This is a post from PR columnist, Alison Kenney.
As a solo PR pro, I love any technology or technique that makes my work easier or more affordable. Those that make life both easier and affordable really take the prize!
Following are a few examples of services that are free and also leverage social media to help PR pros collaborate to make their work easier and more effective. Each of these examples replaces or competes with a service that either a) previously cost an arm and a leg or b) was something that every PR team did individually and then staunchly guarded.
Help a Reporter Out (HARO) – Founded in 2008 by serial entrepreneur Peter Shankman as a Facebook Groups page, HARO is one of the fastest-growing social media services in North America.
HARO enables journalists to connect with the right source and grants everyone – from home-based entrepreneurs to large businesses – access to reporters who may write about them. It’s comparable to PRNewswire’s Profnet but can be subscribed to for free versus Profnet’s $3,500 price tag.
PitchWithMe: a new concept from PR pro Heather Whaling that helps PR folks collaborate on pitches to discover potential resources and offer journalists more multiple resources. As Heather says on the PitchWithMe site, “within agencies, this kind of packaged pitching is already taking place; however, freelancers, boutique agencies and small businesses don’t always have these kinds of resources available. Until now.” Thanks Heather!
BloggerLinkUp: kind of like a HARO or Profnet for bloggers and those trying to reach bloggers, BloggerLinkUp was formed by Cathy Stucker as a free resource (via email subscription) for bloggers who are looking for expert sources, products to review or guest posts and for PR reps who have products they’d like reviewed or guest blog posts they’d like to see published. In addition to providing tactical solutions, what I think is so great about these services is that they are also shifting the emphasis in our daily PR jobs from process to content. Now that we all have access to reporters’s queries, bloggers requests and other PR reps to collaborate with, we can focus on creative strategies and hopefully improve the PR services we offer.
What do you think? What free collaborative social media tools do you recommend?
Alison Kenney an independent PR practitioner with more than 15 years of PR consulting experience. She is based on Boston’s North Shore and has worked with organizations in the technology, professional services and consumer industries. She writes a bi-monthly PR column on LindsayOlson.com. Learn more about Alison Kenney.
This is a post from guest columnist Alison Kenney.
Writing is an essential skill in a PR career. Writing under pressure is an essential-er skill.
PR people do more writing each day than they may realize — from the expected stuff, like press releases, contributed articles, bios, speaker proposals, award submissions, case studies and pitch letters to other forms of communication like blog responses and emails offering client counsel. Then there′s the way we represent ourselves with social media — the profile updates and community contributions or perhaps the blog posts we write. While it′s important that all of these written communications be sharp, smart and clear, many are done on the fly or with an expected tight turnaround.
From my experience, here are a few tips for writing well under pressure:
- Get rid of distractions — close down a few Windows on your screen, close the door to your office or settle into someone else′s office or a conference room. Tune out the buzz around you so that you can focus on getting the job done.
- Just do it — stuck on finding the perfect opening or headline? Sometimes it′s best to just start writing and get the juices flowing, then go back to edit later. One of my supervisors once told me that the key to writing in PR is to think about the news you are trying to communicate and imagine two old men sitting on a bench communicating it for you; the point was that if you could imagine their conversation you would have your headline, your sub-headline and your supporting arguments.
- Break it down — if the idea of writing an entire piece right now is overwhelming, create smaller, more do-able "homework" assignments. When I′m really stuck and not motivated to write something that really needs to get done, I set a schedule for myself. For instance, I′ll tell my lazy self that I must write for the next 30 minutes and then reward myself with another, more desirable activity.
- Start with the easy stuff —maybe thinking of a fresh way to write the CEO′s quote in a press release eludes you, but you can easily write the fact-filled introductory paragraph and company boilerplate paragraphs. Doing so makes it look like you′ve written more than you have and could be the inspiration you need.
- Imagine what the reader will think — every piece of communication you write has an intended audience. Put yourself in their shoes for a second and think about what they want to know, what their first question will be upon reading your headline or opening line or what their reaction will be to your news.
- Take a break — this kind of flies in the face of my first few tips where I suggest just focusing on the matter at hand, but honestly some of my best ideas come when I switch gears for a short time and get up from my desk to do something different.
- Keep a diary — a lot of writing experts recommend this because it gets you in the habit of writing, gets the ideas to appear on paper and is a fabulous way to get a sense of your writing style.
- Read — I recall a saying that good writers are good readers, probably because reading a variety of materials will expand your vocabulary, open you to new ideas and keep you current.
