Get Smart. Share with Your Friend (Feed)

We created a room on Friend Feed to kick the conversation up a notch around here. Two people posting and many (wonderful) people commenting is great. But there's a metric ton of relevant media relations content online.

We need your help.

Some of you already have a FriendFeed account. So we thought, "What Would Scoble Do?" >pun intended. we love Robert, but we don't worship false gods<

We got a room. Stop by. Tell a buddy, bring a friend. It's open to everyone that wants to help solve the problem of bad pitches.

Share a link you think applies to the media relations melee we jump into on a near daily basis (for a living no less).

update: You can grab the RSS Feed here.

Wall of International Peace - Moscow uploaded by Jeff Bauche._.•´¯)

Getting Ahead of the Story, Volume 1000

As the CEO of a PR agency, I can’t even tell you how many potential clients ask “Do I really need PR?” Usually I just answer with a simple and slightly aggravated “Why Yes!” Today, however, I will answer with an example of what a smart, finely crafted and well-timed PR campaign (with strategy) can do.

The past few months we have seen historically vilified Microsoft attempt to take the current underdog, Yahoo, over with a slow hand. During the war Microsoft was seen as a Goliath, a heartless corporation out to bully Yahoo, a company determined to stand on its own.

Here’s the thing, PR frames reality. When the deal fell apart, Microsoft was smart and engaged the press early. Their PR team reached out and massaged reporters, putting the blame squarely on Yahoo.

The press painted a picture that made Microsoft seem reasonable and open to negotiations. Microsoft’s flexibility was met by an unwillingness on the part of Yahoo to negotiate or cooperate. The reason the deal fell apart had nothing to do with the suddenly valiant Microsoft; it fell apart because Yahoo was unreasonable.

While talking to the press Microsoft might have mentioned –naturally, off the record –that when you’re dealing with the takeover of a publicly traded company there are certain rules that each company must follow.

PR is more than spin. In case I forgot to mention this (wink plus wink), when done right, PR frames reality. The reality here is that the Yahoo board put the best interest of their shareholders aside.

And there are some real legal implications here. Right or wrong, the perception exists that the Yahoo board failed in their responsibility to their shareholders. When shareholders lose faith, stock price goes down. When stock price goes down, Yahoo will not be able to stand against Google. When that happens…well…there won’t be anyone left to go Yahoo! (one place where Yahoo!’s exclamation point works!)

People still may not like Microsoft (clip of Bill Gates taking a bullet to the dome in the South Park movie is here: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/392488/south_park_bill_gates/), but MS has framed reality to their benefit with some smart PR. Unlike Yahoo, Microsoft was out there–immediately. Yahoo’s CEO did not make statements or address the press until days after Microsoft’s well-timed and brilliant PR-strophe hit. By the time Yahoo hit the streets, people weren’t buying their story – the minds of the public were already made up.

Yes, Yahoo stressed their willingness to negotiate. They also said they were fulfilling their obligations to their shareholders. But alas, it was too late. The reality was already framed and the story already set.

Yahoo’s delay invited enormous share holder Carl Icahn in there panting and aiming to launch a proxy fight to remove the current Yahoo board. His argument? Same as Microsoft’s. There’s a good shot Yahoo will win over Icahn, but the battle to keep him away will cost Yahoo time and money, and time and money, and maybe even a little more time and money.

So you have to ask yourself, even if Yahoo did spurn Microsoft, had they controlled the story would Icahn have this window of opportunity? I don’t THINK so. All he is doing is taking advantage of the perception that Yahoo’s board is irresponsible – the perception Microsoft’s very own PR team put out there.

Lesson is, you need PR and you better be deft. The effect PR has goes way beyond people liking you, your product or your company. Always be the first person/company/whatever talking to the press. If it’s not you it’s your competition. Beat them to the punch; put your brand, your spin and your ideas out there.

And be smart about too, will ya?
*****
For more like this - including it - see the 'other site,' the monstrously effective Laermer.com.

Worried About Getting Spam in Your Wiki? Just Be Like Tolu O.

We’re so over the whole he said, she said around “lists that are the absence of all colors.” We’re moving on. This comment from Tolu O. is one reason why.

