The first date

Ah the first date. What a wonderful thing. It evokes joy beyond measure and a nervous giddiness that leaves us breathless. When was the last time you felt that way about your brand? Like any good first date, that first introduction to a brand is aimed at captivating you, the consumer, with its vibrancy, confidence, value and style.

Long-lasting relationship

One of our brand's colors.

The beginning of a beautiful and long-lasting relationship starts with trust. Color, pattern and repetition builds that trust between consumers and the brands they love. One of the colors we use in our Verdin brand is something we like to call “True Love Red.” You can see it in nearly ever piece of collateral or advertising we create for our brand. We have other colors, sure, but this particular red is meant to evoke desire and passion in the consumer. Because we use this color repeatedly either on its own or in patterns with other colors in our palette, consumers begin to recognize the vibrant color as a part of our brand.

As I said before, any good relationship is built on trust. And trust in a brand is built on understanding the meaning of a recognized pattern. Because patterns are memorable, once understood and applied, a brand’s pattern can actually help that brand grow by creating an efficient and stable model for growth.

But while your brand’s image creates that initial trust, it’s the message that helps create a lasting relationship with consumers. Branding is the process of creating a consumer-oriented promise, and keeping it. If you want to grow your brand, promises must be kept. Think about the promises your brand has made to consumers and ask yourself if the message is clear and if you’ve kept those promises.

Your brand is something that should fill you with joy and pride, something you should love wholeheartedly. Are you in love with your brand?

So when I transitioned to public relations three years ago, I thought I would have to do everything differently. To a certain extent, that’s true. But I still have that journalism frame of mind and approach to everything I do. The benefit of having a background in journalism is that I know how reporters think. And when you think like a reporter, you can get your news out there.

Public relations is a form of journalism, but while reporting is more reactive, public relations is proactive. I recently attended a Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) seminar, and learned a lot.

One of the greatest takeaways from the seminar, and something I will continue to tell myself daily, is that publicity is not public relations. Let’s break it down by definition.

Publicity is defined as “the deliberate attempt to manage the public’s perception of a subject.” (Wikipedia)

Public relations is defined as “the practice of managing the flow of information between an organization and its publics (audiences).” (Wikipedia)

Like good journalists, good public relations professionals must have a strategy, be transparent, and maintain credibility by providing accurate information from expert sources.

Public Relations Strategy
So you wrote that press release, sent it to the media, and the local news covered it. While that may be great exposure, did that local news coverage do what you wanted it to do? If all you wanted was news coverage, you’re missing the point of public relations.

The greatest thing I learned at the seminar I attended this week was that an organization or company must have an overall public relations strategy, with goals that tie back to the organization’s mission and methods of evaluating your efforts. The idea is to use objectives and a plan that clearly detail how you will reach your goal(s).

Luckily, there are standards in our industry. Some follow RPIE (the process of research, planning, implementation and evaluation), some follow the four-step approach to marketing (awareness, agreement, acceptance, action).

Either way, you must have a strategy and plan. Otherwise, you’re just doing stuff. You’re just writing press releases, you’re just making that brochure, you’re just writing that blog. To what end? Figure out what your goals are, then figure out what you need to do to get there. Whether you work in San Luis Obispo or Los Angeles or New York, this applies to your business.

For help building a customized public relations strategy for your business, or for more information, contact us at verdin@verdinvision.com or call (805) 541-9005.

Jane Trapp

Jane Trapp, Assistant Vice President, Compliance Officer and Community Reinvestment Act Officer at American Perspective Bank, was recently awarded the Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM) designation from the Institute of Certified Bankers (ICB), a subsidiary of the American Bankers Association, in Washington, DC.

Trapp joined American Perspective Bank in 2011, where her primary responsibility is to ensure that the bank is compliant with all banking regulations, and her CRCM designation showcases her level of expertise and experience in that role. Trapp has worked in the local banking industry for over 20 years, most recently at Santa Barbara Bank and Trust.

She also is an active member of The Rotary Club of Santa Maria and volunteers with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Santa Barbara County. Trapp is a native of Pennsylvania where she attended Bloomsburg State University and studied business administration. She and her husband Craig have lived in Santa Maria for the past 15 years.

