Web Ink Now

The New PR Generation

October 1, 2007 update. Robert French wrote a terrific post about his students and what they are learning in his class. I wish I had teachers like him when I was in school.

+++++++++++

I have completely come around to a new understanding of where the Public Relations profession is heading. It is so exciting to know that many young people about to enter the PR world will be equipped with an understanding of social media and the tools of web-based communications. The New PR Generation will be nothing like the current one! Watch out.

As I travel around the country speaking at conferences, I encounter hundreds of PR and marketing professionals who are struggling to understand and adapt to the new worlds of blogs, Wikis, chat rooms, YouTube and social networking like Facebook. Some immediately grasp the possibilities of online PR using the tools of social media. The people who get excited about the new rules understand that when you want to reach an audience, begging mainstream media to write about you is not the only solution.

However, many hundreds of PR pros, sadly, do not want to know. They happily go to their meetings at the four letter associations that perpetuate the myth that public relations is the same thing as media relations. These old-line PR people continue to believe that the only way to reach people is via magazines, newspapers, radio, and TV.

A few weeks ago, I received an email from Robert French who teaches public relations at Auburn University. He told me that the class of 25 people in his PR Writing class will read The New Rules of Marketing and PR and each week the students will blog about what they've read. Robert explained the purpose is to (a) help them begin to consider the new and changing world of PR and marketing they are entering and (b) to help them get started with social media - blogs, in particular.

Cool. Robert and I traded a few emails, but I didn't think much more about it until today.

My Google alerts popped up with a post from one of Robert’s PR students. In a blog post called Wow, This Stuff Really is Important Jackie relates a story of meeting several "old school" PR people (Jackie's words). Jackie talked with them about the new ideas of Facebook and blogs, and podcasts and ended up being asked to speak at a workshop.

Jackie says: "Those of us studying Public Relations here at Auburn University do not realize just how lucky we are…to be going through college at a time when our field is so drastically transforming. So the next time I find myself whining about having to write another blog entry, I am going to remind myself of all the people who didn’t even know what a blog was and be grateful that my professors are giving me such hands on experience, not busy work."

Watch out. When Jackie and the rest of Robert’s class and other members of the New PR Generation graduate and start out in PR agencies and at companies, we’ll finally, really be in a new world.

PRWeb in Plain English: Promoting the solar toaster

PRWeb just released a well-done YouTube video describing why and how companies should publish online news releases. Interesting that this video, which is a little over two minutes long, says most of the things that I said in my ebook The New Rules of PR but it took me 22 pages to say the same thing. My ebook has been downloaded 250,000 times. I wouldn't be surprised to see the numbers of views of this video climb to those levels.

This is worth a watch for beginning users of online news releases to reach buyers as well as experts. It tells the story of a company that "invented the first solar toaster" and how a news release (from PRWeb of course) helps them get the word out.

Nice job PRWeb: One social media company using the services of another social media company to tell a story in a new and interesting way. The new rules in action!

Tip of the hat to HRMarketer for finding this.

Disclosure: I delivered a paid keynote speech at the Vocus / PRWeb user conference in June 2007.

Advertising agency websites: Digital masturbation

One of the fundamental aspects of web marketing is that you need to understand your buyers before you create any content. Who are you trying to reach? What are the market problems of the buyer persona that you are targeting? What resonates with your buyer?

David Koopmans asks: "How good are agency websites?"

Well, I'm a representative of an ad agency buyer. When I was VP marketing at several NASDAQ traded companies I controlled a multi-million dollar budget and purchased services from agencies. Now, on the speaking circuit, I am often asked for agency recommendations by potential clients looking for someone to work with.

My answer to David is that most agency sites suck. As David suggests, part of the reason is the heavy use of flash and a focus on "cutting edge creative."

I would add that agency sites are very light on compelling content. Another observation is that many agency sites use the same tired and worn ways to show that they are "hip" – you know, cool introductions featuring a stylized version of their logo; fun, often black-and-white photos of the principles with funky stuff in the shots (fishing poles and Labrador retrievers are good for this purpose). When everyone does flash and everyone does logo gyrations and when everyone does funky photos it ceases to be hip.

I am drawing no conclusions on the ten sites below. However as a way to show a few examples, and to be as fair as possible, below are the top ten advertising agency brands in the United States as ranked by Advertising Age together with a link to each site.

