In honor (and reflection) of my career and passion as a public relations/communications professional, I bring you 14 honest truths of a PR gal working in Janesville. This is a repeat post from my blog at http://GazetteXtra.com. I received so much feedback on Friday and through the weekend, that I found it only appropriate to share with you. Enjoy!

I spend more time on my iPhone than I do of my family.

Underestimate the power of backing-up work.

My fingers are sometimes ink-stained from paging through clippings (yes, I still clip.)

Blogging has become just as important as eating.

I am frequently asked if I know all of my friends on Facebook, and, for the most part, I can honestly say that I do.

I ask my boyfriend to “send me a meeting planner” when talking about weekend plans.

I evaluate TV ads and fantasize about meeting the creative director of the ETrade commercials.

I freak out when I don’t have access to the Internet.

I proofread my Facebook updates.

Twitter is my main source for breaking news.

I have disclaimers on all of my personal and professional social media sites.

My phone (and computer) constantly locks up because the memory is dedicated to the hundreds of social networking apps running.

I have so many usernames and passwords that I lose track.

I get excited about participating in alpha and beta testing of any new application or software service.

These are brutal, I know. Truth is, it felt great to put it out there like this. Many of you are in the same boat. What would you add? Join the conversation!

Technorati Tags: honest truths about the PR profession in the digital age, Random "Trish" Thoughts

Multiple studies still show that consumers and journalists are searching for and reading press releases. Thank god! So, optimizing press releases for a specific audience makes it easier to find online and therefore, more of an asset for communicating news and getting traffic to your company or client’s Web site. As we all know, the value of a press release has undergone a few changes over the years. However, press releases provide a lot of content to news search engines and can rank well in Google, Yahoo or Bing. I’ve been doing massive amounts of research for my company. I’m trying to find the best media platform(s) for online newsrooms, PR distribution, list building and monitorization. I’ve also been researching other competitor sites, and local and regional PR/marketing sites to find out how others communicate their news. I’m kinda overloaded with information - so while it’s fresh in my mind, I must reiterate how important online optimization of our news … really is. It only makes sense for marketing and PR people to understand and learn how to make press release writing easier to find through keyword optimization.

Frequently forgotten press release optimization tips:
• Clearly define the goal and target audience of the release. Public relations 101: it’s essential for every press announcement

• Use Google Analytics to find popular keywords. Find target phrases that work with your press release and tag them

• Add new media to the release. Like a photo, video or podcast in addition to the copy

• Use URL tracking tools like tinyURL, bit.ly or ow.ly

• Post to your online newsroom

• Write a blog version then include a link to the press release in your online newsroom. Same for Twitter, Facebook, Friendfeed or YouTube

• Distribute the release via a wire service

• Create a social media version of the press release. Personally, I like PitchEngine. But that’s up to you. (FYI – they offer a 30 day free trial membership if you want a taste)

• Monitor how the press release ranks online (e.g. social media mentions, clicks and other outcomes via Google Reader or Google Alerts)

It’s important to know that press releases are often picked up that have links embedded into other Web sites and blogs as content. It can result in direct traffic to your site. Remember, compelling content usually attracts more links so make sure headlines and your first sentences are creative and eye-catching.

Other great resources for online newsrooms and keyword optimization:

HOW TO: Set up a free online monitorization system - PRsarahevans.com

Pull PR and newsroom optimization tactics - toprankblog.com

How to build a better online newsroom – journalistics.com

Image courtesy of widgetblogger.co.cc

Technorati Tags: press release optimization tips, Public Relations Writing, Random "Trish" Thoughts

Did you know that one-third of Americans online use social media for health information? And the number is growing. In fact, a recent study shows that there were 90 million health care consumers in 2004, and now there’s 160 million.

This blog idea sprung from a post I read from MarketingCharts.com, “One-Third of Online Americans Use Social Media for Health.” According to new data from Manhattan Research, patients and caregivers are empowering themselves in record numbers when it comes to managing their own health and the health of their families. Great data, right? The Internet is surpassing physicians as the most popular health resource. Wow. If you’re a health care marketer or public relations person, why wouldn’t you get involved?

