InsidEPR

Does College Prepare You for the Working World?

By JoAnna Wang

I graduated this past May and just started here at Engage PR.  I am slowly adjusting to working life, but from what I’ve experienced so far, it doesn’t take long before becoming acquainted with people, and your responsibilities seems natural and even second nature.  Maybe not the hours, though the 9-5 grind is typical of work life (I relish the fact that I never had a class in college that started before 11 and almost every semester I got at least a 3-day weekend). It’s still a little mind-boggling to consider myself as an alumna, but I am definitely relieved to have a college degree under my belt.  Now that I’m working, though, I find myself questioning what college has really done for me.  Does it prepare you for the working world? 

The most obvious answer to this question seems to be yes, it does, or why else would we pay thousands upon thousands of dollars for school books, tuition, and a college education?

Surprisingly however, most would agree that the majority of a typical college curriculum does not touch on many facets of working life.  Though I cannot deny learning about astronomy and philosophers like Descartes and Voltaire is somewhat interesting (key word being somewhat), the majority of courses are not relevant in the working world, especially in PR.  Often times, students realize they are interested in jobs outside their area of study and do not even pursue careers that are relevant to their majors.  On top of this, the variety of class schedules on a daily basis makes adjusting to the 9-to-5 work schedule even more difficult.  So how is college culture at all conducive to preparing for the working world?

I’ve found the most essential ways college has helped prepare me for working life come from things I’ve learned outside of the classroom.  Sure, college enhanced my ability to meet deadlines, write coherently, and work in teams through group projects.  But what college did the most was provide an environment in which I was able to learn how to master everyday responsibilities, such as getting groceries, being punctual, and paying the bills on my own.  It gave me a sense of independence that translates into my work environment, where I don’t need to be micromanaged to finish my task, and finish it well.  And to a certain degree, it makes the level of my work a higher quality because I am acquainted with the higher expectations associated with a college degree.  College was a necessary transition where I was able to grow up while still being a kid, and boy, don’t we all need that time to get some of those childish kinks out of our systems before we’re ready to commit to the working life. You live, you learn, you grow.

So if the question is, is college worth it?  The definite answer is YES. 

Hands off!

By Suzanne Panoplos

We’ve all experienced it – you’re driving on the highway and you get stuck behind someone driving 35 mph in a 65 mph zone – in the left lane no less.  You do your best to control your road rage, but as you finally pass the person, you can’t resist the urge to look over and give them your angriest “What the heck are you doing?” face.

Unfortunately, this will only make you more frustrated, because the driver is just as oblivious to you as they are to actually driving the car. You see, the left-lane lurker is on a cell phone!

Beginning July 1, the State of California is taking its best shot at making sure you’re paying attention to the road and not your phone.  Drivers over 18 will now be required to have a “hands-free” device – which includes Bluetooth devices, hands-free headsets, and the speakerphone feature on your cell phone.  Drivers under 18 will not be permitted to use a cell phone in the car at all. Violation of this law will result in a $20 fine initially and $50 fine for repeat offenses.  In addition, the violation will appear as a conviction on your driving record.

But does this really solve the problem? Let’s face it – most drivers do everything but drive in the car. In my fairly short morning commute, I’ve seen drivers texting, putting on make-up, and reading the newspaper. And let’s not forget one woman in a particularly gymnastic move – painting her toe nails.

Research suggests that it’s not a matter of keeping your hands on the wheel – more a question of keeping your mind on the road. In fact, one Carnegie Mellon study indicated that simply listening to a sentence, without having to respond or press any buttons, decreased concentration on driving by 37 percent. Other research supports the contention that the new California law would save lives. A study released in May by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) estimated that 300 fewer people would die each year in traffic accidents in California.

As the debate rages on as to whether hands-free measures will improve safety, the reality is that in California, it will shortly become the law.  With 28 states considering laws limiting cell phone use by drivers, chances are no matter where you are in the U.S., you’ll have to adjust your cell phone habits.

