The Public Media Blog

Check Us Out on Wordpress

2010-12-20T21:12:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone ~ I have changed from blogger to wordpress.

Here is a link to the new blog: http://theprsocialmediablog.wordpress.com/

Please join us today! Have a great holiday season!

-Andrew

What To Do When Sh*t Hits the Fan

2010-12-01T09:03:00.004-05:00

Last night I had the pleasure of attending a Cincinnati PRSA Young Pros panel discussion on Crisis Communication.

The Young Pros committee lined up two great speakers: Jill Isaacs-Dunne of Metro/SORTA and Maureen Richmond of First Group. Each speaker shared multiple stories, and provided valuable insights.

In my young career I have not handled any "crisis" situations, which is a big reason I wanted to attend. Jill and Maureen did a great job of explaining how and why they handled different crisis, in addition to discussing what they would have done differently.

I pulled away several insights I'd like to share with you today.

Plan and Practice: Make sure your organization has a plan in place for crisis communication. This will be invaluable as crisis hits. Having a plan is great, but what happens if it is flawed? That is why it's important to stress the importance of practicing crisis situations to upper management.
Gather Information: Information is your friend! Soak up and embrace the massive amounts of knowledge your internal assets already have.
Honesty and Transparency: It's o.k. to say "I don't know" ~ Do not give an answer, if you are not positively sure about it. It is essential to deliver the right information during a crisis. Speculation will become rampant all by itself, don't add any fuel to the fire.
Interesting Tip: Send out an "FAQ Sheet" to brand advocates (Followers/Fans) ~ This engages and empowers them to share the correct information with their networks. It is important to think about creating brand advocates whenever interacting in the social space, not only during a crisis. The beauty of social media is the ability to directly interact with individuals. Constantly building and developing strong relationships with consumers will ensure your brand has built in story-tellers to share your message.

Jill and Maureen were great about answering questions and giving us words of wisdom. They both reminded us that everyone has been there, don't be afraid to consult someone when crisis hits. Jill added, "Don't hesitate to call one of us, we'll talk about it over a beer, or better yet, we'll have a beer after it's all over!"

This obviously got everyone laughing, but comments like that from veteran pros reinforce my passion for public relations. Collaboration and a willingness to help one another is unparalleled in our field.

I would love to hear what other crisis communication tips you have to add!

Until next time, whether it's B2B or B2C, it's all Business to Person

Information as Currency

2010-11-26T12:58:00.005-05:00

I recently watched Episode 10 of Brian Solis' (R)evolution webisode series. The episode featured an interview with Dan Farber of cbsnews.com discussing the future of news.

Please take a minute and check out the video:

I had a total "ah ha moment" at the 4:30 mark in the video. I had never thought about Information as Currency ~ Had you?

I know the SEO mantra of "content in king", but didn't think of that information/content in terms of currency. However, the information you share with your social network carries enormous weight. It shows people what you value, the beliefs you stand for, and how they can identify and engage with you.

As we delve deeper and deeper into the digital age, news outlets have to becoming increasingly aware of information as currency. Farber and CBS understands the importance: "It's all about building relationships and trying to engage. We want to actively participate."

If information is currency ~ how much are you worth to your social media community?

Until next time, whether it's B2B or B2C, it's all Business to Person

Utilizing #Hashtags to #Engage

2010-11-14T15:27:00.019-05:00

As I continue to grow as a communicator I enjoy trying new and innovative ways to engage in the social space. My employer, Busam Automotive, has been great about giving me some freedom to experiment with new tactics.

A few weeks back we had a pet adoption day at our Subaru store, Love a Pet at Busam Subaru. We invited 4 local animal rescues to attend and bring their adoptable cats and dogs. I also reserved a pet name tag engraving to have at the event.

To promote the event I used traditional strategies like pitching to local media and bloggers, making a Facebook event, and so on. ~ But I wanted to do something a little more innovative ~ In comes the hashtag.

