PR2.0: Making Mistakes and Amends in Blogger and Media Relations
Miguel Sepulveda
· 1 year ago
Brian I like the first picture of the tree in the hand. It is a true representaion of bloger/media relations, or any relationship for that matter. It is all about cultivation. Making sure it gets water when it is suppossed to but not too much or you will drown it.
Why do PR practitioners say they dislike spam and yet it is still being practiced? Is it a few bad apples, or is it that they are getting some return?
jwebster
· 1 year ago
Great post, Brian. I think the biggest issue is that not all bloggers are alike much like traditional media. Some are more accepting of unsolicited pitches than others, and the ones that aren't are more likely to make an example of folks that try to score a quick mention with an untargeted pitch. All of this begs for practitioners to spend more time researching contacts up front. It might mean more hours building contact lists, but in the end it should bear more fruit.
Chris Brogan
· 1 year ago
Wow, I sure have direct experience with this from the "blogger griping at guy sending me" side. I posted what turned out to be one of my most popular posts (and this embarrasses me, because I'm a positive guy) about a guy pitching me fairly generically about a product that was roughly in my space. I was frustrated, probably due to the volume of such blind pitches that I receive, or maybe just due to a rough day.
From looking at your post, and with your perspective, I can see how maybe there's a need to better understand this kind of relationship and how to get potentially relevant information into useful hands in such a way that all sides feel appropriately respected. (Remember, bloggers aren't scott free in the "being asses" department.)
I'll have to think more on this, but I like where you're going. Tofu. The Tofu robot was a good touch.
Shannon Nelson
· 1 year ago
I learn something new everyday--Tofu--Bacn, who knew?
Seriously though, I think when you look at the PR end of things--when we pitch editors and the media, their beats are very clear, cut and dry. This makes sending targeted emails easier. We know as PR we are invited to pitch them.
From the Blogger end, there are still plenty of blogs that while they may have a clear niche, don't have a page that clearly defines what they do and do not want to receive. So you may have something that perfectly aligns with what that blog speaks of and the audience it speaks to and they may clearly have their email published inviting contact, so then is your pitch spam, Tofu or Bacn? That is still a gray area.
And I agree about transparency, I feel like people are just throwing it around like a buzz word now.
Sonia Simone
· 1 year ago
Showing thoughtfulness, care, and lack of arrogance is giant.
Any successful blogger quickly learns that "me-ness" doesn't scale. (Although Brogan's giving it his best, god bless him.) When relationships are key, what does a blogger do with thousands of emails, each crying out for a little piece of a relationship? And if you've got a message you think would resonate with that blogger's community, how do you make that connection?
None of it is easy or formulaic, and we damned sure don't have the best practices nailed down. But thinking about it, talking about it, approaching it with intelligence and consideration, makes such a difference.
This is a great post, Brian, I hope it gets a lot of eyes. Whether or not you have imperfect people in your organization (how dare you!), you are an important part of making this particular conversation work better.
Xavier Vespa
· 1 year ago
Everybody makes mistakes. The most challenging part is not to say sorry when you made one, but to stay calm when you bear the consequences of someone else's mistake.
Communications appease anger. You Brian surely communicate extensively. I think we are all appeased.
S. Neil Vineberg
· 1 year ago
Brian, as someone who eats lots of tofu (always an aspiring vegetarian), and a PR guy who has lived pre-social media and through it to now, you're offering sage advice. But really, wasn't good PR all about relationships, anyway? One of my bosses, Don Middleberg, urged staff to take journalists out for lunch and get to know them. Is it any different with bloggers? No. So instead of a lunch meet, you're having a phone or online conversation, or catching someone in the hallway of a tech meetup. Another point is this: So much time is being spent defining social media PR when most journalists (outside the early adopter SF tech community) writing about billion dollar industries are still operating in a Web 1.0 or Web 0.0 environment. They've never read Tech Crunch or Mashable. They're covering pharma, energy, consumer goods, government, etc. Some of them still want faxed press releases, and that's all. So it's an evolution being driven well by this community. Learning process for practitioners? Indeed. I've made my own mistakes along the way. But we're all hopefully improving.
Geoff_Livingston
· 1 year ago
I agree amends should be made. As I was not privy to the scenario, I am sure you did the right thing.
Devil's Advocate: I also think reporters and bloggers who accept pitches can be absolute tyrannical idiots with this stuff. There's a two way street, but because we are PR, we will always get t the short end of the stick. Sometimes I weigh the source, too.
csuspect
· 1 year ago
First off, Bacn sounds so much more appetizing than Tofu I strongly suggest their order be reversed :)
Second, you tease us with this "I'm going to take it on the Chin" but don't tell us what exactly the SNAFU was? Well.... What was it?