So if you’re like me, you’ll be making a beeline for the nearest phone store on June 30, 2008 – 10 minutes before closing time.  But in the interim, keep your mind on the road—and please, if you’re on your phone, stay out of the passing lane!

For more information on the new California cell phone laws, visit http://www.dmv.ca.gov/cellularphonelaws/index.htm

Green wristband …eat up!

By Allison Kuhn
Last month, the EPR team attended an Oakland Athletics’ baseball game at the Oracle arena. Let me tell you – the tickets we got were GREAT! It wasn’t that the seats were perfectly placed behind home plate, but that we were in the All-You-Can-Eat section.

It’s true. The A’s have a ticket option with unlimited trips to the snack bar. Upon arrival at the third level, you are given a green wristband that entitles you to the “green light” for food.

However, there is one rule that you must follow: fans are only allowed four items per trip to the snack bar. That’s not to say one can’t make several trips.

In the end, the A’s didn’t end up getting the win, which was a bummer! Yet no one went home hungry. I even stashed some extra peanuts in my bag for later.

This was a great outing for the EPR team. I would recommend going to an A’s game, whether your are getting these tickets for your company or going with a group of friends. You can check it out at: http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/oak/ticketing/ayce_seats.jsp.

Tips for Telecommuting

By Becky Frost

Whether on the road or working from a home office full time, telecommuters share some common traits. For starters, we have all at one time answered the phone in a towel…probably not, but it’s possible. Now that I have your attention, I’d like to share some tips that I’ve found helpful in my experience as a telecommuter.

People working away from the office need to posses the following traits:

• Strong organizational skills
• The ability to focus and limit distractions
• The ability to motivate and manage yourself (meaning you can pressure yourself to get projects done on time)

One piece of advice I received when I began telecommuting was “stay organized.” Organizational skills can help telecommuters avoid timewasters and maintain efficiency. I am a list person, which helps me identify and prioritize my tasks – keeping me on track to accomplish work goals.  Using your online calendar to remind you of important meetings and allocate time for projects is also very useful.

Another good piece of advice that I follow when working from a hotel room while on a press tour or working from my home office is to maintain my work space as just that – work space.

When working while on tour, I immediately set up the desk portion of my hotel room as command central for work. This keeps things tidy while also enabling me to work without distractions. A dedicated home office enables the telecommuter to filter out household distractions while working and also provides the benefit of being able to close the door on the workday when it is over.

By creating and maintaining a work environment, telecommuters can feel like they are in the office, no matter the location.

So there you have it, a few things that work for me. Feel free to let me know some telecommuting tips that work for you.

You want me to “Ping” someone?

By Chelsea Irwin

Have you ever been “pinged”? Has anyone ever asked you to “ping” someone?

The first time I heard this phrase I was a little uncomfortable. But the term “ping,” which turned out to be another word for “annoy someone again” and not a form of sexual harassment, was the first of many corporate terms I eventually worked into my everyday corporate vocabulary.

Corporate lingo and I have a love-hate relationship. Here are some favorites I wish had never caught on:

1. “Per”: I see this term more often than I would like. Per my request… per our previous conversation… per the guidelines. Are you a cat? When did this become an acceptable form of reference?
2. “Moving forward”: If you’ve ever received an e-mail that begins with the phrase “Moving forward,” it most likely means you made a mistake. Something like, “Moving forward, please do not provide completely useless information.”  I’d like to coin the phrase “moving backward” as a hint to jump in your time machine and change the past.
3. “Currently in legal”: This is a phrase that has recently skyrocketed to the top of my list of phrases I dislike. Let me tell you, legal departments are busy these days – apparently to get write-off  on PR documents you not only have to get approval from the client’s communications people, marketing people, and executives, but also from the legal department. I don’t think lawyers went to law school to review press releases (or more particularly, to edit their grammar and style), but hey, whatever helps you sleep at night.
4. “Let’s discuss this offline”: This is a polite way of ending a conversation that is clearly making other participants uncomfortable. Or a way of saying you just don’t have clearance to hear the top-secret plan about to be discussed (AKA, you’re not very important).
5. “Offload”: When someone tells you that they plan to “offload” activity on you, don’t consider this a reason to celebrate. It’s likely the task has been put off for as long as possible because nobody wants to do it, and now it is finally your responsibility…. Likely because you have “bandwidth.” 

