Digital marketing expert Mitch Joel wrote an interesting blog post last year called “The Art of Fake Familiarity.” In it, Joel criticized a public relations pitch he recently received that used information from his blog and Twitter feed in an attempt to garner a feeling of familiarity and get his attention. Instead, the pitch came off as creepy and dishonest, finally ending with this cringe-inducing line: “I also saw on Twitter that you were at the Google offices in Mountain View recently. I have never been, but I hope to get the chance to go at some point.”

This faux-familiarity, in which a PR pro references specific details about the targeted reporter or blogger, is increasingly common. I actually attended a PR webinar recently that recommended a similar albeit more balanced approach.

This sort of pitch is a reaction against the impersonal, generic emails that get blasted to huge lists of journalists who desperately struggle to keep them at bay and in their spam boxes. I’ve actually got an old email address from my days as a freelance editor that is now nothing more than a barren inbox of crappy press releases (currently sitting at 15,000 unread messages). It got so overwhelming that the only way to escape was to open up a new email account and update the dozen or so PR people I trusted with my new contact info.

So what’s wrong with trying to bring a little familiarity to your pitch? Nothing, if you’re actually familiar with the reporter. That gets to the heart of the problem with the fake familiar pitch: it’s a way to cheat the important process of actually getting to know the people you’re pitching and the type of stories they’re looking for.

You can’t take short cuts when it comes to media outreach. Here are a few of the techniques my agency consistently emphasizes to deliver excellent media placements:

• Research: You’ve got to know who you’re sending your pitches to and what they write about, so research, from past articles to Twitter feeds, is important. We don’t do generic press releases that hit every media member in the state. We find the reporters who cover our topic and send them personalized, appropriate pitches. And by personalized, I mean we focus on angles relevant to their markets, not what they said on Twitter last week.
• Professionalism: Obviously, trying not to come off as creepy is important, but being professional goes beyond that. We’re trying to get journalists to see the value of the story we’re pitching, and to do that we’ve got to craft that story as close as possible to the way they would do it. That means solid headlines, attention-grabbing leads, inverted pyramid structure and AP Style. We want to make it as easy as possible for them to transition from a pitch or press release to a story.
• Pick up the phone: Email is effective and important, but there’s nothing better to breed real familiarity with a reporter than speaking on the phone, even if it’s just for a minute. It makes you stand out, it helps you connect with them and understand what they’re looking for. Which leads to…
• Developing relationships: The best way to avoid fake familiarity is to develop real familiarity. This is a time-consuming process that is developed through the techniques above. Once you’ve got it, though, it’s invaluable for delivering your message. I’m still Facebook friends with some of the PR people I used to work with as a journalist. In fact, one of my ex-co-workers ended up marrying one of her PR contacts. How’s that for making a connection?

Image credit: Flickr member iriskh

Fresh is great because it’s the opposite of stale, and it’s amazing how fast things in life get stale. You may love a funny commercial the first time you see it, but the fiftieth time? Stale.

PR pros know how tough it is to keep ideas fresh. Constantly coming up with new angles for the same clients is one of the toughest challenges of the job. You can’t pitch reporters the same idea twice. In the social media world, the constant demand for new content will tax even the most creative individual’s originality.

At some point, you’re going to need to refresh their ideas, regardless of whether you’re working on annual reports, creative advertising or a Facebook status update. Here are some tips we use on a regular basis to keep our content fresh:

• Start with a blank slate: When ESPN was still in its early years, legendary producer Bill Fitts was one of the leaders who brought high standards to the young network. One of his strategies was to start with a blank slate on every show. He said you can’t rely on things that worked in the past, because they may not work in the future (more in Those Guys Have All the Fun). That’s great advice, and while it may be more time consuming to write a fresh press release instead of updating last year’s, it can make all the difference.
• Look at the story from your audience’s perspective: When you work in an industry or on an issue day in and day out, you become familiar with the ideas, the people and the jargon. For example, have you ever noticed how strange police sound when they address the media? They use phrasing and jargon that’s common among cops, but not the public at large. When you’re looking for a fresh idea, try changing your perspective to that of your target audience. Pretend you have never heard of this topic before, and figure out what would make it relevant and interesting.
• Make it timely: ‘Newsjacking’ is a new term for one of the oldest tricks in the book. Any time you can relate the topic at hand to a relevant news item, you’ve found a way to make it fresh. It could be a new study, a pop culture reference or something trending on Twitter. As long as it makes sense for your audience — and avoids sensitive topics — it’s usually a good idea.

