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Listening: Your Secret Weapon in Public Relations

In the world of public relations, we often think about the messages we send out. But here’s a secret: effective PR is just as much about listening as it is about talking. Listening is our secret weapon because it enables us to truly understand our audience, build meaningful relationships, and respond effectively to any situation. Yep, you heard that right (pun intended)! Let’s dive into why listening is such a big deal in PR.

Understanding Your Audience

Imagine you’re at a party, and someone keeps talking about themselves without letting you get a word in. Annoying, right? The same goes for PR. To truly connect with your audience, you need to understand them. This means actively listening to their voices in meetings, interviews and conversations. When you know their likes, dislikes, and concerns through direct verbal communication, you can craft messages that hit the mark. For example, if clients keep mentioning a problem during phone calls, you can address it directly and show that you’re listening.

Building Trust and Relationships

Relationships are built on trust, and trust comes from listening. When you show people that you care about what they have to say, they’re more likely to trust you. This is crucial in PR. Whether you’re responding to questions in a press conference or engaging in a one-on-one conversation, acknowledging and addressing concerns builds loyalty. It’s like any good relationship: communication has to go both ways.

Listening in Person, Face to Face

There’s something powerful about face-to-face interactions. When you listen in person, you can pick up on non-verbal cues like body language, facial expressions and tone of voice. These cues give you a deeper understanding of what the person is really feeling and thinking. In PR, this means actively engaging during meetings, interviews and events. Nod to show you’re following along, maintain eye contact to show you’re focused and ask follow-up questions to dig deeper. This kind of attentive listening builds a strong rapport and shows your audience that you value their input.

Listening Using Technology Like Zoom or Teams

With the rise of remote work, listening through technology has become a vital skill. Platforms like Zoom or Teams are great tools, but they require a different kind of listening. Make sure you’re not multitasking during virtual meetings—close those extra tabs! (Yes, I’m guilty about this one, too.) Pay attention to visual cues like facial expressions and gestures, and listen carefully to the tone of voice. Use features like chat to ask questions or get clarifications without interrupting the speaker. By being fully present, even in a virtual setting, you show respect and ensure you don’t miss important details.

Handling Crises

When a crisis hits, listening is your best friend. During these times, it’s essential to hear what people are saying so you can respond appropriately. Are there rumors flying around in verbal conversations? Address them with clear, factual information. Are customers or clients upset during phone calls? Show empathy and take action to resolve their issues. Listening helps you understand the situation better and react in a way that can calm the storm.

Continuous Improvement

Listening isn’t just about fixing problems; it’s also about getting better all the time. Verbal feedback is a goldmine for insights. Maybe your client’s customers love their product but find the website hard to navigate. Or perhaps team members have suggestions for improving processes. By paying attention to this spoken feedback, you can make continuous improvements that benefit everyone. It’s like having a roadmap for getting better and better.

Sparking Creativity and Innovation

Here’s a fun fact: listening can boost your creativity. When you’re open to new ideas and perspectives, you can come up with innovative solutions and campaigns. Maybe a client suggests a new way of reaching out to their customers during a phone call, or a team member has a creative idea for an innovative campaign. These fresh perspectives can help you stand out and keep things exciting.

Wrapping Up

So, there you have it! Listening is a powerful tool in public relations. It helps you understand your audience, build trust, manage crises, continuously improve and spark creativity. Listening is our secret weapon because it equips us to connect more deeply with our audience and navigate the ever-changing landscape of public opinion. By making listening a priority—whether in person, through technology, or during phone calls—you’ll be better equipped to achieve your PR goals. Remember, in PR, it’s not just about what you say—it’s also about how you listen.

So, what do you think? How can listening help you boost your career in public relations?

Signature Block: Barbara is Listening

NOTES

The framework of this article was inspired by ChatGPT.

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Listening Lessons from Oz

Image Credit: “the fantasy collection” by thewhimsicalsweet

In my closing remarks [from the 2006 International Listening Association conference], as outgoing ILA president, I spoke about the listening lessons of The Wizard of Oz, pointing out what we can learn from the story and each of its characters.

First, of course, was Dorothy, who clarified her perspective by listening to others as she tried to find her way home.