The first thing I did was claim a hashtag, #LoveaPet. Claiming a hashtag is fairly simple and doesn't take a lot of time. To claim a hashtag check out What's the Hashtag ~ You can also claim it on What's the Trend. Claiming a hashtag is beneficial on several levels.

Gives you an opportunity to give a quick "elevator pitch" about the event
Allows you to add other links and relevant pages ~ i.e. press release, Facebook event page, relevant blog posts, etc...
SEO (link building)

After the hashtag is set up you have to get the word out and encourage involvement. To engage followers I tweeted saying I would make anyone a pet name tag if they tweeted back their pet's name, a picture of their pet and used #loveapet.

After the responses I selected one and made a short video ~

In addition to the short video, I made tags for followers who interacted. I took a picture of each tag and tweeted the pictures at them with #loveapet. I also incorporated the hashtag on the actual tag ~ (I later mailed the tags)

I was glad to provide the tags, but didn't expect much beyond a RT or a thank you ~ I was wrong!

The video was made for Kelly Rodamer ~ It turns out she has a dog blog and did a post on the event!

After I mailed Dino's tag to Amy Storer-Scalia she took a picture of it and tweeted it using #loveapet.

There is one problem with using a hashtag for an event ~ How do you use the hashtag when the event is over? I have a few suggestions ~

The Love a Pet Event was the kickoff the Pet Adoption Month at the dealership. We are donating $100 for each Subaru sold in the month of November. I use the #loveapet when tweeting about our donation totals. It's a great way to showcase social good using the hashtag.
Before the event I visited each animal rescue and featured the organization in a blog post. I use #loveapet when tweeting about those posts.
I follow local and national animal agencies. I RT and interact with them and add #loveapet whenever relevant.

Incorporating #loveapet into our overall PR strategy proved to be a valuable tool. Have you used hashtags for an event or cause? Would like to hear what else you have to add!

Until next time, whether it's B2B or B2C it's all Business to Person

Reaching Out to Different

2010-11-11T11:45:00.008-05:00

A quick thought...

As a young communications professional I do everything I can to connect, interact, and engage with all kinds of different communications professionals. It is great to network of course, but what I really enjoy is collaborating and sharing ideas. It is so interesting to meet new people who come from different backgrounds, have had different experiences, or are just plain different!

A couple of questions for discussion.

Veteran pros, what is the best way to reach out to you?

Young pros, what do you think are the best ways to reach out to veteran pros?

Interested to hear different thoughts and perspectives from different people!

Until next time, whether it's B2B or B2C it's all Business to Person

Brand U

2010-10-22T21:25:00.006-04:00

I was recently given the opportunity to give my first presentation as a communications professional. I spoke to an Electronic PR class at Northern Kentucky University (my alma mater) on the importance of self-branding.

As social media plays an ever-increasing role in the importance of PR, students HAVE to learn to use these tools effectively. I wanted to share a few easy to remember points about Twitter and LinkedIn. These are 2 social networking sites where every PR professional should have an active presence.

Twitter (I'm @Andrew_ShipPR)

Make sure your profile explains exactly why you're on Twitter ~ "A PR student in _________ looking to develop relationships with PR pros that will help me learn and develop as a communicator"
Put your LinkedIn web address or personal blog into the "web" section of the profile
DO NOT protect your tweets ~ That doesn't exactly scream transparency...
Interact with industry leader's ~ Check out one of my previous posts that goes more in-depth: "Building Relationships with PR Pros through Twitter"

Pick a vanity URL ~ Ex. http://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewshipPR
Have a professional picture
When inviting people to connect, personalize the message ~ It takes less than a minute, it will set you apart, and it will open up communication
Make sure you fill your profile out to 100% completion ~ Remember the more robust your profile the higher likelihood your profile will come up in search results.

Feel free to check out all the presentation slides ~

The most important thing to remember, above all else, is to be yourself. Nothing can replace The Human Factor.

