PR Insights from Ann Tracy

Seeing Pink

2012-02-05T08:50:00.000-08:00

If you've been reading this blog, or perhaps some of the links that I've posted, you probably know what bad choices The Susan B. Komen Foundation made in their announcement of not funding breast exams at Planned Parenthood. I'm sure someone told them if they just made the announcement with teh Super Bowl and Presidential primaries getting lead positions in both electronic and print media, no one would notice. If my guess is true, you can be sure this person doesn't know much about social media. Another thing that can be said about this bad, sad PR snafu is that Planned Parenthood was ever gracious in the way they accepted the eventual apology.

The Meaning of Definitions

2011-11-22T07:51:00.001-08:00

Sometimes I think there's a little too much 'blah, blah, blah" in our world. People talking or writing just to hear/see their voices. Looks like the PR Society of America is also guilty of that according to an article in the New York Times.

I'm not sure that trying to crowd source a definition of PR is the best of ideas. Seriously if those at the helm of the only existing national group for PR professionals doesn't even know what they're supposed to be doing because of the influence of social media, maybe it's time for them to go into advertising? what do you think?

Social Schedules

2011-11-12T08:58:00.001-08:00

Mea Culpa my friends for ignoring my PR blog, but I've been in an art frenzy! Since the end of September, I've been working on art for the Windows show at E Street Gallery in October and for the Center for Contemporary Art Sacramento's satellite gallery at Lumens Design for Living on K Street at 21st Street. I've been hereat in Sacramento for the closing reception at E Street plus the opening and 2nd Saturday receptions at Lumens.

Now that the heavy lifting is over, time to refocus on other interests - namely PR Insights. One of the most important things about a good PR campaign is to develop a good schedule and to stay on track. Not only does that apply to the traditional PR outlets, but to social media as well. However you really should revamp your schedule to include social media sites as described in this article from entrepreneur. com.

Social Media Branding Nirvana: Transparency

2011-10-13T14:40:00.000-07:00

When I come across a phrase like that I have to ~~steal it~~, use it with attribution (Thanks Todd Wasserman). I ran across it in an article from one of my most consistent sources - Mashable. I think we all remember the Toyota snafu when millions of cars had to be recalled. This shows a high level of awareness of remembering that a company must communicate, especially during bad times. I never saw the interview mentioned in the article and it seems as if they engineered it to look more "transparent".

But that said, it shows that when bad things happen, one must be on the spot with releasing news to the public as much as one does when good things happen. It's all about communication and being honest. There's a new buzz word for honesty these days - authenticity. You'll hear business folks go on ad nauseam about it. If one is being authentic, one is being honest, right?

But when good things do happen to you or your business, or you're involved in innovative projects, there's nothing like a good, old-fashioned news release sent out to media to draw interest in an article, in addition to getting your message out with social media.

Here are a couple of places where you too might be able to reach a small, but targeted audience in this article.

My, What Lovely Fox Paws !

2011-08-17T12:08:00.000-07:00

Yes, here I am committing a faux pas, or committing bad humor. Which do you think dear reader? Nonetheless, the PR blunder is the topic for this month's second post. For most groups, organizations and companies, it's a question of when rather than ever having committed a PR blunder. A small slip of the tongue near an open microphone, a mis-Tweet or what someone thought was a funny post on Facebook can turn around to slap you right in the face. Cheap Shot Alert - Unless of course you're Charlie Sheen.

So is dealing with those kinds of mistakes any different in cyber space than in the physical world? In a word, no. The same things you would do here, you carry over to the social media sphere. As a matter of fact, I think it's easier to react quickly, honestly and with humor in social media.

Thanks to my friends at Mashable for sharing this link to AMEX's forum for small businesses about recovering from a social media fox paw.

Future for Google+?

2011-08-08T07:22:00.000-07:00

It was interesting to start a small conversation on Facebook yesterday about Google+. While some of my more adventuresome friends are there, others who are very tech savvy are not. This surprised me until I asked why. The response was to wait until more people go there. But if the tech savvy folks are waiting, then who will be there?

This is the dilemma for PR and Marketing folks as well. Especially since there is no advertising on Google+ right now. But just because there aren't any ads now, doesn't mean that will always be the case, so say the folks over at Mashable.

For PR purposes, I can see Google+ as being a place where you can post links to news releases that have made it on other websites. I just did that with a small release I got out there for a group art show I'm in later this month.

Google Plus ?

2011-08-01T12:15:00.000-07:00

Do you get it? I'm not sure I do. But I'm there, having been thrown in certain circles by my good meaning gmail friends. Guess I'm what you could call an early adopter. I even got a new Android phone last week that I'm still trying to figure out. But I will persevere and conquer it as I did the Blackberry before it.

But back to Google+, right now I only have 6 people in circles, but 14 have me in their circles. The one thing was bothers me a bit about it is that I have my "real" email address attached to it. On the FB side, I use a different email address so my inbox isn't clogged with stuff and to to that FB email every few days to clear things out of it.

But thanks to I've have access to some information on Google+ that might be of use to you PR types out here. But I couldn't have done it wthout the help of the good folks over at A Photo Editor. Thanks for that link t his morning. I knew that I needed to post here and was a trifle at sea about what to post.

My Pro Bono Work

2011-06-10T10:44:00.000-07:00

Maybe I'm just a crazy lady, but I feel that everyone needs to help others - be it donating money to worthy causes, delivering meals on wheels to the elderly or in my case, helping groups and organizations with PR.

Two years ago I was helping the artists who do the NadaDada Motel Art Festival in Reno, Nevada when I asked to see the news release so I could send it to my contacts. Remember yesterday's post about going back to the basics - the 5 Ws? That's what I did with the "release" that one of the artists sent me. I just re-wrote in a more conventional journalistic style. Then I thought, why not send it to the NY Times? So I did and this time Fortuna smiled in my direction and we got a reporter out to the event and got a hit.

I don't know if I'll be as lucky (because really PR is just a toss of the die), but hope I will for my next Pro Bono project for the Professional Women Photographers (PWP) (http://www.facebook.com/ProfessionalWomenPhotographers) who is hosting a very interesting panel discussion at the School of Visual Arts in New York City that I hope I can attend. I can't tell you much now, but some BIG name folks from the New Yorker magazine and the Yale School of Art are on tap.

If you're amazed that I've posted three times in one week, I'm flabbergasted! But this post was triggered by an email from PWP trying to figure out a time for me to consult with them via speaker phone in the meeting.

Basics to Remember

2011-06-09T14:58:00.000-07:00

At many times in one's professional life, it's always good to go back to the basics. I think this is especially true in Public Relations. There are times when even I first write out the Who, What, Where, When and Why of a release. The Five Ws are really the place where PR and Journalism meet.

