tag:www.pr-squared.com,2008://1 2008-10-10T20:49:39Z Movable Type 3.2192468http://www.feedburner.comThis is an XML content feed. It is intended to be viewed in a newsreader or syndicated to another site, subject to copyright and fair use. tag:www.pr-squared.com,2008://1.1537 2008-10-10T20:47:55Z 2008-10-10T20:49:39Z Todd Defren www.shiftcomm.com <img alt="" hspace="5" src="http://www.gonewmarketing.com/CTGImage/Library/Images/New%20Marketing%20Summit/nms_header_roll.gif" align="left" vspace="5" border="0" />Thank you all for your great suggestions re: a topic for my speech next week at the <a href="http://www.gonewmarketing.com/">New Marketing Summit</a>.  Judging by the comments on my <a href="http://www.pr-squared.com/2008/10/the_new_marketing_summit.html">last post</a>, and on Twitter, many of us are feeling pretty lousy about the doom&gloom in the financial markets, and so I got an outsized number of requests to discuss “Marketing in a downturn.” So here’s the abstract for my gig: <a href="http://www.gonewmarketing.com/nms_agenda.aspx#50003103">Social Media Marketing in Tough Times: Who Should Do What and What Should They Do?</a> Times are tough all over. When marketers are called on to cut budgets, or else, some hard decisions need to be made about how to achieve objectives on a shoestring.  This decision-making process is complicated by the fact that Social Media concepts had most marketers on fire with curiosity and ambition just a few months ago.  So, what are the "bare essentials" of Social Media Marketing?  What's the right mix of internal and external resources?  Is it time for a strategy do-over?  Should marketers re-trench to old-style marketing approaches?  Can marketers still have it all? You should come!  Say hello.  I really don’t enjoy public speaking all that much, so, all supporters are welcome.  <a href="http://www.gonewmarketing.com/nmsregister.aspx">Register here</a>. <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=28zqM"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=28zqM" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=8aF1M"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=8aF1M" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=vus0M"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=vus0M" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=49ljM"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=49ljM" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PrSquared/~4/417121229" height="1" width="1"/> http://api.feedburner.com/awareness/1.0/GetItemData?uri=PrSquared&itemurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr-squared.com%2F2008%2F10%2Ffor_discussion_the_new_marketi.htmlhttp://www.pr-squared.com/2008/10/for_discussion_the_new_marketi.html tag:www.pr-squared.com,2008://1.1535 2008-10-09T19:06:34Z 2008-10-09T19:28:34Z Todd Defren www.shiftcomm.com <img alt="" hspace="5" src="http://www.gonewmarketing.com/CTGImage/Library/Images/New%20Marketing%20Summit/nms_header_roll.gif" align="left" vspace="5" border="0" />Are you a marketer?  Are you a marketer who is based in Boston (or can get here next week)?  Are you keen to learn more about all this Social Media Stuff?  Would you like to learn about all these shiny new objects from some of the brightest & most experienced folks in the field? Then, you’re already signed up for <a href="http://www.gonewmarketing.com/">The New Marketing Summit</a>, right?  (If not, pull out your wallet and <a href="http://www.gonewmarketing.com/nmsregister.aspx">register here</a>.) Just attending the speeches by the inimitable <a href="http://www.chrisbrogan.com/">Chris Brogan</a> (the host), the sagacious <a href="http://www.paulgillin.com/">Paul Gillin</a> and the inspiring <a href="http://www.webinknow.com/">David Meerman Scott</a> would be worth the admission price.  But Brogan’s a value-conscious fellow, so he’s also offering a <a href="http://www.gonewmarketing.com/nms_agenda.aspx">jam-packed agenda</a>.  Some of my favorite people will be there.  Not just the aforementioned gurus but some additional must-see personalities like <a href="http://www.cc-chapman.com/">C.C. Chapman</a> of <a href="http://theadvanceguard.com/">The Advance Guard</a>, Twitter-Queen <a href="http://pistachioconsulting.com/">Laura “Pistachio” Fitton</a>, <a href="http://www.1to1media.com/view.aspx?bioid=9493">Don Peppers</a> of <a href="http://www.1to1.com/">Peppers & Rogers</a> fame, <a href="http://www.mzinga.com/en/Community/Blogs/Aaron-Strout/">Aaron Strout of Mzinga</a>, and many others. So, yea, I’ll be there too.  Chris asked me to show up and when Brogan asks for anything, I just do it, no questions asked.  (Although, I probably should have asked “what do you want me to talk about?”) I think I am slotted to speak on Wednesday at 3:15pm.  I have a topic in mind but am open to your suggestions!  I need to let the organizers know ASAP so gimme your ideas in the comments?  Thanks!  <a href="http://www.gonewmarketing.com/">Will I see you next week?</a> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=wBLOM"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=wBLOM" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=n4JbM"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=n4JbM" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=AV1xM"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=AV1xM" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=2FRuM"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=2FRuM" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PrSquared/~4/416014126" height="1" width="1"/> http://api.feedburner.com/awareness/1.0/GetItemData?uri=PrSquared&itemurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr-squared.com%2F2008%2F10%2Fthe_new_marketing_summit.htmlhttp://www.pr-squared.com/2008/10/the_new_marketing_summit.html tag:www.pr-squared.com,2008://1.1534 2008-10-08T15:18:45Z 2008-10-08T15:26:12Z Todd Defren www.shiftcomm.com <img alt="IStock_000004492462XSmall" hspace="5" src="http://www.pr-squared.com/iStock_000004492462XSmall_small.jpg" align="right" vspace="5" border="0" /> You can choose to read this post as “shameless self promotion” (you’ve been warned!), or, as a wake-up call to pay closer attention to the inner workings of your agency partner. A client – we’ll call them SUPERCLIENT – recently launched into a new market.  Afterwards, we checked in to make sure that they were pleased with our team’s performance.  The note that came back blew me away with its attention to detail regarding every single team member’s contribution.  Further, this SUPERCLIENT was aware of the limitations of his company’s story.  Despite tour results that were “OK - very respectable – (but) not a home run,” he placed those results in a common-sense perspective – and was able to do so, in part, because he had paid close attention to his team’s efforts all along the way. Times are tough.  Budgets are under pressure.  It is more important than ever to have a keen understanding of how your PR dollars are being spent. I’ll redact the client and team members’ names but otherwise am pasting the note in its entirety below.  What I’d like you to wonder is whether or not you (or your PR manager) have the same level of familiarity with your own agency program? Do you have the same calm, rational analysis of your company’s market position?  Do you know just how hard your team is working (or not)? If not, consider this email below a kick in the booty. “Thanks for checking in… Overall - on a true scale - the result of the tour was OK.  It wasn't a home run in terms of coverage, but still very respectable.  I think we got solid set of meetings and had a decent story, as good as it could be.  I think that our reach and results were limited by the inherent ‘attractiveness’ of our story (and the fact that SUPERCLIENT is small and relatively unknown), but not by a level of effort or pitching abilities. “On the contrary, I was proud of SHIFT's efforts, as a team, and we all did the best we could with (our) ‘new news.’  Over time as SUPERCLIENT gains more wins, we'll continue to build our reputation and get more coverage.  So out of the gate it was great showing for (us); we strongly planted our flag in the space, and the tour was a success. “Your team performed very well.  I thought ‘Bev,’ ‘Ellie’ and ‘Madge’ were all very professional and assertive getting our story out there and booking meetings.  They did a good job providing insightful feedback, prepping us with very valuable bios, getting everything coordinated well, being punctual, flexible with both our and the reporters’ schedules to make things happen, etc.  