Fortune Magazine Bites the Hand that Curates

Posted on October 17, 2014 by rgeller

A funny thing happened on the way to the LinkedIn forum. PR Week covered their What-A-Tangled-Web-900x675CommsConnect event last week – what caught my attention was the headline:

Fortune’s Lashinsky: Branded content is ‘propaganda’

I’ll say more about this in a moment.  But first let me tell you about another article which relates, and I think you will enjoy, from Digiday: How Dan Roth became the most powerful editor in business publishing 

It explains how former Fortune journalist Dan Roth is now chief editor of a media juggernaut  – namely, you guessed it, LinkedIn.  Here’s an excerpt:

.… when you examine the multiple aspects of LinkedIn’s media operation — a popular and growing native-ads business; tens of millions of potential “content producers” churning out nearly 40,000 posts per week at zero cost… an audience that’s larger, wealthier and more engaged than that of the average website — you realize it may very well be the most formidable title in business publishing and Roth, the most powerful man in business journalism.

Of course, the LinkedIn audience is of great interest to brands and business publishers alike:

Anyone who has ever published a news story can tell you that it’s nice to have readers. That’s why every day, editors from dozens of the Web’s most reputable, highly trafficked business publications — Bloomberg, Business Insider, Quartz, to name just a few — pitch Dan Roth with their best, most timely stories. Roth and his team scour the pitches, looking to aggregate those most likely to resonate with their own audience of 86 million U.S. visitors….

The numbers have been reflected in LinkedIn’s ads business… revenue was  up 44 percent.  Much of this growth has been fueled by “native” advertising.

Native advertising, AKA branded content – and, interestingly enough, some customers for LinkedIn’s branded content business are publishers.

Which brings us back to the intro.

It is an interesting world these days. You have a social network that is, by some measures, the most influential business publisher. You have editors pitching the social networks, like PR flacks, and at least one very influential editor calling branded content propaganda.

A tangled Web indeed, the irony is thick.

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Punch up Your News without Using Hype

Posted on October 7, 2014 by rgeller

PowYou know the feeling; you’ve written a pretty good press release, or so you thought – but the client or internal sponsor kicks it back to you because it “lacks excitement.”

It can be hard to understand or respond to such subjective criticism. In theory, the excitement of a release should relate to the news at hand. But we know that the same story can be told in different ways.

Reporters and editors prefer facts and neutral writing. The release owner might want to get all hypey. The PR person is caught in the middle.

Assuming that you do have important news to communicate, how do you tell a great story – one that satisfies the release owner, and conveys excitement but doesn’t veer into chest beating? You might want to consider these tips:

Let the facts tell the story

The problem with neutral language is that it is, well, neutral. It does not scream “We have great news!” But here’s a bold concept, why not stick to the actual facts, i.e., use superlatives or hard data?

E.g., if you are first to market with a 10 Tera-flop whatever, by all means say so. Ditto if your new product is the fastest, or you are reporting some breakthrough in the lab.
But don’t use soft, indefensible claims like “best” or “most innovative”.

Let others tell the story

The problem with any kind of claim is that it might lack credibility.  So bring in independent testing data to support the claims, and/or market research.

The media would rather hear how important your news is from others, ideally those who are at arm’s length. Why not brief industry analysts, and include a quote from them in your press release? If you are lucky enough to name and quote a customer, by all means do so.

The quote is the one place in the release where you are allowed to go over the top. Here, it is OK for your client and their customer to amp the excitement. Still, you want to avoid clichés and anything that smacks of BS.

Tell a great story

Even if you don’t have lots of firsts, hard data, or independent validation, you should be able to write a press release that tells a great story – one that the release owner loves, hits the mark with customers, and also satisfies the media.

To do so, it should answer the questions: who should care, and why? Talk about benefits and applications of the technology. Explain how the new product or service advances the field in an easy-to-understand way, using language that resonates with the intended audience.

