In the age of social media, formalized communication often takes a backseat to more brief, streamlined messaging. This isn’t a bad thing, except when the lines between respectful correspondence vs. too casual communication become blurred, and the “social media besties” mentality starts to take over. While it can be considered a problem -people becoming too chummy before gauging a person’s comfort level – I’d like to take this opportunity to highlight some don’ts for PR pros eager to connect with the movers and shakers to which they may not have had such liberal access before Twitter.
• R.E.S.P.E.C.T – While we all have great contacts with journalists and bloggers alike, the way we built those relationships was by showing an element of respect for and knowledge of their content, pitching style and by taking note of what makes them tick. Twitter’s 140 characters doesn’t mean we throw that approach out the window. I’ve noticed a number of rogue PR folks hounding press with invites to their next events, prodding them to cover their news stories or generally assuming a too familiar tone. That’s the wrong way to get media to notice you and can get you a one-way ticket to the blacklist. How to get noticed in a positive way? Read and retweet their blog posts, comment on their tweets in a personalized but not over-familiar way or even ask them questions about subjects in which they offer an expertise. Tread lightly until you have a good understanding of their comfort levels.
• The Name Drop – I’m sorry, but we’re on to you. We know that the Twitter convo you’ve been carrying on with Alyssa Milano is just a one –way dialogue. I know you’re both Dodger fans and both love pink (actually I don’t know if she likes pink) but girl has 300,000 followers and I’m guessing she might not be as quick as you to schedule that slumber party. You never know when something you tweet might resonate with a celebrity – it’s happened – but there’s a fine line between responding to a tweet and battering anyone, celebrity or non, with umpteen tweets to which you get radio silence (and might be perceived as stalking). I’m sorry, but she’s just not that into you. While Twitter enables us to connect with press, celebrities, and colleagues, remember that one of the best ways to build your community is by sharing ideas with peers, not trying to ingratiate yourself only with the uppercrust.
• It Must be Some Terrible Mistake, But I Forgive You – Visions of sad puppy dogs dance in my head when I see “I tried to DM you but you aren’t following me 
.” Calling a media person out publicly for not following you unless they have requested a direct message is just plain tacky. That’s the beauty of Twitter, we have the opportunity to follow the tweet streams of those we find of interest. As PR people we have an important reason for following press, celebrities, politicians etc… They probably do not see the same value in following us unless we’ve built a relationship. Putting someone on the spot will just create an awkward moment.
Does this sound familiar? Do you think the loudest voice in the room gets the most attention, or do you think it’s best to test the waters on Twitter first? I’d love to hear some examples.
Photo credit: CarbonNYC
As a proud San Diego-based PR practitioner, I’m excited that PRSA has chosen America’s Finest City as the destination for its 2009 International Conference. Like most attendees, I’m hopeful this year’s program will offer informative sessions to help us grow in what might be the most volatile yet exciting period for PR pros in decades. I’ve asked PRSA San Diego Chapter President Chris Wahl to provide some insight into what this year’s event will hold.
In addition to serving as our chapter president, Wahl is also president of Southwest Strategies, a top public affairs and public relations firm in San Diego. Wahl specializes in helping clients secure complex land-use and regulatory approvals for controversial projects and issues. Wahl and Southwest Strategies have won numerous awards, including three prestigious silver anvils.
The way public relations professionals work, think and plan for their futures is in flux. No matter how many years of experience are under your belt, the industry is turning the page on an exciting new chapter in its evolution and, as such, I’d personally like to invite you to attend the 2009 Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) International Conference. This is your best chance this year to network with the best and brightest industry thought leaders, gain important insights, and learn fresh ideas that you can apply to your work.
This year’s event will be held November 7-10 at the Marriott Hotel & Marina in the heart of San Diego. In addition to sunshine and warm temperatures, the forecast for this event is exclusive access to the top minds in the field and engaging discussions of the major issues impacting our industry. Participants can choose from more than 80 professional development sessions that focus on innovative strategies, effective tactics and techniques, specialization and practice areas or business/management for public relations. 
