Media Bullseye - PR Blog Jots

Wait...There's an Economic Crisis? (and Other PR Blog Jots)

2008-10-15T16:44:11Z

Snip Snip
PR Squared
I know you all are probably tired of the neverending "OMG Economic Crisis!" trend of the blog jots lately, but really, check your feed readers. This is inspiring a lot of posts! Today is no different, with Todd Defren discussing the unfortunate decision of one o SHIFT's clients to ax their PR budget to save money. He claims that unless there's a serious budget urgency, cutting your PR firm is not an effective way to save money, for many reasons. "Agency PR is more cost-effective than in-house PR. The VP of Marketing is not going to create and manage databases, craft pitches, write press releases, and, spend hours each day reaching out to 50 reporters (and another 150 bloggers). They'll need a senior PR pro to handle those sundry duties - and, with salary and benefits included - that senior PR pro will cost about $150,000."

Blog Through It
Problogger
While most bloggers are certainly not reliant on blogging to keep them or their families' afloat financially, that extra punch to the bank account earned through blog ads can come in handy. Darren Rowse explains how to "recession-proof" your blog to keep that income flowing even when people are cutting the fat from budgets (see above). "I'm not saying the times we live in are not reason to be concerned - but panicking is not going to do you (or those around you) any favours. Do what you can to have a level head and to look logically at the situation - if you can't, find others who can and give them permission to slap you in the face next time you go into panic mode."

Economic Echo Chamber
PR 2.0
In another economy-focused post (also available in shorter form on TechCrunch), Brian Solis argues that while many businesses, start-ups in particular, may be nervous at the current state of affairs, now is not the time to withdraw from the social space. "Marketing to the echo chamber, believe it or not, is how you get that car rolling, starting everything in first gear. Appealing to those who can help spark word of mouth is how you can accelerate, gain enough speed to shift into second, and subsequent higher gears, and attract new users and evangelists along the way, growing in distance and reach at every turn. It is the echo chamber that can help you efficiently gain velocity in order to progressively reach greater audiences and command additional financing and also revenue in the process. With its support and assistance, it is almost like starting with a colossal push."

Elusive Influence (and Other PR Blog Jots)

2008-10-14T20:34:09Z

Elusive Influence
Shel Holtz
In a post that seems to admit that measuring influence online is nearly impossible if you think about the measurement in the right way, Shel Holtz has some interesting arguments. He counters Steve Rubel's recent claims that Google Page Rank has the best measure of online influence, looking at a theory from measurement guru Katie Paine instead. " Katie Paine, in her excellent book, "Measuring Public Relationships," defines outcomes as "quantifiable changes in attitudes, behaviors, or opinions that occur as end results of a PR program." It's a definition I agree with. The highest possible Google Page Rank cannot determine whether your site has produced such a quantifiable change. That's what influence is--the ability to alter someone's attitudes, behaviors, or opinions."

Personal Brand Equity
The Buzz Bin
Qui Diaz reminds us all that when it comes to online reputation management and personal brands, you pretty much are what you type. So to speak. Your personal brand is pretty easily defined, it's your reputation. It's up to you what that reputation ought to be worth to a company. "Ultimately, your personal value proposition is what you do in tangible business results. Jeremy Epstein put together some starting KPIs for personal brand value. Shonali Burke (guestblogging for Kami Huyse) reminds us that ROI is about more than impressions."

Obligatory Economy Post
Communication Overtones
In a guest post for Kami Huyse's blog, Shonali Burke offers up today's obligatory post on PR, social media and the tanking economy (and I mean that in a good way, this crisis has prompted some really great thinking from some of my regular reads!). She points out that PR pros and communicators will need to show their value--namely, how are you having an impact on a company's bottom line? "Now, more than ever, clients and organizations are going to be looking for communicators who understand how to connect communications directly to business objectives, and use their PR savvy to impact the bottom line. Yes, we all say we do that - after all, it's one of the cornerstones of strategic communication planning - but do we really? Aren't a significant number of us still relying on impressions (and, even worse, multipliers) and clip books to make our case? No wonder, then, that PR is the first department to go when the going gets tough."

