As Twitter allows us to do more things--segment follower lists, add bling to profile pages and categorize topic-related tweets via hashtags--it's easy to come worship at the altar of Twitter. What can't it do? Twitter is a great communications tool!
Except when it's not.
In honor of Ethics Month, the Public Relations Society of America held a Twitter chat about ethics on September 2 and posted the transcript on their website.
In a recent tweet, I complained how difficult it was to make sense of the transcript as it recorded every retweet announcing the chat beforehand. And the hashtags are all in blue which, when set against the black font of the actual conversation, makes for difficult reading. I guess this is what a transcript, literally defined, is supposed to be. But I didn't read it.
I'm a proud member of PRSA and am less than two months from sitting for my Accreditation in Public Relations exam. As a result, I was eager to read what people had to say about ethics--but then was quickly turned off when I saw how difficult it was to read.
@joederupo replied with a tweet reminding me that an edited transcript (which, I suppose, I was indirectly requesting) might somehow and somewhere intersect with the PRSA Code of Ethics as it pertains to accuracy and transparency.
I think that's a little ridiculous. I'm not here to serve Twitter; Twitter is here to serve me. And if Twitter is supposed to be a communications tool, it should facilitate not inhibit communications.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, if you wanted to be a web designer, you needed to know HTML. Nowadays, WYSIWYG content management software can help get past that problem (even though it's still good to know HTML!).
Similarly, there has to be some way of documenting Twitter chats that doesn't make the reading experience a painful turn-off.
In Hamlet, there was a yammering old man named Polonius who kept talking and talking; he had some memorable lines but most of what he spouted was hot air. Finally, the irritated queen who was forced to listen to Polonius told him: "More matter with less art."
When I'm using Twitter, hashtags and retweet symbols (RT) are useful tools. In a transcript though, especially if you're presenting it for public consumption, less art would be much appreciated.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Some Problems with Marketing Language
It drives me crazy the way some phrases get bandied about in the communications world (or elsewhere). I don't believe they contribute to effective strategy or success in your marketing programs; they have been overused to the point of making them meaningless.
"Doing More with Less"--The only way to do more with less is to develop improved skill sets, efficiencies or communications among existing team members when resources are dwindling. This prevents a weakening in your competitiveness and may, in fact, improve it. Client concerns about restructuring or downsizing in your business become irrelevant as the level of service they are used to does not undergo significant change--or improves, if the efficiencies or enhanced skill sets are executed as intended. If, however, your team already has "the right people on the bus", as Jim Collins would have it, it's likely that a loss can deal a real, significant blow. "Doing more with less" could more effectively be articulated to mean 'efficient', 'strategic' and 'results-oriented'. During times when resources that used to be available no longer are, these adjectives (assuming they accurately reflect your business) sound more compelling than one trite phrase and brings value you're offering a client to the forefront of your marketing language.
"Under Promise and Over Deliver"--It's ridiculous to underpromise levels of service in a highly competitive world like today's. If you're out bidding, you won't get the job because someone else "is" promising your business prospect the moon. Never mind if they can deliver. Sure there may be one unhappy client down the line ripe for the picking, but if your philosophy is to underpromise, you won't get the job even then. Not only that, but clients, like other human beings, don't necessarily like surprises. Over delivery sometimes means making assumptions about what a client wants and if you make the wrong assumption, well, that won't make the client happy. You may want to happily surprise a client with additional expertise they weren't expecting...but why not articulate this expertise during the bidding process? Wouldn't that make you more attractive from the get go? Listen to your client to find out what they want, set goals, define a strategy for getting there, and then just do it. It's not dramatic but your client will be back for more.
Monday, September 7, 2009
You Think You're Not Doing PR?...Think Again!
For those of you who believe you're not doing public relations...for those who think you HIRE people to do public relations, here's a story for you:
A few weeks ago, in a neighborhood close to Denver that will remain nameless, I had two not-so-great experiences in a period of only five minutes that helped me form a powerfully negative opinion about that neighborhood at the speed of light. As I was walking down the sidewalk past some business buildings, two women headed toward me, chatting with each other. They did not do anything to give me space to walk by; they simply took up the entire breadth of the sidewalk, forcing me to step down into the access road to the parking lot. Pretty rude, I thought--I had to look both ways to make sure no cars were coming before I stepped down--but then I let the matter drop.
Just a few minutes later, though, I was leaving a branch of the Wells Fargo Bank, I saw a father with two children coming up behind me to leave as well. I held the door; the two kids walked through, no big deal, and then so did the father, not touching the door to take responsibility for it, not thanking me, not even LOOKING at me, as he came through, slowly ushering his kids along.
