We're attending the PR+SM Summit, Are you?

Posted by: Abby Gutowski, PR Manager, @abbyweidert

Next Thursday, April 8 our PR 2.0 team will be exchanging desktops for laptops as we attend the 2010 PR + Social Media Summit at Marquette University in Milwaukee. The PR + Social Media Summit, otherwise known as @PRSMSummit or #PRSMS on Twitter, is a one-day summit focused on the convergence of strategic communication and social media.

In other words, it's one of the best ways for PR pros in Wisconsin to connect with other PR and social media specialists and submerge themselves in knowledge about social media and PR for 8+ hours. I can guarantee that you'll not only end the day with more knowledge about the industry and renewed excitement about what you get to do at work everyday, but also make some amazing business connections and friends along the way.

So, if that hasn't convinced you to attend, I give you...

"The top 10 reasons why we're attending #PRSMS"

1. The cost is only $75 for pros and $10 for students - a seriously good deal

2. The man who changed the way we send press releases, Jason Kintzler of pitchengine.com, is speaking

3. Attendees can get career advice from the Big Shoes Network man himself, Jeff Carrigan

4. All net proceeds of the event will be contributed to a Marquette University PRSSA scholarship - how cool is that?

5. George Wright from BlendTec is giving the inside story about "Will it blend?"

6. We think @AlKrueger and @SaraMeaney from Comet Branding are awesome - thanks for all the work you put in to make this event happen!

7. The #JournChat and #Commentz creator herself, Sarah Evans will be there. Enough said.

8. We'll also be surrounded by amazing speakers from IBM, Jockey International, Trek Bicycle, Marcus Hotels & Resorts, Marquette University, Radio Milwaukee, Lightburn, About Face Media and Radian 6.

9. There will be an awesome post-event tweet-up at the @InterConnMKE to mingle with other PR pros

10. As PR and social media merge, it's crucial to keep up with the latest trends and strategies. It would be a shame to miss this awesome event happening right in our backyard.

Convinced? Register here.

See you there!

Nostalgic Advertising At Its Best

I find it refreshing to sometimes remove myself from modern day American culture and take a trip into the past. Stumbling around on YouTube over the weekend I came across this classic Chevrolet TV spot from 1952 starring Dinah Shore. Like many, I’ve heard the jingle “See the USA in Your Chevrolet” but I’ve never had the pleasure to watch one of the original ads that featured it. I missed out on living in the early 50s by about 30 years!

Compared to the majority of today’s television advertising, there’s something very innocent and endearing about this spot. This is partly due to the beautiful Dinah Shore who gets most of the screen time, but Dinah combined with the jingle is what really makes this spot a gem.

I’ll warn you, you’ll have this in your head for hours, but it’s fun getting a glimpse of American culture and advertising during a simpler time and when Chevrolet was at the top of their game.

How To Write A Press Release

For some reason, over the course of time, businesses have come to believe that:

1. PR stands for Press Release
2. Anyone can write one

Neither are true. Public Relations is a far bigger deal than just shooting off a release. I could go on and on about this, but because it's a topic better suited to the PR people in our office, I'll let them slay that dragon. I am a writer, however, so I can weigh in on how to write one.

Here are some basic tips:

Make your headline strong. That means before you start writing, determine why anyone would care about your topic – what's different about it, and why will that matter to your audience? If you can't determine these things – if you're simply rolling out another SKU much like all your other SKUs – you probably shouldn't waste your time with a release.

Once you figure out what's truly newsworthy about your product, revolve the headline around it. Editors will yawn at, "Acme Announces New Large Size Widget," but could be intrigued by, "Acme Only Manufacturer To Offer Size That Addresses Consumer Demand for XYZ Functionality."

Don't glorify. A press release isn't a sellsheet. Sprinkling your release with words that can't be substantiated, like "amazing," "delicious," and "incredible," reeks of self-aggrandizement. Include those words in quotes from your spokesperson, if you like. Words you can substantiate, like "longer-lasting," on the other hand, will help your release have meaning to your audience.

