Valley PR Blog

Memo to Steve Berman: Start Blogging or Get Recalled

By Dan Wool on March 24th, 2008 In Hype!

Mr. Mayor:

Sir, I can’t keep reading about you like this. 

You need to start a blog and set up RSS feeds for mentions of your name. Right now. 

If not, you stand a very good chance of being recalled, which is not the best way to leave office.  It’s humiliating for you, who has served the public faithfully, and expensive to the taxpayer, who must drain the Town’s coffers for special elections.

You and I both know that what’s done is done and these vocal opponents should really speak with their votes at the next general election, whether that’s voting you out or the City Council members who enabled this mess.

But Mr. Mayor, you can’t get there from here right now.  You’re in the hot seat.  And that looks as though it will continue indefinitely until you take better control. Clearly, it’s weighing on your mind and beginning to interfere with doing the things you’d like to get done. That’s unfortunate.

Sir, I worked with you through the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority a couple years ago.  I know you’re a good guy, though sometimes, a bit cranky when people misunderstand what you mean. I also know that even though you’re pretty humble, you have a lot to say. 

So, let’s review:  Under siege with criticism. In (desperate) need to air your side of the story and get it some traction.  Dedicated audience needs to hear it.  You’re a smart, opinionated guy. 

Mr. Mayor, start blogging.  

Look, even though I have a blog, I tell people not to blog more often than I recommend it.  But, when it’s warranted as a PR tactic, I say use it.  It’s warranted here.  Your reputation is on the line and setting up a blog is the best way to defend it.  Here’s why:

(1) Speed of response.  The article this morning says your team is in the process of setting up a website.  That’s a complete waste of time and money.  Meanwhile, the crisis ticks on and all the opposing criticism gains credence because it hasn’t been met with response. (They’re called “End Corruption in Gilbert” for heck’s sake – how’s that for pointed?).  For free and in five minutes, you could have a WordPress account and have your first posts up and running.

(2) You can take control.  This is an ongoing crisis. When you have responded lately, it’s been in the newspapers where reporters may take a day to publish their stories — stories in which you have no control over the content.  Even that TV interview took time to produce. 

Point being, as you start to get your side out and gain momentum, you’ll begin to take control.  Set up your blog and get the facts out yourself.  You’ll set the agenda, not your opponents, not the press.  For example, the article said you’re in the midst of composing a speech to address the issues but couldn’t finish because of all the distractions.  That made you look bad.  (That is:  You can’t get a website up. You can’t finish a speech….)  Instead, you could have addressed matters as you saw fit, in real time on your blog, even released bits of the speech on your blog – maybe even have received some feedback.

(3) Start a dialogue. You’re not a bad guy. I’d be shocked if the voters thought that deep down you were a bad guy.  Get out there and shake the digital hands and kiss digital babies.  Get the facts out your way.  The beauty of blogs is that they let you be yourself and enable people to comment.  They make you human.  People can see you as you, not as reported by someone who has an agenda or doesn’t know you.  Further, constituents can read the blog and show support or dissent and enter the conversation.  And you can respond to their concerns. That you would be open enough to engage them will demonstrate your knowledge, show your passion for your job as Mayor and earn their respect.

(4) Focus and transparency. They say all politics is local.  This is exactly the sort of focus that make a successful blog.  Anyone in Gilbert can go there, and get your side of the story.  Yes, even the press.  If that’s scary, I simply say, what do you have to hide? Again, you get your side out — and you get it out first.  If you’re hesitant – you’re in the government — you can either be transparent through the blog or through a Freedom of Information Act request from one of the newspapers.  Which is worse?

And, if you are afraid that acknowledging the opposition might give them credence, don’t be. They already got that on their own.  Instead, your blog can help defang their arguments; you can dismantle their claims brick by brick — at the moment they make them — by responding with the facts or even your opinion as the credible Mayor the majority voted into office.  A static website, remains static. Your blog will be nimble and responsive and keep you ahead of the game.

If you’re concerned about your time or wondering how you will stay on top of what everyone says, there is a solution that makes it all very very easy: RSS. 

The second thing you need to do Mr. Mayor is set-up RSS feeds.  These are like Internet wire service or newspaper subscriptions of sorts. You can subscribe to the feed of any blog or news site or even to specific search results. It can be done through most web browsers. (If your browser doesn’t support it, there are free “readers” such as Google Reader or Bloglines that do the same thing).  Anytime there is a new post or new search result, the reader pulls it into a neat list,  and lets you know which of your subscriptions are updated, and when.   

You should have subscriptions to search results for your name, the Town of Gilbert, the names of opposition groups and members, the news media’s coverage of Gilbert, and any local blogs.  This will enable you to monitor the conversation about you and where appropritate respond, either through your own blog post with a link to them or by commenting directly on another site.

Mr. Mayor, if you get your side out there on your blog, monitor your opposition’s comments via RSS and immediately respond to their criticisms, you should start to get ahead of the issues and put this crisis in the rear view mirror.

If you maintain the status quo, you run the risk of the crisis spinning out of control. As it stands, you don’t even know that in this memo, I called you cranky, linked to your horrible interview on ABC-15 or offered this potentially career and money-saving advice. 

I hope that changes.

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