eriksr on September 2nd, 2008
So, yeah, okay, like what’s the point of social media?
I mean, we are so busy rushing around and doing it that we never stop, take a look at ourselves, and see if we are actually accomplishing anything of value.
Well, those days are about to end. And they are about to end with a book called “Now is Gone: A Primer on New Media for Executives and Entrepreneurs” by Geoff Livingston and Brian Solis.
Read the rest of this entry »
eriksr on July 9th, 2008
Contacts, good. Chatting with contacts, better. Turning contacts into leads, best of all.
And you can use LinkedIn to do it.
REACH OUT AND TOUCH . . .
Now, before we go any further, you should be aware that we are talking about a tightly targeted list. Not a massive sales list, but a short list of amazingly on-target leads.
Being this targeted means you are not sending out hundreds of emails. LinkedIn won’t let you. But being this targeted means that each and every person you are reaching out to is perfect, just perfect for you.
Which should give you an amazingly high response rate. Read the rest of this entry »
eriksr on September 4th, 2007
How many times have you had to stop and puzzle something out on your computer today? This week? How 
much billable time are you losing out on because you need to format something just right but can’t find the button to do so?
Since getting a Mac, I’ve had such a smooth computing experience I sometimes find myself at a loss for something to do. With my windows computers there was always something to fix, a program to update, virus scan to run, and so on. The experience has opened my eyes to two concepts: User interface and willingness to learn.
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eriksr on April 16th, 2007
Note: Today’s entry comes from Cece Salomon-Lee of On24.com. For Cece’s entry on other things she learned going to work in-house, click here
While working at Blanc & Otus, I was proud of how my team responded to clients and the quality of our communications. My team may have hated me for it, but I was very nitpicky about grammar, spelling and formatting for any client facing documentation, such as weekly reports, emails, briefing sheets, etc. [You better believe it -Ed]
Since moving in-house, I’ve reviewed the work of two agencies and one PR contractor. This has opened my eyes to the vast number of PR agencies - large, boutique and everything in-between - and the level of service available within the industry.
I recognize that PR agencies desire to work with the CMO to ensure that PR is integrated within the marketing strategy. I agree. PR undertaken as an island from marketing doesn’t help a company provide a consistent face to the public. However, it’s more than a company or vendor not wanting to give PR agencies access to marketing related information per Mike Driehorst’s comment.
Rather, as a person who may be involved in selecting a PR agency or contractor, my trust is earned by the attention to detail and how results truly map back to my company’s goals. It’s not that I’m unwilling to give PR agencies access to information as Mike Driehorst commented. With all the priorities on my plate, I have to confirm that providing this information will truly benefit my company’s marketing goals and not waste time.
Here are my recommendations – based on a start-up company with less than $15,000 a month retainer:
1) Use spell check/grammar check – First impressions are key. Paying attention to spelling and basic grammar indicates that you can write well.
2) Correct names – This goes to attention to detail. Spelling my name and my company’s name correctly tells me that you care about me as a potential client.
3) Deliver what you promise - I have a tight budget and demanding deliverables. Be truthful about what you can or cannot do with the budget I have. If you promise me the moon or my budget, I’ll hold you to that. My expectations have been set.
4) Staff appropriately – I think the biggest concern I have about PR agencies is the number of accounts an account person manages/staffs. This goes back to being realistic. Smaller accounts require less people who can devote more hours on the account. If you can’t support this, don’t pitch the business.
5) Simple measurements – It’s key to provide recommendations on how to consistently and simply measure PR. This will provide a foundation on how to track this back to my organization’s marketing programs.
With these tips in mind, earn my trust!
eriksr on March 30th, 2007
I started to read “grownup” books — the kind that stretch out to 800 pages or more — back when I was, oh, 10 or 12 years old. It was 
painfully slow going as I started by reading out loud. I then read to myself. And eventually I simply stopped reading the words — I just saw them and they went straight into my head. The amount of pages I could polish off every day was staggering to my local librarian. Over the years I’ve slowed down a bit and, my guess is, so have you.