Do you have any additional suggestions? I would love to hear them ~

Until next time, whether its B2B or B2C, it's all Business to Person

~Andrew

You'll Always Remember Your First (#MediaDay)

2010-10-05T10:56:00.008-04:00

I attended the Cincinnati PRSA's annual Media Day today, and in a word ~ AWESOME! Great speakers and thoughtful planning, combined with passionate professionals made for an amazing day of learning.

Instead of writing an entire recap of the event I'd like to use this post to share a few of my favorite quotes from the breakout sessions and panel discussions. The two breakout sessions I attended were "YouTwitFace" and "Build.Promote.Measure."

"Transparency is essential when participating in social media"
~ Chris Bergman

It really frustrates me when people don't get the importance of transparency. It's essential to develop and strengthen quality relationships.

On explaining how to use social media to clients ~ "Where are your people? Go and find them there ~ research before jumping in"
~ Heather Whaling

Important to remember this and help your clients understand this. "Listening #1, Engaging #2" needs to be THE MANTRA for the "social media professional"

"I love how precise your communication has to be with twitter"
~ Chris Bergman

This is one of my favorite parts about Twitter. Thanks to Twitter, I have become a more effective communicator ~ Most of the time you have to get rid of the garnish, and give people the meat

"We encourage employees to be clear, transparent, and honest"
~ Laura Merritt

Once again, love hearing importance of concise, transparent communication ~ With so much clutter out there, it's becoming mandatory

When considering social media channels ~ "Don't think broadcast channels, think engagement channels" ~ "Go deep, not broad"
~ Kevin Dugan

This last quote sums a lot of my feelings on social media ~ Engage (along with Listen) are the two most important words in my vocabulary when it comes to social media

These are some quick hits. Awesome quotes, from industry leaders get me excited about the profession I'm passionate about! I hope they get you fired up as well! If you were at Media Day, and attended the other sessions I'd love to hear some of your favorite quotes!

Thanks again to all the organizers ~ Special shout out to Ashley Walters and Lauren Doyle

This event, and speakers really emphasize, "whether is B2B or B2C, it's all Business to Consumer"

#DigNC

2010-09-24T10:02:00.006-04:00

I'm going to keep this short and sweet. This year's Digital Non-Conference ROCKED! During the 8 breakout sessions, 4 keynote speakers, and countless conversations ~ There was a strong central theme:

Consumers want brands/companies to communicate with them individually.

Whether you are a marketer, communicator, PR pro, CEO, CFO, or anything here there or in between get ready for REAL conversations. The barrier is gone, and it is up to us to professional communicators to facilitate that communication.

I'm obviously not inventing the wheel, or saying anything too groundbreaking, but I do think it's important to remind ourselves ~ Real, specialized and targeted communication is what it's all about.

Until next time, whether is B2B or B2C, it's all Business to Person

Virtual or Physical - Commentary on The Social Network

2010-09-15T21:36:00.009-04:00

I was fortunate enough to get sneak peak passes to Facebook's unofficial story, The Social Network. I want to preface I will do my best not to spoil the movie; but then again even if you read this a lot of people went and saw Titanic, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

The movie is good, I would definitely recommend it. The movie has a healthy dose of the depositions of the two legal battles Zuckerberg battled in the early years of Facebook. They portray Zuckerberg, as a young arrogant jerk, who doesn't care much about anyone else. (I don't think this is an accurate portrayal, but it does allow for some hilarious one-liners.)

When not in depositions the movie shows how Facebook was created at Harvard, the beginning of the formal company on the east coast, and their eventual move out west to Palo Alto. Through everything there was a very consistent theme ~ Hold onto your ideas

I went into the movie, not knowing what to think. As a PR professional I praise Facebook for allowing companies to interact with interested publics, however as an everyday person I have had an underlying feeling since the rise of Facebook and other social networking sites, many people get comfortable and stagnant in the virtual world.

Whether this is 100% true or not, I feel Zuckerberg created Facebook in reaction to being shunned from Harvard (mainstream) society. Essentially, he created a virtual world that allows a high level of connectivity, without the hassle of the awkwardness that can accompany human communication.