If used correctly, the right social media tools can ensure your patients, customers, employees and stakeholders extract more brand value. There are three main reasons why my social media team at Mercy Health System decided to get involved in 2008.
•    Brand recognition
•    Stakeholder engagement
•    And well, it’s FREE.

With that said, over the course of 15 months of research, testing and engaging in online conversations for Mercy, I’ve concluded that there are five great tools that every health care PR person should know and use.

Blog
Simply stated, blogs are a great way to get timely, relevant and unique information about your organization to a mass audience. Mercy Health System launched its blogs in May 2009. So far, our three blogs are averaging over 500 clicks a month. Our Rock County blog alone has over 900 RSS subscribers. That’s almost as powerful as a costly ad in a local paper! But be careful; don’t talk at your audience on your posts. Remember, a blog is a place to encourage thoughts, ideas and most importantly, share and encourage information. Ask questions, make it personal and post frequently. Don’t use it as a news feed, that’s not what it’s for. Be engaging. Check out http://wordpress.com if you’re interested in setting up a blog. Note: These hosting sites are free.

Twitter
There are so many great uses for Twitter. For a health care PR person, it’s been an amazing opportunity to get real-time news, make connections and engage in conversation. For example, journalists, reporters and editors are increasingly getting involved in Twitter. It’s been a great resource for me to build relationships with the media and use as a pitching platform. In June, I used my Twitter account to connect with reporters when we were gearing up for our first live tweeted surgery. Our Twitter page had 1,100 followers before the surgery, and ended up with over 1,400 after the surgery. Media outlets from our area also tuned in to our live “Tweets,” blog posts and Facebook updates and we ended up with over 600,000 media impressions in two days. Many of those connections I wouldn’t have made if it weren’t for Twitter.

Facebook
Facebook is another wonderful platform to engage in conversation and share timely and relevant information with those who are interested in your organization. Build a fan page, share news articles, post photos from your last community event. Your patients and stakeholders are online. You can provide a comfortable setting for your fans and friends on Facebook to engage in conversation. You can find out a lot about your audience by listening, commenting and monitoring your fans and followers on social media networks.

YouTube
People love video. Video is powerful because it can capture true emotion. Many people prefer to watch a video than read an article. As health care pros, we have the opportunity to share patient stories and experiences. You can do that with video in such a beautiful way. Most importantly, they are extremely viral. For example, Mayo Clinic had an amazing run on YouTube when Fran and Marlo Cowan (married 62 years) played impromptu piano together in the atrium of the Mayo Clinic. Today, the video has over 5 million hits. Talk about viral marketing, folks!

Webinar/Conferencing
As mentioned above, your patients and customers are using social media. Hospitals can utilize social channels to answer health care- or illness-related questions or simply provide medical information. We’ve recently dived in to webinar conferencing for various health care topics. So far, a majority of our participants are 65 and older. Again, your patients and customers are online and they are becoming savvier every day.

If you’re in health care marketing and public relations you understand that the word, free, goes a long way. Not one of these tools (excluding our webinar hosting site) mentioned above involves a dollar amount. If you’re like most organizations, you probably pay a company to distribute your news releases. If you’re paying for those services, why wouldn’t you take advantage of a free tool like Twitter and Facebook? Think about it.

If you haven’t already, I strongly suggest you set up personal accounts with a majority of these tools. Just dive in and start making connections. You will begin to find out the benefits as you move along.

What online tools have you found worthwhile?

Technorati Tags: health care PR/media relations, Mercy Health System, Random "Trish" Thoughts

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

… or it could jump up and bite you on the butt!

Let’s face it, if you have Facebook, Twitter, or a blog [any kind of presence online, really] people are reading it! That’s the point right, but are you mindful of who is actually listening? It’s not just your friends folks, it’s potential employers, clients and business partners as well. I wanted to blog about this topic because many of my online friends are venting constantly, swearing or worse … saying way too much about their lives. I get it, I really do! But watch out, the people you don’t want to listen, ARE.

