Why I Love PR

When I was a rookie in the PR field, my senior counterparts always talked about how fun it was to become a "generalist." I always thought that sounded stupid and much preferred to focus my efforts on becoming an "expert."

But the longer I'm in this field, the more I see exactly what they meant. Because of the varied and interesting clients on my roster, I get to learn a little about a lot.

Here's what I mean... between next week and July 20, I have nine ghost-written articles due to publications reaching the key audiences of my clients. So, over the next 30 days, I will be doing a lot of research, interviewing, writing (and revising!) on the following topics:

Skid steer loaders
Debit card fraud prevention
Biodiesel in construction equipment
Profile of a maternity store owner in the East Village of Des Moines
Profile of a gown designer in the metro
SCRUB day
Turf painting as an alternative to fall overseeding on regional golf courses.

Is that cool or what?

What Do We Do With All These Clips?

Hey, it's a good problem to have. You've paid your PR consultant (in both money and time) to get you all this fabulous press. She does. Now, what do you do with all the news clips?

Here's one idea. KMC client RentalMetrics makes a point to direct its followers to the contributed articles, podcast interviews and media coverage generated by its media relations program. Because this coverage appears in places RentalMetrics clients, colleagues and prospects may not visit, the company makes sure to link directly to the clips via its blog. Check it out at RentalMetrics.com.

This is another great biz use for Twitter. If you don't have a blog or don't feel like taking the time to write up an entry about the fabulous press you received, send out a 140 character message to your Twitter followers telling them where they can see the clip. I just did.

For the old-schoolers, hit print. Stuff the clips in your media kit; throw them on your counter; send them to clients and prospects in the mail. (WARNING -- some news outlets require you to seek their permission if you plan to distribute this widely.)

Point is... news clips are best when they are actually viewed. Somtimes, it's up to you to make sure the right people are doin' the viewin'.

Shameless Plugs

Because I've been on the new-business hunt for the past few weeks, I had to go out and humbly request reference letters from the media I work with. Three of the biggest and most respected names in construction media were kind enough to share their experiences with my clients and prospects. (Big thank you to each of you!)

So, without further ado...

I have worked with Kelly Moore Consulting for a number of years, and have always found the agency to be an excellent resource. Kelly is quick to respond to requests, and is very thorough in providing responses and materials. She has a solid working relationship with all of the editors within our company's construction publication group, and appears to have an excellent relationship with her clients. She definitely works very hard for them! -- Becky Schultz, Editor, Equipment Today

Working with Kelly Moore Consulting has made my job easier. KMC is very responsive to my requests, delivers what I ask for and gets it to me when I need it. What more could you want from an agency in this market? -- Greg Sitek, Editorial Director, Associated Construction Publications

Having been a magazine editor in the construction equipment industry for nearly 25 years, and prior to that, having worked for an equipment manufacturer in the areas of training, product publicity and marketing communications, I’ve probably seen the spectrum of advertising and public relations firms—from the excellent to the mediocre to the poor. So when I say that Kelly Moore Consulting is among the best of the best at representing its clients, I have a basis for comparison. Kelly is always quick to respond to our magazine’s requests for information and material to be used in editorial projects, she keeps the magazine informed of changes in her clients’ products and people, and at trade shows, she works hard for clients by bringing editors and product people face-to-face in relaxed, good-humored meetings—always an effective way for manufacturers to make their points and for editors to gain worthwhile information and valuable contacts. -- Walt Moore, Senior Editor, Construction Equipment

What Do You REALLY Want?

When you're getting ready to hire a PR consultant, it's important to be honest about what you want. Are you looking for someone to execute on a strategy that you or your team has already developed? Are you looking to gain some insight as to the direction your publicity efforts should head?

From my experience, both work, so long as the expectations about the program are set up front.

If you are already schooled in PR and just need a helping-hand to put your plan into action, you need to hire a different skill set. The best consultant for you would be a senior pro with a team of qualified junior people. This way, the consultant will not be in your face about changes in strategy (that is, unless she feels strongly that you are making mistakes or asking her team members to do things that may harm their reputation).

If you are looking for a strategy, the best thing to do is to hire a consultant with experience ramping up quickly. To provide the best possible direction for your company, your PR pro needs access to as much information and as many people as you can fit in a conference room. The more you open up, the better your chances of getting an on-point PR plan from your consultant.

No IT for Me

OK, I'll admit it's a pain when something goes wrong with my computer and I can't dial up IT on a quick extension. But, not having an IT department is maybe one of my favorite things about being a small business owner.

Why?

Because, when something great happens to my business or my clients, I get to brag about it instantly online. Just today, RentalMetrics (new client) received fabulous press in our local newspaper, and I was able to put a news item about it on my home page... in five minutes.

I didn't have to fill out a change form, get sign-off from a superior, wait a week, notice an error, fill out another change form, get another signature and wait yet another week.

So, lesson for all you great companies out there trying to do it right... empower your marketing and PR people with online tools. Have your IT department develop an admin function to your Website... or get your team a DreamWeaver license and a quick lesson on how to use it at your local community college.

I promise, it will pay off.

Touchy Touchy

Social media strategists today are frustrated by the same thing that's frustrated PR pros for years. They're all talking about how it's virtually impossible to measure the success (or failure) of an interactive campagin. And I feel you guys.

The measurement of a PR campaign has and continues to be a touchy, touchy subject. That's because every strategist, agency exec, freelancer or intern thinks he's got the right idea. But the truth is, no one does.