Stop Struggling to Write
Copyblogger
Ugh, writer's block. We all suffer from time to time. When I get it, I get it bad. So what to do, how to find inspiration? Darren Rowse says to not bother. If you go looking for inspiration you're less likely to find it when you need it. Sounds a bit like my least favorite relationship advice, but for writing I think it makes sense. Don't go looking for it, and you'll find it by accident. "Achieving inspiration means forgetting about it completely. Instead of seeking it out, we need to disconnect from the quest and sever our continual self-hounding to find the right answer, the ultimate story, the perfect angle. Of course, there are the usual common-sense solutions to finding inspiration. Take a break. Go for a walk. Read a book. Play music. Give your brain something else to do. Walk away from the incessant hunt for inspiration."

It's All About Image (and Other PR Blog Jots)

2008-10-13T20:16:58Z

It's All About Image
Conversation Agent
The trend continues. Many of the blogs in my feed reader today have been focusing on how PR and social media may or may not help companies deal with the tough current economic realities. Valeria Maltoni notes that companies are especially struggling because they all want to maintain the perfect image, with no hint of troubles beneath the surface. How much should you tell stakeholders when dealing with a financial crisis? "Having been involved in internal communications, I know that starting a dialogue with employees about where things stand and giving them the opportunity to ask questions can be good for an organization. This is a difficult task for leaders, as they may not really have all the facts, or may not know the ripple effects of the current situation downstream. However, burying your head in the sand and pretending that all is peachy, as my British friends used to say, may ultimately be worse."

No Comment
Problogger
So much of our evangelism of social media is the discussion of "the conversation." Finding where customers are gathering online and channeling communications efforts in that direction. What about social media that doesn't allow for back talk? Darren Rowse addresses the idea of commentless blogs--yea or nay? Take a minute to join the conversation (haha) on his post. "There are many options - but I thought it'd be interesting to open it up for some discussion. Do you have comments on your blog? Why or Why Not? Do you think a blog is a blog without comments? What are the advantages of having or not having them?"

Customers First
What's Next Blog
Having been on the receiving end of some pretty terrible customer service before that has permanently tainted my views of a company (a customer service rep for this company actually made me cry real tears once, that's all I will say), I have long been a proponent of the idea that customer service reps are at the front lines of public relations for a company. BL Ochman reminds everyone that, especially in hard times, customer service should be job one for business. "I don't need to tell you that the economy is in the toilet. And yet, one thing - more than advertising, PR, or social media - can make the difference between success and failure in this economy. That's customer service. Why are so many companies so bad at it?"

Marketing in Tough Times
Strategic Public Relations
With the holiday shopping season looming on the horizon, Kevin Dugan raises a good question. How are marketers supposed to go about doing their jobs without looking like total jerks for wanting to sell toys and other silliness when the economy stinks? The answer: carefully. "But instead of staying completely below the radar during times like this, well-informed marketers should communicate - in context. For media relations, non-financial stories are still being told. Business is (Really, REALLY) bad, and editors aren't looking for feel good pabulum. The key is knowing how your story fits into the current economic climate."

Social Media and the Recession (and Other PR Blog Jots)

2008-10-08T21:07:50Z

Social Media and the Recession
Web Strategy by Jeremiah
These uncertain financial times are leaving many bloggers questioning how big a role social media will play in business. Will the financial crisis cause an uptick in use of social media for marketers? What will happen? Jeremiah Owyang has some crucial questions. "Is social media usage going to increase or decrease during a recession by consumers? In the last tech bust, I remember many tech professsionals going back to school, becoming real estate agents, or fleeing silicon valley, will migratory usage patterns evolve in social media? Yet even if usage of these tools increases, yet do these consumers have buying power?"