I'll never forget the several times that I would receive a photo from a PR agency when I was a radio journalist. It gave me a few laughs and was great as an on air joke, but that release was headed straight for the round file.

Seth Godin, a guru of marketing advice, has touched on some really good email etiquette in his latest blog post. He also deals with some common sense basics that all PR folks need to keep remembering. Thanks Seth for this community service.

Doing the Right Thing.

2011-06-08T14:55:00.000-07:00

Sometimes PR professionals get too wrapped up in long range plans and promotions that they can't see the forest for the trees. Sometimes the best PR is just to do the right thing. Such was the case with a group of soldiers who had recently served in Afghanistan and were heading back home to their base camp.

It's too bad the baggage person at Delta did not do the right thing, but clung rigidly to what they thought were the rules. Come to find out they were wrong. After all these men has just risked life and limb!

Thanks to the folks at Mashable for bringing this to my attention. The video has gone viral so you might have seen it by now. Here's your link.

Rewards

2011-05-26T14:56:00.000-07:00

We all like to get rewards don't we? Whether it's a coupon for something we buy on a regular basis or a discount or even sometimes just plain recognition as a human being! Rewards can also be a big part of a PR campaign, especially to build awareness for new products and services.
I think this is especailly true on social media platforms like Facebook, and so do the folks over at American Express, as you can tell by reading this LINK.

While the first two tips are probably more appropriate for larger businesses, the other two seem like they would work for smaller organizations. As a matter of fact, I'm going to test this out on the Ann Tracy Fine Art & Photography page on Facebook. I'll report back in a few weeks.

Another View Point

2011-04-21T20:23:00.000-07:00

I think this woman has something to say to those of us who work in PR. What do you think?

Memory Lane

2011-04-15T10:35:00.000-07:00

I interviewed Arnaud de Borchgrave while I worked for WQFM, when he was Newsweek's Chief Foreign Correspondent, after his novel "The Spike" was published. He was very surprised that I had actually read the book, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was a dashing spy novel. This simple thank you impressed me enough to keep it all these years. Currently deBorchgrave is Editor-at-Large of The Washington Times and United Press International, as well as Project Director for Transnational Threats (TNT) and Senior Advisor for The Center for Strategic and International Studies.^[4]^[5]

The other "best" interview I did while doing news and public affairs for WQFM was with Steven King. He was a hoot and a half and even improvised some Maine Humor with me - Bert & I style. He did autograph a copy of his novel "Fire Starter" for me.

Waxing Nostalgic

2011-04-13T18:15:00.000-07:00

You must forgive the next few posts as I'm tripping down memory lane a bit. The hubby and I are moving back to the clams of my childhood - specifically Portland Maine. I'm been trying to clean out filing cabinets etc so we won't be moving a ton of junk. and I've come across some news clippings from the old days in media.

I didn't work at WOKY very long, in fact it was the only media job I was "laid off" from. Part of the problem was the sexist attitude of the news director - let's just leave it at that, OK?

Using Social Media for PR

2011-03-23T14:05:00.000-07:00

There are probably many different ways to use social media for public relations depending upon the type of business you are promoting. Mashable.com recently ran an article showing what they considered some smart ways that different companies are doing this. Since it's always instructive to see how others are doing it, let's take a closer look at these examples.

For the Rayovac snowball fight, yes it's a cute idea but perhaps too cute? Would you have participated? I know I wouldn't have. But it was effective!

In these days of tight budgets and rising food costs, the Healthy Choice campaign seems like a good one, but only if you are a coupon person. I have tried to be in the past but the coupons never made it to the store until they were expired. But this effort did have a demonstrable effect in gaining new fans for the FB page.

The Breeders Cup campaign also successful but it looks as if they needed a whole army of people to pull it off. The Balsams Resort campaign takes a page from my buddy Chad Sorg and his Artist Fishbowl project where he would live a week at a time in different storefront windows in Reno and LA. You were ahead of your time Sorg! The KFC scholarship campaign got turned on it's head with substituting a single tweet for a long essay.

In looking at these, you'll notice that they are all corporations using agencies. How can the smaller business or nonprofit benefit from these examples? I think the answer is by thinking out of the box. If your nonprofit is planning a benefit, maybe taking a cue from some of these examples to use either FB or Twitter to not only publicize the event, but perhaps give away free tickets to the event.

It's All in the Timing

2011-02-17T16:27:00.000-08:00

Not only is our title today a very funny series of vignettes for theatre written by David Ives, but it's about PR as well. I know that when I'm trying to get interest in a story, I had better respect the media's deadlines. But what about social media which is not so deadline oriented?

Seems that there are some times that are better than others to post to Facebook. On this marketing site they have the details. I understand that more people probably go to Facebook on the weekends, so a Friday afternoon might be an ideal time to post. But I'm not quite sure I buy the fact that more things are shared at 8 am than any time.

Many of the folks that I know are on FB late at night. What's your experience been?

Media vs. Bloggers

2011-02-01T15:41:00.000-08:00

A big shout out to my friend Chad Sorg of Artist Fishbowl fame who inspired this week's post on PR Insights. In my other life as a visual artist, we both belong to an artist's group in Reno that holds an annual art festival - Nada Dada Motel - where artist rent rooms in low end motels to show their work. I became involved with the group about three years ago and helped with the PR which ended up with the NY Times covering the event two years ago.

OK, enough back story, here's the meat of the message - that approaching bloggers is very different than sending out news releases to media. Since much of PR is luck and timing, I'd have to say that I agree with PressKing.com with most of its advice.

But from personal experience working with a client who had developed a new toy for toddlers and was taking it to a showcase, I'd have to say that I did the regular "hack" job for her - that is sending out a regular release to bloggers and did get plenty of response and offers to do stories on her and her product.

However this is just one incidence. Actually the hardest part of the aforementioned project was to research and develop a list of bloggers who would have an interest in the story. Although I do agree totally about not being a nag when following up after sending out a pitch!

40 More Things

2011-01-08T13:25:00.000-08:00

One of my Twitter friends has the meat of the story for this blog post - thanks Pete at Mashable! This looks like a very inclusive article dealing with all current social media portals.

Me? I'm still waiting for my jet pack!

Happy New Year

2011-01-07T18:05:00.000-08:00

Sorry it's been so long since the last post, but you know what the holidays will do to the most thoughtful plans - turn them into mincemeat pie! But here we are again thinking about social media and public relations.

On thing that might be helpful to you whether you do PR for other people or for your own endeavors, is to pick up a couple of copies of your local newspapers, daily and weekly. Now, get out your laptop or just a chunk of paper and list the headlines of the feature articles, the reporter's name and a short synopsis of the story. This is a great way to keep track of what people are writing about in the print world.

You can also do this with your local news stations - TV of course since the news on radio is nonexistent these days due the FCC having no power anymore. But don't let me get up on that soapbox.