I also felt like we got in front of some of the top analysts in particular, which is very good.  That foundation will continue to pay dividends for us. “Ellie and Madge both did a very good job of evaluating what messaging was working and feeding that back so we could continue to tighten our message.  I am also aware of a lot of good follow-up with reporters and doing everything possible to find ways to get ink (e.g., I know Madge and I talked about reminding a reporter of our live date later, even though the reporter signaled he may not cover the actual announcement - I like this kind of tenacity and ‘creating your own opportunities’).  “I also should say that I knew Ellie the least before this process, because I think her personality is slightly more reserved and we often met in groups.  However, working with her one-on-one, I was very impressed with her intelligence; ability to articulate crisp, honest feedback; and I'm not sure how to describe this, but she has a nice style - calm, but respectable, a strong presence.  I guess she is more of a listener.  Do you know what I mean?  She's very good. “Bev and I had a good collaborative effort on the two releases.  Your team are made up of good writers who care about the language, which I appreciate.  Bev also has a good ‘do whatever it takes’ attitude.  She jammed on revisions of the release until we had it right, and late into the night.  I liked that the team was energized and willing to pull in the release dates to draft off the competitors’ news.  Sometimes you get groans when you change things around, but your team actually leaned into it and stepped up without complaint.  It was appreciated. “Also, though I realize she is junior, I think ‘Mary’ is doing a great job monitoring and summarizing the news as well as following up unapologetically with me to keep me on track for events and such.  This can be hard for someone earlier in their career, and although I do not bite, I could imagine her wanting to make sure she is sensitive to me as a client.  She is doing great. “Thanks, “SUPERCLIENT” Again, I fully realize and acknowledge that this is practically a love-letter to SHIFT (thank you, SUPERCLIENT!), but luckily I get a fair number of <img alt="IStock_000006311596XSmall" hspace="5" src="http://www.pr-squared.com/iStock_000006311596XSmall_small3.jpg" align="left" vspace="5" border="0" />those.  This note impressed me not so much for the praise but for the level of detail; for the visceral sense of partnership between client and agency.  Nothing’s getting past this guy. <span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Typically, such analytical notes are written when the client programs are going off-course (of course).  <span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">But, when clients take the time to expound upon their agency team’s efforts in a constructive manner, even when things are humming along fine, it energizes the team – while keeping them focused on what could be done better next time.  <span style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">It’s the difference between coaching and judging. It’s worth emulating. <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=Gw5cM"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=Gw5cM" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=tZh1M"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=tZh1M" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=JwyIM"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=JwyIM" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=vUSqM"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=vUSqM" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PrSquared/~4/414862115" height="1" width="1"/> http://api.feedburner.com/awareness/1.0/GetItemData?uri=PrSquared&itemurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr-squared.com%2F2008%2F10%2Fhow_well_do_you_know_your_pr_t.htmlhttp://www.pr-squared.com/2008/10/how_well_do_you_know_your_pr_t.html tag:www.pr-squared.com,2008://1.1533 2008-10-06T16:53:27Z 2008-10-06T16:55:14Z Todd Defren www.shiftcomm.com <img alt="Epsilon-cmo-survey-marketing-casualty-downturn-september-2008" hspace="5" src="http://www.pr-squared.com/epsilon_2Dcmo_2Dsurvey_2Dmarketing_2Dcasualty_2Ddownturn_2Dseptember_2D2008_small1.jpg" align="left" vspace="5" border="0" />When I talk to my PR industry colleagues, there’s a fair bit of trepidation about all the economic woes.  We’ve been here before.  We’ve seen the bloodletting.  We’ve seen corporations slash marketing budgets at the exact moment when they should be pushing more of their chips into outbound efforts. In fact, the <a href="http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/5878.html">Harvard Business Review</a> noted earlier this year: “It is well documented that brands that increase (marketing) during a recession, when competitors are cutting back, can improve market share and return on investment at lower cost than during good economic times.” Still, sure, we all worry about the headlines.  Even the marketers who know better can’t seem to resist cutting their budgets (as seen in the graphic above).  No one will be immune from a truly vicious economic hit.  Smart agencies took a hint from the last downturn.  For our part, having been founded in the fiery ashes of the Dot-Com Debacle, much of our own strategic planning has gone into hardening ourselves for the next recession.  And meanwhile, I can’t help but wonder:  Perhaps Social Media will provide some additional protection for forward-looking PR agencies? A recent <a href="http://www.epsilon.com/epsilonstatic/pdf/EPS_0808_CMO_SURVEY_03.pdf">CMO Study by Epsilon</a> (covered in <a href="http://www.marketingcharts.com/interactive/economy-shrinking-65-of-cmo-ad-budgets-as-money-shiftstoward-digital-6243/epsilon-cmo-survey-digital-interactive-spend-increase-september-2008jpg/">MarketingVox</a>) provided some insights that support this hypothesis.  While 2/3rds of the CMOs acknowledged that the recession will ding their budgets, <a href="http://www.marketingcharts.com/interactive/economy-shrinking-65-of-cmo-ad-budgets-as-money-shiftstoward-digital-6243/epsilon-cmo-survey-digital-interactive-spend-increase-september-2008jpg/">“digital marketing” was a bright spot</a>: <ul> <li>Social computing (including word of mouth, social networking sites, viral advertising, etc.) was the most popular emerging channel with 42% of marketing executives expressing interest in adding it to their marketing mix.</li></ul> <img alt="Epsilon-cmo-survey-digital-interactive-spend-increase-september-2008" hspace="5" src="http://www.pr-squared.com/epsilon_2Dcmo_2Dsurvey_2Ddigital_2Dinteractive_2Dspend_2Dincrease_2Dseptember_2D2008_small.jpg" align="left" vspace="5" border="0" />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.  The agencies that survive the coming crapfest will be actively helping their own clients realize the benefits of socializing through the recession.  How about you?  How are YOU feeling about the economic news?  Do you expect it to affect you and/or your agency? <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=CMMvM"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=CMMvM" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=JUk4M"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=JUk4M" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=WliFM"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=WliFM" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=0PVJM"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=0PVJM" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PrSquared/~4/412916901" height="1" width="1"/> http://api.feedburner.com/awareness/1.0/GetItemData?uri=PrSquared&itemurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr-squared.com%2F2008%2F10%2Fwill_social_media_help_pr_weat.htmlhttp://www.pr-squared.com/2008/10/will_social_media_help_pr_weat.html tag:www.pr-squared.com,2008://1.1532 2008-10-03T19:55:08Z 2008-10-03T19:56:51Z Todd Defren www.shiftcomm.com <img alt="Google_logo" hspace="5" src="http://www.pr-squared.com/google_logo_small.jpg" align="left" vspace="5" border="0" />It’s no secret that most every consumer fires up their browser and starts off with a Google search.  Heck, even your sainted grandma knows about “the Google.” That’s why so many companies pay so much attention to SEO and SEM.  That’s why Google is minting money. But don’t forget that there is yet another reason for PR pros to care about Google: journalists use it, too, for their research.  And that doesn’t just mean, “they’ll Google your client” in researching a story.  