Online Complaints Department
Six Pixels of Separation
Mitch Joel highlights an interesting study that shows when customers have a negative experience with customer service online, only seven percent are sharing that experience on a blog or other social media platform. He points out that the number does seem low, but reminds us that the Internet is forever. "All in all, it's still a little surprising how low these numbers seem. One of the bigger chants for Social Media revolves around a brands ability to listen to the conversation (and, how everybody is in on the conversation). While it's never good if 7% of your consumer base is complaining on Blogs and in online social networks, it's still not a huge percentage. Granted, the long tail of content is not great for a brand either. If someone complains in person, that complaint might get forwarded around via word of mouth, but has little impact when compared to a serious high ranking in the search results of your favourite search engines (as is the case when someone Blogs about it)."

Journos Unhappy with McCain?
The Flack
The McCain campaign has come under a bit of criticism lately by shielding its vice presidential candidate from press conferences, and Peter Himler reports that some journalists are calling for boycotts. "In dealing with the media filter, the last thing a PR person needs to transmit is a sense that he or she can somehow control the editorial tenor or content of a journalist's story. The most we can hope for is fairness and balance by a strong, self-assured media. Also, journalists are known to bristle at the thought of being manipulated (or directed) in any way."

Who Owns Who? (and Other PR Blot Jots)

2008-10-06T21:10:07Z

Who Owns Who?
Shel Holtz
In a refreshing change of pace from the usual posts complaining that we have become impersonal and started relying too much on technology to the point where we are enslaved by it, Shel Holtz points out that technology isn't the enemy. He wryly points out that companies used to be just as afraid of telephones as some are of blogging and social media, and that dismissing technology outright is a folly. "To be sure, there is value in a phone call. Your voice conveys sincerity and warmth that is far more difficult to communicate with text. (How many times has an innocent joke in an email been misinterpreted, causing grief for both sender and recipient?) It's easy to digress into off-topic conversation that can build closer bonds.But if each tool is used based on its strengths, then it becomes a matter of thoughtful integration of all the tools, not an artificial abandonment of a tool that has become a vital part of a PR practitioner's communication mix."

Sorting Out Information Overload
The Buzz Bin
Larissa Fair explores a topic of great interest to me--how do you sort through the information overload that is social media? I think I first noticed this last year. I returned from a cruise to literally thousands of new items to read between email and my RSS feeder. What do you do in that situation? "Clay discussed the idea that information overload is an institutional system design failure. But that's not the real problem. What we're suffering from now is "filter failure". We need to filter for quality. Publishers of content (news media, corporations, the "average Joe" blogger) now have an easily accessible and free way to get information out. But how do you sort through all the "spam" in life and filter out unwanted and unnecessary information?"

PR, the Recession, and Social Media
PR Squared
As the Dow plunged today and investors all reached for their Pepto as the country's financial crisis begins to look more dire, Todd Defren wonders if social media might play a key role in keeping the PR industry afloat during difficult times. "When the going gets tough, the tough start talking. Despite the recessionary climate, most of the marketers surveyed viewed Social Media as a worthwhile addition to the mix. They know that now is the time to rally and reassure customers and prospects. That's the critical factor to remember about Social Media: it is not only helping brands spread the word; it also helps the brand to shore up support among its current customers."

Training Day (and Other PR Blog Jots)

2008-10-01T16:15:17Z

Training Day
bitemarks
There has been plenty of chatter lately about vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's performances in media interviews. Marta Karlqvist has some advice for Palin in regards to media training, in a pretty good primer for anyone facing hard time in front of the press. I was especially in agreement with her advice that brevity ought to rule the day. Amen. "The reply should also be short and sweet, no longer than 75 - 150 words, which equals approximately 30 - 60 seconds of speech time. The stories should contain a story, example or illustration for each key point made that supports the message you want to get across (again, as per my previous point). If you are rambling on, you run the risk of being edited and potentially misquoted. By keeping your answers short and to the point the core message it will most likely be conveyed."

