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5 questions brands should ask before using any social media tool

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:59:40 GMT

I’ve often heard this question from clients: Should we be on (insert shiny, new social media platform here)? My instinct is to say yes, because we want to expand our scope of work with them, and we’re always looking to be innovative. But being a good social media partner requires much more in-depth analysis.

When I was overseeing content strategy and execution for my clients, we would generally work on a POV for each new platform that would come into play. We did this for Pinterest, Instagram, and Vine (among others) over the last few years. Part of that POV was assessing which brands would be a good fit for the platform.

That doesn’t mean the client would automatically sign on for that platform, but it was incumbent upon us to make sure we at least made the recommendation (sometimes over and over and over).

Here are five key questions:

1. Are people using this platform to talk about your brand, your industry, or your competition?

This is easy enough on platforms that use hashtags. I can search #Starbucks on Instagram, for example, and see that nearly 1.9 million photos bear that hashtag. If I’m managing the brand’s social media presence, this tells me that there are 1.9 million potential conversations and pieces of user-generated content out there. This is definitely the right move for that brand to be using that platform (and Starbucks is using it—quite effectively as it turns out).

Part of your research on new platforms should be to assess not just who is talking about your brand but how they’re talking about your brand. If people are actively complaining or bringing up customer service issues on this platform, your strategy will differ from what you’ll do if people are raving about you.

When it comes to your competition, just because they jump off a cliff doesn’t mean you should follow—unless they’re jumping off a cliff into a crystal clear pool of water filled with your current and potential customers.

2. Does this platform align with your demographic?

Maybe people aren’t talking about your brand (or perhaps they’re talking about you sparingly). That certainly shouldn’t preclude you from entering into that platform—especially if it’s used by a demographic that you’re looking to target.

For instance, if you’re looking to reach influential, educated, millennial women, Pinterest is a platform you should strongly consider. Instagram might not be your best bet if that’s the only group you’re looking to target.

3. Is there an opportunity to tell your brand’s story in a new/unique way on this platform?

Brands that are using Vine in an interesting ways—Lowe’s, Smart Car USA, General Electric (sometimes)—are using the platform to tell a good brand story that goes beyond “buy this.”

When Smart Car wanted to show how easy it is to charge its new electric version, a six-second video was the perfect way to do it:

Lowe’s went beyond providing DIY tips in text to show their users how to do things like unscrewing a stripped screw:

If your team can find a way to use a new platform in an interesting fashion, that’s half the battle. So often brands will launch their presence in a new platform, and it’s just a dud.

4. Do you have the resources to maintain a robust presence on this platform?

The days of launching a social media presence to cover an event or product launch are over. Unless you’re going to commit your brand to building and maintaining a robust presence on a platform, don’t do it. It’s up to each individual brand to decide what “robust” means for them, but launching an event-specific account and then shutting it down no longer makes sense.

5. Does this platform logically fit in with your existing digital ecosystem?

Consider the rest of your digital presence, and whether this new platform logically integrates or if it would be on an island. If you can’t fit your always-on and campaign strategies into this platform, it’s probably worth waiting until you jump into it.

These questions certainly aren’t exhaustive, but they can at least get the conversation started. Remember: Any foray into a new platform will require your team to perform a risk assessment and understand any potential pitfalls. Your legal team will want to get involved (and will likely work tirelessly to quash your dreams, as they are wont to do).

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Why marketers choose certain colors

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:57:39 GMT

It’s no secret that different colors evoke different emotions in us, and that marketers have been taking advantage of this for years.

But which colors spur which emotions?

Perhaps most notably, it is said that red stimulates the appetite. That’s why the color is so prevalent with national food chains like McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, KFC, Wendy’s, Popeye’s and Chipotle.

Blue, meanwhile, is the color most preferred by men, and corporations often use it because it is thought to be productive and not invasive.

These and other color-related insights can be found in this infographic from CertaPro Painters:

(via Social Media Chimps)

10 things you should expect in your first PR job

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:56:31 GMT

Congratulations. You scored your first job out of college. This means you’re an adult with an exciting career, a social life, and disposable income. Plus, you’ll never have to cram for tests or draft boring research reports, right?

Not exactly.

As you navigate the real world, you are likely to experience several challenges you didn’t anticipate. Here are 10 things of them:

1. Fatigue. In college you stayed up late, slept late, and took naps. When you have to be at work at 8 or 9 a.m., your day starts early, and there is no time for a nap. After the commute, work, lunch at your desk, and more work, you will probably be exhausted. This is one of the biggest adjustments from college to career. It takes about a year to grow accustomed to the demands of commuting and working a full day.

2. Stress. You thought final-exam stress was rough? The aggregate stress of work, deadlines, and being in an environment where you have multiple bosses and clients making demands on you is intense. Identify stress-busting techniques to help you avoid a first-year meltdown.

3. Unsupportive friends. When you work eight to 12 hours per day and have unpredictable hours, making and breaking plans is likely. Pals or significant others who are still in college or who aren’t working in a fast-paced career will not understand that going out for cocktails on a Tuesday night is not in your reality. You'll make friends through various phases of your life. Let go of friends who don’t support your drive to succeed during your transition to the professional world.

4. Money. Once you have a career, you’ll make a lot of money. Maybe. And it will probably take a few years. Most entry-level public relations positions pay in the $30,000 to $40,000 range, and after taxes, commuting expenses, professional wardrobe costs, and other bills, your checks will probably be small. Be patient; with a solid performance and smart career moves, you can earn a great salary within a few years.

