A version of this article originally appeared on PR Breakfast Club on August 15, 2012. 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...

On Tuesday, I discussed how to utilize media coverage to instill a sense of pride among employees and other stakeholders, to demonstrate value to the C-suite and to extend your brand's reach via social channels. In this post, I'll look at four more tactics to leverage your positive coverage – consider this the "advanced class."

Congratulations! You’ve been featured in a great media story that raises your organization’s profile and you’re basking in the glow. But that’s not enough. If you’re not leveraging positive placements, you’re missing out on ROI from your public relations program. Whether it’s an article about your company, an award or quotes in an industry round-up that positions you as a thought leader, here are effective strategies...

Gauging the overall success of a public relations campaign is simple enough in hindsight, but recognizing the moment when it reaches a tipping point and the weight of public opinion shifts and congeals around a particular point of view is much harder. Managing a PR issue is usually a drawn out process, and it’s often difficult to know when a change in public opinion is occurring. Even when it’s all over, the post-mortem analysis...

Where do you get your news? Now think about where your parents – or grandparents – got theirs. The answers are likely very different. My parents watched the local TV evening news, followed by a national broadcast. Each morning, my dad brought in the Charleston Post & Courier from our driveway. The Sunday morning edition was a particular treat, calling for at least an hour of reading and a cup of coffee. Today, I continue that one...