Shy Guy Tips
Chris Brogan
In an excellent guest post, Susan Murphy offers advice for the wallflowers among us for getting comfortable attending conferences and networking with strangers. Most would be shocked to learn I've actually battled a bit of shyness myself in the past, it's one of those things you can't get over without concerted effort, which is why I admire her advice about just getting out there and mingling without fear. "I'm not saying you need to jump on a stage in front of 500 people or start shaking every hand in the room at your next conference. But regularly putting yourself out there, in situations that demand decidedly un-shy behaviour is key to overcoming shyness. This takes practice, so start small. It could be something as simple approaching someone in line at the coffee shop, and asking them for their thoughts on the dark roast they just ordered. Put yourself out there, in small ways at first, and you will begin to get used to it. Then you can build up to the bigger stuff."

Blog Orlando Wrap-up
Hyku
After the very successful Blog Orlando 3 wrapped up, Josh Hallet shares some of his thoughts on the conference, which he started two years ago. He does one thing that warms my heart in dividing up the attendees somewhat between those looking for more "advanced" conversations and the newbies. "It was also important to split tech into two sides, basic and advanced. If you keep having the same conversations year-after-year you end up alienating the veteran attendees, you need to give them something new. However, you still need the core stuff for the newbies. Striking that balance is the key."

Following the Following Rules (and Other PR Blog Jots)

2008-09-30T14:54:57Z

Friends vs "Friends"
Six Pixels of Separation
In the era of thousands of "friends" on online channels, Mitch Joel has a few ground rules. We all know that the vast majority of our online contacts aren't real friends, but that doesn't mean we should still have a few restrictions on with whom we connect. "Some people are using these channels for the sole purpose of personal gain. And while there's nothing wrong with that, they probably have no idea how much it is affecting their opportunity to really meet new people and grow their business and personal brand even more effectively."

Going Corporate on Twitter
POP PR Jots
In another excellent post pointing to the ways we ought to think before blindly "friending back," Jeremy Pepper has a few guidelines for friending him on Twitter. His best proposed rule is the idea that a Twitter account be more than just a corporate platform with random, lifeless news, but a defined personality. "Be engaged. Be personable. Be responsive. There's nothing worse than sending someone a direct message on Twitter ... and hearing nothing back. You followed ME first, and yet you are unable to respond to a question? And, well, that's just a direct message. If you are sent an @reply, and do not respond, do you REALLY want to be in the conversation, or you just glomming onto the next thing? If it's glomming, well, you are not ready."

More on Following Etiquette
Clipping the Social Web
In yet another post on the etiquette of getting followers and following the right people on Twitter, Julia Roy has some good advice, particularly for brands looking to build a good audience. "This especially goes for brands, agencies, marketers, and basically anyone Twittering for business. The best strategy to pull in new followers AND grow awareness of your business AND drive traffic- is to consistently post balanced tweets (between promotional and non-promotional) that are posted by a particular voice or collective voice, based on the personalities and characters of the real people working for the brand."

Trouble for "Made in China" Label?
Neville Hobson
No sooner had the previous controversy of toxic toys died down than a new one sprang up: China's issues with possible toxins in baby formula poisoning its babies. Neville Hobson discusses the consumer trust issues that result, not only for a particular brand, but for any coming from the beleaguered manufacturing market. "We're talking about people's perceptions, what they're seeing on the news, and 50,000 ill children. This is about emotion, not logic, and word of mouth. And what about China itself? What impact will this situation have on other, related, perceptions - from manufacturers - that establishing a significant part of your supply chain in China is too risky a venture?"

Pitch Deconstruction
Dave Fleet
What makes a bad pitch so bad? Dave Fleet takes a recent dud that made its way into his inbox and deconstructs it, pointing out why it was bad and what the PR pro can do to improve on their next attempt. "If you know a blogger-relations campaign is coming up, see if you can get permission to comment or otherwise get to know the bloggers in that community ahead of time, so the pitch doesn't come out of the blue. At a minimum, try to read the relevant blogs for a while so you know what makes them tick."