It also means that whenever the reporter searches for terms related to your client, you want the client’s name/content to crop up frequently.   Don’t forget that while you are doing PR for Client X, somebody else is doing PR for Client Z – their competitor.  Every now and then, despite your canny communications skills, Client Z’s agency is going to create an opportunity that you know nothing about.  (We’ve all gotten that call, eh?) … But if you’ve done your job right, every Google search on Client Z (and related terms) will also prominently expose content on good ol’ Client X. SEO is not necessarily “PR’s job” but the savvy PR pro knows that they ignore basic SEO tenets at their peril.  At the very least, use free tools like <a href="http://www.pressreleasegrader.com/">PressReleaseGrader</a> to optimize clients’ news releases. And give strong consideration to <a href="http://rohitbhargava.typepad.com/weblog/2006/08/5_rules_of_soci.html">Social Media Optimization</a> principles, too.  The more noteworthy, shareable and embeddable content your client is pumping into the web-o-sphere, the more likely they are to be “found” by Google, by journalists, and by random surfers. Basic stuff?  Maybe for loyal PR-Squared readers.  But, worth a reminder. <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=b1YkM"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=b1YkM" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=fP0QM"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=fP0QM" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=XB1mM"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=XB1mM" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=SoJNM"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=SoJNM" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PrSquared/~4/410501445" height="1" width="1"/> http://api.feedburner.com/awareness/1.0/GetItemData?uri=PrSquared&itemurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr-squared.com%2F2008%2F10%2Fgoogle_not_just_for_your_grand.htmlhttp://www.pr-squared.com/2008/10/google_not_just_for_your_grand.html tag:www.pr-squared.com,2008://1.1530 2008-10-01T14:52:18Z 2008-10-01T16:31:39Z As more and more companies come to realize that Social Media will play an important role in their emerging marketing efforts, they often turn to outside agencies (PR, advertising, interactive marketing, SEO, etc.) to play appropriate roles in strategy and... Todd Defren www.shiftcomm.com <img alt="IStock_000007088949XSmall" hspace="5" src="http://www.pr-squared.com/iStock_000007088949XSmall_small.jpg" align="right" vspace="5" border="0" />As more and more companies come to realize that <a href="http://www.umassd.edu/cmr/studiesresearch/blogstudy5.cfm">Social Media will play an important role in their emerging marketing efforts</a>, they often turn to outside agencies (PR, advertising, interactive marketing, SEO, etc.) to play appropriate roles in strategy and execution. But as noted in my <a href="http://www.pr-squared.com/2008/09/beware_the_charlatans.html">last post</a>, the caliber of these service providers can be “spotty” to say the least.   Partly that is natural: Social Media is a new field with many best-practices that have yet to be captured, much less created or documented.  But, there are also firms who are either willing to cynically exploit client ignorance, or, are too lazy to learn the core principles of the blogosphere. So now we’ve got Ignorant, Evil and/or Lazy agencies to choose from.  But there is yet another type of agency to watch out for, and that’s the Inconsistent vendor.  The Inconsistent Agency is neither evil nor ignorant but has yet to make an agencywide commitment to understanding the <a href="http://www.davidmeermanscott.com/books.htm">new rules of marketing</a>.  The resulting knowledge gaps could unwittingly derail a client’s PR program. The Inconsistent Agency has a handful of Social Media savvy practitioners, on whom the majority of the remaining staff rely for all-things-social.  If the client wants to talk to their day-to-day team about blogging approaches, for example, the squad members immediately feel the need to defer that conversation to one of their in-house experts. <img alt="IStock_000005315240XSmall" hspace="5" src="http://www.pr-squared.com/iStock_000005315240XSmall_small2.jpg" align="left" vspace="5" border="0" />That’s not always a bad thing.  When particularly complex issues come up for our own clients, for example, our senior staffers (including <a href="http://www.twitter.com/dough">Doug Haslam</a>, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/robertcollins">Robert Collins</a>, and a number of other behind-the-scenes smarties) are frequently called on for advice.  For Inconsistent Agencies, the trouble occurs when the workaday account team cannot answer BASIC questions about Social Media. For example, what if the client offhandedly asks their junior Account Executive, “What do you think about the idea of posting anonymous comments on relevant blogs, and then coming back later as someone-else, to point readers to our site?  Is that a cool idea?  Is that kosher?” If Social Media is baked into the agency’s DNA, even that junior staffer knows instinctively that that is NOT COOL.  And they won’t be shy about suggesting that the principle of authenticity is central to social media. If you are a PR agency client, this might be a good test.  Ask one of your agency team’s junior staffers the question above.  But, don’t freak out if your junior rep “fails” the exam.  As I noted above, this is a new field.  If your agency has not claimed expertise, it’s not fair to ding ‘em for it.  Yet. UPDATE: On Twitter, in the <a href="http://www.pr-squared.com/2008/10/the_inconsistent_agency_in_soc.html#comment-65748">comments</a>, and in private emails, I’ve been dinged by “junior” staffers who suggest – with justification – that they are often the agency employees with the most & best credentials in Social Media.  That is an absolutely fair point, especially as I think about SHIFTers like <a href="http://socialhoneycomb.com/state-of-the-blogosphere-2008-one-girls-impressions">Amanda Gravel</a>, <a href="http://sandying.blogspot.com/2008/07/social-media-marketing-panel-of-rock.html">Sandy Kalik</a>, <a href="http://flackette.wordpress.com/2008/09/17/why-the-publicity-bubble-in-pr-begs-popping/">Marie Williams</a>, our <a href="http://unspun.shiftcomm.com/">UnSpun bloggers</a>, and many others, who are as expert in the field as anyone.  Every good agency can claim similar stars. My broader point was that a PR agency that professes Social Media credentials will fail if it relegates that expertise into pockets of excellence vs. making a broad commitment to training/education across all levels. <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=1q7IM"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=1q7IM" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=w23SM"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=w23SM" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=EqiHM"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=EqiHM" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=TMIsM"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=TMIsM" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PrSquared/~4/408282169" height="1" width="1"/> http://api.feedburner.com/awareness/1.0/GetItemData?uri=PrSquared&itemurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr-squared.com%2F2008%2F10%2Fthe_inconsistent_agency_in_soc.htmlhttp://www.pr-squared.com/2008/10/the_inconsistent_agency_in_soc.html tag:www.pr-squared.com,2008://1.1529 2008-09-30T15:55:23Z 2008-09-30T15:57:08Z Todd Defren www.shiftcomm.com <img alt="IStock_000005697450XSmall" hspace="5" src="http://www.pr-squared.com/iStock_000005697450XSmall_small.jpg" align="left" vspace="5" border="0" />It pains me to write on this topic.  I sincerely thought that the basic tenet of Social Media – transparency – was becoming well understood among marketers.  But, the experience I’m about to describe makes me think that abuse of this principle may actually be widespread.  I feel angry and naive. All names – and even industries – have been changed to protect the innocent (and I daresay “the guilty” get a pass too, as a result). We signed a new client: a start-up with grand ambitions for touting their high-quality, respectable services to consumers.  The executives of this company are thoughtful, experienced and down-to-earth.  They also (blessedly) know what they don’t know, and turn to outside experts where appropriate. Among the marketing approaches that the client claims no expertise on is SEO.  So, they hired an SEO agency.  