Coming up with fresh material is an ongoing challenge, and these are just a few ideas. What are some techniques you use to keep things creative on the job?

Photo Credit: Brittney Bush Bollay

“I work at a PR agency.”

“Huh.”

Every PR person has had that exact exchange at countless parties and social events. It’s generally followed by a glazed-over stare (aka the “time to change the subject” look) or a question about what exactly that means.

One thing I’ve noticed is that when you try to explain public relations to the average person, you realize that he or she has never actually considered how something ends up in the newspaper or on TV. It’s like magical news elves show up in the middle of the night and place ideas on journalists’ desks.

If you don’t believe in elves, you have to ask: where does news originate?

News comes from a variety of sources. Often, the news comes from a public relations professional. The reason the reporters attend your favorite football team’s press conference is because someone told them when and where it would occur. The reason you’re reading a feature story about a successful business is probably because a PR professional “pitched” the idea to a reporter. The reason your favorite alternative magazine got a backstage interview with the band is because someone presented the idea and provided access.

Of course, good journalists don’t get all their news from PR people. They rely on a variety of tools to find stories, and knowing the news angles and how to take advantage by presenting such opportunities to a reporter or editor is key for any PR professional. Here’s a quick overview of where the news generally originates:

1. Other News: A significant percentage of news is developed in follow up to other published stories by focusing on a new angle. Media outlets will take a national story and localize it for their audiences almost every day. They’ll also run columns, op-eds and side pieces that explore different perspectives on the big news of the day. The key is being able to recognize what makes a story newsworthy to different outlets and nailing the timing.

2. Google: When journalists have an idea and need a source for more information, generally the first place they look is Google. Obviously this is where search engine optimization (SEO) comes in to play, and a good public relations team will know how to boost ranking results.

3. Relationships: Experienced reporters know who to contact when they’re looking for experts or sources on familiar topics. Experienced PR people know how to develop those relationships and assure their clients are considered frequently by reporters. They do this by providing consistent, reliable information in a timely manner. When it works well, it’s a beautiful thing.

4. Social Media: This is a source that’s becoming more relevant. More than 89 percent of journalists will now look for story ideas on blogs and social media sites, particularly Twitter and LinkedIn. Developing a significant presence on the right outlets can lead to coverage one may never have expected.

The best public relations professionals know where journalists find their stories and what information they’ll need, and then make every effort to position their client accordingly. When you have a presence in those places where news orignates, you’ll find an increase in client publicity, which builds their credibility, and, ultimately, boosts the bottom line.

Photo Credit: NS Newsflash

Social media professionals sometimes take it for granted that businesses will at least have a basic understanding of the importance of their online presence. In some ways, we’re right, as the latest research shows that social media usage among Fortune 500 companies continues to grow, with 73 percent of these companies active on Twitter and 66 percent active on Facebook. Still, that means 27 and 36 percent of companies are not involved, respectively.

In spite of the high usage rates, it’s easy to forget that a lot of these mediums have only been around for a few years. When you think about it, is it really that surprising that older executives who have absolutely no experience with social media in their personal lives are hesitant to jump into a new, completely unfamiliar and seemingly uncontrollable world?

If you see the benefits of social media but your company is hesitant or even hostile to the idea, here are a few things to consider when pitching your fuddy-duddy superiors:

Issue: All social media is going to do is open the doors for people to complain.

Answer: The conversation is happening, regardless of whether you choose to participate.

Some execs react strongly against social media after hearing about a bad experience, such as a customer or employee publishing a negative experience with the company. In response, they take the ostrich approach and stick their heads in the sand, thinking that if they don’t have a social media page, people can’t say mean things about them.

The truth is, these forums exist, and these people are talking about you already, regardless of whether you know about it or not. If people have complaints about your company, they’ve always had those complaints. It’s just that now those complaints can instantly reach a whole lot of people.

Instead of ignoring it, use this as an opportunity and monitor what people are saying. Find out what the problems are and whether they are legitimate or not. Find out what the general opinion is of your brand. Then use that information and determine a strategic way to participate in the conversation.

Issue: Social media isn’t relevant to our business.

Answer: Be strategic about how and what types of social media you use.

You’ll hear this a lot from B2B companies or those with very specific customer groups – and there is some truth to it. A company that makes industrial equipment isn’t going to have a Facebook page exactly like Coke’s. However, it might have a Facebook page like Caterpillar’s, which utilizes spectacular photos and fan enthusiasm for its massive vehicles to create an engaging environment. Is Cat getting sales leads from this page? Probably not, but I dare you to browse through it and leave without a more favorable view of its brand.

