A lot has been happening the past few weeks for POP! Public Relations, and unfortunately it has been so hectic that I have not had time to post. I decided, though, that I need to make the time to post, particularly when there are some great issues out there about public relations, blogging and agencies versus boutiques.
First, I want to bring up a post from Jeneane Sessum on her blog. It's toward the middle, so scroll down past the Ketchum posting about the new Ketchum blog. Her posting on the large public relations conglomerate is interesting, as it is something that I have been hearing from other PR people, as well as in-house corporate communications people. With large agencies, firms tend to get lower-level flacks that cannot offer strategy or tactics. A lot of the agencies are looking for specialists -- media specialists, writers -- and ignoring the true, old school public relations professional (IMHO), the PR generalist. While I was interviewing with large agencies, before deciding to start POP! Public Relations to provide better service, true tactics and strategy, I was amazed at the shocked look when I would tell GMs or VPs that I considered myself a generalist, but that I could write, that I could pitch, and WOW, I had media relationships that were actually references that I could leave at the door. Okay, enough on that point ...
Next ... many blog postings, and articles have been written about PR people trying to use blogs to their clients' benefits. Now, I have no problem touting a client to a blog author that I think might be interested in them. But, if I do pitch a blog author, I will do it from my POP! Public Relations email address, not trying to hide who I am, or what I am trying to do. Yes, there are some clients that I have that have amazingly cool technology, and I think that others might be interested in the products and the company. You know that your industry is messing up, when it's the subject of two blog postings by Dan Gilmor of the San Jose Mercury News. Or, the posting on TechDirt that pulls back the curtain on some PR people that think it's smart PR to pretend to be a 'reader' and send in press releases hoping for coverage. It just hurts the industry and hurts the PR practioners that try to do right for their clients AND their reputation.
And ... RSS and public relations. Dan Gilmor of the San Jose Mercury News, wrote an interesting article on RSS and news feeds. What's RSS? Dunno, can't explain it, but he had a good point. Since email is getting swamped by spam and viruses, it might be time for PR people to think of another way to get the word out about clients. Read his whole article here ...
So, nice big posting to make up for not being on in a while. Like I wrote above, I'll be posting weekly, with hopefully some insightful comments or tales of starting my own firm.
Thoughts on "communications, marketing, public relations and social media."
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