Knowing how much effort goes into planning this event, I can attest that it will be worth your while. Guests will have the chance to hear from media personalities who are helping to shape our industry and world, including: Arianna Huffington, founder and driving force behind TheHuffington Post, one of the most successful and powerful news and opinion sites; Wendell Potter, health insurance whistleblower and former VP of communications at Cigna; Bob Garfield, columnist, critic, essayist, international lecturer and broadcast personality; and, Todd Buchholz, former White House director of economic policy and commentator on American Public Media’s “Marketplace.”
In addition, our new “Meet the Experts” session is your opportunity to speak one-on-one with industry leaders. It’s a full hour of face-to-face networking with those who have
the inside track on social media, brand building and other hot topics. Career counselors will also be on hand to answer questions and offer job search tips.
Nowhere else in the world will you find perfect weather, unbeatable networking opportunities and high-caliber seminars — plus a red carpet kick-off event on the historic U.S.S. Midway. And with the San Diego Chapter of PRSA celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, you can expect an extra dose of hospitality and excitement. Everything you need to know to accelerate your career in public relations is happening all in one place, over just four days.
I guarantee that each person who makes the trip to this year’s conference will leave with a fresh outlook on the public relations industry. There’s no better time or place to join thousands of communications professionals from across the country. So… sign up online, book a flight, pack your bags and make your way to the “can’t miss” public relations event of the year. For more details on event costs and registration information, visit the PRSA Conference Web site. Questions? I invite you to contact me personally by email, cwahl@swspr.com or 858-541-7800.
Recording star Miley Cyrus, who had a couple million followers on Twitter, decided she’d had enough of the 140 character updates that kept her fans, friends and paparazzi updated on her comings and goings, and completely shut down her account this week.
She didn’t go quietly, creating a decently produced rap video explaining her decision. The gossip sites weren’t the only ones making this breaking news – even the social media hounds at Mashable reported on the diss, creating lots of media buzz for the young songstress. Even her dad, country music star Billy Ray Cyrus hoped (publicly) that she would change her mind. While Ashton Kutcher drove tons of press for his Twitter antics, Miley got an equally passionate reception for her break-up with Twitter.
Miley isn’t the first person to make waves with a change in Twitter strategy. Web celebrity and renowned tech blogger Robert Scoble unfollowed thousands of followers and also received significant press coverage from the event.
So is a drastic Twitter overhaul the newest PR 2.0 stunt? Do the long term benefits outweigh the short term attention?
Rachel Kay
I’ve always been enthralled with broadcast journalism, taking a story and through writing, editing and well thought out commentary a production team can tell a tale with a depth that sometimes the written word can’t portray. It’s hard work.
Several years ago I worked with producer Arlene Wilkinson, who was producing a show for the John Walsh show, “Prescription for Addiction,” that would feature one of my clients (her team won a PRISM award for the piece).
Even on my end the show was no easy feat, but I clearly remember calling Arlene at what would be midnight her time to leave a message, and she answered the phone. I would have expected her to be annoyed and exhausted, and she may have been a little bit of both, but she was very clear when I expressed my surprise that she was in the office at midnight that these hours were the nature of her job and she was excited about the show they were creating. We’ve stayed in touch ever since.
Arlene has an incredible wealth of experience on the talk show circuit. She began her 10 year television career as an intern and production assistant for the “Ricki Lake” show. In 2000, she was part of the production team that launched Oscar nominated actress Queen Latifah’s foray into daytime television the “Queen Latifah” show. Arlene has been a valued member in many start-ups and pilots such as NBC Universal’s “John Walsh” show and “Jane Pauley” show, Emmy-nominated “Dr. Phil” and Emmy winning “Tyra Banks” show.
Arlene has worked on pilots for comedian Paul Mooney and Lisa Nichols of “The Secret” fame. In 2007, Arlene produced for two seasons at the NAACP nominated “Judge Mathis” court show. Recently, she jumped in to the word of casting working on the BBC Worldwide Production/SOAPNET ’s new reality series “Bank of Mom and Dad” which premiered in Fall 2009. Her experience has enabled her her to work with celebrities, newsmakers, and everyday people to bring compelling stories to television.
In the fall of 2009, Arlene launched her own production company – Funny Chick Productions! – in which she will produce and create her own original television projects, which currently include a game show, a web-site, and a reality project.