Blog World Expo Recap (and Other PR Blog Jots)

2008-09-25T21:01:06Z

Blog World Expo Recap
Mashable
Adam Ostrow chimes in with his take on the recent BlogWorldExpo. He points to several takeaways and offers some insight into what may be next in the ever evolving blogosphere, including ownership of comments, the development of more ad networks, and the increasing crossover between MSM outlets, blogs and Twitter. Of the latter, Ostrow writes: "Blogs Are Increasingly Becoming Mainstream Media and Vice Versa - Coincidentally, Technorati released its 'State of the Blogosphere 2008' report on Monday after BWE concluded. Many of the findings rang true with what we experienced at BWE, especially the assertion that "the lines are continuing to blur" in response to the question 'what is a blog?'"

Only 12% of Bloggers are Corporate
BlogWrite for CEOs
In a note about the recent release of the State of the Blogosphere report from Technorati, Debbie Weil points out that only 12 percent of bloggers are doing so on behalf of a corporation. Interesting bit of trivia to be sure, but I think rather unsurprising. Debbie agrees, but digs a little deeper into the report's methodology. "Twelve percent of what, I asked Technorati's gurus yesterday. Senior Director of Marketing Jennifer McLean replied via email that the 12% refers to the number of bloggers surveyed. That would be 1,290 completed surveys from bloggers in 66 countries, according to Technorati's explanation of the methodology for this year's report."

Trust Me, I'm a Banker
Digital Influence Mapping Project
In a good analysis of the public image issues now facing the banking industry, John Bell highlights five strategies he feels might help banks regain trust from consumers. In one bit of advice that I couldn't agree with more, he charges banks with doing a better job educating their customers about personal finance. "I need a course. I need a coach. I need someone who gives a #@%$ about whether I can hold my own financially over the long haul (therefore being a strong, fees-paying customer for years). All the research shows that customers feel inadequate when it comes to managing money. Banks should consider programs that help us get smart and make better decisions. It's kind of like consumer driven healthcare. I accept that no one but me will manage my health or finance. Help me get smart so I do a better job of it."

Digital Natives & Branding (and Other PR Blog Jots)

2008-09-24T20:55:52Z

Digital Natives Need Branding Too
Personal Branding Blog
"Kids today" are growing up in the spotlight. My high school shenanigans occurred long (too long!) before I started blogging, so wondering whether my college's admissions officer would be Googling me was the last thing on my mind. Not so for high school graduates in the 2.0 era, argues Dan Schwabel. "First off, how hard is it to Google someone's name? What about search for their name on a social network? The accessibility and ease of search makes it obvious for admissions officers to use social networks as a background check for applicants. If you read between the lines and really think about this, I'd say that they are using it more for applicants that are "on the line" with being accepted or rejected or one's that are in the 'good pile.'"

SMS 911?
Crisisblogger
In the wake of major emergencies, from school shootings to natural disasters, many are questioning whether an SMS emergency alert system would work as a way to warn people in advance of the crisis or pass along vital information. Gerald Baron argues that while he is encouraged at the efforts, there is much more to emergency communications than texting. "Text messaging is one important element. But only one and it has limitations-some very significant limitations. Right now the only correct answer that we can see to meet the increasing demand for instant information is to provide it in multiple modes-text, phone, website, RSS feeds, email, fax, digital sign boards, desktop alerts-and of course, through the media as well. To rely on one way is an all but sure way to leave some out."

More Seinfeld Post-Mortem
Jaffe Juice
With overwhelmingly negative reaction to their efforts at creating some "hip" and jaunty advertising to compete with main rival Apple, Microsoft has started over with a new slew of ads. Joseph Jaffe does a little Monday morning quarterbacking on the Jerry Seinfeld/Bill Gates ads, and why they didn't work, including his clever observation on the pitfalls of their new slogan. "The new slogan, "Life without Walls" replaces - I guess - the "your life, our passion" (or something like that) one. Swings and roundabouts. I still think most people refer to Microsoft's "Where do you want to go today?" slogan and positioning, which was all about empowering people in the NOW. In any event, Microsoft set themselves up for further ridicule as you don't have to leap very far to discover the disconnect: A life without walls has no place for Windows. D'oh."

