06.15.09
CMSF: The one year mark
A year ago, when I launched Cut Me Some Flack, I wanted to capture the experience of Gen Y professionals in a field we all knew was changing.
And change it has.
So here’s a couple things I’ve learned/observed:
- The coversation has been dominated by Social Media.
- The second most frequent topic matter: newspaper down-sizing, layoffs, closures
- The old tools and practices are getting a face lift or are going by the wayside
Each of these trends — as far as CMSF is concerned — lead into one another. The rise of social media contributed to the fall of so many practices (I mean a 140 character press release just isn’t realistic). And a leaner, meaner media further bolsters the quick access and short response format of social media.
Having entered this field only four years ago, I can say that just about EVERYTHING has changed. And this past year really seems to be the tipping point. We’re in a new era of PR. And we’ll keep tabs on the changes in the media, communications practices and anything else that catches our eye.
~R
05.27.09
Social Media Overwhelms Me
How is it possible to monitor:
- all of the incoming tweets
- view people’s photo slideshows and status updates on friend and fan pages on Facebook
- keep up with recommendations and group discussions on LinkedIn
…all while keeping your facts straight, remaining relevant and not letting social media management become a full-time job!?
Some applications weaving these platforms together make it easier to gather all the incoming information, but being an active participant in response to that info is still a major undertaking.
So, how to manage?
- Get one serving a day — Commit to participating on one platform a day. Be active on Twitter one day, catch up on all the new connections on LinkedIn the next, update your profile on Facebook the following day.
- Prioritize — While part of the joy of social media is the instant gratification of the communication, don’t feel pressured to respond to everything IMMEDIATELY. Though Twitter often requires near instantaneous responses, many other social media interactions can survive with a little lag time.
- Experiment with combo platforms — Applications like TweetDeck and Facebook ad-ons, along with many others, can help you manage responses from several social media in one place. Making your social media a one-stop-shop scenario does help.
So much of social media is customized to the user. It’s the same with the management. You ultimately have to develop your own schedule & style.
~R
03.03.09
How To Win Friends and Influence Tweeple
Lately, more than any other social media platform, I’m hearing SO much about Twitter and its importance in building personal and professional brands.
Perhaps as a testament to our dwindling attention spans, Twitter’s 140 character limit challenges us to boil down messages to the most captivating and strategic points. Though the content space is limited, Twitter’s power is in that it forces users to provide richness in that small space.
The currency of Twitter is followers. The more followers you have the more power you’ve got — especially if you’re working to spread strategic messages. But how, specifically, do you earn followers?
Here are a couple of my thoughts on how to be a good ‘Twitizin’ earning valuable followers:
- Don’t spew worthless tweets — Be a meaningful content generator. Tweet about interesting articles and timely topics, post valuable links. Steer clear of overly (or consistently) vapid tweets. No one will care that you’re tired and need a latte EVERY morning to survive.
- Stick to a theme — In much the same way as you might narrow the focus of a blog — say a Gen Y PR blog for example — stick to topic matter with your tweeting. By doing this you can begin to establish yourself as an expert and will gain followers based on that expertise.
- Be a good Re-Tweeter — This idea falls somewhere under the “6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon” theory. The advantage of followers are the networks they are attached to. When your followers Re-tweet posts it amplifies the power of that idea exponentially. Re-tweets that are really valuable spread like wildfire and can get an important message across very quickly. So. Repay the favor. Re-tweet valuable messages from others’. Give them the benefit of spreading their message among your network of followers.
- Find your Voice and be Authentic — I feel strongly that having the same personal and personality in all social media you use to represent yourself is incredibly important. It can be confusing to read a blog in one voice only to discover a totally different personality on another network/medium. If you have other existing social networking profiles, stay true to the brand you’ve already established there.
- Stick With It — No, you do not have to tweet about every single second of your life. But don’t vanish from the ‘twitiverse’ either. As with all social media/networking, it’s a commitment. Stay involved in conversation. Reply to comments made @ your attention. Participate. Participate. Participate.
- Be a Resource — If you’ve got the answer to a question or problem expressed in a tweet, ANSWER. Offer legitimate advice or links that will help your fellow ‘tweeple.’ Case in point: a reporter I follow was looking for stories. I asked what kind of stories he was looking for. Five minutes later I was emailing him a pitch with exactly the kind of content he was looking for.
I admit, I’m not all the way there on perfecting my ‘tweetiquette’. I muddle through some days offering sub par content, ignoring valuable re-tweets and can be slow to respond to replies. I’m convinced everyone using Twitter is still mastering the potential and continually realizing what more can be done, or what they wish could be undone. Such is the nature of human communication no matter what form it takes.
In the meantime, one thing I’m getting really good at is blending “twit” and “tweet” into commonly used communication terms thereby making them Twitter specific. 
Happy Tweeting!
~R
01.20.09
When History Strikes
Today is monumental.
