It’s a Beautiful Day in the …
This is the 50th anniversary of the first airing of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood in 1968, that warm, wonderful – although perhaps a bit slow-paced by today’s standards – program that taught children all sorts of valuable lessons.
From all accounts, the late Fred Rogers was as genuine a person as you’re ever going to find, especially among those whose job it is to appear regularly in front of cameras. So he was the real deal, believing and living out the lessons he conveyed to youngsters.
We wondered just what those lessons might tell us about public relations and marketing. We scouted out a few of the things he said on his show, in his book, or in other public appearances to see how we can continue to learn. So grab your cardigan sweater, put on your comfortable shoes, and join us in looking at PR lessons such as:
“If you could only sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to the people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person.”
One piece of advice we always tell clients is to make the editor or the analyst you are talking to feel important, focusing all your attention on that person and showing them that this conversation is what matters most at this point in time. Making someone else feel important is your gift to them and makes you important to them.
“The thing I remember best about successful people I’ve met all through the years is their obvious delight in what they’re doing, and it seems to have very little to do with worldly success. They just love what they’re doing, and they love it in front of others.”
If you love what you do and what your company does, the enthusiasm shows when you interact with the media, analysts, or customers and clients. You create enthusiasm in your audience through your own enthusiasm. Great advice!
“There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind.”
We all can learn from this and apply it in every interaction. Few of us do, and sadly, there are far too many examples of people who achieved financial success and celebrity doing just the opposite. But the key word is “ultimate” here, the success that lasts and lets you look back on your life with pride. And if you are always kind and considerate, we guarantee that the editors and others will like you even if they’re trying not to.
“I do think that young children can spot a phony a mile away.”
And so can reporters, which is why we work with clients to make sure they are genuine and sincere in order to make the best impression possible in interviews.