Well, have no fear, Scott H. Young is here! Scott recently wrote an entry on how you can double your reading rate.
Scott’s suggestions made a lot of damn sense. For example, you should use a pointer, such as your index finger, to lead the way for your eyes as you read. In time you can just run your finger over a line of text and you’ll have absorbed it. Of course, you’ll have to stop sub-vocalizing first — that’s where you actually read words out loud in your own mind.
Let’s face it, we can all use a boost to help us get through our hundreds of daily Emails a little faster. Give Scott fifteen minutes of time to show you how to save hours by the end of your week.
eriksr on January 17th, 2007
This is not going to be a popular post, folks. See, I’m going to talk about two things people hate to do. Heck, I hate doing them. But honestly, you have a better chance of getting a job in public relations by following my advice.
Oh, and if you’re looking for information on which job boards I recommend most for PR, see my last related entry here.
Before I jump into those, I’ll start you off with an easy one.
Recruiters
Yes! Headhunters, temp agencies, executive search firms — whatever they call themselves, they get paid to find YOU. I’ve worked with a number of these in my long history and, if I don’t end up with a new steady job within a matter of weeks, I at least get a few short term jobs where I can make new connections.
Finding a recruiter is easy. Open up Google, type in “recruiters”, “public relations”, and the name of the city or town you live in and, like magic, they shall appear! How do you choose, you ask? Start with the ones that say they specialize in PR. An example of one of these, based in the San Francisco Bay Area, would be CCI Staffing (ask for George).
Ultimately, have a resume and very brief but punchy cover letter handy. The more interesting your cover letter, the more likely you are to get attention. They’ll probably invite you in for an interview to ensure you aren’t a wacko, by the way, so dress nicely.
Networking
“I’m not much of a networker” you say. Bull, I say! I’m the same way, but I have a decent enough network. My network is comprised of my coworkers (former and current), friends, and my friends’ friends. When I’m looking for work, I just ask to see if they know anyone who is hiring. That’s it! No need to attend functions or mixers or what-have-you. Although those are great from a networking perspective, I appreciate that some of us just want simple lives.
Definitely get a LinkedIn account and urge all your friends to get hooked up. You’ll find that you’ll start off small, but within a year your contacts (the indirect ones, at least) will number in the hundreds. From there, look at all the people in the list to see if anyone works somewhere interesting and look for a path to reach them. You may have to get an introduction via a friend of a friend!
Cold Calling
This entry alone deserves its very own entry on this blog. It is complicated, nerve racking, and just plain goes against the grain.
For those that don’t know, cold calling is when you compile a list of people to contact and call or Email them. Out of the blue. Sound like telemarketing? I suppose it is. For every 100 people on your list (and yes, you need to make these lists BIG for them to be worthwhile) you will get 10 people who answer their own phone, and maybe one of them will actually chat with you. The rest will be too busy. Respect that. Here are some steps to follow:
- To compile a list, start by researching companies you find interesting. Visit their websites and head for the press release section. The names of your targets are written on the press releases! Write down their details in a list and move on. Once you’ve hit 100 you can stop
- Send an introductory Email to your targets. Attach your resume as a PDF file to avoid concerning people about viruses. Keep your message short and sweet — no more than four lines. Tell them about who you are, what your specialties and experiences are, and what you want
- Two days later, follow up with a phone call. Let them know you sent your resume via Email and you want to know if they are hiring or could use someone with your expertise
Cold calling can be a bit more involved then that. There’s receptionists who will block your calls. There are the people who refer you to others. There are the hundreds who you will never hear from. It’s worth my covering this a little in the future, particularly as cold calling is pivotal when you’re going after new business.
For the next installment of this series I’ll describe how firms can use technology to find the best candidates. Folks, be sure to keep an eye out for it — those tips will be of benefit to you, too!
