Developing A Successful Social Media Approach

Facebook hit the 500 million mark in July. If Facebook were a country, it would rank third, behind the People's Republic of China and India and around 190 million ahead of the United States. Its growth is staggering, two years ago it had around 100 million users. Its growth is up 64 percent from a year ago, and up 22 million from just February, 2010. Facebook now dwarfs MySpace which not that long ago was seen as the premier site in terms of numbers. Twitter and a professional networking site, LinkedIn, are growing, but pale in comparison. The numbers are constantly moving targets but it was recently that Twitter had 105 million and LinkedIn 70 million users

Social bookmarking sites are also experiencing rapid growth. On these sites users save links to Web pages that they want to share and they share their own information. The more popular sites include Digg, StumbleUpon, Yahoo Buzz! and Reddit.

So, whereas it's clear that social media is a major force in the world of marketing and communications, it still can be a daunting task to figure out exactly how to effectively utilize these various sites. It's often the case that a company spends more time working social media than benefitting from it. It is best used in conjunction with a traditional public relations campaign and although in many ways the forms of communication are similar, in other ways they are markedly different.

For example, although you can use the information from a press release on social media sites, you don't want to send out a standard, traditional press release. Social networking and blogging are about connecting and personal communication (even though it is, ironically, on a mass scale) therefore the style needs to be less formal and more conversational. Where many traditional marketers have trouble with social media, is that in the past they were used to delivering a controlled message. In the world of blogging and social media it can be quite a challenge to try and control a message or the reaction to it. That's not always a bad thing. The feedback received, even when negative, sometimes particularly when negative, can be invaluable. Online PR also often allows for communications between a consumer and a decision-making member of any given organization. That's a shift in the communication world.

Social media and blogging are similar to PR in that content is king. The more informative, educational, amusing or controversial the message, the more effective it is. In this world the most effective messages are short and concise. Also, the way the information is written and delivered is different. In the world of online media you are talking directly to consumers and the public, in the PR world you are addressing the media and journalists.

And speaking of the media, when it comes to the press, not only are more people using social media, but so are more journalists, editors and producers. The media regularly searches on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Whereas Google still rules as the main information source, it is reported that 89% of reporters turn to blogs and 65% of journalists use social media.

Just as when pitching the media in a PR campaign you want to pick the media outlets that match and speak to your market; you want to do the same with your social media campaign. Understanding your current customer base will be your best guide to picking the appropriate social media sites. It wastes your time, money, and effort to focus on social media that your customers do not pay attention to, which is one of the points I'll be addressing in an upcoming article.

Copyright © Anthony Mora 2010

I'm Anthony Mora, President and CEO of Anthony Mora Communications, Inc. and author of Spin to Win. We specialize in public relations, image development, media training and Transformational Marketing, http://anthonymora.com

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Strategic PR Tips For Developing A Media Policy For Responding To Media Inquiries

Everyday there are examples of how businesses and organization are ill-prepared if someone from the media called or showed up at the office or home and started asking you questions related to their business and some event that has great potential to bring positive or negative publicity to the business, the owners of the business, management and even employees. Many people will admit that they do not know how to respond to media when they come with their inquiries. And being unprepared or ill-prepared to media inquiries can have serious consequences to an organization and its reputation. All businesses and organizations with more than one employee should have a well-written media policy that clearly defines who within the organization may respond to media inquiries, what kinds of information can or should be released to the media, and what information must be kept confidential.

Furthermore, a proactive approach is always prescribed for dealing with the media. It is important to commit to establishing good relationships with members of the media because it can help to establish an accurate public perception of who you are and what you do. Another important thing to remember is that you do not need to feel intimidated when being approached by the media to ask you questions. It is good to remember that members of the media do need you as a source of news and background information as much as you need them to give you publicity and clarify your point of view. The development of a clearly written and well thought out media policy is an essential part of doing business today. Here are eighteen (18) prescribed elements for inclusion in your media policy for responding to media inquiries.

1. Designate a company spokesperson to respond to media inquiries and ensure that all employees know the name and contact information for the person so they know where they should direct media inquiries.

2. Research and become familiar with the print and electronic broadcast media outlets and the reporters and editors that you are likely to encounter.

