I am fascinated by marketing, especially global marketing. Nearly half of the photos I took while traveling in Israel last week were of labels, advertisements or packaging of International and American brands. Below are a few of my favorites:















...and my favorite, that always makes me laugh...

I recently became the mother of a sweet, adorable, 7-pound, 2-year old, Brussels Griffon. She was a stray and I fell in love with her the moment we met. We named her Penny.


I think Penny is the most perfect dog that ever walked the face of the earth, so naturally I want to tell other people about it. I have realized that other dog owners do not think to do this. They may post pictures on Facebook, but that's the extent of their dog's promotion. I, on the other hand, immediately posted Penny to The Daily Puppy, posting pictures, writing stories, and pitched her for Grown-up Dog of the Day. Within 24 hours, I received word that she had been accepted, and would be posted for the whole community to see.

Today she has been shared on Facebook over 60 times, received well over 1000 votes and more than 50 comments. I didn't realize it at the time, but I was doing PR for my dog. I realized that you belong in PR when it becomes as natural, and involuntary, as breathing. Please don't judge me. I love what I do (and I'm good at it too).

MentionMap: Find Twitter users to follow based off your favorite users. The result is a very cool, informative and dynamic infographic. Harry McCracken, tech writer for Technologizer.com and TIME magazine, has a great map of relevant users in the tech community. See below.


TweetReach: How far does a tweet really go? This tool is perfect for businesses looking to determine ROI for their social media activities. Unfortunately, there aren't any benchmarks you can compare your results to. For example, my reach is 2,679 people with 14 tweets. Is that a good number? No clue. But it's higher than 1.


Twitter Symbols: I absolutely love this. Tired of standard tweets? Looking to express yourself with Webdings? Check out this site. Just copy and paste your favorite symbol into your tweet, and you're set. Twitter Tip: Only use one symbol at a time, and never more than once a day.

Tweepi: For the more experienced Twitter-er, Tweepi gives you a "database" view of multiple Twitter users at a time. Tweepi lets you create lists to view groups of people at once to compare their total tweets, followers, and Klout score. From Tweetpi.com, you can view their information, add them to an existing list, follow or unfollow them, @reply , etc. A great way of getting a larger view of your Twitter network.

Great example of how one small business connects with their customers/prospects monthly with beautiful, custom desktop backgrounds. Download the full file here. to add it to your computer. (Yes, it's on mine.)

First posted on Bite Marks, Bite Communications


I’m a big advocate for professional organizations, and events, especially those for PR professionals. Beforejoining PRSA (Public Relations Society of America), I was vice president of my University’s PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America) chapter. For a campus that only had a few PR courses, PRSSA was my key to getting into the field early. Now I am in my second year on the Networking Committee of PRSA Silicon Valley, and not only have the opportunity to learn and network, but also support the industry, and help others grow and get involved. For the skeptics out there, I’ve compiled my top 3 reasons why you should join (and participate) in a professional organization.

1. It’s Who You Know

Being a professional makes it difficult to make new friends, but it’s vital to your career development. You might think that “networking” is only for people looking for jobs or clients. While that is part of it, it’s not the whole story. Networking enables you to expand your social sphere, learn about different areas of your industry (tech PR vs. travel PR vs. consumer PR…) and have access to people and information you otherwise wouldn’t. Tweetups are a great way to do this. For example, I met one of the Silicon Valley Tweetup organizers on Twitter prior to an event, we met in person, and he introduced me to the head of the PRSA Networking Committee. A few months later, I was able to offer him as a professional reference for my job here at Bite.

2. Be better at your job

One of my favorite events hosted by PRSA locally is “Inside the Newsroom.” The panel of reporters (the most recent being from Forbes) talk about what they’re working on, how they like to be pitched, what not to do, and how to work with them. This was incredibly valuable, as we learned that Forbes was working on a Cloud feature in the fall, and was looking for contributed content. The session went over how the specific editors wanted to be pitched for this particular piece, and as a result, I was able to place two byline pieces for two of my clients in that feature.

3. Get some facetime


Living and working in the Bay Area provides PR people of all types the unique opportunity to have facetime with the journalists we work with everyday. A majority of the reporters I work with are based here, so why not meet them in person? There are tech events happening in San Francisco (and all over the country) virtually every month, and all it takes is a quick view on the Eventbright page or Twitter to find out who is planning to attend. It’s a great opportunity to grab a few of your co-workers, and work the room. Still skeptical? Consider this: Is it better to be the 9-5 agency, or an agency of social butterflies?

For those of you in the area, the next PRSA event will be thrown in conjunction with the San Francisco Bay Media Professionals on Wednesday, February 23rd at the Infusion Lounge from 5:30-8. Sign up for event updates with either local chapter here and here.

