A Though on Bloggers

Peter Himler, principal with Flatiron Communications LLC and a blogger, says certain blogs have the capacity to drive national and global awareness online. 

“Others are negligible in terms of their influence,” he said. “Today’s PR pro must know which are which.”

Bottom line, before issuing a story or taking a call with a blogger: read their blog.

Issuing Press Passes for Events

This article originally appeared in PR Tactics, Joan Stewart

Regardless of what business you’re in, if the media cover your event—particularly if you’re serving great food and featuring big-name entertainment—you need to know how to deal with the gate-crashers.

After more than a decade managing PR for the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation in Hollywood, Florida, Lori Weintraub turned into a grizzled gate-keeper at the foundation’s glitzy special events, always on the lookout for moochers posing as journalists.

Weintraub learned how to spot a fake years ago. A man and woman pretending to be from the media got into the Feast Among the Grapes, the foundation’s annual food and wine tasting fund-raiser in Miami that attracts up to 1,400 people. Each arrived separately and presented credentials for what turned out to be two phony media outlets. Once inside, they joined up and enjoyed the rest of the night eating and drinking at one of the hippest happy hours in town, never intending to write about it.

“We didn’t realize it until after it had occurred,” she said. “You definitely live and learn.”Then there was the couple claiming to be from Black Entertainment Radio in New York that showed up to “cover” an event sans camera or notebook. She turned them away. And the guy with a phony press pass who was able to sneak by the registration table at Feast Among the Grapes? He was eventually discovered and escorted to the door by security. “Now we have a media list,” Weintraub said. “Anyone who wants to cover an event has to get clearance beforehand. If they’re not on the list, they’re not allowed in. I’ve turned away more people than I can count.”

Fake press passes abound at restaurant and theater openings, sporting events, music festivals, political rallies, celebrity parties and even crime scenes. With a decent computer and color printer, almost anybody can crank out an official-looking pass within minutes.

If that sounds like too much work, you can claim to be a freelancer and, for $85, become a member of a group calling itself the National Press Association. Within 72 hours of paying your membership fee at NationalPressAssociation.org, the NPA will rush you your press pass with neck band, a wallet card, a membership certificate, and even a rear view press identification decal. But when you apply, you don’t have to present any supporting materials to show that you’ve written or sold any articles.

Spotting the phonies is particularly difficult on today’s media landscape where freelancers abound and even bloggers are asking for the same preferential treatment as traditional media.

Experts offer these tips for making sure that media entering your event are who they claim:

• Always insist that, well before the event, the media apply for press credentials that you issue. Otherwise there’s no surefire way to spot a fake. Once you have a list of credentialed media, use it at check-in.
• Be vigilant about your due diligence. Ask freelance writers and photographers for their website URL, and copies of published articles or photos on specific topics. At the giant BookExpo convention held each year, freelancers applying for press passes must show clippings of articles or reviews they have written specifically about books or the publishing industry.
• If you’re in the travel and hospitality industry and you host familiarization trips, you can insist that freelancers must be members of the Midwest Travel Writers Association or the Society of American Travel Writers. If you’re suspicious, post questions at your industry’s Internet discussion boards and ask your colleagues for feedback on a particular freelancer.\
•  Staff the sign-in table at your events with seasoned pros, not administrative assistants. The veterans are usually able to recognize bona fide media.
• If bloggers want press credentials, read their blogs

Stories declaring 'death of PR' are misguided

For a sector that specializes in communicating with the public, the public relations industry has done a bad job of explaining what it does.

PR is often misinterpreted as something companies use to spin the truth, or it is confined to a marketing afterthought in the promotion of a “breakthrough” product. Some journalists view PR simply as a set of media relations tactics, from sending (bad) pitches and issuing press releases to holding press conferences and being the gatekeepers for CEOs and executives.