5. Budgets. Speaking of money, your employer might expect you to understand and perhaps manage client budgets. Colleges don’t spend enough time teaching students the financial aspects of public relations work. Do some research, and develop fiscal management skills for your clients.

6. Accountability. Reports, reports, reports. Keeping track of how you spend your time, showcasing the value of your work, and justifying the work that you and your team do daily are essential. Reporting is standard practice in this billable-time business. Take good notes.

7. Digital skills. Most university PR curriculums place a heavy emphasis on writing, campaigns, and public relations theory. Digital and social media have become an integral and rapidly evolving component of public relations work. Use these channels strategically for business, and continually update your skills.

8. Multitasking. Entry-level PR requires the ability to multitask successfully. You might be responsible for media monitoring reports (boring, but important), managing the logistics for a major product launch, researching a new business presentation, pitching a news story, and posting content on a client blog—almost simultaneously. Learn to prioritize and tackle assignments quickly and meticulously.

9. Criticism. You will receive criticism from bosses and clients who expect your work to be perfect, even though they provided you with little direction or guidance. Don’t be overly sensitive nor dwell on negative feedback. Learn from your mistakes. Understand the work style of your colleagues and clients, and deliver.

10. Validation. Chances are you won’t hear much praise when you do a good job. You are expected to do a great job; that’s why they hired you. Your paycheck is your praise.

The first year out of college can be tough, but your ability to navigate the challenges of your professional launch will set you on a positive course for a meaningful and rewarding career.

Lorra M. Brown is an assistant professor of public relations/professional communication at William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J. She serves as the internship coordinator and advisor to the Student Public Relations Association. Prior to her faculty position, she held senior-level positions at Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide and Weber Shandwick Worldwide.

This story first appeared on PR Daily in February 2012.

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14 elements of a personality profile

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:55:42 GMT

I am very fortunate to have access to writing resources such as PR Daily and Ragan workshops and conferences. But this year, I’ve also learned about writing and editing from an unlikely source—my son’s fourth-grade teacher.

Helping him with his assignments and reading his handouts has taught me about the eight parts of speech, traits of good writing, and how to defeat writer’s block.

This week, his assignment is to write a three-paragraph biography about a family member. The handout lists the elements he should include. Though this list is very basic, I find it helpful and will keep it in mind next time I write a brief personality profile or bio. (These types of articles are my least favorite to write. I would never make it as a biographer.)

• full name
• year of birth
• place of birth
• information about the person’s family
• childhood and school life
• early achievements
• hobbies, interests, and activities
• anecdotes/events that affected the person later in life
• career
• physical appearance (including at least two similes)
• describe how the person looks in full detail
• could I pick the person out of a crowd by your description
• describe something they like to do
• describe a goal the person has

PR Daily readers, do you have any other elements to include in a personality profile or short biography?

Laura Hale Brockway is an Austin-based writer and editor. She writes about writing at www.impertinentremarks.com.

12 quotations to guide your online strategy

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:54:59 GMT

Social media doesn't need to be hard if you stay as authentic online as you are off, and concentrate on building a relationship with your fans and followers.

People like to be with those they know, like, and trust. With that in mind, I thought I would share a few quotations from thought leaders around the world and suggest how we can apply them to our online strategy.

They are not all well known for their digital acumen, but certainly are well known for either their business knowledge or thought-provoking ability. Enjoy.

1. "It's not the strongest that survive, nor the most intelligent but those most responsive to change." — Charles Darwin

Make sure you keep up with the times and adapt as you go, or you may find your brand is becoming extinct.

2. "You are what you share." — Charles Leadbeater

People can see what you share publicly; are you proud?

3. "The question isn't, 'What do we want to know about people?' It's, 'What do people want to tell about themselves?'" — Mark Zuckerberg

Are you happy to share your innermost secrets or just top-line stuff?

4. "Just be nice, take genuine interest in the people you meet, and keep in touch with people you like. This will create a group of people who are invested in helping you because they know you and appreciate you." — Guy Kawasaki

Self explanatory: Be genuine.

5. "Social media demands a lot of us on top of our already demanding lives. So let's disconnect as we need to and renew our interest and ourselves." — Simon Mainwaring

Don't be afraid to unplug and regenerate.

6. "Facebook Fan Pages are email newsletters with smaller pictures." — Jay Baer

Think of your Facebook page as a rolling newsletter.

7. "Every company is its own TV station, magazine, and newspaper." — Jay Baer

We all have the option to publish; are you doing so?

8. "'Build it, and they will come' only works in the movies. Social media is a 'build it, nurture it, engage them, and they may come and stay.'" — Seth Godin

Give them a reason to hang around.

9. "How can you squander even one more day not taking advantage of the greatest shifts of our generation? How dare you settle for less when the world has made it so easy for you to be remarkable?" — Seth Godin

You have the platforms; now use them like no one else.

10."You are your Rolodex: Breadth counts. Collect freaks." — Tom Peters

You never know who is connected to who that you meet that could be beneficial to you.

11. "If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell six friends. If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends."-Jeff Bezos

The internet gives it scale, so be aware of your brand's actions and decisions at all levels.

12. "It's not the small that get eaten; it's the slow that get beaten." — Linda Coles (me)

Get on and start now; your competitors may be already ahead.

So which relationship building or social media quotations have you heard that resonated with you and should be added to this list?

Linda Coles, author of "Learn marketing with social media in 7 days" (Wiley), is a speaker and trainer on building relationships. She lives in New Zealand. You can get a free sample of a chapter of her book by registering for her newsletter. A version of this article first appeared on LinkedInToday.

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7 errors even good writers miss

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:48:17 GMT

Listen, even good writers make mistakes, from obvious repeats to subtle misspellings. It means we're human.