This frightens me. Is Facebook an incredible way for people to make connections and sustain relationships ~ OR ~ Is Facebook a tool people use to guard themselves from rejection? Human connection can be awkward, weird, and even boring, but it can also be all those amazing things that make life incredible.

So I pose this question to you ~ Do you feel more comfortable connecting to people virtually or physically?

Look forward to interacting (Virtually AND Physically)

Until next time, whether it's B2B or B2C it's all Business to Person

What I've Learned in 6 Months

2010-09-13T22:45:00.006-04:00

Value the Importance of Meeting New People

The best, absolute best, part about PR and Communications is meeting new people. Always go into meetings with an open mind and a willing attitude. In only 6 months as professional I have met so many awesome people.

Listen, Listen, and Listen Some More

Not only in person, but this is an especially important component of social media.

Ask Questions

People really enjoy talking about themselves, so let them. I promise you'll learn quite a bit. Of course you'll have to deal some conversations you'd rather not now and again, but overall this is a great way to get to know your clients.

What should be added? Would love to hear some great input!

Until next time, remember ~ Whether is B2B or B2C it's all Business to Person

I'll Admit It... I've Been Slacking

2010-09-09T21:52:00.006-04:00

Alright, no post since March? What's up with that? Well, there's no way to sugarcoat it... I've been slacking.

However (Pause - Pause) however... I'm excited to announce... NO MORE SLACKING! I am officially rededicating myself to writing a weekly post. I have been a full-time communications professional for almost 6 months, and I'm beginning to really get my feet under me... Remind me again why I picked a profession that has no idea what 9-5 is? Because it's awesomely addictive - that's why.

I am glad to be at an early stage in my career because it is a great time to be a communications professional in Cincinnati. In the short-term, there are two exciting events coming up that everyone should check out: The Digital Non-Conference and Cincinnati PRSA's Media Day.

For the long-term Cincinnati has been named an "Innovation Hub", urban renewal is in full-effect, and there are tons of movers and shakers doing their part to showcase everything Cincinnati has to offer.

So, here we go - I'm ready to advantage of what this awesome city has to offer a young communications pro.

Until next time, remember ~ Whether is B2B or B2C it's all Business to Person

-Andrew

#JournChat --- My Cure for the Common Monday

2010-03-09T17:21:00.005-05:00

I never "dread" Mondays, but sometimes they can get the best of me. Now that I have graduated, and am "in the real world", I have gotten into a Monday routine. No matter how bad Monday was, I have found a great way to turn everything around: #JOURNCHAT!

#Journchat is a weekly (Mondays from 8-10 ET) discussion of Public Relations, Journalism, and Communication professionals. The chat usually consists of 10-12 questions about current trends in the 3 fields. As a young pro, this is a great way to learn from veteran professionals. Sometimes I comment, but other times it’s nice to sit back, listen, and learn. During the most recent #journchat on March 8th, the moderator Sarah Evans, posed this question:

“If there was one piece of advice you could offer to new comm/journ/PR grad, what would it be?”

BINGO! I was excited to hear the answers! Here is a compilation of my favorites. Last night’s #journchat really got me excited about PR, if you are a PR pro that didn’t get to participate here is what you missed…

CasterComm
Relationships and your reputation will follow you forever. Protect and nurture both of them.

Hilary_Louise
Take advantage of all opportunities given to you, and create you own

JDEbberly
Learn as much as you can from established professionals

Dpolitis
1)For journo students: Take an intro PR class. Better yet, take 2 classes
2)For PR students: Yep, you guess it, take a journo class. Better yet, write for the school paper

LisaRedShoesPR
Know how to communicate no matter which platform you use, FB, Twitter, News Release, SM News Release, phone calls.

Liz Pope
Do what you say you're going to do. If you volunteer to do a task, follow through with it on deadline and use it as a chance to set yourself apart.

JPeters1221
Never stop learning. Grow. Adapt.

