Trish Skram’s Blog

For those of you familiar with “Napoleon Dynamite,” you probably appreciate the title. In the film, Napoleon says to Pedro, “Girls only like guys with skills” after discussing prom dates. Well, that line might hold some truth. But besides nunchakus (or nunchucks) and computer skills (as Napoleon would say), good managers only like employees with skills … good communication skills that is.

I was inspired to blog about these “skills” based on a question posed at #u30pro chat last night on Twitter (a shout out to the #u30pro community … woot!)

I think it’s so important to recognize skills we have acquired (good or bad) over the years from past and current managers. You’ll be amazed with how much you learn about yourself, how much you’ve grown, how much more enhanced your natural skill has become and how much those skills have changed your goals and aspirations. So, here goes. Top 6 skills I’ve learned from great managers.

Caption: Halloween 2008. I still laugh at this photo whenever I see it!

Always listen … attentively. And always make time in your day to listen to others. No matter what. You’ll be respected, more approachable and you’ll be looked at as someone people trust and look up to. Listening can also be a great research tool.

Seek challenges. Even when they make your job harder, busier and more stressful. It will bring out the best in you, even if you fail at the challenge. As they say: if at first you don’t succeed, dust yourself off and try again.

Be open-minded. I’ve said this many times in previous posts. It’s a skill that enables us to achieve more success because we can perceive things as others see them.

Keep dialog positive. Don’t let negative conversations with colleagues; co-workers and clients outweigh the positives. Point out more positive aspects than negative in almost all situations. Constructive criticism is best. Avoid being too snarky (if you can).

Know the value of a team. A good team creates strong alliances and eventually will bring you everything you need in a good working relationship. Professional and/or personal, surround yourself with people who will take you higher.

Be a relationship-builder. Most important skill in my book. Need I say more?

What is #u30pro? Spearheaded by @cubanaLAF and @davidSpinks, #u30pro is a forum for young working professionals to discuss how to bridge the generational gap, demolish stereotypes and break down differences in the professional workplace. I think you’ll be interested in this forum – check it out!

What skills would you add to my list? Please comment!

Photo courtesy of http://fanpop.com

Technorati Tags: PR people in Madison, Random "Trish" Thoughts, top skills for communicators, WI

You get a message on Twitter that says, “thanks for following me. Find out how you can get a following or get friends on Facebook by clicking here …” or “Need more success? It’s easier than you think. I’ll give you my secret guide for FREE! Click here …” Ugh. Lately, Twitter has been notorious for direct messages like this AND spam avatars who send out messages that are just plain annoying. Sad but true.

But it doesn’t stop there. In this day and age, there are a lot of folks out there looking for a quick buck and they’ll do anything to make you think they are your go-to business success answer. Again, sad but true. There’s a lot of warning signs to find out if your social media (SM) consultant is a fake (or well, not worth the investment). These bullets are based on how they portray themselves online. Here are a few key things to look for to find out if your SM person is a fake.

Google ‘em. Are they there? Simply stated, folks. Do they show up a few times? Better yet, do they show up at all? If not, you’ve been bamboozled. If they don’t have solid links to justify they are indeed a SM expert, they probably just discovered social media in the last six months. Google or any search engine can really be on your side in this case.

Their connection ratios are off, way off. Example: If they are following 4,000 people on Twitter, but only have 200 or so following them. Or they have a Facebook page but, it reaks of bad character (e.g. no comments, interaction, friends, links)? I know a few SM/PR people that only have 500 followers, but they follow back hundreds as well. You don’t have to have 10,000 followers or friends to know what you’re talking about. It’s how and what you say when you tweet. You can really tell a lot about a person by how and what they say when they tweet. Really, folks … would you dine with a chef who didn’t even eat their own food? I think not. Read their feeds and ask yourself these questions:
• Are they sending out quality, worth-while educational links that pertain to your industry?
• Do they engage in conversation with other people (especially other social media professionals?)
• Do they tweet at least once a day?
• Do they talk about their own SM success stories?