Today the paper’s will sell out.
Today, no PR stunt or adjacent story angle will touch the huge news of Barack Obama’s Presidential Inauguration.
Today IS history. Everyone can feel it. There’s a reverence in the voices of every news correspondent. There’s an energy in the crowd that is just electric.
For a day we want so much to describe…there just aren’t words right now. Perhaps that speechlessness and breathlessness — and simultaneously screaming, cheering and laughing — that seems to be the hallmark of the day so far says it all.
Though it may be hard to believe, there are some people who don’t care about today. I can only hope that looking back they will appreciate that today is about American History, far more so than American Politics.
~R
01.17.09
Social Networks Are Only As Robust As Their Users
According to a recent Pew Internet & American Life Study reported on by the Phoenix Business Journal, social networking site usage has risen 27 percent in the past four years!
Leading the pack of these social networking sites:
- MySpace
The usual suspects.
But there are many others out there. Businesses, industries, publications and many a start-up site have tried to break into the social media space by creating their own networks.
But these “niche networks” — if you will — often flounder and lack the influence their creator(s) desire.
The broader the social network, the more opportunity for out reach. Plus, the Goliaths of their class (refer to the list above) have functions that allow for specific breakdown of interests, region and a host of other demographic information creating those “niche networks” inside of larger social networks.
Let me make an analogy. It’s like going to a big university and finding your place by participating in the Greek system and pledging the right fraternity/sorority you fit in to; versus going to a small school where where the entire student body is the community.
For both scenarios, groups can have tremendous enthusiasm for their community, but the fraternity/sorority has the opportunity to influence more people by virtue of the fact that they are just one distinct piece of a much bigger crowd.
Continuing on this collegiate theme…
I’ve been using Facebook since shortly after its inception in 2003. As a college student at the time, I was an early adopter. So were many others. Universities clamored to be included in the Facebook network…then highschools…then cities full of professionals…then the world.
The early adopters continued to use Facebook post-college, and, indeed, innovated FOR Facebook to address needs/wants as their needs of Facebook evolved by creating web applications. This is a critical measure for network robustness — are your users helping to make the network you offer better?
Facebook estimates that there are more than 52,000 applications for the network, with an average of 140 more being added per day.
For me, it makes more sense to have a brand presence in a larger space with more reach than to own a smaller space, with potentially limited activity, therefore less enthusiastic users and smaller opportunity to be truly robust.
One thing is for sure. The phenomenon of social networking and social media is no longer a fad, but the norm. Figuring out just how to measure the impact is something we have yet to nail down as a communications community. But if you or your clients don’t participate, you’ll get no return. Play the game and the opportunities are huge.
The numbers from the Pew study will only go up. Be sure the brands and people you represent are a part of those increasing statistics.
~R
01.14.09
Shouting an authentic story
Information is at your fingertips. Literally. It’s on your iPhone, a few clicks away on your laptop, on the podcast you’re listening to on your iPod or the magazine you’re scanning as you eat your breakfast. While this makes our lives as consumers much easier, it creates unique challenges for businesses as they strive to communicate their messages across several different mediums, rather than just the one or two
So what does this trend mean for businesses? It means communication efforts have to be unified across the board. Speak with one, clear voice. And that voice must be authentic.
As my friend and mentor, Sydney Ayers, stated in her recent article in PR Tactics & The Strategist,
“Maintaining honest talk in everyday communications will not only be critical for long-term business success, but will also impact the way in which we as PR professionals are expected to operate in the year to come.”
As communications professionals, we’re tasked with ensuring that we are clearly communicating authentic messages with our key stakeholders at all times. Whether we’re talking business goals, company culture, new products, or recent layoffs, we must share honest and consistent information. Our stakeholders will appreciate hearing the truth, no matter what it may be. With information so readily available, there is nothing to hide behind and communications that are not wholly truthful will quickly be discovered and exposed.
As we go shout our stories from the multiple communications “roof tops” available to us, let us take a few minutes to ensure they are authentic and consistent stories that accurately represent who we are.
~S
12.05.08
Call it like it is…
Lately the phrase “these economic times” has been getting more play than a new Britney Spears single. And to be honest it’s starting to grate on me.
The business news has been overwhelmingly negative and yet we refuse to use the word “recession.” Well, it’s here. And as a matter of fact it’s been here for an entire calendar year!
So can we please quit with the “these economic times?” Because these economic times are a recession.
And now that we’ve established that, can we turn to telling the stories that will inspire confidence?
I’ve got at least three clients whose national-caliber news has gone completely ignored because it’s not negative enough. Er, rather, “Not really the story angle we’re interested in telling.”
~R
11.10.08
Telling your story in the age of shrinking newsrooms
In the past month, the LA Times announced plans to let 10% of its newsroom staff go and the Star Ledger announced plans to layoff 40% of its staff through a series of buyouts. Additional cuts are probably not far off on the horizon as companies tighten their belts and cut down on advertising budgets in 2009 due to the current economic crisis. As revenues decline, newspapers are forced to answer to the bottom line and newsrooms are shrinking.