If you're like most writers, you're probably making common blunders on a regular basis. Don't lose heart. Awareness is half the battle: By becoming alert to typical mistakes, you become less likely to make them.

Before you publish your next blog post or submit another magazine article, do yourself a favor and check it against this list. Below are seven mistakes that even good writers miss:

1. Accidental repeats. You know that feeling of telling a friend a story and then realizing you've already shared it? It happens in writing, too. When you're not paying close attention, you might repeat a phrase, a story, or a point without realizing it. One good way to catch these accidental repeats is by reading your content aloud; often your ears catch mistakes that your eyes don't.

2. Empty adverbs. Let's be honest. When you add "really" to a verb, what are you adding? Is calling something "very" cold better than calling it frosty, frigid, or icy? The truth is, many common adverbs are empty: They add little or nothing to the meaning of a sentence and only clutter your copy. Cut them out.

3. Dangling modifiers. Dangling modifiers are a classic symptom of writing exactly as we speak. Although casual, conversational language may contain dangling modifiers, written language should not; they muddy your message. A modifying phrase should immediately precede the thing it modifies. So, instead of writing, "Setting an editorial calendar, the blog mapped months of topics," write, "Setting an editorial calendar, the writer mapped months of topics on her blog." The blog is not setting the calendar; the writer is setting the calendar.

4. Which vs. that. The words "which" and "that" are not interchangeable. Both begin clauses, but "which" clauses are unnecessary to the meaning of a sentence (and thus set off by commas) and "that" clauses are essential.

5. Overly complex words. Using overly complex words in place of simple ones is a perfect way to alienate your readers. Better to be clear and get your message across than to be fancy and lose your audience. When reading over your content, ask yourself whether the meaning is obvious. If not, rewrite.

6. Common misspellings. Most writers understand the difference between "your" and "you're," but it's all too easy to accidentally type one when you mean the other, especially if your spell-check program doesn't pick up the error. Be on guard for common misspellings such as these:

They're/Their/There
Lose/Loose
It's/Its
Effect/Affect
Weather/Whether
Then/Than

7. Your personal "tells." A writing "tell" is like a poker "tell": It's something you regularly do—without meaning to—that gives you away. In poker, it might be the way you tap your fingers when you have a good hand; in writing, it might be the way you always use words like "just" or something else. Once you identify some of your overused words or other crutches, you need to ruthlessly cut them out. Using them once in a while is fine, but using them all the time dulls your writing.

Shanna Mallon is a writer for Straight North, a Chicago Web design firm providing specialized SEO, Web development, and other online marketing services such as website content writing services. Follow Straight North on Twitter and Facebook.

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4 misfit PR candidates you’ll likely interview

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:57:08 GMT

In the course of a recent recruitment effort, we came across certain types of applicants.

When the employment rate sits on the side of employers, candidates need to step up. We hope this gives job-seekers an insight into what won’t work in today’s competitive market.

The Charmer

This is the candidate who loves a conversation and can talk their way out of anything. They can answer every question, and they almost steal the show with quirky experiences and humorous expressions. Though captivated during the interview, we worried about substance and whether we would actually get high-quality work and commitment.

The Confider

This was a close contender to our winner because of their candor about what they can and can’t do. We felt confident this person would raise any personal or work issues, and that we wouldn’t need to worry about their being disloyal or divulging confidential information. What we struggled with was the candidate’s confidence and whether they would back themselves when it came to grueling client or media situations.

The Giggler

This candidate made us wonder if we were on “Candid Camera”; despite looking strong on paper, they made it hard to take them seriously. Instead of directly answering a question, these candidates would chuckle, breathe heavily, or actively search for an experience that would answer standard interview questions. Our tip for this job-seeker would be to familiarize themselves with interviews, have work samples ready, and do research on the company and role they’re applying for.

The Non-Committer

Juggling a number of interviews at a time, this candidate is a serial interviewee (and you may even get their application twice). They know the drill and answer the questions—even the one on what attracted you to this role—with the same script you know they’ve shared with others. They actually don’t care what job they’re going for, they just want a “job.” For this candidate, we say avoid the shotgun approach (which doesn’t work in our field)—you catch more jobs with a more targeted approach.

The Gun

This is the candidate we go for. They’re enthusiastic, they have relevant experience, they know the role, and they have researched our company. They can confidently answer questions and can identify unfortunate situations and their role in resolving them. Their personality matches the position and industry they’re applying for—they’re personable, funny, intelligent, and ambitious, yet humble and ready to dive into a new environment.

As employers receive an avalanche of applications for job openings they advertise, it’s important for job-seekers to find ways to stand out. If you don’t have the skills and experience listed, it’s better to contact the company before applying to see how they’re tracking. That way you don’t waste your time or theirs. With all the ways to communicate and build relationships—including Twitter, LinkedIn, video, and the good old phone call—would-be candidates should take a step back from auto-apply and think how they can leave an impression that lands that next key role.

Nicole Reaney is the founder and director of Australia-based boutique agency Inside Out PR, an industry leader in creativity and technology solutions. A version of this story first appeared on the agency's blog.

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KFC gets free buzz—from Gaza, of all places

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:54:04 GMT

Just how crave-worthy is KFC’s chicken? In the Middle East, they’re tunneling under the Egyptian border to deliver it to Gaza, according to a New York Times story.

The Times’ Fares Akran explains why something so common to some is revered by others:

Palestinians generally refer to Gaza as being under siege or blockade by Israel, and isolation from the world is among the most common complaints of people here. That can create an intense longing for what those outside Gaza see as mundane, or ordinary.

