Trish Skram’s Blog

The photo above is a snapshot of my “clippings file” in my office. No joke. I still clip.

Public relations and advertising are two very different fields that are many times confused for the same thing, very similar or just as effective as the other. We all know that. I’m not saying advertising is the wrong way to go. I highly suggest ad placement. A well-placed advertisement can bring exposure to a brand, business or event. Absolutely. However, good publicity or media relations campaign is a far more economical way to get a very different type of media exposure. I’m a “PR gal”—which way did you think I’d go? Here’s the thing: An ad is an ad and they work, but publicity is news. And news, in my opinion, is taken more seriously.

Here are seven reasons that publicity can prove to be more effective than an ad.

1. Publicity is free while advertising can be costly
2. A media article often times asserts more credibility than a paid ad
3.  Prestigious magazines, larger newspapers, TV, radio start to cover you over time
4. You’re offered a column in a magazine or paper for your (or company’s) expertise
5. You establish yourself apart from your competitors who don’t get publicity
6. Prospects, target markets and customers recognize your brand (“I saw the article in…”)
7. Most importantly, more people pay attention to your message

That’s my list. What would you add? Write your reasons below.

Technorati Tags: customers recognize your brand, establish yourself apart from competitors, media article, media messages, PR gal, public realtions writing, Random "Trish" Thoughts, seven reasons publicity is better than ads

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

I like to talk with my friends and colleagues in the PR and communication world—what makes them happy and successful in their careers. Not only does it help us focus on our strengths but it also allows us to learn from one another—especially me. I read a blog post on LAF called Three Signs you’re a PR pro (very good read) and was inspired to list the top skills (I think) every good communicator should know and practice DAILY.

#1 Tell a story that captivates people’s attention. As communicators, we have the ability to tell a story. In my opinion, it’s one of the main reasons I love my job. Especially in health care. WOW! If you can captivate attention with friends and your business colleagues and clients, you’re golden!

#2 Be connected and build your own inner circle. Network, network, network! Engage in as many conversations as you can, go to fun events and establish connections online. Which brings me to #3.

#3 Establish an online presence. You work hard to create a presence at work and with your important stakeholders, right? Why not do that online too. Everyone is online these days and social media is a great tool for creating and communicating your personal brand. Build it and they will come!

#4 Deliver bad news. Yup, bummer. But it does have to be done from time-to-time. I’ll be blogging more in depth about this one soon.

#5 Manage time. Be a focused juggler. Many of us work on several projects or accounts at the same time. You’ll have to manage your time effectively and provide each project and account with the appropriate attention at the appropriate time. Learn how to prioritize effectively.

#6 Remember names. I can’t stress this enough when I talk to other communicators. Read Networking 101 for my easy way of remembering names.

#7 Listen carefully to others. The more you listen and the less you talk, the more you will learn and the less you will miss. Not everyone will agree with this one but I’m a natural listener …

#8 Get in front of people and talk. Or give a short informational speech. I’m working on this one as I write (I’m still not fully comfortable). At the next company meeting if your boss asks you to explain what you’ve been working on over the last month, a short, clear, informative response is surely your best bet. “Duh…” won’t cut it.

#9 Know how to take a good picture. As mentioned in #1, telling a good story often involves a photo. If you’re like me, you have a digital in your handbag or car at all times and one in your phone. You never know when news will strike. Be prepared, always.

#10 Take useful notes. Go back to your days in college. Remember all the notes you took class-after-class. Never forget those skills because useless notes are useless, and not taking notes can be a recipe for failure.

#11 Be communicative. You can’t be shy. Hone in on your skill as a communicator, including writing and public speaking. Find out how you communicate best and embrace it.

#12 Make a good first impression. The first and utmost important thing to know and remember is that you have the control and all the power over the impression you make on your circle of connections.

#13 Be creative & open-minded: Be able to develop interesting story ideas to promote your organization, service or client. Think outside of the box!

#14 Be team-oriented: Working together with colleagues to brainstorm story or promotional ideas are one of the best parts of PR and communication. I love team collaborations and I never go full-force in to a project without consulting my colleagues and online PR community. I love you all!

#15 MEDIA-RELATIONS SPECIFIC: Be persistent but yet sensitive. PR people especially: rejection is part of the game; don’t take it personally. I learned this the hard way early in my career. I was so bummed out when something didn’t pan out the way I planned or a reporter didn’t bite on my awesome idea. Keep trying. Find another angle, pitch another idea to your boss, find something else that tells a good story. However, remember to be sensitive to reporter’s deadlines, time and opinions.

#16 Be passionate. I can’t stress this enough. Love what you do and believe in the products, clients and organizations that you represent. It will shine in your work, always.

I know you’re reading this and thinking, “I would add this too.” Please do! What would you add to this list?

Technorati Tags: 16 tips for PR people, PR gal, public relations, Random "Trish" Thoughts, skills for every PR person and communicator