Month: July 2012

The Messenger Matters: How to Start Positive Epidemics

Heather Sliwinski Leave a comment

“Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread just like viruses do,” says Malcolm Gladwell, author of our first Summer Book Club selection “The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference“. If we think of trends and changes in society as epidemics, like the flu, we can better understand why some ideas spread and how to start positive epidemics of our own. Each trend has one moment, where one small change can—be the Tipping Point.

“The Tipping Point” offers three rules of epidemics–the Law of the Few, the Stickiness Factor and the Power of Context, which all can be helpful when applied to PR. The rule that stuck out to me the most was the Law of the Few.

The Law of the Few

The Law of the Few suggests that a small group of people, if they are the right people, can start an epidemic. Gladwell cites three different types of the “right” people who are capable of starting and epidemic–Connectors, Mavens and Salesmen.

  • Connectors are those who seem to know everyone and have their feet in many circles. Perhaps they are the president of PRSA or your seasoned PR mentor.
  • Mavens are vaults of information and want to advise others. Mavens are trusted sources of information because they sincerely want to help, and people listen to them for it, such as keynote speakers at educational conferences. As a blogger, I also would like to consider myself a Maven.
  • Salesmen are the persuaders, when others are unconvinced. For an epidemic to start, people need to be persuaded to do something.

What This Law Means for PR

Connectors have the power of numbers, Mavens have the power of credibility and Salesmen have the power of persuasion. They each own different strengths, but each have the ability to spark an epidemic.

Now, whether the epidemic we are trying to spread is a viral video on YouTube, a product or service or a public campaign, Gladwell’s law shows that to whom we communicate is crucial to spreading the word. Instead of trying to share our message with anyone and everyone, or “spray and pray“, we should target those who have the influence to start an epidemic.

We can reach out to social media for Connectors who have a large number of followers in many different areas of interest. We can reach out to bloggers for Mavens, who are experts in their industry and have the trust of their readers. We can reach out to influential people through partnerships, maybe those who are public figures or have some amount of celebrity, who can change opinions and move people with little effort.

Spamming everyone with a press release that doesn’t get covered won’t start an epidemic. Telling one trusted blogger who writes a post read by thousands, who always follow their advice–that can spread your message like wildfire.

Before you send your next release or pitch to a list of generic reporters, think about with whom you are communicating. Are they a Connector? Maven? Salesman? Can they be the Tipping Point of your epidemic?

 

Other discussion questions:

1. How can the Law of the Few help us in our careers? Should we be more deliberate in choosing to whom we are marketing ourselves?

2. Gladwell published his book in 2000. How do you think his rules would have changed with the introduction of social media? Do social networks make everyone a Connector? Are the lines of who has influence blurrier?

3. Have you identified any Tipping Points in your own PR campaigns? What do you credit for your successful initiatives?

Don’t forget to visit our Facebook page and vote for our next Summer Book Club selection. Thanks for participating!

 

Heather SliwinskiHeather Sliwinski is an account executive at KemperLesnik, a Chicago-based public relations agency, providing media relations and social media services to a variety of B2B clients. She has held positions in marketing and event planning for corporations, nonprofits and higher education. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications with an emphasis in strategic communications from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Sliwinski is the blog co-chair for the PRSA New Professionals Section. Feel free to connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter.

Five Lessons for Integrating Social Media in PR

Heather Sliwinski 1 Comment

I remember being a junior in college and setting up a blog for a class assignment. At the time, blogging was still a new form of communication for our industry (wow, that makes me sound old!), and I remember wondering when I was going to use it. Little did I know, blogging and using social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter would become part of my everyday job.

As public relations professionals, we strive to find the best medium for distributing our key messages to target audiences. We are challenged with making our messages succinct, timely and transparent. And with social media, our job really is no different. Social media is just another tool in our kit that doesn’t necessarily replace traditional media but instead complements it. In fact, when done correctly, social media is treated as a channel rather than a tactic.