I for one have forsaken the press releases and mass/target email campaigns entirely. It's less work and so much more effective when people come to you via social media sources.
Linda Sherman
· 1 year ago
Brian, I picked this up in your Facebook status update. I never thought of putting a link there. Smart!
I worked in Japan for many years. In speaking Japanese, some version of "I'm sorry" is used continuously in conversation. That is one extreme but I find today that I cannot help but apologize and make amends when appropriate.
Janie Graziani
· 1 year ago
About this: Is any form of unsolicited email considered spam even if you’re sharing relevant information to one person or a group of people?
If you think about the way we, as PR practitioners, pitch traditional media, it's often cold-calling even if you've identified those who might be interested in your topic. If you've never spoken to or e-mailed someone before then the first time you contact them -- that's a cold call. It doesn't mean they haven't been qualified though. It also doesn't mean that they won't be interested in your pitch, just because you don't know them yet. Isn't that how you build a relationship? Make friends? You start with a first step, first contact, first hello.
As someone who has been both the pitchee and the pitcher, I can say that the difference to me is that, after years of doing this, traditional media know what PR is doing. They expect it. Since not all bloggers have a traditional media (or PR)background, they don't expect it, know what's happening, or know how to handle it. And that's why we keep having this conversation.
Because a huge new group of potential media outlets (bloggers)didn't get the memo -- and PR people, whether they've qualified the lead or not -- continue to inundate them with unsolicited e-mail.
Maybe someone should warn neophyte bloggers that this is going to happen, and provide a list of tips on how to handle it. First, and foremost, don't let it ruin your day. You can't control ants at the picnic -- it's going to happen. So just deal with it.
Maybe some of the traditional media out there have some great tips for bloggers on how to handle it, politely and quickly. I like Shannon Nelson's idea of encouraging bloggers to include a page about what you do and don't want to receive. Could that page include a separate e-mail for introductions or pitches?
Another important point -- for PR and bloggers -- is not to burn bridges. A pitch may seem way off base, but if the source may have relevant info about your topic, then the next pitch may be a home run for you. Unless the PR person is too embarrased or hurt to ever write you again. Then they might go to your competition instead.
I'm sure your readers can provide many more ideas. How 'bout it?
Short term, whatever PR Agencies can do to gain credibility is a good thing. This means becoming the signal and not part of the noise.
Beyond that, whether it's spam, bancn, or tofu, the problem resides in that it's currently all foodstuffs from Phillip Morris, a company that makes crap. PR Agencies need to reinvent themselves into something beyond invisible broadcast-only connectors now that people are making their own connections. They have a VERY important part to play in the new generation of social relations. If a new level of credibility isn't earned agencies will get increasingly marginalized.
Jeremy
· 1 year ago
Not buying it. We have both run our own agencies, and know that at the end of the day, it's our name that's on the door.
When I had people working for me, I vetted everything to make sure I didn't get my fingers slammed in the door. Right now, I'm vetting my agency's lists for the same reason: because I have to answer to the VP and CEO, not the firm.
Someone from your firm was emailing a reporter/blogger to her personal email address. And, possibly, more than once.
That's the story - someone messed up, but the buck stops with you. Short post, easy post.
Or, as my best friend says: ball up.
Brian Solis
· 1 year ago
Miguel, that first picture is representative of what this is all supposed to be about...planting and cultivating relationships. Indeed it's a few bad apples and some of us are working on it. In this case, we identified several issues and fixed them. Now, we're working to help others. It's important. As you say, all it takes are a few bad apples…
JWebster, Thank you. Yes, you're right. It's different for every person, but it's up to us to not "try" it unnecessarily. Spending more time on this upfront is all it takes, and I support it!
Chris, amen brother. At the end of the day, the onus is on PR to remove the potential for misperception. In this case, I'm also asking the community if they think that "tofu" email deserves the same response as the worst examples of spam. I think we all know that the answer is, “just take the next step and ensure that you're creating a real relationship,” and perhaps that's the answer. Maybe it's black or white. Either way, I stand for building relationships and doing things one-on-one. Less is more.
Shannon, well said. Transparency and authenticity are starting to lose their value and unfortunately have become the latest buzzwords.
Hi Sonia, thank you so much. You're exactly right!
Xavier, yes, people make mistakes. Acknowledgement and apologies should count for something. However, you earn the relationships, and the reactions, you deserve - especially considering the hostile climate these days.
