These Lessons I’m Learning

I’m often asked, “How do you keep up with all of this?” While it may seem overwhelming with all the different tools out there, it’s actually quite easy. The important thing is that you focus on signal rather than noise.

Use tweetdeck to keep your twitter streams organized. I group by thought leaders, local tweeps and breaking news. It archives every time someone makes a new tweet so I can check it at my discretion. I’ll always click a link if it’s being highly referenced or if it’s from someone who is a lot smarter than I am.

Use Google Reader for all the various blogs you read. It updates you the minute that they are posted and lets you read the post without having to leave the reader interface saving you a ton of time. The best part is that you can  go on whenever you have the time and read. (Are you subscribed to this RSS feed yet?)

Use one e-mail account. I use one e-mail account for all my activities. Fortunately I have it on my phone so anytime something new happens I’m aware of it instantly. It takes me a minute to decide whether it’s worth acting on or I can just look at it later. Since my phone is on me all day, I know instantly when something happens.

Those are just a couple of simple tips that can help you organize your information. It helps you by sorting out the bad from the good, lets you maintain sanity, and be able to get away from the computer. If you have any tips, I’d love to hear them in the comment section.

P.S. Being an insomniac doesn’t hurt either.

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The Art of War is a timeless tome that teaches resounding lessons on strategy. It reminds us to take things slow and start out with the basics. We can apply this to PR just as much as we can war.  Let’s say we have a great idea for a campaign and we are really excited about it. Sure you may have a great idea and it could be the next great thing but we have to start with the basics.  Since someone has said it better than I could, I’m just going to use their wisdom.

“If you know the enemy, and know yourself you need not fear the result of a hundred battles” -Sun Tzu, the Art of War

The only way to know ourselves and the “enemy” is through research.  While we don’t have an enemy, we do have an audience.  There are tons of resources to figure out what your audience enjoys.  Figure out what they like to share and frequently talk about. There is always a community surrounding your client / idea / product, find them and know them.  After we know the “enemy”, we won’t be afraid of how they will respond because we know what they like.

“Having collected an army and concentrated his forces, he must blend and harmonize his efforts before pitching his camp” - Sun Tzu, the Art of War

While I don’t believe Sun Tzu was talking about pitching journalists or a community, his point here is valid.  After exhaustive research we are ready to settle our camp.  We have a “battle plan” and know our “terrain”.  This is the time to make sure that we are working towards the goal and all of our efforts are headed in the same direction.  As a united force implementing good research, we are now ready for “battle”.

“In order to carry out an attack, we must have means available“- Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Make sure you are ready and set to carry out your campaign.  Do you have all your ducks in a row ?  Have you properly planned for anything to happen ?  Do you have the staff and support to carry out your “attack” ?  If your plans are set, your forces ready, then launch. Be forward and progressive, follow your plan, but remember to be adaptive. There are many possibilities that your “forces” could be met with resistance.

“Hence it is only the enlightened ruler and the wise general who will use the highest intelligence of the army and thereby achieve great results” - Sun Tzu, The Art of War

If you have done your research, mobilized your “forces”, implemented your plan and achieved success remember the principles that you applied.

Go read The Art of War.  It can give you great insight into any strategy / tactic you have planned.  Feel free to tell me what you think of The Art of War or if you have any suggestions for me or this site.

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I’ve seen a lot of blog entries lately about people quitting twitter and people quitting the “social media” scene. We are all getting sick of the term “Social Media Guru / Consultant“. Just look at Twitter and realize how many people talk about social media / networking. Even Micheal Arrington is taking a break from all of it. I wrote a post a while ago about avoiding part of the echo chamber. While Chris Pirillo wrote this post (great advice strongly suggest you read it) about avoiding the problem too. The problem is that it is really easy to get caught up in the Internet with Twitter, blogs, and all the different social networks.

I started this blog after I was working at a PR firm in Richmond. I have found it fascinating connecting with all my different readers. I’ve found blogs and Twitter really useful for staying up-to-date with trends in PR and the web. I encourage you to continue to read and explore more so you can stay informed. Just don’t get overwhelmed.  Don’t worry over your follower count, page views, comments, and whatever other metrics you’re using to gauge your online presence. You existed and enjoyed life before you found the Internet.

It’s really important that you take a break. People are becoming burned out on Twitter and blogging.  Their solution is to quit all together. While I love reading blogs and twittering, it can get overwhelming. That’s why I suggest if you feel burned out and tired, take a break from it. The blogs you subscribe to ( I hope I’m one of them) aren’t going anywhere. We’ll still be in your RSS feeder when you come back. I think you’ll find that you have a new sense of clarity and vision when you do come back. You’ll have some creative ideas and new insights that others will find useful and beneficial.