If it had been just one bad incident, those would have been some rude people. But then another one happened shortly thereafter, and my opinion of the neighborhood just plummeted. I guess these are the kinds of people who live here, I thought. And I've shared that story with other friends, ensuring they have some negative association with that neighborhood now, as well.
Your actions have an impact on those around you and on the opinions they form; you represent where you are and what you do. In this simple way, there is no such thing as a PR practitioner; whenever you interact with someone...you leave an impression. You are always doing public relations.
A few weeks ago, in a neighborhood close to Denver that will remain nameless, I had two not-so-great experiences in a period of only five minutes that helped me form a powerfully negative opinion about that neighborhood at the speed of light. As I was walking down the sidewalk past some business buildings, two women headed toward me, chatting with each other. They did not do anything to give me space to walk by; they simply took up the entire breadth of the sidewalk, forcing me to step down into the access road to the parking lot. Pretty rude, I thought--I had to look both ways to make sure no cars were coming before I stepped down--but then I let the matter drop.
Just a few minutes later, though, I was leaving a branch of the Wells Fargo Bank, I saw a father with two children coming up behind me to leave as well. I held the door; the two kids walked through, no big deal, and then so did the father, not touching the door to take responsibility for it, not thanking me, not even LOOKING at me, as he came through, slowly ushering his kids along.
If it had been just one bad incident, those would have been some rude people. But then another one happened shortly thereafter, and my opinion of the neighborhood just plummeted. I guess these are the kinds of people who live here, I thought. And I've shared that story with other friends, ensuring they have some negative association with that neighborhood now, as well.
Your actions have an impact on those around you and on the opinions they form; you represent where you are and what you do. In this simple way, there is no such thing as a PR practitioner; whenever you interact with someone...you leave an impression. You are always doing public relations.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Fascination with the Abomination Makes for Despicable Advertising
Yesterday, someone I follow on Twitter issued a tweet to this video. WARNING: it is graphic, disturbing and gruesome.
The point of the video is to show what horrible things can result when you let yourself get distracted by your mobile phone when you're driving. This is something I also feel strongly about: if someone is calling when I'm driving, I'll most likely let the call go to voice mail or, if it's a call I have to respond to, I may answer, but only to explain that I'm driving and will call back when I arrive at my destination.
Yet, I despise advertising that resorts to terrifying people. This will happen to you unless....etc. I don't believe graphic depictions of teenage-girls getting mutilated in a car accident is the right way to warn people away from using their cell phones while driving. If this tactic works, and I don't know that it does, it ends up leaving me feeling depressed and no longer giving a crap about cell phones at all.
In some ways, it's a lot like advertisers who develop such incredibly creative and appealing ads for television that viewers forget to associate a particular brand with the ad simply because there is such strong entertainment value in the images.
The two are a lot alike. Except that ads that rely on scare tactics are cheap and indulge in our base fascination with violence.
The point of the video is to show what horrible things can result when you let yourself get distracted by your mobile phone when you're driving. This is something I also feel strongly about: if someone is calling when I'm driving, I'll most likely let the call go to voice mail or, if it's a call I have to respond to, I may answer, but only to explain that I'm driving and will call back when I arrive at my destination.
Yet, I despise advertising that resorts to terrifying people. This will happen to you unless....etc. I don't believe graphic depictions of teenage-girls getting mutilated in a car accident is the right way to warn people away from using their cell phones while driving. If this tactic works, and I don't know that it does, it ends up leaving me feeling depressed and no longer giving a crap about cell phones at all.
In some ways, it's a lot like advertisers who develop such incredibly creative and appealing ads for television that viewers forget to associate a particular brand with the ad simply because there is such strong entertainment value in the images.
The two are a lot alike. Except that ads that rely on scare tactics are cheap and indulge in our base fascination with violence.
Monday, July 27, 2009
PR People Should Walk a Mile in Reporters' Shoes
A lot of PR people come from journalism and for good reason. They have prior experience going through the hassle of developing and delivering stories on deadline, even when people don't call back or seem unwilling to talk to you. Consequently, once they enter the PR world, they're more likely to be helpful to journalists calling for information. They've been there before.
PR pros who have never walked a mile in those scuffed, well-worn shoes--and I'm guessing many haven't--should try some freelance writing to see what it's like. I recently wrote an article that meant calling several utilities to schedule interviews with their Smart Grid experts. Some PR people were incredibly receptive and helpful; others were cool and detached like concierges checking me into a hotel, and I had no confidence they would put me in touch with the people I needed to speak with. Many of these--my absolute favorites!--simply said, with a false cheerful lilt in their voice that they'd call back once they made contact with their experts. And then they never did.