The story describes the complicated four-hour journey to get from El Arish, Egypt, past the Israeli blockade and into Gaza. There, customers are paying nearly three times what it would cost in stores.

Khalil Efrangi, a 31-year-old entrepreneur, started the delivery business. To avoid complication, his KFC orders are limited to chicken pieces, fries, and cole slaw.

In other finger-lickin’-good news…

The fast-food chain’s “I ate the bones” campaign has met with a positive response—notably from millennials—so KFC’s original recipe might go completely boneless in the near future, according to Fast Company.

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Watch: A Facebook update in real life

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:53:36 GMT

Every time Facebook updates, it seems like you have to completely relearn its functionality—especially for brand managers.

But what if the type of updates that happen with Facebook happened in other facets of your life, as well?

That was the inspiration for this sketch from L.A.-based sketch comedy group Extremely Decent:

3 reasons to find a new PR/social media agency

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:52:53 GMT

The writing is on the wall, as they say. When something’s not right with your PR firm, the problem isn’t always easy to pinpoint, but eventually it becomes glaring—if you know where to look.

Here are three signs you should start looking for a new PR and social media agency:

First, if you firm is complacent—and doesn’t enthusiastically embrace opportunities to help you achieve your communications and business objectives—then it’s time to find a new PR partner. Energy and effort are huge in our business, and opportunities must be pursued and capitalized on when they are available.

If creative thinking is met with a sour response, or high-profile media opportunities are not seized aggressively, then you should sail your ship in other waters.

Second, if your PR firm isn’t yet developing content for a variety of media channels, then it’s time to move on. Our communications category has evolved—that’s clear—and content creation is king. It’s the whole royal family, to be honest.

Clients should be able to rely on one agency to help best penetrate traditional media and social media—and having an in-house creative services team is crucial to keep the content marketing engine firing.

Finally, despite the evolution in the category and the number of significant changes the PR business has endured over the years, it’s still about executing a communications program that helps drive business. So, look for another PR and social media agency partner if your current group is not directly supporting your business objectives.

There must be a correlation between a smart, strategic plan and measureable results that have directly contributed to helping the business succeed. Be certain your agency knows what has to be accomplished, develops a strategic plan for generating results, and executes well. Or look for another agency partner.

I’m highlighting a few of the obvious reasons to find a new PR firm—but what else do you think I could add to this list?

Scott Signore is the principal and CEO of Matter Communications. A version of this article first appeared on the company’s blog.

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How to apply PR skills at networking events

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:49:30 GMT

Public relations is a skill that applies not only to the media; it also applies to social situations, especially networking events where your image is everything.

I recently attended a local Chamber of Commerce networking event, and like every other entrepreneur, I went there to mix, mingle, find leads, make sales, and create new money. It’s the driving force behind every successful entrepreneur or business owner. The quicker you master these skills, the faster your business grows.

Roughly 150 people were at this NYC event. I’ve been to hundreds of journalism and PR mixers, but this business crowd was different. Unlike journalism conventions, where reporters sit back and observe, this Chamber of Commerce mixer was packed with type-A personalities. Every man and woman was focused and self-aware. No one waited for the right moment. Everyone seized even the smallest of openings.

The longer I mingled with New York City’s entrepreneurs, the more I realized how image matters in business—and not just on TV or in the papers.

As a former executive producer with WNBC and senior producer with CBS, I have more than a decade of experience working with publicists from all over the country. But you don’t need a lofty title to understand that some publicists get it and others ought to find a new career. Every journalist will tell you that a good publicist makes the job easy and a bad publicist turns it into a laborious task.

It was no different at this Chamber of Commerce networking event. The best entrepreneurs made the art of networking seem easy. The more awkward leaders made the event painful.

It got me to thinking: Public relations skills also apply to networking events. You might pay for salesforce or oprius, but if your networking skills are off, you might be doing just as much damage at these mixers as a hit job in the National Enquirer.

Here’s a quick rundown on how to apply your public relations skills to any networking event.

The best publicists listen and interact. The worst publicists talk to you and ask few questions. The best publicists know how to drive conversations. The worst publicists can drive a train into a house, and they won’t even see it coming. They aren’t in control of themselves or their ideas. When you’re networking, be conscious of your words and how you use them. Drive the conversation with open-ended questions that lead to your intended destination. Learn how to grab information by guiding conversations, as opposed to talking to others.

Make eye contact. This is a common-sense rule, but many people at this networking event failed to make consistent eye contact. It was as though they were afraid of emotionally connecting to me, or perhaps they were hiding something. If you have difficulty making eye contact with others, practice in the mirror. A sociology professor from college demonstrated this to my class, and it works. I do believe the eyes lead to the soul, so don’t be afraid to reveal a part of yourself at these social events. You’ll survive.

Dress the part. The best female publicists know how and when to reveal a bra strap. The best male publicists know when a touch on the elbow is appropriate and how long to hold on during a handshake. It doesn’t mean you need to express your sexuality like a porn star, but it does mean you need to be aware that connections are made through the sensory of skin. Use it to your advantage, but make sure you study this sociology before you start showing off lace or feeling up elbows. Be conscious of what you choose to wear that morning. I met some business professionals who looked like they stepped out of a 1970s Kmart catalog. I don’t want them advising me on creativity. If you’re expressive or creative, you will likely express it in your clothes. I’m sure it sounds shallow, but the reality is when you’re networking at these events, we base our perception on reality—and your reality is what you’re wearing at any given moment.