Snap Out of It (and Other PR Blog Jots)

2008-09-23T20:48:46Z

Snap Out of It
Chris Brogan
Ever see "Moonstruck?" That's what I thought of while reading Chris Brogan's latest advice for struggling bloggers out there. What your blog might need is a good smack in the kisser from Cher, yelling at you to just snap out of it already. He gives some good advice on how to rejuvenate a tired blog. "Above all else, consider who you're trying to build the relationship with and write in such a way as to deliver that person the best possible experience with your blog they can have. Think like an entertainer in that regard. Give them the best show possible."

Oldies but Goodies?
The Buzz Bin
While Howard Stern has been ranting into my headphones all week about how no one over the age of 15 should be bothering with blogs or social networks, I'm gratified to read news on the Buzz Bin that proves that of those int he blogging game, I'm actually one of the young ones. According to the latest State of the Blogosphere report from Technorati (it's time for that already?), the majority of bloggers are actually over the age of 35. "The Technorati report is just the harbinger of a growing trend that usage statistics and surveys will continue confirming. Generation X and increasingly Baby Boomers are online. Communicators who dismiss these powerful media consumers as traditional media only do so at their own peril."

State of 'sphere
Social Honeycomb
Yep, it's time for the Technorati report on all of us out here in social media land--and boy did the last year go by quickly! Amanda Gravel has some great thoughts and insights on the first installment from the report, which includes arguments that the line between traditional and new media is far blurrier than some in the communications business would believe. "It's becoming harder and harder to justify separating the two into distinct categories, which is brought to light by Technorati, "Larger blogs are taking on more characteristics of mainstream sites and mainstream sites are incorporating styles and formats from the Blogosphere. In fact, 95% of the top 100 US newspapers have reporter blogs." Let's face it: mainstream is one ingredient and blogs are another-they mix well and all belong in the same online alphabet soup."

Quit Your Pitching (and Other PR Blog Jots)

2008-09-22T19:44:06Z

Quit Your Pitching
PR Rock and Roll
Are we doomed to a lifetime of mediocre and worse PR pitches? Will shoddily written press releases continue to dominate? Drew Kerr hopes not, but has several examples from the dregs of PR Newswire as evidence that for all our complaining, pitches are worse than ever. "Everybody is trying to get the most information in and out in a shorter and shorter window of time. So why do publicists still write as if none of this is happening? Why do they write long-winded press releases and pitch letters that don't cut to the chase in the very first paragraph when they themselves often don't have the patience to read those very same stories? Who is managing these people and letting them get away with this?"

Don't Be a Tool
Bad Pitch Blog
Are PR tools such as HARO and Pitch Engine a double-edged sword? Kevin Dugan wonders if reliance on these nifty shortcuts is to blame for the sorry state of relationship-building in particular, noting how many times we all receive generic social network requests from someone we do not know. "Maybe I should switch to decaf. And let me remind you that I am NOT dissing any of these tools. Most of them promote better pitches. And LinkedIn has blown me away with the new functionality it's added in the past 12 months. But short cuts should never take the place of plain old thought. Forms like the "LinkedIn-vitation" inadvertently reinforce boilerplate pitches and other PR Spam."

Getcher Brands Here!
Greg Verdino
File this one under "interesting, if weird, concept": IncSpring is a new company that sells pre-made brands. Name, logo, website, all available for purchase for the entrepreneur with a great idea but, apparently, a lack of branding creativity. One interesting element of the idea is that users of the site can rate and comment on some of the branding packages, warning potential buyers against trademark infringement issues, for example. Greg Verdino has all the details. "Most packages include the name, the logo and a set of related graphic files. Many listings indicate what types of businesses the brand may be best suited to and a few offer more detailed descriptions of how a budding entrepreneur might bring the business to life and attach a revenue model."