What are your tips for writing under pressure?
Alison Kenney an independent PR practitioner with more than 15 years of PR consulting experience. She is based on Boston′s North Shore and has worked with organizations in the technology, professional services and consumer industries. She writes a bi-monthly PR column on LindsayOlson.com. Learn more her here.
Giving and receiving can both be pretty good!
Many of us in PR work, or have worked, pro bono, which is an abbreviated form of the Latin term pro bono publico that means "for the public good." (When I looked up that definition, I also learned that the American Bar Association recommends that lawyers in the United States contribute at least fifty hours of pro bono service per year.) While not mandatory in PR, pro bono work presents terrific career opportunities.
There are a lot of reasons to take on a pro bono PR assignment, such as:
- Supporting a pet cause
- Gaining professional experience
- Balancing other work assignments and/or enjoying a change of pace
- Networking and making connections
- Exploring a new field
- Giving back
It sounds pretty rosy and pro bono projects certainly can be. But I′ve also talked to folks on the receiving end and heard about "good intentions gone wrong" or, if not completely wrong, just not ideal. Consider the non-profit whose board member included the head of a national PR firm. His agency provided PR counsel pro bono to the non-profit and its internal team on an ongoing basis. That meant that the pro bono team varied according to agency member availability and the agency applied many of its standard PR campaign practices even when they weren′t the best fit for the non-profit′s target audience. The pro bono recipients are grateful for the PR work they receive but ideally would have liked to have more of a say in the efforts and tactics. At other times, pro bono PR relationships don′t work because the non-profit can′t support the donor — it may not have any internal staff or resources to keep momentum going. And, in a frustrating example for both sides, sometimes the pro bono assignment goes south because of a lack of clear expectations.
I don′t think these examples are the norm, however; I only mention them to illustrate the importance of having a clear understanding of project scope when you take on a pro bono PR project. Spend time understanding what type of PR assignment is needed, what the timeframe will be, who the supporting players are (and whether training them could be the most beneficial contribution you make) and what type of outcome is expected. Careful planning and good communication in the beginning will make your pro bono PR experience a positive one.
Alison Kenney an independent PR practitioner with more than 15 years of PR consulting experience. She is based on Boston′s North Shore and has worked with organizations in the technology, professional services and consumer industries. She writes a bi-monthly PR column on LindsayOlson.com. Learn more her here.
This is a guest post by Nikki Ruth
Did you know?
Audrey Hepburn wanted to become a ballerina. She was considered too tall and was advised not to continue.
Tom Cruise joined a seminary to become a priest. He was also a paperboy for the Louisville Courier-Journal.
Before Cameron Diaz made her acting debut in The Mask she toured the world as a model.Walt
Disney drove an ambulance for the Red Cross during World War I.
Johnny Depp worked as an over-the-phone pen salesman before he became an actor.
Celebrity careers rarely happen overnight and chances are your first job will not be your dream job, but one of many as you work your way to the top. It is possible to get your dream job. Here′s how.
1. Learn about yourself
Take time to do a self-assessment of your values and how you like to work. What′s most important to you? What do you want out of life and how do you want to be remembered? Then get specific. If you say you′re a good communicator, do you like talking informally to small groups of people or do you like making formal presentations? Now brainstorm around these findings and think about the different roles or activities you can use these skills in.
2. Do your research
Once you know the kind of career you′re looking for, start talking to people who have jobs in the industry you′re considering and find out what it′s really like. Ask them what they love and hate about their job. You might find that after these conversations, more careers will be crossed off your list and others might emerge.
3. Find a mentor
Find a mentor who has already succeeded at what you want to do and ask them how they achieved their dream job. A strong relationship with a mentor who is higher up in your company can open a lot of doors for you. You′ll learn a lot about the company and about the jobs you might want to get in the future. You'll also have an ally who will be willing recommend you when you do decide to apply for a new opportunity.
4. Create an action plan
An action plan should contain S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time framed) objectives and actions and resources. Plot a path between your current position and the dream. This might involve some training or you might need to get out of what you′re doing so that you can work in a job that is more connected with your dream? If you keep getting rejected from your dream job, you are not ready yet and might need to take a "˜stepping stone′ job before you can move onto the next level.
5. Speak to a career coach
Seek the sound advice of a career professional to help you get closer to landing the job of your dreams. Career coaches can help you plan a change of direction, get your career off the ground with job hunting tactics, identify your career options, provide recommendations for your career development and might have an "˜in′ that helps you through the door!