Within a few days, quite coincidentally, I start seeing new spam comments edging into my blog filter.  Normally I delete these without a 2nd thought, but, these spam comments are of the type that make you think twice before deleting, i.e., they almost sound relevant to the blog posts.  So I double-check.  Yup – definitely spam: the commenter “name” is clearly not legitimate.  But the URL they provide?  It is my new clients’ URL! We immediately call the client execs.  They had no idea that their new SEO firm was spamming the blogosphere to boost their Google Juice.  They call the SEO guys with a cease-and-desist command.  And then, it gets worse. <img alt="IStock_000005460284XSmall" hspace="5" src="http://www.pr-squared.com/iStock_000005460284XSmall_small.jpg" align="right" vspace="5" border="0" />After noting ominously that ending the blog spam campaign will hinder a fast rise in the Google rankings, the SEO agency exec nonetheless agrees to pull the plug on the blog spam… but, he counters with “another great idea.” “Instead of the blog spam, we could have our employees post anonymously on blogs about needing a service similar to your offering… and then return a day later, posing as a customer who’s been happy with your services.” I wrote about this <a href="http://www.pr-squared.com/2007/11/the_scandal_that_will_knock_ma.html">slimy technique</a> almost a year ago, and had been heartened to NOT hear much about such tactics again until this recent episode.  Thankfully our new clients put the kaibosh on this campaign… but, I can’t help but wonder how many clueless and/or evil SEO and PR agencies are engaged in such foul practices. To be clear: this fraudulent tactic must be called-out whenever we see it, because if it gains a foothold, all of the good work being done in Social Media will be poisoned by consumer doubts about authenticity. <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=0bd6L"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=0bd6L" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=SAJ5L"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=SAJ5L" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=ufKhL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=ufKhL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=WdlNL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=WdlNL" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PrSquared/~4/407340380" height="1" width="1"/> http://api.feedburner.com/awareness/1.0/GetItemData?uri=PrSquared&itemurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr-squared.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fbeware_the_charlatans.htmlhttp://www.pr-squared.com/2008/09/beware_the_charlatans.html tag:www.pr-squared.com,2008://1.1527 2008-09-29T18:38:21Z 2008-09-29T19:06:07Z Todd Defren www.shiftcomm.com <img alt="IStock_000000655128XSmall" hspace="5" src="http://www.pr-squared.com/iStock_000000655128XSmall_small.jpg" align="left" vspace="5" border="0" />The older I get, the more I care about the young folks’ career development.  This may stem from having teenage children; I worry about their preparation for Life, Careers, Happiness.  Thus I happily offer college students and new graduates some hard-won (and so-called) wisdom, whenever they ask. Here’s what a lot of today’s college graduates don’t understand: I am not alone.  I am not the only company executive/business owner who’s eager to lend a hand, an ear, or an opinion.  Yet, it’s pretty rare for a college graduate considering a PR career to reach out to me for some counsel, or just to grab a coffee. Yes, sure, it might be intimidating for a twenty-something kid to ask a stranger for a favor – especially a stranger who could help (or hurt) their budding career.  But, as <a href="http://www.pr-squared.com/2008/09/kill_it.html">Gary Vaynerchuck suggested via my last post</a> – “It’s 2008.  There’s just no reason to not do something you love.”  How can you know whether you’ll enjoy a career, until you’ve asked some folks who have been there, done that? Of course, there are some ground rules.  Most senior execs (myself included) are quite busy.  Not all will respond or appreciate the outreach.  The biggest danger is the volume of one-off requests.  Meeting with one, two, even ten would-be careerists would be easy to do over the course of several months – but getting 100 or more such requests would kill the execs’ enthusiasm.  So, if you’re looking for an Informational Interview, here are some suggestions: Use LinkedIn.  Hook yourself into the networks that are hooked into the networks of the executives you want to meet.  For example, I am more inclined to meet with the “friend of a friend” than someone I don’t know at all.  Not a requirement, but a good suggestion.  Use LinkedIn (or your professor) to get a known 3rd party to vouch for you. Bundle.  Think about it from the executive’s perspective: “You want to meet me?  Cool.  Do you know 3 or more fellow students who might want to tag along for the same reasons?  Better.  By meeting a handful of folks, I’ll multiply my do-gooder feelings for the day.”  (Having said that, the student organizer of this event does score more points than the other attendees, because the organizer has shown initiative.) Recognize time constraints.  Ask the senior exec for 15 minutes of coffee time, versus 1–hour of grilling.  Keep it loose.  If 15 minutes turn into 30 or more minutes, it’s all good. Do your homework.  Your questions (both in your initial outreach and follow-on meeting) should be specific to the individual – which implies you know something about their career, industry, and company.  Remember that everyone wears an invisible sign ‘round their necks that read, “Make me feel important.” Proof it before you send your request. No busy exec wants to meet with a freshly-minted graduate who can’t write or take the time to at least proofread their request. Typos and grammatical errors are death.  And p.s., dress “business casual.” Come to listen, not to show.  You can bring your portfolio, but only pull it out if asked.  Your incisive questions will say more about you than your college writing assignments. Follow-up effectively.  A thank-you note is a must, just like Mom told you after every birthday party.  But there are two types of thank-you notes.  There are the simplistic “thanks for your time and great advice!” note, and then there’s the note that your newfound advisor is eager to pass along to H.R. and other hiring managers.  The latter note includes genuinely insightful conclusions drawn from the meeting; some unobtrusively-placed links to your work online that show off your savvy; and, polite questions re: any potential next steps, if it seems there might be a fit in their company, or if the senior exec hinted that they might be willing to pass you on to an industry contact. Think of this as the beginning of a “lightweight” relationship.  Watch that senior execs’ career from afar and note the big changes.  Follow-up periodically (2X per year) with a gracious note, update or question.  The hardest part: knowing your place.  Just because the senior exec met with you, doesn’t automatically make them your new rabbi.  They have no further obligation, and won’t appreciate being pestered after the meeting.  As much as you appreciated their time constraints in your original outreach, you should be doubly patient in follow-up. Eagerness.  Initiative.  Motivation.  These are the traits you’ll most often hear successful executives ask for in prospective hires.  Asking for (and getting) that Informational Interview shows initiative, and showcases your passion.  Why wouldn’t you want to start off your career that way? UPDATE: For current PR pros, this overall approach is equally relevant for building relationships with the media.  But, you knew that. <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=97vyL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=97vyL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=8RmyL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=8RmyL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=vTknL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=vTknL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=1nPWL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=1nPWL" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PrSquared/~4/406464126" height="1" width="1"/> http://api.feedburner.com/awareness/1.0/GetItemData?uri=PrSquared&itemurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr-squared.