You be the judge…
1. JWT
2. BBDO
2. McCann Erickson
4. Leo Burnett
5. Ogilvy & Mather
6. DDB
7. Y&R Advertising
8. Grey
9. Saatchi & Saatchi
10. DraftFCB

Based on what I see on the majority of advertising agency sites (I've checked out hundreds), which in my opinion is nothing more than digital masturbation, I advise people not to trust an advertising agency to build their site. While some advertising agencies may build great sites, the majority fail big time and their clients suffer as a result. To be fair, one exception is that an agency may be the best bet for certain purpose-built micro-sites focused on a particular campaign.

Here are two reasons why I tell people to avoid the agencies, together with details on why I feel companies should avoid these approaches.

Flaw # 1 > Ad agencies focus on aesthetics over information.

Advertising agencies try to convince clients to focus on the sizzle instead of the steak. Their advice is to pay more attention to colors and graphics than to the substance of the Web site: content. Often Ad agencies push distracting images or generic stock photos throughout a site and clunky Flash Video introductions or pop-ups on the homepage.

= Why marketers should avoid this:

Visitors who actually want to learn something aren't satisfied and sales are lost. The best Web sites are designed by marketers who have learned to think more like successful publishers: It is important to make a book or magazine readable, but not at the expense of providing something good to read. The Ad agency focus on style over substance is flawed. Imagine if Pulitzer Prizes were only given for design, usability, and functionality but not the actual content?

Flaw # 2 > Ad agencies focus on the wrong part of the sales cycle.

Ad agencies often design sites that feature slick, TV-influenced, one-way broadcast messages that feel like advertising. Ad agencies create sites as if they need to grab the attention of visitors for the first time. Many sites designed by Ad agencies sport all kinds of in-your-face images and messages designed to get you to pay attention.

= Why marketers should avoid this:

When a visitor gets to a Web site, you don't need to grab their attention; you already have it! Advertising agencies' strong focus on grabbing attention is rooted in print and TV advertising models, not a Web content-marketing and publishing model. The ad model is flawed, because on the Web, the challenge has shifted from grabbing attention to informing and educating your visitors through content. People who visit Web sites are often further along in the sales process. But most advertising people don't understand this and create ineffective sites as a result. People aren't looking for TV commercials on the Web, they are looking for content that helps them in some way.

US Airways flight attendants paid $50 commissions to interrupt us in flight

I've gone beyond being angry when companies I do business with interrupt me with loud marketing messages that I cannot ignore. Now I just laugh. And blog.

I was on a US Airways flight from Phoenix to Boston earlier this month. The flight departed around 3:00 PM and because of the time change was due in at around 11:00 PM in Boston. Time for a nap. After the movie, about a third of the plane was quietly reading, listening to their iPods or working and the remainder of the passengers, like me, were sleeping. Everyone was mellow.

An hour and a half before landing the lights come up and an announcement comes over the loudspeaker, waking up nearly 100 people from their naps.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I have great news for everyone flying with us today. You qualify for a free trip anywhere US Airways flies just by applying for the US Airways Signature Visa Card…" As people were rubbing their eyes, there was more form the speakers. The whole vibe of the plane changed as a point-by-point explanation of card benefits was run down. And then, just to make certain that everyone was fully awake, the flight attendant passed through the aisles talking up the Visa card and handing out applications.

I took an application and noticed the flight attendant's name and employee ID number is already filled in. Why so much effort at interruption? It turns out the flight attendant makes a $50 commission for each successful sale.

They're finding new and more efficient ways to interrupt us:
> Rhapsody streams ads while we try to enjoy music.
> Shaw’s Supermarket "informational segments" plays on video screens throughout the store and in the checkout aisles.
> Simon Malls blares advertising in the food court.
> American Express tries to sell us add-on services as we call to activate our card.

Why do these companies deem it important to annoy their existing customers, who are the best prospects they have for repeat business? Why do these companies insult our intelligence? Do they think that loud, unwelcome marketing messages are good for their brand? Or is there some rouge marketing genius doing something that the CEO and the head of customer support doesn’t know about? Or is it just me who is annoyed and other people like this stuff?

I'm naming US Airways to a Lifetime Achievement Award in the Interruption Marketing Hall of Shame.

When you have more than one blog, mistakes happen

I have two of my own blogs and write for several others. All are on TypePad and I access them through the same application.

This afternoon I was intending to post on my Apollo Artifacts blog information about my new Lunar Module decent stage engine that is currently displayed in my living room.

