As a response to those who repeatedly ask for a little direction, I whipped up a simple guide to streamline things a bit and cut to the proverbial chase – it isn’t rocket science – in fact, it is a simple exercise that will help you with strategizing and creating an effective, professional live presentation for any business endeavor.

Initially, here are the three factors we want to see:

1. The Project: What is it? Be able to describe it in 60 seconds – if we need more information we’ll provide an opportunity to expound. Keep it simple. Keep it real.
2. The Producing Partners/Key Attached Players: This information will directly influence our decision to move to the next level of interest from our perspective. Who are the key partners behind the project? What is the track record of the partners? Are there some key “ingredients” they bring to the table? Are there key personalities attached (must be verifiable: letters of intent, etc.) as co-producers or talent?
3. Funding: We want to see real numbers. How can this project make us money? Be honest with yourself.

We’re not looking for optimism – we’re looking for realism.

How much money are you raising in total? Where is the money coming from? Is the money being raised from private parties, traditional lenders, crowdsourcing? Is there an experienced LP (that we can easily reference on imdb) on the project?

What is the ROI, and how soon will we start to see first dollars back?

Anyone who has experience presenting should already know that the pitch itself should not be long or complex. If you are relying on slides of some sort, keep it concise: say less than eight pages – providing a realistic MM budget overview = bonus points.

There you have it. As I said before: Keep it simple. Keep it real.

Good luck!

• Try to balance your historical frame of reference. Many people see Native Americans as existing only a “long time ago.”

• DO NOT encourage children of Native ancestry to wear a “warbonnet,” “headdress,” etc. to “celebrate” the season or Thanksgiving holiday. (NOTE: this actually happened to one of us in elementary school on the east coast where Pueblo Indians are not indigenous to the region.)

• Understand, remember, and teach students that Native Americans are not unilaterally the same; e.g. we have different languages, beliefs, customs, way of dress, ceremonies, and diets.

• Perhaps you may elect to teach about a tribe in your region, or at least a specific Nation, Tribe, or Pueblo, so as not to perpetuate stereotypes.

• You may elect to teach about the cultural differences between Nations, Tribes, and Pueblos; e.g. architectural/dwelling (Pueblos built in adobe dwellings), agricultural tools, pottery methods/tools, etc.

• Consider focusing on the concept of “being thankful,” rather than the traditional (and sometimes offensive) stereotype found on greeting cards, elementary school wall posters, etc. regarding Pilgrim and Native iconography.

PS – Don’t even get us started on Pocahontas…

We create communication experiences. The foundation that produces the “revolutionary results” our clients seek is built on our mix of progressive communication strategies and traditional methodology. We apply our strategy, utilize the most effective medium(s) for delivery, and create a measurable ROE (Return on Engagement).

“Vision is Crucial”

Sometimes our tenacity has been construed as opinionated or stubborn. While we don’t strive to be “all things for all people,” our vision has unlimited scope, provides boundless opportunities for unparalleled achievement, and enables us to continue to undertake the most ambitious of tasks for those clients who appreciate our philosophy.

Some have remarked that we have an attitude. We take that as a compliment.

Others have said we “think outside the box.” We didn’t come with a box.

1680PR Manifesto

We believe in a “committed relationship” with our clients – real partnerships create their own success. Treat us respectfully, as such, and we’ll accomplish the impossible together. We will not be your “vendor” or “service provider.” We will be your “Communications Partner.”

We aren’t afraid of challenges or crises. We never blink.

We are not a “cheat sheet.” We don’t give answers unless we may explore the questions.

A positive communications exchange is a vital part of our own process. We operate on a system that breaks down without feedback.

Don’t try to do our work for us. You hired us to do things that you cannot.

We do not present unpaid pitches. Our global contacts – rather, “relationship equity” – boundless intellectual creativity, and leading-edge technology resources are our most valuable assets; we will not hand out these resources free of charge. What we do offer for free is an introduction to our company and key team members, an initial project/client analysis, and debrief to potential clients.

We are experienced professionals who work hard (in some cases, around-the-clock) to ensure your success, so pay us.

1. Before the event, we investigate the “lay of the land” – if at all possible – to try to discern some of the following questions:
   1. Do we have parking close to the venue and/or permits?
   2. Do we have a green room to work in?
   3. Is there an in-house video feed?
   4. Is there adequate power available and is it accessible?
   5. Is there WiFi access with a strong signal?
   6. How many of us may access the WiFi at the same time?
   7. Where are bathrooms for our use, as opposed to the public?

Those first round questions help determine how many team members will be needed, and help us select any special equipment we may need; e.g. Satellite Phones, Director’s Cart (Video Assist rig used on film location), mobile broadband routers, etc.

