If you work in PR, you probably aren’t surprised to learn that it’s one of the most stressful careers. But, that doesn’t mean you have to adhere to “the way it’s always been done.” I spend a lot of time with startups that are focused on disrupting the status quo. Apply that mentality to your day, too. Design your own life to avoid burnout.

How can you design your own day to alleviate some unnecessary stress? A few ideas:

• Work away from the office. We recently instituted the “Work Away” policy at Geben: Each week, you’re required to work a 1/2 day from your most productive place. Working outside the office — at your favorite coffee shop, park, library or even from your bed — can be a productive way to shake things up and refocus on what needs to be accomplished. A change of scenery can work wonders.
• Abandon the 9-5 mentality. PR is not an 8-5 job. We sometimes have to work weekends or evenings — particularly if you’re acting as a client’s community manager … or helping at all with social media. But, if you’re working late or on Saturday, there should be a tradeoff. Who says the work day has to start at 8? What if you’re like me and sometimes do your best writing at 3 am? If I work a few hours in the middle of the night, I shouldn’t feel bad about cutting out before 5p on Friday or running an errand during the “workday.” 8-5 is an antiquated work construct. Get your work done when and where you want to. Producing high-quality work is far more important than being chained to your desk for a specified 8-hour period of the day.
• Find a “cruise director.” The office cruise director is the person who infuses some fun into the team. In my office, that’s Jeana Harrington. She plans monthly happy hours and frequent lunch outings, sends links to hilarious videos, offers some levity to the day. Currently, she’s in the midst of organizing a segue tour of downtown Columbus for our team. What’s the point of working hard if you can’t enjoy it? I maintain high standards for my team, which requires them to work really hard, but it’s equally important that they enjoy what they’re doing. When I launched Geben, I wanted to build a company that companies wanted to work with and people wanted to work for. Potential employees want to join our team because we do good work, but also because it’s a fun environment with a group of people who genuinely like each other. Who’s your team’s cruise director?
• Let your team call the shots (sometimes). Speaking of Jeana … for a while, she’d been suggesting that Geben host an event to thank our local clients and show appreciation to our supporters, referral sources and friends. She was right, but, I explained to her that I didn’t really have the bandwidth to plan the party myself. I agreed to host a holiday party (and pay the bills) if she and Megumi took the lead in organizing it. They totally took the reins and planned a fantastic event. I listened to what they wanted to do and gave them ownership of an important project, and they rose to the occasion. This provided a win-win for everyone, and made sure that we took some time during the holiday season to appreciate how far we’d come and the people who helped us get here.
• Know when and how to disconnect. Remember what I said about PR being super stressful? Part of that is because we feel like we’re never off the clock … never allowed to turn our brains off. But, you need that time to recharge. You have to figure out how to set those boundaries and what you need to stay energized. Whether it’s reading a (non-work) book, watching your favorite TV show or going for a run — you need to make disconnecting a habit.

How do you avoid burnout? Share your secrets!

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Cause-marketers face a serious problem: “Slacktivism.” As noted on Huffington Post:

Slacktivism, usually the signing of online internet petitions, Facebook and social media campaigns, and often commercial efforts including T-shirt, bracelet or ribbons sales, is often defined as merely a feel-good measure that requires little personal effort or sacrifice on the part of an individual that has little practical impact in actually helping the involved cause. That common perception perhaps does a disservice to online activism, which is about grassroots communications. After all, the Arab Spring that was celebrated a year ago was created by the same technologies of Facebook, Twitter and the tools of traditional slacktivism.

If we agree that the tools aren’t the problem, then what is?

My dad always told me that the right action leads to the right result. Apply that theory to marketing and it starts with making the right ask.

Some PR pros, social media strategists, cause-marketers and others integrating online tools into their communication toolbox still struggle to show value. It’s hard to measure changes in behavior, a frequent cause-marketing goal. So, campaigns are judged on metrics more easily quantified, including likes, retweets, and clicks, etc. If these “engagement metrics” determine a campaign’s perceived success or failure, then the campaign’s strongest call to action will focus on driving online engagement. And, that’s the problem … which brings us back to slacktivism.

Instead of complaining about lazy slacktivists and a generation of people who aren’t willing to do more than “like” or retweet something, marketers need to look in the mirror: If we’re not providing a strong call to action equipping online audiences to contribute in a more meaningful way, then aren’t we to blame?

Technology has the power to scale social good. We saw it with the Arab Spring and Japan earthquake. I experienced it in Haiti and with a homeless shelter. But, for us to realize the potential of technology as a real driver of change, we must be smarter. Marketers need to think beyond likes. If we’re limiting our ask to something as generic as “Please Share,” we shouldn’t expect impactful action.

