By Gina Cuclis

No More Free Access to the Sonoma Index Tribune

Would you pay to access your community newspaper online? The publisher of the Sonoma Index Tribune, Bill Lynch, hopes the answer is yes. He announced, in the current issue of the twice-weekly Index Tribune, that starting September 1 you will need a subscription to read his paper online. A web only subscription fee is $5 a month. A subscription to a combination of the web and print editions, along with the Index Tribune's quarterly Sonoma magazine, is $10 a month.

Contrary to Survey Results

Polls asking people who read news online if they would pay to read newspapers online repeatedly indicate they won't. So this is a bold move for the Index Tribune. Compounding the question about whether it'll get much response, is that the Sonoma Valley has two community newspapers. And the other one — the weekly Sonoma Sun — can be picked up free at locations throughout Sonoma Valley.

What's your reaction to this business decision? If you currently read the Sonoma Index Tribune online, would you pay to continue doing so? Please leave a comment.

        

By Gina Cuclis

The subtext of this post answers a question I hear frequently, "Why be on Twitter?" People still tell me they think Twitter is silly. However, if publicity or public relations is part of your organization's marketing mix — which it should be — then you must be on Twitter. Why? Because that's where the journalists are. They watch Twitter for story ideas and to get a pulse on the community.

A Tweet Makes Front Page News

Today's Santa Rosa Press Democrat has a front page story about a controversy caused by a tweet from Sonoma County Supervisor Shirlee Zane. The tweet expressed her opinion about the proposed mosque near ground zero in New York City.

This single tweet was met with rebuke from a local leader of the Islamic Society of Santa Rosa, Said Mansour.

In addition to Zane and Mansour being interviewed for the story, Petaluma software developer Dan Lyke was quoted. He warranted an interview simply because he replied to Zane's tweet with a different opinion.

This example also illustrates how the news media likes controversy.

If you have other examples of how tweets have made news, please share. What do you think about the Press Democrat's coverage of this issue? I invite your comments.

        

By Gina Cuclis

As I said in a recent presentation to individuals from nonprofits, press releases are no longer just for the press. I encourage organizations to have online newsrooms and post press releases on their websites. But if your small business or nonprofit isn't prepared to do that, you can still take advantage of online opportunities by posting press releases on free press release distribution sites. You can then promote your press release using Facebook, Twitter or your e-mail list.

Example from a Sonoma City Councilwoman

Sonoma City Councilwoman Laurie Gallian donated the first six months of her council pay to provide a scholarship for a 2010 Sonoma Valley High School graduate to attend Santa Rosa Junior College this fall. I wrote a press release and took a photo of Laurie and the scholarship winner. I sent them to Sonoma Valley's two community newspapers. The weekly Sonoma Sun ran the press release with the photo in its July 29, 2010 print edition. The press release is also on the Sun's website. The twice-weekly Sonoma Index-Tribune included information from the press release in a July 30, 2010 article about the cost of city government, which mentioned council pay.

After the press release was picked up by the community newspapers, I got further mileage by posting the press release with the photo to EarthPublisher.com.

Laurie doesn't have a website, but she does have a Facebook profile. So I posted links to the EarthPublisher.com press release on the walls of her and my Facebook profiles.




I also tweeted a link to the EarthPublisher.com press release.




There are several other free press release distribution sites from which you could do this. I like EarthPublisher.com, because it allows you to include a photo.

Comments or helpful insights about this PR tip or others on this blog are always welcome.

        

By Gina Cuclis



This is a follow up to answer the question I asked in a December 2009 post after the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors announced it had hired the County's first woman Administrative Officer, Veronica Ferguson. I had asked, "Will first woman administrative officer improve Sonoma County's communications style?

The Answer Is Yes

I had the opportunity to hear Ferguson speak Wednesday night to the No Name Women's group. No Name Women is an informal networking group, run by Susan Moore, with about 400 members who are Democratic leaning business and professional women. (No website.)

