PRos in Training

Author: Kelli Matthews

  • Thank you, Todd Defren!

    Last night, Todd Defren of Shift Communications joined my Advanced Public Relations Writing at the University of Oregon course via telephone to talk about the social media press release specifically and all things social media more generally.

    My students have been assigned a client for which they are creating a “virtual press kit” for the client’s online newsroom. One of the pieces they include must be a social media press release. So they had questions ranging from “what does this look like when implemented?” to “how do you control the chaos of social media?”

    Todd had five points – I hope I got these right – around why SHIFT initially came up with the template and its philosophy about PR’s role in social media.

    1. The SMPR helps to democratize access. Company information should not be the exclusive domain of traditional media. Social media and the SMPR provide more access to more people, which, Todd argues, is a good thing.

    2. Participating in social media, including issuing SMPRs, helps ensure accuracy. Providing access to official logos, photos and videos helps ensure the right ones get used.

    3. The SMPR embraces context. Yes, social media requires companies to relinquish control – something that Todd admitted has been very difficult – but he emphasized the importance of being proactive. Setting up a purpose-built del.icio.us page provides the reporter or blogger context to your release or announcement making their jobs easier – and ultimately, it’s that facilitation that helps build relationships.

    4. These tools help to build community. By allowing the community to do what they want to do with your content, you’re ultimately facilitating relationships with cohorts of journalists or bloggers that you’d otherwise not have time or knowledge to reach.

    5. To build community, you must create shareable content. Build great content that can be broken up into smaller pieces and used in a way the community sees fit. Including Technorati tags helps facilitate the other four points.

    To do social media “right” from a PR perspective it can take more time and money: more expensive to issue SMPRs through a wire service and more staff time to create and maintain the sources necessary to fulfill the purpose (not to mention client education).

    Todd provided a good deal of background and context for the SMPR. So not only do the students understand the “how,” but have a better understanding of the “why.” The students certainly appreciated hearing a different perspective than mine (thanks, Todd, for reinforcing many of my points, by the way!) and enjoyed the conference call.

  • An Online Crisis: Fighting Fire With Fire


    Sometimes for students, it’s difficult to understand how quickly a crisis can destroy your livelihood, your peace of mind, or even your life, and how important it is to have good counsel.

    Jonathan Bernstein, a well-respected crisis manager (and soon-to-be-guest in my Advanced PR Writing Class), represents a family with a story we can all imagine happening to us. This crisis, about child pornography images that 16-year-old Matt Bandy says he did not put on his computer. However, he’s being charged with a felony.

    You can see the full story on Matt’s Web site: www.justice4matt.com. And think about the question the header asks – how could you go to prison for life for images someone else put on your computer? And think about how you would fight for your life, your reputation and your future.

    In crisis management, we must deal with two “courts” – the court of law and the court of public opinion. Using new and traditional media to wage this battle – Jonathan is fighting for support on the court of public opinion. And you can join the fight.

    What do you think? Are you vulnerable? What could Matt do to help get the word out about his case?

  • Water Your Lawn: A Grassroots How To


    Greg Hartnett, “Internet entrepreneur, husband father and activist,” shares 12 ways to get off the couch and get involved in the world (you can just start with your community, though).

    Tips include:

    • Attend a Rally: No shortage of rallies in Eugene, Ore.
    • Volunteer for a campaign: This is a great way to get PR experience and build your resume.
    • Speak out online. It’s cheap, it’s easy. And you can get your voice heard ’round the world.

    What other tips would you add?

  • Entertainment-Education Celeb-Reality Style

    I was accidentally watching (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!) VH1’s Celeb-Reality show called Ego Trip’s (White) Rapper Show this afternoon.

    The show’s premise is that thousands of white boys and girls compete to be part of a show and compete to win $100,000 as the best white rapper. The show is hosted by MC Serch, who was part of the hip-hop group 3rd Base. I’m positive I owned a 3rd Base cassette…

    Anyway, imagine 10 wanna-be MCs in a house together in the South Bronx with free-flowing alcohol. A verbal altercation occurs on day 1 between Persia and John Brown. During this argument, Persia calls John Brown the “n” word to “put him in his place.” Jus Rhyme (I don’t make these names up) calls her on it immediately, telling her it makes him uncomfortable.

    Cut to the next morning. MC Serch comes to the house and tells Persia:

    “That word don’t play here. Regardless.”

    Because of her “n” word usage, she’s required to wear a very large chain around her neck with an oversize pendant that says “N*Word.”

    Persia puts the chain on. Cut to “confessional cam” of Jus Rhyme.

    “There was a time in history when those chains were real…”

    Back to MC Serch.

    “That word don’t flow around the country. In Mississippi, in Tallahassee, in Burmingham… At the end of the day, it’s not about black and white. It’s about right and wrong.”

    Given the elaborate size and design of the chain Persia had to wear, it’s obvious that the producers, hosts, corporate parents were aware this would be an issue on the show. And whether they intended it to be entertainment-education isn’t clear – but it fits.