There are a variety of platforms to engage on social media and a variety of ways to use them. Don’t think you can get new business leads on Twitter? Start a LinkedIn group and generate some discussion on strategies to raise your profile and find new connections. Think manufacturing is too boring for Facebook? Share photos of your giant equipment and graphs charting the number of jobs you provide to the area. Worried that you won’t see a return on investment? Find ways to link directly to sales sections on your website and use the incoming links to increase your traffic and SEO. The opportunities are out there.

Issue: We tried that social media thing and it didn’t work.

Answer: You’ll get out of it what you put into it.

What’s that? You mean the Twitter account your intern set up and played around with for three weeks didn’t do much for you? So surprising!

There’s still a perception out there that social media should be easy – and cheap. After all, it’s free, right? In practice, you get out of social media what you put into it. Pinterest and Facebook pages may be free to set up, but they require a lot of time and hard work to make them effective. You’ve got to curate, write and manage engaging content. A lot of engaging content. All the time. If it gets boring, people will tune you out.

Additionally, one of the main goals behind social media is to give people a chance to interact with you – to break down the barriers and let them know there are real people behind these corporate logos. Developing those relationships takes time and care. It requires you to be engaged and watchful.

Again, cite examples of businesses similar to yours that are utilizing these principles well. If you can point out how competitors are getting the leg up on customer service or brand marketing or lead generation, it won’t take long to turn a few senior executive heads to your way of thinking.

Image Credit: Learning Future Festivals 2010

How can you not love a map that features the Noob Sea, the Blogipeligo and puts AOL, Yahoo and Windows Live in the “Icy North?” But, to me, the most interesting aspect of this map is seeing how dramatically the landscape of the Internet has shifted in just a few years. Myspace dwarfs Facebook, Friendster and Classmates.com are huge, Second Life gets its own island and Twitter is nowhere to be found. It’s almost like picking up a high school yearbook and reminiscing about your friends. Some turned out to be losers and some were surprisingly successful.

To really grasp how quickly things have changed, check out the latest version of this map, which was made in 2010.

By Randall Munroe

Note that this one measures user activity rather than the number of members, an important distinction highlighting social media’s growing emphasis on engagement and interaction.

Only three years have passed and the landscape is completely different. Facebook dominates everything, even earning some areas of its own such as the all-too-common “Plains of Awkwardly Public Family Interactions” and the land which strikes fear into the heart of all PR pros, the “Northern Wasteland of Unread Updates.” Twitter and Skype have exploded, but you have to squint to find MySpace and Windows Live. China’s QQ occupies a massive space but is separated by the “Great Firewall.” And then there’s Farmville. Wow.

There’s no map for 2012, but if there was, you could expect to find LinkedIn and Pinterest taking up significant portions of the landscape. What do you think 2013 will look like? What about 2017? Will Facebook’s recent trouble on Wall Street affect its growth? Will another social media outlet rise as quickly as Pinterest did this year?

We are still in the early years of the Internet, at least relative to the broader marketplace. While we’ve evolved well past the age of dial-up modems, it still feels like the frontier in the digital world, where companies can rise and fall seemingly at the whim of a few college students.

So how do you maintain any consistency in your messaging with this constantly shifting landscape? It’s tough, but certain truths will remain regardless of the outlet you’re working on:

• Be honest and direct. Honesty and integrity will always be good policy when dealing with people, regardless of the platform.
• Create great content. Style and features may change, but great content will always draw attention. Communicate what you know and make it as interesting as you possibly can.
• Know your audience. While the websites may change, your target audience remains the same. Figure out who they are, find out where they are, and go engage them.
• You don’t have to join every dance. Don’t sign your brand up for every new social media site, or even all the established ones. Pick the sites that make the most sense for your brand and develop a strategy for each one that aligns with your overall goals.

You know how it feels when you’re not dressed properly for an occasion? It’s awkward, you’re out of place, and everyone looks at you like you don’t belong. Whether you’re the guy wearing loafers at a rock concert or a grungy T-shirt at a golf club, your clothes say something about you and how comfortable you are in this situation.

It’s the same way when brands march into the social media world expecting to engage with fans. Most people use social media to stay in touch with friends — and maybe read something funny — not to hear about your latest corporate announcement. As a brand, your status update is sitting right in between my crazy aunt’s cat photo and my college roommate’s witty political rant, and to be effective (and stay on my feed) it needs to fit in as much as possible.

