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Everyone needs an editor (reprise)

• Posted by inmedia
• July 25, 2008
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By inmedia

Again, proof positive that everyone needs an editor. This is a good Friday afternoon chuckle if ever there was one. Enjoy.

inmedia

Posted in:

• Public and media relations

Home is where the workplace is

• Posted by Linda Forrest
• July 25, 2008
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By Linda Forrest

As I sit here, 36 weeks pregnant and a short week from my maternity leave, my commute into work has become untenable and so I’m thrilled to be living in an age where I can reasonably work from home. I’m not the only one, it seems, according to several interesting recent stories in publications like BusinessWeek and ComputerWorld. Both of these stories talk about entire businesses dismantling their brick and mortar operations, saving substantial overheads and, according to the BusinessWeek article, boosting productivity.

Because inmedia is a global operation, we have been working with remote consultants in different countries and different time zones for several years now to great success. We communicate constantly and although it’s not quite like being in the room, we are more than able to work together as a cohesive unit and deliver high quality service to our clients. Regardless of where the consultant is, we’re quick to send a quick note or pick up the phone to hash out ideas or collaborate on getting the job done. The tools that we need to connect with our media and analyst targets are, thankfully, easily transportable. The days of the hard copy press kit are quickly receding and thus as PR consultants, we are less encumbered by reams of paper and manilla folders.

It’s my opinion that the very nature of consultantcy lends itself well to this model, but of course, it wouldn’t and doesn’t work for everyone. Consideration must be given to the individuals involved and the nature of the work. Still, with experts on telecommuting predicting its increase in popularity and with coworking spaces gaining momentum, it’s undeniable that the more connected we become to our coworkers and clients, the easier it is to disconnect from the trappings of a traditional workspace.

Linda Forrest

Posted in:

• Public and media relations

Mediums for the message

• Posted by Leo Valiquette
• July 24, 2008
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By Leo Valiquette

A community manager does what again?

There’s this new corporate entity that’s apparently popping up more and more called the community manager. I’ve been trying to wrap my head around what exactly is the scope of responsibilities of this position and where it fits vis-a-vis the public relations function.  Over at his blog, Chris Brogan gives his take on the essential skills of this all around champion, cheerleader and ambassador who, among other things, must obviously steer any social media effort. It still seems to me to just be another PR role with a specific set of responsibilities, but some people will jump at any chance to decorate their business cards with a catchy new job title.

Gone in seven seconds

Getting and holding the attention of big-wig, heavy-hitting media types means doing one’s homework and preparing to make the most of a seven-second opportunity before picking up the phone. Talia Andrews from Fusion PR offers some pointers.

Viral buzz

Lastly, over at The Buzz Bin, social media consultant Mack Collier talks about viral marketing, what he considers to be valuable social media tools and how likely it is that all the social media tools that are so hot today will prove to be flashes in the pan tomorrow.

Leo Valiquette

Posted in:

• Marketing strategy
• Social media

Test drilling and mining the network

• Posted by Leo Valiquette
• July 23, 2008
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By Leo Valiquette

I recently commented on a blog post of Piaras Kelly’s about why people hate networking, which in turn spawned an interesting exchange between me and author John Cass on maintaining one’s network (see comment section to the right).

Today’s fresh contribution to the art and science of networking is this insightful piece on the subject from Chris Brogan. Enjoy.

Leo Valiquette

Posted in:

• Social media

Keeping your cool in the summer

• Posted by Danny Sullivan
• July 23, 2008
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By Danny Sullivan

Summer is great – the sun is out (even here in Glasgow), the barbecues are sizzling and the holiday feeling is everywhere. We might be facing an economic downturn, but the people will be damned if they’ll let it prevent them taking their summer break!

Of course, the holiday vibe can make things a bit challenging for those back in the office, especially for PR folk, who depend so much on stakeholder responses to help move projects forward. July and August can be a time when the best laid PR plans can end up being thrown out the window as a key spokesperson, reporter or analyst zooms off for a well-earned break, leaving a germinating news release or story pitch floating in limbo until their return.

But just because your most pressing work item has stalled, there must be other things that you can turn your attention to this summer. Here are a few that spring to mind:

– Look beyond the current stage in the process, is there work that can be addressed that is not dependent on your stalled step? Dealing with future items now will help things breeze through when things get moving again.

– Water the plants. Summer isn’t fun for everyone.

– Start looking towards the inevitably manic period that will occur in the September/October timeframe. Whatever preparations you make now will help you cope with the whirlwind that is to come.

– Buy ice cream for your colleagues and bring a bit of summer into the office.

– Use the time to get in touch with some of your key media contacts that you haven’t had time to chat with for a while. While they may also be away, there’s a good chance you’ll catch a few of them in the office, and these conversations can often yield some interesting opportunities.

– If you’re having meetings, why not try and arrange to have them at an outside location? Seems a shame to be stuck in meeting rooms when the sun is beating down outside.

– Develop some kick-ass pitches. Revisiting messaging and coming up with some new story ideas is always a good thing to do, especially if you have a little extra time on your hands.

– Write a blog post about it. Nuff said, really!

Danny Sullivan

Posted in:

• Public and media relations