Before starting any campaign, I ask myself "what are we trying to achieve here." Every client is different. PR goals are typically in line with business goals, which range from increasing revenue to increasing users. Whenever a client (or fellow team member) suggests a campaign or initiative that isn't in line with our current mandate, I compare it to grocery shopping. Anyone can blindly enter the supermarket and buy anything that looks appealing, but at the end of the day, you still don't have anything for dinner.

As digital integrations become more and more commonplace in the industry, it becomes painfully obvious which campaigns were executed with a clear goal in mind, and which were not. A good example of this is a promotion launched by the new AMC show "The Walking Dead." They are running a contest that gives viewers a chance to win a "stagger on role" on the show. Anyone that knows me knows that I'm a die hard zombie fan, so I suffered through the commercials to find out how to enter. The rules: At some point during the Sunday program, a code will be given. Viewers simply have to go to a landing page (on the AMC) site, enter the code, and their contact information and press send. Upon doing so I quickly looked for the sharing tools. Obviously I wanted to share this great contest with my social networks. No. No sharing tools. No "Share on Twitter"; No "Post to Facebook"; No "submit to Digg." You would think that the goal of the network would be to increase viewers of this new program. The logical thing to do would be to give existing viewers the opportunity to become advocates, and share the show with their friends. It isn't that difficult to integrate these tools, but somehow AMC failed to recognize the opportunity. They went to the grocery store and bought a microwaveable dinner.

On the other hand, they have an active and engaged Twitter account at @WalkingDead_AMC with more than 26k followers, and an official Facebook page with more than 354k likes. These tools, however, were created to inform and maintain the existing fans of the 5-episode strong series, not increase viewership (I may be wrong, but you would assume a network with a new series would want that).

This can be easily remedied. Below are my top 3 recommendations for AMC:

1. Heard of chicklets? Add links to Twitter, Facebook and Digg that enable fans to seamlessly share information on the show, contest, video content, etc. with their friends
2. Use what you got! Add embed codes to the videos on the main site that enable fans to share them on their blogs.

3. Promote the newsletter! I've spent the last week obsessing over this show, and didn't realize until a few moments ago that a newsletter existed. In addition to encouraging e-mail signups, create an interactive newsletter that will live on Facebook. The newsletter tab will become the main page for the Facebook fan page and include the great content that already lives on The Walking Dead website. But since it lives on Facebook (where a majority of the show's fans already live!) it makes it easier for fans to share it with their friends.


The only way a show can survive is if it has a strong, growing community. I implore AMC to give their fans the tools to make that happen.


PS: Don't forget to to TiVo "The Walking Dead" (Sundays at 10:00 p.m. ET)

Over the years, I have had executed on successful launches, and not so successful launches. Regardless of the outcome, I always take a step back and evaluate what could have made the announcement better. Having primarily worked on the agency side of things, the success of a launch is dependent on both the performance of my PR team and the performance of my client. Below is a list of the top 10 things never forget when coordinating a product launch.**

1. FAQ / Q&A
Although the agency is typically tasked with creating the Q&A and FAQ, the document is based on information provided by the client. If you create this weeks in advance of a launch to have on hand for the pre-pitching effort, make sure to double back with your client the week of the launch to ensure that nothing has changed.

2. Announcement schedule
You can't depend on your client to fill you in. Most of the time, you have to ask the obvious questions, such as, "Are there any other announcements happening this week that we don't know about?" or "Any other promotions that may interfere with this announcement?"

3. Review Unit Details
If this is a pre-pitch, or announcement before the availability of a product, make sure to anticipate what the press will ask for, and find have the answers on hand in advance. This includes, "Are there review downloads available?" "Are there review units available?" "What is the process for delivering review units?" "If they aren't available on the day of the announcement, when will they be, and how many will we have?"

4. Expectations

Whether it's a new client, or an old client, you must be aware of what you're going to be judged against. If you aren't sure what the key # of hits is, or the target number of briefings are, or what your client deems the top 5 most important publications/outlets, you need to have a conversation with your client before you execute. Success is relative.

5. Who are our spokespeople?
Names, titles, bios, key talking points/areas of expertise.

6. Spokesperson availability
There is nothing worse than executing on a great launch, and finding out that your CEO is on a plane for the next 6 hours.

7. Who can answer my questions?
You shouldn't have to depend on your client contact to answer all of your questions. They are busy people too! Make sure they introduce you to other people within the organization who can quickly respond to your inquiries.

8. Where are you?
If you're working with a start-up, or company that has a small marketing/PR department, sometimes you only have one person you can work with. Make sure you know their schedule the week of the launch to ensure you're not left stranded with reporter inquiries only your client can fulfill.