The reality is that more than anything, good PR is about having an awareness of outside trends and sentiments, being a corporate conscience, and enabling authentic dialogue between organizations and the public – through traditional and social media, as well as several other means. The best PR counsellors, and the companies they represent, are known for enabling and facilitating valuable two-way communications that result in action or, at a minimum, a strong debate that leads the public to think about things a little differently than before.

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Social Media: A Succes or Failure?

Social Media seems to be a growing fad among many companies. These companies have looked to social media in order to advocate their selves, products or services. For some employers, it even comes down to who is most familiar and adept with the most popular social media today. Whether social media is actually beneficial is a question that has just recently been brought about.

Social Networks are not popularly used as a resource for shoppers online. According to a recent survey, a majority of consumers do not visit retailer pages on Facebook or Twitter. When consumers do follow or ‘friend’ brands or companies, it is to mostly to stay informed of exclusive deals or offers.

Social Media Today plays the roll of devils advocate by bringing up questions that are not thought about by companies prior to getting involved with social media. The main question is whether the limited money and resources you are spending to maintain social media for your company will be made back, at the least, by the sales made at one's source of social media. Most customers are all about convenience and if your web form is not explained step by step, or they are not up-to-date with current day technology, then your attempt in using social media to reach new customers is not a success. Therefore, despite what everyone says, it would behoove your business to weigh the costs and benefits of a social media source before investing your resources into maintaining one.

Networking

Your network is one of the most valuable tools you have available to you when you’re looking for a job. This article comes from Professor Shelton's Alma Mater, Boston University.  For the original article, click here

You create your network by networking. That seems obvious, but do you know what networking really means? There are a variety of ways to go about networking, you can attend an event specifically for this purpose, but the best way to really create a useful network is to constantly be networking. Don’t worry, it’s not nearly as exhausting as it sounds.

The individuals that make up your network are called connections. A connection can be someone you worked with, a friend of your parents, an alum you met at a BU event, professors or even family and friends. Web sites like LinkedIn provide an easy way to keep track of your connections. If you start paying attention, you’ll see potential connections almost every day.

If a guest speaker visits one of your classes, make a point of going up to speak with them afterward, even if it means waiting a little while for all the other eager students to take their turn. Use the time while you’re waiting to think of what you’re going to say. Asking a question is always a good bet. You want to give them a reason to remember you. Then tell them, ‘I am working on building my network, are you on LinkedIn? Do you mind if I send you a request to join my network?’ Chances are good they will agree. You can use a modified version of this approach for anyone you come in contact with. Don’t be concerned about only including communications professionals in your network, you never know where opportunties may arise in the future.

The Difference Between Your Professional Network and Your Social Network

Facebook is a social networking site. You need to create a professional network to use throughout your career. You may end up with some of your Facebook friends in your professional network, but do not make the mistake of including those in your professional network as Facebook friends. Some communications professionals use Facebook as a networking tool, but most people see Facebook as a place for friends only and LinkedIn as a place for professional networking.

Maintain Your Network

If you’re using a site like LinkedIn, you can easily maintain your network. Update your ‘What Are You Working on Now?’ status if you are working on a big project or have an internship. Send emails occasionally to touch base with the key people in your network. If you like the company you interned with and think you’d like to work there after graduation, be sure to stay in touch with those people. Once or twice a year is sufficient for maintaining a connection. You don’t want to be a pest you just want to remind them who you are and what you’re doing.

Picture from: http://jpsblog.org/2009/07/the-jewish-non-profit-guide-to-social-media-marketing/

International PR

 "Pepsodent tried to sell its toothpaste in Southeast Asia by emphasizing that it "whitens your teeth." However,  natives chew betel nuts to blacken their teeth because they found it attractive. Had the PR company behind this campaign analyzed the cross cultural issues related to Pepsodent's product, the failure of this PR campaign could have been avoided."

Cross-cultural differences can make or break a PR campaign. It is therefore crucial that PR practitioners dealing with PR campaigns that incorporate a cross cultural element analyze likely cross cultural differences.