The CRCM designation is awarded to individuals who demonstrate excellence in the field of bank regulatory compliance. To qualify for the CRCM certification, individuals must have certain levels of experience and education in the compliance profession, pass an exam and agree to abide by a code of ethics. The CRCM exam covers regulatory requirements as they relate to credit, deposits/securities, safety and soundness, information reporting and corporate responsibility.

Financial services professionals, working through the Institute of Certified Bankers, initiated the CRCM designation and eight others in order to establish meaningful standards of knowledge in specialty areas of the financial services industry. ICB certifications formally recognize those who meet these standards and meet professional continuing education and development requirements.

The ICB, with 8,000 certified members, provides financial services professionals with confidence, credibility and recognition through its certifications. As a subsidiary of the American Bankers Association, ICB promotes the highest standards of performance in the financial services industry by validating individuals’ knowledge and expertise.

For more information about the Institute of Certified Bankers and its professional certifications, call (202) 663-5092 or visit www.aba.com/icb.

About American Perspective Bank
Since 2007, American Perspective Bank has served commercial enterprises, professionals, real estate investors, family business entities and residents in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. For more information, visit www.AmericanPerspectiveBank.com, or call (805) 226-5300.

Emphasizing quality customer care for three generations, Rizzoli’s Automotive earns consistently high marks on the American Automobile Association’s (AAA) annual customer satisfaction evaluation.

“Rizzoli’s has continued to score high on this evaluation for the past seven years,” said Rizzoli’s General Manager Kyle Rizzoli. “We are proud to consistently receive such high marks from this respected organization, and we are even prouder to offer such a high level of service to our customers.”

AAA holds its approved auto repair facilities to high standards and continually screens and monitors them to assure all criteria are met. Every year, AAA evaluates and scores the customer satisfaction index for all AAA Approved Auto Repair facilities. Respondents are asked to evaluate customer service, professionalism in solving problems, accuracy of estimates, service completion on promised date, and customer loyalty.

Now in its third generation of family ownership, Rizzoli’s Automotive is the first AAA Auto Repair facility on the Central Coast and has won the most awards for excellence in quality of work and customer loyalty in its AAA network. Rizzoli’s service all car makes and models, with shops located at 2584 Victoria Lane in San Luis Obispo and 1149 W. Tama Lane in Santa Maria. Call (805) 541-1082 for more information, or visit www.rizzolisautomotive.com.

And it’s never a simple answer. Before getting started on social media platforms, first ask yourself these key questions.

• Realistically, how much time CAN you spend on social media for your business?
• How much time are you willing to spend on social media for your business?
• Who will be engaging your online community? Will you have a designated community manager, or will you be doing it yourself?
• Are you familiar with popular social media platforms?
• Are your customers using social media? Which platforms are they using?
• What do you want to get out of social media for your business?

For small business owners who don’t have the time or resources to have a dedicated team bolstering their online communities, I say, do what you can. But be realistic. If you can’t spend at least 15 minutes on your social network(s) per day, you probably shouldn’t even have a presence. Period.

Like with any business endeavor, you have to be willing to invest a little bit of your time and money to get a positive result. The same stands for social media for business.

The whole idea behind creating a brand presence is to engage users for your business. And if you can’t dedicate the time to do that, you really don’t belong on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, etc.

The fact is that social media management, or community management as marketers more frequently call it nowadays, takes time and dedication. And it takes a certain amount of knowledge about how social networks work and how users actually use them. It is not the easiest thing in the world to do.

Business Benefits of Social Media

I don’t want to scare you away from using social media as a marketing tool for your business. People enjoy social media because it’s fun. And the benefits of social media for brands are endless, really. But here are my favorite benefits for small, local businesses, if they use social media well.

• ROI: Your brand will still be around in five years. (Socialnomics.net)
• Create and increase brand recognition, awareness.
• Increase customer loyalty.
• Get meaningful feedback.
• Communicate rapidly.
• Gain new customers via word of mouth.

But in order to gain these benefits, you must first commit to social media.

Repeat after me:
I (state your name) solemnly swear that if I create a Facebook page/Twitter handle/YouTube Channel/Google+ page/(ENTER social network here), I will check it at least once a day and post a mix of rich content for my community to share. If this means that I need my smart phone on me at all times to post content for my customers, friends and community, then so be it. I will post content regularly, but not too frequently. I will not post sales pitches and expect to gain anything. I will strive to remember that social media for businesses is about relationships, connections and community. Over time, I will build connections that will help increase my brand’s visibility. And above all: I will have fun.