Marketers: To excel in the social wold, understand that better asks will lead to better action. Give it a try and see how technology can scale social good.

A couple months ago, I was drafting a bylined article for a client. I’d tried to work on it at various times throughout the week, and it just wasn’t happening. Then, on Sunday morning, the writer’s block evaporated and I finished the article in under an hour — in my pajamas … on my living room couch. And, if I do say so myself, the article was really well written. In fact, I’m convinced  that I couldn’t have written that article that well in the office. Phone calls, interruptions, distractions — all concentration killers.

Realizing that there are some projects that require uninterrupted concentration, I decided to institute “Work Away” at Geben. For at least half a day, once a week, each person is required to work from somewhere other than the office. Coffee shop, library, park, home — wherever they’ll be most productive. Each person can decide when to “Work Away” and what they’ll accomplish during that time. For some, they set aside that time for writing. Others use that time to plow through the “stragglers” on their to-do list. Sometimes, it’s when they brainstorm creative content strategy ideas for clients.

Where are you most productive? Imagine if you were encouraged to regularly work from there. Thanks to technology, there are few jobs that require you to be chained to your desk. Escape the office to discover a new sense of productivity.

Work Away … away from the office.

Who wants to test my theory? Let me know if “Work Away” helps you get more accomplished. And, what else do you do to improve your productivity?

From blogging and pinning … to creating videos, tweets, status updates, ebooks, enewsletters and white papers — content marketing has become a catch-all term that encompasses all kinds of information marketers are creating, disseminating and tying to objectives.

But, how do you know what kind of content to share? And, is it actually working?

Jason Falls offers the “Holy Smokes” test:

He says the idea is anytime you are engaged in marketing, you want your audience to consume the message and think, “’holy smokes,’ this message is: incredible, sad, awesome, beautiful, intelligent, informative or some other declarative response.”

More often than not, brands are so focused on posting X tweets a day, or updating Facebook X times a week that they get sucked into the day-to-day minutia and lose track of the strategy driving content. That’s why you end up reading post after post about the latest product development, or some totally random quote or photo. That’s not effective content marketing.

“Look at This” vs “Look at Me”

I find myself spending more time on Instagram lately than Facebook. Why? Huffington Post’s Bianca Bosker summed it up when she wrote this about Pinterest (which I think also applies to Instagram):

Twitter and Foursquare screams, “Look at me,” Pinterest posts urge, “Look at this.” At least for now, the site offers a refreshing haven away from the boosterism and boasting that plague so many sites.

If people are craving less “look at me” updates (hence the popularity of Pinterest, Instagram, Tumblr and similar sites), why not apply the “Look at This” approach to your company’s content strategy? It will attract people to your brand’s online presence, while piquing  their interest in ways that can’t be accomplished with the narrower “Look at Me” focus.

If you commit to the “Look at This” approach to content creation, then you have to figure out how to incorporate that into the right kind of content — content that makes people say “Holy Smokes” that still strengthens your brand’s positioning, conveys key messages, drives engagement, and syncs up with your overall communication goals (whether that’s changing behavior, shaping perception, driving sales, generating leads, etc.). That’s when the magic (read: results) happen.

Time spent online needs to be time well spent. By committing the extra resources and creativity to develop “look at this” content that aligns with your big-picture goals, organizations can establish a more compelling, effective online presence.

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Headquartered in Columbus, OH, Nationwide Insurance does a lot of good for my home city, but that doesn’t mean they’re protected from online backlash. This week, The Candle Lab posted a photo on Facebook with the following caption:

So…it was brought to our attention today that Nationwide Insurance took an image of our candle with our logo/label on it, removed the text, and dropped in new text to use on a coaster advertisement. I try to not to be too sensitive about this stuff, but this is so clearly a rip-off of our logo and trademark and a shot at our scented candles that its hard not to be pissed. Its not too much to expect that one Columbus-based big company wouldn’t steal a likeness and take a cheap shot at a small Columbus-based company.

93 comments and 27 shares later (of just that original image), this had the potential to turn into a David vs Goliath battle. However, Nationwide acted quickly — responding to comments on The Candle Lab’s Facebook page, as well as other Facebook pages from the Nationwide corporate account. Additionally, the VP of Corporate Communication responded from his personal Facebook page.

Both companies acted like grownups. Posting his email and phone number in the comments, The Candle Lab’s owner invited Nationwide to contact him directly to come up with a fair solution. Then, he continued to share updates on Facebook to let people know that Nationwide reached out to him and apologized. This morning, The Candle Lab posted that Nationwide has offered to donate $500 to a charity of their choice.