I don’t miss much about college - well that’s a lie - but talking like a normal human being is definitely something I miss. It’s no longer acceptable to say “The lawyers are up to their usual shenanigans again” or “You must be blind because I included that information below” or “Are you an idiot? Never do that again.”

If you have corporate lingo you’d like to add to this list – just ping me.

The Future Looks Backwards?

By Gail Farrell

My father, who started out as a designer at Towle Silversmiths, was interested in the history of silver design and design in general.  When I was a kid I loved to pore over several 19th century books he owned that illustrated the latest place settings and the most modern gadgets. 

Times were different back then.  Forget the five-piece place setting, with a few serving pieces thrown in.  Silver had been discovered out West, and anyone who was anyone had 12-piece sterling place settings.  You needed fish forks, lemon forks, pickle forks, coffee spoons and teaspoons, soup and sauce and punch ladles, tomato servers, sugar tongs, and so on ad infinitum.  There were clever inventions galore—the automatic tipping bowler (no more bringing your hand to your hat to tip a passing lady, gents; pressing a bulb in your jacket pocket will trigger a hydraulic device under your hat that will tip it for you), the combination pen/compass/pointer/ruler/scale—you get the idea.

Smartphones are beginning to seem a bit like these 19th century goodies.  We want something for everything, and we want them all in one thing.  But do I really want a smart phone to replace my PC?  No way!  I already have tendonitis in my wrists from using a full-size keyboard; what would a teeny little smartphone keyboard do to my thumbs?  Never mind the effect staring at a mini-screen would have on my eyes.  Not that PC functionality isn’t useful in a smartphone, but the phone isn’t designed for heavy-duty, day-long use.  And until a smartphone can give me the quality and functionality of my pricy digital camera, I know how I’ll take my pictures.  Maybe I’m just a 20th century kind of woman, but I’m not sure I’m ready for the smartphone-as-everything. 

Back to the Future?

By Megan Atiyeh

I regularly attend events sponsored by the Churchill Club and most recently found myself at the 10th Annual Top Ten Tech Trends event in San Jose.  If you’ve never attended this particular event, a panel of industry heavy-weights from the VC community predicts the top technology trends of the year and the rest of the panel—as well as the audience—vote on whether or not they agree with the predictions.

What followed was an interesting discussion and mix of ideas.  However, I was very surprised that four of the panel’s ten predictions were related to the concept that the mobile phone and emerging “smartphones” will become akin to mainstream computers and replace the desktops or PCs of today. 

Anyone who has a husband who covets his iPhone like a mistress—or is old enough to see how quickly mobile phones have evolved in a relatively short time-period—understands this is not a trend but an unstoppable shift in user behavior and expectations.  In defense of the panelists who made these predictions, it’s clear that anywhere, anytime access to information and the desire for a high-quality mobile internet experience creates many opportunities for companies that can make this happen.  And as one of the 97 percent of Americans who still own a simple feature-phone, I think it might be time for me to move into the 21st century and embrace this “new” trend.

I also have a prediction of my own.  I predict that the person or company who figures out how to get attendees out of a parking garage—that has no cellular connectivity—in less than 90 minutes will be wildly successful and responsible for a trend that makes the world a better place.

What’s your prediction? 

Kevin Hits a Homer!

By Chelsea Irwin

Let me start by saying that Inside Pitch (Engage PR’s softball team) currently holds a record of 0 and 5. The record is not an accurate reflection of our superior skills when it comes to softball.

At last night’s game, the infamous Kevin Sugarman hit the ball so far it was declared an automatic homerun. That’s a big deal when you play on a field without a fence.

