Day: July 2, 2003

Anthony Parcero asks a great question.  As a PR professional how do you encourage and promote blogs without causing a backlash against you or your client.

He uses the Raging Cow episode as an example.  The Raging Cow blog program was attacked and rightly criticized because a group of “viral marketeers” tried to surreptitiously gain third party endorsement through offering inducements to a range of influential bloggers.  In effect it was a fake, and of course there were “thirty pieces” of silver involved.

The essence of a successful blog is honesty and authenticity.  The Blogger must have the time, opinions and interest to maintain a blog.  For that blog to succeed there must be an audience and you must be able to reach that audience.

When one of these conditions is missing the blog will fail, in fact if you don’t meet them all, don’t even try.  For example my CEO has the opinions but not the time. But our Chief Scientist has the interest, the opinions and part of his job specification is to build dialogue with like-minded individuals.  So his blog prospers, it’s not propoganda, it’s his opinions. And that authenticity works.

You can’t force a blog. You can educate on the benefits of blogging in terms of creating a conversation with your target audience, with providing valuable information and insights, but as soon as you try and exert control, the project fails.

This is the power of the blog.  The real, valuable and authentic blogs invariably rise to the top.  Promotion should be restricted to promoting it on your website, in your literature and creating connections with like-minded individuals.  However, any covert communication should be avoided.

Right now the predominant corporate use of blogs is in the technology sector, because that’s where the early adopters are.  But we are already seeing them proliferate outside technology.  Take a look at Rick Bruner’s client  BizNet Travel  as a good example of a non-technology related blog.

Communicators must move away from the notion of control.  Your ability to control the message, the medium and the desired result is being reduced every day.

Instead we need to promote a better understanding of how we communicate with people.  That is the change that the Internet is bringing. 

It reduces control but exponentially increases our ability to talk with our audience.  In many ways the teachings of the Cluetrain Manifesto are being delivered by this new communication model.

The longer we stand knee deep in water waving the tide back, the bigger the risk that Public Relations people will be swept away and a new breed of marketing communicator will emerge.

They will operate without a covert agenda of manipulation and sleight of hand a-la Raging Cow.

Blogging and effective Blog Relations is the triumph of an honest and open approach to communication over obfuscation and denial. I’m not asking you to like it, but I believe it is the reality!

If this post if far too serious for you, enjoy the Gluetrain Manifesto:

“Markets are conversations. Conversations are markets. Markets are he as you are we and we are all together.”

Once again dear reader, the entertainment business has conspired to raise my blood pressure. A story in the UK Independent on comedian Harry Hill is one of the most innane and ridiculous articles I have read since the last one.

Harry thinks PR is rubbish, advertising is the only form of promotion that works and of course he states all this in a press interview set up by his PR handler. What a numbskull, just read this insightful anti-PR quote:

“He nods towards the PR woman from Avalon, his management company. ‘Sophie will kill me for this, but I have quite strong ideas about PR. I think a lot of it is a waste of time. I think it is a self-perpetuating industry. The PRs tell you that you have got to do PR. Why do they tell you that? They tell you it’s to get your show [publicity] but I think it’s because they are PRs and that is what PRs do.’ “

IMHO, this entire article is an absolute waste of good column inches, if you don’t think PR works, don’t do it.  Spend your money on advertising and have the courage of your convictions. PR doesn’t work for everyone, but that isn’t conclusive evidence of its effectiveness.

David Strom over at VAR Business has taken the time to give some fantastic, common sense advice on maximizing your opportunities with him (and with every other journalist on the face of the planet).

Now I know many of you will shake your heads and tut tut about these simple common sense suggestions but according to David, PR people are not servicing his needs.

I think it’s always useful to review and refresh how you are working. You probably do as well, if you’re reading this!

“My guess is less than 15 percent of the visits I take have any subsequent follow-up component. That is a big waste of my time and the vendor’s money, because these press tours aren’t cheap when you add up all that is involved.“

Most industries are adopting XML as a way of simplifying the sharing of business documents and information. XML provides a common format for such information. 

Not to be left behind, the PR business is following suit.  A UK inspired body (who I’ve written about previously) XPRL has been working on creating common formats for standard PR documents such as press releases and press coverage which will make it easier to share that information.

On July 10, 2003 XPRL will be unveiling the first tools using the new language and formats.

While I imagine for many of you, my dear readers, this will not float your boat, it is very noteworthy.

The event is taking place in London and as far as I know there are no plans to provide a webcast.  But keep an eye on their website.

You can register online if you’re around the London area or contact Lucie Arnaud.  Pre-registration is �10, admission on the door is �20.