Ferguson was fun to listen to. She has a great sense of humor. She also came across as approachable and friendly. Traits missing from the previous Sonoma County Administrative Officer. Ferguson credited her hiring to "the feminists" on the Board of Supervisors. Naming the three men as well as the two women.

Discussed Challenges

Ferguson discussed the County's services and its challenges in providing those services with the dwindling budget. She also discussed how the County plans to develop a long range plan for restructuring to manage the ongoing decline in revenue. She asked for our input, emphasizing community input would be important to the process. Ferguson also provided statistics on the numbers of women in leadership roles in local government in Sonoma County. Sorry to say, I didn't write them down. But I remember thinking they were impressive.

Positive Reaction from the Grapevine

Over the past few months I've spoken to other county government watchers and county employees. I've heard an overwhelming response that there's been much improvement. While this year's budget process and employee contract negotiations were not easy (understatement), employees seem to feel they were more in the loop than last year. It appears the new CAO is more willing to take the time for people.

Poor Communicators Make Poor Leaders

There's something to be said about the need for management that is good at crunching numbers and improving efficiencies, especially in difficult economic times. But if you're not good at dealing with people, are too arrogant to listen to others, and don't treat your employees or members of the community with respect, you will make too many enemies to be effective.

What is your opinion about the change in Sonoma County leadership? I would especially like to hear from county employees, who I would allow to post anonymously.

        

By Gina Cuclis

This is a follow up to a Nov. 18, 2009 post about the recall of former Cotati City Councilman George Barich.



Barich Says He'll Run Again

In November 2009, less than one year after taking office, George Barich was recalled by 65% of Cotati voters casting ballots in a special election. Barich became the subject of a recall drive after posting a photo of himself in blackface on his website. He also caused controversy for using City letterhead to send a personal letter to President Obama criticizing the economic stimulus package, and for using Cotati's logo on his personal website.

But that isn't stopping Barich from trying again. He recently announced he will mount a campaign to reclaim a position on the Cotati City Council. There are two seats on the five member council up for grabs this November. The two incumbents, Pat Gilardi and Mark Landman, are also planning to run.

The 52-year-old Barich told the Santa Rosa Press Democrat that response to his campaign "has been overwhelming in support of me representing a voice in the community that is currently missing on the City Council."

Trying to Be the Comeback Kid

You can give Barich credit for his tenacity. It would be surprising if he wins, considering his history. His political views also tend to be more conservative than the majority of progressive leaning Cotati voters. Like the rest of Sonoma County, registered Democrats out number registered Republicans in Cotati roughly two to one.

What is your opinion of Barich's latest campaign? Do you think he has a chance of getting back on the Cotati City Council?

        

By Gina Cuclis



This week I published the last issue of PR Tip of the Month, which I started in July 2005. At the end of the issue, I said I would write a blog post about why I decided to stop publishing "PR Tip of the Month."

The Blog Became More Popular

Several months ago I started reevaluating why I was publishing an e-newsletter. This process started, because I noticed significantly more people were reading Cuclis PR's blog than reading "PR Tip of the Month." I started Cuclis PR's North Bay New Media blog in April 2009 to provide case studies and PR tips related to the changing media landscape in the region where I live and work. Within a few months, I was getting a lot more feedback about the blog than the newsletter, hearing from readers via online comments, Twitter retweets, e-mail responses, and in-person comments. The significance of this trend hit a particular chord with me after I republished "PR Tip of the Month's" April 2010 issue on the blog, and found several times more people read it as a blog post.

Newsletter Would Need to Be Revamped

I then came to the conclusion that the e-newsletter needed a face lift and a refocus if I was going to continue it. I also took into consideration that a large percentage of the subscribers where people located in regions far from my target market territory, or were other PR pros. They were not the audience I hoped to reach when I started an e-newsletter.