PR by the numbers

2010-12-08T13:03:00.000-08:00

I'm beginning to be convinced that the Mashable website is a treasure trove of information for anyone dealing with PR and marketing. A couple of years ago, I would never have had a "smart" phone because I just wasn't into texting. That changed when I saw that some of the younger people I worked with at the theatre company wouldn't answer phone calls or emails, but would responds to text messages!

What sealed the deal for me in buying my smart phone was that I had an opportunity to work as a judge for a solo show theatre competition in Romania. After looking at the costs to call back home from there, I became a fan of texting, which is far less expensive. With that and gmail chat, the hubby and I could stay in touch even though I was half a world away.

But let me get back to the age issue, which is the focus of this article on Mashable. Granted that they have slanted this article to marketing, I think it also holds relevance to PR issues as well. How about you?

Social Media and Communications

2010-11-21T11:05:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the folks over at Mashable, we have our new post here! Although the article is geared towards people managing their social lives, it does have resonance for folks doing PR. I must admit that I've not yet tried one of Facebook's newest additions - Groups.

But I am going to try it today to see if I get any more traffic for my December 5th Holiday Open House at my studio. My plan is to NOT set up an event page on FB, but instead set up a group for all my local contacts here in Sacramento. I set up an event page on FB for the Capitol Artists Studio Tour this past Sept and I didn't get much action from it. I'll also set up an Evite list and see if that helps build the crowds for me.

The reason some of this works is that the biggest part of PR is merely communication. Although PR can also take in marketing for some folks, it's really trying to find a way to get information to the individual. We used to do it with newspapers but due to their dwindling editorial space and the fact that most folks under the age of 30 don't even subscribe anymore, social media is the other place we can post information, without even having to sell a reporter on a story idea!

Is it more effective? Only time will tell or have you had great success in using social media to promote your clients and causes?

Arts and Social Media

2010-11-07T13:45:00.000-08:00

Today instead of focusing on just PR, I thought we're branch out into another interesting topic - The Impact of Technology on Cultural Partnerships. I must thank my Irish Twitter friend Saoire O' Brien for turning me onto this. If you;re on twitter, go ahead and follow her for very interesting stuff that's arts-related.

Ch Ch Ch Ch Changes

2010-10-28T16:40:00.000-07:00

are about the only constant my friends. It's amazing that I've been posting more to the PR blog than my art & life blog, Ann Tracy's Waiting for the Muse! But I've stumbled upon some very interesting stuff that I did want to share with you.

Big thanks to my Twitter friend from Ireland - Saoire O' Brien for passing along this link to an article in Mashable about how Facebook is changing and morphing. Granted they talk about it more in a marketing sense, but I think this is useful for PR as well.

What was Old is New Again

2010-10-27T11:02:00.000-07:00

While PR and marketing folks have some new tools with social media, you still need to get the job done the old way. This article in Mashable Business harps on that. But for folks like me who are also visual artists, I can sell work straight from my page here on Facebook. See the tab at the top that says "Shop"? If you click on it you will bring up all the inventory I have on Fine Art America.

So I wouldn't write off social media for making the purchase, at least not yet!

'Tis the Season

2010-10-24T15:03:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already seen dreaded Christmas stuff in stores already, I want to know where you live! Yes, retailers have thrust the season upon us too early, but in the PR world, it's not too late to think of a way to help those less fortunate while at the same time promoting your business or service! I love it when businesses partner with non profits - a win-win situation.

But what can you do? Here in Sacramento, not only did part of a big suburban mall burn recently, but a food bank was also scorched. I would advise local clients to hold a canned/dry food drive to benefit the food bank. I would also advise them to offer some of their products or services to be awarded in a drawing to those who signed up on their mailing list.

So, take a look around your town or city to see what is going on and what needs to be done. With more folks not finding work for long periods of time, I think it's always good to do something for local food banks which are being hit harder than ever.

Another idea is to hold a toy drive and bring what you have collected over to a children's charity in your area. Or if you are associated with any kind of "beauty" services for women, offer those services on a special day to women who are clients of the domestic abuse agency in your area.

I think that it's probably common knowledge that when economic conditions decline, the rates of domestic violence rise, especially around the holidays. One thing that I do is that I collect all those little shampoo and conditioner and the like bottles from my hotel stays. In December, I gather them up and bring them over to the Sacramento Childrens Receiving Home.

And once you have made your plans, publicize the hell out of your events! Get it posted on Facebook, Tweet about it and make sure that you post your news releases (which you should send out first) on the many free news release sites.

Side Saddle

2010-10-08T19:49:00.000-07:00

Is how I'm picturing myself with this PR blog over the past few weeks. Many things going on in the art wrold for me and in the personal world so that I have neglected you my dear readers for which I apologize. Many thanks again to my good friend Jane Gassner for her guest post. She is one smart cookie and a fabulous writer and I'm a lucky blogger to have her post for me!

I'm now in Portland Maine, a world away from Sacramento but close to the heart of my childhood home and a place I'm thinking of re-locating to. So, just to call in yet another favor from Jane, I'm posting this link from her Tweet to me today. It's a very timely and well written post that applies to all of us who have dance from one career to another.

Should we errant bloggers get a temporary B on our foreheads when we ignore our posts? Maybe I'm only thinking this since I'm in "Scarlet Letter" territory.

Guest Post

2010-09-08T15:23:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Social Media pool

where the water is quite warm

By Jane Gassner of MidLifeBloggers

Here are my social media bonafides: first used the Internet in 1994; started blogging in 2004; signed up with Twitter in 2006; went on Facebook in 2007. Those dates tell you one thing, that I’m an Early Adopter. And that I’ve had to listen to a lot of people--friends and relatives--question, nay sneer, at my use of social media. She who laughs last, etc etc and many of the sneerers are now friending me on Facebook or following me on Twitter. They’ve gotten the word from the 21^st century that the ways we communicate on both a personal and a professional level has changed.

Still, I must admit I went through a period of disenchantment with both Twitter and Facebook. For the latter, it was an overwhelming and seemingly endless stream of messages from people I had once considered quite bright--educated, serious, smart--calling out their need for a pig or a cattle trough or some such thing on a Facebook app called Farmville. With Twitter, it was the onslaught of Tweets selling something, someone, somewhere crowding out the Twitter conversations I was used to having with people I knew. I was mad at both sites for a while, sulked some, but then I pulled up my Big Girl Panties and figured out a way to wrangle social media to serve my ends, rather than those of the nameless hordes.

One of those ends is marketing. Social media has become the go-to place when you want to hit as wide an audience as possible. Yes, hard-core marketers have already figured this out, but they’re not the only ones. Writers, artists, actors, filmmakers--those of us formerly confined to our garretts--are tapping in the spotlight of social media.