They claim to know everything. Nobody knows everything about social media. Not even the best of the best. Social media is evolving every day. It’s shifting constantly and making new paths. It’s impossible to know EVERYTHING. It’s a good thing to not know everything. It shows they are willing to adapt, change and most of all, learn.

They call themselves a “social media guru.” WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! Watch out for the over-excessive, boastful, have-no-idea-what-I’m-saying powerhouses. Professionals who show a thing or two about social media for you (or their clients) but have no personal online presence themselves is like saying you endorse a product and say “it’s the best” when you’ve never tried it or believe in it yourself. Eek!

All talk and no strategy. Or no talk about what you want to accomplish. It’s easy for agencies to drum up business with clients who have no solid knowledge in SM strategy because they tell you a blog is necessary because, well, everyone else has one. I sometimes get this within my own company. Executives think we should dive in to all tools, when in fact, it’s not necessary because it doesn’t fit the strategy or mission. A good consultant will make sure your goals align with your mission and vision. That’s where true, effective social media success stems from.

There are several more warning signs, folks. @PRsarahevans of Sevens Strategy and @skydiver (aka Peter Shankman) put together a more expansive list in July.

I’m not sure there is such thing as a social media guru or expert because the SM work is changing so much. What do you think? Weigh in below via comments.

Image courtesy of www.seobook.com

Technorati Tags: fake SM consultant, PR gal, public relations, public relations professionals in Wisconsin, Random "Trish" Thoughts, SM posers, social media

Sarah Evans of Sevans Strategy (aka @prsarahevans) changed up today’s Commentz due to a conference in Chicago and the fact that she’s battling a nasty cold (poor thing) AND I couldn’t be happier. I love change! Anyway, she asked that we think about the current state of the PR industry and jot down our perception. This task is great for my readers and subscribers—for sure!

The fact of the matter is … PR (in my opinion) is the best and most cost-effective way to build reputation, create genuine dialogue and relationships with your stakeholders and builds the bottom line.

Now, PR Week (and other PR industry media outlets) may say that the PR industry is suffering due to the current economic slowdown. This may be true, considering financial reports show a decline in PR revenue at major communications holding companies. I disagree. I think the PR industry is thriving, I think it’s evolving rapidly into the PR 2.0 realm and we should embrace what’s ahead. What’s ahead, you ask? Here are my thoughts:

Beth Harte (aka @bethharte), mastermind in the PR 2.0 field (again, my opinion) is a great way for me to explain where I think the PR industry is now and where it’s going. I started following her and her highly engaging weekly Twitter chat, #pr20chat several months ago and found it to be the tip of the iceberg for what’s ahead.

Back in July, she posted a blog on “The Harte of Marketing,” where she explores what traditional PR is and what PR 2.0 is. Like a nail on the head—I was inspired. And I’ve been moving my way in that direction ever since.

PR isn’t just a smile, good networking skills and knowing how to tell a story that makes an impact. It’s being able to execute PR tasks with strategy, commitment, proactive leadership and intelligence. Social media relations and Web 2.0 technology has combined both traditional PR and Web 2.0 into a beautiful little bundle of opportunities that everyone should at least recognize and embrace.

Now I’m not saying social media relations will become a sole discipline of the PR industry, but I do think it is propelling an entirely new way of creating relationships and communicating. That doesn’t mean that everyone has to be an expert. Hell, I’m certainly not!

If we, as PR practitioners, can learn to expand our capabilities and understand how our profession is changing, we’ll be golden! PR industry? SOARING!

By the way, read a very interesting PRSA article today and it’s creating massive Twitter buzz in my community, “Status Update: Millennial Staffers Can Update Your Social Media Plans.” Interesting angle and (in my opinion) a prime example of how social media is still being misconstrued by our mainstream PR leaders. Curious … what are your thoughts?

FYI: @prsarahevans will compile responses in tomorrow’s Commentz in “thoughts for the day.” If you’re in the PR or communications profession and you’re not familiar with Commentz or Sarah Evans, I HIGHLY advise you check her out! She’s a mover and a shaker!