9. Past media experiences
Make sure you can answer the following question: Who are the media "friendlies"? Are there any members of the media that your client has had a bad experience with?

10. Is there a demo script? Time to rehearse?
Demos can become routine if done the same way, too often, to the same audience. But what if you are trying to break out, and reach a new one? The transition of a tech product from the tech press to consumer isn't easy, and if you're able to score a demo, having a tech-focused demo will make it that much more difficult. Make sure you have demo scripts that appeal to each audience you're speaking with, and practice practice practice.



**Top 10 items collected over the past five years.

There are lots of opportunities in public relations. There are industries to choose from (from tech and beauty, to media and beverages), focuses to master (consumer, enterprise, corporate), and company type to consider. I've been a member of the Bite Communications team for the past five months, and have noticed significant differences (and surprising similarities) between working for a medium/large sized agency to a small/boutique agency. Whether you're new to the industry, or an experienced professional looking to make a change, you have a lot of options ahead of you. Below are a few of my findings.

DIFFERENCES

- Small agencies are more like a family (yay, that would make your bosses like your parents)
- Large agencies are more impersonal, it's easy to get lost in the shuffle. You'll need to learn to stand out and prove yourself quickly.
- In order to maintain great employees, small agencies keep a focus on the professional development and growth of their employees (and tend to promote quicker)
- In order to maintain and obtain great employees, large agencies focus a portion of their budget on professional development and personal development, such as classes, courses and professional membership organizations (although you have to fight for the raises and promotions you believe you deserve)
- Large, public agencies, have fiscal year budgets to consider when yearly bonuses come around vs. small agencies that don't have the same sort of rules when it comes to employee bonuses
- Although there are fantastic people on both sides of the fence, I have noticed that you get more respect when you work for a well-known agency
- Smaller agencies have smaller account teams, thus allowing junior staff to take on much more responsibility than at larger agencies. It is a fantastic place to start a career.
- Larger agencies have more of a focus on titles and a clear division of responsibilities. You really need to voice your desire to take on new responsibilities.
- Senior staff at larger agencies are more likely to take professional development classes themselves vs. smaller agencies that (in my experience) want employees to take classes and report back to the team.
- Smaller agencies are more nimble and willing to change policies vs. larger agencies that tend to have the motto "It's always been this way"
- Larger agencies tend to have a mix of senior to mid-level staff working the day-to-day activities of an account vs. smaller agencies that tend to have junior staff as a main point of contact, and senior staff focusing more on overall strategy



SIMILARITIES

- All agencies are afraid of losing clientele.
- All agencies over-service from time to time.
- You need to find allies (above, below and at your level).
- You have to work hard no matter the agency size.
- You should take junior staff under your wing.
- You should meet frequently with your professional manager (if you're at a small agency where your boss is your PM, find others above you can also go to for guidance)
- You will never stop learning (unless you choose to become complacent).
- You will always be proving yourself to clients and coworkers.

I don't have a preference when it comes to agency size. I'm thankful my time at a small agency, and thankful for my current job at a larger agency. This is just a list of my findings. I'm sure I'll modify and add to it as time passes. Do you have any findings of your own?

I joined the Networking Committee of the Silicon Valley chapter of the Public Relations Society of America because it made me nervous. I may go to a number of events now, but that hadn't always been the case. When I knew it was time for me to spread my wings and transition to a new job, everyone I spoke to, and every article I read, said that networking events were the best way to meet people and find out about new opportunities early. But "putting myself out there" terrified me. It felt like high school all over again, with cliques of the "cool people" already huddled in a corner deep in conversation. I dragged a few co-workers with me to the first networking event, and left after an hour. I missed events because I couldn't find anyone to go with, which is funny because the purpose of a networking event is to meet new people, not hang out with people you already know, but that didn't change the fact that I was nervous out on my own. This obviously changed, and with the next PRSA networking event being held on the roof deck of the San Francisco Bite Communications office, I thought it would be the perfect time to share my secrets for being comfortable at networking events:
1. Join a club. Joining PRSA was a fantastic opportunity to meet people (thank you for the nudge, @TravisMurdock!) To get over my fear of going to events alone, I joined a club that threw events. Now I know at least one person at every event I attend.

2. Dress for the job you want, not the job you have. The worst boss I ever had taught me that. And even though I have painful memories of her from college, it was an important lesson that has stuck with me. I am more confident when I dress up. And confidence helps me pretend that I'm comfortable in my settings.
3. Work the Twit-work. Watch for hashtags for an event before you leave. Chances are there will be posts by people tweeting that they will be there. And when you arrive, collect business cards from the people you meet. Instead of writing follow-up e-mails, find them on Twitter and reach out. This is especially effective for Tweetups or social media-focused events. Attending networking events is like a hobby for some people (myself included) and you'll find yourself seeing the same people over and over again. Connecting with them early ensures they remember you.