Several weeks ago, the Sacramento Social Media Club held a panel discussion featuring the ways in which artists of different genres are using social media to communicate with the public and enhance their sales. You can read the article I wrote about it on Sacramento Press here. Suffice to say, the general message from all the artists was that social media is the way they connect with and broaden their audience

Last week, I was at a SITS blogging conference at which actress Jessica Bern talked about how she uses video blogging (vlogging) to enhance her career. Voted one of the top ten humor bloggers of 2009, her series bernthis is a popular feature on Youtube. Here’s some of what Jessica suggests when you’re planning a video of your work to post on Youtube:

Pick a detail of your work and build a story around it
Three minutes max is ideal--figure out a way to go as short as you can and still get your message across
You need movement, so find a prop that is appropriate
You can do multiple takes and then edit them together in one of the video-editing programs
Create your own Youtube channel that is set it so only your friends can see your videos and ask them to critique.
Last but not least: Set a goal for your vlog and work toward it

Bottom line: don’t be afraid of social media. It really is your friend. In fact some of the research being done now shows that contrary to the idea that the web kills human interaction, using social media can create positive social bonding. Paul J. Zak, director of the Center for Neruoeconomics Studies at Claremont Graduate University in California, is quoted in a recent NY Times article as saying: “The Web is bringing businesses back down to the individual as the average company becomes smaller, more niche and specialized. Paradoxically, the Web is moving us back to a human-centric business model.”

For those of us selling the fruits of our imaginations, that can only be a good thing.

Media Opportunities

2010-08-22T14:14:00.000-07:00

It's always good to get on TV. Now, thanks to my Irish Twitter friend saoireobrien, folks in the San Francisco Bay area and beyond have a new opportunity!

Only goes to show you that checking in on social media can offer you opportunities that you might not find elsewhere. Unfortunately it doesn't look like they are too interested in fine art, unless it intersects with pop culture.

Back to Basics

2010-07-27T16:07:00.000-07:00

If you're a baby boomer, you probably remember heading back to school AFTER Labor Day, as I do. Why is it that out here in California, where you have no "snows days", they make everyone start in August before summer is rightfully over? Can someone out there please explain this to me?

While you're thinking of that or researching it or whatever my little rant has spurred you to do, I'll be getting back to basics in the writing department by purchasing a new copy of the Holy Book for Journalists and Others who Want to Write in a Clear and Consise Style - "The Elements of Style" by Strunk and White.

I was listening to NPR the other day as they were discussing the "Wiki Leaks" business that you're probably sick of hearing about by now - I know I am! One of the women who called in started complaining about the misuse of language among our citizens and even members of the 4th Estate! Yes, Virginia, back in the day when reporters actually developed stories and dug for information instead of turning a news-cast into an entertainment-cast, this is how members of the media described themselves!

This woman started to bad mouth the editors of the paper of record - The New York Times - where the editors apparently don't know when to use who or whom! (Clue for NTY editors, simply substitute the word he for who and him for whom and you should be able to figure this out easily.)

Misuse of language is one of my pet peeves. I remember once asking a young grocery clerk why he used the word ain't. He looked at me and just shrugged like a teenage boy would do in that circumstance. I told him that I didn't think he looked like a dummy, but if he continued to misuse language that way he would be taken for one! I'll never forget the shocked look that came over his face, as if either: no one had ever been that honest with him or he couldn't believe some old broad was mouthing off to him. Although I'd like to think I made a difference in a young person's life, I'm thinking he was probably thinking of the latter.

"The Elements of Style" isn't just a book for journalists, but a book for everyone who writes. Go on, go get yourself a copy!

Social Media Deja Vu

2010-07-18T17:18:00.000-07:00

If you're a reader of this blog, you know that I've been hammering away at social media since I started writing. I'm doing this because I think we have to change the ways we think about PR and media presence. I'm not the only one either. More and more consultants and businesses are realizing that having an effective presence on line via social media is almost more important (unless you sell things) than a website!

Case is point is HERE- where one of my favorite hotel chains (Joie De Vivre) is a test case for improved marketing using social media. Last week while at a photography workshop (need any editorial or product photography? give me a call!) some of the participants who run portrait studios and the like started talking about the time that it takes to keep up on social media. This is when I pipped up and told them that they could hire a consultant such as myself to take that off their hands.

It even makes financial sense when you consider that someone who is doing this a great deal will spend less time doing it than you would.

Corporate Biz Goes Gaga over Social Media

2010-07-16T10:29:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my Tweep on Twitter who posted this link about corporations jumping all over the social media bandwagon - without truly knowing why!

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_30/b4188064364442.htm

Have a good weekend everyone and hope it's going to be cooler than here in the Sacramento Valley where today's expected 104 will beat yesterday's 100!

Back in the Saddle

2010-07-16T10:18:00.000-07:00

After a short hiatus, we are back here at PR Insights. The time that we have taken off has not been squandered, but spent in service to the arts and to education - traveling in Italy, art shows in Reno and here in Sacramento as well as a photographic workshop with the world-famous Elizabeth Opalenik in Santa Fe!

What has inspired me to post again is the Apple iPhone 4 flap. Apparently the device has an antennae built into the metal band around the phone. The only problem is that when you hold the phone, you block the antennae. One 2nd hand news report has Apple chief Steve Jobs just telling people to hold it differently!??!. Here's but one other reason I have for not joining the ~~cult~~ group of Apple fanatics, even though the iPhone looks pretty cool and I thought by now all the bugs would be dealt with.

So after a major mainstream media outlet like Consumer Reports gave it the thumbs down, the PR staff at Apple is FINALLY swinging into gear, but in their own selective way. "Selected" media have been invited to a special news conference that is just getting underway now in Cupertino.

Apple has gone through a transformation from the little David of the first Macs to the Goliath that it is today having a value bigger than ~~Microshaft~~ Microsoft. The giant is now beginning to feel the pinch with Wired reporting that stock shares tumbled significantly on Wednesday morning.

All because of neglecting a PR problem. This would have turned out far differently I'm sure if the Apple executives had actually listened to consumer feedback. Could this arrogance be caused by Apple getting a bit too big for it's britches? If they had held a news conference open to ALL media IMMEDIATELY after getting several reports, this tale could have had a different ending.

Let this be a warning to all businesses big and small - you will be in a good place in consumers minds if you immediately own up to a product's flaws. Just remember the Toyota debacle.

News from Outer Space?

2010-04-02T18:08:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder how news hounds track their prey, I mean get the information for their stories? Apparently it's not just the police scanner anymore according to an article in Media Post. Take a guess, come on! If you were to say social media, you would be partly right. In a national survey by Cision and Don Bates of The George Washington University, it shows that 40% of journalists think social media is somewhat important to them as they do their jobs.