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fso_you_want_to_meet_a_senior_e.htmlhttp://www.pr-squared.com/2008/09/so_you_want_to_meet_a_senior_e.html tag:www.pr-squared.com,2008://1.1526 2008-09-24T15:23:19Z 2008-09-24T15:25:05Z Todd Defren www.shiftcomm.com Caught this at <a href="http://www.parmet.net/pr/2008/09/23/do-what-you-love/">David Parmet’s blog</a> – it’s <a href="http://www.winelibrary.tv/">Gary Vaynerchuk</a>’s Web2.0 keynote.  The language is NSFW, but the passion is infectious. </embed><embed src="http://blip.tv/play/Ac6tAIa8DQ" width="380" height="290" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed>  “If you’re pumping out good shit, people will follow.  But if you for a second – for a 1/2 second – don’t believe in what you are doing … you need to get out, now.” There have been less than 10,000 views of this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhqZ0RU95d4">vid on YouTube</a>, but I predict it goes pretty viral soon. <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=XeKJL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=XeKJL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=wYMeL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=wYMeL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=z5GDL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=z5GDL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=KAUKL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=KAUKL" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PrSquared/~4/401862340" height="1" width="1"/> http://api.feedburner.com/awareness/1.0/GetItemData?uri=PrSquared&itemurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr-squared.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fkill_it.htmlhttp://www.pr-squared.com/2008/09/kill_it.html tag:www.pr-squared.com,2008://1.1525 2008-09-23T17:11:24Z 2008-09-23T18:44:01Z Todd Defren www.shiftcomm.com <img alt="IStock_000006258804XSmall" hspace="5" src="http://www.pr-squared.com/iStock_000006258804XSmall_small.jpg" align="left" vspace="5" border="0" />A question that comes up frequently among clients is, “Which wire service should we be using?”  The query is not necessarily re: the <a href="http://www.pr-squared.com/2008/02/prsquareds_social_media_tactic_6.html">best wire service for Social Media Releases</a> (which we’ve covered, and hope to revisit); they just want some advice on the wire services in general. We tend to be resolutely neutral with our answers.  There are pros and cons to each of the major services, across areas ranging from Price to Ease of Doing Business to Reporting, etc. When it comes to Press Releases that lead to INK, though, the answer has been nebulous.  First of all, a badly-written release (of which there are too many!) almost never leads to a write-up.  And depending on a press release to generate articles is a fool’s game, anyway – but, it does happen sometimes.  And it’s a sign of the tightening race between PRNewswire, BusinessWire and MarketWire that one of them finally decided to invest some real money in finding the answer. According to a <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/prnewswire/34916">release issued today by PRN</a>: “Press releases distributed by PR Newswire get used by media more often than copy from competing services and generate more clips when they are picked up… “Press releases transmitted by PR Newswire were used 55% of the time, versus Marketwire's 43% pickup rate, Business Wire's rate of 38% and a rate of 37% by PrimeNewswire, according to the study.” It’s too easy to say, “PRN paid for the survey, no surprise they won the contest.”  There have been cases where I’ve counseled a client – who “just knows” that they lead the market – to “prove it” via 3rd party validation. I would have included some of the multimedia assets in the PRN release, e.g., the video from the independent analyst, but they were not posted with embed code (which means PRN still gets a “FAIL” in terms of making their own releases Social Media friendly – sorry, gang). UPDATE: they posted embed code – good job with the “listening” thing. I didn’t have an opportunity to call the other wire services for comment.  (“Dammit, Jim, I’m a blogger, not a journalist!”) … I welcome their replies in the Comments field below, though! Meanwhile, the twitterati are not impressed: <tr class="hentry" id="status_931818773"><td class="thumb vcard author"><a class="url" href="https://twitter.com/JonClements"><img class="photo fn" id="profile-image" alt="JonClements" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/59843321/JON_normal.jpg" /></a> </td><td> <div class="status-body"><a title="JonClements" href="https://twitter.com/JonClements">JonClements</a> @<a href="https://twitter.com/TDefren">TDefren</a> They would say that wouldn't they? I wonder which media would cover the story? I wouldn't reckon on a fat cuttings book. <a class="entry-date" href="https://twitter.com/JonClements/statuses/931818773" rel="bookmark">14 minutes ago</a> from web <a href="https://twitter.com/TDefren/statuses/931816241">in reply to TDefren</a> </div></td><td align="right" width="10"> <div class="status_actions" id="status_actions_931818773" style="DISPLAY: inline"><a id="status_favourite_931818773" title="Favorite this update" onclick="gaTrack('/favourings/create/refresh'); new Ajax.Request('/favourings/create/931818773', {asynchronous:true, evalScripts:true, onLoading:function(request){$('status_star_931818773').src='/images/icon_throbber.gif'}, parameters:'authenticity_token=' + encodeURIComponent('f0f8e204c46a7ec095c83e61cccc6587ec3c58bc')}); return false;" href="https://twitter.com/favourings/create/931818773"><img id="status_star_931818773" alt="Favorite" src="https://assets2.twitter.com/images/icon_star_empty.gif?1222127610" border="0" /></a> <a onclick="replyTo('JonClements'); return false;" href="https://twitter.com/home?status=@JonClements"><img title="reply to JonClements" alt="reply to JonClements" src="https://assets1.twitter.com/images/reply.png?1222127610" border="0" /> </a></div> </td></tr><tr class="hentry" id="status_931817875"><td class="thumb vcard author"><a class="url" href="https://twitter.com/McMatt"><img class="photo fn" id="profile-image" alt="McMatt" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/54079413/MattCampingWVa_normal.jpg" /></a> </td><td> <div class="status-body"><a title="McMatt" href="https://twitter.com/McMatt">McMatt</a> @<a href="https://twitter.com/TDefren">TDefren</a> It's overpriced/ineffective PR at it's core. Pay a firm to do a study where (gasp) you come out victorious. Shout at everyone. <a class="entry-date" href="https://twitter.com/McMatt/statuses/931817875" rel="bookmark">14 minutes ago</a> from <a href="http://www.naan.net/trac/wiki/TwitterFox">TwitterFox</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TDefren/statuses/931816241">in reply to TDefren</a> </div></td><td align="right" width="10"> <div class="status_actions" id="status_actions_931817875" style="DISPLAY: inline"><a id="status_favourite_931817875" title="Favorite this update" onclick="gaTrack('/favourings/create/refresh'); new Ajax.Request('/favourings/create/931817875', {asynchronous:true, evalScripts:true, onLoading:function(request){$('status_star_931817875').src='/images/icon_throbber.gif'}, parameters:'authenticity_token=' + encodeURIComponent('f0f8e204c46a7ec095c83e61cccc6587ec3c58bc')}); return false;" href="https://twitter.com/favourings/create/931817875"><img id="status_star_931817875" alt="Favorite" src="https://assets2.twitter.com/images/icon_star_empty.gif?1222127610" border="0" /></a> <a onclick="replyTo('McMatt'); return false;" href="https://twitter.com/home?status=@McMatt"><img title="reply to McMatt" alt="reply to McMatt" src="https://assets1.twitter.com/images/reply.png?1222127610" border="0" /> </a></div> </td></tr><tr class="hentry" id="status_931816549"><td class="thumb vcard author"><a class="url" href="https://twitter.com/PRHughes61"><img class="photo fn" id="profile-image" alt="PRHughes61" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/53103493/DSC01773_normal.JPG" /></a> </td><td> <div class="status-body"><a title="PRHughes61" href="https://twitter.com/PRHughes61">PRHughes61</a> @<a href="https://twitter.com/TDefren">TDefren</a> "PR Newswire engaged Diagnostics Plus" sums it up pretty nicely for me. <a class="entry-date" href="https://twitter.com/PRHughes61/statuses/931816549" rel="bookmark">15 minutes ago</a> from web <a href="https://twitter.com/TDefren/statuses/931816241">in reply to TDefren</a> </div></td><td align="right" width="10"> <div class="status_actions" id="status_actions_931816549" style="DISPLAY: inline"><a id="status_favourite_931816549" title="Favorite this