What's New is Old Again

Back in the days before social media, most PR types tried to coordinate their efforts with the marketing folks because PR campaigns will have better traction if they are tied to when ads in a variety of media are airing.  It's the bombardment theory: direct mail advertising, ads in print and radio and TV happening all at the same time will have a greater impact.  Makes sense doesn't it?  Especially when you know that it takes at least seven ads before people actually "see" the ad.  To me this is an indicator that if you can't spend a wad of money on ads, you can at least try to hit as many PR places as possible. 

In this age of social media, the folks over at PR Newswire have come out with a "White Paper" which shows what is old is new again.  I guess one can say that certain human behaviors haven't changed - even when it comes to social media.  I'll bet that other keen observer of human behavior - Shakespeare - would agree.

Social Media - Marketing or PR?

Marketing and Public Relations seem to mingle more on social media.  Sometimes campaigns that companies devise will have elements of both in efforts to expand their customer base.  Here are five
 smart ways that social media helped to boost brand awareness using social media and interactive techniques.  Perhaps they will give you some ideas to more actively use social media in your PR planing.

I'm off on hiatus for the next week and a half.  When I get back, I'm going to be doing some consulting work for the brand new Portland Performing Arts Festival!

Rewards

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.

Social Media Deja Vu

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. 

News from Outer Space?

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!

Making a Splash

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!

More on Social Media

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

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

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

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?

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.

To Twit or not to Twitter

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.

Social Media

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/