If I recall, the final score was 18 to 1. I’m feeling confident that we will finally win a game this season. Maybe next week Kevin will hit a homerun when some runners are on base.

Summer Heats Up

By Jeannette Bitz

It’s that time of year….San Francisco Giant’s fans are preparing for a long and disappointing season, the days are lighter longer, and the weather is finally warming up. (In fact, we’re in the middle of our first heat wave here in the Bay Area.) Don’t get me wrong; winter in the Bay Area is not exactly harsh. In fact, it’s nice to get away on a long weekend for a ski trip to North Lake Tahoe. But I always look forward to the warm and relaxing days of summer.

While the weather is heating up, so are our client news’ announcements and PR activities.  It seems this time of year, many clients push to get the last big news splash or announcement out before the start of summer. Our telecom clients want to generate coverage and capture media mindshare to help drive traffic to their booths at the June NXTcomm show. Some of our non-telecom clients are just anxious to make an announcement that will create mindshare and help sustain momentum through the long days of summer. At Engage PR, we’re excited to be gearing up for two company launches. One of those companies, Broadchoice, just launched this week. (Note: as of this post, the other client is still in stealth mode; stay tuned.)

We’re finding that these days clients get the most from their pre-summer PR push, whether it’s a company debut or a new product launch, by incorporating new media tools and social networking into their campaigns. This doesn’t mean that clients have a separate new-media strategy, but it does mean they’ll get the most mileage out of PR campaigns that incorporate new media.

Here are some simple ways to add new media to a PR program:

• Integrate key words and phrases in press releases and use SEO to help ensure that releases rank high in Google searches; this can make a difference in how a client is positioned
• Embed charts and diagrams in releases to better explain how a technology or feature works 
• Hot-link product names, technology names, company names, and other words to clients’ web sites 
• Provide links to white papers, data sheets, and other relevant material at the end of releases
• Leverage relationships with analysts, reporters, and bloggers who have a strong readership and community following.

In an upcoming blog, I’ll discuss how clients can make the most of the long summer months.

Batter Up!

By Allison Kuhn

Members of the Engage PR softball team, Inside Pitch, have dusted off their gloves and cleats and returned to the softball field. Each year, Engage PR participates in a local recreational adult league in Alameda. The 2008 season roster includes a good mix of new players with the returning vets from last season.

We’re now a few games into the season – and sadly without a win. But not too worry…we sure are having one heck of a good time. Not to mention the fact that we’ll always be the best dressed.

At every game, we take each inning in stride. And hope that we’ll hold the opposing team to under five runs (the maximum in an inning) with three solid outs. Needless to say, that doesn’t always happen. But when it does – boy, do we feel good!

So I’ll be sure to keep you posted on our progress. A win is coming soon. I have a good feeling about it.

GO INSIDE PITCH!

Something in the water?

By Kristin Kiltz

With Mother's Day around the corner, I thought what a perfect time to share some good news here at Engage PR! We are very excited that we have two great colleagues expecting their first babies this summer. In a company with just over 20 employees, when two people are pregnant and due within 2 weeks of one another, you have to ask "Is there something in the water?" I'm very excited to have these two colleagues join the world of mommy hood. Right now, moms are the in the minority, so it will be nice to have some more company.

It got me thinking about working moms, their challenges and rewards, how working moms affect their organizations, and so on. Here are some interesting statistics about women in the workplace.

• Companies with women in top jobs see 35 percent higher returns than those without women.
• 74 percent of female executives have a spouse who’s employed full time. 75 percent of male executives have a spouse who’s not employed.
• 26 million - The number of jobs that would become vacant overnight if all moms stopped working tomorrow.
• $476 billion - The amount of money working mothers contribute, as a whole, to U.S. household incomes, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Best of luck to our mommies-to-be! We look forward to being a part of your new lives. I'll leave with a great and very true quote: "Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother."