Photo courtesy of www.terinea.co.uk/blog

Talk soon, Trish

Technorati Tags: Beth Harte, PR industry news, PRSA, Random "Trish" Thoughts, Sarah Evans, Sevans Strategy

Let’s face it … as PR/communications professionals; we represent an organization, a client or brand. Even off the clock, we are still representing and often must be mindful of our opinions and personal leisure, right?

Even though I don’t serve as a spokesperson for my organization, when I’m talking with my media contacts or representing my organization at a chamber outing as myself, I AM representing my organization and its mission and vision. I often find myself being labeled as a spokesperson rather than a media/PR specialist, or for that matter, rather than Trish Skram “even off the record.” With that said, it’s hard to voice personal opinions … or is it not?

Lauren Fernandez, marketing coordinator for the National Office of American Mensa and its philanthropic arm, the Mensa Education & Research Foundation, offers the following points in a recent Ragan Communications article, “Should PR pros be allowed to voice their opinions?”

Fernandez says:

When is an opinion OK?

• Around your friends. Your friends know where you work. Keeping your private and professional life separate can help, because you’re able to unwind. It’s not likely that your friend will email your boss saying you disagree with how many trees are being cut down and their nonexistent carbon footprint—but a co-worker might.
• If you disagree and it will affect the outcome of a project. Sometimes you’ll be asked to do something which you don’t agree with, whether it’s how to pitch, what outlets it needs to go to, wording of a press release, etc. If you feel strongly about it and can back it up, a boss should be open to hearing it. I’ve heard more often than not that a boss values what you bring to the table, but you have to be brave enough to do it.

When is an opinion bad?

• If you serve as a spokesperson and disagree with a client’s stance. I know this might seem like a big DUH—but you would be surprised what comes out of people’s mouths when they start going and stop thinking. Have talking points. Practice offbeat questions. Have a friend call you randomly and grill you on your client. All of these practices will help you fine-tune and practice. Plus, seeing your name with ‘spokesperson’ attached to it serves as a reality check, one that shows you serve as the mouthpiece. Remember that.
• If you have too much to drink at the company holiday party. I put this here because I couldn’t think of a second reason not to state your opinion, and I like balance.

I ardently agree. Which brought me to another interesting thought. What about censoring ourselves online (via social networking sites, like Facebook, Twitter or Flickr). Should we as PR professionals be mindful of our public profile in regards to politics, religion or other personal activities and options?

Do you believe as communicators, we have to censor ourselves a bit more because of our elevated public profile?

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Technorati Tags: corporate communicators, marketing, media relations, PR, RAgan Communications, tweetup

Do you have all the facts, know what you’re going to say and believe that your message is important, but never get a media placement? Maybe it’s the way you are communicating? Yes, it most certainly is. I’ve listed 4 effective PR pitching tips to improve your communication with the media and efficiently increase media impressions for your company and/or client.

Know the beat

It sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s a mistake a lot of PR peeps make. Make sure you do your research. Familiarize yourself with the publication, and make sure you’re not wasting your time by pitching to the wrong beat reporter. You will lose your credibility fast and let’s be honest, it looks unprofessional. A great way to find the right beat and/or beat reporter is to simply go to the publication Web site. Some news mediums have separate reporter profiles, some do not. I currently use a CisionPoint database (formerly Bacon’s Directory). CisionPoint offers individual reporter profiles, but it is costly. A cheaper method? Try Twitter. Twitter is becoming an excellent tool to find out info about media contacts AND it’s FREE. Twitter is serving as my new relationship-builder and point-of-contact for my national contacts. If you aren’t familiar with Twitter and you’re a PR/communications professional … we need to talk!

Make it short and develop “kickers”

Sometimes I’ll send an email to a media contact and say something like, “Hey Susie, I see you’ve been covering a lot of stories on the recession and donation decline. Wondering if you’d be interested in talking to one of our employees who is giving back more—despite trying times. Press release is attached. Call me!” It entices the person to return the message. You’re news release can be long and packed with details, but your initial pitch … no way!

Email, phone or fax?

Just because you prefer email over a phone call doesn’t mean the reporter or editor you are trying to reach does too. Find out how that particular person likes to receive their news and respect those wishes—otherwise you are wasting your time.