When an online controversy starts to bubble to the surface, a company’s poor response can escalate a “situation” to a crisis. After all, in crisis, if you’re not quick, you’re not relevant; however, the swift response needs to make sense for situation. As Elissa Freeman wrote, brands should consider these three filters when facing an online outcry:

1. Consider the demographic. Do they affect my business? Are they an organized entity?
2. Prevent knee-jerk reactions. Do we need to respond? Now or later?
3. Implement good crisis communications. The rules still apply depending on the severity of the situation.

The speed at which people can mobilize can catch companies off-guard, which sometimes leads to questionable decisions. The blogosphere likes to mock companies that #fail at crisis communication; however, in this case, Nationwide should be applauded for responding quickly — and,  just as importantly, responding in a manner befitting the situation.

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This week’s Follow Friday guest post comes from my friend and Kellye Crane. Kellye created a successful online community for independent pros. In fact, when I was launching Geben, Kellye offered a wealth of guidance — always willing to answer my questions or provide advice. Fortunately, I’ve met Kellye in “real life” a few times and just think the world of her. If you’re contemplating starting your own PR consultancy — or want to learn ways to increase your existing business — connect with Kellye and the SoloPR community.

Psst… Have you heard? Many businesses and organizations have found their PR secret weapon: independent public relations agencies and consultants.

What are the biggest advantages of working with indies?

Expertise-for-Hire

As we all know, the media continues to fragment and niche influencers have increased in importance. In this environment, nimble, independent PR pros can offer a strategic advantage by providing specific expertise – from strategy and planning to execution – and can hit the ground running immediately. Why wait for internal staff to learn a new industry, market or specialized skill, when a qualified indie practitioner can deliver better results today?

While large PR agencies remain the best choice in many instances, both agencies and in-house PR teams are recognizing that the challenges of scaling up to build influencer relationships in new industries can often more efficiently – and effectively – be addressed by partnering with qualified independent PR consultants and boutique firms.

Managing Feast or Famine

Though many signs are (hopefully) pointing toward economic recovery, most organizations continue to be cautious in their spending, which often leads to budget limbo and “hurry up and wait” scenarios for PR and marketing programs. Trying to staff appropriately in these situations is nearly impossible – not to mention the additional burdens if a hiring freeze is in place.

Independent PR contractors can be the key to surviving the stop-and-go, feast or famine climate of a jump-starting economy. The U.S. Department of Labor confirms this, noting that “firms [will] hire contractors to provide public relations services, rather than support more full-time staff when additional work is needed.”

With expected response times shrinking and real-time public relations – both planned, or in the case of a crisis, unforeseen – becoming the norm, many have realized that partnering with independent contractors can be the most effective way to manage workflow without sacrificing quality.

What do you think – what have been your experiences working with solo and independent PR practitioners?  And if you’re looking for an indie PR pro, you may want to check out Solo PR Pros’ free Find a PR Consultant feature.

Kellye Crane is the principal of Solo PR Pro, the leading resource for those interested in independent PR consulting. Solo PR Pro’s community features include a Premium membership site, a LinkedIn group, the flagship blog, a weekly Twitter chat, Facebook page, and more.

Already dubbed by some as the breakout social network of 2012, Pinterest seems to be everywhere — which inevitably leads marketers to wonder if and how they can (should?) market amongst the avid pinning crowd. (But, remember, before infiltrating any niche network, brands should start by asking themselves these three questions.)

Whether you need a Pinterest 101 to get your boss up to speed on the pinning phenomenon … or if you’re wondering what all the fuss is about — I hope you’ll find this Pinterest introduction helpful. We’ve included a general overview, recent stats, and links to 10+ articles and resources. Feel free to download the document, share with your colleagues, or “borrow” from it to assemble a Pinterest briefing document of your own.

On Pinterest? Let’s connect there, too. Here are my “Reminds me of Team Geben” and “Meat-Free Food Ideas” boards. Happy Pinning!

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My company, Geben Communication, is a boutique PR firm in Columbus, Ohio. Along the way, I’ve made decisions to ensure that we can work with small- to mid-sized businesses, startups and nonprofits — organizations that typically can’t afford the rates of the larger agencies. As a result, we’re typically charged to “do more with less.” (A challenge we LOVE, by the way!)

So, when we discovered this morning that our client, the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon, was selected as a finalist for the PR Daily Awards, we were thrilled. But, we were ecstatic when we realized the other finalists include Major League Baseball, American Airlines and GE — operations whose budgets are far larger than what we work with.

Normally, this isn’t the type of thing I’d share here on prTini.com, but I do think it makes an important point:

You do NOT need a massive budget to excel in today’s social world.

I’ve blogged about some pieces of our work with the Columbus Marathon before (here | here). We don’t need an award to tell us that we’re doing good work. (After all, we track how our efforts sync up with measurable outcomes.) But, it’s nice to be reminded that the quality of work and the ability to deliver results isn’t always dependent on budget.