Like our friend at the concert (who might pick up some Chucks before the next show), your brand’s page needs to develop a voice and a tone that feels natural to the social media environment you’re using. That means if you’ve got messaging running across all platforms, your Facebook status needs to be different from your LinkedIn discussion, which in turn needs to be different from your tweet. To all of you who automatically feed your tweets onto your Facebook page: stop it.  They’re not the same, and what makes something good on Twitter does not make it good on Facebook.

If you’re on Facebook, keep it casual and show me something pretty, like a photo or an infographic. If you’re on Twitter, make it as short as humanly possible and use appropriate handles and hashtags so I notice you. LinkedIn discussions should be professional and stimulating. Every social network has its own flavor and its own lingo, and if you decide to enter that space, your corporate voice needs to match.

This is one of the reasons why PR agencies are a great choice for handling multiple social media networks. Every day, we’re writing in the voices of numerous clients and adapting each one to the media outlet we’re pitching. Taking a message and making it work for social media is natural — and one of my favorite parts of the job.

When handled well, social media gives brands a unique opportunity to connect with their audience and develop deeper affinity and loyalty. It’s like when you see a business acquaintance outside of work. If he or she comes across as a normal, cool person, you’re more likely to connect at the office as well. Brands that wear the right clothes and use the right tone of voice on social media will see the benefits in their bottom line.

Photo credit: neys fadzil

If you handle a social media channel, you know about the constant, never-ending need for fresh content. One of my colleagues calls it “feeding the monster.” And the monster doesn’t like just any content, it likes quality content presented in a unique and interesting way.

To find the best content, you have to be plugged into a variety of channels on a regular basis, from media outlets to bloggers to prominent tweeters, and you need to read them, Follow them, Friend them, Connect with them and possibly even Pin something from them.

Once you’ve posted your content, if you’ve done your job, you need to monitor it. This involves constantly keeping up with the conversation generated by your posts and tweets. You have to handle people with problems, answer questions and encourage feedback, and you’ve got to do it as fast as possible. Of course, this is better than the alternative of not having any feedback at all. That’s when you know you need better content.

Added to all this is the fact that you are working on the Internet, a fun and almost magical place with a myriad of distractions, from hysterical Facebook posts to intriguing website articles to snarky tweets just begging for your attention.

If you don’t have a plan for handling this monster, it’s not uncommon to go looking for something to tweet and coming up for air an hour later, your Internet browsing history a hazy fog of shortened links, @ symbols and hashtags.

Here are a few useful tips that can do wonders for increasing your social media management efficiency:

• Set a schedule around your most productive times - Setting up certain parts of your day to plan, curate and write content for your social media channels is crucial. Find the times in your day when you are most productive on social media and block them out. I’ve found that writing and scheduling multiple tweets and posts first thing in the morning allows me to focus undisturbed on my other tasks, rather than constantly having to interrupt them for a social media update.

• Learn the tools of the trade – Using the right tools is essential to surviving this business. First you need a social media management platform like HootSuite, Tweetdeck or some of the more advanced ones. These let you schedule posts, switch between brands and manage feedback all in one place. Google alerts, RSS and Twitter feeds are also key to navigating the overload of information out there. Instead of visiting a bunch of websites and blogs searching for content, use a program like Google Reader and get the stories you’re interested in to come to you.

• Focus – The key with social media is to never let yourself get too distracted, but focus on exactly what needs to get done. Save personal interaction for certain parts of the day (like lunch or the middle of the afternoon doldrums). One of my favorite tools is Instapaper, which allows me to quickly save interesting articles that I don’t want to miss but can’t read in the middle of the work day, like this story about J.K. Rowling’s new non-Harry Potter book for adults. Hey, don’t read it now! Focus.

Since it’s the end of the year and I’m required to make a “best of” list, here are my top 5 spam comments of the year (stay tuned for the obligatory social media tie-in at the end; it’s pretty good):

1. “This is a useful post. It is shattering when your husband says he doesnt love you anymore. This info helps”

In case you were curious, this was in response to a post about how to keep cool in the summer heat.

2. “Guide to Eliminating Male Breasts”

Maybe it’s a site that sells The Bro (or The Manzier, whichever you prefer).

3. “Hello my loved one! I wish to say that this post is amazing, nice written and include almost all vital infos. I’d like to peer extra posts like this.”

I’m from the South and don’t mind when a waitress calls me “Honey” (especially at Waffle House), but “my loved one” is a little too personal.

4. продажа земли сельскохозяйственного назначения

There was no comment, just this name. I Googled it and apparently it’s Russian for some sort of agricultural real estate, which is helpful on a blog that is read by people in the state of Georgia. Maybe the commenter thought it was for people from the country of Georgia. Except people there don’t speak Russian, they speak Georgian. I think I’m putting too much thought into this.

