PR Pitching & Me
Susan Getgood is wrong about being the only PR blogger not to discuss the Edelman/Wal-Mart/NY Times thing, and I've also stayed out of the fracas for the same reason as she has. It's been a busy week.
But in my hectic week, I've talked with a great number of people in both PR and business and it is clear that this is an escalating issue. I'm also getting an increasing number of invites to speak with PR organizations and firms. To me, this is a good thing, because it confirms the rapidly evolving influence of bloggers.
But there are no rules for how to pitch us. And if you ask ten of us, you might get ten different answers. I'm most influenced by someone I meet and start talking with. I'm immediately turned off by people who give me a canned elevator pitch. I consistently tell PR folk that I rarely do product blogs. Many then appear to be completely befuddled and ask me then what do I write about. I politely suggest they read my blogs as I turn away. I don't bother even to mention that my co-author is a product zealot, and I sort of focus on the rest. That's because pitching me, without reading me, indicates that you are really clueless whether I am influential or not regarding a particular company.
I have no problem with brief email notes to me at shel@itseemstome.net. I also pay attention to posted comments when they are on topic and there is no duplicity that you are trying to get me to look at your client.
I don't want to take calls, unless I know you. I'm much more of an email person.
But the smartest thing you can do, which other bloggers have been advising all week is to join the conversation. read blogs that are on topic for what you represent. Start your own blog. Use it to link to bloggers who you'd like to know or have know you.
One PR guy, whom I never heard of, Alan Weinkrantz, caught my attention big time, by offering a money-back guarantee for anyone not satisfied with Naked Conversations. This caught my attention and I started reading his blog. He writes briefly in conversational fashion about his clients with frequency. One of these days, he'll mention a client who interests me and when he does, I'll jump into his conversation.
I like this system of PR people posting interesting, pithy, apparently honest stuff and letting me subscribe. You don't need to know if I was there.
"But the smartest thing you can do, which other bloggers have been advising all week is to join the conversation. read blogs that are on topic for what you represent. Start your own blog. Use it to link to bloggers who you'd like to know or have know you." -
Go Get them Shel !!! :)-
Posted by: /pd | March 11, 2006 at 05:28 PM
"I politely suggest they read my blogs as I turn away.
I wasn't aware you had other blogs, or was that a typo? If so, what blogs are they?
Posted by: Eric Eggertson | March 11, 2006 at 08:14 PM
Not a typo, Eric. I also do a personal blog called ItSeemstome.typepad.com and am one of the reporters covering tech conferences at conferenzablog/conferenza.typepad.com
Posted by: Shel Israel | March 11, 2006 at 09:42 PM
Well, we were just about the only ones who didn't comment right away, and of course, neither of us could let the conversation pass us by completely :-) Thanks for the link to the Roadmap!
What I find really amusing about all of this is that the key to successful blogger relations is no different than the key to successful PR, successful marketing, successful selling -- know your customer! Simple common sense: whether an idea or a product, putting it in front of someone who isn't interested won't get you anywhere.
Posted by: Susan Getgood | March 12, 2006 at 06:24 AM
I agree that the relational aspect of blogging is the only real way to connect with another blogger. Which means, you really need to say something, either in comments over time, or on your own blog, so that the blogger gets to know you. When something comes up that you know would interest that blogger (because you have been reading enough to know), your e-mails won't go unanswered.
Posted by: Kami Huyse | March 12, 2006 at 07:18 PM
I haven't mentioned the WalMart / Edelman fiasco. At least not yet.
Oh wait, I just did.
Posted by: david | March 13, 2006 at 03:04 AM
Dave,
See you PR guys are always spinning everything.
Posted by: Shel Israel | March 13, 2006 at 07:01 AM
OK, I'll make it an even five.
Posted by: Mason Cole | March 13, 2006 at 10:35 AM
Maybe we can get PubSub to start a list of PR bloggers who didn't blog o this issue. Constatin, are you listening?
Posted by: Shel Israel | March 13, 2006 at 10:41 AM
Shel; But now you HAVE officially "blogged" about it, albeit in your own way. The list would be pretty short! :-)
Posted by: Kami Huyse | March 14, 2006 at 12:12 PM
What's interesting to me is how quickly so many PR bloggers decided that the Walmart/Edleman issue had been "over-analyzed." This was the first MAJOR blog issue to concern major firms and major companies and a major newspaper, that I can remember. A trifecta of spinfluence.
Lessons are (still) being learned. I think too many of us were too quick to "put a fork in it" cuz this ain't done, yet.
A bit off your topic, though, Shel. Sorry.... Good post!
Posted by: Todd Defren | March 15, 2006 at 02:51 PM
What impact do you see that blogging has on the PR industry? And what are the ethical issues surrounding unmediated new communications technology i.e. blogging?
Posted by: Darren Bagnall | May 29, 2006 at 03:46 AM
In my mind you can't over-analyze the Walmart-Edelman fiasco (OK maybe there IS a point when you're just flogging a dead horse). I agree with Kami lessons are still being learned and as with everything, history will repeat itself, so lookout!
Posted by: Brian Blank | April 23, 2007 at 06:29 PM