While this isn't a huge majority, one must remember that the average age of the news room is getting younger as older works such as myself retire or are laid off. This is not to say that only young people take to social media, but they use it more I think.

What can this mean for PR practitioners? To my way of thinking, it means that PR people need to not only get their stories to journalists but also to post them at social media sites.

I'll be on hiatus for the next several weeks as I'm going back to Bacau, Romania for the Star Gala produced by Teatrul Bacovia, a marvelous municipal theatre in that city. If you'd like to follow my adventures, please go to my other blog.

See you back here in May!

Spring is in the Air

2010-03-17T17:00:00.000-07:00

The folks at the big corporate PR and Ad Agencies are feeling the thaw, specifically when it comes to hiring. According to Advertising Age, the big agencies are getting ready to hire again! So if you're looking for a gig with some of the biggies, now might be the time to dust off that resume and get out there.

In the meantime, to keep your skill set fresh, why not do a little pro bono work for a nonprofit group? There are many arts and social service groups that would love to have you help them. Here in Sacramento, there is a group called the Arts + Business Council (check for a branch in your city) that specifically matches nonprofits with business folks.

Special thanks to Pat Frew on Linked In for his post about an article in the Wall Street Journal about updating job skills. Also kudos to Lisa Gunggoll for her response to Pat about the article in Ad Age! I couldn't write this post without you folks helping me out!

And to all of you a Happy St Patrick's Day! Remember it's not just about green beer, it's about those Black and Tans!

Must be Official

2010-02-24T11:20:00.000-08:00

Once something hits the Harvard Business Review (HBR), does that make it official? If so, social media as a new platform for PR and Marketing is now official. Read the article HERE. Special thanks to Tony Gates from the Sacramento Chapter Social Media Club for alerting me to this.

However, like all marketing and PR efforts, I think much depends upon where you are and who you are promoting. Although maybe I will try it on my art page on Facebook !

Of course there are always tight ropes to balance on in the social world of cyberspace. Another article in the HBR, also spelled out why I'm leery of getting anywhere near Google's latest stab in the social media marketplace called Buzz.

Non profit Media

2010-02-17T17:10:00.000-08:00

If you are still one of the dinosaurs (like me) that subscribes to a daily newspaper, it’s no news to you that papers have changed, especially over the last five years. Not only has the internet and social media been responsible for many of the changes, but there’s now something called Citizen Journalism – which to my mind is either a field day for PR folks like me or an excuse to get someone to write something and not to have to pay them. OK, maybe I’m cynical.

But now we have another twist to the picture thanks to Spot.us. It's a site where folks can go to offer up some money in exchange for trying to get someone to cover a certain story. Maybe you can call it Capitalistic Journalism?

Actually it might be a very good idea for folks who want to suggest stories that are important to them that the media is currently ignoring. For the community, the best part is that since they are non profit, you can deduct your donations to get a story funded.

Of course they are new and it looks as if only San Francisco and Los Angeles are covered by the site right now. Here's hoping that they begin to spread their coverage to at least California's capital! Actually what were they thinking about not including Sacramento?

New PR Tools?

2010-02-09T16:17:00.000-08:00

I just found out about a new resource for PR folks and for reporters - HARO, which stands for Help A Reporter Out. It was created by Peter Shankman, who is not only a PR guy, but also a social media expert and a very respected dude who isn't bothered by having a photo taken of him with an elephant's trunk around his neck! Looks like he could be fun to sit down and chat with over cocktails. This free PR site originated as a FaceBook group. It's devilishly simple: reporters log on with queries on subjects they write about, then that info is put into an email which the folks that are members of HARO receive. If anyone can offer information, they go to the HARO site and make their pitch to the reporters.

Shankman will be the featured speaker for the Sacramento Public Relations Association or SPRA on February 25th at Sofia restaurant downtown. I just hope the quality of the food has improved there. Last time we went there a few years ago, it was dreadful. But can anyone screw up Chicken Parmesean? Details after the lunch, on both Shankman and the food quality.

The other breaking news is that Google is entering the social media field. Now I could re-write the report from Mashable.com, just like the old days of re-writing AP wire copy, but have too much on my plate presently, so read all about it HERE.

Now time for you to chime in my friends. Do you think that Google will surpass Facebook with this new Buzz?

How to Write a Bad News Release

2010-02-02T17:50:00.000-08:00

When I was in J School - journalism that is - we were taught a very formulaic way to write. You are supposed to get the who, what, where, when and why all into the first paragraph. Then each descending paragraph can expand upon each of the five Ws. The reason being that editors cut from the bottom of stories to make sure that everything fits in the newspaper. Of course radio writing is a different animal, but what's the sense of even talking about it now since the FCC has gutted the news business.

When I left the world of radio and print news to become a PR consultant, I decided that news releases would follow the same format. In some of the small towns I sent the releases to, they ran them as is. I wanted to make it easy for someone to just plug it in.

In radio, I saw some of the worst news releases, some of which even included photos! Yeah, like we were going to describe the photos on the air. What were they thinking? Or perhaps it was they weren't thinking in the first place.

There really should be a news release hall of shame and now there is something of that ilk on the internet. Paddy Johnson of the wonderful art blog Art Fag City, has risen to the challenge on the Hyperallergic blog ! Go on over there and vote for your take on the worst. They are both pretty dreadful, full of silly art speak and other hyperbolic language.

Why PR is a Crap Shoot

2010-01-16T13:34:00.000-08:00

I'm working with a new client these days who didn't get the information to me in time to meet a certain print deadline. Sigh, I wish everyone would understand that we all have to hustle to meet deadlines. Having worked in media, I can tell you that if I didn't get the information by 5 minutes before the newscast, it just wasn't getting in that broadcast. Same is true of print media. Luckily the internet is far more forgiving and once it's out there, it's there maybe forever, who knows.

Generally sending out a news release is always a crap shoot, sometimes there's room for your story, but many times other events, like the devastation of Haiti, will push your worthy story to the back burner. Except on the internet! This client is hosting a reading of a screenplay that he will produce down the road. He wanted to get the word out to the community and not only have other writers/actors/industry types comments, but comments from regular folks.

I wrote the release and then posted it on as many internet outlets as I could find, thinking that even though we couldn't post it on the TV channels community calendars (they need the info at least 8 weeks in advance- rather like Public Service Announcements), I could post at other sites where folks would see it.

Probably three hours after I sent it out, I get an email from the client saying that he's already received several phone calls from people, some of whom might be interested in helping to fund the project! I was astounded honestly for him to get that immediate response. Generally PR, unless it's event related and time sensitive, takes a much longer time to have an impact.

And speaking of Haiti, please donate what you can. I have a dear friend who works with a group called Map International, so they get the PR plug of the hour here on PR Insights.