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NewCo Showcases NY Tech “In the Wild”

Posted on October 2, 2014 by rgeller

I attended the NewCo New York kickoff event on Tuesday evening.  It was a great opportunity to network with like-minded bloggers, journalists, marketers and entrepreneurs and hear from top tech influencers.

As NewCo co-founder John Battelle (the search wonk and tech influencer who launched Industry Standard and co-founded the Web 2.0 Summit with Tim O’Reilly) explained, they were interested in launching a new event concept and came up with NewCo, a “conference-as-festival, where innovative companies throw open their doors to the public.”

It is about meeting with innovative NY Tech startups in their natural habitats, AKA their own offices (NewCo runs events in a number of cities around the world now – Austin is next).

I unfortunately did not get the chance to make the circuit, but really enjoyed kickoff’s centerpiece – a fireside chat between BuzzFeed Founder and CEO Jonah Perretti and Battelle.  It was a lively and provocative conversation, and both gave as good as they got.  John tweaked Jonah a bit about listicles, and Jonah fired back with some witty retorts.

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And One More thing… David Carr Deconstructs Apple’s Media Playbook

Posted on September 16, 2014 by rgeller

It is an old saying in PR: “there is no accounting for taste.”  Said another way (as we teach in media training), in any market, one company will rise to the top, fueled by “story energy”.   The media will inexplicably latch on and just fawn.apple_wall___one_more_thing______by_thedevartist-d4bfml9

These thoughts crossed my mind as I read NY Times Media Equation columnist David Carr’s excellent analysis of the media fascination with Apple in light of last week’s “Applemageddon” news orgy.  (For those in tech PR not working with Apple, it seems like we were handed a mini-vacation during the 9/9 event – it was futile to be trying to pitch anything else, especially consumer-tech related).  He wrote:

Apple’s ability to seize the moment and preoccupy the press is without peer. Think about it: Absent that showmanship and hype, the company announced two very good-looking, very expensive phones that catch up with consumers’ preference for larger screens, a smartwatch… and a payment system that will need buy-in from retailers.  So, what is it about Apple that makes a sea of professional curmudgeons whoop like children on Christmas?

He went on to list some of the tricks from Apple’s PR playbook.

Given the company’s history of maniacal secrecy… its sway with the news media is even more remarkable…. the stage management of its events rivals what is being announced... Seating charts are meticulously studied, rehearsals are endless and strategic leaks are used to temper expectations… The audience claps because everything — the lighting, the fanfare, the reveal — is meant to elicit applause.

On the one hand, Apple’s success with the media might not be that surprising as they use tried and true tactics, like stealth, and stagecraft to maximal effect.  Yet another vendor would probably would not get the same results with these tricks.   Why is that?

The answer lies in the story energy, taste, and the intoxicating power that an intangible such as brand can have.  If reporters lose perspective and swoon, who can blame them?  They are people too.  They love a good story, and love to fall in love.

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Who needs a Strategy? Just Schmooze us Please

Posted on September 5, 2014 by rgeller

buellerI wrote in my post that Hate Spin?… that we get the news stories, and hence PR, that we want.  But do we sometimes want more spin than we get?

This thought occurred to me regarding a story that was hot in the news over the Labor Day weekend. Many covered Obama’s statement “We don’t have a strategy yet” regarding the threat posed by ISIS.

It was great fodder for Republicans, and reporters in search of a catchy headline on a slow news day.  As the story was repeated and amplified, I wondered whether Obama’s statement was simply an example of unfiltered candor from a politician, which might actually be refreshing.

But Frank Bruni broke it down in his NY Times column Obama’s Messy Words.  He wrote:

There are things that you think and things that you say…  These overlap but aren’t the same. Has President Obama lost sight of that?

Not having a strategy, at least a fixed, definitive one, is understandable. The options aren’t great, the answers aren’t easy and the stakes are enormous.

But announcing as much? It’s hard to see any percentage in that. It gives no comfort to Americans. It puts no fear in our enemies… [It’s not] the right message for the world’s lone superpower (whether we like it or not) to articulate and disseminate…[not] savvy, constructive P.R.