The Cowardly Lion struggled for courage, and listening definitely takes courage. When we ask a question, we must be prepared to listen to the hard stuff, too, not just what we want to hear.

Scarecrow, in search of a brain, knew the value of listening and the hazards of over-talking. In answer to Dorothy’s question, “How can you talk if you don’t have a brain?” Scarecrow replies, “I don’t know. But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don’t they?”

The Tin Man, in searching for his heart, realized through listening to others that he had what he wanted and needed all along. In fact, they all did—which also became a lesson in inward listening.

They also learned a hard lesson from the Wizard, who was not aware of his impact as a role model or how urgently he was counted on to listen to and help others.

Listening is a journey, and everyone’s Yellow Brick Road has roadblocks and potholes along the way and a cast of characters with their own struggles.

Wicked, the back story of the Wizard of Oz [describing the lives of the Elphaba, the Wicked Witch, and Galinda, the Good Witch] teaches a number of listening lessons, as well, related to assumptions, prejudice and friendship. The powerful tales of Oz serve as a fitting reminder of my message throughout my term as ILA president: “There is power in listening.”

For the original mindmap I created (using Inspiration concept mapping software), see the PDF of Listening Lessons from Oz Mindmap. The mindmap includes Toto, too!

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Notes from #Listen10

As a past president and  life member for the International Listening Association, I would like to share my notes with you from this year’s convention, held in Albuquerque. The sessions are typically small, intimate and interactive . . . and I am the ONLY one I know of who is using Twitter to provide notes and commentary. As such, it’s really awkward (and potentially rude looking) for me to be typing & tweeting while sessions are going on. So, I decided to use a running Cover It Live session to capture my thoughts AFTER each session is complete. If I see others also using Twitter, I’ll invite them to join me.

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Tweetin’ in the Classroom

At the annual convention of the International Listening Association, Chris Bond and I will be presenting a session titled “Twitter as a Tool to Transform Listening and Speaking within the Classroom and Conference Contexts.” Chris’ focus will be on conferences, and as I have used Twitter in my public relations (and first-year experience) classes for nearly two years, I will focus on the classroom.

Here’s a sneak peek at my presentation, where I share how using Twitter in the classroom can be both an advantage (w00t) and a disadvantage (meh). If technology is working as it should, I will create an audio recording of my part of our session on Friday morning and sync it to the Prezi below.

Tweetin’ in the Classroom on Prezi

Additionally, here are 11 tips for using Twitter in the classroom:

  • To help students get started using Twitter, use an assignment like One of Week of Twitter.
  • Create a Twitter list to make it easy for students to find each other on Twitter.
  • Let students know your specific expectations about Twitter usage in classroom.
    • Some professors allow (and even encourage) Twitter usage during all class sessions. Others limit it to specific days or times.
  • Create several short Twitter breaks during class.
    • Stop your lecture or discussion and ask students to synthesize and share what they have learned. Encourage them to respond to others in the class.
  • Monitor what they’re tweeting about during class time (once class is over).
    • Redirect them if they’re off topic too much or if it appears that Twitter is a distraction.
  • Be considerate of those who do not have access to a cellphone or computer during class time.
    • Encourage them to take 140-char notes, then tweet via a library computer after class.
  • Always use a class hashtag (like #COMM4333) if you want to make it easy for the class to follow the discussion.
  • Use WhatTheHashtag to create a transcript of tweets for your class.
  • Encourage students to share links to info that’s relevant to the class, along with the class hashtag, during times between classes.
  • Let pros in your field know when your class is, and ask them to contribute to the conversation by asking questions via Twitter during class time.
  • Consider having students participate in a scheduled chat (like #prstudchat) rather than holding a formal class once or twice during the semester.

What additional tips would YOU recommend?


(PS — When I attended the National Communication Association convention last fall, there was a bit of a kerfuffle about Twitter usage during conference sessions.)

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9 Ways to Make the Most of #Listen10

Just I have done for most of the last 20 years, I will be attending and presenting at the International Listening Association convention again this year.

Last week, USA Today’s Brian Dresher posted his tips on making the most of South by Southwest. These were great tips. I asked him if I could borrow liberally from them, and he said “sure thing.” So here goes.