Do you Hear Birds?

2010-01-03T17:03:00.000-08:00

If you do, it might be that everyone around you is Twittering! OK I know that was a very bad joke, but if I can't torture my small but growing audience with bad humor, who can I torture? I admit that I'm still a new user of Twitter and am in the process of discovering how to use it for PR for clients and myself (must mention that I'm also a digital artist and photographer in addition to being a writer and PR consultant).

Matter of fact it was a Twitter message that led me to making this post. Thanks @DawnSandomeno, who I found after gawking around at my friend Margaret's Nanny Goats in Panties Twits. It shows the genius of the site as a way to spark conversation and providing resources for many of us.

Dawn listed the url to this article in the New York Times by David Carr. I'm down with most of what he talks about except for surfing the web less often. Maybe in time, I will be able to do that too.

Thinking about Trust Agents

2009-12-30T12:14:00.000-08:00

Trust Agents is a book by noted bloggers and web denizens Chris Brogan and Julien Smith. It's a fascinating look at how the web and social media sites are changing how we do business not only in this country but all over the world. The biggest change has come in the way we communicate on both business levels and impersonally. I'm such a dinosaur that I can remember the days of mailing news releases and then having high quality prints made for sending out photo releases via USPS!

This means that today's communicators need to have a good grasp of the web and social media. In the book they give some very good reminders about not sending what could be perceived as spam to friends. They also talk about the differences between trust agents, consumer advocates and brand evangelists using a variety of examples from Big Business. In their view, trust agents care more about people and work to grow relationships. They talk about how trust agents planting seeds that might create a positive image of what ever brand they are out to promote.

They suggest finding communities of people with shared interests on the web and on social media sites, since geography isn't a consideration anymore for networking etc. Something that really touched me in the book is their sense of humans being more important than a bottom line. They advocate doing nice things for people, just because, with no sense of quid pro quo. It's almost as if these guys are trying to bring the Golden Rule (Do unto others as you would have them do unto you) into the business arena, something that is sorely needed in this day and age.

While Brogan and Smith are right on about using the web to expose more people to your products, they don't touch the subject of how to target your market on the web, especially for such "personal" products as art or theatre. I say personal because art, like beauty or theatre, is a very subjective thing.

Providing a free service is seen by them to be a leveraging maneuver. They also suggest using recommendation engines like Digg or Stumble Upon, so that your audience will help you spread the message. Offering needed resources on your blog is another way to leverage according to them. Crowd-sourcing is seen as a way to find our audience and leverage their power. Other suggestions include getting a personal assistant (which I'd love but it's hard to find smart, saavy people who will work for free) and by delegating work.

They suggest that a product that is both "sticky" and "spreadable" is the product that trust agents can more effectively promote on the web. Reaching out to those who are coming up the ladder is seen as another way to marshall resources as is helping folks get the word out on their projects.

Brogan and Smith have a word of warning to PR people - they don't want a traditional press release with the who, what, why, where and when in it! They are looking for information to interest their audiences from the PR community.

In summation, they contend that the web is just a bunch of people - like you and me - who have specific interests. In their eyes, the web differs from other media in that the advertisers weren't "in" on it from the get go like they were in print, radio or TV. They are right on the money there! The internet was "created" as a way for scientists to share information.

My only disappointment with the book is that they don't give any examples of how to locate one's audience in cyberspace for niche-type products. But I highly suggest it for anyone who has not considered the power of the web in promotion.

Making a Splash

2009-12-22T14:38:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't been as up to date on this blog as I have been on my other one, but after getting back from the hubby's family reunion, had much to do and then last week, a hideous cold struck. It's been five days already and I'm still recovering. But that doesn't mean that social media has not been on my mind!

I'm going back through the book Trust Agents to pull some interesting tidbits to put here, although you really should go out and get a copy - perhaps your library has a copy. But thanks to my Linked In group and Tony Gates, here's another take on social media:

But do you believe in the wisdom of crowds? If something is popular, does that make it good? I did go to Reddit and searched for art topics and guess what? Nothing was there. So because nothing is there, does that mean it's not good? Let me know... and Merriest of Holidays and the best of the New Year!

FaceBook Nation

2009-12-09T11:42:00.000-08:00

Do you have friends or colleagues who do not answer email, but do respond to you via FaceBook? Don't feel like the Lone Ranger then. It's not just you and me, it's everyone else. Especially if these Top Ten Digital Marketing Trends play out in 2010.

Special thanks to Chad Sorg for posting on - where else - FaceBook and to SmartBrandBlog-er Larry DeVincenzi. I think that while DeVincenzi is focusing on marketing, many of these trends will influence PR. What do you think?

Love Your Twitter-ers

2009-12-08T17:51:00.000-08:00

My friend Chard Sorg - social media marketing maven that he is - posted a very interesting link on Twitter today. Here it IS

The post above reminds me of many of the things that Chris Brogan and Julien Smith make in their book Trust Agents, which I will comment on in another post in the next few days. It's about the love, people! And being helpful and commenting. We're moving into a different paradigm shift in communications. For more about paradigm shifts look HERE.

Change is good!

PR for Playwrights on the other side of the Pond

2009-12-08T13:21:00.000-08:00

I suppose you can tell I'm from the East Coast originally, the way I reference Europe as "across the pond". But a theatre in London is doing a very smart thing right now, using technology to help themselves and playwrights! So being the old reporter that I am, as well as also being a playwright, I had to check it out. The theatre is also promoting the site as a social network for playwrights. You can read about it HERE.

I got the tip on this from one of my contacts on the Linked-In Technology in the Arts groups. PR for the arts is one of the most difficult of all PR jobs. It seems that here in the US, the arts are the poor stepsister to film, TV and tech-related entertainment. Like many of the performing arts, theatre is thought of as elitist and beyond the ken of the regular person. This is just so much crap because theatre is generally always about people and there is nothing like feeling the energy created by actors on stage.

Unfortunately most of the media "gatekeepers" forgot that while we need to support many groups that are trying to help solve the problems of homelessness, hunger and job creation, we also need to support the arts because they feed the soul.

More on Social Media

2009-11-25T11:05:00.000-08:00

I have a friend who is becoming a social media maven. He sees it as a way to promote his own work as an artist as well as helping other folks promote their products and services via social media. His name is Chad Sorg, if you google him, you will find that he's on Facebook, Twitter, you name it.

Meanwhile in the corporate world, news of social media could be the engine for job creation! One of my Linked In groups posted a link to a very interesting (and charmingly named) blog.

Views on PR and Social Media

2009-11-15T15:58:00.000-08:00

Here are more views on Social Media from Linked In professionals around the country.