Upon arrival we are usually expected to hit the ground running, and split up in teams, if necessary. The gig’s Lead PR Pro will commandeer – literally take over an area – a nook and turn it into our mini-Bullpen, so we can have one point of all communications where we can monitor and update our media contacts in real-time using Vocus and our other online tools. This miniature version of our office Bullpen has all we need to ensure our success at events like NAMM, SXSW, Sundance, Smithsonian Native Cinema Showcase, etc.: 2-4 MacBook Pros; portable printer, Junxion Box (a location necessity, it provides Wi-Fi access for up to 275 devices – we use this bad boy everywhere we go), charging station for wireless devices and rechargeable AA battery packs, etc.  The area can be a green room, lobby area, tented area on film location, etc. Square footage isn’t as important to us as access to power – and we always have a backup solution.

The other team will simultaneously take over a suitable area for conducting video interviews (if we’re so tasked), photo ops/location stills, etc. It is usually located in close proximity to the event stage, entrance, hospitality room, etc.

While all of this sounds like a major logistics effort physically, we have handled some events with only a MacBook, MiFi broadband card, Flip HD Camera, and a couple of smartphones – it all depends on the requirements of the gig. We do; however, rely heavily on the efficient use of technology at all levels. We are all “digital native” – pun intended.

NOTE: We don’t purchase the above-mentioned bigger ticket communications gear. We have an AWESOME relationship with the leading communications tech provider for the film industry in Los Angeles and New York who rents them to us by the day, week, month, or longer at KILLER prices – and has it all waiting at our destination when we arrive. CONTACT US if you want to connect with them to raise your tech game and reduce your overhead at a major cost savings!

What we carry on our person during any event:

• Field Notes – much handier than a matchbook cover or napkin
• Pen
• Verizon Smartphones because we need dependable signal strength
• Business Cards – yep we’re old school like that. FYI: We use different card reading applications on our phones so we don’t have to waste time typing info later. Josepf Haslam and Brandie McCallum introduced us to using the Hashable smartphone app at SXSW, and we are starting to implement it more for contact keeping on-the-fly.
• Peppermint gum instead of mints
• Small “Peck” pocket knife
• Enough pocket change to buy drinks for clients, share a cab fare, etc.
• Lanyard – never hurts to have your own lanyard at concert-type events where backstage/VIP passes are issued. We hate peeling the backing off and sticking it on our kick-ass clothes.

Some of our “dos”:

• Stay hydrated – carry water if possible. You’ll thank us later.
• Carry a yellow highlighter if possible.
• Carry some sort of quick snack bar if possible. We prefer Isagenix IsaLean Bars.
• Stay refreshed when working long gigs. We use the small Evian Facial Sprays when possible – if not, a quick, cold water splash in the restroom facility does the trick.
• Invest in a good pair of shoes. Well made shoes cost more, but are worth it when you can feel comfortable and look better than your competitors.
• Consider carrying a mini-flashlight in your arsenal.

Some of our “don’ts”:

• Don’t wear sports-type sunglasses with business attire. Ever. (Ok, this may be completely unrelated to this topic, but our boss seriously pet peeves over this.) When we’re working an outdoor gig, we still dress professionally, unless it is specifically an athletic/physically demanding scope of work.
• If you aren’t actually attending school, nor attempting to be hip and relevant at a coffee shop, don’t use a messenger bag or backpack.
• Don’t drop your level of professionalism near the end of a long work day; e.g., loosen your tie and unbutton your collar, slip the heels off to walk more comfortably, etc. If your feet hurt in heels, get different shoes.

We’re always looking for your suggestions, so please send us some hints on how you handle live events/gigs!

Last night’s opening night screening of Reel Injun was an exceptional event to kick-off the 10th Annual Native Cinema Showcase. As Jason Silverman, director of Cinematheque at the Center for Contemporary Arts, pointed out in his opening night speech, “this film could be our (NCS) patron film as it explores the exact issues of our focus.” The film was preceded by White Fawn’s Devotion, the earliest surviving film by a native director.

When watching this documentary one feels like a time traveler glimpsing into the decades of the 20th Century with brief flashes of the present-day results of the historic events. The insight of the film is perfectly paired with humor and emotion to make the experience a true adventure through time.

Following the screening, a very enthralled audience was given the opportunity to get into the minds of the filmmakers and participants. Neil Diamond (director), Ernie Webb (co-director), and Chris Eyre (interviewee) shared personal stories of the making of the film, their inspiration as Native filmmakers, and the childhood experiences that illustrated the effects of the “Hollywood Injun”, chronicled in the film, on these three men.

Anyone who missed the amazing event should catch the rescreening on Saturday 3:00PM at the Cinematheque. Another NCS featured film directed by Diamond and Webb, The Last Explorer, is screening on Saturday at 12:45PM at the Cinema at the Cathedral, and is sure to be another example of the true artistry of these individuals.

