Technology & Public Relations

Sending press releases have become much easier with e-mail. With a few simple mouse clicks, a public relations specialist to send tens or thousands of press releases to targeted groups of journalists.

This practice, however, spam has caused the press release, which means that journalists are more likely to hit the delete button even before opening the message. There are several companies that advertise their services free press release spam. These companies claim to have access to reporters and editors in publishing. The company will write and distribute press releases for a fee.

Other advanced technology in the PR is the web itself. By building a web site is designed well, a company, individual or organization can share information, and furthers the agenda of image polishing. Class website is also a great way to get accurate information to reporters. Most of the large organizations and businesses, including media room on their official website. This regional website is used to issue all press releases, company history, executive bios, high resolution digital photos and even download, digital press kit. Instead of looking for media attention by e-mail, press releases, a good website will attract its own journalists.

One of the biggest challenges posed by technology PR is an explosion of social media, sometimes referred to as Web 2.0. Social media encompasses social networking Web sites such as Facebook and MySpace, and user generated content communities such as YouTube. But the impact of Web 2.0 is much broader and deeper than a few websites. There now exists a whole generation of young people who have grown up online. This net generation does not know life without the phone and e-mail account. They are used to find all their online information and does not believe the "official" opinions or anything else that smells ad.

This generation can not be contacted by the press release. Their opinion makers and fellow blogger, not a paid critic. Sure, maybe e-mail to traditional press releases to bloggers, but the message would likely be transparent campaign ignored.

Brian Solis is a PR consultant and avid blogger who offers advice for PR companies eager to enter the social media. Solis stressed that social media represents more of a sociological change than a technical. This generation is a gift of honesty, transparency and involvement of other things. For companies to get the message to the online community, must join the community. And not as spectators but as participants are passionate, a real fan.

Solis recommends that companies invest more in community manager, who is responsible for tracking and managing customer images online. The community managers scour the message boards, read industry blogs and most importantly, communicate with the public. Their response should reflect the opinions of real people.

This may explain the wave of executive blogs in many of the company's official website. Customers want to know there are people behind this business, those who have strong opinions about the hot issues and engage with their public. The idea of a dialogue, an active two-way between the company and customers is key to managing the images with social media.

There are dangers, however, came in as a gambler of out-of-touch trying to play the game of social media. Some companies have been engaged in the practice called Astroturfing, or create a false grass roots media. Example astroturf will post videos on YouTube that appears to have been committed by two geeks in Iowa, but actually generated by the room according to Madison Avenue.

Yet another danger of the online era is the ability of negative news to be separated from control in a matter of hours, not days. Blogs take a direct hit bad and strengthen the whole world. Amateur journalists armed with camera phones can break an embarrassing story and have it on national news by six o'clock. It becomes increasingly difficult for small public relations staff to cope with the well-armed mass of opinion-makers.

5 Executive Blog Mistakes To Avoid!

A client recently told me that after one of his top executives attended an industry conference, he again said he wanted to start a blog. However, when he asked, "Why?" it has no good answer, except that his friends at rival companies have their own blog, and he wanted one too.

Of course this is not ego-communication due to the results of the first ever made. And with more than 100 million blogs that exist today, it's easy to see how an executive can take the "me too" attitude.

But before venturing into the street, it is important to think about your communications strategy. There is a lot of hidden traps for the opportunity to succeed. These are the five common mistakes made when managing a communications executive blog and what you can do to avoid them.

Identifying a clear purpose and realistic and measurable goals, just as important when it comes to blog for a variety of other communications efforts. Think about what you are trying to accomplish. Is to raise awareness, change attitudes or to encourage action?

Despite the embarrassment caused by the fall of the published "fake blog," many companies still fail to appreciate the importance of maintaining an executive blog authentic. And so hard to develop fresh content on a regular basis becomes clear, easy to see how an executive will pass responsibility to someone to write his blog in the communications department. However, this is not just another writing job. The nature of the blog implies that the person to whom the blog is actually given to those who write blogs. With the confidence of workers at low (topic I will discuss in the next issue), it was not worth the risk of further damage. If the executive is not willing to commit to writing his own blog, it's better not having one at all.

Casual nature of blogs can make it easier to ignore the need for accurate information source. But this source of information is very important when collecting statistics, studies, anecdotes and the like, because it allows the reader to delve deeper into the topic if they wish. The copyright issue is still valid.

The attractiveness of the publication of a blog can wear off quickly for the busy executive. So before you start a blog, get your executives to be committed to issue, in order frequently. Hope to keep the blog up-to-date is far more stringent than for print publications. A blog should reflect the content of what is happening now-not a topic chosen months in advance.

Many internal blog from the perspective of what an executive wants to communicate, which is contrary to what readers are interested I do not know that an internal blog that encourages hard to understand the company, or an external blog that makes "hard sell," it is easy to turn off readers. Blog to share insights on the trends, give thoughts on the latest news or openly discuss the challenges and potential solutions-not to push a company agenda.

Tip: Find a good example of the executive blog done right? Check out Bill Marriott's blog. At 74-years-young, he was chairman and CEO of Marriott International. And while he claimed to be a "Neanderthal when it comes to technology," he makes a point to feel comfortable writing your own blog.

