to help others starting out in the industry, or small businesses, who want to tackle their own PR and marketing. There are lots of books on communications theory but not many on the practicality of doing it yourself or how to hire an agency to do it for you. This blog is aimed at helping you do just that!

Anyway, back to my first entry. Well, I think the best place to get this blog started is by presenting you with the Chartered Institute of Public Relations' (http://www.cipr.co.uk/) definition of PR and their code of conduct. I was a member of this great institution when I worked in the UK and I am now a global affiliate.

CIPR's definition of PR

Public relations is about reputation - the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you.

Public relations is the discipline which looks after reputation, with the aim of earning understanding and support and influencing opinion and behaviour. It is the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics.

PR is not just about writing press releases for the media. It is a great deal more and I will discuss this in more detail in later entries....

Meanwhile, take a look at this. The CIPR code is essential reading for anyone who wants to do PR successfully and professionally.

Members of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations agree to:

Maintain the highest standards of professional endeavour, integrity, confidentiality, financial propriety and personal conduct;

Deal honestly and fairly in business with employers, employees, clients, fellow professionals, other professions and the public;

Respect the customs, practices and codes of clients, employers, colleagues, fellow professionals and other professions in all countries where they practise;

Take all reasonable care to ensure employment best practice including giving no cause for complaint of unfair discrimination on any grounds;

Work within the legal and regulatory frameworks affecting the practice of public relations in all countries where they practise;
Encourage professional training and development among members of the profession;

Respect and abide by this Code and related Notes of Guidance issued by the Institute of Public Relations and encourage others to do the same.


More on reputation, integrity and accuracy in future entries....