Archive for public relations
Are PR professionals afraid of the “New Rules”?
Posted by: | Comments
If you haven’t read “The New Rules of Marketing and PR” by David Meerman Scott, you’re missing out on a top guide on how public relations has changed and “how to use social media, blogs, news releases, online video and viral marketing” to reach your buyers directly. You can find the book at his website www.webinknow.com or from Amazon and other online bookstores.
I re-read the book this past weekend (the revised 2010 edition), and there’s one section that I didn’t feel represented PR professionals properly – or, at least, not the PR professionals I know, most of whom are in Arizona. In chapter 7, “The New Rules of News Releases,” he writes that “many PR professionals have a fear of the unknown. They don’t understand how to communicate directly with consumers and want to live in the past, when there was no choice but to use the media as a mouthpiece….I also think there’s a widely held view about the purity of the press release as a tool for the press. PR professionals don’t want to know that hundreds of millions of people have the power to read their releases directly. It’s easier to imagine a closed audience of a dozen reporters.”
The book is brilliant and has helped completely change the way we look at public relations. I don’t think he has quite captured the issue here, however. Granted, he travels a lot more than I do and talks to way Read More→
The benefits of a digital age on press releases
Posted by: | Comments
I was contacted by www.prmoment.com, which analyzes UK coverage of the world’s leading brands, to offer my perspective on the effects and impact of the digital age on press releases.
I believe that its impact has been mostly positive. Press releases in particular are now shorter, full of interesting multimedia components, and much easier to disseminate to segmented audiences. My prediction is that press releases will evolve in the next five years and will be called something else, and the traditional format we love to hate will finally dissolve. The combined brevity and complexity of such social media tools as twitter will continue to force PR professionals to craft more highly condensed pieces of information in an ever-widening array of formats to please individual audiences.
You can read the full article here, and find out what other highly regarded pundits are predicting.
Use Twitter to help break a story
Posted by: | CommentsDon’t forget that social media tools such as Twitter are helpful for reaching the circles of influence on your target demographic. Search Engine Marketing Specialist Anthony Kirlew has the guest post today about his experience helping a friend see the journalistic benefit of Twitter:
Anthony Kirlew
Recently, I was speaking with a friend who is looking to launch a new website for his business. He is extremely sharp when it comes to business but he is not fully dialed into the Web or social media. His new business is an RV Park, so he immediately told me that he did not think that his audience would be on Twitter, due to the demographics. I assured him that having a presence on Twitter may be more valuable to him than he might initially expect.
First, I told him that I could do some searches for him to find out if (and what) people were tweeting about RVs and RV Parks in the area he is looking to launch, and if so, what they were saying. I also mentioned that lots of journalists are on Twitter and Read More→
Where do you stand on accuracy in PR 2.0?
Posted by: | CommentsAs more and more “citizen journalists” go online via Twitter, Facebook, blogs and other social media, there is greater likelihood of typos and misspellings. In the online world as opposed to traditional media, there are no formal editors to proofread work. Where do you stand on accuracy in PR 2.0?
Peter Faur
My friend Peter Faur of Phoenix-based “Right Point Communications” and I are of like mind. In his blog, RightPoint, he writes about communications and includes a helpful grammar tip at the end of every post. I asked him to provide his input on grammar and spelling, and he shared with me this guest post:
___________________________
“The Miami Herald’s ombudsman, or reader’s advocate, recently asked a veteran teacher to review the Jan. 18 edition of the newspaper for grammatical errors. He was shocked that Elaine Kenzel found 133 errors. Read More→
Tips on pitching media
Posted by: | Comments
I sat in on a helpful media breakfast this morning, featuring three editors from Scottsdale media and put on by PRSA’s Phoenix chapter. No matter whether you’re pitching Scottsdale media or just pitching editors and reporters in general, they had useful tips – here’s a breakdown of what we learned from Peter Corbett of the Scottsdale Republic, Michelle Glicksman of So Scottsdale and Scottsdale Health magazines, and Kimberly Hundley of Scottsdale Airpark News:
- Media in general prefer local calls vs. calls coming in from NY, LA, etc – the local people have a better idea of the pulse of the community and its publications
- Reporters appreciate it when PR contacts make the information understandable. “Get to the point, break it down (no jargon).” One phrase given as an example of jargon was “business solutions” – so strike that from your press release copy!
- With smaller staffs at the publications these days, the reporters’ jobs are more challenging
- Extremely aggressive PR tactics are discouraged
- Because of the economy, editors like Michelle are stretched thin. She relies on PR people more. Downside – she can’t always be at events, since she handles so much of the publication activities, from concept to coordinator to the words on the page. Read More→
AP opening hub in Phoenix for better regional coverage
Posted by: | Comments
If you’re in public relations and want to learn how to work more closely with the Associated Press, there is an upcoming panel in Phoenix featuring Pauline Arrilaga and Josh Hoffner from the new Phoenix AP hub.
By placing writers in regional areas, they are increasing AP’s ability to break overnight news and get content to clients faster.
You can find more info on the panel here, including registration. It is sponsored by the Arizona Book Publishing Association and will be held at the Radisson Hotel near Sky Harbor Airport.
A conversation with author Alan Korwin: self publishing and book promotion
Posted by: | Comments
Author Alan Korwin
Book publicity is a talent that a lot of authors don’t possess. However you feel about the controversial topic of gun laws, (and I’m squarely in the middle), you have to admire someone like Alan Korwin. Through hard work and a natural promotional ability, he has taken his Arizona Gun Owner’s Guide through 24 successful self-published editions.
1). How did you first get the idea for your book, The Arizona Gun Owner’s Guide?
Moved here from NYC, where guns in the hands of the public are virtually unknown, and found Arizonans sold guns and ammo in supermarkets. When I asked, ”What are the rules?”, the guy at the counter asked me what I meant by rules. I figured there was room in the market for a book on it. I certainly wanted to know. People started making me offers for copies before I had it written. Read More→
Why CEOs suck at PR
Posted by: | Comments
Seth Godin, who writes about all things marketing (as well as very philosophical observations), has a post today that reminds me of why CEOs suck at PR.
Check out “How to lose an argument online.” Point number 1 reflects the attitude of a lot of executives with whom I’ve worked:
Have an argument. Once you start an argument, not a discussion, you’ve already lost. Think about it: have you ever changed your mind because someone online started yelling at you? They might get you to shut up, Read More→
Scottsdale Society of Women Writers
Posted by: | Comments
You don’t have to live in Scottsdale to become a member of the Scottsdale Society of Women Writers (SSWW). Founder Patricia Brooks told me that the society has members all over, including two out of state.
I presented to the group last night on the topic of “Press Releases 101,” and how the way we write and distribute releases has changed in the last three years. Credit Todd Defren at Shift Communications for crystallizing the changes in the 2006 proposed social media release template, which is constantly being updated to reflect ongoing developments in social media. Read More→
Switching career gears from PR to wine
Posted by: | Comments
Found “The Savory Grape” in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, by accident. What a great find! Wine organized by flavor, not region.
Talking to the owner, Jessica Granatiero, I discovered that she had previously been in public relations. She seemed a lot calmer and happier than some of my fellow PR professionals, so I wanted to share her story with you. The Savory Grape opened its doors in April 2006.
You’re originally from Delaware – how did you end up in Rhode Island?
In 2004, I became engaged to be married. This led to a move to Rhode Island at which point I became an account supervisor for Feinstein Kean Healthcare, a division of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, based in Cambridge, Mass. I specifically targeted this company for a Read More→