RK: You’ve had an exciting career in broadcast journalism. What drove you to work behind the camera as opposed to print?
AW: I’d like to say there was some master plan but my career in television was a compete fluke. I have a degree in corporate communications and I would have probably gone into PR but I needed an internship to graduate. I applied everywhere and received an offer to intern at a the one and only Ricki Lake show (Go Ricki!, Go Ricki!). I loved it. This combined my love of television, dealing with people and making things happen. Working in television production is a tough gig but it’s in my blood! I can’t really see myself doing anything else.
Working for talk shows that delve into some very serious topics, I imagine (and know from working with you) that being sensitive to emotional situations can be draining. How do manage the challenge of developing a great show while being sensitive to vulnerable guests?
I’ve worked with many hosts (Jane Pauley, John Walsh, and Dr. Phil) that deal with topics ranging from physical abuse, drug addiction, infidelity, murder, rape, etc. I try to be upfront and honest with the guests. I’m very clear about the topic of the show. It’s a tough juggling act! With sensitive issues I treat the guests with respect and hand hold them through the process. I’m clear about what a potential guests role or place is in the show.
If we speak with someone on the phone about the show and they aren’t comfortable with everything involved – I won’t book them. I see the guests as a peer expert to the audience. The guest’s life experiences (good or bad) will help someone watching them at home. As hard as it can be I’ve also learned to leave the job at the office. It hard but I learned to compartmentalize and never take the office home with me. That can be hard to do…there are guests whose stories and faces I will never forget.
Do you have any favorite stories that you worked on that you’d like to share?
There are too many to share for many different reasons. However, during my time at Tyra working on her “So what” size acceptance show was not only challenging but empowering. It was a simple phrase and concept but it helped a lot of women deal with their self esteem and learn to love themselves. However, there have been so many faces and stories that have either made me laugh or cry depending on the day. I always hope that bringing that particular guest or story to the general audience helps people in some way.
Have social media tools like Twitter and Facebook impacted television production for you?
It’s a great aid in doing my job. If I need an additional guest I can put the word out on these sites and friends and family can help me get booked. I’ve searched for and booked guests off of Facebook, Twitter and Myspace (the granddaddy of social networking sites). Recently while working in casting for a reality show my co-workers were able to start trending topics on the subject of the show we are working on. Even just tweeting a link to our casting email or Web page is great! Facebook I’ve been using since it was just for college kids. Now, my friends grandmother’s have Facebook pages. It’s amazing, can you believe that Oprah and Barbara Walters are now tweeting!
What qualities/traits do you value when working with a publicist? What attributes have deterred you from working with a PR practitioner?
I love it when a PR person is understanding and can compromise! I love when the publicist understands that I’m trying to help them promote their client or product. Sometimes I’ll have to call multiple times with different requests that my bosses might have to make them happy. Trust me if I can get a product or person that you are pitching onto the show I’m working on it makes my job easier. What deters me from working with someone if they are too pushy. You may have a great client and/or product but if it doesn’t work for the format of my show – it doesn’t work! Nothing will turn me off more if you consistently call and push the same client on me when I’ve told you why it won’t work!
What can a PR person do to help producers obtain the information they need for a good story?
A PR person should know the format and type of show I’m working on. Do your homework!!!! Research whether the person and/or product you are pitching me would fit the demographic of my show. It always amazed me when I produced for Dr. Phil who 99% of the time deals with serious issues. I would get pitched a beauty product! When I worked with the great Rachel Kay J. You did your research! A good PR professional has to think like a television producer! Come to the table with some thoughts about how your client can be a viable part of my show. Lay out what guests, video, pictures and/or audio would be available to me.
What should PR people know about you before sending you a pitch? If I called you on the phone with a story idea, what would you tell me?
Many times, when I receive a call from a PR professional I’m in a time crunch for completing another show and /or segment. I always appreciate a PR professional ability to understand that. I would tell you that I’m on deadline and would like an email from you with the press release attached. In the email let me know how you see your client fitting in with my show. So, that during our next conversation we can cut to the chase and kick around ideas both of us may have about whether or not I can use your client in the show.