I hope you found my tips useful.
Guest post by Nikki Ruth, CV Writer and founder of My CV and Me. Nikki provides cv writing and career skills workshops services. Follow her on Twitter @mycvandme
I work in PR and my family has no idea what I do.
I′ve heard my parents accurately describe the company or clients I work for but they have a hard time articulating what I actually do for these organizations.
I used to joke about this when I started my career. I was working for a high-tech PR agency and the trade jargon was difficult for even those in the know to follow. It cracked me up to imagine my mom telling her friends that her daughter "announced the beta of version 8.0 of a front office software platform. She′s drafting the briefing books now for some desk-side media one-on-ones"¦"
The problem is that I can′t explain what I do either! Fortunately I′m not alone. Nearly 2,500 folks have proclaimed on Facebook that explaining what we do is tough for us PR people.
I can′t tell you how many holiday gatherings I′ve been to where different relatives have asked me if I′m still writing for the paper. (I did have a college internship at a newspaper nearly 20 years ago.) More often than not, I just say yes.
My elementary school aged kids are genuinely interested in learning what I do, and I′ve taken pains to explain my job accurately to them. The jury is still out on how successful my explanations are, though. I overheard my daughter′s friend say that her mom drew the picture in a particular magazine (the friend′s mother works for an ad agency) and my daughter replied that her mom knew the person who made the magazine. Our conversations are similar to the one David Moye had with his daughter when she asked "Daddy what′s PR?" although they sometimes take a hysterical turn after we discuss how manipulative the media can be.
Usually I adapt my job description based on how interested the person I′m talking to seems to be and the types of questions they′re asking. I don′t think I′ve ever described my job the same way. When asked what I do for a living sometimes I talk about the purpose of my job, e.g. shaping a brand, influencing demand, generating leads, and sometimes I talk about the actual activities I did that day, e.g. writing a press release, calling the media, tweeting. Of course, everyone tries to understand my work in terms they can relate to and sometimes the conversations end with "so could you help my Uncle Rick with PR for his auto body shop?"
I′m still looking for some new answers to give my mom. How do you describe your work in PR?
Alison Kenney an independent PR practitioner with more than 15 years of PR consulting experience. She is based on Boston′s North Shore and has worked with organizations in the technology, professional services and consumer industries. She writes a bi-monthly PR column on LindsayOlson.com. Learn more her here.
This is a post by Alison Kenney.
Career advisors will tell you about the value of creating a niche for yourself: it helps position you as an expert and helps you avoid being all things to all people or spreading yourself too thin. This maxim applies whether you′re in corporate PR, work as an independent consultant or are part of a department within an agency. But what if you don′t like the niche you′re currently in? Consider these seven steps if you′re thinking about breaking into a new niche:
Step #1: Articulate your reasons
Find other PR pros who work in the field you want to be in and shadow them or ask them about their work. Understanding the field′s requirements, the schedule and how payment and rewards work will ensure there are no surprises later. It will also help you visualize yourself doing the work and reassure you that it′s what you want to do. Being able to explain why you want to switch gears is important as it will help you convince others to take a chance on you even though you don′t yet have the experience. Before he became a top CNBC reporter Darren Rovell explored career opportunities in sports journalism. His journey included looking at where most sports journalists focused their efforts, getting advice on market opportunities from veterans and doing extensive research on the field (see step #7 below).
Step #2: Ask for help
Identify a few mentors who work in the niche you′re targeting and offer to take them out for coffee or lunch in exchange for advice on breaking into the niche.
Step #3: Look for pro bono opportunities
Pro bono projects, i.e. those done without pay, can help you get your feet wet, make some connections and build up your resume/credentials.
Step #4: Look the part
Your transition will go more smoothly if you look the part. Use your business cards, web site, blog and tweets to let people know you are focusing on a particular niche.
Step #5: Focus on what you can do
Just because you′re new to a niche, doesn′t necessarily mean you′re not qualified. Highlight the experience you have that is transferable. In other words focus on what you can do not what you′ve done. This WSJ installment of The Resume Doctor offers advice on what to emphasize in a career shifter resume.
Step #6: Network
Networking is good advice for all job seekers, but if you′re exploring a new field or niche look for groups, sub-groups or special interest groups (SIGS) that specialize in your chosen niche. Kristie Aylett, APR, a PR consultant in Mississippi (@krisTK) says, "Two resources I've found helpful: Linkedin for Q&A and Group Discussions and PRSA's Business Case for PR award summaries."