Put the important stuff in the first paragraph, and secondary/tertiary information after that. PR professionals use a pyramid style: write assuming the editor could cut everything after the first paragraph (some will); is everything you need to say in that first paragraph?

Don't drown editors in details. If you include the history of a product, the case/pack/weight information or how the product is packaged, that better be integral to an editor's understanding of what's special about the product. If not, leave it out.

Understand what editors are looking for...and know what you want them to do with it. A press release rarely sets the world on fire, but a story built off of it could change your business. If you write some long, dirge-y thing full of fluff, they'll rightfully hack away at it and be irritated that they had to. Or just throw it out. Write something that could be turned into a story – and not just a story you want to tell, but a story others will be interested to hear.

Know the purpose of a boilerplate. It's a short, concise overview of the company and you should be say it in 4 sentences or less. Direct readers to your Web site for the details.

Still thinking of writing your own releases? Keep in mind that PR professionals spend four years in college learning the skills required to navigate the media, create buzz, pitch stories, build relationships, help and get help from editors and writers...because it's a more complex and specialized field than a simple press release might indicate.

Top 10 Tips for Better Tweeting

We had the pleasure of listening to a webinar today put on by Dan Zarrella of Hubspot called The Science of Retweets. Now, Dan seems like a really likeable guy, very animated and enthusiastic about his work. But there's no getting around it, and I think Dan would admit it, he's quite a geek.

He and his associates at Hubspot have analyzed Twitter activity from every conceivable angle in their attempts to find out conclusively what activities will lead to the most retweets, which by extension help tweeters build their following.

With full attribution to Dan and his team, here are the top 10 tips for better tweeting:

1. Always include a link, preferably to valued content
   
2. Write headlines like a tabloid editor
3. Use the words that trigger retweeting, like "Please", and "Free", "Help", and "You".
4. Avoid anything that smacks of boring self-absorption, such as "watching", "listening", and worst of all, "bored". No one cares!
5. Think nouns and verbs, not adjectives and adverbs. And use the right punctuation.
   
6. Use descriptive language that breaks from norm; don't avoid sounding intelligent!
7. Express in terms of WIIFM to your audience. Think like an infomercial.
8. Best times of the day to be retweeted are 3-5pm EDT.
9. Best time of the week is Friday afternoon and evening. Everyone is catching up.
10. Think about frequency, because getting noticed means putting your good stuff out multiple times.
    

And since it's Friday afternoon, I need to post this and start tweeting. It's high tide!

Look at Me...PLEASE!

Written by: Tami Wessley, VP
@TamiAtWeidert, twessley@weidert.com

As an agency that integrates social media and PR 2.0 into the mix of key marketing strategies for our clients, we spend a lot of time participating in and evaluating social tools. We see lots and lots of information and my big question is, “What is with the incessant need to be seen and heard?” It’s as though we all want 15 minutes of fame and we’re trying to get it all day, every day.

It struck me today that most blog, Twitter, Four Square and Facebook posts were simply people sharing their mundane activities. Maybe when I’m busy the boring posts just bug me more; but don’t we all have more to do? And, who cares? I’m looking for value!

No one cares how great your cup of coffee is! Does it matter, really, how many points were scored in Mafia Wars? Is it important to tell everyone where you are all day? And how many more “balloon boy” and “runaway Prius” stories are going to be manufactured for publicity?

There’s real value in social media. I enjoy tweeting, posting and sharing. But I don’t find every move someone makes and every thought they have terribly interesting – including my own! In an increasingly message-heavy time, these vacuous thoughts are so, so easy to ignore; they waste people’s time – the reader and the writer.

Social media tools are great when providing real, value-added information. For business, there’s no better way to interact with customers and on a personal level, they’re a great way to connect and reconnect with people who matter to us.

I guess I’d rather just drink my own latte in private than vicariously enjoy yours.