Congratulations to all the finalists and thanks to PR Daily for including us in such amazing company!

People who know me well know where I stand politically. My career began in public affairs and political consulting, so it’s something I used to talk A LOT about. However, as my career has shifted, I’ve found myself talking about political issues and candidates less and less. I’m not sure if I like that or not (after all, I am the person who once declared that “Everyday should be Election Day”), but that’s the way it is.

So, I’m going to go on a bit of a rant right now, but I’d like to preface it by saying it’s not intended to be political.

Via email and on his Facebook page, Mitt Romney launched a new campaign: Donate to his presidential campaign to receive a “Moms Drive the Economy” bumper sticker. This campaign was inspired by a misguided Democratic pundit declaring that Ann Romney, a stay-at-home-mom, had never “worked a day in her life.” President Obama and his campaign staff quickly responded to distance themselves from that comment and line of thinking.

As political season heats up, candidates will try to cultivate female voters. We’ll undoubtedly see both parties trying to score political points (some cheap, some valid) to strengthen their position with this critical block of voters.

However, as a women-business owner who doesn’t have children (yet), I find this statement to be offensive. Women play a critical role in the economy. The University of North Carolina’s online MBA program recently released an infographic compiling data about women in the workplace. Some highlights:

• Women are founding businesses at 1.5 times the national average.
• Women owned 20% more businesses in 2007 than they did in 2001.
• Women own 28.7% of non-farm businesses.
• Women-owned, venture-backed companies have 12% higher revenues.
• Companies with more equal gender distribution in leadership garnered 30% better results from IPOs.

The common thread? Women. Women are doing these things that are spurring economic growth. And these are accomplishments that should be celebrated — not used as a cheap trick to score political points.

Amazing, high-profile women like Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg, SPANX’s Sara Blakey (the youngest self-made billionaire, according to Forbes’ most recent list), and even Bethenny Frankel are leading by example — showing women that you can, in fact, have a successful career and a family. But, let’s be clear: Women — moms and those without children — are contributing meaningfully to the economy. Being a mother isn’t a prerequisite to “driving the economy.”

As I’ve written before, though it’s 2012, women still need to fight against ingrained societal norms that diminish the ability, capacity and potential of women. But, why are moms and “non-moms” being pit against each other? To score political points.

Women, I implore you: Don’t get sucked into the “mommy wars” and similar unproductive fights. Instead, display leadership. Let’s start a real discussion about opportunities for women to help grow the economy. Then we’ll really be driving the economy. Kids or not.

Earlier this week, a PR student asked which PR/social media-related people I closely follow on Twitter. She didn’t mean “follow” in the Twitter sense. Instead, she wanted to know who are the people that I really pay attention to … don’t miss their updates … seek out information from them. Interesting question, right?

If you’re anything like me, you’ve identified a few people on Twitter that you really admire, learn from or appreciate their business acumen. Maybe you’ve connected with these people in person … or not. Sometimes, skimming updates from these go-to people provide that extra bit of advice, motivation, reassurance or even a spark of creativity.

I’ll show you mine if you show me yours. Sound good? My list:

• @AmyJoMartin — Amy Jo’s firm, Digital Royalty, is always testing and experimenting with new ways to add the “human element” to brands, whether she’s working with a company or an individual. Her clients include athletes, celebrities, sports teams and leagues — totally different than the type of clients my firm works with. But, I love checking out what she’s doing and “remixing” the ideas in ways that are applicable to our own clients.
• @DKNY — I think DKNY’s approach to Twitter is brilliant. The company’s PR person’s tweets provide a glimpse at the brand, as well as life as a PR person for a major fashion house in New York City. She’s interesting and engaging, whether she’s talking about fashion, offering advice for young PR pros, or opining on her favorite TV shows. I love her creativity and approach to social media. Her tumblr, dknyPRgirl.com, is also a must-read.
• @JasonFalls — Jason recently became a client of mine, but I started following his tweets and blog long before we officially worked together. He shares a wealth of links and resources on Twitter, plus he’s funny and realistic. He lives up to the name of his book: No BS Social Media.
• @TDefren — I had the pleasure of being on a panel with Todd Defren not long after I started Geben and he offered me a piece of invaluable advice. Since then, he’s evolved into something like a “virtual mentor” for me. He’s on the forefront of digital PR, plus he helped me think about how to grow my business, so I pay close attention to any and all advice he offers.
• I also have a Twitter list of smart PR people, including @prsarahevans, @arikhanson, @dbreakenridge, @KellyeCraneand @jgoldsborough, that I follow pretty closely.

That’s my list of people I “stalk” on Twitter. (Not really … but I do follow them pretty closely.) Who do you keep tabs on?