While most clients insist on some sort of reporting – be that a clipbook of the media placements they received or an extensive ROI calculation based on a complex equation – the truth is that no one has figured out a smart, cost-effective way to measure PR success.

(All the bloated agency folks reading this will whole-heartedly disagree with me, as they are charged with selling clients on their “proprietary measurement tool” and can’t stand the insinuation that its all a bunch of malarkey.)

Last I checked, the industry agreed that the most effective way to measure a PR campaign’s success is with a qualitative before and after study, typically secured via polling. What you’re measuring here is a change of attitudes or perceptions about the client’s product, service or cause.

But here’s the rub… that takes money… and a LOT of it. 

For years, I sold clients on agencies’ “proprietary measurement tools,” knowing full well they was useless. But, the clients seemed to like it, and they were willing to (over)pay for it, so the execs kept pushing us to sell it. Of course they would, it was a straight up money-maker.

When I stopped working for the man and started having honest conversations with my clients, what I found out was that they didn’t really want the clipbooks and the ROI calculations. They just wanted to see the work. They wanted status reports, open and frequent conversations about what was working and what wasn’t. They would measure the success of the campaign intuitively.

I have to be honest, I was scared at the idea of not producing a measurement "product." Relieved, but scared. After all, how would I prove myself? How would I help my marketing managers prove themselves to the higher-ups?

But, it’s what the clients wanted, so it’s the road I hoed. And so our success is measured in our growing relationships with the media, the ease with which we are securing articles, the feedback from customers and prospects who see our messages in the media. And everyone’s happy.

Although, in the back of my mind, I’m wondering… should I be keeping the clipbooks and doing the ROI calculations on my own… just in case. But that’s another blog.

Don't Fluster the Media

At a meeting the other night, I was introduced to a woman who bombarded me with, “Oh hi, Kelly. I saw your profile in the paper. Did you get my packet?”

Flustered, I wasn’t sure how to respond because I had so little information. First, I didn’t have her last name. Second, I had no idea what she did or what kind of information would have appeared in said “packet.” Third, I didn’t know how or when I would have received it.

The moment gave me brief insight into how journalists feel when PR folks call up and say, “Hi Lois, this is Jim. I was just calling to see if you received my news release.”

Never insist that your representatives do this. It’s beyond irritating for the media, and it has the potential to damage not only your rep’s reputation, but your own.

From Web to Cob Web

I just got through reading this fantastic article on blogging, which was written by a local genius, Doug Mitchell.

It's a fantastic 101 to business blogging, and as such, I distributed it to each of my clients, as well as my client prospects.

Of the smarter things Mitchell says in the article is this: "...most [business Web]sites transition from 'web' to 'cob web' in less than six months." I've witnessed this first-hand, as companies spend thousands of dollars putting up a site with superior graphics, stellar copy and fancy tools. What they don't realize is that all that doesn't mean squat if no one can find them.

Search engines, Mitchell says, hunt for new content, and blogging is one of the easiest, cheapest (and in my humble opinion, most fun) ways to feed those search engines the yummy nuggests they want to put you on the top of the Google results window.

As I see it, the role of PR consultant in her client's blogging endeavors is:

• to stay on top of the client to make sure they are posting often;
• to brainstorm topic ideas for the client; to offer ghostwriting services if the client has the expertise but not necessarily the writing skills to communicate it properly;
• to monitor the comments coming in and advise the client of those warranting a response; and
• to stay abreast of the various methods for getting the thing read.
   

I'm Going Retainer – All the Way, Baby!

I'm a big fan of retainers -- not just as a provider of this type of relationship, but as a client. In fact, just today, I signed on as a retainer client for a local computer guru.

As I see it, the advantages are:

1. You instantly become a priority client for the provider -- be she a computer genius or a PR master. By demonstrating your commitment to the provider, you get top-notch service.

2. You know exactly (or pretty darn near) what you'll be paying each month.

3. Your networking circle expands greatly, as the provider's clients can very easily become yours in a matter of months (given the right set of circumstances).

4. You have successfully surrounded yourself with another expert who rewards your loyalty with information, expertise and assistance when you just can't do it yourself (It's been a hard lesson to learn, but I've only just realized that this is a sad fact of life.).

I recently decided not to take on any more project clients. I want the lifers, the loyal few who "get it," are committed to it and understand the value of a consistent, ongoing PR program.

At the risk of sounding wishy-washy, I will make exceptions when necessary, and I'll explain to these "exceptional" clients that my ultimate goal is to sign them as retainer accounts. I will educate them as to the value of brand building through PR, dazzle them with my expertise and service, and wait for them to come to the same conclusions as I have (see above) about the plain ol' smartness of retainer relationships.

If after three months of project work, said exceptional client doesn't come to this conclusion on his or her own (or with some gentle prodding), it'll be Was-Lovely-to-Work-with-You, Best-of-Luck-in-the-Future, Call-Me-When-You-Get-Serious-About-Committing-to-Your-Image time.

Technorati Schmechnorati

I'm not entirely clear why I'm doing this, but from what I hear, "claiming your blog" on Technorati is the best way to increase your readership. And since I'm pretty convinced I have a valid and entertaining perspective on PR, I'd like it to be seen. So, here goes nothin':

Technorati Profile

P.S. This advice comes to me from blog consulting firm, Purple Wren.