JGoldsborough (My Favorite)
Make a point to meet someone new each week. More people you know, more you learn, more you develop

This is just a small sampling of some other great comments and insights from other industry leaders. With that being said --- What did I leave out, I'm always in need of some great advice, and I would love to hear yours!

HAPPY for #HAPPO

2010-02-18T23:45:00.005-05:00

Thank you for visiting my personal blog/website during #HAPPO.

Why you should hire me:

• I have multiple internship experiences that have prepared me to take the next step in my career.

• I have practical experience writing fresh content in various forms (press releases, articles, blog postings), managing client relations, working with upper-level management, and most forms of social media forms.

• I value the importance of being a student. In the Public Relations field it is vital to always be willing and eager to learn.

I hope you enjoy reading my cover letter below and I encourage you to visit my various links:

LinkedIn Profile

Resume

Writing Sample: Press Release #1

Writing Sample: Press Release #2

Writing Sample: Press Release #3

Writing Sample: Questionnaire Copy

Blog Post #1: What is Public Media?

Blog Post #2: The Human Factor

Blog Post #3: Building Relationships with PR Pro's Through Twitter

Blog Post #4: Information is Addicting

Life is a never-ending, always entertaining journey. While I strongly agree with this, my own journey has given me many interesting experiences. Some good, some bad, however, all have been valuable. The path I have taken in life, both personal and professional, has equipped me with the tools and focus on innovation to become a valued member of your company.

I have always had a self-motivated passion to serve others. This quality was instilled in me from the very beginning through the efforts of my parents. As early as I can remember, I was a member of the “Shipp Puppeteers.” My family would visit lower income areas in the Greater Cincinnati area and put on puppet shows for children and senior citizens. We commonly visited community centers and nursing homes where my father had established relationships with community leaders and business owners. I was able to see how important relationship building was to the success of providing people with happiness. The value of relationship building has always been an important part of my life and has helped me in my professional career.

The true success of any public relations campaign is contingent upon the quality of relationships one builds. At the heart of a business-to-business relationship or business-to-consumer relationship, is the business-to-person relationship. In our day of extreme media, public relations practitioners are able to reach more people on a personal level. Sending messages with quality content to people, not consumers, is the most important aspect of public relations. This is done through the utilization of multiple touch points. Traditional resources, aided by social media tools, are essential to carrying out your mission, value, and goals. Having these touch points are good, but optimizing these outlets is what incurs dramatic change. My experience with the social media specialists at Purple Trout and public relations professionals at PB&J have given me the tools to affect change.

Thanks again for visiting my #HAPPO page,

Andrew D. Shipp

Questionnaire Copy for Non-Profit Initiative

2010-02-18T23:39:00.002-05:00

NPO Reviewer’s Rating Sheet
1. Does the NPO have a pre-existing website? Y or N
2. Does the NPO have a pre-existing Facebook page? Y or N
3. Does the NPO have a pre-existing Twitter account? Y or N
4. How many grammatical errors were in the essay? (Actual Number) ____

The following question need to be answered on a scale of 1 -10.
1 = Strongly Disagree
10 = Strongly Agree

1. The program’s goals are measurable and/or achievable. _____
2. The number of staff reflects the capacity of the NPO to meet their stated program goal. _____
3. The NPO explains how and/or why they are ready for SEO and/or SMO. _____
4. The NPO explains their specific benefits from SEO and/or SMO. _____
5. The NPO explains how they will utilize SEO and social to strengthen their message. _____
6. The NPO’s message addresses a critical charitable issue. _____
7. There is a need for this NPO to have a bigger presence online. _____
8. The NPO will have the ability to effectively change an issue due to SEO? _____
9. The NPO will have the ability to effectively change an issue due to SMO? _____

Press Release written for specific client during Purple Trout Internship

2010-02-18T23:28:00.001-05:00

The Adventurous Child Introduces ADA Approved Wheelchair Accessible Playground Equipment

CINCINNATI – October XX, 2009 – The Adventurous Child, a Cincinnati-based company dedicated to early childhood education through preschool outdoor play is excited to announce it offers wheelchair accessible play equipment.