 

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Tech startups, Want to Go Big? Get PR Help, for the Love of God

Posted on September 3, 2014 by rgeller

Dont-Try-This-At-Home-logoWhen giving advice, it generally helps to have real credentials, such as professional experience in a field.  But I have noticed a trend in which armchair flacks such as VCs, journalists and CEOs spew forth about PR (saying things like you don’t need PR, or an agency, or you’re doing it all wrong, etc.)

The straw that broke the camel’s back was an article in the NY Times, by Robert Moore, CEO of RJMetrics (which my friend Judy Gombita shared). He wrote that you don’t need “pricey PR firms” because it is not “rocket science”.

I AM a PR pro, and find advice like this to be misguided, simplistic or just plain wrong, and even potentially harmful to young companies that are trying to figure out the best way to launch and build sales and brand.

I’ll be the first to admit that there are no guarantees  in PR.  Not all investments pay off, and yes, just like in other professions, there are the good and bad apples.  But it is an area that has consistently proven value, especially when compared with other marketing vehicles – and most startups that have gone beyond the emerging stage, to grow, capture market share and exit successfully have done so with the help of professional PR.

Here are the reasons that you need professional PR help (whether you hire a firm or an in-house team), stated as answers to the most common objections.

Agencies are too expensive
Compared with what? There are firms to fit all budgets, from freelancers, to boutiques, to the big shops.  And what is the opportunity cost of not getting good PR?

We don’t need PR experts, reporters want authenticity and direct access
Right, and I am sure your top execs could handle legal briefs and accounting too. Should they be mired in the all the work required to get media and social media attention these days? Don’t they have other things to do?

PR is an incredibly rich and complex field, one that is constantly changing (20 years in, and I am still learning every day). Leave it to the pros: hire a person, team or agency that has PR experience in your field.  They will not compete with or compromise your authentic, expert voices – but will make the best use of your time, and bring you and other execs in when needed. The PR team will run interference with media, who often do like to get help with access to sources and info.

We need sales leads not fancy, agency PR
That kind of sounds like Robert Moore, whose article ran in a section of the NY Times that focuses on SMBs. If you want to graduate to become a big business, and maybe even cash out via a successful IPO or acquisition some day, use PR to build long term brand and company value. Hire a team that will get you there.

It will cost less to hire someone and run PR in-house
It may cost less if you look at hourly wages vs. fees. And it is better to hire an experienced person or dedicated internal team than throw the job at top execs or people who are already wearing multiple hats.

That said, with an agency you get a team and benefit from senior level counsel, admin, and the extended network of contacts and relationships. You also get access, through the agency, of info services they offer. They serve as an impartial sounding board and proxy for what works in the media.

Our CEO is a social media rock star, we don’t need outside PR
It is a great that your CEO blogs and/or has thousands of Twitter followers. But what about credibility that can be gained through media and analyst coverage? A good PR team can leverage your established / owned social media channels and use these and other assets to get even more attention / visibility.

Sure, it is possible to find the outliers like Uber, who apparently succeeded without PR, and it is sometimes fun to stir things up and take a contrarian view.

Uber and RJMetrics are two examples, what about all the companies that did call upon PR pros to go big and exit?  Here are some you may have heard of (I know from first-hand experience or media reports that the following companies had agencies and/or hired top PR talent): Fusion-IO, Nest Labs, Waze, SoftLayer, Skype, Airbnb, Twitch, Square, SnapChat, Pure Storage, Pinterest, MongoDB, DropBox, etc. etc. etc.

Posted in Tech PR, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

The Most Disruptive, Purpose-built list of Tech PR Clichés Ever

Posted on August 13, 2014 by rgeller

The Journal featured a book review yesterday for Orin Hargraves’ It’s Been Said Before.  I was really excited because thefile000349823764 article described a whole book about clichés and, let’s face it, I have no life (OK, I have a life, is it really so bad to be fascinated with words and language)?