Cause-Marketing: Binding Non-Profit Support with For-Profit Revenues

Written by Tami Wessley, VP
@TamiAtWeidert, twessley@weidert.com

In 1983, American Express coined the term “cause-marketing” to describe for-profit organizations partnering with non-profits to generate much needed philanthropic support. Since that time, there have been many successful marketing initiatives built around charitable giving based on purchase, the most notable being General Mill’s “Box Tops for Education,” Yoplait “Lids for Breast Cancer” and of course Campbell’s “Labels for Education.” Each has resulted in millions of dollars raised for their charities.

While the non-profits are spotlighted as the big winners in these initiatives, the for-profits also benefit big or they wouldn’t do it. Smart marketing strategists identify charities that tie-in nicely with their corporate marketing objectives to reinforce their position. By choosing the right non-profit, companies benefit in several ways:

• Customer Loyalty – Customers who genuinely care about or are affected by the cause innately want to support it. By supporting what they care about, consumers will modify their purchase behavior because it provides them with the emotional reward of feeling like they’ve done something worthwhile, not just buy a product. In fact, in a study done by Cone/Duke University, 79% of consumers say they would be likely to switch from one brand to another (when price and quality are similar) if the other brand is associated with a good cause.

• Consumer Attitudes – In addition to loyalty, consumer attitudes about a company’s products are often affected by cause marketing initiatives. An amazing 85% of consumers said they have a more positive impression of a product or company that supports a cause they care about.

• Image/Positive PR – If, for some reason, a company or product has had its share of backlash from non-profit groups, let that cause be the beneficiary of the program. This works to both create understanding and, tamp down the most vocal opponents. It may even create new ambassadors!

• Halo Effect – If one specific product or line is the focus of the program, many times the rest of the products from that company see increased sales and loyalty just because of the program. A great example of this is the Go Red campaign and Gap. Gap not only saw an increase in sales of the products involved in the campaign, but also the rest of their product line from add-on sales. One of the best benefits is the involved products actually had a price premium attached to them for the donation.

• Differentiation from Competition – Consumers want to support good causes because it makes them feel good. If your brand provides that benefit while your competition relies on standard corporate messages, you have the clear advantage. In fact, in the same study from Cone/Duke, there was a 74% increase in product purchase likelihood when cause-marketing messages were used.

While not necessarily right for every company, cause-marketing benefits are hard to argue with. General Mills, Yoplait, Campbell’s and even Milkbone must be doing something right!

Corporate Twitter accounts are a waste of time if you’re not listening

A personal experience from:
Abby Gutowski, @abbyweidert

For the past 6 months I have been watching and analyzing every travel site known to man to get the best deal on a flight to Las Vegas for one of my best friend’s weddings. As a true maid of honor, I wanted to make sure everything was perfect and chose flight times to ensure I did not miss a moment.

To my surprise, I found a great deal on Expedia.com on a package for the MGM Grand Hotel and a round-trip flight to Las Vegas leaving Green Bay on June 15 at 5:40 p.m. and then leaving on June 19 at 10:20 a.m. for our return trip, leaving some time for non-wedding fun as well.

Just days after my blissful purchase, I was informed that our 10:20 a.m. flight from Las Vegas to Green Bay had been canceled and was asked to called Expedia's customer service line to re-book my flight. Slightly irritated, I called Expedia, sat on the phone for about 30 minutes, and finally reached a live representative that said he could not rebook my flight because it was past 5:30 p.m. and the airline booking service had been closed.

As a heavy user of Twitter and advocate that companies should be listening to what their customers are saying about them online, I decided to use Twitter to complain about my customer experience with Expedia. Hopeful that Expedia’s customer service through social media would save the experience, I wrote:

March 1, 2010, 5:38 p.m.: Tweeted to @Expedia: @abbyweidert: Just had horrible experience w/ @expedia . Sat on the phone for 20 min & now have to call back tomorrow when the "airline is open" ?!?

