Finding the Opportunity in Sequestration: For Government Communicators

Sequestration has been featured prominently in the headlines, especially since it went into effect on March 1, 2013. Sequestration will consist of $85 billion in government budget cuts in 2013 divided between Defense discretionary (42%), Non-defense discretionary (27%), Interest (16%), Medicare (11%), and other mandatory (4%). Now several agencies have begun to furlough their employees as required, and the public is becoming aware of the real pain of sequestration, and how it will impact their lives. Communicating about sequestration plans is crucially important and in today’s environment, communications are being carefully scrutinized – what programs will be impacted? How is sequestration affecting companies, government organizations, and local economies? It is important that both employees and members of the public know how the plan will affect them. Every word counts. Meanings and nuances matter. This is a perfect opportunity for organizations to sharpen their pencils and clarify, focus, and clearly communicate their message. And leverage this time in the public’s attention to ensure you are also communicating your mission, its value, and how you are ensuring support for your mission even with reduced budgets.

 

Sequestration is now starting to become more ‘real,’ as government organizations implement the required changes. Employees are being furloughed and already reduced resources are being further squeezed or eliminated. It is more important than ever to get the facts right the first time. Sequestration budget cuts are sporadic, so the lines of communication need to be open among agencies, their employees, and their constituents. Communicating incorrect information confuses agency employees and the public, requires a correction notice to be published and undermines the efficiency of the agency. It is crucial to release the correct information the first time, and communicate it in a concise manner, through appropriate communication channels that will be easily understood and accessed by agency employees and members of the public. Especially in the current environment,  make sure your  public outreach plan  integrates new and traditional media to reach your audience where they go for information, and through a channel that’s most appealing and accessible to them  – this is the single most powerful tool in any agency’s communications tool kit.

 

There is a great deal of confusion about sequestration, so clear communication is crucially important to both government employees and members of the public that rely on your agency. The FAA’s sequester budget cuts went into effect last week via furloughs of 10% of its workforce, and the number of flight delays quickly piled up due to the lack of air traffic controllers available to monitor busy air corridors. This is a situation where the FAA should be openly communicating their issues to members of the public so people who are flying will be aware of the increased likelihood that their flight could be delayed. According to an article on Yahoo! News, “Airline and airport officials say they didn’t receive specific information from the FAA about how the furloughs might affect air traffic until a meeting called by the agency on April 16, six days before the furlough took affect.” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and FAA officials have provided warning since February that the furloughs were coming and major airports such as Los Angeles International and Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport could see delays due to furloughed workers, but they did not give specific notice of the trickle-down effects that would spread to other airports nation wide, even though they had that information on hand before the furloughs were implemented. Due to the lack of communication about specific towers/towns where staff would be reduced, and how the public would be affected, travelers were left stranded for hours. After a Senate meeting on Wednesday, LaHood told reporters, “We offered our apologies to them for the fact that we had not kept them informed about all of the things that we had been discussing.” The employees need to understand how their job will be affected and the public needs to know how the agency’s budget cuts will affect their lives. Getting your message out to your public speedily, concisely, and with as much detail as possible is always the best approach. Provide updates as needed, to ensure the public is well informed and has the information they need when they need it (or before!).

 

Many people have questions about sequestration. The government is the largest employer in the United States, so communicating with its many employees is no small feat, in addition to keeping the public informed about the changes that will impact constituent services. Agencies are feeling the impact of furloughs and other reductions in their resources, so efficiency is key.

 

Implementing clear and concise communication tactics will cut down on confusion, misinformation, and time spent apologizing and correcting errors. One suggestion for improving inter-agency communications would be creating an interactive digital communication channel where employees are given a forum to voice their concerns, ask questions, and make suggestions. Internally, agencies could create a private and secure forum for employees only, using the agency Intranet. The forum would create a place for general discussion, information sharing, questions, and suggestions. According to an article on govdelivery.com, “by using a collaborative forum, you might be able to strengthen your relationship with employees by being able to gather feedback and create dialogue with your coworkers in an environment that’s more secure than a social network but more open than a typical intranet.” The public could participate in the sequester discussion through a “question and answer” forum connected to the agency’s website or Facebook page. A public relations firm can be a great asset when creating new communication channels and spreading news to your target audience. For additional information about improving communication during sequestration and developing communication strategies, please contact me at slevine@adviceunlimited.net, check out our website at www.adviceunlimited.net, and follow us on twitter www.twitter.com/AdviceUnlim.

Discussing Social Media Use in a Disaster at NAGC

I had the honor of presenting a session at last week’s 2013 NAGC Communications School, held April 17-19 in Arlington, VA. My topic was: How to Use Social Media in a Disaster.

An organization of government Public Information Officers and Communications professionals, the NAGC (National Association of Government Communicators) Communications School provided three days of practical educational sessions to help government communicators increase their skills.

The standing-room only session I led included a great group of government communicators from a wonderful mix of organizations, across civilian, Defense, and state and local organizations. The focus of the session was on how to effectively use social media in a disaster, and we discussed real-world scenarios where social media played a crucial role, including the Boston Marathon bombings.