So I’m taking a little break form writing on here and doing blog reading. I’m going to focus more on work and my life off the Internet. I’ll still be writing posts (because ideas have been rushing to me), just not publishing them. I’ll occasionally read things I find funny. I’m still going to be active on Twitter ( I just love connecting with the people on there).

So take a break if you are feeling overwhelmed. Relax  and catch up on the books you have been meaning to read. Go do something you’ve wanted to do for a while but haven’t gotten around to. Go offline for a bit, come up with some fresh ideas, and we will all be here when you get back. We’ll look forward to your return.

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While you can debate the merits of “positive” PR and “negative” PR, remember to always practice good PR. I’m not going to lay out how to conduct good PR here (there is a wealth of good information on line). When I talk about bad PR, I am talking about ineffective PR. Ineffective PR is probably one of the closest things to insanity. It does no good and is a waste of your most valuable resource, time.

If your PR skills suck, then learn how to get better at them. There is  so much information out there that it’s easy to begin. If you don’t get at the root of the problem, ineffective PR, then you are only making it worse. I have heard so many conversations and people with the idea of, “We’ll just make a blog and a facebook page”. Once I get over the little part of me that dies when I hear these words,  I explain to them the fundamental problem.

Our industry is already one of much controversy.  To most we are either “spin doctors” or party planners. I don’t know a single practitioner who lives like Samantha from Sex and the City. It’s a shame that so often we are portrayed so poorly in the media. While some will blame others for our over all industry image, we must take it upon ourselves to practice good PR to show who we are and what we do. So please for all of our sakes make sure we are practicing good PR.

For any of you future practitioners reading this or for any body who is trying to figure out the next step, make sure that we take the time to practice good PR in the first place. Remember we need to crawl before we walk and walk before we run.

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I read a really great post from Graham Wolfe about 10 resources for every PR pro. This list is so comprehensive that I really encourage you to rush over there and read it. While the tools he listed are searching and monitoring services, they don’t encompass everything you should be aware of as a PR practitioner. I’m using this post to augment Graham’s already great list for human resources you need to be aware of.

1. Help a Reporter Out

Peter Shankman started HaRO as a way to connect journalists with PR people. It is a great way for a journalist to get a story written on a deadline. It is a great facilitator for connecting your organization with a journalist to provide coverage that you otherwise might be missing out on. Sign up is easy, and HaRO is a great, simple way for you to connect and get to know journalists.

2. Journchat

Journchat is a phenomenal resource for anyone in both the PR and journalism fields. One of the requirements for journchat is that you are on Twitter (if you are not go sign up right now). This is such a phenomenal resource I’m not quite sure where to begin highlighting its benefits. Much like HaRO it connects PR people and journalists. It lets journalists connect with PR people as well as mentions how they like to be pitched. It also connects journalists who are on an industry beat with those who may be in PR for an industry. Journchat is the creation of Sarah Evans, who if you aren’t following on twitter, you need to be.

3. Pitchengine

Pitchengine is a company founded by Jason Kintzler. Pitch engine helps you build and distribute SMR’s as well as connect with media contacts for free. You can also utilize the pitch engine features to incorporate Social Media Releases into your organization’s virtual news room. It’s a great way to connect with writers and other resources which might not be available.

4. Twitter

If you google twitter you are going to get so many results and blog postings it’s going to be ridiculous. If you are in PR and not on twitter, you are seriously behind in your game. While you can use twitter for whatever you like, it is a real benefit to PR. You can use it to see what your targeted bloggers write and are looking for so you can help them to write great stories. It’s a great resource to find new happenings in the PR community as well as get great advice. I learned about the majority of what I’m writing on here from twitter. There’s a link to follow me on the bottom right of this blog if you are so inclined.

5. MicroPR

MicroPr, the invention of Brian Solis (a man who needs no introduction), is a twitter-based resource for PR practitioners and Journalists. At 140 characters it connects PR people and journalists together similar to those above. You can add the #micropr hashtag and follow conversations as well as connect to those who might need a story. I strongly suggest using this in a tweet search utility to never miss an opportunity to present a story or get in touch with a journalist.

These are just a few of the resources available to all PR people. Some of the ones not mentioned were Profnet and MyEdcals.com, great links for those who want to connect with new reporters.

Did I leave anything out ? Do you use any of these services ? If so feel free to let me know what I’m missing or what you are using for success.