And received the following response:

March 2, 2010: no response from @Expedia on Twitter

March 3, 2010: no response from @Expedia on Twitter

March 4, 2010: no response form @Expedia on Twitter

After days of no support from my trusted source of service, the @expedia Twitter account, I attempted traditional customer service again during business hours:

March 5, 2010, 12:30 p.m.: Called Expedia customer service for attempt #2 to re-book my flight….and holding time 20 minutes + #2

March 5, 2010, 1:15 p.m.: Tweet to @expedia #2: @abbyweidert: Finally getting some service from @expedia about my canceled @midwestairlines flight. However, still irritated about service in general

March 5, 2010, 1:19 p.m.: Tweet to @Expedia #3: @abbyweidert: I take that back... @midwestairlines wait time to rebook flight: 25 min + ?!? @expedia wait music in my office not so enjoyable anymore....

March 5, 2010, 1:30 p.m.: Was informed by my Expedia customer service representative that I would not be charged for the change in my flight…. ?

March 5, 2010, 1:36 p.m.: Tweet FROM @MidwestAirlines: @MidwestAirlines: @abbyweidert sorry about the hassle Abby. Is there anything I can do to assist? ^MS

March 5, 2010, 1:44 p.m.: Flights finally rebooked through Expedia.com

The moral of the story for businesses? There are two.

First, if you use social media to help customers online, they should receive the same service when dealing with you over the phone or you’re wasting your time.

Second, if you're using social media to connect with customers, listen to their praises and concerns. Both Expedia and Midwest Airlines had excruciating wait times that I had to live through during my workday, Midwest Airlines listened to my concerns online and tried to fix the problem within minutes. Although there was not much they could do, I am happy they cared about my situation. Thank you, @MidwestAirlines!

I am still waiting for a tweet back from Expedia…

Note: This is a personal experience and the thoughts in the post do not reflect those of my employer.

Internships: A degree isn't enough anymore

Written by Melanie Stepanek, PR Intern
@shmelanie

If you haven’t looked into getting an internship yet you’re either living under a rock or have possibly been hit in the head by one. I graduate in two months and if I wasn’t constrained by the all-too-cruel limitations of a 24-hour day, I’d probably try and squeeze in a third internship this semester.

To keep the introduction brief, there are two main reasons you need to be concerned with your internship quest:

1. You are competing with “entry-level” hires that have years of experience.
2. Education is only valuable when applied and understood in context.

Regardless of the career you choose, internships play a vital role in molding who you become in the workplace. It isn’t just another checkmark on your to-do list; rather, it is a living, breathing experience that needs to be integrated into your life. Take concepts you are unsure about in class and ask about them at your internship, and vice versa. Having the dual resources of both a professional and an educator is an extremely valuable asset that you only get for a short time in your career.

Doubting the value of an internship? Ask yourself this: Would you hire someone who had work experience or someone with only theoretical knowledge?

Exactly.

So what kind of work experience do you get an internship? Lots. The experiences I’ve gained at Weidert Group are things I never would have learned in the classroom and include (and I’m not listing everything, because that would be absurdly long and unnecessary):

• Pitching stories to trade publications and media
• Using media monitoring software effectively
• Developing professional e-newsletters
• Client interactions and meetings
• Developing, implementing and measuring social media campaigns

The most valuable experience comes from doing the job and making mistakes along the way. I’d much rather make an error at an internship – an extended learning environment – than at my first job. (People aren’t so forgiving at that point.)

If you are having trouble finding an internship, make your own. Volunteer at a local nonprofit or small business. Tell them you want real-life experience and see if they have any small projects for you to do.

Employers will know if you get it. The best education in the world won’t be enough to get you the job. It can help, but it’s only a small part of the game.

Good luck!

Job Search 2.0 with Social Media

It's funny, if you ask a group of college students how they're using social media in their job searches, most will answer with Facebook.

Now I'm not against FB, especially as the most social of social media. It's just that the way the typical college students uses FB it's become almost a job prevention device. More on that in a bit.

I'm doing a campus presentation tomorrow to an undergrad conference, and I've been asked to talk about using SM in job searches. Here, in a nutshell, is my advice to the young 'uns:

• Put networking first. Most good jobs come through networking. Employers know it's faster, cheaper, and less risky to hire through their network than to post, filter, screen, etc., in a traditional search.