4. Head up, shoulders back, eyes forward. Ever notice how the most comfortable person in a room looks like they have a purpose? It's probably an act (unless they're the host). Luckily, no one can see the butterflies in your stomach. They can only see your facial expression and posture. Scenario: You arrive alone to an event. You don't see anyone you know. Attendees are deep in conversation with one another. What do you do? Hold your head up high, and B-line for the bar. Order yourself something to drink (water, soda, wine, whatever) and while they make your order, look around. Check in on Foursquare. Smile at the person next to you at the bar, stretch out your hand, and introduce yourself. Sounds easy right? It is.
5. Host an event. Most organizations look for event sponsors, and the easiest way to feel comfortable at a networking event is to throw one yourself. As the host, you're in control of the situation, and it's guaranteed you'll receive recognition from attendees for it.

Skeptical of my methods? On October 7, from 6-10PM, my agency Bite Communications is hosting a networking event with PRSA. Come by and see for yourself!

I don't mean to brag... but since this is my first inclusion in something like this, I think I'm entitled Click here for the full article: 25 PR Pros to Follow Right Now

Today was my last day at K/F Communications. Working at a boutique public relations agency enabled me to do far more than what was outlined in my job description. For the last three years I've had the opportunity to work on major (and minor) campaigns for some incredibly innovative companies, including: Flock, TwitVid, RowNine, Covia Labs and of course, Digg. For two years I was lucky enough to be half (yes, two people) of the Digg PR account team. Promoting (and protecting) a pioneer in social media was not as easy as everyone assumes it was, but it was just as fun. Jay Adelson and Kevin Rose are not only brilliant entrepreneurs, but also some of the nicest people I've had the pleasure to work for. It's easy to produce great work when you care about your clients.

K/F has been the ideal place to start my career. I actually liken it to dog years. Working three years at K/F is equivalent to five years at a larger agency. How many PR professionals, early in their careers, can say that in one year, they secured three magazine covers, and appeared in a magazine photo spread with one of their clients? (Yupp, that's me, in the teal shirt.)

It's difficult to leave to an agency (and the people!) that have been so good to me, but I know it's the best decision for me right now. I am very excited to start the next chapter of my professional life on June 1st with Bite Communications in San Francisco. What I know so far, is that I will be joining the Hewlett Packard PR account team, working on HP corporate and promoting HP Labs' innovative projects.

So, I say thank you, and goodbye, to the great people I've had the pleasure of working with over the last three years. I know we'll stay in touch, and I look forward to seeing where we all end up.

Today's April Fools Day pranks have been classic! I wish I could say that I saw through them all, but I can't. I was fooled twice today. Part of my job as a PR person, is not only staying up to date with what is happening with my client, but also what is happening in their industries. This was how I got fooled.

This morning my new client, Payvment, informed us that they had just launched a great new feature, and they were sorry they didn't tell us sooner so we could promote it. I quickly clicked the link in the e-mail, and saw they had launched a new feature called Zuch Shipped. Without really thinking about what it meant, I got on a conference call with my team to discuss. As we read through the post together, my brilliant Associate Alicia Halatsis started laughing. She was the first to realize it was a joke.

Then this afternoon, after opening one of my daily e-mail coupons from Groupon, I scrolled down, and saw they had launched what appeared to be a direct competitor to my client RowNine, the luxury members-only sample site. Groupon had launched Groupöupon, an invitation-only private sale website for the consumer elite. I began taking screen shots, and crafting an e-mail to my client to update them on the new player in the space. Then I started looking at the merchandise. A money collage for $27,000. Water-scented perfume for $1,299. ::doh!::


Here's a list of my favorite pranks from today:

TV host Joel McHale hacks Ryan Seacrest's Twitter account. Hilarious!

Justin Bieber takes over FunnyorDie.com with BieberorDie.com (only for today)

Google renames itself Topeka

Starbucks adds two new sizes to the menu

Qualcomm raises awareness about death by butterflies

TechCrunch also has a great summary of the best of today's pranks: April Fools 2010: The Definitive List

The Girls in Tech: Catalyst Conference is today in San Francisco. Look here for near real-time updates of my favorite panels at this much anticipated event!

(8:45am) Opening Remarks by Adriana Gascoigne

(9:00am) Curious About Branding: Tools for Niche Marketing
Key Points:

- Eileen Gittins of Blurb had to kiss 80 frogs before finding funding and has now been profitable for two years.