The session was interactive and dynamic, and I learned just as much from my participants as I hope they learned from me. We discussed specific outreach methods used by various agencies, and covered the pros and cons of each. We talked about the challenges of effective communication outreach in today’s 24/7 world, and the importance of still ‘getting it right,’ while ensuring continuous updates and information were getting out in a responsible manner to our constituents.

With the rapid pace of technology innovations, it’s essential that we balance the importance of traditional methods of communication with the value of being open to learning and trying new approaches and tools. The driver must always be our mission, our message, and our audience – what will help us communicate better with our constituents – during a disaster, and every day. If you’d be interested in my providing this presentation, or this service, to your organization, please contact me at slevine@adviceunlimited.net.

USO-Metro’s Annual Awards Dinner a Touching Tribute to Service Members, Military Families and Volunteers

Last night, the USO of Metropolitan Washington (USO-Metro) hosted its 31^st Annual Awards Dinner at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel in Crystal City. We attended the dinner, providing PR support, as we have for the past 17 years, and were reminded why we got involved – and stay involved – with this exceptional organization!

The evening was devoted to honoring outstanding individuals from each branch of service, as well as the phenomenal people who support our nation’s service members through volunteerism and USO-Metro’s countless charitable programs, with a special emphasis on the military families served. Attended by senior government and military leaders, celebrities, business and community leaders, more than 600 guests joined with USO-Metro last night to honor our nation’s heroes and their families.  This year also included a Special Salute to honor military medical professionals.

Mr. Lou Diamond Phillips, host of the Military Channel’s An Officer and a Movie, was honored with the Legacy of Achievement Award for his deep commitment to our men and women in uniform, and General Peter Pace USMC (Ret.) presented the annual Merit Award to Mr. Joe Mantegna. This year’s COL John Gioia Patriot Award was presented to Mrs. Kathleen “Kat” Causey to recognize her tireless dedication to soldiers’ welfare, especially her work advocating for proper mental healthcare for combat veterans.

The entire night was an extremely touching tribute to our service members and their families, and we were honored to be a part of it. The night reminded us all how crucial it is to give back to the community we serve. During this time of transition, supporting our nation’s heroes is more important than ever. Advice Unlimited’s involvement with USO-Metro allows us to give back and pay tribute, and is a constant reminder of the sacrifices these heroes make for us each and every day. If you would like to learn more about how you can get involved in this outstanding organization please contact me at slevine@adviceunlimited.net.

Advice Unlimited Celebrates 30 Years of Business

I’m amazed to say that I founded Advice Unlimited 30 years ago – my, how time flies when you love what you do! I’ve had the honor of working with incredible clients in an outstanding community, and I’ve had the good fortune of consistently having wonderful staff who teach me as much as I teach them.

Advice Unlimited LLC has changed pretty dramatically from when I first hung out my shingle 30 years ago. When I founded this Public Relations firm, I eagerly accepted anyone who was willing to hire us. We worked for real estate firms, banks – even Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus!

Once we secured our first government contract, in 1986, I knew I was home. We worked with local organizations, such as the Montgomery County Office of Economic Development, and Federal programs, such as Health and Human Services and the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. I felt we were really making a difference, and changing how people lived their lives by helping them to learn about different services that were vital to their everyday lives.

Working with government organizations naturally led to opportunities with companies trying to reach these government organizations, and we discovered this was the perfect complement and extension to the unique specialization we had developed.   As we expanded our efforts with government contractors, I quickly learned that working with the companies that serve the government is another wonderful pool of people who care and projects that matter. And when I discovered technology – wow. The innovation possible when you bring together really smart people who are solving new problems with really caring people who are focused on making our world a better place is exciting, inspiring, and rewarding.

Today we are very proud of our unique niche of supporting government organizations and the technology companies that serve them. We are proud of our specialization and depth of knowledge in this important area. Over the years, we have built amazing friendships and relationships with government, media, and industry leaders. To everyone that we’ve worked with – thank you. To all the folks we hope to work with as we move forward – we can’t wait! Here's to the next decade!

Revitalizing Your Company’s Image in 2013

As government organizations continue to slash spending and cut budgets, it gets harder and more imperative to stand out and clearly communicate how you help your customer meet their mission while reducing costs.  Public relations and marketing initiatives can help you make sure your prospects hear you, see you, and understand why they need you. Here are five tips to consider that can help you revitalize your image this year.

1.    Fine tune your message to resonate with 2013 priorities. Think strategically and focus on how you help your customers solve real problems.

2.    Deliver this message consistently through all of your materials: maybe it’s time for a new brochure or marketing materials, a website facelift, a new blog page from your executives, a new tag line or mission statement. Make sure your message is relevant and your communication educates your audience on how you can help them meet their very tough and very real challenges of today.

3.    If you don’t have consistent public relations efforts in place, that should be a priority for 2013. Tell your story through the publications your customers read and trust, educating them on how you can help solve their problems, and providing examples of success stories in the government marketplace. This is an excellent tool to establish your executives as thought leaders in their area of expertise, as well.