The Adventurous Child Playgrounds has multiple playground options that everyone can now enjoy. Customers can choose from 14 pieces of playground equipment that are side reach accessible - meaning a child in a wheelchair can reach sideways over the chair to use the equipment.

Each item is also front reach accessible - meaning the child’s wheelchair can fit under the equipment when it is lowered or elevated depending on the child. It is important to keep these pieces of equipment next to wheelchair accessible paths to assure ease of use for both children and caretakers.

The Adventurous Child offers a variety of other outdoor play equipment and products that enhance early childhood learning, including: Sand Tables, Balance Beam, Chime Panel and Woodworking Center, among others. All Adventurous Child products are created by Certified Playground Safety Inspectors, and are designed using the highest safety and accessibility guidelines as stated by The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and The American Society for Testing and Materials standards (ASTM). For more information on products and The Adventurous Child’s unique mission, please visit the company web site at www.adventurouschild.com.

#2 Press Release Writting for Purple Trout Internship

2010-02-18T23:01:00.000-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Andrew Shipp
Purple Trout, LLC
Andrew.Shipp@purpletrout.com
513.885.5000

Scholarship 2.0
“The Next Generation Scholarship”

CINCINNATI, Ohio - November 10, 2009 - Purple Trout, LLC is excited to offer a scholarship for tri-state high school students. The goal of a scholarship is to utilize all forms of social media to enhance their school’s online presence. Students can work in teams of up to five (5) per school.

Students will have to set up at least a Facebook page and Twitter handle to be considered for competition. However, students are encouraged to use more forms of social media to increase their school’s online presence.

“I wanted to create a scholarship opportunity that tested the difficult skills universities seek in their students. Participating student will need to understand social networking sites, have a technological background, and exhibit strong writing skills. These skills combined with the aspect of interpersonal communication and group dynamics sets this competition apart from other scholarship opportunities”, said Steve Phillips, President of Purple Trout.

The winning students will each receive $1000 scholarships. The students’ school will also receive a seminar on social media from industry experts. The seminar will cover the importance of monitoring your personal Facebook profile and Twitter handle. Other social media outlets such as LinkedIn will be discussed.

Press Release Written for Purple Trout Internship

2010-02-18T22:59:00.000-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Andrew Shipp
Purple Trout, LLC
Andrew.Shipp@purpletrout.com
513.885.5000

Strengthening Non-Profit’s Muscle
Purple Trout To Offer Free Services to Non-Profits

Cincinnati, OH - October 1, 2009 - Purple Trout, LLC announces an essay writing competition for non-profit organizations. Purple Trout will provide complimentary SEO and social media optimization to the selected winners.

The essay needs to answer this question, "How will your organization utilize social media marketing and search engine optimization to strengthen your message?" The essays are to be no longer than 200 words. Winners will be selected based on their essays. Purple Trout will select up to three organizations to receive their services. Essays must be submitted by October 31, 2009.

As the largest SEO firm in Cincinnati, Purple Trout helps a wide range of local, regional, and national clients, strengthen their Internet presence by targeting on-site and off-site optimization factors. By conducting extensive keyword research and examining a company's competition, Purple Trout develops a search engine marketing strategy that focuses on keyword-rich content, strong meta tag codes and other key SEO factors that play a strategic role in creating a strong online brand.

SEO is a vital asset being used in all industries. As non-profits struggle for market share, their for-profit competitors utilize SEO to drive traffic to their e-store. Purple Trout recognizes this and is excited to help worthy non-profit organizations.

###

I'm #HAPPO I Chose PR

2010-02-17T22:14:00.002-05:00

Entering my second year of college I was your classic “not sure what I want to do in life” college student. I knew I was ready for something, but I needed to be nudged in the right direction. I was lucky enough to be at Northern Kentucky University at the time a new college was starting: The College of Informatics. I wasn’t sure what "Informatics" had to offer, but I did have the foresight to understand that there would probably be some interesting opportunities with a new college at a growing university.