Rachel Kay
New York’s Fox 5 evening news anchor Ernie Anastos became an Internet sensation this week – not because of his compelling newscasts but because of an on-air gaffe that quickly made headlines both on and offline. The veteran anchor responded to the stations weatherman during a live broadcast “keep F****** that chicken” during some banter back and forth.
The comment baffled both viewers and his co-anchor, not just for the obvious use of profanity but because no one was quite sure what the comment meant.
Anastos apologized but his words have already left their mark via the Web. A Google search of the journalist yields almost an entire first page of search dedicated to news and blog coverage, as well as the video evidence itself. It’s a good reminder that viewers, readers and friends might forget an accident, but the Internet is extremely unforgiving.
In this day and age it’s critical to check and recheck everything you put out for public consumption, whether to the news media, or on blog comments or posts. If a potential client, employer or other audience were to Google you (take this opportunity to Google yourself now), what will they find?
Do you engage in healthy discussion and debate that showcases your expertise? Or do you argue for the sake of being heard? What happens when you search images? Or a blog search, Twitter search or video?
There’s no such thing as “off the record” anymore. Do you feel good about what a search brings up about you?
Rachel Kay
The statement that “All PR is Good PR” isn’t new, yet recently I’ve seen it being used to justify and even celebrate some sticky press coverage that have painted companies, including PR agencies themselves, in an unfavorable light. Explosively bad PR can propel traffic to a company’s Web site and create name recognition for an otherwise unknown entity if the situation is particularly bad.
But does that equate with a positive end result? I don’t think so.
If that was the case a true PR strategy would be unimportant and practitioners would simply suggest off-the-wall stunts and antagonistic statements to garner attention.
Recording artist Chris Brown is an example of actions and the resulting publicity souring an image. After his assault of Rihanna, media heavy weights including Oprah weighed in on the controversy and even our grandmothers who may not have known Chris Brown from Chris Columbus suddenly equated the superstar with domestic violence. Sponsors have withdrawn their money and a Google search of Brown summons news stories of the beating before a link to his official site appears.
Product recalls are another example of unfortunate publicity, which are often times the result of a supplier issue and not of the manufacturer. Sigg felt the sting recently when it was uncovered that it’s allegedly BPA free bottles actually contained trace amounts in the liner. Apparently an important co-branding partner dropped the company after hearing the news. Did the increase in mentions result in an increase awareness? Absolutely. Did it boost sales, word-of-mouth endorsement or positive consumer feedback. I doubt it.
We can probably all agree that not all PR is created equal and especially in crisis situations, good PR is an invaluable tool to communicate effectively with audiences and avoid becoming infamous. What do you think? Does the buzz that comes with bad publicity negate any bad messaging? What are some examples of bad PR alienating fans or customers, or instances where bad PR was a blessing in disguise?
Rachel Kay
photo credit: nyki_m
MobileCrunch reported that a sales, marketing and PR agency has been paying interns to create positive reviews for its clients on community forums.
This means that readers of the reviews would perceive that a consumer had used the applications and had been satisfied, without knowing the review had been internally generated. This practice is drastically unethical and tarnishes the reputations of PR practitioners.
Nowadays many people seek the endorsement of peers through reviews online to make purchases, which is why that practice is deceptive. I’d be interested to find out if there are any legal ramifications to the agency’s actions. But I think this situation leaves many companies wondering how you can ethically influence conversations and reviews generated via consumers while remaining transparent, and how your PR agency can help you with this.
Communities form when like-minded individuals come together to share ideas and ask questions about topics of interest. Very simply, with or without the help of an agency, a company can monitor for mentions of its brand or company online – there are many services out there capturing that data. It can also locate industry-specific conversations. An agency can help identify where those conversations are happening, common themes, tonality and more.
The company can then enter the conversations transparently, and an agency can help counsel on the most effective ways to touch consumers. Thanking purchasers of a product, offering advice and technical support, correcting inaccuracies and stirring dialogue go a long way in creating a loyal and enjoyable client experience. In addition, influencing true brand evangelists will propel consumer endorsement both on and offline much further in the long run.
Real brand devotion comes from trust in the brand and product – something that the agency and its clients may find out the hard way when consumers learn the products they bought based on unbiased reviews weren’t all that unbiased after all.