Neil, it's great to hear from you! Yes, PR was always supposed to be about relationships, but it really isn't on a grand scale. It's about meeting expectations and delivering results. These days, PR is measured by the pound (in large part) and many professionals - outside of my agency - believe that blasting is still an effective mechanism for achieving these goals. The moral of the story is that we have to focus on relationships and not numbers. It's our job to help level expectations, otherwise we indirectly contribute to the system that is unraveling "relations" from public relations. Great thoughts Neil!
Geoff, rock on man.
Csuspect, lol! I took it on the chin by saying that if any one of my teammates are out there doing things wrong, then it's on me. So this post is dedicated to 1) painting an accurate and leveling portrait of the landscape and 2) teaching PR people how to do it the right way. :)
Thanks Linda! I believe sorry isn't said enough over here. What do you think?
Janie, qualified cold-calls in traditional media is part of the tofu umbrella in new media. You're right, and that's part of what I'm talking about. Sometimes, the conversation has to start somewhere! I love the memo analogy!
Sam, brilliant!
Jeremy, the spirit of the post says exactly what you're saying. However, not everyone here is as experienced as you, so the longer version of the story helps people understand why this is wrong and how to do things the right way - whether they work with me or not. Thanks for keeping it real…time to ball up!
Dave L
· 1 year ago
I sent a message to several hundred new subscribers to one of my feeds, one-at-a-time over a few days.
Although over 80% of responders classified it as a desired message that they would be glad to receive more of, I would say, based on all responses I received, the message I sent was somewhere between "Bacn" and "Tofu" on the Spam scale.
However, though an additional 9.75% of responses were neutral, the few negative responses were very negative, and also clearly snap judgments (because who's going to read something when they already believe it to be spam?)
It made me consider that even though over 90% of responses were non-negative, I wouldn't send out a similar message in the future.
gregory
· 1 year ago
it is your motivation that determines my reaction
psychically i know what your intentions are, and if they are to give me something, i may exchange my attention for your message
but if i intuit that you are only interested in yourself, and want to get something from me, eff you, and if i meet you at a party, i may pick a fight
in short, i hate ads, pr is nearly as gross. i would say do something useful in the world, but i know you are not capable of it
definitely an old-paradigm profession
PR4Pirates
· 1 year ago
From one entrepreneur to others, this sort of bruhah would make me think twice about hiring a firm at all. I don't know of too many PR firms that will monitor your industry news and ferret out the best reporters, at least not for anything less than $10K/mo, which was a non-started in my bootstrapped cash-starved startup. And even then, I'm not sure they'd know a relevant story when they saw it. Most entrepreneurs would be well-served by monitoring news and building their own list of media contacts. If you want to hand off your list to a freelancer or firm, or have your marketing manager do your outreach, you're in a lot better position than by expecting an agency to build the perfectly researched media list for you.
Deirdre
· 1 year ago
Brian, I think a mea culpa is the right way to go. I've had this happen to me with members of my agency.
The bottom line is that many PR people have a lot to learn with blogger relations. I look at it this way: it took until now for professionals to figure out how to properly pitch traditional journals, so that means that the folks who understand blogger relations are light years ahead! I think our PR instincts tell us the right thing to do, it's just many don't know how to put it into action. Thanks for sharing what happened and enlightening us on how to handle this type of situation.
Tiffany Winbush
· 1 year ago
Thanks for the insightful post Brian. As I navigate my way through forming realtionships with Bloggers, your post provides helpful info.
Liz
· 1 year ago
Transparency is only good if the walls are transparent, not what is behind the walls. The builders of the walls should not be invisible either.
I have no doubt of your sincere intent in writing this but as a visitor to your blog, the context of this apology is shrouded in mystery. I hear you saying you're sorry but sorry for what?
You talk about spam, bacn and tofu. I understand those distinctions. But are you saying that you sent spam, bacn or tofu or one of your clients and someone complained in a blog? I'm completely inferring this because this entry lacks any specificity. I can see why you wouldn't want to name names but it means that anyone who doesn't know you or your working situation is a little lost.
A vague apology isn't really an apology at all. One has to state what actions one has hurt which people, acknowledge this injury and promise a remedy or at least empathize. You acknowledge that someone (who?) has been injured in some way (how?) and you are sorry (empathized) but without acknowledging what exactly occurred, one isn't transparent and it looks like a person is placating someone who is angry.
I think you mean to do more than say "I'm sorry, I was wrong, I'll try not to do it again" but without saying what "it" is and who was wronged, it seems like a process that is opaque and obscured which is the opposite of transparent.