• We have been test-driving a new stereo on Dee’s desk in the Bullpen courtesy of Bose. The new Wave Music System with SoundLink arrived a couple of days ago, and we have been blasting it non-stop. We already have two of their Home theater-type systems here, but we were looking for something that offered a robust sound in a compact space. We were jamming Sublime a few minutes after opening the box. The nifty thing about this system is that we can send the music remotely from any of our Macs via the SoundLink wireless transmitter. We dig it, so we’re going to get a couple more.

• Despite the mass hysteria induced by the advent of the eagerly anticipated iPad, we don’t plan to ditch our trusty Kindle devices so hastily. While some of us still prefer the tactile feel to a real book, the digital ink is more comfortable to read for longer periods of time than a monitor display. Rich uses the new Kindle reader on his smartphone when he doesn’t have his Kindle handy, and says it allows him to read anything in his library when he is waiting for an appointment or a long line at the bank.

• All – yes, all – of us carry a Verizon MiFi intelligent mobile hotpot. Weighing in at a super-sleek 2 ounces, it allows us to connect up to 5 wi-fi-enabled devices at once for hi-speed online access. Ken has one hidden in the armrest of his truck, so when he is on location, his truck is a literal hotspot for his MacBook Pro and smartphone. If he needs it, he just reaches into his armrest and drops it in his brief bag.

Full Disclosure: We have an exclusive relationship with a Los Angeles-based Verizon partner, so we get our MiFis at a majorly HUGE discount with NO contract or other fees. If you would like us to connect (pun intended) you with that company so you can take advantage of the same deal, shoot us an email.

• As mentioned previously on this blog, we use Flip UltraHD video cameras, and find them useful for a broad range of situations. All of our Unit Publicists carry one “just in case” an interview or other video/photo op comes up while on location.

UPDATE: We are now mostly using the Samson ZOOM Q3HD recorder for mobile situations where microphone utility/flexibility is critical: on-the-fly interviews in noisy environment, live events, unit publicity on film locations, etc.

• Rich picked up an Altec Lansing Orbit Speaker for his MacBook Pro and absolutely loves it. He uses it in his office and throws it in his bag when he hits the road – turned out to be a total necessity during recent business trips to South by Southwest (SXSW) with all the demos delivered to him. It is compact and really affordable at 40 bucks!

There you have it – a few little odds and ends that make our life a little easier…and more fun.

Presentation should not be thrown out the window because the Internet seems somehow less formal or impersonal to some.

While recently reviewing employment inquires sent to my email, I was greatly disappointed to find applicants attaching professional resumes’ to poorly drafted emails, and sending from inappropriate email accounts.

Let me clarify:

• Emails are not text messages or informal notes to a friend. A professional email should resemble a formal letter and, as such, include a heading, inside address, greeting, body, complimentary close, and a signature. A standard email contains a subject and recipient entry field, which act as the heading and inside address.

• The writer of the email is responsible for including a greeting, body, complimentary close, and signature.

• The greeting and closing should be appropriate for the sender, recipient, and subject of the email. Do not greet with “Hey” or “Hi,” or close with “Laterz” (I actually read this closing to an email).

• All portions of a formal letter, and thus an email, should be mechanically correct: proper spelling, grammar and punctuation, and clear and concise language (don’t *&$^*#% ramble).

• Any written documents, including formal letters and emails, should be drafted, reviewed, and edited at least once, but additional edits should be completed as needed.

• Many email editors allow users to create a standard signature. Whether a standard signature or entered signature is used, this part of a formal letter should include all relevant and current contact information, including First and Last Name, phone number, and email address. Additionally, after drafting a complete professional email do not send from hotmama69@… or all of your hard work and attention to detail will immediately become irrelevant. If you must, create an email account that includes all or part of your name such as JohnD@… or JDoe@… These account names are not particularly creative or individual, but these characteristics should be portrayed in a cover letter, resume, or personal interaction, and not in an email account.

Please put this advice to use and improve your professionalism online today!

Genevieve Gonzales

hottmamafosho@1680PR.com

Those who follow our blog will surely note that I am usually the one to rant in a semi-sardonic vibe. I can’t help it; it is just the way I’m built. It also makes it more fun for me to address certain topics sans my typical eye rolling since the reader is not in front of me to note my visual cues… however, it is time to re-visit a topic which I speak about quite frequently: the difference between PR and Publicity.

Public Relations (PR) is a communications practice. It is strategic in nature, requiring diligence in research, planning, more research, and surgically precise implementation to achieve a prescribed result. The best PR professionals use a wide array of new media technologies combined with traditional methodology to create an engineered perception of your story, idea, product, identity, etc. by the public-at-large, internal constituents (Stakeholders, Board members, etc.) or other targeted demographic.

In all cases, well-executed PR campaigns and initiatives are not only seamless – they are invisible.