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If the term newb (see noobie, newbie and n00b) is unfamiliar to you, it means that you are new at something. While often being a newb is considered a bad thing, I think it’s one of the greatest things you can be. The fact is that we are all newbs at something. Whether it’s blogging (me), or any other social network and communications channels, you have probably one of the greatest opportunities that experts and leaders are envious of - the ability to fail.

If you are a top blogger or an industry leader, there is a demand on your talent. Imagine if Seth Godin sat down and wrote a post that sucked or didn’t have any value, people would immediately question his insights and lose faith in him. This pressure can stifle creativity and make it difficult to produce something meaningful. While most opinion leaders and industry experts got there because of their immense creativity and insight, it still puts an uneasy pressure on them.

Most people are so discouraged by failure that they simply give up. The truth is that everyone fails at something every day. I’m going to admit a secret here, I love failing. It’s through failure and trial and error that I see what works and what doesn’t. This is something you can do more and more and it not have a big effect on your professional, academic, personal and internet life. While success is sweet, we learn so much more from our failures and its lessons are priceless. Think about all the opportunities you have as a newb, you can fail, learn why you failed and improve.

So get out there and start failing, try again, keep at it. You will eventually succeed.

If you want to share any of your failure stories or tell me why I’m failing leave the comment love.

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This morning I had the opportunity of a lifetime - to see Peter Shankman speak at a local community ideas station.  The event was hosted by The Hodges Partnership.   Shankman’s presentation blew me away.  Peter was a fascinating speaker and  great storyteller.  He brought up 4 main points (thanks, John Newman) that practitioners need to keep in mind for the future.

Still with me?  Let’s take a look at the first point, Transparency.

Losing trust

People are losing trust in corporations every day.  It should come as no surprise to anyone given the events of this financial crisis:  Enron, Madoff and Goldman Sachs just to name a few.  This shakes public trust in these institutions specifically and in large corporations.  This damage isn’t just reserved for financial institutions but trickles down to other organizations as well.  The public wants to be aware of what’s happening and what’s new with an organization.

Transparency and trust

While it is difficult to gain trust back, it is not impossible.  There are still a considerable number of journalists who consider us PR folks “the enemy”.  Since most journalists prefer to go straight to the company for information, we can make it easy for them to find this information and make it transparent.

Controlled, Timely, and Personal Information

CEO’s need to be in the habit of being communicators.  They can’t leave everything up to the company spokesman or the PR team to handle.  They need to explain to their audiences what is happening.  Shankman encouraged future companies and their CEO’s to start blogging.  I think this is one of the best ideas I’ve heard in a long time. It shows a personal side to the business, one that often gets hidden behind legal and PR teams.  It lets journalists have access to the source without having to deal with a lot of barriers.  Look at Edelman 6 A.M. , an excellent example of a newsworthy and personal blog.

A Note of Caution

While I think it is a good idea to have your CEO blog, you must be extremely careful with the concept.  I wouldn’t allow comments on the blog, but I would have a feedback section. You should also be wary of any personal opinion that could cloud the CEO’s judgment and potentially alienate clients and users.  It would require a little training, but the benefits outweigh the overall risks. It’s a delicate line to toe but will be standard in the future.

I want to take the time again to thank Peter for coming and speaking with us. I really learned a lot this morning and I’m really grateful for the experience.

As always if you think I’m missing something or if you just want to leave your footsteps on the Internet please comment.

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This past week I attended the inauguration in Washington, D.C. The first thing I saw when I got off of the train were banners with the new Pepsi logo. Most of the ads had the new logo and one word - hope. This spurred me on to thinking about logos and branding. While it may be a little off topic, I think it’s a really important aspect of marketing and PR.

What makes a good Logo ?

Logos are a major part of branding. It is essentially the pinnacle of your branding (years of research, advertising and meetings coming down to a small graphic). A good logo design that’s easily recognizable is important.  It should be immediate and simple. Look at some of the most easily recognizable logos, they are really simple. There is just one small problem - a good logo is not enough.

A logo is an end product not the front runner

One of the biggest pitfalls I’ve run into with various organizations I’ve worked with is that they view logos and branding as one of their first steps. While it is in an important factor for any company or service to have a logo, it’s more important to have a service to offer. While not being specific, a client once wanted me to create a logo for them. I had worked with this group in the past and was very familiar with what they had to offer. Their fundamental problem was that they had nothing to really offer to their potential users. No logo could ever change that.