Going Backward to Move Forward

By Becky Frost

In a strategic meeting this week, a client said something that – combined with something I recently read – led to this post. The client and the EPR team were discussing a few creative opportunities and then moved on to the next topic. Suddenly, the client (who usually likes to power through things) said, “Back up, I have another thought about that.” 

That same day, in my daily reading, I came across a chapter entitled, “Going backward to move forward.” It focused on giving credence to past ideas, experiences, and so forth. It also spoke about pausing and giving ourselves time to really digest and think about what we are doing – thus allowing for time for more ideas to flow and greater creativity.

So, today, take the time to go back, examine ideas that you’ve quickly pushed aside, or lost in the jumble, and see what gems you find. In the words of our great writing director here at Engage, “Too many people kill ideas. Don’t kill your ideas, execute them.”  If you don’t give your ideas a chance, you may never know if they’re good or not.

As we give ourselves time to execute plans and ideas, we allow ourselves to achieve greater success.

Give me a Break

By Jenna Broughton

I can think of lots of reasons why breaks are good. In fact, some of us were so passionate about the topic of breaks that we lobbied for naptime (unsuccessfully I should add).

While this might all seem like the concoction of workers looking to avoid work, studies show that all work and no play may result in a less productive workforce. A recent article reported that 55 percent of employees said that stress made them less productive at work.

The truth is when you are feeling stressed even the simplest task can feel daunting. Sometimes our proximity to an obstacle can make it hard to find clarity. A quick jaunt to Starbucks has often given me perspective on a situation that, at first glance, seemed unmanageable.

In today's always-connected culture, breaks are probably more important than ever. We often go about our day with the goal of whittling down our to-do list, but the road to productivity might best be paved through balance. Taking a step back from work and turning off our Blackberries may ultimately result in more productivity, creative ideas, and can also prevent burnout.

However, until the day comes when workplaces begin instituting naptime, I guess I will just have to settle for Starbucks runs.

Your Internet

By Becky Frost

How do you take your media? There are staunch Google-ites, Yahoo-centric folks, and those who Ask just about anything.

In a recent Business Technology blog post, Ben Worthen of the Wall Street Journal questioned readers, “Should we just rename the Internet AOMicroGooHoo Corp.?”

With search engines influencing the way people use the Internet, it’s no wonder that Microsoft is so aggressively pursuing Yahoo.  In fact, a recent report from comScore notes that of the 185 million people who visited a website in February, 137 million visited one owned by Yahoo. Google came in second with Microsoft and AOL placing third and fourth, respectively.

This information may seem like a stream of random facts, but it is drastically changing how we PR pros work with the media. Clearly, web portals such as Yahoo and Google are extremely important to our clients, and it’s our job to learn the means to increase our clients’ visibility and placement in them.  Luckily, EPR has a great list of innovative clients who are willing to evolve with the media to make sure the message gets to the right people, the right way. 

Musings from the Airport

By Becky Frost

As a frequent flyer, I’ve learned a few tricks to keep me going through the security checkpoints in airports. My lesson came the hard way. A few months ago, I thought I’d masterfully packed for a business trip – I had everything I needed, plus backup clothing options for weather, mood, etc. All this resulted in one very full bag and a laptop carrier doubling as additional luggage. Waiting in the security line, I had to remove my laptop, remove my shoes, remove the special plastic bag filled with anything remotely liquid, and do all of this with many people waiting and the conveyor belt pulling my endless procession of items forward.

I recently took a similar trip, with much better results. I managed to pack the necessities with room to spare, while having everything I needed to take out for the x-ray machine at the ready. As I looked at other travelers struggling to make heads or tails of all the safety requirements, I had a small epiphany. 

It’s not only luggage that gets overpacked.  Seems that these days another thing that has become overpacked is the press release. Some companies cram in so much detail that the message is lost among the words. My advice to any company that is tackling a lengthy announcement: step back and consider what the core of the message is. Use the release to support the message, not to keep adding layers until the message disappears. At the end of the day, he who packs light packs well.

