Kevin Dugan has posted the first in a two part interview with Richard Laermer, TV PR personality, best selling PR author and somewhere in between boss of a successful New York PR firm. In the interview he offers his six tips for PR Pros:
1. Follow through on everything you say you�re going to do with journalists. Double check that you did it.
2. Think huge. If you want to make a stale story bigger, imagine the connection to something that�s already in the minds of reporters (and the ultimately-bored public). Make it the nuttiest idea � add some logic to it and send it out. What�s a trend, anyway? THREE THINGS. Find two others in the culture that connects to your product. Brainstorm the idea with some buddies. It�s like a paint party for the brain � everyone takes a brush and has some fun with it.
3. Stay informed. When I was a kid I read about the folks who made it through the Depression unscathed. They were the ones who had spent time carefully reading the teeny media (newspapers and blogs. Kidding!). I think about RLM and how fortunate �and smart � the group of executives there were, to make a conscious decision to step away from the wreckage of consumer dot com in the late 90�s. We read the writing on more than walls. There�s a selfish reason for me wanting PR folks to be informed. It makes you more interesting if you know a little about every subject out there. Heck, who wants to go to a cocktail party and meet dull folks?
4. Get immersed in the business or industry of your client. We need to understand and really help our customers with their goals. I was really impressed when PR News changed their mission to be, �Building the bridge between PR and the bottom line.� How much better is that for us than �the news of the PR world�? As if.
5. Pitch. Go and talk to reporters. I have seen more managers and C-type Public Relations professionals get to a point in their career where that�s, um, beneath them. Oh boy. If you don�t talk to reporters then you�re not a PR person. If you�re not in touch with the media you are not helpful to the troops. You�re just a suit. Sorry that�s harsh. Nah I�m not sorry.
6. Follow through. I know I said it �twice -but it�s the most important �teaching� I can dole. You can�t imagine how many reporters just shake their head at us PR types when we don�t do what we say we�re going to do. And we have no excuse. It�s our job!
PR Newswire’s Media Insider has some interesting findings from a recent survey they conducted regarding quoted companies and the “quiet period”. 67% of respondents felt that the SEC should liberalize the quiet period regulations, while 78% say that the current regulations are outdated. I’d be surprised if you could discover any agreement with those findings in the SEC….
Elizabeth Albrycht points to a new Network World supplement called Network Life which is aimed, quite cleverly, at tech execs by day who by night are besieged by friends and relatives for technical information. This is a great publication idea, hopefully the content can match the potential. In terms of the much maligned “virus marketing” idea this audience is a major “sneezer” to reach the great unwashed consumer. The site looks great and they already have a number of blogs up and running. Elizabeth points to a recent blog entry regarding a meeting between editor Tony Kistner and 2Wire VP Brian Sugar…. see blogs can be informative and interesting…
Neville Hobson offers some interesting advice and tips, in the aftermath of Peoplesoft’s accession to Oracle, on communicating in a merger.
PR Week has an interesting interview with PR uber blogger Stevel Rubel:
“I’d be lying if I didn’t say it was rewarding. But if it weren’t bringing visibility to the firm, I wouldn’t be doing it. [The blog] is helping the firm make connections. We found an extremely good hire through my blog. We probably would have looked for several weeks. That underscores the power of connections. I’ll give a fictional scenario. If I’m asked by a potential client for support abroad, I know PR bloggers around the world. I don’t think that’s socialism; I think it’s networking.”
Hans Kullin has a great link for anyone with an interest in Internet history (sadly that includes me) of the 100 oldest Internet domains.
Topaz Partners reports on some recent research from Perseus Development Corporation which found that 56% of bloggers are female. I estimate that the current PR blog gender balance is 90-10 in favor of males, which given the make up of our profession is very poor. Lot’s more work to do there.
Finally, is it just me or in the past week have bloggers become more opinionated, more argumentative? Nothing wrong with that, it seems the temperature is rising….
Murphy's Law 