In order for a PR campaign to be successful abroad, an appreciation of the target language and its cultural nuances is necessary. The PR and advertising industries are littered with examples of poor translations and a lack of cross-cultural understanding leading to PR failure.  Translation of documents, slogans and literature must be checked and double-checked for meanings and cross cultural nuances. This should not only take place between languages but also within languages. 

Different Speaking Styles

British and American communication styles are described as 'explicit', meaning messages are conveyed solely through words. Correlating background information is deemed necessary and divulged, ambiguity is avoided and spoken words have literal meaning. In many other cultures, communication is 'implicit'. The message listeners are likely to interpret is based on factors such as who is speaking, the context and non-verbal cues. Spoken words do not fully convey the whole story as listeners are expected to read between the lines.

With relation to content, speakers must be aware of the cross cultural differences in humor, metaphors, aphorisms and anecdotes. In addition, references to topics such as politics and/or religion can be a very sensitive issue in other cultures.

Mass Media

Journalistic traditions, writing styles, news worthiness, delivery systems and whether a 'free press' exists are all areas that will affect how the written word is tailored. The most important point from a cross cultural perspective is how to write in a way that engages the readers in that society or culture. Some cultures may prefer colorfull and inspirational writing, others factual and objective. Some may be motivated by language that incorporates a religious or moral tone, others by a money-orientated or materialistic one.

PR practitioners employ many different communication channels when trying to circulate information relating to their campaign. The main channels of communication in the UK or America are the radio, the press, TV, internet and public spaces. However, these channels may not always be applicable abroad.

In many countries the radio, TV or newspapers may not be the primary source of information. Literacy rates may be poor and/or radios may be expensive. In Africa, only 1.4% of the population have access to the internet. Even where such channels of communication do exist, such as TV, some methods used by PR practitioners, namely guerrilla marketing, would be interpreted differently in foreign countries. For example, interrupting live TV may be laughed at in the UK but in other countries it would be seen as irresponsible and rebellious.

The usual channels of communication in some countries would simply have no effect in terms of PR. In such countries, local alternatives need to be sought such as religious leaders, tribal chiefs, school teachers or NGO's. Information coming from such figures will not only reach the audience but be perceived as more credible than if it were from foreigners.

 "Ford launched the 'Pinto' in Brazil they were puzzled as to why sales were dead. Fortunately they found out that Brazilians did not want to be seen driving a car meaning 'small male genitals' and promptly changed the name."

Picture can be found at: http://en.tehran.ir/Default.aspx?tabid=17663.  Original article can be found at:http://www.aboutpublicrelations.net/international.htm.

Press Releases: Are they dead?

Are press releases dead?  Not at all. Press releases are not primary tool of communication anymore; they are simply channels through which information is conveyed. The reason press releases are not the primary in the field anymore has more to do with the web and how it allows people to communicate directly. Press releases do not generally get conversations started the way a blog does for example.  This is press releases generally do not include a way for the recipient of the message to respond. However, when press releases are published on the web, they become a different kind of channel, one that potentially invites a conversation with a wide public. This seems simple enough, but many old style PR people believe public relations to be simply putting out the press releases their clients want them to.  There also still some senior management who sees the function of PR as putting out press releases. This is a very outdated view of public relations.  In today's world, the role of public relations is to create understanding. In the complex world of today, there are many complex ideas.  Thus, it is the PR person’s task to disseminate these complex ideas in a way that makes people understand and want to contribute. What I see as the main problem with PR is that many times the PR function in an organization is focused on tactics, when public relations should be treated as management function.  Public relations is actually managing relationships with various publics...any public that can present obstacles to your being in business. In today’s world, this is complicated somewhat by the fact that all of these publics are now able to talk to each other. Clearly, then public relations must be taken seriously as a management function. (Picture is from http://www.mbda.gov/?section_id=12&bucket_id=844)

Transparency in Public Relations

Follow this link for five great tips on how to be more transparent while conducting public relations.

PR Tactics and The Strategist Online

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