TV and movies are packed full of people working in the glitzy and glamorous world of PR.
They show how fabulous the job is what with going to parties, entertaining clients and running press conferences while you wear a killer pair of heels, cocktail in hand.
In my PR days, I definitely got to do all of these things.
Not gonna lie, they were pretty amazing. But 98% of the time, the reality of working in the PR trenches was far from the high faulting job that’s portrayed in the media.
Which is why as a communications person, I’ve come to love Scandal’s Olivia Pope. And yes, I’m aware it’s a TV show and Olivia has a very cool career, and that I’m not exactly walking into the White House anytime soon.
The beauty of Olivia Pope lies in the gritty reality of when she’s dealing with the crap that happens. And that, my friends, is where the golden lessons of communications and marketing in general really shine.
Which is why I bring you 4 online marketing lessons from Olivia Pope:
1. Know What Color Hat You Wear
In a crazypants world of mixed up marketing on the internet, there are a lot of grey areas.
Would-be experts, made-up credentials, trumped-up income and downright high-school behavior abounds.
Which is why you need to know where your line is. Do you wear the “white hat” that stands for goodness and truth? Or is your hat running more towards black?
“This is about justice. This is about dusting off the white hat and putting it back where it belongs.” – Olivia, Scandal
It’s all about values and ethics. It comes down to personal choice.
Are you willing to be sneaky or slimy to get what you want? Are you okay with playing games and risking your reputation?
You’re probably thinking no, I’m not. But I want to challenge you to think critically about this. It’s easy to be lulled into thinking something’s okay because you want to be liked, or you desperately want your goal so very badly.
We need to pay attention. Watch for when something seems too good to be true. Or when words and actions don’t align. Or most of all when stuff is straight up wrong.
If you’re going to wear the white hat, really own that. Stand for what you believe in and don’t let anyone else change that.
2. Ignorance Is Never a Defense
Olivia’s job is to be in-the-know. She literally needs to know who’s who, who knows what and how that all fits together.
When you run an online business, it’s easy to want to live in a bubble. And to some extent, that’s not a bad idea to insulate yourself and stay out of good ol’ comparisonitis.
As a business owner, you need to educate yourself. From taxes to legal to everything else in between, you don’t get a pass because you’re ignorant. The day you start a business, you’ve got certain obligations to meet, end of story. Ignorance isn’t a plausible defense. Make it your job to be in-the-know.
For example, you can’t violate someone’s trademark because you “didn’t know”. If you’re going to name something, it’s up to you to research that name and make sure you’re not infringing on someone else’s intellectual property.
Same thing applies to knowing about your community, clients and the ecosystem you’re operating in. Poke your head out of your bubble every so often to make sure you still know what’s what.
3. You Need to be a Gladiator
“You don’t get to run. You’re a gladiator. Gladiators don’t run. They fight. They slay dragons. They wipe off the blood. They stitch up their wounds, and they live to fight another day.” – Abby, Scandal
Ten years into my business, I know one thing for sure. This business thing isn’t for the faint of heart. Especially when you’re running an online business and need to market yourself on the internet.
All the marketing things require you to show up and be a gladiator. Because let’s face facts. You start a business to do what you do really well and not necessarily because you have a love of social media or list building. But they’re all part of the deal.
Your ability to be a gladiator and fight until the end, to go through the hard times and not run, is what makes all the difference. If I had quit every time I wanted to peace out and go work at Jamba Juice, this business wouldn’t have gotten past the first month.
You need to be ready for those moments when the dragon is ready to eat you alive; for when you need to decide that you’re going to fight. When a client from hell bites you, for you to get up, wipe off the blood and prove them wrong.
If you’re going to be in it, play the long game and get ready for what’s to come. Which includes getting your marketing handled like a gladiator would. (Because the alternatives – so not worth it!)
Game on gladiator. Stitch up your wounds and live to fight another day.
4. When the Going Gets Rough, Get a Pro to Handle It
Even if you’ve never watched Scandal, you’ve probably heard Olivia’s signature line “It’s Handled.” In the early seasons, Olivia focused on being a “fixer” which, believe it or not, is a real thing.
On a day-to-day basis, most communications or marketing is pretty straight forward – no fixers needed. But there may be a time (hopefully not nearly as dramatic) where you need communications help above what a regular consultant can do.
Know when you’re out of your depth. Know when you need the best that money can buy. Because that’s the fastest way through the rough times.
Early on in my career, I found myself in the middle of a crisis communications situation involving a tragic situation at my place of employment. The stuff that lawsuits and national news stories are made of.
The first call made after securing the location was to the best PR person in the city. Our version of the fixer.
To this day, I am grateful that we made that call because everything was handled. We had a press conference in hours, and the story was controlled. But most of all, the families involved had what they needed because they didn’t have a rookie (aka ME) trying to be a big shot.
Don’t let your ego or vanity interfere with getting someone to handle it.
Bonus: Popcorn & Wine are Always a Good Idea
“Dinner is popcorn. Lucky for you, I just opened a bottle of Bordeaux that’ll bring tears to your eyes.” – Olivia
Like Olivia Pope, Team Scoop is a big believer in the healing properties of popcorn for dinner and a big old glass of wine.
Go forth and tell your story.