I sat down with an assistant dean to discuss what this new college had to offer. As we went over majors, and talked about my interests, she brought up PR. She explained that you see PR everyday, but probably don't even know it. We discussed relationship building, delivering clear messages, crisis communication and other aspects of the field that NKU would emphasize to prepare me to be a public relations practitioner. After that, I was hooked!

My absolute favorite part about PR (what really makes me #HAPPO) is building relationships. This has never been more apparent than during the past 8 days. #HAPPO is a reason for all PR practitioners to give themselves an emphatic pat on the back! You would be hard pressed to find another profession that could start a Facebook group and in 8 days grow that group to 827 people! More than the number, #HAPPO participants interact and engage with one another. I personally posted on the Facebook group’s wall and was given a response within the hour. To everyone out there in the #HAPPO community ---Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! I am blown away by how awesome it is to see PR practitioners digging in and helping one another.

I am so #HAPPO I chose PR!

Is Apple a bunch of iMorons or iMasterminds?

2010-01-28T18:10:00.000-05:00

In the field of PR and marketing mistakes happen, of "corse" (HAHA), but PR and marketing pros have really been struggling lately! Most notable is Apple’s latest product: the iPad, otherwise known as, the iTampon. I understand it is the most natural name in the progression of Apple’s product line i.e. iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iTouch. But come on!?

Did Apple do any market research at all? I feel very confident that if Apple had organized a group of men and women in a room together they would have realized iPad might not have been the best name. Perhaps iSlate, or iTablet, or iAnythingexceptiPad.

However, there are two sides to every story. This is the question I pose to you - Did Apple decide to endure the initial joke-making for the buzz they would eventually generate? Could they have predicted this? The iPad cut through all the clutter and everyone knows about the product. Even my 60 year-old mother, who only watches Fox News, understands what the iPad is all about. Talk about reaching a broad market!

What do you think?

Information is Addicting

2010-01-07T23:04:00.000-05:00

Addiction is a word that commonly drums up a negative connotation. It is commonly associated with such words as: alcohol, gambling, drugs and other generally unhealthy behavior. However, in this “Web 2.0” age there is a new addiction: The Addiction to Information. Companies that combine their PR and social media efforts to feed this addiction will create large dividends.

Most companies are beginning to realize how to utilize social media; in that they now understand it’s about being PART of the conversation, not CONTROLLING the conversation. Unfortunately, companies are putting the wrong personnel at the forefront of these highly important touchpoints. It is true younger PR professionals have more experience with social media, but they can also get into a lot more trouble. Matt Singley explains this really well in his blog post “6 Things You Need to Know about Running a Social Media Program: The Channels”.

“Twitter is often the most immediate and intimate touch point with your current and future customers; make sure you put your best and brightest people behind this channel…and pay them well! They can make or break your reputation in just a few key strokes.” ---Matt Singley

How true (not to mention scary) is that. Where companies can begin to capitalize on social media is combining veteran PR professionals with younger Gen Y professionals. Companies need to be willing to commit more personnel hours and talent to their social media efforts. One person can no longer handle one company’s social media efforts. There is simply too much information, and people still want more.

Due to this addiction of information, companies have to be ready and willing to get as much information out there as possible. Do not misunderstand me to mean a company can get by with flooding the market with tons of information. A company has to get high quality content to their publics.

Companies need to use that content and traditional PR efforts to get articles published, segments on radio, and TV spots; but to get the most bang for their buck social media teams need to push traditional media efforts through social media touchpoints.

As we become a culture more and more addicted to information, companies are going to have to understand the importance of producing high quality content. Always remember content is (and always will be) KING!

Building Relationships with PR Pro’s through Twitter

2009-12-17T13:36:00.000-05:00

140 characters doesn’t seem like a lot to work with, but vast amounts of information can be found on Twitter. Thanks to the advent of bit.ly, and other web address shrinkers, those 140 characters can take you anywhere. As a young public relations practitioner I am constantly learning in this quickly changing field.