----

Dear Kevin and other knowledgeable people in social media/PR,

I want you all to know that you have put the fear of God in me. I am officially wary of pitching anybody now. Traditional media folks, new media folks-- it does not matter. I agonize over how I will pitch. I proofread continuously to make sure I am using proper AP style. I double check, triple check sometimes, to make sure I am pitching in the journalist/blogger’s preferred way. I pore over your blog, Kevin D., and try to follow the mandates that you set forth in your old post “Ready to pitch a blog? Take this quiz first.”

As excited as I am to become a full-fledged PR professional, it can be disheartening when I read some posts which basically put people on blast. It is like walking into the gym in 8th grade and having the wrong sneakers on-- everyone stares. I can either rock my sneaks and make the best of the situation or I can hide from the it.

I am a PR student at UGA. I think I am pretty knowledgeable in social media. My teachers have done an excellent job of informing me about social media and how to approach it (props to you Dr. Sweetser). I Twitter occasionally, I win every argument because of Wikipedia. My Secondlife avatar is pretty hot. Everything considered, I am no expert but I do know the basics. Plus, and this is a very big plus, I am well versed in the basics of public (now becoming personalized) relations.

My whole point being, there are many PR students like me coming into the workforce. I am going to try my hardest to be successful and pitch the media with the delicacy and respect they deserve. However, I am learning and will continue to learn for the rest of my life. I do not plan on making mistakes but if I do I will certainly learn from them.

So yes, I will follow your advice on what to do before I pitch. Yes, I will stay up to date and keep myself relevant. Yes, I will heed the advice of those that have made mistakes and those who continue to educate people like me. With all your help, I don’t have to be scared to pitch, because when you think about it, it is a basic courtesy (not to mention necessity) to know who you are pitching.

So thank you Kevin and other knowledgeable PR people. I will be careful how I pitch. I’m no expert now, but I will be (and I’ll be rocking some old school sneaks).

---

The Bad Pitch blog owes Tolu O. a pair of Chuck Taylors for a rally cry rivaling King Henry V. But please have no fear. Well maybe a little is healthy. Tolu O proves that out above. She's being taught by some of the best in the business at UGA. And she's applying what she learns to do her best work. She understands what could happen if she's not focused on her media relations efforts.

And, while no one will admit it at the time, the mistakes are the best part. If it weren’t for my own mistakes I wouldn't have created the Bad Pitch blog.

The feedback the Bad Pitch blog has received, and the conversation it’s created, is the reason why it's still here. So what else do YOU want to read/talk about? Let us know. In the meantime we’re heading out early to get this note from Tolu O. laminated.

wall of spam uploaded by chotda
tags | public relations | PR | media relations | media | good pitch | bad pitch | bad pitch blog

Bad Pitch Pissing Match

When Lifehacker’s Gina Trapani started getting unsolicited pitches sent to her personal email address, she took action, Chris Anderson style, and created the PR Spammers Wiki.

And you thought we were harsh.

This inspired a handful of posts weighing in on the topic --- some note black lists won’t work (they won’t), others suggest a response mirroring Anderson’s and Trapani’s tactics (not worth it).

Do I agree with Trapani’s approach to this problem? No. Am I surprised by the wiki? No. Will it be the last of its kind? No.

The Bigger Picture
Trapani is not a villain. Someone serving up tasty snack ideas clearly is OK. She makes her plight clear on the wiki:

NOTE: This wiki was put together by Gina Trapani, editor of Lifehacker.com, who welcomes blog pitches to the tips at lifehacker.com email address, which exists for that purpose. She has also always respectfully requested that no press releases get sent to her personal email address in the one place where it is published online. The press releases, however, keep arriving. At her personal email address. Which is why she filters these companies.

Over time bad pitches hurt the entire industry. This fact inspired this blog and the PR Spammers Wiki reinforces this further. Right or wrong the wiki is a powerful conversation starter. And while others are simply updating their email databases, the smart folks on Trapani’s list are already discussing the wiki with her and building a relationship instead of a grudge.

Peeing Dog uploaded by THEfunkyman
tags | public relations | PR | media relations | media | good pitch | bad pitch | bad pitch blog | Lifehacker

Twitter Cures Disease and…and Cleans Ovens Too!!!

Admit it. At some point, in some form or another…Twitter pisses you off. I’ve been there and back.