update" onclick="gaTrack('/favourings/create/refresh'); new Ajax.Request('/favourings/create/931816549', {asynchronous:true, evalScripts:true, onLoading:function(request){$('status_star_931816549').src='/images/icon_throbber.gif'}, parameters:'authenticity_token=' + encodeURIComponent('f0f8e204c46a7ec095c83e61cccc6587ec3c58bc')}); return false;" href="https://twitter.com/favourings/create/931816549"><img id="status_star_931816549" alt="Favorite" src="https://assets2.twitter.com/images/icon_star_empty.gif?1222127610" border="0" /></a> <a onclick="replyTo('PRHughes61'); return false;" href="https://twitter.com/home?status=@PRHughes61"><img title="reply to PRHughes61" alt="reply to PRHughes61" src="https://assets1.twitter.com/images/reply.png?1222127610" border="0" /> </a></div> </td></tr><tr class="hentry" id="status_931811706"><td class="thumb vcard author"><a class="url" href="https://twitter.com/pitchengine"><img class="photo fn" id="profile-image" alt="Jason Kintzler" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/58658265/tweet_normal.gif" /></a> </td><td> <div class="status-body"><a title="Jason Kintzler" href="https://twitter.com/pitchengine">pitchengine</a> @<a href="https://twitter.com/TDefren">TDefren</a> From my most recent post <a href="http://bit.ly/40z5lF" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://bit.ly/40z5lF</a> <a class="entry-date" href="https://twitter.com/pitchengine/statuses/931811706" rel="bookmark">19 minutes ago</a> from web <a href="https://twitter.com/TDefren/statuses/931801745">in reply to TDefren</a> </div></td><td align="right" width="10"> <div class="status_actions" id="status_actions_931811706" style="DISPLAY: inline"><a id="status_favourite_931811706" title="Favorite this update" onclick="gaTrack('/favourings/create/refresh'); new Ajax.Request('/favourings/create/931811706', {asynchronous:true, evalScripts:true, onLoading:function(request){$('status_star_931811706').src='/images/icon_throbber.gif'}, parameters:'authenticity_token=' + encodeURIComponent('f0f8e204c46a7ec095c83e61cccc6587ec3c58bc')}); return false;" href="https://twitter.com/favourings/create/931811706"><img id="status_star_931811706" alt="Favorite" src="https://assets2.twitter.com/images/icon_star_empty.gif?1222127610" border="0" /></a> <a onclick="replyTo('pitchengine'); return false;" href="https://twitter.com/home?status=@pitchengine"><img title="reply to pitchengine" alt="reply to pitchengine" src="https://assets1.twitter.com/images/reply.png?1222127610" border="0" /> </a></div> </td></tr><tr class="hentry" id="status_931811612"><td class="thumb vcard author"><a class="url" href="https://twitter.com/guhmshoo"><img class="photo fn" id="profile-image" alt="guhmshoo" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/57851769/guhmshoo_normal.png" /></a> </td><td> <div class="status-body"><a title="guhmshoo" href="https://twitter.com/guhmshoo">guhmshoo</a> @<a href="https://twitter.com/TDefren">TDefren</a> Thank you. Thank you. Totally going to make a cartoon about this. <a class="entry-date" href="https://twitter.com/guhmshoo/statuses/931811612" rel="bookmark">19 minutes ago</a> from web <a href="https://twitter.com/TDefren/statuses/931801745">in reply to TDefren</a> </div></td><td align="right" width="10"> <div class="status_actions" id="status_actions_931811612" style="DISPLAY: inline"><a id="status_favourite_931811612" title="Favorite this update" onclick="gaTrack('/favourings/create/refresh'); new Ajax.Request('/favourings/create/931811612', {asynchronous:true, evalScripts:true, onLoading:function(request){$('status_star_931811612').src='/images/icon_throbber.gif'}, parameters:'authenticity_token=' + encodeURIComponent('f0f8e204c46a7ec095c83e61cccc6587ec3c58bc')}); return false;" href="https://twitter.com/favourings/create/931811612"><img id="status_star_931811612" alt="Favorite" src="https://assets2.twitter.com/images/icon_star_empty.gif?1222127610" border="0" /></a> <a onclick="replyTo('guhmshoo'); return false;" href="https://twitter.com/home?status=@guhmshoo"><img title="reply to guhmshoo" alt="reply to guhmshoo" src="https://assets1.twitter.com/images/reply.png?1222127610" border="0" /> </a></div> </td></tr><tr class="hentry" id="status_931810727"><td class="thumb vcard author"><a class="url" href="https://twitter.com/pitchengine"><img class="photo fn" id="profile-image" alt="Jason Kintzler" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/58658265/tweet_normal.gif" /></a> </td><td> <div class="status-body"><a title="Jason Kintzler" href="https://twitter.com/pitchengine">pitchengine</a> @<a href="https://twitter.com/TDefren">TDefren</a> Good for them, while it lasts. As u may know, I don't think this method of PR dist. will last forever. Media are evolving. <a class="entry-date" href="https://twitter.com/pitchengine/statuses/931810727" rel="bookmark">20 minutes ago</a> from web <a href="https://twitter.com/TDefren/statuses/931801745">in reply to TDefren</a> </div></td><td align="right" width="10"> <div class="status_actions" id="status_actions_931810727" style="DISPLAY: inline"><a id="status_favourite_931810727" title="Favorite this update" onclick="gaTrack('/favourings/create/refresh'); new Ajax.Request('/favourings/create/931810727', {asynchronous:true, evalScripts:true, onLoading:function(request){$('status_star_931810727').src='/images/icon_throbber.gif'}, parameters:'authenticity_token=' + encodeURIComponent('f0f8e204c46a7ec095c83e61cccc6587ec3c58bc')}); return false;" href="https://twitter.com/favourings/create/931810727"><img id="status_star_931810727" alt="Favorite" src="https://assets2.twitter.com/images/icon_star_empty.gif?1222127610" border="0" /></a> <a onclick="replyTo('pitchengine'); return false;" href="https://twitter.com/home?status=@pitchengine"><img title="reply to pitchengine" alt="reply to pitchengine" src="https://assets1.twitter.com/images/reply.png?1222127610" border="0" /> </a></div> </td></tr><tr class="hentry" id="status_931809735"><td class="thumb vcard author"><a class="url" href="https://twitter.com/fardj"><img class="photo fn" id="profile-image" alt="Fard Johnmar " src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/53970989/fardjohnmarphotoweb_normal.jpeg" /></a> </td><td> <div class="status-body"><a title="Fard Johnmar " href="https://twitter.com/fardj">fardj</a> @<a href="https://twitter.com/TDefren">TDefren</a> That's the measure PR firm clients should be using, not reprints of press releases on Reuters, etc. This is reach, not media. <a class="entry-date" href="https://twitter.com/fardj/statuses/931809735" rel="bookmark">21 minutes ago</a> from web <a href="https://twitter.com/TDefren/statuses/931801745">in reply to TDefren</a> </div></td><td align="right" width="10"> <div class="status_actions" id="status_actions_931809735" style="DISPLAY: inline"><a id="status_favourite_931809735" title="Favorite this update" onclick="gaTrack('/favourings/create/refresh'); new Ajax.Request('/favourings/create/931809735', {asynchronous:true, evalScripts:true, onLoading:function(request){$('status_star_931809735').src='/images/icon_throbber.gif'}, parameters:'authenticity_token=' + encodeURIComponent('f0f8e204c46a7ec095c83e61cccc6587ec3c58bc')}); return false;" href="https://twitter.com/favourings/create/931809735"><img id="status_star_931809735" alt="Favorite" src="https://assets2.twitter.com/images/icon_star_empty.gif?1222127610" border="0" /></a> <a onclick="replyTo('fardj'); return false;" href="https://twitter.com/home?status=@fardj"><img title="reply to fardj" alt="reply to fardj" src="https://assets1.twitter.com/images/reply.png?1222127610" border="0" /> </a></div> </td></tr><tr class="hentry" id="status_931808146"><td class="thumb vcard author"><a class="url" href="https://twitter.com/fardj"><img class="photo fn" id="profile-image" alt="Fard Johnmar " src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/53970989/fardjohnmarphotoweb_normal.jpeg" /></a> </td><td> <div class="status-body"><a title="Fard Johnmar " href="https://twitter.com/fardj">fardj</a> @<a href="https://twitter.com/TDefren">TDefren</a> . . . press releases on Websites. To me, media pickup has to be original stories from bloggers, mainstream media & other sources. <a class="entry-date" href="https://twitter.com/fardj/statuses/931808146" rel="bookmark">22 minutes ago</a> from web <a href="https://twitter.com/TDefren/statuses/931801745">in reply to TDefren</a> </div></td><td align="right" width="10"> <div class="status_actions" id="status_actions_931808146" style="DISPLAY: inline"><a id="status_favourite_931808146" title="Favorite this update" onclick="gaTrack('/favourings/create/refresh'); new