Your logo isn’t a story teller

While your logo is easily identifiable, it doesn’t say anything. It doesn’t communicate the experience your brand or service offers. I see logos every day and have no clue what they represent. While they may be jaw droppingly beautiful, there is no connection between the image and its brand. While your logo should convey some aspect of what your company does, it can’t communicate everything. This is where you need to be showing and telling your audiences what you do and why you do it.

Your logo is often your first impression

Your logo is a communications channel. Usually it is one of the first communications channels that a client or consumer will see. When you give or a receive a business card, eyes are immediately drawn to the logo. They are one of the first impressions made with any client or consumer.

Logos are an integral part of branding and should come as a bi-product of research and company history. They often are your first opportunity to convey some kind of meaning. Be wary of relying on a “cool” logo to be able to communicate for your company / service.

As always please tell me if you think I’m a fool or if there is anything I have missed.

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Linux is the ultimate form of an operating system that mirrors social media in all facets. It comes as no surprise when I see a number of social media users who are also Linux users. While Linux has been reaching new growth throughout the years, it is not yet mainstream. Sound familiar?

Linux grows in popularity because it encourages sharing. It is free to share with anyone and everyone. It is widely distributed on the Internet and amongst local supporters who reap no reward for their efforts. It is truly a grass roots software movement. It offers a great product (though it does have a small learning curve). One of the greatest aspects of Linux is that the user can tailor everything to their own experiences.

Linux is largely like social media in that they are both heavily dependent on community. Linux advocates are very passionate about their OS of choice. While support services are available for Linux, there are an abundance of sources available online with users who are there to help support anyone for free. Those who are skilled in programming help to make patches and updates to the system for free, helping out where their talents lie.

Linux can teach us a lot about sharing, community and how the powerfully informed can band together to help spread a movement of those who are passionate about something they receive no reward from.

If you liked this or think I missed anything, feel free to comment. I’m a huge Linux / open source fan.  If you have any questions feel free to get in contact with me.

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While it’s been awhile since I wrote directly about social media, it’s time to get back in the fray. With it only being a week into 2009, here are some of my predictions of what’s to come this year.

1. Social Media aggregators and filtering.

I’ve seen a major expansion in these services Digsby, FriendFeed, Flock and so many more have all started to crop up. Social media is spiraling to so many sites and it is really hard to keep up with it all. These aggregators will help us manage all of our social profiles. I think that soon we are going to see Google looking to get into the aggregation game. I know I personally use a lot of Google features, as do most of the people I associate with. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to find Google add a lot of these features to Igoogle.

2. Expect a lot more video.

There are a lot of bloggers who are implementing video instead of traditional blogging. Video technology has become so cheap almost anyone can access it. ( I just picked up the Mino Flip HD). Outside of hand held video cameras, there has been an explosive proliferation on the mobile video market. I recently signed up for Qik, and I see a good number of other people following suit. There are a lot of screencasting / live streaming options available too. There are tons of companies looking at viral videos (which I would approach with extreme caution). I am also going to go out on a limb here and say that Youtube is going to start losing business to other niche video sites.

3. A push towards mobile devices.

Since the smart phone market is growing, we are seeing complex devices hitting the average consumer. Almost all of these devices have Internet and GPS capabilities, and we are going to see a lot more location centric social media. Most of the mainstream social media sites have mobile applications. Since we are seeing more designers and web engineers get into the mobile game, I again wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see them take advantage of location-aware mobile applications that will let people connect based on the places they frequent. Just take a look at BrightKite , a service I just signed up for.

4. Digital identity control.

Since a lot of people starting to “brand” themselves, we see them use the same name across many different services. I use Openid myself with this domain. I also use a lot of Google’s services. It makes sense for them to become a manager for my online identity. Facebook is getting into the digital identity control game with Facebook Connect. Yahoo is offering their own services as well. I wouldn’t be surprised to see more services using a digital identity control system.

5. Microblogging changing news coverage.

While Twitter is exploding in popularity, it’s not the only microblogging service. In November, when the attacks in Mumbai occurred, we saw explosive use of twitter being used for updates on what was happening in the city. While this information was not always accurate, it was timely. Information was flying as fast as the mobile networks and Internet could handle it. CNN has begun to integrate twitter into its coverage casts with traditional media fielding questions via twitter. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to find more media network tailoring their style to something similar to Current.tv.

I’m no Nostradamus but I feel pretty confident in these predictions for the upcoming year. I’m going to explore some of these predictions in detail in some upcoming posts so stay tuned for those on the horizon.

Who knows what 2009 will bring in terms of social media. As always I would love for you to add your thoughts or predictions on what you think we will see in the upcoming year.

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