  1. Don’t feel compelled to attend a session at every time one is offered. If you do that, it’s a quick recipe for listener burnout. (And I should know. I used to think it was impolite to sit out a session or two. Now I realize it’s more impolite to be zombie-like in a session than it is to be absent from a session.)
  2. Plan ahead to meet informally with the people you need to see. Check the program to see who is presenting and chairing; that will help you know who will be there.  Realize that the presenters and chairs will be fairly busy right before and after their sessions.
  3. Stay healthy. Make wise choices about your meals and snacks, and drink plenty of water. I usually buy a case of water to keep in my hotel room and make it a goal to finish it off before the conference is over.
  4. Attend a panel or presentation outside your usual area of interest. If you’re an academic, try some of the business panels. If you’re in the helping professions, see what the K-12 educators have to say.
  5. Say hello! ILA members are among the friendliest people I’ve come across. Even if this is your first ILA convention, feel free to introduce yourself. You might even get a hug (that’s a warning).
  6. Arrive early to the popular panels. Sit near the front so you can really engage with the presenters.
  7. Bring a power strip. You can make LOTS of friends, especially in airports, if you are willing to share your power with others.
  8. Bring lots of business cards. Even in this mostly electronic age of ours, one of the best ways to exchange contact information is through a business card. I make my own, and I include my photo on the back, to make it easier for people to connect my name and face.
  9. After the conference, send thank you notes to presenters who made an impact on you. And when I say “thank you note,” I don’t mean an e-mail. I mean a real, handwritten and mailed via USPS note.

So, those are my 9 best tips for making the most of the International Listening Association convention. Do you have a 10th tip to offer?

(PS — I bet these tips would hold true for most communication-related conventions, too.)

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First, Do No Tweeting (at #NCA09)

notweetingThis week, I am attending the National Communication Association convention in Chicago. In its own words, “NCA is a scholarly society that works to enhance the research, teaching, and service produced by its members on topics of both intellectual and social significance.”

While preparing to attend this convention, I told my students at Georgia Southern University that I would be sharing what I learn, along with random observations about the convention, using Twitter and identifying the NCA-related tweets with the hashtag #NCA09 to make it easy for them to find what I was writing.  NCA itself is also using a Twitter account to share information & answer questions about the convention, as well as maintaining a Twitter list of NCA members attending the convention.

But then something took me aback.

At the first session I attended yesterday, I had my Palm Pre out and was prepared to take my notes on the session on the device and share them via Twitter.  The session chair stood and made his opening remarks about the panel discussion that was about to take place. And then he asked everyone to turn off and put away all electronic devices.

I was taken aback, but I complied (mostly because I was sitting in the front row.) Then I took my notes old-school, with a notebook and paper. (I did notice later that I was taking my notes in 140 characters or fewer. Hmmm.) This must have been an aberration, just the preference of one panel? Over lunch, I did a barrage of tweets with everything I would have tweeted live if I had been permitted to.

Apparently at the Newcomers Welcome Session, NCA participants were specifically asked not to tweet during sessions. (I arrived in Chicago after the welcome session, so I was not there to hear the request myself. This bit of information was shared with me at the #NCAtweetup held at Buddy Guy’s Legends last night, where ~30 or so NCA members who are connected via Twitter gathered to meet in person.)

UPDATE as of 7:27am on 11/13/2009: According to the NCA Twitter account, “Tweet restrictions during sessions are decided by presenters, not NCA. We do not have any policies against tweeting during sessions.”

At a later session, on the use of social media in public relations classes, I asked permission to tweet, and that request was warmly welcomed by all members of that panel. So several of us DID use Twitter during that session, and we even received feedback and questions from others not attending the convention while the session was going on. We shared those tweets with the panel during the Q&A session. And to me, THAT is the power of Twitter.

solis

So here are my questions…

As a speaker, what are your thoughts on people tweeting while you speak?

As a listener, does Twitter enhance or detract from your listening?

As an association, does asking/telling members not to tweet equal a type of censorship?

I welcome your thoughts.

barbara_is_listening

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Listening to Volunteers: Best Practices for Leaders

How can a nonprofit organization survive without its volunteers? They can’t. It’s critical that we listen to our volunteers.