    Entertainment-Education melds entertainment with… wait for it… education. The most common applicable theory is social learning theory. The core of social learning theory is the concept of role models. Typically there are three types: positive, negative and transitional. Role models are used by the viewer to vicariously try out new behaviors. Positive role models are rewarded for good behavior, negative role models are punished for bad behavior and transitional role models move from being negative to positive (and move from being punished to being rewarded).

    As viewers, we learn from watching the behavior of others. When Persia was yoked with the “N*Word” neck chain, she brushed it off as being “worth it.” But by the end of the episode, she was in tears and truly ashamed of her behavior.

    I suppose that the effectiveness of the “education” part depends on the audience. But I commend the producers for taking this issue head on. What do you think?

  • Mind the Gap! Next Stop… Google-ville, followed by YouTube, MySpace and Delicious

    No, it’s not an underground map. Its a 2007 Web Trends Map.
    Two things are remarkable to me about this map. The first is how many of these items I’ve not yet discovered. Hmmmm….

    The second is the sheer interconnectedness of the Web. Take the main site track around the map and you’ll encounter sites like Digg, The New York Times, Microsoft and MySpace. The main sites track isn’t limited to sites that only provide content, or are technology-based, but also include social networking, advertising, humor and “democracy.”

    Take a look – where do you enter, spend time and exit this sphere?

  • Has Video Killed the Radio Star?

    The Buggles song was the first played on MTV on August 1, 1981.

    ABC’s 20/20 asks if privacy is dead.

    There’s no denying that instant video has changed the media landscape. Celebrity, politics, law enforcement… and you. Search ‘nose picking’ on YouTube.

    Jeff Jarvis, media blogger, calls it “small tv” and suggests that beyond the “flaming farts” there are video gems that are being overlooked.

    What does this mean for communication professionals?

    It’s important to understand the implications of viral video:

    • Notoriety and celebrity are completely interchangeable. In a PT Barnum-esque way, any YouTube is good YouTube?
    • The generation of late high school and college-age young adults would rather be “embarrassed publicly than ignored privately.“
    • Cameras are everywhere! I spent New Year’s Eve on The Strip in Las Vegas. While the sea of humanity was enough to provide video for days, I was struck by the sheer number of video cameras surfing above the crowd. People filming with one arm up in the air. We also saw several arrests for disorderly conduct. And the cameras were rolling. Had the Vegas PD misstepped, it would’ve been instantly available for the world to see.

      Anything remotely interesting can show up on the Internet and be shared and viewed millions of times over.

    There seems to be no limit to what we (as a society) are interested in watching. Saddam Hussein’s hanging – in full – was available within 24 hours of his death. More than 1500 videos are available.

    We must be prepared, as PRos, to help clients and companies navigate the new media landscape. And to do that, like any channel of communication, we must be consumers of that media. We must understand how it works and who uses it. Uses and Gratifications Theory is a whole lot more complicated than it once was.

  • The Rise of the Blogger.

    Guest Post from Erica Harbison, Waggener Edstrom and member of the PRos in Training “advisory board”

    It’s almost a new year – perfect time to resolve to learn more about blogging and bloggers.

    So you’ve been hearing a lot about the rise in influence and importance of bloggers, eh? I’m here to tell you that from a PR perspective, what you’re seeing and hearing is true.

    Bloggers are here to stay for the foreseeable future and they (we) are powerful. I say “we” because if you haven’t gotten on the blog bandwagon by now, you’re already behind. Being a blogger, as Kelli has evangelized many times before, is the first step in knowing how to reach bloggers. If you’re driving a PR campaign, it’s nearly always appropriate to think about how to reach include bloggers in your strategy.

    Your first piece of homework is to research bloggers who are writing about your client / product / industry. How do I do this, you say? Check out Technorati as a first stop. As you do this, take note of who the bloggers are. Where do they live? What are they saying? What blogs do they read and link to? What seems to influence them, and what bloggers or media outlets are linking to them? Besides the average joe blog sites, are you finding sites maintained by pundits in a particular area (e.g. marketing, technology, sports, etc)? In most cases, these should be your target blog audience.

    Now reaching bloggers via traditional PR tactics is a tricky business. They are not like reporters who want to be “pitched.” The rules are completely different. The agency I work for has been trying out different strategies to reach these guys and it seems to be working (hosting special blogger-only events and organizing suites for bloggers to post/podcast at tradeshows). The key thing with bloggers is they don’t want to be PR’d. Here are some things I’ve learned:

    • Like traditional press, always know what they write and their slant before outreaching.
    • When you contact a blogger, whether its via posting a comment to their recent blog entry or in the way of a “buddy mail” (essentially an email pitch), keep it casual. Establish yourself and your client with the blogger before coming on too strong.
    • Don’t offer interviews with your spokesperson. Bloggers are not like traditional press. Interviews should be organized only if you feel very confident that you will not be putting your client at risk for a bad experience. Remember, bloggers can write what ever they want; no one is editing/reviewing. There is always a risk for bad “press” when dealing with bloggers.
    • Does your target blogger seem to have a favorite news site? Plan to place a story about your client on this site to get your blogger’s attention. He/she may end up linking to it, or better yet, writing a stand-alone blog post about your news. This is a great way to extend your media relations efforts.

