PR & Social Media Part 2: Brian Oberkirch

When I first met Brian Oberkirch, I had no idea how much we shared in common.  He was sitting on a panel between executives from the Washingtonpost.com and the Austin Statesman and he just took the show away from them as he discussed his experience as a citizen-journalist with his Slidell Hurricane Damage blog.  I've since come to know him well and respect both his vision and professionalism.

He's the second of at least four people I'll interview on the issue the changing role of PR in the social media age. I am working this issue in part, because in Naked Conversations, our chapter on PR depicted the profession in a change or die situation, which was perhaps just a bit harsh I'm preparing for a series of talks at the end of this month in Ottawa and Toronto where I'll be speaking to PR, marketing and government communications officers.  I'm using that talk as a chance to revisit the issue, asking people who I think have changed and are flourishing as they figure out how to stitch new businesses with their traditional training.

So, in that light and toward those goals, heeere's Brian:

1. Brian, for the benefit of our studio audience can you give us a little professional background on yourself.

Sure. I've done a number of things that revolve around my main passions: coming up with ideas & writing.

Brian
Originally uploaded by jeremiah_owyang.

I've been a reporter and radio news guy, literature professor, ad agency strategist and creative, PR guy and marketing consultant. I've worked for international brands like Pergo, Nokia and Samsung, sexy tech startups and staid, successful mid-sized companies. I started an agency devoted to social media last year, and now consult companies on marketing, social media and web application development.

2. You have described yourself to me as a fellow “recovering publicist.” What made you decide to get out?

I never had a 'Road to Damascus' moment, nor was I ever really a publicist, per se. I started incorporating blogs and other forms of social media into my marketing program recommendations in late 2000 (spurred on by the success 37 Signals was having with their company blog, Signal v. Noise). By 2003 or so, people were actually saying yes to such projects and, gradually, I started to de-emphasize traditional forms of PR. Stepping back, I think as PR pros, we've put way too much emphasis on media relations. I understand the economics of that practice, but with the new tools available I wonder how long the old models will be attractive for either client or agency.

3. Can you describe your current business?

I work in three areas:

(1) Unmarketing--growing a tribe of passionate users by making remarkable things that speak to real user issues

(2) Social media programs--using blogs, wikis, podcasting, feeds and other tools to have better conversations with those who matter to your business, and

(3) Consulting on the development of Web applications (user needs, features, marketing, etc.)

4. Can you tell me how and when you got into social media?

I've been on the Web since there was a Web. (Remember how cool Gopher was at the time?) As far as getting into blogs, like most people, I started reading a ton of them. Camworld and Signal v. Noise were probably the first that I read routinely. I started blogging in 2003, got serious about using a feed reader to track things, and started podcasting and video casting just this year. To my surprise, podcasting has much more impact than I would have thought. Seems like I hear more back from people about pod casts than blog posts.

5. What’s your take on the future of traditional PR?

Well, I have a skewed view of traditional PR (since I spent most of my time at bigger agencies like Public is), but I would say that we'll see diminishing returns. Just as traditional advertising packs less wallop, it makes sense that mass media relations will start to be less central. At the same time, I expect the PR function to increase in importance as analysis, interpretation and timely response to the market will be more needed. I think PR people have a golden opportunity to take a more central role if they don't cling to old-fashioned publicity/gate keeping/messaging models.

6. If you ran a traditional PR agency, what would you do to adjust course because of the social media?

I think the best agencies have always been open to incorporating new stuff and cross-pollinating their work with great ideas from other disciplines. One thing I'd do is have my team become much more net Native to use Fred Wilson's term. Having an Internet Guy (and they are usually guys) is all well & good, but is the whole shop reading relevant blogs? Are they watching feeds for their clients? Are they up on how wikis are becoming a real alternative for internal communication? Take it beyond the brown bag lunch stage and make sure everyone is getting cozy with these new tools.

7. How should PR people deal with bloggers and blogging?

By soaking in it. When I say 'don't pitch bloggers,' what I mean is don't pull 100 blogger emails from your Bacon's list, spam them and think you're doing outreach to those folks. Of course they want relevant information. But they don't want to feel like you're selling them. And don't waste their time. The nice thing is, it's a corrective medium. Your bad pitches will be posted and mocked immediately, so you'll learn quickly. If you spend anytime in the medium, you'll get the ground rules. Be open. Add value to the conversation. Give it away. Talk back when people comment and ask you something. Link. Link. Link. I think PR people mess up most when they just pop in to a blog neighborhood to see what they can get out of it, with no sense of setting up shop and sticking around. People don't blog in their spare time to give your client more coverage.

8. Do you see a future for traditional PR and marketing folk who continue to practice PR as they always have?

I know we talk a lot about dinosaurs and how everything is changing, etc., but I think it will be gradual. If you don't eat well, keep smoking, never exercise, eventually that will catch up to you. Same thing will apply. You'll be able to get away with it for a while, but there will be a tremendous opportunity cost.

9. How does traditional marketing move from monologue to dialog?

Simple: listen.

Then incorporate cues into your product development and your marketing communications that show you're listening. If your products are worth talking about, people will tell you most of what you need to know. In a way, I don't think any of this is new. But now, word of mouth is much more visible, to marketers and to other people who might want your products or services. Your community is much smarter about what they want than you are. Humble yourself enough to pay attention and respond.

10. Say something else that is pithy, witty or brilliant, that would look good on a powerpoint slide.

Social media is about connection, not content.
Social media is about them, not you.
Social media may be cheaper initially, but it takes far more homework.
Get small fast. (Niche is nice. Think smaller feature sets, more targeted audiences, less chatter from you, and so on.)

Comments

[Jeremiah Owyang]

Spot on, I couldn't agree with Brian's points more. I do love points 7, 9, and 10.