First and foremost, we’d like to say that it’s hard to believe any journalists would quote the “anonymous” source who claimed Sarah Palin didn’t know Africa was a continent. Then, as if that weren’t bad enough, those journalists didn’t even bother to double check their sources — a standard requirement for professional journalists.

It’s a shame when major news organizations let their standards dip to the level of the National Enquirer.

But Sarah Palin has an opportunity to use her public relations talents to re-bound from this. So far, she hasn’t quite stepped up to the plate, but we’re pretty confident she’ll be able to once this current flurry of bad press subsides.

Here are three suggestions that may help her, and that may help you, too, as you work on your public relations program:

1. Learn to Block and Bridge: The first thing most PR people teach their clients is how to block and bridge. When you get a question that you a) don’t want to answer or b) can’t answer, you block and bridge. The most common version of this is to say, “That’s a great question and one that we’re working on solving right now (the block), but we believe that most American’s are more concerned with the economy which is something we’re concerned about, too (the bridge).”
2. Avoid Casual Phraseology: Part of the appeal of Sarah Palin is that she’s a smart, professional woman who also has a down-to-earth approachability to her. That said, as a politician, it’s best to avoid casual phrases because they come across as too laid back. Ronald Regan maintained his approachability without ever uttering “Ya know?” and “Yahhhh. That’s the way we dooo it in Alaska.”
3. Stay on Message: Journalists are talented people. And they’re trained to ask the same question a number of different ways until they get the answer they’re after. But your job is to stay on message and to not deviate. Remember blocking and bridging? That’s the best way to make sure you don’t deviate from your message.
4. Answer the Question, Then Stop Talking: Sarah Palin seemed to believe that if she talked long enough, something good would eventually come out. But that’s just a sign that she hadn’t been prepared for the interviews. Answer the question. Then stop. Don’t ramble on in the hopes that you’ll say something smart, because it’ll be surrounded by a thousand words that nearly as smart as you’d like them to be.

It’s very easy to play Hindsight Quarterback on the McCain/Palin campaign, but that’s not our intent. Overall, Sarah Palin stepped into a difficult situation and ended up light years ahead of most people. The main point we’re trying to make is that our loyal readers can learn a great deal by watching someone else’s less-than-perfect attempt at a very challenging job.

Watch. Listen. And learn. It’s a great way to benefit from those who go before you.

Tuesday, November 11th, 2008, 5:59 pm   |   Presidential Election  |  RSS feed |  Respond  |  Trackback