Repeat, Repeat, Repeat!

Word on the street is the 2012 is going to be a difficult year for PR. There are many challenges facing the industry in today’s market. However, it is also a great time for the savvy, and as with any challenging time, the savvy will emerge on top.

The forward thinkers over at Hammerkit have put together a webinar for December 15th which will focus on three things PR agencies can do to ensure business will boost profitability and look back on 2012 as a great year. Namely: repeat, repeat, repeat!

Sign up for their webinar here, or we promise, you will be missing out.

Tags: 2012, Business, Business Services, Hammerkit, PR, Public relations, repeat, Web conferencing

Bringing it 360

We got lucky and had a chance to talk to Vanessa Vigar, a 20-year marketing and communications veteran from the technology media & telecommunications sector and new  partner at ink Communications. She gave us the low-down on her vision of what public relations should be about in the tech world we live in today and tomorrow. — JLH

Vigar: I’m into day 17 at ink now and after putting on a pair of high heels to fit in with those ladies and joining this virtual team, I had a chance to think about how the role of a PR agency has changed and continues to change. Here are some of my observations.

• It’s even more about the journalist than ever. As papers and magazines battle to reinvent and survive, those creating the content are becoming media channels in their own right and carry the weight (or not) rather than just the editor.

• Your business network is as big an asset as is your media relationships. If you boast to be “in” the industry, companies are increasingly turning to their PR folks to match-make and make new connections. How good is your LinkedIn profile?
• It’s going 360 and virtual. Small to medium organistations, would rather have one commnications agency then several. It’s rare to find one strong in the multiple deciplines of PR, marketing and promotion, but in a shameless plug for ink, some of us get it! Companies are (thank goodness) growing wearty of bloated expenses, mark-ups and covering the overhead costs of their ageny in their fees. Welcome the virutal agency. Pay for what you get is our mantra!
• Video is becoming increasingly prominent across all media. From reading to watching WIRED on your iPad, understanding what works on camera is a valuable PR asset.
• Location really does not matter. Tap into the skills where they are, rather than where you are… you have Skype right?
  
• Of course, somethings never change. Bad PR still gives the industry a bad reputation, whereas bad journalism is commonplace. Liquid lunches still sell stories and (some) big companeis still seek comfort in the big agency network. Come on, prove me wrong!

Tags: 360 Communications, Business, Global Communications, ink Communications, LinkedIn, Marketing, PR 2.0, Public relations, Social media marketing, Vanessa Vigar

Tattling, but in a good way

Out of all the press releases and communications we have received from PR firms for SCTE Cable-Tec Expo this year, there is one clear winner in the manners, meaningful, relevant, professional, helpful, considerate catagory (I bet you didn’t even know that existed) that would be Motorola‘s PR firm for SCTE which is Ms. Beth Hespe from Garfield Group Public Relations. She channels old school protocol with new school methods – messages, timeliness, fresh writing and most of all it actually feels like she likes what she does for Motorola. Her pitches are straight to the point and not invasive and she provides context, meaningful context that is missing from just about all the releases we have seen. Not once did she send us five releases all in a row with no introduction or context (like Bob Gold PR) nor did she tell us we could include this in all the show dailies if we wanted to (yes someone actually said that) Thanks Beth for bringing credit to the profession. And to Motorola for hiring them.

Tags: Motorola, Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers

A rogue press release

Image via Wikipedia

A lot to say about this new release. We don’t even know where to start here … where their actually PR people involved here? Or the fact that they agreed to take this shotgun message and spin it? The fact that someone approved this? Or the fact that someone felt that the tragic death of two people related to a celebrity was the link to use to encourage people to purchase a shotgun?

We have parents

Today officially marks the debut of bGrand, the trail blazing communications consultancy that has now spread its wings across EMEA and North America. And, they have a really cool bLounge where you can get some tasty cocktails. Overall, its about a new collaborative approach towards gettting companies out into market and collaborating with innovative agencies around the world and using the best of all that is out there to communicate – old school and new school blended together and poured over ice with a twist. Mmm, we are thirsty. Happy Halloween!

Tags: bGrand, icon22, ink Communications

Old school PR folks – read and believe

We recently attended Red Herring‘s ETRE in Stockholm as both a blogger and panelist, and while we were there we encountered some truly old school PR and marketing folks – it’s okay to be old school, those traditional forms of communications are still very valid when shaken (not stirred) in the current landscape of communicating a message, but deep down, when you look into their eyes, you see a bit of fear and disbelief belief because its a lot to process and easier to just stay put. But then you look at big brands like IBM, SAP and even Ford, who are using the new forms of media, social media, to reach their audience, or rather the audience that fits that method of communication.

Tattletech found the perfect case in point by Convince and Convert headed up by someone we have a crush on — okay so that is so school girl, but we told you – we like people who are intelligent, savvy, full of wit and easy on the eye – maybe we should do a Hot Social Media Guy list… who’s for it?

The interview is with Scott Monty, who heads up social media at Ford. yes we said F-O-R-D, the car manufacturer. And as we head into the last 4 days before Somesso.com the social corporate media event to be held in Zurich this week, it’s clear that this form of communication in the PR and Marketing 2.0 world is here to stay. Thanks Jason for this great interview. London 2009 is calling for the next Somesso event so let’s have a big Social Media guru fest!

Related articles by Zemanta

• PR is part of the product design: Ford’s social media news release
• Go Scott Monty!
• More New Media For The Enterprise

Tags: Ford Motor Company, Red Herring, SAP AG, social media, Somesso

Nothing like old school rock and roll to tell a story.

We love this video. Spam on Facebook Love it! And we agree 100%.

Don’t make us “ignore” you.

The Alchemy of making a business better, bGrand

Is 100% a fusion of tactics – PR, marketing and design together. That is why bGrand is the solution for the new global economy. 

Tags: bGrand

What makes a good case study

• The opening problem section must carry a punch. It has to have significant business impact for the reader.
•  The implementation demonstrates how your product resolved a critical business issue -you’re implying that if the reader chooses your product/service, you can also resolve their issues.

• Finally, you must support it with measurable results – statistics, figures and tables where appropriate. Explain the return on investment.

Issues to consider:

• Is the customer willing to participate in the case study writing process, including phone interviews or answering questions by email? Will they agree to be quoted?
• Does the customer have a compelling background? Do you know the driving forces that led them to your company? What other options they had tried in the past and why did those fail?
• Were there any barriers or challenges faced during implementation? Is the customer satisfied with the outcome enough to give favourable opinions of the process?
• Can you focus on the benefits that the customer received from your product rather than overloading the case study with too much technical information?
• Can the customer demonstrate measurable results? For example, instead of calling the case study “Customer B Case Study,” can you say “Case study on How Customer B Improved In-Room Entertainment Sales by 300%?”
•   How does the customer feel about the future with your company’s products? Is there a satisfying conclusion to the story?