That felt good, didn’t it? Now repeat that to yourself, every time you feel like you’re in over your head or that you don’t know what you’re doing.

For more tips on social media for business, please contact me at whitney@verdinvision.com or call (805) 541-9005.

Browse other articles related to this one by visiting our blog tree: http://verdinvision.com/category/social-media/.

Aside from stellar leadership, I think the reason it has continued to do all of these things is our active business community, a group that participates and gives generously of their time to keep the Chamber at the center of the issues, providing insight, guidance and even entertainment (think GMSLO).

This year, Verdin has three employees who are joining Chamber committees. I will be rejoining the Issues & Evaluation Committee, a fluid committee designed to focus on whatever issues face local business, from changes in federal health care regulations to better lighting downtown. It’s a great way to keep up on what’s going on and to have an active voice.

Whitney Diaz will be joining the Technology Advocacy Committee. Whitney is our Social Media Strategist and PR Coordinator, and she focuses on all things digital. It’s a perfect fit. She’ll offer a valuable perspective and she’ll have fun participating!

To support our tourism clients and keep us in the middle of San Luis Obispo County’s largest industry, Ashlee Akers will rejoin the Tourism Council. This committee brings together all the wonderful things that attract visitors to the Central Coast, and make us want to live here.

We look forward to the year to come, lending our expertise and enjoying being in the center of things! Be sure to stay abreast of the Chamber’s happenings this year – there are sure to be many things that will interest you and affect your business.

We all help out other community organizations as well, because we know giving back to the community helps us all.

It’s important for local businesses and their employees to be actively involved in their community. Now more than ever, nonprofits need your support and involvement. Find your passion outside of work and donate time, money or materials to a great local community organization.

In 1997, the FES began as a result of the rapidly growing elephant seal colony at Piedras Blancas. The area was set aside specifically for the elephant seals, allowing people to view them freely. The viewing area is located directly off of Highway 1 with a nearby parking lot.  Visitors and tourists have the opportunity to watch the seal activity safely from the bluff and stand only feet away from these magnificent animals. There is no admission charge. Currently, the elephant seal colony has grown to approximately 16,000 and about 4,000 pups are born every year.

February is an exciting month at the elephant seal viewing site at Piedras Blancas. Visitors and tourists get to see females nursing their newborn pups and males fighting for mating rights.  Females are forced to protect themselves and their pups if an unwelcome male approaches and long, brutal fights may occur.

Volunteer docent guides, dressed in bright blue jackets, are available to answer questions every day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information on elephant seals, what FES does, and how to become a volunteer or docent, visit www.elephantseal.org or call the visitors center at (805) 924-1628.

A San Luis Obispo Symphony tradition, the Music Van has toured the county this time every year for almost 20 years. Trained docents will bring the Music Van to third and fourth graders from Nipomo to San Miguel and from Cambria to Shandon, visiting almost 40 elementary schools across the county.

“The Music Van offers an interactive introduction to music for local students,” SLO Symphony Executive Director Jim Black said. “Exposing a young child to music may not only encourage them to learn an instrument themselves, but an appreciation of music enriches our lives as children and adults.”

As music education classes and programs diminish in California public schools, The Music Van continues to expose children to the world of music. Trained docents and volunteers lead the program with a short music lesson about the physics of sound and an introduction to the “family” of instruments in the orchestra. The entertaining lesson is followed by free time for children to play a variety of instruments including violins, cellos, clarinets, flutes, trumpets, trombones, drums and cymbals. It is noisy, but fun for all.

Generous funding provided by the Janssen Youth and Youth Sports Fund, via the San Luis Obispo County Community Foundation, allows the Music Van to remain a free service to local schools (with PTA donations suggested). The San Luis Obispo Symphony dedicates fully one-third of its budget to music education activities and offers numerous programs throughout the Central Coast, all of which address California Department of Education Music Content Standards. The Symphony has designed its programs as a supplement for local schools, to provide opportunities that may not be available due to recent cutbacks.