It’s not about me. It’s about you. In publicity, I tell clients we need to think of what the media needs—not what you need. It’s no different at networking events. When you learn that you are talking to a commercial real estate designer (as I discovered at this mixer), you need to learn more about what his/her needs are before you can determine whether or not you can work together. This takes us back to point No. 1. Listen and interact. The best publicists are authentic, and you can feel it when you first meet. That’s because these publicists understand that it is really about us—and not just you. Now that I think of it, this was a skill my teacher taught us all in kindergarten.

Mark Macias is founder of CaffeinatedVideos.com, a social media video service that enhances the Web experience for businesses. Macias also wrote the communications book, “Beat the Press: Your Guide to Managing the Media.” A version of this article originally appeared on the Up and Running blog.

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7 marketing words to use (and 5 to lose)

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:48:17 GMT

Recently, food marketers targeting millennials have been using "crazy " or "loco," the Spanish word for crazy.

Pizza Hut has Crazy Cheesy Crust pizza. Taco Bell serves Doritos Locos Tacos. Pop-Tarts uses the slogan “Crazy good.”

Though “crazy” is probably a fad, marketing has go-to words that help create conversion regardless of age, industry, or era.

Here are seven words to use in marketing copy to earn better results.

1. Because—People are more likely to do something for you if you give them a reason, even if it’s a crappy one.

A study tested the power of “because” by having participants interrupt someone waiting to use a copy machine.

Sixty percent of people allowed someone to cut in front of them when they said, “Excuse me, I have five pages, may I use the Xerox machine?”

That number jumped to 90 percent when the line cutter said, “I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine, because I am in a rush?”

2. Value—When considering a product, people want value. They will pay more for something if it provides lasts longer, performs better, etc.

Whereas “value” implies that customers gain something, the words “price” and “cost” (two no-nos listed below) imply that your customers are losing something, most often money.

3. Free—“Free” is a word powerful enough to grab your customers’ attention and even change their buying habits.

Consider a study that offered participants a truffle for 15 cents or a Hershey Kiss for 1 cent. Three-quarters of participants bought the truffle.

When the study dropped the price of both candies a penny, making the Kisses free and the truffles 14 cents, two-thirds of participants chose the Kiss.

4. Secret—Everyone wants to be in on a secret. Using “secret” will draw customers in and make them feel special.

A bonus for using “secret”? It makes content more shareable. Jonah Berger notes that once people learn something is a secret, they have the urge to spread the word.

5. You—Using the second person makes customers feel that you’re speaking directly to them, creating a powerful subconscious connection.

According to StartupNation, “you” is “listed as the No. 1 most powerful word in every study reviewed.”

Use “you” in your headlines, ledes, and anywhere else you can fit it. Many marketers will discard a headline that doesn’t use the second person.

6. The—When analyzing The Economist, two colleagues of mine noticed a theme among the headlines on the cover: “The.”

They determined that using “The” at the beginning of headlines makes it sound like the definitive answer to a question.

Compare these two sentences: Five Secrets of Making Sales on Twitter / The Five Secrets of Making Sales on Twitter

7. Instantly—People like immediate results, a line of thinking unlikely to change in a world of smartphones and Twitter. “Instantly,” “now,” “immediately,” and similar words appeal to this need for instant gratification.

Other words to use: Amazing, Understand, Easy, Free, How to, New, Now, Love, Discovery, Deserve, Happy, Fun.

Five words you should lose

1. Will—“Will” puts customers in the future. Instead, make the benefit of the product appear in the present, enabling your customer to envision using the product here and now. The more connected they are, the more likely they will be to buy.

Example: Your computer will run faster with this new software. / Your computer runs faster with this new software.

2. Exceed expectations—When saying a product or service will exceed expectations, you automatically raise customer expectations. Instead focus your content on what the product does.

Case studies are an exception to this rule. You can certainly quote customers who talk about receiving surprising results.

3. Seasoned, experienced, veteran—Experience doesn’t always equal success. Just because someone cooks dinner every night for the past 10 years, doesn’t mean they make good food. Instead of talking about experience, use concrete evidence to show the effectiveness of your product or service.

4. Noncommittal words (generally, relatively, sometimes, somewhat, etc.)—Copy that sells is authoritative. Customers research because they are informed or have doubts or concerns. Be the authority that delivers the answer.

Note: Avoid noncommittal words in calls to action, especially.

5. Adjectives—Writing copy without adjectives makes copy shorter and more straightforward. Eliminate adjectives whenever possible, especially when giving instructions. If compelled to use an adjective, make sure it enhances the copy.

Other words to lose: Deal, Cost, Pay, Contract, Worry, Loss, Lose, Hurt, Buy, Bad, Sell, Sold, Price, Decision, Hard, Difficult, Obligation, Liable, Fail

Brian Conlin is a copywriter at Vocus. A version of this story first appeared on The Vocus Blog.

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9 bogus claims by social media swindlers

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:46:12 GMT

Have you ever wondered whether you're following the right advice about social media?

You've implemented a social media strategy that you found online. Or you purchased a product from someone who calls himself or herself an expert, but you don't get the promised results. You receive one or two "likes" or new followers a day, as well as a few comments on your blog posts. You get frustrated and wonder what you're doing wrong.

"99.5 percent of the people that walk around and say they are a social media expert or guru are clowns. We are going to live through a devastating social media bubble." — Gary Vaynerchuk

Maybe you've crossed paths with a social media expert who wasn't trustworthy. Before you knew it, you spent every waking hour on social media with no results, only frustration.

What can you do? You can use the following as a guide to help you spot red flags early on.

1. "The more you post, the more people will 'like' and follow you."

Quality is what matters, not quantity.

Sharing information that isn't helpful to your community is a waste of time for everyone. Just because you share a wealth of information doesn't mean others will like or follow you; repin, stumble, etc. your posts. Answer and ask questions. Share information that adds value and is useful.