Are you truly available?

Is it easy for a reporter to find your contact information? This tip can go a long way (I should probably blog about how to pitch to difference mediums in the future because it’s so important). As mentioned earlier, every reporter, journalist and editor has a different way they like to be pitched to. But make sure it’s really easy for them to find you as well! Few ways to do this: Always have contact info at end of emails, phone calls, social media sites, fax communication AND most IMPORTANTLY, on your company or clients’ corporate Web site.

Side note: I met a truly fantastic, young communications pro at a Ragan Communications Corporate Communicators Conference in Chicago these past few days. I was so excited to know more, mainly because I know her nitch is somewhat untouched in the corporate communications field. I’ll be posting either a guest post or highlight on the information she provided in the upcoming weeks. Even if you’re not in the communications, PR or marketing field, I promise most of you will eat her stuff up! STAY TUNED!

Technorati Tags: beat reporters, easy contact info, effective communications, pitching, PR pros, Random "Trish" Thoughts

As a writer turned media/PR professional, I’ve learned a thing or two about media relations etiquette. If you work in PR or marketing, you’ve definitely seen some struggles in relationship building—we’ve all been there. One of which is your relationships with your business contacts. I always see blog posts and articles on topics like: Top things PR people should know about reporters, journalists and editors. But I wanted to take the opposite approach.

Now don’t get me wrong folks. I’m extremely lucky and honored to have a great network of reporters, editors and journalists that I work with on a daily basis—truly lucky. I definitely do not know everything about the media/public relations profession, nor do I claim to. What I do know, is that we all hope and wish for the best possible outcomes with our jobs, whatever the case may be.

I have access to some of the greatest PR and marketing minds around (my mastermind alliance) mostly through my every day interactions with local and social media networks. So, I put together five things that me and my fellow PR colleagues think the media should know about PR people:

1. Our contacts/clients’ schedules aren’t always at our fingertips. Oh, we wish it were different. We would love to have every physician, director or client’s schedule at our disposal so we could tackle whatever it is that you need, when you need it … but let’s face it, that’s not the way the cookie crumbles. Often the person you want to talk to is also the busiest person on the planet (there are a few). So, we just ask for you to consider those situations if we can’t always make things happen for you.

2. Cancellations hurt us as much as they hurt you. We all hate canceling phone interviews and meetings as much as you do. I know I hate it more than most reporters and editors do because I know it’s hurting my credibility and trust. But do know that we’re also making it harder to get future media for that client and it means we’ll have to do extra work.

3. Story angles aren’t always obvious. You may have a clear idea of the story you want to write, but sometimes we don’t get the picture by the way you explain it (I have to work on this too). So I say this, when we pitch a story angle that seems way past newsworthy, it’s not because we are trying to spam you, but because we are uncertain as to how you’ll use the info or write your story. I understand that not every reporter or editor wants to receive my news. That’s why I give my contacts a chance to “opt out” of my distribution lists.

4. Don’t promise unless you can follow through. One of my PR mentors always used to say, “What a reporter promises me becomes my promise to my clients.” And I never really knew what she meant until I really got my hands dirty in the PR/media relations field. And it is so “on the money”. We know we shouldn’t do this, but in our world of tight deadlines, faster communication and our client’s high expectations, often what you promise to us becomes our promise to the client (in my case administration and the professionals I work for every day in the health care profession). If you decide to not follow through or take a different angle, we’re the ones that look really bad. My advice to journalists: avoid making a promise or always follow though.

5. Better offers are always considered. Reporters know that‘s true more than anything. Admit it, if you found a better resource for your story, you’d jump at the chance. Same for us as well. If a more relevant or prestigious media outlet sways our way in certain situations, we have to take it. We’d be stupid not to. Remember, we’re all professionals trying to do the best job we can for our clients and readers.

PR and marketing professionals: do you have other tips or suggestions? Please comment or send me a tweet! I’d love to hear your feedback.

Trish Skram (TrishSkram) on Twitter

Coming soon…

Technorati Tags: my work