- Lisa Padill of Communicate.io: there are different audiences for each niche product you have. There are people who want your products, but you have to know how to talk to them.


- To find your audience: Identify the "who" then the "motivation," "how" can we reach them, can I make money, does my audience have money, then ensure the legality.


- Not having money drives companies to make decisions. Blurb invested initially in PR and Marketing to drive awareness and get customers early on.


- What we forget, is the "real world/tangible" aspects of our offering. Find ways to bring your product into the physical world allowing you to speak to your customers and your customers to speak to one another. Do this through "offline" events in various cities, contests, meet-ups, or via webcasts, second life.


(9:30am) Curious About Cash: Sealing the VC Deal and Equity

Jessica Vascellaro (Moderator: Reporter, WSJ); Jennifer Fonstad (Managing Director, Draper Fisher Jurvetson); Maha Ibrahim (General Partner, Canaan Partners); Eve Philips (Co-founder/CEO, Empower Interactive); Susan Wu (CEO, Ohai, Former VC at CRV)


Key Points:
- Mistakes entrepreneurs make in their business plans:

1. Talent - Bringing in the wrong people early on to start your business. Find people who are NOT like you.

2. Caanan.com - Has an online pitch book with what they look for in companies, and suggestions for your business plan.

- Most VCs will expect 15-20 percent equity in your business (Angel investment is more variable)

- In a down economy, VCs may expect between 40-60 percent equity (between two firms)

- Have empathy for who you're speaking with, and communicate on their level. As a female entrepreneur approaching a predominately male VC firm, you must think before you speak and "talk like a them."


(10:00am) The Art of Negotiation, (by Katherine Barr, Partner, Mohr Davidow Ventures)
*My favorite of the day



The Circle of Value Diagram

When preparing for a negotiation, follow these key steps:
1. Interests: What are the interests (not positions) of the parties involved?

2. Options: What are some options that meet the various interests of all parties?


3. Legitimacy: What objective, unbiased standards can be used to support your position in the negotiation?


4. Alternatives: What are your and their alternatives to an agreement in this negotiation?


(11:00am) Keynote: Lessons Learned From The Business Suit (by Heather Harde, CEO, Techcrunch)
Key Points:

- "Think Big to Be Big"


- "Be Resilient"


- "Always Have 3 Points"


- "You Always Have Options" [in negotiations]


- "Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze?"


- "Authenticity Matters"



(11:30am) Curious About Social and New Media

Key Points:
- Growing Trend: Social media growing into the enterprise space

- The CEO or head of a company must recognize and embrace the technologies that work best for their employees (whether that be social media tools, or a software platform)


- To successfully integrate social media into the culture of a business, the company must, 1) have an internal advocate, then 2) have executive management buy into it (example: The CEO of Zappos.com)


(2:30pm) Curious About Doing Good in Business
Key Points:

- Economic empowerment for women in developing countries is now made possible by charitable technology companies and social applications such as: Samasource and CARE
- Crowdflower is a great, new company that crowdsources ideas and information. Today, Crowdflower is working with Samasource to provide crowdsourced language translation services to help the people of Haiti.

- Other great companies on the panel: Change.org, International Museum of Women, Otherthanthat.com

Think about what you do for a living. Now, think about what you enjoy doing in your spare time. How do they compare? How are they different? While I don’t expect to be able to make a living watching episodes of The Office or playing Wii bowling, I do see ways that I have integrated public relations skills into my personal life.

For Example…
Everyone reacts differently to loss. What do I do? I do PR. When my grandfather passed away in 2008, I knew the local papers would want to cover it. Why? He was famous. No, I wasn’t drinking the Kool-Aid (a term we use for clients that are unable to look at their businesses objectively). He had entrepreneurship running through his veins and always aimed BIG. And since I'm a good public relations person, I compiled a list of fun facts to support my story. He founded the largest restaurant in the world at the time, and to this day, his Aristocrat travel trailer business is still the largest selling RV line ever. He was one of four owners of the Ford Trimotor airplane (one hangs in the Air & Space Museum in Washington, DC) which was featured in the film Indiana Jones & The Temple of Doom. And I was right about the press being interested. Both the San Jose Mercury News and the Morgan Hill Times covered the story, and I was excited to see that my grandfather’s feature was larger than the article about the passing of the Baskin Robbin’s founder.

When my grandmother passed away last week, I had the same reaction. She was the famous “Flying Lady” of Morgan Hill… who wouldn’t be interested in that story? I went as far as sing a song to the reporter that my grandmother used to sing to me. the Morgan Hill Times covered the announcement the Friday before her funeral service online, then in the print version today.