"The launch blog has proven very successful for me I can talk with our guests and our friends about anything I want. And those who can talk back to me. I think blogging brings people together. .. This is a conversation, exchange of ideas, "says Marriott.


You can read the blog here.

Mot Communications LLC Copyright © 2008 Bond

Reprinted from The Communicator of the Company, free e-zine dedicated to helping communications professionals and business owners to communicate more effectively with employees, customers and the media. For access to the best communication tools, study tips, and best practices, subscribe now at www.thecorporatecommunicator.net.

Social Media = Mobile

So recently I have been on the road and travel a lot. Am I on the field or at my desk, I really love all the choices I have to take my social networking media with me wherever I am away or somewhere whereas its unknown, knowing that many people think that I am a social media addict, yes I am, but that does not change the fact that the a PA like me who needed to be "connected " pretty much 24 / 7. So here are some of the latest applications and programs I find on all my trips to be 100 percent mobile.

1. Ministry of Foreing Affairs (MOFA) Email for blackberry
2. Yahoo, Hotmail & Gmail for blackberry
3. Facebook Mobile
4. Twitter – Twitterberry
5. Personal Assistant for Blackberry – blackberry app world for this one.
6. Flickr for blackberry
7. AsiaAsia Mobile for blackberry – which book a flight in fingertips

I'm sure there are others, perhaps a dozen (read trillion) for the iPhone, but because I am a die-hard fans BlackBerry I will not go into those here.

What I like about this is all I can say that wherever I live. I gave the presentation last great social media, but on the way back to the office got a call that I had a media situation with great potential that I need to respond ASAP. Because I have my entire wonderful mobile application blackberry I can handle all the people in each of which was, time, and others not only with my comments but with photos, additional contacts on the scene, and an output. The absolute road. Awesome!

Got some good advice to take your network with you on the road? I would love to hear them!

Anyone with a keyboard has a voice!

Working From Home!

TRAFFIC jams are the root of all evil. People have missed their final year examinations, lost their million-ringgit contracts, been late for their own weddings all because of the human-made catastrophe that is traffic.
Most people go through the routine hassle of honking, swerving, cursing and praying on the roads - whether they are trying to get to work or class, most people but Kimberly Low, apparently.

The 24-year-old public relations (PR) person wakes up at eight every morning, then walk out of her bedroom and voila, she's in her office already. Yup, Kimberly is one of the increasing numbers of people who work from the comforts of their own homes. Besides the convenience, working at home also offers her flexibility.

"I don't always wake up at eight. There were times when I overslept and crawled out of bed at nine," says Kimberly.
Before branching out on her own (and by default, deciding on what kinds of working conditions she prefer), Kimberly worked at a PR agency for two years. Her decision to quit her job and start up her own company Kim Communications (Kim Komm) - was, according to her, one made almost at a whim. Her friends, however, say it coming from miles away.

"I never grew up with the dream of seeing myself as a businesswoman. But after talking to several of my friends, I was shocked to find out that that was exactly what they were expecting to see from me," says Kimberly.
Her parents were surprised, but not shocked not because they too expected it but have over the years learnt that when it came to their only daughter, they should always expect the unexpected.

In fact, for her family, the biggest surprise was her passion for PR and events management. It was a shock that she decided to enter this industry when she spent three hard years earning her degree in Business Administration. For Kimberly though it was only natural.

"Even when I was studying, I did part time jobs and one of it was for a PR/EM firm. Though I was handling the EM then, I always lent a helping hand to my colleagues from the PR section. That was when I realized I preferred PR to anything else," Kimberly explains.

Right after graduation, she was hired for her now-former employer. Immersed in a world that she absolutely adores, Kimberly realized that she had more to offer as her own boss than when she's contractually obligated to an employer.

"In my last job, I realized that I have many ideas, some that my employer then wouldn't have accepted. As a net savvy person, I always wanted to combine traditional PR methods with more innovative use of the Internet," she says.
"A lot of people still don't use the Internet to its full potential. There are blogs, forums and other social network applications that scream business opportunities."

And so she started Kim Komm six months ago. To date, she has already secured a number of big projects. Wanting to keep her company lean, Kimberly is yet to hire any help. So far, she's able to handle the workload all by herself - though sometimes when necessary, she does get help from her friends in the field.
Like every new entrepreneur, Kimberly too was scared in the beginning but her “now or never” attitude has kept her focus on her tasks.

"It never occurred to me that I would have my own business someday. But by doing this myself, I find that I have more creative freedom and control over what I do," she says.

As her company is relatively new, Kimberly has yet to take long breaks though she says that she tries to go for vacations twice a year. An avid traveler, Kimberly also says that she's a book freak, a habit she wishes many would take up as well.

"It's important to stay fit and eat healthy to stay sharp, focused and be efficient in what you doPeople might say that she has all the time in the world to read and exercise because she works from home, but Kimberly says that it’s not as simple as that.

"Sometimes it's difficult to discipline myself because I tend to procrastinate, like I did especially in the earlier weeks of my business. I constantly remind myself that although I'm my own boss, I work for others which is my clients."
Now though, she tries to get hooked to the momentum and not stop until the work is complete.

Then, she rewards herself with a week off, "but even then I find myself sneaking time to do business related work." This, of course, is easier to do considering that the work is literally at her doorstep.

So guys, why wont we start working from home??