"Social media is not about the exploitation of technology but service to community." — Simon Mainwaring

2. "You can measure social media ROI."

This isn't completely true or false. Facebook, Twitter, and other networks provide you with statistics for the week, month, and year, but how can you accurately measure your ROI?

For example, let's say you're at a nonprofit and post a campaign on Facebook for your upcoming fundraiser, and you notice that the campaign has reached 20,000+ people and has been shared more than 400 times, there's a good chance that you'll raise more funds this year compared with last year.

But how do you measure your ROI?

You look at the number of times people have commented, liked, and shared your campaign.

You talk to people at your fundraiser and ask them, "How did you hear about our fundraiser?" They'll either say, "I like your Facebook page and follow you on Twitter and saw your post about today's fundraiser," or, "I saw your post on a friend's Facebook page."

By surveying people, you could measure your ROI from social media.

If you post a Facebook ad, you could use the site's Conversion Measurement tool to assist you with tracking the behavior of customers who click on your ads.

For example, if a customer clicks on your ad, is taken to your website, and buys something or signs up, you'd have proof that your Facebook ad was effective. There's your ROI.

3. "You must use social media for your business!"

Your website is your home base, and online networks are more like vacation homes. You visit them throughout the year, but they're not your permanent residence.

If you invest most of your time on social media and neglect your website, you've made a huge mistake. Why? Any major online network—from Twitter to Facebook, from Pinterest to Google+, and others—could go away today. What happens to all the content and media you've uploaded to that vanishing social media site? It goes away, too.

4. "If you build it, they will come."

This worked in the 1989 movie, "Field of Dreams"-but that had a script.

If you join Twitter, Facebook, etc. and spend hours trying to build a social media community, there is no guarantee that your target audience will show up. It takes more than tweeting and posting to Facebook. You must build a trusting relationship with your target audience by giving them valuable information. Slowly begin marketing your products and services, but be careful about overselling.

5. "The more blog comments you have the better."

Conversions, not blog comments, pay the bills.

If you're in the personal development business, you'll get more comments than someone in the light bulb business. Different industries have different needs. Your customers may simply consume content rather than share or comment on it. Don't worry about the number of comments your blog gets. Focus on providing exceptional service and attracting new customers.

6. "You need thousands, if not millions, of 'likes' and follows, and over 500 contacts (LinkedIn)."

Looking at someone's LinkedIn profile and seeing their 500+ contacts could make you feel defeated. Go to their fan page, and you might see they have over 20,000 fans. Head over to Twitter, and they could have over 5,000 followers. It's enough to depress you.

Kick your depression to the curb, because in this instance, size does not matter, quality does. You have no idea whether contacts, followers, and "likes" represent high quality. They could be just for show. Heck, they could have been bought. Stop focusing on size, and focus on high-quality leads, "likes," followers, and contacts.

7. "Got a new business? Build your brand on social media."

If you're starting a business, you need to build your brand before jumping onto social media.

Why?

If you don't know what your brand is, how can you translate it to social media? You can't. You should build your brand before you join any social networks. Social media is a tool to spread the message about your brand. Once you figure out what it is, start using social media to connect with your target audience.

8. "Social media replaces 'old' marketing techniques."

Why throw out all your hard work on marketing that has paid off and continues to pay off in the form of new business and satisfied customers?

Social media is a tool, an extension of your current marketing strategy or system. Use it in conjunction with press releases, direct mail, blogs, email marketing, brochures, white papers, etc.

Remember the phrase, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket." Heed the warning. If you get rid of proven marketing systems and focus solely on social media, your business could suffer.

9. "You'll get a ton of referrals and opportunities from social media."

There's no guarantee that you'll receive referrals or other business opportunities because you use social media.

For example, if you're a Web designer, followers will want to know what sets you apart from other Web designers. Do your websites get your customers more conversions? Write a case study comparing a client's old Web design to the one you designed, and point out what you changed and how your redesign gets your client results.

You have to be vigilant and protect yourself and your money and time by knowing who the real social media experts are. Research people, and get to know them. Ask questions.

RELATED: Should we embrace the social media fake?

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4 lessons marketers can learn from yoga

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:53:26 GMT

As a yoga practitioner and a marketing professional, I have come to see parallels between these two seemingly unrelated practices. The foundational principles associated with yoga can direct our day-to-day and even high-level strategies as marketers.

Read on to learn four marketing lessons from this ancient practice. No headstands or lotus poses required.

1. When the foundation is clear, the execution is successful

In essence, yoga is the continuum of theory and practice. As a marketer, isn’t it our job to create a theory (or strategy) through marketing research and execute upon the theory’s key findings or practice?

A successful marketer does not use one or the other; the back-end research is needed to support the execution. Extensive knowledge of your brand’s intangibles (demographic or psychographic customer insights) drives the tangibles (revenue, product development, sales). Marketing theory and practice can be executed with the smallest tasks or biggest campaigns. When the foundation is clear, the execution is successful—ergo the transference of yoga’s theory and practice to marketing.

2. A mental clean slate helps you think without preconceptions

Yoga is what is traditionally called a liberation teaching (or moksha-shâstra). Liberations of any kind seek to admonish any notions of “why we are” or “what we know.” Liberation allows for a mental clean slate, which allows us to think more clearly and profoundly.

Think of the transference to marketing. We are often clouded by preconceived notions of how we should be communicating with our end customer, even though those notions may not even be relevant or effective. It’s just the time-tested way within your organization to do something, so we continue to do it.