I think it’s important to find a way to harness the skills we learn in the workplace, and apply them in a positive way to our everyday life (and vice versa). I was successful with promoting my family for two reasons:

1) because I love them, and
2) I have the skills to do so.

In PR it’s important to have a version of BOTH key points to successfully promote a company. One must have the drive in addition to the skills. What do you think?

Twitter and social media have opened up a new kind of transparent dialogue between journalists and public relations professionals. If you have an open mind, and pay attention, it is possible to foster relationships with reporters and get clients placed.

As a PR professional, I am always on the lookout for media opportunities for my clients. Several months ago, I started developing a Tweep list of reporters who proactively use Twitter for help with their stories. Today, my list has more than 42 journalists who actively use social media for help with their stories. Click here to view and follow.

By paying attention to these reporters tweets on a daily basis, you’ll be in a good position to reach out and help them when they need it. What to watch out for? Watch for reporters who need sources for stories, or ideas for stories on slow news days. Set up Twitter searches for terms that relate to your clients and watch closely for opportunities. Now while this is no substitute for regular pitching, it is an easy way to connect with journalists on a more personal level. Suggestion: Just because your client isn’t a good fit for a reporter’s story, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still try to help them. They’ll remember, and it will help you in the long run.

Here are a few examples of successful placements I’ve secured as a result of following the right people, and paying attention to their tweets:

Businessweek (@awesomechoi – was looking for entrepreneur’s “eureka” moments), “How 20 Business Ideas Were Hatched”
- Covia Labs, Inc.
- TwitVid

VentureBeat (@paulboutin – was looking for story ideas relating to funding, new product launches, etc.), “5 O’Clock Roundup”
- RowNine

Walletpop (@josh_smith – was tweeting about Black Friday and Cyber Monday, so I pitched one of my clients to him because I knew it was something he was already working on), “Ready, set… click! Cyber Monday deal roundup”
- RowNine

Do you have any social media success stories? Would love to hear from both PR people and journalists.

I have a dilemma when it comes to networking with others in my industry. I work in San Francisco, and live in downtown San Jose. I desperately want to take advantage of the great tech-industry events taking place in the Bay Area, but the ones held in San Jose occur after work (I ride CalTrain daily and don’t arrive home until around 7 or so), and the ones held in San Francisco let out too late for me to get home at a decent hour. On top of that, is the anxiety of attending events solo. My colleagues live in various areas of the Bay, including San Francisco, Redwood City, San Rafael, Hayward… and I don’t know many people industry-types in the South Bay. I’ve considered the Tweetups or various Meet-ups, but even the ones focused on “networking” are filled with cliques. Call me shy, but an event full of groups of people who already know one another intimidates me.

I propose an industry-focused series of “speed-networking” events. Similar to speed dating, these events would be between 30 minutes to 1 hour and target those looking to meet people in tech marketing, communication, social media, and public relations. Think of it as, “2-5 minutes per table, then move to the left.” This sort of format would crush the anxiety of going to a new event, as well as create the potential for lasting relationships.

Would you attend or help me organize a 30-1 hour speed-event? Have you attended an event like this in your area? Please comment below, @reply or message me with feedback.

Since I started my PR career, I noticed right away there was a negative connotation associated with public relations and public relations professionals. PR people have been compared to Pitbulls, gate keepers, busy-bodies, sensationalists and liars… but why? When people ask me what it is I do as a PR person, I reply with, “I promote people and companies.” Aside from the Pitbugg reference (which I kind of like), I don’t see any of those other descriptions tied to what I do day-to-day. I decided it was time to get to the bottom of this, and expose some of the reasons why people hate PR people, starting with us: The PR Professional.

Some People Are Just Bad At Their Jobs

Every day people in the industry hear about a PR person who pissed off a reporter. Pretty much, it’s for the same reasons:

1. Pitched a reporter who does not cover that beat
2. Don’t understand the company they are pitching
3. Was not sensitive to the reporter’s deadline

To help save money, cash-strapped PR firms (and even in-house marketing departments) have a tendency to put entry- to lower-level employees in charge of too much on certain accounts. What they tend to forget, is that they are at a lower billable rate for a reason. These PR people are not experienced enough to make final decisions, starting with the 1st complaint above. Pitching a reporter who does not cover your client’s beat is one of the biggest, and easiest, mistakes a PR person can make. Mistakes do happen, and in this economy, with reporters switching beats and publications everyday, it can be difficult to keep track. But with contact lists growing to the thousands, PR firms must be more diligent about quality control.