March Madness

By Elan Mualem

With the dust of first two rounds of March Madness beginning to settle, I figure now is a good time to take a look at one of the most exciting times of the year and its impact on the office.    

Like many organizations, we have a March Madness office pool, and like many, we are permeated by the magical air that the tourney brings to the workplace.  However, the productivity debate is on, and the tournament is its unsuspecting target.   

San Diego-based Internet company Websense states that the cost of one $25-an-hour employee surfing the Internet just one hour a week costs a company $4.  According to a poll Information Week took of participants in its bracket pool, 25 percent spent up to one hour—and 33 percent spent two to four hours—watching or following the scores of the games on the first day of play.  If you are a business owner, this should be the cause of some concern for your bottom line.

But, how do we measure this fiscal loss in productivity against the value of team building and boost in company morale?

While the “big dance” may theoretically get in the way of office productivity, all it is really doing is taking the place of other things that employees do to take a break, like getting a cup of coffee or surfing the net.

The good that March Madness does easily outweighs any bad. The best workplaces are those where co-workers get along, work together, and strive for the common good of the company.  If this is something your employers value in an organization, then look no further than March Madness.  On top of promoting teamwork and making the office a fun place to be, having an office pool gives people who might not work together an opportunity to get to know each other and puts everyone on the same playing field (regardless of their seed).

One of the things that I appreciate most about EPR is that the organization values relationships.  It’s about creating the kind of place where people take pride in the quality of their work and where everyone likes to go to every day.  March Madness embodies this standard.   

Going Beyond Your Comfort Zone

By Tracie Cochran

There’s something to be said about graduating from college, moving to an unfamiliar place, and starting a new job all in the same month.  I experienced these exciting changes recently, and since starting with Engage in January, I’m quickly beginning to see the resemblance between changes in life and changes in the world of public relations.

In my university studies, I spent several semesters picking apart public relations case studies and working with classmates to build public relations plans for businesses in the local community.  Professors spent countless hours preparing us for “the real world,” shaping us into the public relations gurus they thought were needed to make the PR world a better place.  We had an idea of what life after college would look like, but college in no way could fully prepare us for our future in the profession.

As much as I thought it wouldn’t be the case, I see a striking resemblance between my own experience and what many seasoned PR professionals are currently experiencing.  No matter how prepared they thought they were, a few years ago no one could have anticipated the age of New Media and the birth of social networking sites and podcasts, the disappearance of traditional reporters, the boost in design staff, the ever-growing field of citizen journalism, and of course, the birth of the blogosphere.  Everyone knows change is inevitable, but who could have foreseen how much these technological advancements would alter our day-to-day lives?

While change is scary, and the unknown can be intimidating, it’s important for personal and professional growth to face changes and challenges head-on.  Many people find comfort in being just that, comfortable.  However, when you settle with just being comfortable, it’s tempting and easy to avoid the challenges that most often lead to growth.  I’m quickly learning that to develop as an individual, both personally and professionally, it’s important to live outside our comfort zone, embrace our changing world, and do everything in our power to keep up with the rapidly changing times.

The Media Doesn’t Lie

By Chelsea Irwin

I recently spent an excessive amount of time compiling an RFP for a new business prospect. After hours of research, writing case studies, and compiling media lists, I starting asking myself, “What really matters when selecting a PR firm?”

As is the case with almost anything in life, I determined that references should be the deciding factor.

The reality is, your PR firm is a direct reflection of your company. As PR professionals, we spend the majority of our time talking to the media about your company. Before you give someone the freedom to speak to reporters, customers, and partners on your company’s behalf, you should look at their reputation in the industry.

In the spirit of avoiding transparent pitches and PR lingo, media references will provide candid feedback about the PR firms and PR people. If you think reporters don’t have opinions on this subject … think again... and again… and again. 