4.    Initiate PR and marketing campaigns with the publications and events that are most relevant for your customers, to communicate your message and integrate your brand with a trusted resource. Stay true to your trusted publications that you’ve used in the past, but branch out in search of new publications and new opportunities for your clients that align with their mission and their needs.

5.    Be present! Attend networking events, visit customers; face-to-face interaction is really important in these challenging times. Your customers need to know you and know they can trust you. Virtual interaction is not enough.

 

When you’re ready to revitalize your company’s image please contact me – I would love to assist you in planning and implementing a PR strategy that will help you grow your presence in the government marketplace in 2013! 

For more information on how Advice Unlimited can help you create and implement a successful public relations plan, or provide support for other public outreach and communication initiatives, please contact me at 301-924-0330 or slevine@adviceunlimited.net.

Five Tips for 2013 Planning

The New Year is close approaching and 2013 planning is in full effect! This is a great time to assess your organization’s public relations and marketing strategies for the New Year, and make sure you’re on track for higher visibility and awareness in 2013.

Public relations is hands down the best bang for your buck – it is the single most powerful tool in any organization’s marketing communications arsenal. If it’s not in your arsenal, 2013 is the perfect time to take advantage of this influential tool. Consistent, focused PR educates your audience on the solutions you provide to help solve their problems; a results-driven PR campaign builds name recognition and brand awareness, helping you expand your organization’s sphere of influence. Here are five tips to consider when planning your PR campaign for the year ahead.

1.      Think through your business goals and objectives for 2013.  You should be ambitious about where you want to be in a year and how much you would like to grow, while also making sure your goals are attainable.  Then align your PR goals with your business goals. Want to expand your thought leadership presence? Grow a specific vertical market? Defining your goals helps you clearly identify where PR can provide support and ‘air cover.’

2.      Define the PR/marketing actions needed to achieve your goals and objectives. It’s important to be realistic about how much you can accomplish in twelve months, and you need to ensure that your actions truly support your goals. For example, if you want to grow a specific vertical market, you want your PR effort to focus on the media and events that serve that specific market.

3.      Review the past year’s successes and efforts that were especially effective in communicating your message, and integrate these initiatives into next year’s campaign, as well. You want to continue to nurture and leverage these successes to ensure continuity and consistency.

4.      Establish metrics to be achieved: how many feature articles are you aiming for, and what’s reasonable to expect with resources committed? Remember, consistency is key, so an important element is securing feature articles that truly tell your story throughout the year, not just clustered around an important event. Want spokespeople quoted in the press? Work with your PR team to define the metrics that make sense with your level of effort and commitment, then put them in writing, and track results.

5.      Enjoy the holidays!  Make sure to take the time out of your busy end of year work schedule to spend time with friends and family.  You have been working hard all year long, so take the holidays as an opportunity to relax and appreciate what your hard work has brought you over the past year.

And if you need an engaged, focused PR team to help you achieve your goals, please call me – we’d love to help you plan and implement a focused, results-driven PR campaign for 2013! Our promise to you – we’ll consistently deliver results, exceeding your expectations!

Happy holidays!

For more information on how Advice Unlimited can help you create and implement a successful public relations plan, or provide support for other public outreach and communication initiatives, please contact me at 301-924-0330 or slevine@adviceunlimited.net.

Project USO Elf: Help a Military Child in Need!

We’ve been involved with the USO of Metropolitan Washington (USO-Metro) for over 16 years, and each program reminds us why we love being involved with this phenomenal organization! Project USO Elf is one of the organization’s special holiday programs, dedicated to helping military children and families.  We hope you’ll agree this is a program worth supporting!

Project USO Elf is devoted to providing 1,200 children of military families with gifts for the holidays.  Area companies, organizations and families can register to "sponsor" a local military child this holiday season. While military families face challenges year-round, holidays can be especially difficult. Volunteering as a sponsor for this program can help to bring a smile to a child’s face, and reminds us what the holiday season is really about. 

To volunteer as a sponsor, please visit www.usometrodc.org/holiday -- this provides registration information and matches you with a child in the program. Within two weeks, you will receive your sponsor child’s first name, gender, age and holiday wish list. Donors are asked to purchase a minimum of two gifts and/or gift cards from the list, totaling $50 or more for each child. Once you make your selections from the child’s wish list, you will receive information about where to drop off the gifts – drop off locations include the OUCP Warehouse, Fort Belvoir & McGill Training Center, and Fort Meade. All gifts must be dropped off on December 10^th between 6:00 am and 7:00 pm. Do not worry about gift wrapping the presents; USO-Metro will do that for you! 

If you are able to help and would like to assist military families in the Washington D.C. metro area, please register to be a sponsor in the Project USO Elf program! If you have questions about the program and how to help out, contact Shannon Rush at 703-805-4277 or Shannon@usometro.org. If you would like to support a military child in need through Project Elf, but don’t have time to shop, you can donate $50 per child at www.usometro.org/donate.