Ajax.Request('/favourings/create/931808146', {asynchronous:true, evalScripts:true, onLoading:function(request){$('status_star_931808146').src='/images/icon_throbber.gif'}, parameters:'authenticity_token=' + encodeURIComponent('f0f8e204c46a7ec095c83e61cccc6587ec3c58bc')}); return false;" href="https://twitter.com/favourings/create/931808146"><img id="status_star_931808146" alt="Favorite" src="https://assets2.twitter.com/images/icon_star_empty.gif?1222127610" border="0" /></a> <a onclick="replyTo('fardj'); return false;" href="https://twitter.com/home?status=@fardj"><img title="reply to fardj" alt="reply to fardj" src="https://assets1.twitter.com/images/reply.png?1222127610" border="0" /> </a></div> </td></tr><tr class="hentry" id="status_931807311"><td class="thumb vcard author"><a class="url" href="https://twitter.com/mjkeliher"><img class="photo fn" id="profile-image" alt="Mike Keliher" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/twitter_production/profile_images/58877417/Mike_normal.jpeg" /></a> </td><td> <div class="status-body"><a title="Mike Keliher" href="https://twitter.com/mjkeliher">mjkeliher</a> @<a href="https://twitter.com/TDefren">TDefren</a> I think I'm still unlikely to start using PRN again anytime soon. :) And, of course, there's the old "it's about the content" line. <a class="entry-date" href="https://twitter.com/mjkeliher/statuses/931807311" rel="bookmark">23 minutes ago</a> from web <a href="https://twitter.com/TDefren/statuses/931801745">in reply to TDefren</a> </div></td></tr> <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=dFMKL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=dFMKL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=wQC6L"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=wQC6L" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=X31oL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=X31oL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=wdgCL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=wdgCL" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PrSquared/~4/400948884" height="1" width="1"/> http://api.feedburner.com/awareness/1.0/GetItemData?uri=PrSquared&itemurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr-squared.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fwhat_wire_service_should_we_us.htmlhttp://www.pr-squared.com/2008/09/what_wire_service_should_we_us.html tag:www.pr-squared.com,2008://1.1523 2008-09-19T17:12:23Z 2008-09-19T17:14:05Z Todd Defren www.shiftcomm.com <img alt="IStock_000006386775XSmall" hspace="5" src="http://www.pr-squared.com/iStock_000006386775XSmall_small.jpg" align="left" vspace="5" border="0" />Following the rush of excitement when a new contract is signed at a PR agency, some wiseguy will invariably deadpan, “Well, I guess it’s all downhill from here.” The wiseguy knows that the new PR program will likely start off with a bang, and could even continue on a strong keel for a year or more – but eventually, they expect to get a call from the client in which they complain, “You guys are not being strategic enough.” Now, it is sometimes true that the agency is not thinking strategically.  Yet it’s also true that that complaint rarely comes up in the first 6 months of the program.  Why is that? The obvious answer is that the PR firm has likely been hired with a Big Launch in mind.  This means lots of upfront planning, writing, execution and follow-up.  But when the launch is in the rearview mirror and everyone has caught their breath, a critical delta begins to form between “client expectations” and “agency execution.” <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danger,_Will_Robinson">Danger, Will Robinson!</a> Too few clients and/or agency executives recognize this gap until it is too late.  And, really, it is a shame because the “cure” is clear. The reason that clients are happy with their agency during a launch is not just because they’re busy getting results – it’s also because they’ve spent a lot of time together “fueling the engines.”  They meet; they plan; they debate: the agency is given tremendous insights into the product details; the strategic thinking behind the launch; the future of the company; etc. <img alt="IStock_000007198393XSmall" hspace="7" src="http://www.pr-squared.com/iStock_000007198393XSmall_small2.jpg" align="left" vspace="7" border="0" />Once the launch period is over, though, too often I see client programs go into “maintenance mode.”  Sure, there are weekly status calls and all that; the work hasn’t stopped, but, there is just not as much fuel in the tanks. It is the agency’s responsibility to recognize when their idea flow is starting to wane, and to step-up with proactive solutions to fire up the engines.  But, likewise, the client needs to understand that the agency largely works in a vacuum.  The corporate marketer lives & breathes in their particular industry; they meet every single day with fellow executives on a shared mission: their fuel is replenished each day.  Meanwhile, though they are engaged with industry media, the agency largely lives off of the input they get from their client contact.  If the input from the client lacks ongoing vigor, the strategic ideas from the agency will sputter. So – if you are a PR agency executive, and you sense that your team is losing enthusiasm for a client, get on the horn with your contact and set up a brainstorm-for-brainstorming’s-sake, quick!  And following that session, arrange for a monthly Strategy Call, in which “talking about tactics” is forbidden: just talk about the state of the industry, the business, the product roadmap, and see where that takes you. And if you’re on the client side, and you’ve already empathized with the subject line of this blog post?  I encourage you to give your PR team one more chance.  Rather than put them on the defensive, invite them over with a smile, and see if you can help them refill the fuel tanks of creativity by re-engaging them in the company’s story and mission. <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=s1MHL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=s1MHL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=ritmL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=ritmL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=qQxSL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=qQxSL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=9uCWL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=9uCWL" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PrSquared/~4/397342591" height="1" width="1"/> http://api.feedburner.com/awareness/1.0/GetItemData?uri=PrSquared&itemurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr-squared.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fi_wish_my_pr_firm_was_more_str.htmlhttp://www.pr-squared.com/2008/09/i_wish_my_pr_firm_was_more_str.html tag:www.pr-squared.com,2008://1.1521 2008-09-17T16:02:07Z 2008-09-17T16:06:39Z Todd Defren www.shiftcomm.com A quick, personal thought as I head into another day of meetings. Last night my 16–year old son honored me by looking for input on a short story he’d written for school, about “one of his proudest moments.”  Not-so-coincidentally, his proudest moment was also one of mine.  In his last season as a Novice team rower on the crew team, my son and his team mates staged a stunning come-from-behind sprint that launched the team from 5th to 2nd place in the Massachusetts State Rowing Championships. As I read my son’s narration, I recalled that one of his fellow athletes had uploaded a video of the race onto YouTube.  Sitting alone in a hotel room, I was overjoyed to realize that I could re-live the visceral, fatherly thrill all over again.  YouTube has become our collective scrapbook. Here’s the video, for you crew fans. <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ve65hCqdtNk&hl=en&fs=1" width="425" height="344" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed> Yes, the guy who starts screaming his freakin’ lungs out at around the 1:30 mark is Yours Truly.  (The sprint starts at about 1:40 – coincidence?)  No one ever accused me of lacking passion. <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=AtgRL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=AtgRL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=kuUwL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=kuUwL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=53UTL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=53UTL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=18T4L"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=18T4L" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PrSquared/~4/395267519" height="1" width="1"/> http://api.feedburner.com/awareness/1.0/GetItemData?uri=PrSquared&itemurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr-squared.