Whoops! I posted it on Web Ink Now by mistake. It is easy to delete a post, but once it goes out on RSS feeds, there isn't anything you can do about it.

If a weird post about a rocket engine appeared in your feeds, that was my screw up. Sorry!

PR Tip: Pitching bloggers and journalists who wear many hats

As I was reading Rachel's post over at Behind the Buzz, I was struck by another tip that I want to add to what Mark Hinkle and I have said on our blogs about How to pitch a blogger.

Many bloggers wear multiple hats. For example, I am a contributing editor to EContent Magazine, a contributing writer to The Pragmatic Marketer, and I occasionally write for other publications (MarketingProfs and RainToday for example). Obviously, I am a blogger here at WebInkNow, but I also have a blog about Apollo moon mission artifacts and I have written three books (most recent is The New Rules of Marketing & PR).

I know many bloggers like me who are journalists and bloggers. For example Ron Miller is a freelance technology writer since 1988. He has written for publications such as eWeek, Internetnews.com, InformationWeek Business Week SmallBiz, EMedia, Federal Computer Week, CMP Linux Pipeline, Linux Planet and PC Magazine Online.

Yeah, I know this is a long lead in to the tip. But here it is: When you pitch someone who wears multiple hats, it is a good idea to tell us why you are pitching and which publication you are pitching.

For me, it just doesn't work to just send a "you might be interested" pitch. I get hundreds of email pitches and press releases a week and I don't read any of the untargeted ones. Don't waste your time or mine.

However, I do read the ones that are specific.

To interest me, you need to say something like: "I've read your blog and based on what you write about in WebInkNow, this is something I thought you should know about. Here's why..."

So if you're pitching a blogger, make sure that you are very clear about that fact because all bloggers wears multiple hats.

The Best & Worst Business Books

This morning my Google news & blog alerts lit up with the following headlines: "The Best & Worst Business Books" and "10 Overrated Business Books." I'll admit that I momentarily freaked out about it because I knew that the alerts were triggered by my name or my book title so I immediately linked to Charles Tan's Bibliophile Stalker blog.

Phew, The New Rules of Marketing & PR was on the "best" side of the list, which was compiled by Geoffrey James at BNET. I'm so excited because the lists aren't just recent business books, but all time business books such as Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People (also on the "best" side). Great company indeed.

Here's what Geoffrey wrote in the introduction to the featured article: "Your time is limited — but the number of business books aren't — and many of the bestsellers aren't even worth their weight in your carry-on. We've sorted through the fads, pop theories, and half-baked research to find the ones that will actually give you information you can — and should — put to use."

Ten Overrated Business Books

BNETs take: "We think that some of these classics became popular not because they were particularly insightful, but because they reinforced conventional business wisdom."

Read the details for each book to learn why it was chosen.

Reengineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for Business Revolution by Michael Hammer and James Champy

In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America's Best-Run Companies by Tom Peters and Robert H. Waterman

Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun by Wess Roberts

Jack Welch & the G.E. Way: Management Insights and Leadership Secrets of the Legendary CEO by Robert Slater

Jesus CEO by Laurie Beth Jones

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey

The One Minute Manager by Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson

Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson

Chicken Soup for the Soul at Work by Jack Canfield, etc.

Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids -- That You Can Learn Too by Robert Kiyosaki

Ten Underrated Business Books

BNETs take: "These 10 books might not tell you want you want to hear, but they will give you information you need to significantly revise your personal and business strategies."

Read the details for each book to learn why it was chosen.

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell

Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Devitt and Stephen J. Dubner

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich

The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More by Chris Anderson

The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting,
Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly by David Meerman Scott

Managers Not MBAs: A hard look at the soft practice of managing and management development by Henry Mintzberg

The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It by Michael E. Gerber

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

Wow. Quite amazing company to be in!

Separately, The New Rules of Marketing & PR scored a starred review in Publishers Weekly. Only a few business books gain this honor. You can see the review on the book's Amazon page.

Attention PR People: How to Pitch a Blogger

Mark Hinkle has been the editor in chief of two industry trade publications and a blogger for nearly five years. He recently posted an amazingly comprehensive guide for PR people who want to reach out to influential blogs called PR Tip: How to Pitch a Blogger.

I agree with all of Mark's suggestions. Like Mark, I also get hundreds of unsolicited press releases and PR pitches each week and I can say that 99 percent of them suck. Worse, some are so poorly written as to harm the reputation of the company (or agency) that sent it. Unfortunately, most are just spam.

