Powerful blogging, mixing new media and PR for maximum results

I’ve been a PR practitioner for six years and during that time, things have changed dramatically. Gone are the days of massive media lists and cumbersome press mailings. Today, PR is more of a niche practice, one that requires professionals to be engaged with all facets of the media. While Oprah may be the Holy Grail for some, other companies consider extremely targeted media placements on a blog as their home run.

A couple of weeks ago, I started reading “The New Rules of Marketing & PR” by David Meerman Scott. This book covers a range of topics for reaching a client’s consumer base through various mediums but I’m going to focus on my personal favorite - blogs. When you effectively deliver a newsworthy message to a blogger, you are reaching an audience that specifically follows that authority for niche information. The blogger’s reach (audience) may not be equal to an outlet like the Los Angeles Times, but smart clients realize that when their information is posted on a blog covering only cocktails, for example, readers of that blog have turned to the site specifically to find out where they should get their drink on in the city. The audience may be smaller, but they are certainly a more targeted one.

At JS2, many of our clients are food and beverage related, and we have stayed ahead of the curve by recognizing that bloggers such as Caroline on Crack, LA Eater and The Digest Blog (from Los Angeles Magazine) are highly influential in determining where a consumer will go to enjoy a vegan meal, a happy hour special or an environmentally-sound dining option. And while every client wants a positive review in the food section of their major daily newspaper, information that connects directly with those seeking it is always a win.

Over the next few weeks, as I delve deeper in to Meerman Scott’s book, I will share thoughts on my research and readings of the new age of PR. I do believe that this book is a refreshing look at how the industry has changed and I highly recommend the read not only for those at PR or marketing agencies, but also to those that rely on PR and marketing to reach their consumers.

For those short on time (or attention span) here are a few of my personal favorite blogs covering new media PR…
PR 2.0
WebInkNow – David Meerman Scott’s blog
StrategicPublicRelations

PS – I am NOT a “social media expert”; I AM a quick study, passionate about public relations and a social media enthusiast…

JS2's Own Alissa Pinck Judges The PRSA Silver Anvil Awards

This past Friday, I had the pleasure of judging the PRSA Silver Anvil Awards, one of the most prestigious awards in the PR industry. While it was a long day in a land far away (Tribeca), it was well worth it for the people I met and the insights I gleaned.

I had no clue what to expect, hoping only to get an inside peek at what some of the best and brightest in the industry were doing on behalf of their clients. What I learned is that while most of the tactics are the same (“there are no new ideas, only new ways of making them felt”), the campaigns that stood out did so because of their research. Whether it was an industry behemoth undertaking a multi-year study or a smaller agency issuing a Zoomerang survey to its target demographic, the research was invaluable in setting a baseline with which to measure a campaign against. Without knowing how your demographic thinks and feels at the beginning of a campaign, how can you know if public relations truly made an impact? The industry constantly talks about the difficulty of measuring ROI yet this seems like the strongest and easiest way to demonstrate it. Beyond the bottom line, did you change perception – is your consumer more willing to try your product or service, more likely to recommend it to a friend, more favorable about the brand? If the answers are yes, then your campaign has to be considered a success.

Now, I can’t wait to judge the upcoming PRSA Bronze Anvil Awards, although I wish it would again be in the company of my Silver Anvil team (Jeff Davis, Principal, Sawmill Marketing; Patrice Tanaka, Co-Chair, Chief Creative Officer, CRT/tanaka; and David B. Rockland, Partner & Managing Director, Global Research, Ketchum). Although I will be creating my own team for these more tactical awards, I look forward to the powerful professional development they will without question provide me.

Posted by Alissa Pinck, GM/VP