At both the International Listening Association and the Southern States Communication Association, I shared several best practices on listening to volunteers. The ILA session was recorded live; the audio from that session accompanies the slides in this slidedeck:

Listening To Volunteers: Best Practices for Leaders 

What additional examples would you add?

barbara_is_listening
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Listen Through a Window, Not a Mirror

[Cross-posted from my blog Listening Matters.]
What’s a great way to listen to another person? As Michael Wade notes in his article from a recent US News & World Report:

Look through a window, not a mirror. Don’t assume that the person means what you would have meant under similar circumstances.

Interesting approach, isn’t it? Let’s think about how “listening through a window” might work in practice.

As an educator of students in the Millennial Generation, it’s critical that I listen to my students through a window. For years, if I was planning on meeting someone somewhere, I might say, “We’re going to hook up later.” Now if I was to use the same expression in one of my classes at Georgia Southern University, I’d probably be met with snickers (and not the candy bar) from my students. Why? The term “hook up” has changed over the years. This doesn’t mean that I need to use their language, but I do need to be aware how my choice of words may be interpreted.

Wade contends that there are six ways to be a great listener. Rounding out his list are:

  1. Listen for a theme.
  2. Recognize that the speaker might not know the real message.
  3. Subdue your ego.
  4. Act as if you are listening.
  5. Use an old investigator’s trick.

In future postings to Listening Matters, I’ll apply many of Wade’s other tips.

So, how can your life change if you listen through a window instead of a mirror? Please share your thoughts by commenting here at Listening Matters.

Photo Credit: Thanks go to asmundur, who posted this gorgeous photo titled “In the Foyer” to Flickr.

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Juxtaposition

 

Note: The following article is based on a reflection exercise faculty members participated in at Poynter Institute’s Teaching Diversity Across the Curriculum conference last week in St. Petersburg, Fla. In small groups, we went to Listening Posts across the city, where we were instructed to observe a culture unlike our own. Dennis, Kym, Earnest and I went to Cho Lon Oriental Market and Mekong Vietnamese Restaurant on 34th Street.

If I were to use one word to describe what I saw and heard today, it would be juxtaposition. There was Trang brand coffee sitting next to the Café du Monde chicory coffee on the shelf in the Cho Lon Oriental Market. A TV showed the Vietnamese version of a telenovella, complete with Vietnamese subtitles, in the corner of Mekong Vietnamese Restaurant, right next door.

We saw something in the refrigerated section that intrigued us. It was something spiky, about the size of a spaghetti squash, in a mesh bag. Kym asked the proprietor what it was. The fruit was durian. It tastes wonderful, but it stinks, he warned us. He even told us of a hotel he went to that warned guests not to bring this fruit into the building. Kym was bold and bought some of the packaged stinky-fruit cookies on the shelf.

Do you want Edible Beef Blood? Try the frozen food section. Dried Black Fungus? That would be in aisle one next to the rice noodles. Pocky? Now, Pocky was something I’d heard of. That’s in the cookie and candy aisle.

Hello Kitty products sat next to Hello Panda items; none of my colleagues (including me) ever heard of Hello Panda.

In the restaurant, our friendly and helpful server had bleached blond spiky hair, pierced ears and multiple tattoos. Dennis and Earnest changed their initial orders based on our server’s recommendations after we started ordering. I tried the Hot and Sour Soup; it was sweet and spicy, and tasted quite a bit different from the soup of the same name at many Chinese restaurants. I think the lemongrass added a different flavor; I liked it a lot.

A couple came into Mekong with their toddler. “Would you like a high chair?” the server asked. “No, a booster seat would be fine,” was the reply. They ordered lunch. It came with scissors on the plate. As I got up to leave, I felt compelled to talk with them. “What kind of food did you order that needs scissors?” I asked. Both the husband and the wife laughed. “It’s to cut up the noodles for our son.” As I walked away from the table, I realized why they needed scissors. No knives are served with a meal in a Vietnamese (or any other Asian) restaurant.

Next time you’re in St. Petersburg, I’d definitely recommend stopping by Cho Lon Oriental Market and Mekong Vietnamese Restaurant on 34th Street. Take your time while you’re there and get to know the people. You’ll be glad you did.


Photo Credit: King of Fruits, originally uploaded to Flickr by Hanoi Mark