For example, when my company K/F Communications landed a great new account, a major complaint they had about their old representation, was that they had little senior management and were primarily working with lower-level employees on a daily basis. While perusing the press materials provided by their old firm, we found that not only were the documents incomplete, but they were also inaccurate. Editorial calendars with items included that had nothing to do with the client’s business. Members of the press listed on their contact list that were not only completely inappropriate given the company’s focus, but also ones that have stated on numerous occasions they do not want to be pitched for any reason (ie Chris Anderson, Editor-in-Chief, WIRED). Not only does pitching the wrong people waste client time (and time=money) but it also pisses reporters off and can have a serious affect on the quality of coverage the company will receive from that publication going forward.

Not all PR people do this. The practitioners at K/F Communications (yes, I am biased ) go through every list multiple times to ensure it is targeted and the announcement is relevant to everyone on it. The practitioners that care, and take the time to study up on their clients' industries, don’t make these kinds of mistakes. For example, I spend a good part of my day reading the top tech blogs like Mashable and TechCrunch, top tier business press like BusinessWeek and TIME, and staying on top of the tweets by my favorite bloggers/reporters on Twitter. Not only does this keep me up to date with what is happening in my client’s industry (as well as my own) but also gives me a better understanding of industry direction and perception. Bottom line: If you don’t understand your client’s business, or their industry, you cannot do your job.

The problem is that not all PR people understand this, or care enough to try. This does a huge disservice to the profession, because to a reporter, everyone in the industry looks more like a sales person than a colleague.

Education is a major part of the 2nd complaint listed above. The only real way to understand your client, and have any hope of successfully pitching them to the press, is to learn as much as you can about them. Can you tell me in one sentence what your client does? Can you tell me why I should care about what they do? If not, you need to delve a little deeper (not just memorize their corporate messaging). Use their product (if that is possible), spend a day working at their office, get a tour of their facility, be a silent listener on a sales call. Do whatever you can to really “get it.”

Caring is a major part in the 3rd complaint above. PR people must care not only about their profession and the task at hand, but also the client they are working for. Not caring about these things means you are not going to treat the reporter (who you are trying to win over, let me remind you) with the respect they deserve. What I’m saying is, “Treat others as you would like to be treated.” And it goes both ways between PR people and reporters (I have definitely met my fair share of reporters who have forgotten this golden rule), but why can’t PR people take the first steps and educate themselves, be a little bit more considerate, take the time to care about their clients and their craft.

No one wants to be called out for doing their job poorly, but quality control definitely helps. Two years ago, Chris Anderson posted a blog with the names of every PR person he had blocked as a result of their spamming (The Long Tail, Sorry PR People: You're Blocked). Today, Rafe Needleman, editor of Webware.com/CNet.com, maintains a list of PR Pro Tips that result from the bad experiences he has had with PR people. By highlighting their flaws, one tip at a time, he has helped other PR people understand what not to do (as long as they’re listening). I respect Rafe, and was terrified I would end up on his list after meeting him in person at a client briefing several months ago. (No, none of my mannerisms were featured, and he ended up writing a fantastic review on my client’s new product - yay!) FYI - This month only, PR people can order a free copy of Rafe’s book, highlighting these tips. Visit PR Pro Tips for more information.

So, why do people hate PR people? It is because some PR people deserve to be hated on. Unfortunately, those who care about their craft, are bundled with those who don’t, and end up paying the price for their mistakes. But this isn’t the only reason. In future posts, I’ll explore other reasons why “public relations” leaves a bad taste in the mouth of some people. And if you’re a reporter reading this, and have something to add, please leave a comment, or contact me via the links on the right. I’d love to hear your stories.

A friend of mine asked that I put together some bullet points, to help convince her colleagues not to discount social media. Given that the “colleagues” she was talking about were members of a major International organization, I decided that a thoughtful post would have more sway, and tailored the article to their particular industry. I took out the industry references for the post below. Enjoy!

1) It Isn’t Going Anywhere
Twitter is a new platform for information and it isn’t going anywhere. Twitter has become the platform of choice for both business and personal conversations. By not joining the conversation, you risk losing business opportunities to competitors who have already joined the service.

2) Promote Your Business For Free
Not using Twitter is a lost opportunity to promote your company to potential clients in a free and highly visible way. More than 14 Million people use Twitter everyday, and analysts suggest that number will reach more than 21 Million by the end of the year. Before Twitter, if you wanted to make a business connection or ask a question about a product, you had to write an e-mail or cold call and hope you reached the right person. On Twitter, you are 1 click away from the decision makers, and since there is one account for businesses both large and small, you never have to wonder who is on the other end.

3) Twitter Is Not Complicated
Twitter does not have to be complicated and consume a great deal of your time. Tweets, or 140-character messages, can be sent via your mobile web browser, and http://search.twitter.com and services like Flock.com and Tweetdeck.com make it incredibly easy to stay on top of the conversations and topics you’re the most interested in by saving search terms. These saved searches keep track of all conversations dealing with your top interests, so you never miss a thing. It is also an easy way to monitor who is talking to you – and identify what conversations you should join.