I sometimes fail to understand what leads some people into the PR profession. The role of PR is to help people and establish effective professional relationships. If you aren't willing to help a reporter out, why are you there? Try writing an article with an editor breathing down your neck to ensure you deliver your copy on deadline. It's a great way to improve your media relations skills.
PR pros who have never walked a mile in those scuffed, well-worn shoes--and I'm guessing many haven't--should try some freelance writing to see what it's like. I recently wrote an article that meant calling several utilities to schedule interviews with their Smart Grid experts. Some PR people were incredibly receptive and helpful; others were cool and detached like concierges checking me into a hotel, and I had no confidence they would put me in touch with the people I needed to speak with. Many of these--my absolute favorites!--simply said, with a false cheerful lilt in their voice that they'd call back once they made contact with their experts. And then they never did.
I sometimes fail to understand what leads some people into the PR profession. The role of PR is to help people and establish effective professional relationships. If you aren't willing to help a reporter out, why are you there? Try writing an article with an editor breathing down your neck to ensure you deliver your copy on deadline. It's a great way to improve your media relations skills.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Tweeting For Your Nonprofit (Part II)
Below are additional tips and suggestions for improving your nonprofit’s exposure by using Twitter. These follow a post generated on Sunday, June 7.
4. Follow Your Impact on Twitter By Monitoring Retweets
How are your followers responding to your tweets? Are they retweeting your messages to disseminate them to an even wider audience? Occasionally, click your profile name on the menu that appears on the right side of the screen to find out how many tweets sent by other tweeple reference your profile name. Many could include retweets of former postings you generated. Continue building this loyalty among followers so they become great mouthpieces for your organization and its cause.
5. Drive Followers to Your Web Site (and Measure the Impact)
Thanks to http://www.tinyurl.com/, Twitter users can convert long URL addresses into short pithy links to web sites, which can be embedded in tweets. Indeed, an excellent way to ensure a loyal audience of Twitter followers is to serve as a reliable information resource. Sending Tiny URL links to other web pages and documents is a good way to do that. If you monitor the traffic your web site receives (and if you don't, you should), you can measure the impact of tweets on your followers by tweeting links to your web site (perhaps to new videos, pages or project success stories recently posted) and then determining whether your web traffic has increased. It's not an exact science, but if you notice a significant uptick in your web site visitors shortly after you've posted a tweet with a web site link, you'll have a good guess why people came by).
6. Tweet Often
As Woody Allen said, fifty percent of success is just showing up. Or was it sixty, or seventy or eighty percent? I forget, but the point remains. Tweeting often convinces your followers and the Twitterverse that you're in it for the long haul, that you didn't just set up an account to see what it is like. One tweet I received the other day linked to an article claiming that more than 80 percent of Twitter profiles have fewer than 10 followers. Individuals just passing through don't interest other tweeple and so, to ensure you are not one of those, tweet loud and tweet often. You'll generate respect and engagement (though it may take time) and, in the end, you'll have discovered a great tool that is already having a huge impact in online communications and allows you to spread the word about your great cause and mission!
4. Follow Your Impact on Twitter By Monitoring Retweets
How are your followers responding to your tweets? Are they retweeting your messages to disseminate them to an even wider audience? Occasionally, click your profile name on the menu that appears on the right side of the screen to find out how many tweets sent by other tweeple reference your profile name. Many could include retweets of former postings you generated. Continue building this loyalty among followers so they become great mouthpieces for your organization and its cause.
5. Drive Followers to Your Web Site (and Measure the Impact)
Thanks to http://www.tinyurl.com/, Twitter users can convert long URL addresses into short pithy links to web sites, which can be embedded in tweets. Indeed, an excellent way to ensure a loyal audience of Twitter followers is to serve as a reliable information resource. Sending Tiny URL links to other web pages and documents is a good way to do that. If you monitor the traffic your web site receives (and if you don't, you should), you can measure the impact of tweets on your followers by tweeting links to your web site (perhaps to new videos, pages or project success stories recently posted) and then determining whether your web traffic has increased. It's not an exact science, but if you notice a significant uptick in your web site visitors shortly after you've posted a tweet with a web site link, you'll have a good guess why people came by).
6. Tweet Often
As Woody Allen said, fifty percent of success is just showing up. Or was it sixty, or seventy or eighty percent? I forget, but the point remains. Tweeting often convinces your followers and the Twitterverse that you're in it for the long haul, that you didn't just set up an account to see what it is like. One tweet I received the other day linked to an article claiming that more than 80 percent of Twitter profiles have fewer than 10 followers. Individuals just passing through don't interest other tweeple and so, to ensure you are not one of those, tweet loud and tweet often. You'll generate respect and engagement (though it may take time) and, in the end, you'll have discovered a great tool that is already having a huge impact in online communications and allows you to spread the word about your great cause and mission!