Here’s the kicker… the media is likely your best resource when you want to compare multiple PR firms against each other. If I were the client looking at multiple PR firms, I would simply call my tier-1 industry editors and ask one simple question: rank the following PR firms in order of quality. There’s your answer. And if a specific reporter has never heard of the firm … I think that speaks for itself.

Three Big Cs: Communication, Convergence, and Commoditization

By Stephanie Look

During a recent trip to Napa, two of my friends and I found ourselves looking forward to a short two-day getaway from reality. However, a getaway can be more difficult to achieve than one might think. Within the first 20 minutes of the drive up, we were each connected to a cell phone, BlackBerry, or worse…connected to both devices at once and engaging in text messaging or mobile email. Ironically, this trip away from reality led me to realize how much we truly rely on our mobile devices as a primary method of communication.

All about access
Some say choosing a mobile device is like ordering your morning Starbucks; you’re not just buying a cell phone or a cup of coffee, you’re paying for a sense of self. At Starbucks, you can order a double tall, nonfat, vanilla latte, with foam, no whip; the options are endless. Similarly, service providers today are looking to offer you ways to personalize your mobile device by integrating and giving you access to all of the features that you want and need— Wi-Fi, iTunes, cameras, video, touch screens, email and data services. While I do own the BlackBerry Pearl, I have yet to tack on the data plan; I personally prefer not to be connected to my outlook account at all times, but it is nice to know I have the option down the road.

While mobile device features are endless today, operators are finding the marketing opportunity is in providing better access to those features and services.  Operators will continue to offer competitive services, and establish new ways to leverage fixed mobile convergence services—in simple terms, services that increase coverage at lower costs, and ultimately allow the customer to obtain mobile access anytime, anywhere.

With the widespread availability of mobile devices and voice plans that address specific consumer needs, few people still use a landline outside of the office—and even then they rely on their cell phones as their primary method of voice communication.  In fact, analysts predict U.S. households alone will be at least 30-50 percent wireless in just a few years reflecting similar trends in Europe (San Francisco Chronicle, 2007).

It’s clear the benefits of the personal mobile experience are only increasing.  With the limitless features and mobile device options for the individual consumer, business user, and the family next door, all we really need to look for in a service provider is the best quality coverage for the cheapest rates.  We all want the option of being able to be connected anytime, anywhere. And with every other service provider (here and here) offering unlimited voice plans to maintain subscriber loyalty, voice has officially become a commodity.

To Blog or Not To Blog

By Neila Matheny

Recently, fellow PR professional Brian Solis of PR 2.0 commented on whether PR agencies should blog about clients or not.  Spurred on by a discussion between a client and its PR agency, which refused to blog about the client, Brian touched on the impact the blogosphere has had on PR and the various debates the new medium brings into agencies.

So, why not blog about your clients?  Wanting to be invisible and not wanting to hurt relationships with the press and clients were mentioned as some of the agency’s reasons not to blog.  Personally, I don’t know how to go about being invisible while building relationships at the same time.  I think the whole idea is not to be invisible.  Our relationships with the media shouldn’t be built on invisibility but rather on being a known resource.  Sometimes being a resource is a direct result of what our client can offer, but it is also about a relationship that has been built over time.  If we were invisible, how could we build relationships?

Brian also brings up a good point about social media, particularly blogs, being an unknown for PR agencies.  He says “Some get it. Some don't. Others are learning. The point is that we can all contribute to and learn from this conversation in order to apply relevant principles and lessons-learned to our individual communications strategies."

I couldn’t agree more.  We are all still learning.  Sometimes blogging can seem unnatural, but learning about it can only help us as an agency and as individuals, and it can serve to benefit of our clients.  I am definitely in the early learning stages of the blogosphere and feel much more like an observer than a participant.  However, one of my favorite moments in my three years here happened when I blogged about the adventures my client and I had on media tour, and he called me to comment on my blog entry.

I’m going to keep feeling out this blogging world and keep on learning as I go.  And as long as my clients are up for it, I’ll keep on blogging about them.