The San Luis Obispo Symphony values music education and stresses its importance as a crucial subject for students of all ages. The Music Van schedule is available upon request. Please contact the SLO Symphony at (805) 543-3533 to reserve one of the remaining dates. For more information, visit the Music Education page of www.slosymphony.com.

No matter the situation, in a communications crisis a brand can be unfairly attacked on social networks. Which is why it is important to have a plan in place for such a situation.

Here are some best practices for social media crisis communications.

1. Create a comment policy. Before the crisis even occurs, businesses should create a comment policy that clearly defines what is or is not acceptable on a social media page. This policy will act as a guideline for page admins or managers should any disturbing comments need to be deleted. Make sure the policy reflects the brand’s values and/or mission.

2. Respond quickly. The worst reaction to a bad situation is no reaction at all. Let users know you are aware of the situation, you are working on a solution and that you welcome any and all suggestions to ensure the issue doesn’t arise again. Don’t just delete negative comments.

3. Be swift and transparent. It is important to remain calm in these situations, but to act swiftly, effectively dousing the fire before it burns out of control. Don’t wait a day, a week or even two weeks. A quick response as soon as the situation has been brought to your attention, or even before a user brings it to your attention (if you know about it head of time), is the best way to deal with it. Even if you don’t have a solution, or even know exactly what caused the problem, addressing it and providing regular updates is key.

4. Apologize, or at least assume responsibility. An online apology is always tricky because tone can be misread. Even though the error may not be directly your fault, or the fault of your organization, take full responsibility and don’t direct the blame somewhere else. It’s easy: We’re sorry. At the end of any apology, encourage open communication.

5. Reply to everyone and keep it personal. While a providing an overarching response to complaints is great as a standalone post, a brand should never use a generic response to individual complaints. Instead, respond to each individual complaint (if there are any) in an apologetic, calm, caring and open manner that is personalized to each complaint or comment.

6. Be polite. No matter the situation, always be polite. Nothing good comes from a rude or negative response to an already bad situation. It just adds fuel to the fire. Be sure to thank users for their comments and for letting you know of the situation.

7. Provide an update. After an initial crisis subsides, provide users with updates on the situation and thank them for their patience and responses.

Sources:
• Facebook comment overload
• Social Media & Crisis Communications
• Social Media Crisis Decision Tree
• How to use social media for crisis management

Eva Verdin gives check to Boys & Girls Club of South County Executive Director Moyses Muguirra. Old Juan’s raised over $1500 for the organization in the month of December.

Old Juan’s Cantina and its patrons embraced the spirit of giving last month and raised nearly $1,550 for the Boys and Girls Club of South San Luis Obispo County.

Old Juan’s Cantina donated $1 from every combination meal sold in December 2011, and its generous patrons donated an additional $349.86 in cash donations, making a total contribution of $1,549.86 to the local nonprofit organization.

The fundraiser kicked-off on Dec. 5, 2011 during the second annual Oceano Community Tree Lighting Celebration, where more than 100 community members and Oceano Community Services District representatives gathered for festivities at the restaurant.

“We are so grateful to have the ongoing support of Old Juan’s Cantina, not only for their generous donations but also for bringing the community together and reminding them of the great services the Boys and Girls Club provides locally,” said Executive Director Moyses Muguira.

Attendees of the celebration also had the opportunity to pick an item from the Boys and Girls Club wish list, which included school supplies, toys and other items. Among those in attendance were San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson, San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Paul Teixeira, Oceano Community Services General Manager Tom Geaslen and County Deputy Probation Officer Pedro Arroyo.

Last year Old Juan’s Cantina donated $2,200 and a bag full of needed supplies to the Boys & Girls Club. This year they encouraged donors to drop off wish list items with the Boys and Girls Club directly.

“In 2010 alone, the Boys and Girls Club served more than 3,000 local area youth and we expect to surpass that number again this year,” Muguira added.

Opening in 1994, the Boys and Girls Club now has five sites in South County and has served more than 100,000 children and teens. The sites are neighborhood-based buildings designed for youth programs and activities. The organization strives to enable all young people to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens. For more information, visit www.bgclso.org.

Old Juan’s Cantina is located at 649 Pier Ave. in Oceano. For more information, visit www.OldJuansCantina.com.