3. Clearly define in your media relation's policy what kinds of data and information must remain confidential.

4. Always be honest. Never knowingly tell an untruth or exaggerate. Trust is a critical ingredient in developing positive and enduring media relations and if you violate that trust it will have very negative results.

5. NEVER EVER say those fateful words, "No Comment." This immediately makes you look like you are hiding something. Instead you might say something like: "I'm sorry but this matter is the subject of an ongoing investigation or lawsuit and I am unable to respond to that question at this time."

6. Never speculate. Stick to what you know and your area of expertise. If you do not know the answer to a reporter's question say you don't know. Do not try to "fake it" because that will come back to haunt you. Instead, try to help the reporter reach a source who is able to answer the question. Members of the media remember who provides reliable resources and by helping them you will enhance your credibility and they will likely come back to you in the future.

7. Always speak clearly in plain English that average readers and listeners can understand. Avoid the use of any jargon or bureaucratic language.

8. Treat reporters, editors, and program directors courteously. Their impression of you and your firm will affect their impression of the entire organization, and that may possibly influence how they decide to write and broadcast stories about you and your company.

9. Always return calls from the media in a timely manner that is sensitive to their deadlines, if possible. Reporters are typically on tight deadlines and will appreciate your promptness. If they leave a message for someone who is not available or can't be reached, have someone else return the call. This is very important since you will not create a favorable and positive impression if you hear on the evening newscast or read in the newspaper that your company or organization "could not be reached for comment."

10. If you do not have the information you need to answer a question and you need time to research or think about how to answer a question, the you should tell the reporter that you need some time. You should also inquire what his or her deadline is, and then promise them you'll call back with an answer before that time.

11. Never argue with the reporter. Be persuasive, but never be confrontational.

12. Do not hesitate to ask the reporter questions about the story they are doing. You might ask about the theme, the point of view, and who else is being interviewed?

13. Do not hesitate to share information that is already a matter of public record. Remember that if you withhold such information, the reporter to develop other sources and get the information anyway.

14. A great guide to help you frame the answers to questions from the media is always remember that whenever you speak to a reporter, you are really speaking

to the public.

15. It is best to assume that everything you say to a reporter is "on the record" and can be reported or broadcast. Your best advice is to remember that if you don't want to see it in print or hear it on the air, then don't say it.

16. Never try to do the media's job and never assume that the media is there to do the story "your way" or with the "news angle" you want.

17. Never ask the reporter if you can review the story before it's published. This will let the reporter know that he or she is dealing with an uninformed or ill informed and non-media savvy person. However, it is okay for you to ask the reporter during the interview to read back your quotes to confirm accuracy.

18. Always be very selective in any challenges to the reporter's end product. A basic guideline to consider is that if the published story contains minor factual errors or omissions, do not make a big deal of it. On the other hand, if the story seriously misrepresents your position or misstates an important fact, then you can call it to the reporter's attention in a polite communication, requesting a correction. This is an extremely sensitive area in media relations and the best advice is that unless the timeliness of the correction is critical, do not call to complain. And avoid the most serious of transgressions in media relations by never going over the reporter's head to complain to his or her editor or news executive unless the reporter's response is wholly unsatisfactory. Again, be careful in this area since you never want to alienate reporters.

Glenn Ebersole, Jr. is a multi-faceted professional, who is recognized as a visionary, guide and facilitator in the fields of business coaching, marketing, public relations, management, strategic planning and engineering. Glenn is the Founder and Chief Executive of two Lancaster, PA based consulting practices: The Renaissance Group, a creative marketing, public relations, strategic planning and business development consulting firm and J. G. Ebersole Associates, an independent professional engineering, marketing, and management consulting firm. He is a Certified Facilitator and serves as a business coach and a strategic planning facilitator and consultant to a diverse list of clients. Glenn is also the author of a monthly newsletter, "Glenn's Guiding Lines - Thoughts From Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach" and has published more than 325 articles on business.

If you would like to learn more about how "The PR Doctor" can facilitate and guide you in developing your media policy and how to effectively work with the media, please contact Glenn Ebersole through his website at [http://www.prdoctor4u.com] or by email at jgeprman@aol.com

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