Kathy Griffith, who is in Administration for Qoro, LLC Fine Art Services in the Philadelphia area has this to say: "Qoro, LLC (www.qoro.com and www.qoroart.com) is using all forms of social media to forward our new website and online art gallery. We have used Facebook, LinkedIn, blog and Twitter (all joined together) to reach more artists and end clients. We have seen increase in our stats to our website in the few months that we have ramped up the social media PR but have not reaped the ROI/Sales from those hits yet.

We have reached many artists we wouldn't have with just cold calls or emails but what we need to reach is the end clients that want to purchase the fine art giclees. This is our dilemna, how do you friend people you don't know or reach them? We are hoping that providing the artists with information they will come to us for their prints and that is working slowly. If you would like more information on our social marketing plan, please feel free to call at 877-470-4278 or email kgriffith@qoro.com.

On the West Coast, David Dubrino an Online Marketing Manager at DRS & Associates chimed in with this comment: I think the key is that you have to use all of the social tools out there together to help each social account and platform. You also just can't create the accounts and then leave them, whether it's a blog, twitter account, fb page etc... you have to be consistent and stick with it... every day. If it's NOT your goal to get people to your website so that they will contact you to hire you for your services or purchase something, then you don't need to worry about social networking. Otherwise it's going to be crucial to your business sooner than later.

And finally we hear from Giselle V, who is a Sales Director at the Deco Design Center in the Miami Beach area: Deco Design Center http://www.decodesigncenter.com is using all forms of social media but we prefer twitter and linkedin the best out of all of them. Facebook is more difficult I think and less targeted clients. You can follow us on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/DecoDesignCente

It seems to me that everyone who has commented on this issue realizes the importance of Social Media in the 21st Century. Apparently it's more of a PR than an marketing tool from the comments we've listed over the past few posts. Which is something that I've always felt. If you disagree, tell us... leave a comment!

Since this blog is already linked to FB, I'm going to go Twitter about it now...

More on Social Media

2009-11-13T15:56:00.000-08:00

I'm going to try to get comments from more folks on this post about Social Media as part of a PR tool kit. Niki VanEch who is the principal at VanEch Studio in Washington, DC, thinks this is a "très groseille" subject:

"Yesterday I attended a panel discussion at the Washington DC Design Center "Growing Your Business Through Marketing Communications: Big Results from Small Budgets". The panel was comprised of Arianne Nardo and James Barra of Interiors Magazine and Designer Victoria Neale from Washington DC. They focused on having good web sites and getting work submitted to editors for publication. Interestingly, the majority of the questions from the attendees were about the relevance of social media as facebook, twitter, linkedin, etc. as well as blogs. All three of the panelists basically implied that while these efforts may keep you somewhat connected, they do little to bring in new business. "

We also have this comment from Tyler Broome the Marketing Coordinator at Ballard Designs in Atlanta, GA:
"We have utilized social media with no intent of achieving any ROI. We mainly use it as a tool to build upon the already existing loyality from our fans. We also use it to get instant feedback about product related issues from our customers. Also, a great way to keep your brand in the minds of the consumer..."

And finally for today, we have thoughts from Denise Butchko, a Designer/Marketer from the Chicago area who says she's "passionate about teaching the benefits of social media":
"The idea with social media is to create an opportunity to make a sale. It really is, first and foremost, about participating from a place of sharing. You really do build relationships - and those relationships bring all sorts of opportunities. And every day there are more ways to track efforts - so you can get a handle on what's working and what's not. And take Jennifer's advise and check out "Social Media Revolution" on Youtube - it's worth the four minutes and some odd seconds."

Feedback on Social Media

2009-11-12T14:07:00.000-08:00

Posted a question on a Linked-In group on how people are using social media and what results they are seeing and got some very good responses! Like this one from Jennifer Smith who is the founder and president at Southeast Decorative Arts Center, Inc in Wilmington, NC:

When I hired my Member Services Coordinator, one of the top five questions was, "Do you know how to use Facebook?" She replied, "I check my Facebook as soon as I open my eyes." She got the job.

She has built a following for my start-up business and I credit our Social Media efforts with much of the word-of-mouth buzz SEADAC is getting! As I am tightening my advertising budget for 2010 I am less stressed knowing that we can utilze Social Media to keep our name in front of people. Check out Social Media Revolution on You Tube if you don't think Tweeting and Facebooking is important!

Thanks Jennifer for letting us know what it's doing for you in the Southeast. However, I've read some reports that the recession is faring differently in different parts of the country.

Tomorrow we'll hear from Niki VanEch on what social media is doing for her in the Washington, DC area.

Who Do You Trust?

2009-11-11T12:37:00.000-08:00

Your FaceBook friends? There seems to be almost as many opinions about social networking and it's relative value to PR and marketing, as there are books about the subject. Ironically, this post is based on a comment from one of my groups at Linked-In and a possible new job that a friend might be taking soon.

One woman posted in the discussion section about how she had set up Twitter and FaceBook accounts for her company but wasn't exactly sure what she should do now or if there were other sites they should be listed on. To my way of looking at it, all businesses should have a presence on social media, because it's just plain ole easy PR to keep your name out there.

But the person who responded to this woman told her that she needed to read a book (Trust Agent by Chris Brogan) that had been recommended to her by a Boston-based PR agency. Chris's blog/website is a very interesting read with some damn good advice on blogging. Matter of fact, I hadn't realized that one of my techniques about seeing something interesting about PR and then blogging about it was one of his hints.

Has your business or organization had positive reactions to blogs or social media? Tell me about them, it's another way to generate some PR because I will write about it!

And if you are thinking of getting some new art for the home, office or gift giving, come see me at the St. Mary's Art Fair, 58th & M Streets in East Sacto, this Saturday, Nov 14th from 10 am to 6 pm. Print this post out and I'll give you a 25% discount on any framed art or print.

Honest PR

2009-11-03T10:16:00.000-08:00

Many people confuse public relations with advertising. Yes, they are both part of a marketing campagin, but they differ widely. If these confused people also happen to be one of your clients, then you are in big trouble because of probable diminished expectations. I always tell clients that PR is just a crap shoot, sometimes you get lucky and other times you don't. With advertising, you simply get what you pay for - an ad. Perhaps it's easier for me to understand media because I was once a journalist who was pitched by PR people.

I always tell clients this first off before we even get to talk about strategies and the like. The reason I do this is that I too have had clients who expected way too much from one or even a series of news releases that I wrote for them. Then there is also the problem of importance. Clients think their service/product/event is the most important thing going on that day. It can be difficult to break the news to them that journalists don't think that way. If there's a big say ax murder on the day of your launch, the media won't care two figs about you. Even in these days of changing media, if it bleeds it leads!