I would add a tip of my own to Mark's list: Don't tell us what your product does (that’s boring and usually just goes down a rat hole of gobbledygook). Instead, tell us how your company solves problems for your customers.

If you're in PR and are trying to get your company (or your clients) noticed by bloggers, read Mark's post.

Steve Chazin, former Apple Marketing executive, releases MarketingApple blog and ebook: Secrets of the World's Best Marketing Machine

My friend Steve Chazin just launched a really cool new blog called MarketingApple. He also a released an ebook today called Marketing Apple: 5 Secrets of the World’s Best Marketing Machine. Steve's blog and ebook are definitely worth a look for two important reasons.

Steve understand how Apple markets products and he does it from the position of an insider. His five secrets, which are both interesting and relevant for marketing professionals, are packaged to make it easy to learn how Apple operates.

The other reason to check out Steve’s blog and ebook is to see how he put together the content. This is a nice crisp design that shows off the text content with stunning clarity. If Apple were to do a blog and ebook to share the secrets of marketing, this is what it would look like.

Steve spent nearly a decade at Apple where he managed a New England sales territory, drove a strategic partnership with the Harvard Business School, and worked with Steve Jobs to rebuild Apple's marketing efforts which helped return the company to profitability in the late 1990s.

MarketingApple.com is a new site open to anyone who wants to learn and implement some of the techniques that has made Apple, Inc. the world’s best marketing machine. Steve’s first-hand knowledge of how Apple turned the company around by better marketing is a must read.

These days, Steve is a source for reporters looking for insights into Apple’s marketing and he also speaks about the topic at conferences. Steve is also Vice President of Marketing at TubesNow.com, a Web company that makes sharing, publishing, and subscribing to content easy, manageable and fun.

I spoke with Steve early this week and he shared with me why he’s doing this. "Apple is a perfect example of what good design and good marketing can do when you tie them both together. My background and my love for the company puts me in a unique position to help others embrace a similar approach. And I love helping other fellow marketers look good!"

Check out Steve's MarketingApple blog and download his ebook.

Disclosures: Steve Chazin is my friend and I helped him with the strategy to get his MarketingApple ideas into the marketplace. I have done work for Steve's current company TubesNow.com.

Marketing 1-2-3: 1) Find a problem to solve 2) Build a product that solves it 3) Encourage your customers to tell your story

I've been surfing for nearly 20 years: Bodyboarding, bodysurfing, and longboards mostly. This year my daughter clearly passed me in standup surfing ability (she's 14). I really enjoy the ocean and waves, it is so relaxing and fun. Because of my speaking business, I also end up at some fantastic surfing spots and try to arrive a bit early or stay late and get in some rides. On business I've been to Sydney, Australia many times, Hawaii, Bali, up and down the California coast, Miami, and other places with waves.

A few days ago we had some good rides at Easton Beach in Newport, RI and we wished that we had a camera. So today I was looking for a waterproof digital camera so my daughter and I could shoot some surf photos. I was totally expecting to get some bulky and difficult to use unit that was designed for scuba divers.

Instead I discovered a case study of a Tuned In company that follows the easy 1-2-3 steps of marketing.

1) I was thrilled to find the GoPro Digital Hero 3 camera. If you look on Amazon for waterproof digital camera as I did, you'll see that most of the others look the same. Then you come to the GoPro model. As any surfer would know, you can’t haul around a standard camera, especially in big waves. This unit fits on your wrist! Perfect. As an added benefit it shoots video too. Cool: Here is a camera for my buyer persona.

2) This product was clearly created with a market problem in mind instead of dreamed up by product designers in a vacuum. When you are tuned in to what problems people are willing to spend money to solve (in my example, someone who wants to shoot photos while surfing) and you build a product that solves that problem, you are on the road to success. The GoPro Digital Hero 3 camera is made by a Northern California-based team of inventors and athletes dedicated to making it easy to use a camera during life’s most exciting moments. Since launching the camera a month or so ago, they have gotten a lot of press.

3) The next step, as GoPro also does, is to create a site that showcases the product instead of just throwing some egotistical nonsense about mission statements and product specs. In fact, GoPro encourages customers to submit photos and video to the site and to vsocial.

The GoPro site is a bit clunky. They need many more user-contributed photos, but the product was only introduced a few weeks ago, so I’m sure that with a product like this, more will come very soon. By the way the surf photo here is absolutely not me, but it was taken with a GoPro camera.