Step #7: Become a student
PR pros with niche experience are viewed as experts because they′ve built up experience and made important connections in that field. Emulate their knowledge by investing time in industry research: read relevant trade publications, subscribe to blogs and newsfeeds and look for classes that can help you get up to speed. Recently, the #solopr chat on Twitter covered this topic and shared this advice:
@shonali: I think like anything else, you have to educate yourself. Research, listen, watch, get to know people in that area.
@krisTK: Set up Alerts, RSS feeds for new industry. Identify the players, issues.
@luannsaid: I find bloggers to be the most insightfully passionate players in any industry. Follow key ones & you'll learn the issues fast.
(More excellent advice from the #solopr Twitter chat can be found here.)
Alison Kenney an independent PR practitioner with more than 15 years of PR consulting experience. She is based on Boston′s North Shore and has worked with organizations in the technology, professional services and consumer industries. She writes a bi-monthly PR column on LindsayOlson.com. Learn more her here.
This is a guest post by Alison Kenney.
The buzz around Apple's launch of the iPad last week was deafening. It eclipsed Toyota's recall announcement, Holocaust Remembrance Day and the President's State of the Union address (but was probably greeted happily by corporations with bad news to announce that day, e.g. Verizon's layoff of 13,000 employees).
So one might think that Apple's PR team is exceptional and that they pulled an amazing campaign together full of extremely innovative tactics. Although I surely won't be arguing that Apple doesn't have some of the best PR pros around, if you look closely at the way they roll out new product news, you'll see that rather than pushing the envelope they are more likely to promote tried-and-true best practices:
Earn your audience: Apple'siPad launch worked (in PR terms, i.e. buzz, messages communicated, brand remained strong) because the company was building upon the successes of its previous product rollouts. Dating back to the Mac and as recently as the iPod and iPhone, Apple has earned audience recognition as an amazing product company.
Big brands must exercise control or risk missteps: We've seen this with Domino's Pizza and recently with Tiger Woods. As Joe Ciarallo writes for MediaBistro, "For all the talk how important it is for companies to be more open and transparent in this new media world we live in, Apple is one of the most secretive companies, especially when it comes to PR and marketing, yet it is also one of the most loved brands." The controlled campaign included an exclusive news scoop to a top-tier media outlet, the Wall Street Journal, which generated an incredible amount of viral buzz and was followed by a formal announcement event the next day.
How did Apple pull this off?: There is speculation that the exclusive was actually a controlled leak. Whether it was or wasn't, Apple's launch was a success because it relied on these best practices:
The best spokesperon ever: just try to name another business executive who is as universally recognized in such a positive way as Steve Jobs. You can't The aura and mystique that Jobs has developed lends itself to the sleek design and supernatural status of Apple's products too. Jobs is Apple.
Lead with PR, not advertising — Apple′s campaigns never mention beta cycles, prototypes or "vaporware." Their announcements include real news — "˜here′s the product, here′s Steve Jobs using it, here′s how/when you can buy it and how much it will cost.′
Give people something to talk about — not all of the feedback and early reviews of the iPad were positive, but there sure was a lot of it. The New York Times tracked Twitter traffic related to the iPad and reported a high of 2,200 tweets/minute. From controversy over the name, which some said reminded them of feminine hygiene products and which Fujitsu claimed it owned, to whether this marked a departure from AT&T's exclusive relationship with Apple and even whether the iPad would be around long before it was overtaken with Apple′s next revolutionary device.
This is a guest post by Alison Kenney.
Tens of thousands of journalists, reporters and editors lost their jobs in 2009 — what does that mean for PR?
According to a September 2009 report from Unity, the news industry has shed almost 36,000 jobs since Sept. 15, 2008, and more than 46,000 positions since Jan. 1 of that year, with U.S. journalists losing jobs at three times rate of most workers.
One of the obvious implications of this shrinking media landscape is that there are fewer places and people for PR professionals to pitch, prompting some forecasters to herald a sea change in the PR profession. In other words, PR will cease to be a "media relations mill" says Doug Haslam who writes in his blog that:
Public relations agencies have actually made progress in scaling down the mass-spamming of media targets, at least in my experience (that′s not the same as saying it′s gone, of course). However, the reliance on media relations as the backbone of PR agency work seems to be getting its oxygen only from client demands to be in this or that publication. When clients deprive us of that oxygen, we will be freer (or forced) to pitch our talents in other areas: strategy, social media, content creation and other more creative, effective pursuits. I can say from experience that clients are already clamoring for more strategic counsel vs. more of the same ol′ media relations. That′s a great, early sign of what may come.