I’ve learned five lessons in my career about social media’s role in our profession:

  •  Don’t set out looking for a job in ‘social media public relations.’ I think every practitioner should have a working knowledge of the platforms that exist and how they can potentially apply to client strategies. It’s part of our job to know all the communication tools out there regardless of whether your title has social media in it or not. Yes, I leave Twitter and Facebook open all day. That doesn’t mean I’m on it every minute, but it needs to be easily accessible to make sure nothing is missed. For me, it’s just like having my email open. Plus, you never know when a reporter is going to post that they are looking for a source. Trust me, it will happen!
  • Social media is constantly evolving. Whether it’s a new photo sharing site or changes to the way brand managers get Facebook Insights, there always seems to be something new to learn. Don’t ever grow overconfident in your social media skills.
  • Try new things. When I hear of a new site, I usually try to use it on a personal level before trying to incorporate it into any campaigns. This step would be the research part of the RPIE process. You wouldn’t start a campaign without research, and you wouldn’t jump into social media for a brand without doing that research. Using it personally will give you great insight into how a user will be viewing and interacting with your brand.
  • Listen, listen, listen and then listen some more. If you don’t listen, then you really shouldn’t have a presence on these sites. People want to interact with your brand, and they want to be heard. It takes time to build the relationships, but it’s worth it in the end. After all, the goal for using this channel should be dialogue and engagement.      How can you accomplish that without listening?
  • Be careful what you say. Given the real-time nature, it’s easy to want to respond quickly. However, it’s  important to think through your response and even have someone do a quick review of it before posting. Once it’s out there, you can’t take it back.

How are you using social media in your postition? What other things should new professionals know about social media’s role in our profession?

 

Christina MortonChristina Morton is an account executive at Fry Hammond Barr, a national advertising, public relations and interactive marketing agency that’s been connecting people and brands for more than 50 years. Fry Hammond Barr has offices in Orlando and Tampa.

Self-Branding: Creating Your Professional Identity

Zaneta Chuniq Inpower Leave a comment

Defining yourself as a public relations professional will be one of the most important tasks you will begin while starting your career. As we’ve evolved into the age of digital and social media, these networks have forced enabled individuals to create their own personal brands by creating the opportunity for us to share specific content to audiences that ultimately shape who we are, or striving to be.

With so many social networks, it may be difficult to decide which networks to use and if you should have a separate identity on each one. The best rule of thumb is to be consistent. Don’t be conservative on Facebook and rowdy on Twitter. Ask yourself, are you a Beyonce or Rihanna when it comes to social media expression? Personally, I share random thoughts and happenings via Twitter, yet I am always posting about business, news, PR and other professional, mature interests that let my followers remember what I am truly about.

Here are 7 things PR Pros should consider when branding themselves:

  • Connect LinkedIN to Facebook or Twitter. Let people see that you are a professional with an opinion and expertise in your said field of study or work. This helps build a rapport with your personal friends who may not have previously been aware of your business savvy.
  • Remove all undergrad party pictures or set them to private. What happens in college stays in college (so it should). Keep it classy with the pictures you have uploaded and the ones you share. Once something is on Facebook online, it’s there forever.
  • Take a professional headshot for your LinkedIN page. Potential employers, colleagues and networking connections will take you more seriously when your picture is formal.
  • Not sure what you want your “brand” to say? Think of 5 of your best qualities or skills and use them as foundations for content and engagement. Build from your original skill set as you gain more experience.
  • Work in your field! This should be a no brainer; however you can’t be an entertainment PR guru if you don’t have any experience with record labels, management teams, venues, artists or music in general. If you’re looking for a career in any area, start with an internship, get a mentor in that area, start making mock news releases to build your writing skills and dive in.
  • Have strong, meaningful business card. Sure you can send someone your contact file on your iPhone or Blackberry, but business cards are still imperative. Enlist a graphic designer to design a custom card with your contact info, social media links and professional headline.
  • Dress for the job you want to have in the future. Invest in a nice suit, shoe(s) and accessories. Always have this on-hand for impromptu appearances at business events.

Talk back:

  1. What are some other things new PR pros can do to build a solid brand?
  2. How have you used the digital atmosphere to build your professional identity?

Zaneta Chuniq Inpower is owner and president of Chuniq PR, an independent media and marketing management firm. Additionally, she is the digital communications coordinator for Douglas J Aveda Institutes and Salons, editor  for Supreme Design Publishing and social media manager for COIN Handlers Management. Her personal interests include reading, international travel and culture and community revitalization. Inpower received her B.A. in advertising from Michigan State University. Zaneta Chuniq Inpower is a member of the Central Michigan PRSA chapter and is the PRSA New Professionals Section Executive Committee Blog Co-Chair.