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fyoutube_as_memory.htmlhttp://www.pr-squared.com/2008/09/youtube_as_memory.html tag:www.pr-squared.com,2008://1.1520 2008-09-17T05:26:50Z 2008-09-17T05:28:32Z Todd Defren www.shiftcomm.com <img alt="2727975829_ae3040662c_m" hspace="5" src="http://www.pr-squared.com/2727975829_ae3040662c_m.jpg" align="left" vspace="5" border="0" />I’ve been in San Francisco for just two days and I’ve already met with scores <a href="http://www.kristiewells.com/">of</a> <a href="http://www.chrisheuer.com/">incredibly</a> <a href="http://www.charleneli.com/">cool</a> <a href="http://www.siliconvalleywatcher.com/">people</a>.  The tweet-up tonight was fun, too.  Thank you to all who made the trek. This city is so vibrant.  I have a few blog posts percolating as a result of my many meetings, which I will draft and share in the days and weeks ahead. Meanwhile, your patience with the slower-than-usual posting schedule is much appreciated.  (Let’s face it, you are probably happy to take a break, anyway.) Photo courtesy of <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/hyku/">Josh Hallett</a>. <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=k17nL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=k17nL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=gDYcL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=gDYcL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=OcclL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=OcclL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=hATYL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=hATYL" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PrSquared/~4/394851970" height="1" width="1"/> http://api.feedburner.com/awareness/1.0/GetItemData?uri=PrSquared&itemurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr-squared.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fsan_francisco_on_my_mind_1.htmlhttp://www.pr-squared.com/2008/09/san_francisco_on_my_mind_1.html tag:www.pr-squared.com,2008://1.1518 2008-09-12T14:56:35Z 2008-09-12T15:05:54Z Todd Defren www.shiftcomm.com </embed></embed><embed name="flashObj" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" src="http://services.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/271557392" width="400" height="326" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" swliveconnect="true" seamlesstabbing="false" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" flashvars="videoId=1784543751&playerId=271557392&viewerSecureGatewayURL=https://console.brightcove.com/services/amfgateway&servicesURL=http://services.brightcove.com/services&cdnURL=http://admin.brightcove.com&domain=embed&autoStart=false&" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"></embed> Via <a href="http://slatev.com/player.html?id=1784543751">Slate</a>, a hysterical look at the “future” of viral marketing. Hopefully the premise never takes off, even though this video itself is defintely <a href="http://socialhoneycomb.com/the-future-of-viral-marketing">making the rounds</a>. While I’ve got you – an FYI.  I’ll be in San Francisco next Monday thru Wednesday.  Got a ton of fun meetings planned, including a TWEET-UP at the <a href="http://www.elephantcastle.com/content/locations/san_francisco">Elephant & Castle Pub</a>, 6pm PST on Tuesday.  Hope to see you there, Left Coasters!   <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=kyXAL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=kyXAL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=pPaTL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=pPaTL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=DCZAL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=DCZAL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=PMytL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=PMytL" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PrSquared/~4/390694576" height="1" width="1"/> http://api.feedburner.com/awareness/1.0/GetItemData?uri=PrSquared&itemurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr-squared.com%2F2008%2F09%2Ffriday_fun_the_future_of_viral.htmlhttp://www.pr-squared.com/2008/09/friday_fun_the_future_of_viral.html tag:www.pr-squared.com,2008://1.1517 2008-09-10T19:37:58Z 2008-09-11T11:23:49Z Todd Defren www.shiftcomm.com <img alt="IStock_000000566201XSmall" hspace="4" src="http://www.pr-squared.com/iStock_000000566201XSmall_small.jpg" align="right" vspace="4" border="0" />I participated in a more fascinating than usual <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sohobiztube/2008/09/10/Sohobiztube-Presents-PR-and-Brandng-with-Al-Krueger">Blogtalkradio interview</a> today, hosted by <a href="http://cometbranding.blogspot.com/">Al Kreuger</a> and featuring <a href="http://www.prweekus.com/Keith-OBrien/author/104/">Keith O’Brien</a> of PRWeek, <a href="http://mediaphyter.wordpress.com/">Jennifer Leggio</a> <a href="http://www.twitter.com/mediaphyter">(@mediaphyter</a>) and <a href="http://bub.blicio.us/pr%e2%80%99s-branding-crisis/">Nicole Jordan</a> of <a href="http://rubiconproject.com/">The Rubicon Project</a> (a client, though that was merely a coincidence).  It was a far-ranging conversation about the opportunities (and travails) of the PR industry.  Among the questions raised: “What is PR’s elevator pitch?” In the interview, my fellow participants sagely discussed the need for PR pros to rise above the “publicist” role to become more strategic business consultants.  That’s all well and good – I don’t disagree – but we must all also acknowledge the need to “get ink,” as that’s the primary reason we’re tapped by clients in the first place.  And, as smart as PR consultants may be behind-the-scenes, it’s in that “public” realm of Media Relations where our industry’s reputation gets its bad name. So <a href="http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/2008/09/09/how-pr-can-help-some-startups-perspective-of-one-industry-analyst/">what do we do for a living</a>?  What would you tell a college student who’s considering PR as a career choice about what they’re getting into?  (Keeping in mind that you only have an “elevator ride” to make your pitch!) Here’s my attempt.  Long-time readers will not be surprised. “Public Relations used to be about Publicity – and to some extent that will always be true.  But the rise of Social Media not only created a huge population of civilian bloggers but also led many mainstream media outlets to open themselves up to outside content, so, PR pros are now much more focused on the ‘Relations’ side of ‘Public Relations.’ “We have relationships with all sorts of content creators, and our clients are able to tap into PR professionals’ knowledge and networks to make sure that their stories are told in a relevant way, to the right people. “Just as importantly, the PR industry is taking a lead in helping companies use Social Media principles and technologies to form better relationships not just with the media but with customers, prospects, even their own employees. “Whoops – this is your stop?  Let me hold the door for you.  Hope to see you on Twitter!” What is PR’s “elevator pitch?”  What would you say? Note: if you choose to listen to the archived Blogtalkradio <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sohobiztube/2008/09/10/Sohobiztube-Presents-PR-and-Brandng-with-Al-Krueger">interview</a>, be warned that the audio quality is patchy. <div class="feedflare"> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=IboVL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=IboVL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=VdS8L"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=VdS8L" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=vbQyL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=vbQyL" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?a=PrWzL"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/PrSquared?i=PrWzL" border="0"></img></a> </div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/PrSquared/~4/388919654" height="1" width="1"/> http://api.feedburner.com/awareness/1.0/GetItemData?uri=PrSquared&itemurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pr-squared.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fwhat_is_prs_elevator_pitch.htmlhttp://www.pr-squared.com/2008/09/what_is_prs_elevator_pitch.html http://api.feedburner.com/awareness/1.0/GetFeedData?uri=PrSquared

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