While some people lament the "old" way of doing things, most reporters who still have their jobs will tell you that they are working in a new environment with deadlines, formats and competition that didn′t exist a few years ago.
Waggener Edstrom′s digital consulting director, Tac Anderson, recently blogged about the pressure on reporters to compete with bloggers, which can result in "reporters writing re-tweetable headlines which are sometimes misleading or stories being written with unchecked facts and inaccuracies." Anderson says:
The big tech blogs like TechCrunch regularly race to market with sketchy information with an inflammatory headline knowing that Mashable, NextWeb, ReadWriteWeb, GigaOm, etc will all run follow on posts with even less facts. This results in the 1st article racing up Techmeme, Tweetmeme, trending topics, Digg etc and massive link juice and traffic. We′ve even started to see traditional media take similar "Digg bait" approaches and as their revenue and staff get even thinner you will see more of it.
A recent L.A. Times story points out that it′s not just full-time media staff positions that are suffering: freelance writers are being compensated at obscenely low rates which is pushing a shift toward shorter articles with lighter fare. This trend can work both ways for PR professionals — sure, there are fewer opportunities to pitch your story, and it′s more difficult to track down freelance writers and stay on top of their current projects, but it′s also an opportunity for PR pros with strong writing skills to place bylined articles and contributed content.
However, Chuck Tanowitz at Fresh Ground Communications cautions us to remember the standards and editorial ethics we admire in old-school journalism as journalism becomes a state of mind and everyone is empowered to communicate.
The massive job losses also mean that tens of thousands of journalists, reporters and editors are looking for new jobs and many are considering or already have joined the PR profession. Reporters who take new roles as PR professionals, i.e. "hacks who turn into flacks," can offer great pointers to the rest of us, such as how to understand media hierarchy and determine the right points of contact, how to develop relationships with beat reporters, bloggers or other media "managers" and how to become better writers and story tellers. In return, it might be nice to help these reporters who′ve gone to the other side by showing them the ropes and explaining client service, budgets and PR′s role in the larger marketing landscape.
Alison Kenney is an independent PR practitioner with more than 15 years of PR consulting experience. She is based on Boston′s North Shore and has worked with organizations in the technology, professional services and consumer industries. She can be reached at alisonkenney@comcast.net.
This is a guest post by Alison Kenney
January 1 brings out the optimist in all of us. It′s a time for new beginnings and fresh starts. For those of us who want to make a commitment to change in our PR careers, consider these New Year resolutions for 2010:
- Embrace technology: if you haven′t already, look for opportunities to learn about and use new forms of technology like podcasting, video, Flickr, Slideshare and more. Many of these technology tools are now easier than ever to use and can make a big difference is helping PR pros tell a story and/or spread the story to new or larger audiences.
- Get your creative juices flowing: great storytelling is critical to good PR. If your storytelling skills are getting stale, look for ways to bring them back to life. Build creative writing skills and bolster your vocabulary by joining a writer′s support group, stocking up on reference resources or reading work written by good writers (in any medium or industry). Likewise, think about learning some new presentation skills — through a personal coach, via an improvisation or acting class, or by gleaning tips online or through articles.
- Be social media savvy: if your idea of incorporating social media into PR campaigns consists of re-tweeting a client′s news, it′s time to spread your wings and learn about all the ways social media, online communities and SEO tools can enhance a PR program. Fortunately there are plenty of resources to help you get up to speed. Search Mashable for best practices examples and tips, sign up for a webinar from Vocus or HubSpot, attend seminars, association meetings or casual meetups and ask around to get examples of social media success stories.
- Get grounded with measurement: technology and social media are a boon to the PR toolbox, but don′t use them for the sake of using them. Make sure your PR strategies are in line with overall PR goals, which themselves need to be in line with your client′s or employer′s business goals. Clearly stated goals make it easier to come up with the right metrics for measuring success. This will be a hot topic in 2010 so look for lots of conversations about measurement in online forums and social media.
- Become a PR thought-leader, or at least join the discussion about PR trends: start by resolving to stay on top of industry news and developments. To get started, set aside time regularly in your schedule to stay on top of the news and to read what other industry leaders are saying. Technology makes this easy: you can subscribe to and scan blog headlines with Google Reader, get news alerts delivered with Google Alerts, set up lists of news headlines and PR pros on Twitter or TweetDeck. Use online communities to learn, too. Join a Twitter chat, answer questions on LinkedIn or participate in another form of professional online discussion.