Fewer reporters are still expected to cover the same amount of news as before with fewer resources. In most markets, the days of the beat reporter are fading into the sunset and one reporter may cover a company declaring bankruptcy, an aviation company’s quarterly earnings and the latest trend in commercial real estate all in one day. What does this mean to us PR folk? We are facing both our greatest challenge and our greatest opportunity.
Beat reporters are a dying breed. With reporters stretched so thin, many are covering several stories across multiple industries each day. Despite their best efforts, they often don’t have the time nor resources to dive deep into an industry. This is where we can be a resource. It’s our job to offer that background information by offering an expert to do an informational briefing or sending over the latest white paper your client wrote. More than ever before, it’s our job to provide the information, without being asked, because reporters simply don’t have the time to chase it down.
In Denver, “fluff” news coverage is gone. Reporters no longer have the time to write a story about a company’s 25th anniversary or an award received by a CEO. While these are still good stories to tell, there is other more pressing news that is keeping their plates full. Do your research and find a way to still tell these stories but find the broader implication. Perhaps your client’s award speaks to a national trend or an anniversary is a result of strategic business decisions that other struggling companies can learn from. Go the extra mile to make your story have a hard news angle, otherwise it simply won’t get covered due to time and space constraints.
Since there is no end in sight for shrinking newsrooms, we have a responsibility to be a resource to reporters. Don’t waste their time with a bad pitch, provide them all the information they need and understand the challenges they are facing. Your efforts will go a long way and ensure that the stories you need to tell get told.
~S
09.29.08
Networking Counts
While I was reading a recent article in Advertising Age that discussed some of the myths of networking, I got to thinking about how networking has impacted my life. Every single job or internship that I have ever had has come as a result of networking. Fresh out of school and looking for a job in a new city, I contacted an old colleague of my former internship supervisor. Several interviews later, I had my first PR gig. When I was ready for a change, I met my mentor for lunch to discuss people I should meet with to discuss potential career paths. One of those people I met with is now my current boss and I guarantee you neither one of us came to that meeting expecting it to end up the way it did.
I’ll tell you a little secret. Networking is not on my top ten list of things I love to do but I know I need to do it. Unlike most other PR people, I’m shy, so striking up a conversation at a random networking event sounds about as fun getting stranded in a snow storm. Even though it’s not my favorite thing to do, I do it anyways and I’ve actually learned to enjoy it. As a result of it, I’ve met some awesome people and learned a lot. Let me share a few tips about networking that I’ve found helpful:
1. It Can Take Place Anywhere: It doesn’t have to be at a designated networking group. Strike up a conversation at the dog park on one Saturday afternoon, at a cocktail party or standing in line at a coffee shop. You never know who you may meet and how your paths will cross in the future so take a minute to chat it up with that stranger standing next to you.
2. Utilize Your Hobbies: Love running, join a running club. Passionate about community service, join a non-profit board. Whatever you like to do, there are other people out there who like to do it to so find that group to get involved in. Once you join the group, make an effort to strike up a conversation with one person at each meeting. Now you enjoy doing something you love, while making potential contacts.
3. Take a Buddy: Attending a networking or professional event by yourself can be daunting so find a friend or co-worker to go with you. Here’s the caveat, make a pact to talk to other people besides each other. It’s easier to talk to strangers when you are with someone you know, so the two of you can work together to engage others in conversation.
4. Start Small: Whenever I attend a networking event, I make a goal to meet three new people. It’s a manageable number that can be easily accomplished, yet it introduces me to a whole new group of people I didn’t know before. For your first event, start with one person and work your way up from there!
5. Observe the Pros: Being able to “work a room” is a true art form that takes a long time to learn. Watch those people who you know do it well. You can learn a lot! One of the biggest lessons, I learned is that a good networker asks a lot of questions to learn about the other person. They spend more time listening and less time listening.
Relationships are key to helping you land your next big job or client in the PR industry! And, relationships are built from networking. No matter how uncomfortable it is, get out there an network. Start small and you’ll be amazed at how quickly you get comfortable. Before you know it, you’ll be the one working the room!
~S
09.03.08
AdAge and Al Ries, You Are Brilliant
This article, emailed to me from AdAge, is sheer genius. Al Ries manages to, in one article, do what it takes months and years of educating and coaxing many a client and potential client to understand.
Whet your whistle on these tid bits:
PR and advertising are in a symbiotic relationship. Before you launch an advertising war, you should first engage in a PR battle.
PR provides the credibility that makes your advertising much more effective.
PR first, advertising second” has been our mantra for a number of years. But PR can often be more effective if it’s based on “doing something” rather than just “saying something.
Now go read the whole thing in all its brilliant glory here!
~Robyn