I was in a client meeting last week, and I asked, “Have you ever polled your current customers on how they view your company?” The answer was no. Many companies have a hard time trekking out of their offices into the “field” to chat with folks who have firsthand experience with your business—your customers.

Having a clean slate or a liberated notion of your business will allow you to uncover brand promises that could be one step away coming right from the mouth of your valued customer.

Why do you think consultants exist—for an unadulterated perspective, right? From there, you will be able to move forward with marketing activities that allow you to better reach your current customer. It all starts with a clean slate, free from preconceived notions.

3. Small gestures of kindness can establish customer loyalty

A yogic life is guided by the principle of dharma, which means “law,” “order,” and “virtue.”

Just last week I watched a TED Times Square lecture by HARO founder Peter Shankman. His presentation was “Why Nice Finishes First.” He shared cases of corporations going the extra mile to make small gestures of kindness—and how these gestures turn one-time customers into brand advocates for life. Those gestures seemed to be founded in virtue and morality.

So what can you learn from the principle of dharma? Not only should we be virtuous for the sake of being virtuous, but we should also transfer the principle of kindness and morality to our marketing and business practices. It pays off with customer loyalty in the end.

4. Simplicity helps consumers know your brand better

Yoga teaches us to get back to basics; the more we untangle our lives the better off we are said to become. That yoga principle transfers to marketing perfectly. Are our marketing messages or campaigns clouded by “too much”? Too many graphics, too much copy on our websites, too many calls to action—just general clutter?

Think about the most famed advertising taglines. They are simple yet memorable: Nike’s Just Do It, Apple’s Think Smarter, the Dairy Council’s Got Milk? and Avis’s We Try Harder.

Their websites are equally as succinct with simple, profound, and uncluttered content. That simplicity allows for a clear understanding by consumers of what the brand is all about. As a result, those brands have saturation in just about every home in America.

Allie Gray Freeland is the PR director at iAcquire, a digital marketing agency based in New York City and Phoenix. A version of this article originally appeared on Marketing Profs.

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5 ways to avoid being a rude guest blogger

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:52:08 GMT

Guest blogging is a PR and marketing tactic that is all too often overlooked. Being a guest blogger can offer PR pros a number of benefits. It can get your name out there, help you position yourself as an expert, drive traffic back to your website, get you links that help improve your search engine rankings, and so much more.

A lot of times when we talk about guest blogging, we only focus on how to get guest blogging opportunities. After all, the more chances you have to guest blog, the more you stand to benefit.

However, there’s another aspect to guest blogging that’s worth discussing: etiquette. If you don’t understand the etiquette of guest blogging, you risk coming across as rude, and you could cause damage to important relationships with other bloggers.

Below are five tips that can assure you’ll be a guest blogger who’ll be asked to contribute again.

Don’t pitch like they owe it to you. Yes, when you pitch another blogger you want to sound confident and sell them on your post idea, but you don’t want to come across like a self-important jerk who thinks they blog editors owe you a guest blogging opportunity. There’s a thin line between confidence and arrogance.

Deliver your post when you say you will. Typically, when a blogger lets you submit a guest post, they’ll ask when you’ll have the post delivered to them. That’s so they can plan their editorial schedule accordingly. If you say you’re going to have the post by a certain date, make sure you keep your word and meet your deadline.

Help promote your post. Do your part to drive as much traffic to the guest post as you possibly can. Share it across all your social networks, send it to your email list, link to it from your blog, and so on.

Reply to the comments. Hopefully, your guest post will get some comments. If so, it’s your job as a guest author to stick around and reply. And when I say reply, I don’t just mean saying, “Thanks for commenting.” You need to take the time to actually engage with the commenters and try to create some meaningful interactions.

Thank the blogger and keep the relationship going. A simple “thank you” is all it takes to let the blog owner know how much you appreciate the opportunity to write a guest post on their blog. Being grateful can keep the door open for future guest-blogging opportunities. Also, make sure you manage the relationships you start with these bloggers. Keep in touch with them and don’t only contact them when you need a favor.

A version of this article first appeared on PR Fuel.

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Your primer to on-camera media interviews

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:49:26 GMT

The first time I got to appear on a national news program was the day after I filed a story about former Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino getting a beer dumped on his head by someone in the bleachers at Wrigley Field.

They originally nabbed the wrong guy, and news outlets were having a blast talking about the fugitive beer dumper. Fox News called and asked me if I could appear on whatever midday show was airing at the time and comment on the story.

I was terrified.

Although I survived the interview, I knew I had plenty of room for improvement. I could have used a primer like “The Esquire Guy’s Guide to Media Interviews”:

Entrepreneur has the full article here, but there are a few highlights that you should always keep in mind in an on-camera interview situation:

• Sit up straight
• Make eye contact
• Have details ready
• Never interrupt the interviewer

Also included is a list of things you shouldn’t say during an interview. My favorites:

• If you’ll allow me to read a passage from my new book entitled …
• This interview is over.
• Hold up. I’d like to do a shout out to …

7 books every writer should read

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:47:56 GMT

"If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot." — Stephen King

To be a good writer is to be a good reader.

I am amazed at the number of people I meet who have no education or writing background—let alone reading experience—who think they can write a book. Most talented writers are talented even without an education, but I have never met a good writer who wasn't also educated about, and addicted to, the written word.

Are you an aspiring writer with no major reading behind you? Here is your primer. (That said, there are hundreds—even thousands—of other books you can read to expand your vocabulary, mind and general knowledge.)

1. "Pride and Prejudice"

Nothing irks me more than when men scoff at the idea of reading this revered piece of English literature.