Alison Kenney is an independent PR practitioner with more than 15 years of PR consulting experience. She is based on Boston′s North Shore and has worked with organizations in the technology, professional services and consumer industries. She can be reached at alisonkenney@comcast.net.
This is a guest post by Kimberly Walsh.
I think it's pretty safe to say that the majority of people who graduated with PR degrees had to learn social media in the great educational institution of life. We've taken our knowledge of creating mutually beneficial relationships through two-way communications and applied it to the many online tools at our disposal.
I'm lucky enough to have landed my dream job. It combines my love of books and of connecting and communicating with people and bringing it all together through technology. It's also a job that didn't and truly couldn't exist before the advent of web 2.0.
My job is essentially running an online book club through Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Book clubs have long been popular in our culture, made even more so by celebrity backings like Oprah in the USA and Richard & Judy in the UK. It's so much a part of society that American network CBS even attempted a failed "reality" show Tuesday Night Book Club.
Anyone who's ever been a member of a book club knows the pitfalls. And that's usually finding the right fit. Some members are hardcore bookworms armed with English lit degrees, some join in order to simply have an adult conversation, while others are there just for the wine.
So, the question in an online version becomes: how to engage a wide audience? And by engage, I'm talking about our precious two-way communications, not just broadcasting opinions. Books aren't exactly niche marketing. Everybody reads. While an online book club (or any club for that matter) can't provide refreshments, it can provide a friendly setting for all manner of discussions. In fact, the virtual world is ideal for the book club format.
First, a little background about the program I'm talking about: Canada Reads started as a one week radio program where five celebrity panelists each choose a book to defend on air during the course of five days. If a book makes onto the show, the Canada Reads "bump" means an average sales increase of more than 1700%. That's second in influence only to Canada's biggest literary award, The Scotiabank Giller Prize.
The CBC Book Club was launched in spring of this year on the heels of a Canada Reads victory by journalist Avi Lewis who defended Lawrence Hill's Book of Negroes (printed as Someone Knows My Name in the USA). Incidentally, the book was recently named one of the top 10 Canadian books of the decade by Maclean's magazine.
With the advent of social media, particularly in recent years where the uptake by mainstream audiences of sites like Facebook and Twitter has influenced strategic communications and marketing plans, the opportunity for conversation is almost limitless.
Some takeaways from the online successes of these programs:
The golden rule of web 2.0 should be know thy audience. The bigger the audience, the more diverse their needs. You're simply not going to be able to force everyone who wants to participate into joining social media sites. Don't punish them for making that decision. Provide them with content in other ways. Use widgets to show them your Twitter stream. Hold their hands a little if you need to by posting how-to tips.
Not everyone is going to be comfortable with learning a new technology. Heck, you might even be nervous about it, too. Let them know they're not alone.
Let your personality shine. Your audience doesn't want to constantly be sold on an idea, product or service. Social media is the wrong platform for that. People want conversation with a real live human being who has opinions. Common sense and a smart code of conduct go a long way.
Content may be queen but a prime minister is needed to manage it. Post all you want, but know that there's such a thing as information overload. More importantly, don't make your audience work to find content. Information architecture are words you should get comfortable with but also think about options for sending out updates. It can be as easy as a well-crafted tweet with an appropriately shortened link, an RSS feed for updates, or a combination of options. Remember each user is different and will experience your content and site in a variety of ways.
Embrace change but know what your breadwinners are. It's all well and good to have a strategic communications plan setting out short- and long-term goals but social media is a moving target at times. You need to build in the flexibility to change with shifting interests in various platforms.
Take calculated risks. When those interests do shift to the next shiny web 2.0 tool, evaluate whether it's the right one for you before making the leap. At the Book Club one of the great value-added tools we added to our toolkit is CoverItLive for moderated chats with authors. Ultimately, it's a win in terms of bonus interactivity but it wasn't without a bit of sweat and elbow grease to get it just right.
What are some of your success stories in building online communities?
Kimberly Walsh (aka @AliasGrace) is a geek girl, bookworm, writer and PR thinker in one. By day, she works as a web content producer and social media manager for the CBC in literary programming.
This blog is to share my recruiting experiences and discuss thoughts on the job market, PR industry and technology.
Alison Kenney is an independent PR practitioner with more than 15 years of PR consulting experience.