The review starts:

I’m inclined to listen to any politician who warns his listeners about the dangers of deficit spending—right up until he talks about “kicking the can down the road.” The use of that deplorable old cliché suggests to me that the speaker isn’t… interested in persuading anybody of anything, since he can’t be bothered to express himself on the issue without relying on a worn-out phrase 

It quotes Hargraves’ definition:

All clichés… express common ideas that require frequent expression. But that’s not all it takes to qualify.. What turns an idiom into a cliché is its frequent use in ways that hinder clarity rather than enhancing… Many clichés seem as if they’re making an argument but really aren’t… That’s the trouble with clichés. You can’t help suspecting that the cliché-user… may just be attempting to fill space.

The review cites examples such as “world of difference” and “best kept secret” and “whole point”.

Hargraves blames journalists for propagating clichés, but I think that tech marketers and PR folks can learn a thing or two here as well (“a thing or two” – is that a cliché? Damn, this is hard). In my experience many tend to over rely on and recycle trite words and phrases.

Communicating about complex technology clearly can be a challenge in and of itself. Every character counts, and we simply do not have time or attention to waste space on words that add no meaning.

So I thought it might be helpful to share some examples from the world of tech, via the following list. Which ones am I missing? Please add your suggestions (as a bonus, I am sharing a link to a post I wrote that describes technology that can scan text to detect FOG – fact-deficient obfuscating generalities).

Out-of-the-box solutions

Cutting edge
Leading edge
Oftentimes
Purpose built
Disruptive
Paradigm shifting
Seamless
End-to-end
Game changing
Next generation
Proprietary technology
Easy-to-use
World class
World leading
Industry leading
We are pleased
There are more… than ever before
The fastest in the industry / world / market
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Do Nice Headlines Finish First? Tech Media Training Redux

Posted on August 11, 2014 by rgeller

We had a media training session this week involving one of our larger clients last week. NaughtyOrNice1_zps06c1f9f3

Executives from around the world flew in to learn about the art of getting key points across in press interviews, and take turns in the Hot Seat (mock interviews with real journalists).

I love these sessions because they help us bond with clients, and share experiences and observations about the worlds of technology and the media.

We commiserated about the increasingly negative and provocative tone of tech reporting. The tech trade press used to be a safe place to share your story, and get your messages across unchallenged.  These days, it seems, everyone is after that biting headline that draws viewers and clicks.

That is the perception, but is it true?  I saw two articles in the NY Times last week that are relevant to the question – one about the dangers of being too incendiary, and the second, which seems to show people enjoy and prefer to share positive stories.

In Stumbling Along in the Race to be Provocative, William Rhoden wrote:

Stephen A. Smith will return to active duty this week at ESPN, which suspended him for being overzealous — and imprecise — while doing what he is paid to do: provoke and incite. [His] remarks are the latest example of how the line between being thought-provoking and merely provoking has become blurred and how thoughtful discourse has been compromised.

…histrionics are intended not as much to facilitate debate as to draw, and keep, fans. As competition has escalated, news media outlets have become increasingly obsessed with their audience numbers. We want your eyes, your ears, your wallets.

Heated debates around polarizing figures and polarizing quotations make for good copy and great TV. But do they lead to positive change?… As we chase dollars, we make progressively less sense

Sheila Marikar wrote in her story On the Nice Internet, Caring is Sharing

Anchored by websites including Thought Catalog, Upworthy and ViralNova, this is an Internet that aims to lift up, not take down…But behind their warm and fuzzy veneers, these growing media companies are businesses, and they peddle in uplifting content because they believe it’s profitable.

“A lot of it is clicky headlines and shareable headlines, and shareable headlines that play with certain identities.. people want to share with their friends to self-represent,” Mr. Magnin said. Indeed, his site has filled a void: Thought Catalog’s compilation of life advice, nostalgic lists and “betcha didn’t know this” type wisdom drew more than 34 million unique visitors in June, according to Quantcast.. the website of Time magazine had about 2.6 million unique visitors during the same month.