What are some other ways that companies can harness the power of online conversation to drive brand endorsement? What companies are doing a great job of this? And are paid positive reviews now part of this?
Rachel Kay
photo credit: Justin Baeder
Like many PR pros, I sat cringing when I watched the debacle of the PR agency promoting a social media book who made the grossly elementary mistake of spam emailing a roster of journalists and bloggers and not even bothering to BCC. But the firm is enduring enough shame at the hands of Twitter and blogosphere, and it isn’t my agenda to humiliate my industry peers no matter how offensive I think the mistake is.
However, I do think this is a great opportunity to talk about crisis communication and relationship repair.
As I watch the situation evolve I’m seeing a turn in the reactions of people. While the initial fury was over the gall of the mass email/BCC, media and PR people alike are now asking why on earth the offenders haven’t spoken up.
If the offenders had spoken up in the first place, I’m pretty certain the situation wouldn’t have escalated quite so severely. Those of us who weren’t aware it was happening might never have known. But the viral nature of the Internet is full speed ahead as we await a response. Right now, silence is about the same as “no comment,” and it’s giving people no choice but to assume they can’t be bothered or even worse, simply don’t care.
At this point, I’d suggest the agency CEO draft a letter of apology to all the reporters and send it out as quickly as possible. I’d continue by suggesting he comment on the blogs of the bloggers and reporters who have covered this, and also contact them directly with a request for a personal conversation to explain and make good. In addition, considering the traction it’s getting on Twitter, I’d take the opportunity to respond there too, as well as reach out the people Tweeting about it.
Like anything else in the world, an apology and speed of responsiveness go a long away in preventing a situation from escalating. What else do you think the offenders could do to make good on this gaffe?
Rachel Kay
photo credit: Daquella Manera
Doug Haslam, one member of the social media-savvy PR authorities over at SHIFT Communications, tweeted the other day about the potential horror of pitching a client for comment in response to a tragedy.
Richard Laermer and Kevin Dugan, the minds behind the both feared and respected Bad Pitch Blog, have posted on more than one occasion about the insensitivity (and often stupidity) behind leveraging a disaster to promote a client.
I completely agree that stretching a pitch beyond the realm of reason to garner coverage by jumping on a tragedy is one of the poorest PR tactics around.
That being said, I also believe there are times when your expert might offer much needed insight and education, and I believe it’s important that PR people feel empowered to seize those opportunities when it makes sense. Michael Jackson’s death created a devastating blow to his fans but also begs many questions about drug dependency and proper protocol for the prescribing of drugs. Could your hospital’s anesthesiologist shed some light on the chemical properties of the drugs found in Jackson’s system? I think so.
What about a devastating plane crash? Is it appropriate to offer a luggage company for comment? Absolutely not. But an aircraft engineer might be able to comment on any technical issues that may have lead to the accident.
Just like any pitch, it’s important to ensure the expert and angle are appropriate and that you offer information of value and importance to readers. What do you think? Do you think it’s ever okay to tie into a catastrophe to secure mention of your clients? Do you have any examples of a time when you were able to offer value for a news outlet in response to a tragic occurrence?
Rachel Kay
photo credit: irishcameraman.tv
I feel very fortunate as I look back on my career and recall some of the amazing adventures and experiences I’ve had. There is so much to appreciate in being able to travel the country, orchestrate press events, mingle at trade shows, and manage photo shoots. For me, those once-in-a-life time events are well worth the longs hours (and weekends), red eye flights, swollen ankles and buffet breakfasts (actually, I won’t complain about all-you-can-eat bacon). While I could fill a book with my bounty of memories, the several days I spent with Joshua Davis go into my mental archives as one of the reasons that I love PR and journalism.
Joshua Davis has one of the most diverse backgrounds of any journalist I’ve met, and personifies the true essence of classic investigative journalism. We spent several days in a hospital as he chronicled the treatment of a patient dependent on heroin for a multi-page story in Wired magazine.
My job was three-fold – ensure my client, the developer and practitioner of the exclusive treatment, was appropriately portrayed, help Joshua and his photographers get a compelling story and ensure that the patient, in such a vulnerable time, was treated with dignity and respect.