All Comments
Why do PR practitioners say they dislike spam and yet it is still being practiced? Is it a few bad apples, or is it that they are getting some return?
From looking at your post, and with your perspective, I can see how maybe there's a need to better understand this kind of relationship and how to get potentially relevant information into useful hands in such a way that all sides feel appropriately respected. (Remember, bloggers aren't scott free in the "being asses" department.)
I'll have to think more on this, but I like where you're going. Tofu. The Tofu robot was a good touch.
Seriously though, I think when you look at the PR end of things--when we pitch editors and the media, their beats are very clear, cut and dry. This makes sending targeted emails easier. We know as PR we are invited to pitch them.
From the Blogger end, there are still plenty of blogs that while they may have a clear niche, don't have a page that clearly defines what they do and do not want to receive. So you may have something that perfectly aligns with what that blog speaks of and the audience it speaks to and they may clearly have their email published inviting contact, so then is your pitch spam, Tofu or Bacn? That is still a gray area.
And I agree about transparency, I feel like people are just throwing it around like a buzz word now.
Any successful blogger quickly learns that "me-ness" doesn't scale. (Although Brogan's giving it his best, god bless him.) When relationships are key, what does a blogger do with thousands of emails, each crying out for a little piece of a relationship? And if you've got a message you think would resonate with that blogger's community, how do you make that connection?
None of it is easy or formulaic, and we damned sure don't have the best practices nailed down. But thinking about it, talking about it, approaching it with intelligence and consideration, makes such a difference.
This is a great post, Brian, I hope it gets a lot of eyes. Whether or not you have imperfect people in your organization (how dare you!), you are an important part of making this particular conversation work better.
Communications appease anger. You Brian surely communicate extensively. I think we are all appeased.
Devil's Advocate: I also think reporters and bloggers who accept pitches can be absolute tyrannical idiots with this stuff. There's a two way street, but because we are PR, we will always get t the short end of the stick. Sometimes I weigh the source, too.
Second, you tease us with this "I'm going to take it on the Chin" but don't tell us what exactly the SNAFU was? Well.... What was it?
I for one have forsaken the press releases and mass/target email campaigns entirely. It's less work and so much more effective when people come to you via social media sources.
I worked in Japan for many years. In speaking Japanese, some version of "I'm sorry" is used continuously in conversation. That is one extreme but I find today that I cannot help but apologize and make amends when appropriate.
If you think about the way we, as PR practitioners, pitch traditional media, it's often cold-calling even if you've identified those who might be interested in your topic. If you've never spoken to or e-mailed someone before then the first time you contact them -- that's a cold call. It doesn't mean they haven't been qualified though. It also doesn't mean that they won't be interested in your pitch, just because you don't know them yet. Isn't that how you build a relationship? Make friends? You start with a first step, first contact, first hello.
As someone who has been both the pitchee and the pitcher, I can say that the difference to me is that, after years of doing this, traditional media know what PR is doing. They expect it. Since not all bloggers have a traditional media (or PR)background, they don't expect it, know what's happening, or know how to handle it. And that's why we keep having this conversation.
Because a huge new group of potential media outlets (bloggers)didn't get the memo -- and PR people, whether they've qualified the lead or not -- continue to inundate them with unsolicited e-mail.
Maybe someone should warn neophyte bloggers that this is going to happen, and provide a list of tips on how to handle it. First, and foremost, don't let it ruin your day. You can't control ants at the picnic -- it's going to happen. So just deal with it.
Maybe some of the traditional media out there have some great tips for bloggers on how to handle it, politely and quickly. I like Shannon Nelson's idea of encouraging bloggers to include a page about what you do and don't want to receive. Could that page include a separate e-mail for introductions or pitches?
Another important point -- for PR and bloggers -- is not to burn bridges. A pitch may seem way off base, but if the source may have relevant info about your topic, then the next pitch may be a home run for you. Unless the PR person is too embarrased or hurt to ever write you again. Then they might go to your competition instead.
I'm sure your readers can provide many more ideas. How 'bout it?
Beyond that, whether it's spam, bancn, or tofu, the problem resides in that it's currently all foodstuffs from Phillip Morris, a company that makes crap. PR Agencies need to reinvent themselves into something beyond invisible broadcast-only connectors now that people are making their own connections. They have a VERY important part to play in the new generation of social relations. If a new level of credibility isn't earned agencies will get increasingly marginalized.
When I had people working for me, I vetted everything to make sure I didn't get my fingers slammed in the door. Right now, I'm vetting my agency's lists for the same reason: because I have to answer to the VP and CEO, not the firm.