A good friend of mine [and happens to be a job recruiter in the area] and I were having a conversation over drinks one night and she’d mentioned she’s using the Web to evaluate prospects. She says she’s looking at Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn updates for a personal “taste” of what the potential employee is like. It’s nothing new. In fact, a survey by the Electronic Recruiter Exchange found 60 percent of its members checked LinkedIn as part of the job checking process. I couldn’t help but wonder how many people online aren’t really thinking about what they say online. For example, even if you’re account is set to private, people can still find out what you’re saying on Facebook.

People talk about personal issues - divorce, sick parents, recovery programs, and bad relationships at work, etc. My friend says, and I quote, “If someone is having a big issue in life, are we you really going to take that chance and hire them?” Interesting comment I thought.

In my opinion, if you’re going to complain about how dumb your boss is and how much you hate your job, keep those rants private. The Internet is public domain and comments have a way of finding their way back to all the wrong people. I look at it this way; if you wouldn’t stand outside your boss’s office and tell a co-worker how ready you are to quit, don’t express the same thoughts in an open forum.

In the business of networking, people know people. You really have to find out what you want your social media face to be [I wrote a post on personal branding months ago – that covers what this means]. If you use that concept wisely, you’ll be in the clear.

With that said, every tweet, status update or post is being actively indexed by search engines. Just be mindful of what you put out there because it could jump up and bite you in the butt.

I’m curious. How many of you agree with me? Please write a comment. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Technorati Tags: be mindful of what you post online, Random "Trish" Thoughts

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

Building a personal brand

What is a personal brand anyway? You are, your personality, your characteristics, your strong points, weaknesses, expertise … it’s all part of your brand. Everyone is online these days and social media is a great tool for creating and communicating your personal brand.

So, where does Trish brand herself?

Got Facebook?

Let’s face it, everyone’s on Facebook. If you’re not, you’re WAY behind. I started Facebooking in college, BEFORE it was available to the public. I never thought it would be one of the most widely used social media networks in 2009. Simply enough, Facebook is a start to making yourself visible to those around you. Other than the fact that I love to poke people, update my status and make fun of what my friends and I did the night before as we painted the town red with our shenanigans … Facebook has helped solidify my brand by helping me reinforce my personality. If you look me up, you’ll see that I’m social, I like to try new things, have great family and friends, travel and enjoy a drink or two. Some people will tell you that those “party nights” will reflect negatively on you, but I disagree. I think that’s one of the better features of Facebook.

Connecting on LinkedIn

Resume online? What a fabulous concept. I am a recent college graduate, but I wish I would have found LinkedIn sooner because I think it would have helped me network the system a bit better, more easily. When people request to “get connected,” they are able to view my work experience, educational background and professional assets. This helps build my brand as a knowledgeable, ambitious PR/marketing professional. And it has helped me land some pretty great gigs as a freelancer. Amazing platform, really.

Building rapport with tweeple

Have you heard the saying, “you are what you eat?” and “you are who you associate with?” This holds true to some degree. On Twitter, I am able to associate with and talk to people of similar interests all over America, even globally. Twitter is serving as my top link to my blog, TrishSkram.com. In fact, in just three months, I’ve acquired over 130 followers … not bad! I’m using Twitter to brand myself by connecting with people who have similar interests, people who I can learn from and vice versa. It’s quite a twitterific idea!

TrishSkram.com

This is my only my second blog post. To be quite honest with you, I should have started blogging years ago. My goal for 2009 is to make TrishSkram.com my top tool for building my personal brand. I want to write about my personal experiences, interests, life and most importantly, write to connect with my readers. TrishSkram.com will help improve my writing skills, while a build a brand as well. The best part? People have noticed my experience with social networking because of my accounts. Executives and fellow co-workers have even asked me to explain the process, what it is? Etc. I’ve gotta be doing something right, right?

So I pose to you, out there in the blogsphere of social networking. How have you built your brand? Better yet … how has personal branding affected your career or professional aspirations?

Let’s talk. And if you’re new to the professional world, still a student or just want some pointers, I’d be glad to help you get started.

Email me at trishskram@gmail.com

Technorati Tags: blogging, facebook, linkedin, personal brand, trishskram, twitter

Coming soon…

Technorati Tags: my work