As an independent consultant, I must evaluate how I spend my time. For awhile I tried maximizing the reach of "PR Tip of the Month" by simply republishing it on the blog. But there were months when I didn't, if a particular issue didn't fit the blog's theme. So I found myself asking if the time I spent on an e-newsletter was still worth it, since I now have a blog? A lot of consultants do both.

Time to Change or Quit

Then I asked myself, did I feel like putting the time and energy into redesigning and refocusing "PR Tip of the Month?" Did I think it would help increase business prospects more so than the blog? Although the answer to both of these questions was no, the first one was key. I had lost my desire to continue an e-newsletter. Especially when I was having more fun and response with my blog.

Conclusion

I decided "PR Tip of the Month" had lost effectiveness. However, one reason is because I had grown tired of producing it. I was more interested in the North Bay New Media blog. That is where, I concluded, I felt like putting my energy. I share this to illustrate that no marketing or PR activity is going to work for your company if you've lost interest.

I hope my experience has given you something to think about. Please leave a comment and let me know. What is your opinion about e-newsletters versus blogs?

Archived issues of "PR Tip of the Month" are available on Cuclis PR's website.

        

By Gina Cuclis

This is republished, and slightly revised, from the final issue of PR Tip of the Month. After five years, Cuclis PR has decided to cease publishing a monthly e-zine to focus on this blog. An upcoming blog post will discuss how and why Gina Cuclis made that decision.


Why Have a Communications Plan

A couple of the initial 2005 issues of PR Tip of the Month discussed communications planning. I'm discussing that again, because I've seen what happens when organizations don't have a plan. They complain about not being known in the community. Business owners wonder why a competitor keeps being quoted in the newspaper as an expert, and they're not. Nonprofits wonder why they can't grow their donor or volunteer base.

You Need a Consistent Strategy

Sending out an occasional press release and creating an underutilized Facebook page is not a plan. A plan starts with asking the questions: with whom do we want to communicate, why, what do we want our target audience to know about us, and, more importantly, what do we think they want to hear about from us? Ask these questions to develop your message and strategy. After you've defined a strategy, decide which tactics and channels will best reach and engage your desired audience. Create a calendar identifying which communication activities you will do each month.

Where to Find More Information

Read this back issue about how to write a PR plan.

Have You Written a Communications Plan?

If you have experience with writing PR and communications plans, please share your advice. What do you think is the most important thing to keep in mind? Who did you involved in the process? Thanks for sharing.

        

By Gina Cuclis

An article in Friday's Santa Rosa Press Democrat, about the Sonoma County budget, inspired me to deviate from this blog's usual theme to discuss the relationship between communication and trust.

Budget Cuts, Employee Concessions

As the Press Democrat reports, Sonoma County administrators are seeking concessionsfrom county employees to help close the county's $61.6million budget gap. What raised the communication = trust issue for me were the statements by union leaders that they had not received information from county managers about how many jobs would be saved with concessions.

I know the newspaper likes to find controversy and focus on the drama of disagreement. So I realize the county administrator may not have that information yet and may intend to soon provide it. But I'm compelled to discuss the trust issue, because this situation provides an example for why a commitment to frequent communication during a crisis is important.

Lack of Communication Breeds Mistrust

PR pros and crisis communications experts know this. Lack of communication will make an already tense situation worse. Without frequent, honest and clear communication during a crisis, the stakeholders most impacted won't trust those in charge. If the situation involves groups or individuals with a history of being adversarial, the relationship will quickly deteriorate.

Respond to Questions Even If You Don't Know the Answer

It's common that during a crisis, management won't have all the information stakeholders want. There will be questions that can't be answered. However to maintain trust, all questions must receive a response. If the information to answer a question isn't currently available, whoever is speaking on behalf of management should say that. The spokesperson should also state that when the information is available, he/she will answer the question. An estimated timeframe for when the information will be available should also be provided.

I'm interested in hearing your thoughts about communication and trust. If you have experience with communicating during a crisis, or other difficult situations, please share.