Utilizing Twitter, in a targeted way, can open doors to immense amounts of information. Opening these doors will help build relationships with other PR professionals. Almost all PR pros are social media fanatics (or if they are any good at their job they are). Therefore, Twitter is the best way to reach out to a worldwide network of PR professionals.

You can learn a lot of information by sitting back and following the vast amounts of really smart PR pros out there. However, chances are as someone interested in Public Relations, you are going to want to interact. So how do you get involved? Below I have outlined 3 simple ways I try to interact with PR Pros in the Twitterverse

1. Send a DM (Direct Message) After Every “Follow” -. Don’t just thank them for the follow, you need to engage them. Ask them about something on their Twitter background, or check out their blog and tell them a specific thing you enjoyed reading. This is a great tool b/c you can add some personality and build those ever-important relationships.

2. Send a DM (rather than thank them in a tweet) if you get Retweeted - In the DM I do thank them for the RT, but I go on to ask what they liked about the tweet, or why they retweeted. This gives me good feedback on the effectiveness of my Tweeting. It also helps me understand what people are interested in reading.

3. Retweet, Retweet, and Retweet – However, hitting the RT button and retweeting information doesn’t really help you connect to people. Do your best to personalize the retweet. I understand this can be tough with the 140 character restraints, but adding something of your own helps to engage the person you are retweeting.

This is not the magic formula, as nothing in social media is, but I have had success building relationships in only a short time. Social media is all about involvement, finding your style is what will set you apart. So get out there and start engaging.

Twitter is a constantly evolving and fascinating form of media. It gives young PR pros the ability to interact with proven professionals worldwide. Take advantage of this fast growing form of social media. It has given at least one young PR pro (ME!) some great information on current PR issues and trends.

Please feel free to share what has worked for you. I'm always interested to learn, and look forward to reading some great comments.

The Human Factor

2009-12-02T13:56:00.000-05:00

Social media reaches everyone, we all know that. Companies are beginning to understand that social media influences everyone. According to John Jantsch, “It’s becoming clear that social media is no longer marketing’s new thing; it’s marketing in the world we live in today.” People of all ages, races, genders, and economic levels have their own voice.

The quicker companies realize the immense influence of social media, the faster they will grow. Due to the abundance of social media, the "human factor" is now more apparent than ever. Everyone, regardless of income level, has a voice. In the past, only the voice of the wealthy was heard. Stories about the poor were only told by the wealthy. Social media enables everyone a voice regardless of income level. This is unprecedented.

The human factor can no longer be ignored and we will be a better generation because of it. PR practitioners that incorporate social media into their strategy will reach more people in a more personal way.

What is Public Media

2009-11-23T09:11:00.001-05:00

Public Media is the combination of two vital resources all companies have to utilize to be competitive in their market: Public Relations and Social Media. Traditional PR has been a staple of any successful company for years, but social media is the relative "new kid on the block". These two working in unison is the best way to reach publics.

Oxford, the word experts, deemed "unfriend" the word of the year in 2009. If this isn’t a sign of the extreme rise of social media, then I don’t know what is. It is an amazing tool to build relationships with people all over the world. Building relationships is at the core of any PR professional's skill set. However, some practitioners don’t fully understand how to use social media effectively to build relationships.

Almost every PR pro has a Facebook profile, Twitter handle, and LinkedIn profile. These are all great, but simply having them does not ensure you will reach, and more importantly, affect people. Social media is all about involvement, so you have to get involved.

This means taking steps to connect to people, not profiles. Sending direct messages via Facebook or Twitter is a great way to connect a profile with a person. Whenever you "friend" someone on any of these social media sites, send a personalized message and introduce yourself. This further reinforces the personal touches that are essential to relationship building.

Unfortunately, all of these social networking devices have given people the ability to interact on a surface level. It doesn’t illicit real human interaction. Public Relations professionals have to add the human element. This is now the best way to reach publics in the personalized manner they want.