Bye Bye Jerry (and Other PR Blog Jots)

2008-09-18T22:12:07Z

Bye, Jerry
Tech PR Gems
No sooner do I discuss those weird Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates ads on our blog does Microsoft announce that old Jerry is getting the boot. Katelyn D'Eramo discusses Microsoft's plans for its $300 million advertising push, which will no longer include the funnyman. "Apple ads have long been using "I'm a PC" to compare Microsoft products to Apple. Microsoft's new ad uses an engineer who states "Hello, I'm a PC and I've been made into a stereotype." This counterattack ad is not only thing Microsoft is doing in this new campaign. Celebrities such as Jerry Seinfeld, Microsoft's own Bill Gates, Eva Longoria, Deepak Chopra and Pharrell Williams are all making cameos."

Viral Emmys?
Social Media Marketing
Speaking of commercials, the Emmy Awards are coming up this Sunday, but some have already been handed out. Scott Monty reports that one in particular, an Emmy for oustanding commercial, caught his eye. It was the ad for Bud Light featuring "The Swear Jar," an ad that went viral online this year. "I used Swear Jar as an example when I was debating the proper use of WOM vs. Viral. According to this version on YouTube, it's gotten about 3.5 million views. According to Anheuser-Busch Communications, the aggregate total is over 12 million. Not bad for Bud.tv. (Incidentally, I believe that the difference is measured in the outcome, because you can't accurately predict virality.)"

Yada, yada, yammer
Dave Fleet
Couldn't resist there, I've got "Seinfeld" references stuck in my head now! Regardless, Dave Fleet discusses Yammer, the latest microblogging trend that may change the way some companies communicate. Dave gives the service a comprehensive review, concluding with a tentative thumbs up. "Bottom line: I like Yammer. I don't know if it deserved to win the TC50 award or not, given that Yammer largely replicates existing services, but it does what it sets out to do, it does it effectively and, unlike many social media companies, it does so with a business model."

Wall Street Social Media (and Other PR Blog Jots)

2008-09-17T21:15:29Z

Wall Street Lacking Social Media?
Blog Write for CEOs
CEO blogging guru Debbie Weil expresses dismay that the 25,000 Lehman Brothers employees learned of the firm's decision to file for bankruptcy allegedly through the New York Times. She laments not only the lack of good internal communications at the company, but the lack of use of any kind of social media that could have acted as a barometer. "So... if we are to believe the Times, are we to conclude that Lehman has no internal blog with RSS alerts, no Twittering execs (who could protect their Tweets, of course, so they wouldn't be publicly visible), no interest in using social media tools to stay connected to their employees and treat them with courtesy and respect? (Er, what about an email from the CEO??) And, further, should we conclude that employees are not using social networks to communicate amongst themselves?"

That's When I Developed My Drinking Problem..
Influential Marketing
So I am cribbing from "Airplane!" some, but that bit in the movie always makes me chuckle, as did the campaign highlighted by Rohit Bhargava in his most recent post. In an effort to spread the word about the environmental hazards posted by bottled water, a green group is spreading the word using some clever phrasing regarding our presidential candidates. "At the end of the day, it's a useful example for marketers not only for taking on a good cause, but doing it in a way that makes it likely for people to not just support the effort, but also tell others about it. They are meeting the most important criteria for effective word of mouth marketing ... actually giving people something to talk about. Oh, and by the way, McCain has a drinking problem too."

Push/Pull/Social Media
Voce Nation
In an interesting post discussing the ways that push and pull marketing are being used in the social media space, Mike Manuel argues that the pull side of things is winning the day in terms of how people are marketing online. "And the truth is, you need both push and pull tactics to round out any social media program, but in much the same way push tactics shaped and defined traditional PR media work the last, oh, century or so, I think pull tactics -- especially publishing -- will be increasingly what shapes and defines industry work on the web moving forward. It's definitely where my head's at these days; definitely where more news will come from me and others later this year...."