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Tweeting For Your Nonprofit (Part I)
I wish Twitter had been around back in the days when I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sri Lanka and the communications director of a non-profit humanitarian organization, American Near East Refugee Aid. Twitter can help communications professionals connect with new supporters, donors and other stakeholders, and develop exposure for the needs facing underserved populations around the world. For those professionals currently tasked with fundraising and generating visibility for your mission or who want to incorporate the use of Twitter into your marketing strategy, here are a few tips and suggestions.
1. Find mutually passionate individuals utilizing Twitter and hashtags
If your organization uses Twitter, one way to reach potential supporters is to find them with hashtags. Tweets are often followed by a number sign and word (e.g. #gaza). These "hashtags" offer a system for filing tweets by subject. At http://www.hashtags.org/, enter a keyword that is critical to your mission in the box at the top of the screen. Other individuals who have tweeted about this subject with the hashtag will appear in a list that scrolls down the screen. (ANERA, the organization I worked for, provides aid to economically and socially challenged individuals in the Middle East, hence my above example of the Gaza hashtag). Checking out the profiles of those tweeting about subjects related to your mission may encourage you to follow those matching your target audiences. In turn, the connection you establish may encourage them to follow you, as well, creating the basis for a relationship.
2. Find Reporters Who Tweet
Keep a sharp eye out for articles that appear in traditional media related to your mission and/or cause. More and more reporters are using Twitter, and it would be worthwhile, when you find articles highlighting your area of concern, to research the reporter online and determine whether they have Twitter profiles. Following reporters positions you to serve as a resource (and a potential interview source) as they develop more editorial related to the subject. Establishing a Twitter connection also provides access to the reporter's followers, another channel for identifying stakeholders. Scrolling through these followers can help you find other individuals your organization may want to know about, as many of them likely are interested in the same topic as you (i.e. the type of editorial generated by the reporter).
3. Follow Other Fundraising/Charitable Organizations
Are organizations utilizing Twitter to generate coverage for a capital fundraising campaign? Are they tweeting statistics to highlight the plight of underserved populations around the world and to encourage donations? Social media has been, is, and maybe always will be a work-in-progress and in flux. Following other organizations to find out how they are maximizing the value of their presence on Twitter can provide you with ideas or examples for how to successfully execute a communications strategy. One internationally-oriented organization that has a great presence (and a lot of followers!) on Twitter is @charitywater. Another good one is @theonecampaign.
1. Find mutually passionate individuals utilizing Twitter and hashtags
If your organization uses Twitter, one way to reach potential supporters is to find them with hashtags. Tweets are often followed by a number sign and word (e.g. #gaza). These "hashtags" offer a system for filing tweets by subject. At http://www.hashtags.org/, enter a keyword that is critical to your mission in the box at the top of the screen. Other individuals who have tweeted about this subject with the hashtag will appear in a list that scrolls down the screen. (ANERA, the organization I worked for, provides aid to economically and socially challenged individuals in the Middle East, hence my above example of the Gaza hashtag). Checking out the profiles of those tweeting about subjects related to your mission may encourage you to follow those matching your target audiences. In turn, the connection you establish may encourage them to follow you, as well, creating the basis for a relationship.
2. Find Reporters Who Tweet
Keep a sharp eye out for articles that appear in traditional media related to your mission and/or cause. More and more reporters are using Twitter, and it would be worthwhile, when you find articles highlighting your area of concern, to research the reporter online and determine whether they have Twitter profiles. Following reporters positions you to serve as a resource (and a potential interview source) as they develop more editorial related to the subject. Establishing a Twitter connection also provides access to the reporter's followers, another channel for identifying stakeholders. Scrolling through these followers can help you find other individuals your organization may want to know about, as many of them likely are interested in the same topic as you (i.e. the type of editorial generated by the reporter).
3. Follow Other Fundraising/Charitable Organizations
Are organizations utilizing Twitter to generate coverage for a capital fundraising campaign? Are they tweeting statistics to highlight the plight of underserved populations around the world and to encourage donations? Social media has been, is, and maybe always will be a work-in-progress and in flux. Following other organizations to find out how they are maximizing the value of their presence on Twitter can provide you with ideas or examples for how to successfully execute a communications strategy. One internationally-oriented organization that has a great presence (and a lot of followers!) on Twitter is @charitywater. Another good one is @theonecampaign.
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