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Taking Contol of the PR Narrative – 3 Ideas

Posted on July 25, 2014 by rgeller

I had the great pleasure of writing for PR ConversationsNewstweek again last week, after Judy Gombita graciously agreed to run with my post (the third one I have written for them). For the uninitiated, the group blog is a great forum that covers a range of PR subjects that should be of interest to client-side and agency folks around the world.

My topic was inspired by reviews of the book The Invisibles – which highlights the artistry of behind-the-scenes workers vs. the vanity of self promoters and personal brand builders. I appreciated the thoughtful comments on my post. However, at some point, the thread took a turn from self promotion to PR for PR, and how the field is portrayed in the media.

Heather Yaxley recalled a discussion at an industry event: Ian Burrell (Assistant Editor and Media Editor of The Independent newspaper) argued that a problem for PR is that it doesn’t own its public profile and lets this be defined instead by journalists and those we deem aren’t representative of our industry.

Toni Muzi Falconi replied: journalists have little idea of what we do for a living beyond hacking them simply because neither us as professionals nor… our professional associations have ever reached out to them in a planned and conscious way…. The conclusion is that it is not their fault if they do not understand what we do. It is our fault.

It got me to thinking, and I ran across a NY Times article over the weekend which crystallized my thoughts further. It was about celebrities using social media to wrest control of their narratives from the gossip media.

I recognize that it is a much different and greater challenge to seize the narrative for an entire field. But that doesn’t mean we should not try, and take it upon ourselves, individually and collectively (via the associations Toni referenced) to use our craft to promote better understanding of the field.

Here are a few ideas to get the process going, I of course welcome input from others, and hope that I can rally interest in the cause.

Build Consensus, Carry the Message

Part of the problem is that the field can be amorphous – terms that sound similar but are quite different get sloshed around (publicity, PR, media relations, communications, etc.) Even within the field, there’s disagreement about how to define PR and what is important.

Some may recall the PRSA-driven effort of a few years ago to update the definition of PR, and all of the industry mud wrestling around this. How can the PR field help others understand what we do if WE can’t agree? We don’t want to be like the Democrats, a party of great ideas, but one that is riven and does not carry a cohesive message.

There is now an updated definition – why not embrace it and do your part as a member of the profession in educating, and carrying the message?

Become Tireless PR Promoters and Educators

My PRC post was about the tension between self promotion and the quality of our work; I argued that you can have your personal brand and happy clients / employers too. Why not allocate a portion of the personal brand building time budget to defending and educating about our field? Wouldn’t we all have stronger individual brands if the profession is better understood, and seen in a positive light?

If you see something (inaccurate or slanderous about PR), say something. Apply the same skills and diligence that you do for your clients / employers – become ruthless fact checkers and correcters of the record.

That is what I have tried to do with this blog (and Twitter). I know many might be gun shy about taking on those who buy ink and electrons by the barrel (especially when PR critics are the same people you approach for coverage) – but if you use the right tone it can work, and even earn some respect. E.g. I have taken on NY Times, Businessweek and many others (the links point to these posts) – and am still in business.

Promote PR as a Fun, Smart and Creative Field 

The sad fact is that most people simply do not understand PR.  The running joke in my family has been that even my kids do not know what I do (they have asked if I can get them on TV).

Most seem to confuse it with advertising, others may think that it is sneaky and vaguely illicit.  Those who say they do know the field (e.g. certain members of the media) seem to assume it is just about pitch spam and hype.

As I mentioned in this post, one of the problem is that there is no recognized cult of PR, unlike advertising (which is generally seen as fun, hip, glamorous and creative).

It will take some work to turn this around – but if we are talking about the PR field as a client, and building the brand of PR, why not talk about campaigns and tactics? E.g. why not have a real reality show about PR – one that does not make everyone think that the field is just about celebrity publicity, for a change?