Someone from your firm was emailing a reporter/blogger to her personal email address. And, possibly, more than once.
That's the story - someone messed up, but the buck stops with you. Short post, easy post.
Or, as my best friend says: ball up.
JWebster, Thank you. Yes, you're right. It's different for every person, but it's up to us to not "try" it unnecessarily. Spending more time on this upfront is all it takes, and I support it!
Chris, amen brother. At the end of the day, the onus is on PR to remove the potential for misperception. In this case, I'm also asking the community if they think that "tofu" email deserves the same response as the worst examples of spam. I think we all know that the answer is, “just take the next step and ensure that you're creating a real relationship,” and perhaps that's the answer. Maybe it's black or white. Either way, I stand for building relationships and doing things one-on-one. Less is more.
Shannon, well said. Transparency and authenticity are starting to lose their value and unfortunately have become the latest buzzwords.
Hi Sonia, thank you so much. You're exactly right!
Xavier, yes, people make mistakes. Acknowledgement and apologies should count for something. However, you earn the relationships, and the reactions, you deserve - especially considering the hostile climate these days.
Neil, it's great to hear from you! Yes, PR was always supposed to be about relationships, but it really isn't on a grand scale. It's about meeting expectations and delivering results. These days, PR is measured by the pound (in large part) and many professionals - outside of my agency - believe that blasting is still an effective mechanism for achieving these goals. The moral of the story is that we have to focus on relationships and not numbers. It's our job to help level expectations, otherwise we indirectly contribute to the system that is unraveling "relations" from public relations. Great thoughts Neil!
Geoff, rock on man.
Csuspect, lol! I took it on the chin by saying that if any one of my teammates are out there doing things wrong, then it's on me. So this post is dedicated to 1) painting an accurate and leveling portrait of the landscape and 2) teaching PR people how to do it the right way. :)
Thanks Linda! I believe sorry isn't said enough over here. What do you think?
Janie, qualified cold-calls in traditional media is part of the tofu umbrella in new media. You're right, and that's part of what I'm talking about. Sometimes, the conversation has to start somewhere! I love the memo analogy!
Sam, brilliant!
Jeremy, the spirit of the post says exactly what you're saying. However, not everyone here is as experienced as you, so the longer version of the story helps people understand why this is wrong and how to do things the right way - whether they work with me or not. Thanks for keeping it real…time to ball up!
Although over 80% of responders classified it as a desired message that they would be glad to receive more of, I would say, based on all responses I received, the message I sent was somewhere between "Bacn" and "Tofu" on the Spam scale.
However, though an additional 9.75% of responses were neutral, the few negative responses were very negative, and also clearly snap judgments (because who's going to read something when they already believe it to be spam?)
It made me consider that even though over 90% of responses were non-negative, I wouldn't send out a similar message in the future.
psychically i know what your intentions are, and if they are to give me something, i may exchange my attention for your message
but if i intuit that you are only interested in yourself, and want to get something from me, eff you, and if i meet you at a party, i may pick a fight
in short, i hate ads, pr is nearly as gross. i would say do something useful in the world, but i know you are not capable of it
definitely an old-paradigm profession
The bottom line is that many PR people have a lot to learn with blogger relations. I look at it this way: it took until now for professionals to figure out how to properly pitch traditional journals, so that means that the folks who understand blogger relations are light years ahead! I think our PR instincts tell us the right thing to do, it's just many don't know how to put it into action. Thanks for sharing what happened and enlightening us on how to handle this type of situation.
I have no doubt of your sincere intent in writing this but as a visitor to your blog, the context of this apology is shrouded in mystery. I hear you saying you're sorry but sorry for what?
You talk about spam, bacn and tofu. I understand those distinctions. But are you saying that you sent spam, bacn or tofu or one of your clients and someone complained in a blog? I'm completely inferring this because this entry lacks any specificity. I can see why you wouldn't want to name names but it means that anyone who doesn't know you or your working situation is a little lost.
A vague apology isn't really an apology at all. One has to state what actions one has hurt which people, acknowledge this injury and promise a remedy or at least empathize. You acknowledge that someone (who?) has been injured in some way (how?) and you are sorry (empathized) but without acknowledging what exactly occurred, one isn't transparent and it looks like a person is placating someone who is angry.
I think you mean to do more than say "I'm sorry, I was wrong, I'll try not to do it again" but without saying what "it" is and who was wronged, it seems like a process that is opaque and obscured which is the opposite of transparent.
But it is a start.