    I could go on and on, but that’s probably enough for now to get you started. Happy blogging (and blog reading).

    photo: Kelli & Erica, January 2006

  • Be-attitudes For PR Students in 2007

    With the new year, comes a new term and a new chance for students of all kinds to think about how to be better.

    1. Be Curious: Read, ask questions, find out everything you can about your chosen profession. In public relations that means reading the industry blogs (I recommend Communication Overtones, PR Squared and On Message), paying attention to industry news (PR Tactics, PR Week and Bulldog Reporter’s Daily Dog), talking to local professionals in your community and being an avid consumer of media.

    2. Be Engaged: Beyond curiosity, engage your mind. What are the greater implications of what you’re reading, listening to or talking about?

    3. Be Empathetic: To succeed in public relations, you must be able to put yourself in another’s shoes. Practice now! How did your teammate come to that conclusion? If you were a member of a particular target audience, how would a company or organization reach you? As a client, how often would you want a report and what information would be important?

    4. Be Active: Active involvement in pre-professional organizations is an excellent way to be involved on your campus and in your community and make connections for your future at the same time. At the University of Oregon, PR students are involved in PRSSA and Allen Hall Public Relations, the student-run public relations agency.

    Start your own blog, make connections via social networks like MySpace or Facebook. Find a new site like Zaadz, 43things or even Dogster.

    5. Be Responsible: Your actions, your education and, yes, your grade are your responsibility. Your instructors (hopefully) provide the direction and the tools. But if you’re serious about your education and your future career, personal responsibility is essential. If you need help, get it. If you have a question, ask.

    6. Be Confident: As you mature into a young professional, trust your instincts and your ability to find a great internship, offer counsel to your brother’s friend’s start-up company and generally do good work. The balance, of course, is to be confident and humble. Know when you are in over your head and get help.

    7. Be Passionate!: The beautiful thing about choosing a career in public relations is that you can find the industry that makes you passionate about communicating. Maybe it’s performing arts? Or high-tech? For me, it’s nonprofit work and social change. Find your passion and shout it from the rooftops!

    In 2007 these six “be-attitudes” will be, in many ways, easier. We have greater access to information and resources that help us achieve to our maximum potential.

    This post is part of the ProBlogger group writing project.

  • Finally Feeling a Little Holiday Spirit

    Sometimes it takes me a while to get in the holiday spirit. I blame 5 years of working in retail and hospitality.

    The worst of it – having to listen to holiday music for 6 weeks straight.

    But what if Christmas was your JOB. And no, I don’t mean working as the jolly man in the red suit.

    The National Christmas Tree Association is the trade association for Christmas tree growers.

    Obviously its busiest time of year would be right about now. The Association does a nice job of providing lots of resource information via its Web site for news media. The Web site’s not slick, but it’s useful.

    Highlights:

    • Extensive background information and fact sheets. Who knew Christmas trees were so complex!
    • Random fun facts like: In 1531, the first retail Christmas Tree lots are started in German cities.
    • Lots of good recycling information. None of which is: leave it in your backyard until it decomposes (honey! I told you so!)
    • A good deal of consumer information. Unfortunately some of this is hard to get to. It’s buried in the “blog” which isn’t user friendly or in the “news media” section, which not all visitors to the site would think to visit to find info about how to care for their tree.

    What would you add? What would be a fun way to promote real Christmas trees?

    Happy Holidays!

  • Don’t Let Your Hormones Get the Best of You

    From PRos in Train…

    As a woman who is relatively “in tune” with her body, I can tell you that hormones certainly have an influence on the ebbs and flows of mood, comfort, social aptitude (and attitude) and creativity (among other things). An e-zine, www.fourweeksmag.com is taking this idea to a new level.

    I watched a National Geographic or Discovery Channel show many years ago that showed that women who are ovulating are more likely to dress and act in a way that might “attract a mate” – stripping us down to our primordial urges. I think the examples were that she might wear more revealing clothes and play with her hair (a grooming ritual). I am fascinated by that stuff. I think I was an anthropologist in another life.

    So today, I was cruising PRWeb (don’t ask…) and came across tips from www.fourweeksmag.com about how to use your natural monthly rhythms (women) and daily hormone cycles (men) to be a better shopper.

    As a consumer, a communicator, a woman and a mother I dislike the idea that anyone would be a slave to their hormones (any more than one might be a slave to the alignment of the stars and moon). But what the writer argues is certainly interesting.

    From the press release:

    Week 1 (starts the first day of menstruation) To boost holiday shopping cheer: Shop at mom-and-pop tores and neighborhood boutiques. Estrogen and testosterone start out at low levels this week, which makes women more comfortable in familiar places that are close to home. These rising hormones also makes women chattier, so they’ll appreciate the personalized attention and friendliness of a smaller store.

    Save money by… Avoiding impulse items like bath products, gadgets and anything next to a cash register. Rising testosterone this week makes women more likely to splurge on small items not on their shopping list.

    So. As a “mom and pop” store, would you position yourselves as comfortable and familiar in your advertising, PR and marketing? I’m not sure there’s any deep application to our craft – but what do you think?

    photo by: pintong

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