• Target companies, not jobs. Build relationships at your targeted companies, so they know about you and your interest before there's a job posted. That way maybe they won't post it, they'll just call you!

• Complete a LinkedIn profile. Flesh it out just like your resume', (goal: 100% complete) write/attract recommendations, join the right groups, and start participating in LI Q&A to demonstrate you can think and write.

• Use Twitter to connect and self-promote. Write a profile that positions you as a talented resource, focus following on targeted employers, job boards, and kindred networking souls, use search to find individuals & organizations, and be aggressive in your outreach.

• If you're in a knowledge business (who isn't!) start blogging. It's a great way to show what you know, comment on what's happening, and get your personality out there. Also a good place to create content to promote on other SM.

• Manage your online brand. Clean up any embarrassing stuff, like party videos, and start acting like the young adult who needs a professional position. Regularly Google yourself to see what's coming up, and look for ways to drive your personal SEO through linked content.

• Make Face-to-Face your ultimate goal. People hire people they know and trust. Use SM to find ways and means to meet people in person, from formal events to after hours Tweetups to buying coffee.
  

In a lot of ways, finding a job hasn't changed much at all since my Grandpa made his way to Milwaukee from Germany in 1923. Just like then, it's still all about who you know. How you get it done, well, that's entirely up to you.

Trendwatch: Print Embraces Digital

We would all be lying if we said the recession has had no impact on the print media industry. Countless magazines (O at Home, I.D. Magazine, Blender) and newspapers (such as The Rocky Mountain News and seven of Gannett’s daily and non-daily newspapers) have been forced to cease publication due to weak ad spending and declining subscriptions, and the list continues to grow.

This combined with the fact that we now live in a digital world where consumers’ dependence on mobile devices as their primary information source continues to grow, print publishers know it’s time to fully embrace what digital has to offer in order to reach new audiences and generate additional ad revenue.

Mobile Formatting: According to a report released by the Audit Bureau of Circulations in September 2009, 42% of consumer magazines, 45% of business publications and over 57% of newspapers have formatted their websites for mobile viewing, meaning their websites can easily be browsed on a mobile device/smart phone such as an iPhone or BlackBerry. With smart phones approaching 30% of cell phone users, this is the time for print publishers to ensure their online content is viewable on the go.

Digital Editions: Although many consumers still prefer a printed copy of their favorite magazine or newspaper, it’s becoming more common for print publishers to now offer a digital edition of their publication. With Apple’s recent introduction of the iPad, some publishers are racing to introduce their own iPad digital version.

Print publisher Conde Nast is prepping iPad versions of Wired, GQ, Glamour, Vanity Fair and The New Yorker. Although there are uncertainties around the success of these iPad editions, New York Times reported the GQ iPhone app sold more than 15,000 digital copies of the January issue and close to 7,000 copies of the December issue.

Microsoft Tags: In my blog post “What are Microsoft Tags?” from February, I highlighted Microsoft Tags and how this technology is bridging print media with expanded digital media on the web. Although tagging has been slow to pick-up steam, publications such as Golf Digest are finding clever ways to make their printed magazine more interactive for the consumer by using tags to link articles to videos and other rich media on the web. Tags also allow printed publications to update content in real time since the linked content is all web-based.

Print is not dead by any means. Publishers simply need to adapt to the digital world we live in and begin offering consumers the digital, interactive content they’re looking for. Many advertisers are also favoring online advertising these days for its ability to reach locally targeted and engaged audiences, so a digital presence also means a new revenue stream for publishers. Time will only tell how e-readers like the iPad will impact the print media industry and how this format will cater to advertisers, but digital is definitely here to stay. Now it’s up to publishers to make the decision to embrace it.

Creating A Smart Mission Statement

I've been involved in creating a number of mission statements over the past several years, each experience more painful than the last. I'll set the stage for you: too many people (a few of whom are asleep) sitting around a table debating whether we "care about children" or we "care for children"; whether our "hearts and minds guide our actions" or if our "hearts and minds are the foundation of our actions." It's just awful. Usually, I'm one of the people asleep.