        

By Gina Cuclis

Northbay nonprofits have been joining the trend of getting on Facebook . However, many nonprofits are creating Facebook pages and doing little with them. I've seen nonprofit pages go weeks with no status updates, or the updates are mostly about fundraisers or other events. Social media is intended to be interactive and engaging.

Here are seven ideas for status updates to compel your fans to respond or share:

1)  Post information related to your issue or cause
 


Here COTS isn't simply citing local statistics. It's providing information from a national source putting the issue of homelessness in a broader context.

2)  Ask a question


Don't simply ask a yes or no question. Ask a question that provides an opportunity for your fans to share their particular insights or expertise.

3)  Show your volunteers at work


Nonprofits rely on volunteers. What better way to show what your agency does, and honor its volunteers, than by posting photos of volunteers working.

4)  Thank someone


Whether it's a volunteer, or someone else who has done something special for your agency, posting a thank you on Facebook provides public recognition and shows your appreciation.

5)  Respond to a fan's wall post


When someone posts a comment on your Facebook wall, comment back. Add additional information or thank him or her for their support and interest.

6)  Promote a like minded nonprofit or agency with which you partner


Mentioning other nonprofits on your Facebook wall, with which you have working relationships, will encourage them to do the same for you.

7) Provide your fans an offer


This is a common technique for businesses. It can work for nonprofits too, if you have something appropriate to offer. Here the Sonoma Land Trust is offering a membership discount.

Your Ideas
I could go on and list more ideas. But I would prefer to hear yours. Please leave a comment. If you had a wall post that inspired a lot of responses, I would love to hear about it.

        

By Gina Cuclis

Long Time Local Government Reporters Retire

The retirements this week of two long time Santa Rosa Press Democrat local government reporters means few remain in the PD's newsroom who know what politics was like in Sonoma County 20 to 30 years ago. The retirement last weekend of Santa Rosa City Hall reporter Mike McCoy, and the May 1 retirement of County government and political reporter Bleys Rose, are the latest in what has been an exodus of senior writers from the PD in the last couple years.

With the downsizing and decline in readership of printed newspapers, many experienced newspaper writers and editors are "retiring" before the traditional age. Often motivated by buy outs and other incentive packages, they are ending their careers early. This recent round of Press Democrat retirements was motivated by a changes in its pension plan payout. (Veteran photographer Mark Aronoff and sports writer Matt Maiocco also retired.)

Impacts on Coverage

What concerns me, and others I've talked to, is what happens when the newsroom loses the perspective of those who have been long time close observers of local history? While it's common for reporters to change beats, the transition is smoother when the new and former reporters on a beat are still working together. Mike McCoy covered Santa Rosa City Hall for 17 years. Whoever replaces him won't have his relationships or knowledge of the players. However, it's likely whoever replaces him will be a current employee, as the trend has been to reduce staff, not hire.

One Other Event This Week Indicates Further Decline of Newspapers

After 65 years in business, April 30^th will mark the last day for Sawyer's News in downtown Santa Rosa. During the 1990s and early part of the last decade, Sawyer's is where I would pick up Sonoma County's community newspapers. It was the only place that carried every newspaper published in the county. Sawyer's also sold newspapers from throughout the U.S. and the world.

As the newspaper and magazine business fell into decline, due to the digital age, so did Sawyer's News. I noticed a few years ago the numbers of newspapers on the shelves dwindling. I also could no longer find every Sonoma County community newspaper.

If you're looking for something noteworthy to do after work Friday, stop in at Sawyer's News at 733 4th Street before 6 p.m. The Press Democrat's Chris Smith Chris Smith reports Sawyer's owners, John Sawyer and Dan Potts, plan to make their last item sold be a copy of the Press Democrat. They have asked their friend and lifelong customer, Tom Reier, to make that final purchase. Bring a hankie. I'm sure there won't be a dry eye in the crowd.

If you have any thoughts to share about the retiring PD reporters or the closing of Sawyer's News, please leave a comment below.