Respect my Authoritay (and Other PR Blog Jots)

2008-09-16T16:25:59Z

Get out There
Problogger
So you've written a great blog post--now what? That's the premise behind Darren Rowse's latest offering, with 13 solid tips for getting out there and promoting your blog. His ideas range from social bookmarking, Twitter promotion, commenting on other blogs, to social messaging. Any one of them could help get the word out about your blog. Definitely a must-read for anyone looking to increase their readership. "Don't be afraid to use social messaging to promote posts that have good discussion on them also. I find that 12-24 hours after my post goes live can be a good time to shoot out another tweet if there's a particularly hot conversation going on (in fact this can drive even more traffic than the first TwitterFeed automated tweet as it alerts your followers to a conversation rather than just content)."

Respect My Authorit-ay
Chris Brogan
I can't think about web authority without picturing Eric Cartman on "South Park" as a brutal cop insisting that all around him "respect my authoritay!" Unfortunately, you can't generally bully your way to authority on the Web. Chris Brogan has an excellent rundown of all the ways to determine web authority, but my favorite is probably the one that people don't often think of: good old fashioned Google searches. "Googling someone to see just how much of a digital footprint she leaves is also one way to see if someone has a presence on the web. I did this once with a "social media expert" that I met at an event, and unless they use an interesting alias, I couldn't find barely a trace of this person either directly on several social networks, nor via Google itself."

Social Media and Retail
Six Pixels of Separation
We just published a new piece this week on Media Bullseye dealing with the latest in online retailing, as Kohls has successfully merged social networking with shopping. Mitch Joel today discusses a presentation he is giving regarding the role of social media in retail. "Social tools enable you to get your consumers excited about your products and services. It enables them to connect and freely talk about what you do to make their lives easier. The strategy and tactics behind pulling it all together is the challenge. Getting buy-in from your senior management while they keep trying to increase revenue per square foot will be a challenge, but - in the end - bringing people together to connect is going to change everything you know about selling online (in the best possible way)."

Reputation Reminder (and Other PR Blog Jots)

2008-09-15T19:45:56Z

Reputation Reminder
Social Media Marketing
I find the amount of time dedicated to educating people about their personal brand somewhat amusing--it seems like it ought to be one of those commons sense ideas that you really don't need people to tell you about. But I do agree it's good for a little refresher on how to put your best face forward when managing your online rep, and Scott Monty discusses the importance of personal brand maintenance. "The things that you do, say and post on Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, Twitter, your blog, and any other public-facing social network are part of your reputation. Are your profiles consistent with each other and with who you are? Does your online persona reflect what you want it to? How do all of these come into play with your professional life? The savvy and thoughtful digital professional will give this due consideration."

Help Me Help You
Social Media Explorer
This is one of my favorite pet issues in social media. I'm constantly baffled why fan groups and other social activity that may actually bolster a brand can be shut down by said brand with intellectual property concerns (the most recent example of the "Mad Men" Twitter characters comes to mind). Yes, brands MUST protect their intellectual property--but they can also recognize opportunities. Jason Falls has an interesting case study about a whiskey company faced with some Facebook fans, and how they decided to work with them rather than against them. "The key learning from this experience was that you can protect your copyrights and/or your company's high standards of responsibilities without upsetting the brand enthusiasts. To accomplish this, you should: 1. Don't assume the offending party intended to take advantage of or violate your brand. 2. Be open and honest in your communications. 3. Be clear about what you are asking and why. 4. Do NOT threaten. Instead, offer fair alternatives that continue to serve your customers. 5. Be prepared to act if the offending party responds negatively. 6. All of these happen while never compromise your responsibility standards."

Best Practices
Diva Marketing Blog
"Best practices" is one of those corporate speak terms that I tend to shy away from, but I suppose I'll allow it, since it was not chosen by me or even by Toby Bloombergy, but by Mitch Joel, the starter of this particular meme. Toby's best practices for social media marketing include getting to know the culture of social media before you engage, as well as remembering that social media is not the only game in town. "Bonus Best Practice Social Media Marketing Tip .. without a strategic direction and a plan social media marketing is just a me too play toy. It might be cool to talk about your YouTube video or your Facebook page at cocktail parties but trust me on this one .. it ain't gonna work for you as a business strategy. Give social media marketing the respect it is due and add accountability to the mix."