To that end, 1680PR, along with a handful some of the world’s leading agencies and boutique firms, does not list its clients on the web or other collateral materials for a totally simple reason: the public-at-large tends to frown upon any feeling of its perception about a person, product, company, etc. being manipulated or influenced by anyone other than its own peer members or organizations.

Publicity essentially is the act of getting attention, rather, earning attention (as in attention that is not paid for): printed articles, interviews, blog postings, etc. Marketing Master Seth Godin sums it up nicely as, “…getting ink.”

While generating publicity is a component of public relations practice, the two terms are not interchangeable.

I continue to find Godin’s recent charge that “most PR firms do publicity, not PR” to be an unfortunate, yet spot-on, assessment of the current state of the industry in general. 1680PR understands the difference, and now, so do you.

Let’s talk about your needs.

First and foremost, 1680 is a Public Relations firm. In a nutshell, we develop and initiate ways to best communicate whatever it is that our clients wish others (internally or externally) to perceive about them. We get paid to do this.

If you have done your homework, you know that we have a “Talent” department at 1680 – actually, on the website it lists “1680 Talent,” so just nod your head and agree with me. The “Talent” we refer to generally fall under three categories for our intents and purposes: literary, intellectual, and entertainment. This is where you – the screenwriter, author, etc. – would most likely position yourself to pitch your idea. You may have heard rumors that we invest in Film and TV projects…well…we do; however, those special projects are developed within the context of our original Think Tank (also referenced in our website), and are not produced by 1680, per se.

1680 talents are people/productions whom we represent, rather, we represent the intellectual property and/or particular skills they possess; e.g. scripts and treatments, book ideas, dramatic performance, public speaking, etc. We get paid to do this, too; but in most cases, it comes out of what is called the “back end” – meaning we get paid after the talent does.

Now, if you believe you would benefit from having our agency “shop” your script and you around the block to the production house powers-that-be, we most certainly welcome you to begin a dialogue with us…our way.

The Aforementioned “Our Way”

• Inquire via email to talent@1680PR.com to find out if, in fact, we are currently looking for new talent. Please do not inundate us with phone calls.
• Patiently wait for a very nice person to reply with information (via email, or perhaps a phone call) on what the next steps are, and possibly a request for materials or more information.
• In any event, DO NOT waste your time trying to cold call (an industry term applied to someone who shows up on our doorstep uninvited, consequently giving us the impression that they are totally insensitive and ignorant) on us at our offices, because we will not authorize your entry on lot without an appointment. Whereas, we realize that you are special because your script is the best ever written and surely will be an award winner, THIS APPLIES TO EVERYONE, EVEN YOU.
• Don’t send anything to us that we haven’t requested in previous dialogue. We won’t read scripts and treatments sent without our request. They will be used to make avant-garde sculptures, fire kindling, or end up in one of our many round files.

There you have it. Basically, if you respect our time, we’ll respect your effort, and the world will work in perfect harmony.

Now get back to work on the 22^nd re-write of your totally original script about a vampire or wizard…

So before HR hands me another stack of what I will undoubtedly refer to as “crap” (a professional term we use in PR), please take a moment to read what separates “prospective” from “no-chance-in-hell” candidates.

1. Follow the simple instructions found in the “Careers” section of the 1680PR website. This is not only a commandment, but also demonstrates you can follow the simplest of directives.

1. In the unlikely event that I specifically tell you to contact me in a specific manner regarding internship or employment, and further direct you to provide a specific set of information in a specific manner or format, well…just do it that way.

1. Please don’t cold call us to say you’re friends with “so-and-so” and leave a verbal resume’ on our voice mail. If you really are a “friend” of one of our employees, colleagues, or trade associates, list them as a reference on your cover letter and resume’.

1. We look for qualities and character hallmarks of applicants, not just skill sets. What that translates into is I am just as apt to train someone who demonstrates they are a “go-getter” and “mover -and-shaker,” as I am to hire someone who has experience. If you are willing to put the time into learning what we need you to, you are already half way to finding yourself a place here.

1. THIS IS A MAJOR TIP: Before you contact us, take the time to research what our corporate climate is like: e.g. are we hip and culturally relevant, or ultra-conservative and stuffy…what services do we offer our clientele…what trends are in our social media streams, etc.?

1. If you score an interview for internship or employment, come to the interview ready to play. What this means is, if you don’t know what you bring to the table, I won’t offer a seat to you. It is like a first date: impress me by being impeccably dressed, on time, and prepared. If you don’t have a suit or other appropriate corporate outfit, borrow one if possible. At the very least, iron that shirt or blouse, and clean/polish those shoes – even if all you have are sneakers. Even though most of the positions available at 1680 carry a relaxed dress code – jeans, t-shirts, and sneakers – there will always be occasions requiring traditional conservative corporate dress.

There you have it, kiddos. It isn’t rocket science. Good luck.

See you in the Bullpen…