There are four ways that people learn about our products and services:
1. Through their own experiences with us.
2. From their friends, family and colleagues – word of mouth.
3. Through the media – news reports, articles, etc.
4. Directly from us through our own advertising, web sites, social media, etc.
I always list these four sources of information in this order, because Continue reading “Influencing Target Audiences – Work From the Inside Out”
Whether managing your personal account or updating an employer or client account you’re responsible for, making an online mistake can be embarrassing to say the least. Online mistakes can also be costly in terms of damage done to an individual or firm’s reputation. As many celebrities and newsies have discovered sometimes what they felt was an innocuous statement can become quickly controversial and viral.
A client recently asked me how to deal with an error that went out in a post. There is no “easy answer” to this type of question, of course. The answer is really “it depends.” It depends on what the “oops” was, how many people are likely to see it, what the potential negative ramifications might be and–importantly–whether a follow up message might bring more attention to the issue rather than defusing it. Believe it or not Continue reading “What to do When You Make an Online Mistake”
In the old days, communicators communicated to their audiences. These days communicators, if they’re communicating online, are communicating with their audiences–whether they realize it or not. The old “conversations” were generally cloaked in privacy. When I saw a television ad that generated some kind of response from me, I might share it with the few people I was watching the commercial with, or talk about it later with friends. But, my response was fairly limited.
Enter social media. Today Continue reading “Leveraging Consumer Feedback – Even When It’s Negative”
In the “old days” there was advertising and there was PR. Advertising was communication that we created about ourselves and we paid for. PR was communication that we earned through creating relationships and clever pitches to the media gatekeepers who would then share information about us on our behalf. Social media represents a new communication option that has had, and will continue to have, a marked impact on both advertising and PR. Continue reading “How Social Media is Changing Advertising and PR”
We all make mistakes, but those of us in communication roles are likely to be more subject to those mistakes being spotted than those in other professions. Usually, the mistakes are embarrassing, but inconsequential. We’re not, typically, dealing with issues of life and death after all.
But sometimes even seemingly small mistakes can have big consequences. Yesterday, Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign received some probably unwanted attention for misspelling America in its new iPhone app – “A Better Amercia.” Oops. Ugh… Continue reading “Oops! Mistakes That Matter – But How Much?”
Numerous online discussions these days raise questions about the continued effectiveness of the traditional “press release” – or as it is more accurately termed *news* or *media* release (since these communications aren’t intended only for the “press”). The discussions are interesting and raise a number of relevant points about how communicating with the media has changed with the advent of online tools and the proliferation of email vs. traditional “snail mail.” It’s fair to say that the number of traditional print releases *mailed* to news outlets has diminished significantly over the past several years. However, Continue reading “Is The News Release Dead? Not Necessarily.”
I’ve always considered myself fortunate to have a perspective on both sides of the PR/media relations business. With my “communication consulting hat” on, I work with clients interested in receiving media coverage to help boost their credibility and establish them as thought leaders in various areas of expertise. When doing this work, I’m actively pitching or responding to queries from writers and journalists who are covering certain topics. The goal, of course, is to prompt them to “pick me” – or my client – as a potential source.
I’ve been pretty successful doing this and I think a lot of the reason for this stems from Continue reading “PR/Media Relations – Wearing Two Hats Yields Best Practice Insights”
In an online discussion I was recently involved in, prompted by my blog on Borders’ recent announcement, I was asked whether I thought PR could be the answer for businesses that are feeling the pressure from increasing competition and ever-narrowing margins. My short answer: “Yes, I think that PR, in a broad sense, can definitely help businesses in our current environment.” What businesses Continue reading “Is PR the Answer? Remaining Relevant in Changing Markets”
Over the past few years, as many of you certainly know, the economy has had a marked impact on the media industry, particularly for print journalists. Entire organizations have closed or been acquired and many have laid-off staffers, leaving those left standing busier than ever before (and journalists have always been very, very busy and working under tight deadlines). This represents (in an unfortunate sort of way) an opportunity for individuals and companies hoping to get media exposure for their organizations and activities. Why? Because media outlets are more and more open to
Continue reading “Get Media Exposure and Promotion – In Your Own Words”
I participate in a number of online forums that cover various communication issues and a question that invariably comes up is “what department should ‘own’ social media”?
It’s a legitimate question and, as a former corporate communication/marketing director, I definitely “get” turf wars. But, while I tend to believe that all organizational communication should be managed through a single channel to ensure consistency and effective brand management, “owning” social media Continue reading “Which Department “Owns” Social Media?”