Some might think that it is not that interesting; Davina Brewer commented on my PRC post: Real Work is hard to glamorize. Reading, typing, meetings that would put someone who’s on their 4th cappuccino to sleep…

She makes a good point, on the other hand there have been many fun and entertaining moments in my experience, ones that would be good fodder for a reality show, or even a musical or book or movie (well, hopefully not a tragedy).

This post was about the nefarious words that surround PR in media.  Why not pool together and sponsor/run a campaign that builds better understanding by explaining what we aren’t:

“PR is… NOT!!!”

PR is not a crisis

PR is not a problem

PR is not a war

PR is not publicity

PR is not advertising

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How to Beat the Tech Leaders: Lessons for Startups from the Cantor Rout

Posted on June 25, 2014 by rgeller

Most were surprised by David Brat's win over House majority leader Eric Cantor in the Republican David_goliath_cbig-771648congressional primary in Virginia a few weeks ago. Where were the reporters and pollsters in this race?

Scores of articles were written in the aftermath to find answers (funny, but if just a fraction of the journalistic effort focused on Virginia beforehand, someone would have predicted the upset).

The episode got me to thinking: can the tech sector learn anything from Brat's triumph? After all, there's a constant tension between the old and new in tech – i.e., the market leaders and challengers. The startups behind that next innovation would like nothing better than to sneak up and clobber the competition, Brat style.

Granted, that win was in politics; and tech market battles generally don't turn on a single make-or-break contest. But tech consumers do vote for products – with their wallets. Product features and brand reputation can be likened to the profiles and images of the candidates.

So, I thought that I would study how Brat won the race – and find some takeaways for tech startups. Here is what I learned:

Build Support While Flying Under the Radar

It is great if you get wads of funding from the top Silicon Valley VCs, or have a serial entrepreneur with star power at the helm. Your launch will get covered by the major tech blogs and media. But one of the reasons Brat was successful is that he quietly built support without the help of the political media machine. He avoided the noise and distraction of the Beltway crowd – or they avoided him.

Either way, no one, especially team Cantor, knew what was coming until it was too late. The point is, most startups think that they need big buzz in the top tech blogs to win. But you may not need this if you follow another tactic from the Brat playbook.

Appeal to Your Base

Ultimately, Brat scored an upset because he had a better "product". His tough-on-immigration stance and humble, outsider persona won over those who were tired of politics as usual. He proved that all politics really are local.

In tech, you can win by appealing to another kind of base – your user base, or universe of potential customers. Develop products and marketing that really resonate with end users and you will be one step closer to unseating the tech incumbents (this may sound like obvious advice, but how many startups really do this?).

But if you are flying under the media radar, how do you get the word out to potential customers? That question leads us to the next tip.

Rally the Key Influencers for your Market

It seems like a contradiction. How can you fly under the media radar, yet build buzz and convert people to your cause? Brat found an answer to this question – he tapped the power of talk radio.

Strictly speaking, this is still media – but more about opinion and analysis than reporting mainstream political news. And it would be a mistake to think that information flows efficiently between the two. As David Carr wrote in his NY Times Media Equation column:

Hordes of blogs and news sites continue to chase the latest incremental scoop that will draw followers on Twitter, but a whole other channel of information is out there, including talk radio. Politico called it “Brat’s secret weapon,” to which, we might ask, secret to whom? About 50 million people in America listen to talk radio, much of it from conservative commentators like Mark Levin, Glenn Beck and Laura Ingraham.

They may represent a significant slice of Vox Populi, but they aren’t on heavy rotation in most newsrooms. Conservative talk radio blows a whistle that many journalists either can’t hear or don’t want to listen to.

The takeaway for tech? Find the influencers that hold sway over your targeted users and have reach into the marketplace. Get them excited. Court them and find common interests.

If this all sounds a little iffy, let me remind you of a company that famously won by using stealth PR techniques; that eschewed mainstream tech events like CES; that got big by firing up consumer tech tastemakers and launching products (and marketing) that really resonated. Anyone heard of the (once small) company called Apple?

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