It's damn near impossible to get organizations away from thinking that a mission statement is some fluffy feel-good thing that puts a warm glow on the company for all the world to see and admire. A mission statement should be a single concrete statement that tells everyone within an organization what it is they're trying to do, allow them to measure how well they're doing it, and motivate them to keep doing it.

Here are 2 examples of good mission statements (I don't even have to tell you what type of businesses they represent – one mark of a good mission is that you can identify the type of work they do):

• "To provide better fast food in a fun environment where our customers can get an energetic lift during their busy days."

• "To organize and deliver unforgettable student travel experiences that exceed the expectations of our customers."

What makes these good? Here's a checklist to use when creating a mission statement that's actually useful to your company:

Make it clear and concise. No one wants to try to wrap their arms around a long, drawn-out bunch of buzzwords whose only purpose is to inflate the egos of the corporate leaders. (For an example of this kind of self-indulgent junk, read Johnson & Johnson's version of a mission statement, their "credo.") People working at Google understand why they're there: "To facilitate access to information for the entire world." Richard Branson's employees get it, too; Virgin's mission is, "To grow a profitable airline where people love to fly and where people love to work." State Farm? "To help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected and realize their dreams."

Make it inspirational. The U.S. space program was established with a single sentence from JFK: "This nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade it out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth." NASA adopted this as its mission statement for the Apollo project.

Make sure it differentiates you. CVS Pharmacy's mission is, "We will be the easiest pharmacy retailer for customers to use." Their big competitors, Walmart and Costco, are the low-price guys; CVS is positioning itself as the convenient one.

Make it forward-leaning. Darden Restaurants has put a stake in the ground with, "We take pride in providing a terrific dining experience to every guest, every time, in every one of our restaurants. That's how we will be the best company in casual dining, now and for generations."

Make it focused. Good mission statement should help establish your priorities – in other words, keep you from trying to be everything to everybody. In 1980, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) created a new mission, "To become the best arline in the world for the frequent business traveler." Processes were eliminated (including their tourist travel department) unless they directly supported business travlers. The plan worked; three years later, SAS was named "Airline of the Year," and Fortune magazine declared it the "best airline for business travlers."
(thanks in part to Bart Perkins, managing partner of Leverage Partners, Inc., for examples)

Here, for your amusement, are some real mission statements that truly miss the mark:

• "We are a customer-oriented provider of tubular products serving the fabricated metal markets in North America." Absolutely spine-tingling, right?

• "Our mission statement is purposely simplistic, yet discretely (sp) sophisticated at the same time. These two words, Joyful Growth, reflect what our company sets out to achieve everyday." This is the mission of a company that makes vehicle mount components – who are they kiddin'? And what does "discretely sophisticated" mean?

• "We help each other grow personally, professionally, and financially in an environment of enduring relationships." How do these people make money if all they're doing is stroking each other all day?

I've saved the best for last. This is no joke:

"Members of the American Academy of Gnathologic Orthopedics seek to preserve the natural dentition and develop the bony structures of the upper and lower jaws to accommodate all the teeth without permanent tooth extractions. In addition to providing room to straighten the teeth, other benefits include allowing the natural shape of the face and jaws to develop to their full biologic potential. This can impact the overall health and well being of the patient. Our approach to 3-dimensional arch development utilizes gentle forces blended with natural function. We employ removable, light-wire, cranial-compatible appliances in conjunction with...AND IT GOES ON AND ON!


If you're going to live by a mission statement, make sure it's an internal call to action that's measurable and achievable. Don't fill it with self-aggrandizing phrases like, "We seek to engender an enduring, life-changing foundation of ongoing positive experiences with customers eager to interact with a lively, valuable, and established brand providing good-tasting products made using only the highest quality ingredients backed by consistently superior customer care and solutions." Follow the guidelines above and you should have a single, concise statement that everyone understands and can recite.

That's the only way it will be taken seriously and have any chance of getting people behind it.