I’ll never forget watching Joshua sitting on the hospital room floor. It was very easy to see he was becoming engrossed in the scene, taking copious notes, and mentally constructing a story which fairly portrayed the challenges, stereotypes and emotion behind drug dependency.
That was years ago, and I’m thrilled that he agreed to be interviewed here. To give you some background, Joshua is a contributing editor for Wired, and has also written for GQ, Maxim, Men’s Health, Outside and others. One of his most memorable pieces was sneaking into Iraq to cover the war for Wired. Josh also completed a documentary called “The Beast Within,” which documented his attempt to become the lightweight armwrestling champion of the world.
You can learn much more about his prolific journalism career, which spans television, film and print, at his Web site.
RK: You’ve covered a diverse and eclectic mix of stories during the course of your career. How do you decide on your subject matter? Is it important to you that you actually take something away from each story you immerse yourself in?
JD: I follow my curiosity. Sometimes I look at a globe and put my finger on a place I want to go. Then I’ll think of subjects that are associated with the place and begin to do some research to see if there is a story there. Sometime I will just sit in my office and type random thoughts into Google to see where they lead.
My aim with my articles is to tell a gripping story that draws the reader in. My goal is to have the reader remember the experience.
RK: Which projects that you’ve worked on do you consider to have been most exciting?
JD: I’ve done a number of stories that have gotten my heart racing. I covered the war in Iraq, spent time in Southern Colombia during a rebel uprising, and followed a group of maritime salvage experts into the Dominican Republic in the wake of a hurricane. I’ve also written about advances in cream cheese technology and found that pretty exciting too. If the story is good, it doesn’t really matter what the setting is – the subject matter can get my adrenaline going.
RK: In addition to magazine writing, you work with a number of other types of media as an author and television and film producer, and stories of yours are even being adapted to film. Did you set out to be a jack-of-all-trades or did your career evolve over time? What interests you about journalism in all its forms?
JD: My career evolved. I never intended to be a journalist; I just kind of stumbled onto it. I was making documentaries at the time about unusual contests. At first, I just filmed them but then I started to compete. I entered the U.S. National Armwrestling Championship and surprisingly ended up 4th in U.S. in the lightweight division. That made me an alternate for the U.S. National team and when the 2nd and 3rd guys couldn’t make it; I was invited to compete at the World Championship in Poland. I ended up 17th in the world and made a doc about that experience. That film got me signed by an agency in LA and led me into the TV realm.
At the same time, I wrote an article for Maxim about my journey to Poland and that was my first long-form magazine article. I also ended up writing a book about the contests for Random House (the book is titled “The Underdog“). So it’s all been a bit of evolution starting with armwrestling!
RK: Have you incorporated any social media elements into your reporting? Do you use social networking professionally or personally? How do you feel that tools like blogs and Twitter impact the way news is consumed as opposed to traditional vehicles?
JD: I have Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace and Twitter accounts but I don’t use them that much. I feel like I spend most of my time working and don’t want to get too distracted. There’s only one occasion that I can recall where I came across some interesting info on a social networking site. It was actually a Russian site dedicated to introducing Western men to Russian women. I was writing a piece about a man who had built a pirated DVD empire in Shanghai and he was using the site to meet women. He listed a bunch of personal info on it and I quoted that in the story. The moral, I guess, is be careful what you post.
RK: What qualities/traits do you value when working with a publicist? What attributes have deterred you from working with a PR practitioner?
JD: For me, I appreciated a publicist who will point me towards good interview subjects. Plus, I like PR people who understand what I need to make a story work. That means understanding the nature of the publication and understanding what makes a great story.
RK: What can a PR person do to help you to obtain the information you need for a good story?
JD: Arrange uncoached interviews. There’s nothing worse than a canned presentation.
RK: Do you receive PR pitches? Do you ever use pitches for story fodder? If so, what kind of pitch catches your eye?
JD: I receive PR pitches every day. I have only written one story based on a pitch in 8 years and it was a short 200 word piece about an Italian sewage agency that was testing their sewage to determine the amount of drugs the population was doing. What appealed to me was how unusual and strange it was.
RK: What’s next on the horizon for you?
JD: Finding a wild, wonderful and surprising story!
Rachel Kay