The above headline openly mocks the effusive glee that drips from the metric ton of online chatter around this topic.

But you need to get over it. Learn to love not hate Twitter. Here’s how...

”What are you doing?” is just a prompt.
Many say they don't get on Twitter because they don’t care what people are doing. It tells me they haven’t parsed through Twitter posts. Even at 140 characters, that’s what they are -- tiny little blog posts.

Some of these posts are minutiae. Just consider Twitter a party. You’ll have several conversations at a social gathering. Some will be amazing. Some will make you realize why people cut themselves. But you’ll leave the party with some valuable information. And I’m not talking digits.

It’s the utility stupid.
Twitter will not cure disease or clean your oven. It does not posses medicinal qualities. But it is a handy utility. Allan Jenkins offers up some more Twitter pragmatism here.

Twitter takes time.
Social media does not offer instant results. Twitter gains value over time…if you participate.

Twitter is niche.
Not everyone is on Twitter. But more folks jump on daily. Your odds continue to increase that people of like mind and interest are on it.

Just consider the media, a few reporters and outlets are using Twitter in new and interesting ways.

Event coverage.
Twitter’s utility is clear during events. Twitter serves as a back channel for communication, regardless of where you’re at -- in the room or across the continent. Add Twitpic to the mix and you can even augment your posts by sending photos to your Twitter feed.

Charlotte's WCNC-TV is taking event coverage a step further. Its election coverage includes Twitter updates from each member of the news team. The TV station rolls them into one big feed on their site. With this in place, WCNC offers another level of coverage to viewers and, gasp, talk directly with them.

140 character pitches?
Andy Aldridge knows the art of the elevator speech. He was already following Jeff Elder on Twitter. So when Jeff asked for leads for his weekly column on Twitter, Andy replied on Twitter. Nearly all of the communication took place using Twitter, even fact checking of the final story that ran.

These are just a few examples of how Twitter can improve your media relations efforts. At a minimum you can learn more about reporters likes and dislikes. You could even build a stronger pitch by using Twitter to identify complementary sources for your story idea.

To be honest, it doesn’t matter to me if you use Twitter or not. I don’t get a toaster for every person I help sign up. But sooner or later, someone more important than me will wonder aloud if your key media/clients/target audiences are on Twitter. Wouldn’t you like to answer that question authoritatively? Even better, wouldn’t you like to be the first one to bring up the topic?

Inspired by Anil uploaded by heather
tags | public relations | PR | media relations | media | good pitch | bad pitch | bad pitch blog | Twitter | social media

The Stupid or Crazy Pitch

PR people can’t afford to be wall flowers (passive aggressive perhaps, but not shy). But some PR people go to the extreme. Actually they get to extreme and take a running leap off extreme.

An anonymous trade editor sends us "Idiot Exhibit One" which is less a pitch and more of a demand. The subject line says it all (loudly in caps lock)
BOOK THIS FATHER'S DAY INTERVIEW OR EXPLAIN WHY YOU DIDN'T...

Catchy title, eh? Makes you want to yell STOP THE PRESSES (the handful that still run these days). Worst of all? This trade would never in a million years cover the topic this ham-fisted shill was shoving pushing, er, “selling.”

Or take this “Put Out Pitch” from another anonymous editor that merely said:

Pretty tight deadline, you should give more notice next time. As my attached bio details, I could certainly speak to the issues. I'm free from 1:30 PM to 2 PM, PST, if that works.

Thanks for that window Mr. Busy. God complex. Table of one! Might we touch your robe so that we might be healed?

What’s the moral of the story? Don’t be a jerk.

robbers uploaded by Jakob Lodwick

Open for Business

A fellow PR blogger sent us a bad pitch and wondered aloud if we still collect them.

We do.

He noted that bad pitches are such a common occurrence; they've gone from extraordinary to plain old ordinary.

He's right.

Bad pitches are old news. This adds fuel to our (bon)fire. The fact that they're blending into the white noise of spam, bacon and other slices of info on the interruption samich we choke down every. single. day. makes them all the more worthy of our scrutiny.

>cue music<
So with apologies to Ms. Liberty: Give us your pitches, your good and your bad emails yearning for free space.

untitled uploaded by girl from long beach