Top Trends and #hashtags and @replies and RTs can be learned by observing conversations. And it is okay if you don’t understand I word I just said – if you’re not in a position to hire someone to create your company’s Twitter strategy, you should do the next best thing, which is to observe and see what people are saying. For example, were you aware that there are hundreds of conversations on Twitter right now directly related to your industry (ie, potential business leads) that go unanswered?

4) Twitter Drives Traffic
Twitter is optimized for Google, and is a free and easy way of bringing eyeballs to your website. As I said, earlier, your Tweets should be, for the most part, helpful and industry-specific. No one wants to read about your accomplishments everyday. Potential clients want to know you’re savvy about the industry, as well as the changing media landscape. However, every so often, it is good to let your “followers” know when you’ve achieved a major award or secured a contract. National press releases can cost more than $1000 to place on the wire, but Tweets are free, and show up in Google searches. Because of this, you should craft your Tweets to include words and terms people frequently search for online.

5) You Have A Lot To Say – And People Want To Listen
Not knowing what to say is a bad excuse for not using Twitter. If you love what you do for a living, there are an infinite number of things you could say about it that would be interesting to both colleagues and potential clients.

i. The first step, is to create an account, customize your page, include your corporate website link, and add a profile picture. Your name should be easy to understand and easily searchable.
ii. The second step is to identify who you want to read and “follow” your Tweets online. Make sure you answer this question before you Tweet anything.
iii. The third step, is identifying who you want to “follow” on Twitter. Who of your colleagues are on Twitter? Who is a major influencer in your industry that you’d like to learn from? Finding these people are as simple as doing a Google search for their name + Twitter. Make sure that you don’t “follow” them until you have a good arsenal of Tweets up on your page already. Sometimes you only get one opportunity to get someone’s attention.
iv. The fourth step, is to keep the conversation moving and stay active online. At least 1-2 Tweets a day is a great way of keeping your “followers” interested in what you have to say, and ensuring that your potential clients know you are still active. Not being active on Twitter, is like having a website with old information on it.

Potential Tweet Topics:
1. Awards
2. An interesting shoot or client
3. Legislation or regulations affecting the industry
4. Industry-specific articles, reports, movies, TV shows
5. Promoting your colleagues
v. The fifth step, is to promote your Twitter account. Add a link to your Twitter page in your e-mail signatures. Add a “Follow Us On Twitter” link to your website homepage. Import your Tweets to your website to show visitors what you’re up to. Continue to find people you know and people you’ve worked with on Twitter, and “follow” them. They’ll get an e-mail when you do that, and will hopefully “follow” you back. If you have a Facebook page, e-mail your fans, and import your Twitter feed directly to your page via the Twitter/Facebook app: http://apps.facebook.com/twitter/

This is just a sampling of the many things Twitter can do for your business. If I haven’t convinced you yet, ask yourself this: Are you so successful that you aren’t willing to even try to promote your business in a new way?

It was over dinner when Mark Thompson, Principle of Leader Powertools (and a long time friend) requested that my perspective on social media practices be captured on video, and added to his collection of business tools online.

Fast forward to today as I prepare for my time in the studio tomorrow. My goal is to provide a different perspective on the use of social media to promote a brand or business. There are lots of free tools available online – and I am by no means the leading authority on the subject – but given my background in communications and work with top social media destinations (see my What I Do section), I’m in a unique position to speak to the practical aspects of social media. I want to speak to those who doubt the effectiveness of online communication and promotion - who doubt the power of blogs and Twitter (yes they exist). Below is a high level summary of what I’ll be covering tomorrow. I’ll tweet once it goes live.

First, ask yourself, “Do I Have The Time For This?”

Do you have the time to dedicate to a social media strategy? Social media should be everyone’s responsibility, even senior staff

Create A Social Media Strategy

Determine who your target audience is, who you want to reach online, and set goals based on your business goals

Be Present

Create your presence online via Facebook, Twitter, Digg, etc.

Search For Relevant Industry Contacts

This is a great opportunity to connect (or reconnect) with the leaders in your space in a transparent way

Get Noticed

Following reporters and analysts on Twitter or Facebook is an easy way to find out what sorts of stories or reports they’re working on and what they're interested in

Informative vs. Promotional

Share valuable information that can be used by all of your key targets

You Don't Have To Do It Alone

Hire managers, assign tasks, use free online tools to make monitoring communications online easier

Response Time

It is critical to monitor how your company is perceived online (that includes Twitter – those are your customers)