5. “You have a way with words, but remember by and large, english is a tool for hiding the truth”

Maybe if you learn to speak English the truth will be revealed.

Anyway, it’s clear that we live in an increasingly automated online world. Spam comments, automatic Twitter retweets and follows, and posts that are streamed to every online forum you belong to are becoming increasingly common. While some of these tools can be make you more efficient, be careful not to rely on them too much.

Authentic, personal communication is the most powerful aspect of social media and the whole reason it took off in the first place. Tools like Facebook, Twitter and even blog comments give you the valuable opportunity to engage directly with your audience, so don’t blow it with a generic, automated response. Take the time to interact with your followers and understand them. And don’t speak to them like a lawyer or a spambot—use normal English. Then you won’t be accused of “hiding the truth.”

Happy Holidays everyone!

I almost choked on my potato salad after one of my relatives uttered this statement during a game of Scrabble at a recent family event. My wife started laughing as I tried to fight down the food and sort through the myriad of indignant responses fighting for the top spot in my head.

“Aren’t you in law school?”

“Well, that explains your Facebook posts.”

“Yes, because any time you can quickly make yourself look like an idiot in front of co-workers and clients, you’ve got to do it.”

I think I settled on saying something more moderate, but you get the point. Spelling and grammar are two of the most underrated values in American professional life. A lot of very smart people can’t spot a comma splice or tell you the difference between “your” and “you’re.” Grammar is actually one of the ways PR professionals distinguish ourselves and offer value to clients.

If you are a PR pro, spelling and grammar are two of the most basic, fundamental skills sets you need and are absolutely essential to the job. No one would argue with this, but in the day-to-day grind, it’s tough staying on top of every preposition and proper noun in every pitch, post and talking point.

Here are a few tips to keep your sentences from fragmenting and your subjects and verbs from disagreeing:

• Edit Everything: With the variety of outlets PR people produce content for, it’s important to edit everything. That means blog posts, Facebook updates, tweets and even important emails should all get a proofread. Obviously, there tends to more grammar leeway when it comes to crafting a tweet than a press release, but consistent misspellings on a Facebook page or Twitter feed are an easy way to lose credibility for a client.
• The More Eyes, The Merrier: We’ve got a rule at Cookerly: nothing goes live without at least one other person giving it a look. No journalist would run an article without an editor. Publicists should do likewise.
• Print It Out: There’s something about printing out a document and reading it line by line that let’s you catch things you previously missed. Even with content that’s going straight to a website, printing it out and proofreading is a great way to eliminate mistakes.

Good grammar and spelling are a constant battle, but stick to those tips and you’ll make Strunk & White proud. As my relative found out, you’ll also win a lot more Scrabble games.

Plus, it will help you avoid mistakes like these:

Not sure if they’re insulting the kids’ mental or physical abilities, but either way a comma could have helped.

Is Michael Vick applying for this job?

Primary education has failed this person, so maybe they deserve money for higher education.

Whether you are writing a press release or a garage sale sign, never forget the importance of good grammar. As Lynne Truss, the author of Eats, Shoots and Leaves, once said, “Proper punctuation is both the sign and the cause of clear thinking.”

The value of a source cannot be underestimated when it comes to publicity. Journalists know that a great source can make or break a story. They offer insights into a debate, grab the attention of readers and ultimately provide legitimacy to a story. PR pros who take advantage of this will always be a step ahead.

Good sources vary greatly depending on the situation—they could be a celebrity, an expert, a study or just a regular person. It all depends on what the story needs. Looking for lots of placements in a variety of local publications? Do your homework and find sources from each of your target areas. Looking for a big placement in a national publication? Find a high profile source and back them up with statistics that frame the story in a national context. Looking for a fresh approach on a topic that feels a little tired? Find a good human interest source to get the reporter’s attention.

It’s not just a one-time thing, either. Good sources and good information should be a standard, especially when you are pitching the same people consistently. I can tell you as a former editor that I knew which publicists I could turn to for a good source, and I was always more likely to pay attention to their pitches.

The next time you feel your press release or pitch is lacking something, consider the source. While you may be required to supply a quote from a particular executive, you’re never limited to just one source. Maybe you should consider a lower level employee who is a particularly compelling example. Maybe what you need is a revealing statistic from a recent study. As always, consider exactly what your targeted outlet is looking for and supply as much of it as you can. The easier you make the reporter’s job, the more likely they are to consider your pitches.