I belong to many (probably too many) groups at Linked-In. One of these is Freelance Professionals, where Brian Salisbury's post and link to his blog got this line of thought going. He's got some interesting thoughts HERE

If you've found this blog, you might be interested in my other blog: Ann Tracy's Waiting for the Muse, my blog about life as a Sacramento artist and theatre person. You can find it HERE

PR and Promotion Advice from an Artist

2009-10-01T16:06:00.000-07:00

O sure you're saying after reading the title of this post, like what's an artist know about PR and promotion? It may amaze you that there are some artists who really want to get their work out there and sold. One of these folks is Chad Sorg, a very talented illustrator, fine artist and video dude. He posted this last week on Facebook and is letting me repost it here. I think there are some worthwhile ideas here.

1) When it comes to social networking, there are only events. If what you're selling isn't an event, make it into one.
2) Interesting photos or videos tell more than your boring words ever will; not only do we want the info–dates, times, etc.–but we might pay attention if know what being there is going to 'feel' like. *Stylish examples of these will always get you more mileage.
3) Comments are your friend–ALWAYS. Inspire commenting.
4) Pretty girls make the world go 'round.
5) Repetition seals the deal. 3 or 4 updates in a row are the most you can get away with without annoying your peeps, but a couple updates a day, the week leading up to the event, now that's the dog's nuts.
6) If you're just being lazy, we can spot it. Don't be lazy.
7) a LOGO is not a photo.
8) I can't stress HUMOR enough–but I can mention it here without being funny.
9) Social networking/marketing is ALL about giving.
10) People will thank you if your marketing gives them an experience.
11) If your event is beer based, link up with the beer people; if it's theatre based, link with the theatre people, and if it's beer AND theatre based, refer to bit #6–link with both groups.
12) Action is attractive while humor is contagious.
13) Promoting others is the best way to promote yourself.
14) The more people that stand to gain from your event the easier your job will be; put them all to work promoting themselves.
15) Add to your credibility by NOT advertising constantly. Offering links related to your topic from YouTube or blog sites works nicely.
16) In promotions, playing the game works; NOT playing the game works better!
17) Be conscious of analytics, in other words, be sure you can measure your results.
18) Target the popular people, they know how to network your networking.

*Video has found a perfect marriage with social networking. The SorgSorg Fan page here on Facebook is the spot where you'll be seeing examples of my videos. Above all, I hope you find them entertaining. Get a hold of me if you think I can help your efforts; I'm affordable.

If you're on facebook, you can find him here
or cut and paste the following into your browser
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=141974013321#/pages/SorgSorg/262604065594?v=wall

or you can find him here
http://sorgsorg.blogspot.com/2009/03/commissions_8589.html
or here
http://www.facebook.com/l/14c40;www.SorgSorg.blogspot.com.

If you have a project that needs illustration, video or promotion, contact Chad. He knows what he's doing and he's a nice guy too!

To Twit or not to Twitter

2009-09-24T17:41:00.000-07:00

Social media is the hot new PR topic right now. This includes sites like FaceBook, My Space and Twitter. But not everyone is thinking that they all make sense:

"Twitter has become a playground for imbeciles, skeevy marketers, D-list celebrity half-wits, and pathetic attention seekers: Shaquille O'Neal, Kim Kardashian, Ryan Seacrest. Sure, some serious people, like George Stephanopoulos and Al Gore, use Twitter. And a lot of publishing companies and bloggers (myself included) use Twitter to send links to articles we've published. But most of what streams across Twitter is junk. One recent study concluded that 40 percent of the messages are "pointless babble."

The quote above is from Daniel Lyons who writes for Newsweek Magazine and is included in the September 28th edition. And I think he's right!

I set up a Twitter account last year, but have rarely used it. I might just try to use it for a client, but I would put a caveat in the short post so it could be tracked. For an artist it might be, come to the reception and get a free 4 x 6 print if you tell me that you saw this on Twitter. At least that way you would know if it worked.

However, looking at the way most people are celebrity-focused, why would anyone want to listen to my twits, except perhaps by a twit.

Win-Win PR

2009-09-08T15:05:00.000-07:00

When you or your company can do something good for those less fortunate, but also garner some headlines doing it, I call this a win-win situation. When I was involved in an artist-run coop gallery a few years back, I always tried to make sure we could help someone while doing something a little different to gain some press coverage. We asked artists to donate pieces of mail art to the gallery so that we could sell the work and then give 30% of the proceeds to a nonprofit group called the Women's Wisdom Project, which provides art classes and a free lunch to any woman who is undergoing some kind of crisis.

This was a very small way to try to give back to those who needed help in the community while positioning ourselves as compassionate gallery owners. They are now doing this in France but in a far bigger fashion! They have asked famous artists to donate work for a sale that will benefit an AIDS organization. But they have an interesting twist to it.

Details are HERE

Don't be like XM Radio

2009-08-28T12:56:00.000-07:00

Why would a huge company like this bill someone for a service that they didn't even want? And then when asked by the credit card company to rescind the charge, refuse to? Thus we have the curious case of XM radio. It seems strange that a company, which already has quite a number of complaints with the Better Business Bureau, wouldn't realize that their telephone representatives are the first line of public relations for any company. When a telephone representative is told of the circumstances and then tries to hard sell the service even though the customer is requesting a cancellation, this is not good PR.

But perhaps it's because the merger of XM with Sirius thios past July, is causing financial difficulties. Or maybe company executives don't think honest, good customer service matters. Good customer service is your best word of mouth PR campaign. It's something that advertising will never give you!

Social Media

2009-08-13T18:03:00.001-07:00

Is it really the NEW PR tool? Or is it a way for people to waste time at work? It is a good way to develop a group of friends and co-workers and you can post events there. Only time will tell if it's a good way to get people to come to your events and shows and what have you.

However at the Mashable.com social media website, they did list 10 of the best social media sites for PR folks. Here's the link.

or if that doesn't work, try cutting the pasting the following into your browser:
http://mashable.com/2008/10/30/best-social-media-tools-for-pr-professionals-and-journalists/

Welcome

2009-07-25T10:54:00.001-07:00

I've decided to also blog about PR, something that I've been doing for over 15 years now, in addition to my art blog at Waiting for the Muse. I started doing PR after leaving a 10-year career in radio and print journalism. This gave me a unique background compared to most practitioners in that I had been on the receiving end of PR for many years.

What is PR you might ask? It's simply the flow of information from a company or group to the general public via mass media and now, social networking. This can take the form of news releases, event announcements, media interviews, newsletters and blogs. I often call PR a crap shoot in getting a message to the public via mass media. Why? You might have a great, "sexy" story that you think the media will go with, only to be upstaged by a large local event like a huge fire, or a murder or a scandal involving a public figure.

Although many think PR is more credible than advertising, the one thing you can't do really is control PR the way you can advertising. PR must be thought of as a long-term strategy that works together with your marketing and advertising plans.