Yes, it's about a rich aristocrat and a young woman from a mouthy, lower-middle-class family. Yes, there is a famous BBC series that tells the story of Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet, and yes, it features Colin Firth in a wet, 18^th-century button-down shirt after a quick dip in the lake.

The story is also about, unsurprisingly, pride and prejudice. It manages to include themes that relate to social standing, vanity, love, conflict, family and first impressions. ("First Impressions" was actually the original title.)

Like a good movie (for those of you who watch more than you read), you notice new details and conjure new emotions every time you revisit this book. A truly good book changes each time you read it, and Jane Austen knew what she was doing.

Cool word from the novel: solicitude

2. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"

Like several great novels, this one begins with an orphan. He also happens to have a scar, a power-hungry nemesis, a red-headed best friend (Ron Weasley) and a bucktoothed gal pal (Hermione Granger).

This is the first novel in a series that taught children—and adults—to fall in love with books, even in the age of video games and virtual insanity. The movies made a couple of bucks at the box office, but before the films the story taught millions of voracious readers about the power of friendship, family, politics, oppression, life, death, sacrifice and, most of all, the power of choice. You go, J. K. Rowling!

The fact that I have a Harry Potter-themed bathroom is probably better off unmentioned, but it shows the power of the written word.

Cool word from the novel: wizened

3. "The Stranger"

I read this novel by Albert Camus in my sophomore year of high school and, once I read it, I never looked at life the same way again.

I wrote my honors English paper on the themes in this novel, and explored it again in college. Some of the topics may not appeal to everyone—they range from the meaninglessness of human life to death, Christianity, observation and the absurd—but they are intriguing to explore. I will never forget the first line or the last, but I don't want to ruin them for you.

Camus was brilliant, and you will feel your world open wider when you read his work.

Also see: "The Plague," "The Rebel," "The Fall" and the philosophical essay "The Myth of Sisyphus."

Cool word from the novel: gesticulate

4. "The Great Gatsby"

"Who is this Gatsby?"

The decadence of the roaring twenties seeps out of this superbly-executed novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald in such a way that you feel like you have entered his fictional world. Class, greed, the past and the future are all in play in this crazy ride of booze, babes and unrequited feelings gone bad.

Get the tissues ready and be prepared to think about your first love when you crack open this bad boy. Shake up a gin martini or sip champagne while you're at it, because tragedy is imminent. If absinthe is available, try that. The green fairy makes an appearance in this color-heavy text, as do plenty of opulent references to summer partying and expensive shirts.

Indulge in the Jazz Age and read one of the best modernist novels ever written.

Cool word from the novel: somnambulatory

5. "The Rum Diary"

Most writers would choose the more obvious "Slaughterhouse-Five" or "Catch-22" as novels that defined the 1950s and 1960s, but I chose "The Rum Diary" for its beautiful simplicity.

By gonzo author and "Playboy" and "Rolling Stone" contributor Hunter S. Thompson—more famously known for the insanity and debauchery of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas"—this second novel wasn't published until 1998, and is most certainly pre-gonzo.

Partially autobiographical, the story follows a writer looking for work at a lousy newspaper in Puerto Rico. He encounters a variety of characters mostly fueled on booze instead of the ether, coke and other drugs of choice in Thompson's later novels.

This novel is more pure, honest and simple. It's a modern novel that conjures the world of greats like Ernest Hemingway, and the imagery of Fitzgerald (in this case, crappy hotels, beautiful beaches and ramshackle bars). In fact, it is said that Thompson actually typed the entirety of "The Great Gatsby" to get a feel for the words of a master.

"The Rum Diary" is a splashy option for the curious reading novice. Don't miss the party dance scene; it's a powerful trigger for anyone with a visual imagination. Simplicity in text allows a reader to create his own imagery, and that is an important lesson for any would-be writer.

Cool word from the novel: slovenly

6. "Great Expectations"

Like Harry Potter after him, Pip is a boy who finds himself going from an unappreciated nobody to a character everyone knows. Social standing and class are prevalent themes in this novel, as are ambition, crime, love, wealth and the loss of innocence.

At once a love story (with a cold-hearted temptress), a detective story (who provides the dough?) and a descriptive jewel (Miss Havisham's house alone will have your mind disturbed and enchanted), this novel brings London and the natural beauty of the marshes of Kent to miraculous life. Remember, appearances are deceiving.

Cool word from the novel: ignominiously

7. "Lord of the Flies"

Civilized young boys turn savage when they are stranded on an island and forced to fight for food, friends and survival in this allegorical work by William Golding. Themes include the power struggle towards leadership and the loss of innocence. Golding explores conflict deeply in this text, forcing a reader to look at his personal beliefs and motivations. The young men in this novel have to grow up too quickly, which results in disastrous consequences.

"Lord of the Flies" illustrates the ability of any person to turn to evil, conjuring emotions and experiences of World War II and the true nature of humankind.

Cool word from the novel: ebullient

What novel do you think every writer should read? Share in the comments.

A version of this article first appeared on the Straight North Internet Marketing blog.

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The finalists for the 2013 PR Daily Awards

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:46:33 GMT

When we initially called for entries for the second annual PR Daily Awards, it was hard to imagine being blown away any further by the exceptional work we recognized in 2012.

Then the entries came.

From companies, brands, and corporations to agencies, firms, and nonprofits, the breadth of this year’s entrants not only varied in size and industry, but ran the gamut in terms of their varied successes and notable efforts.

The hard decisions needed to be made, and today we’re delighted to recognize the best of the best.

Here are the finalists for the 2013 PR Daily Awards:

Traditional

Best Crisis Management
Brinker International
Hellerman Baretz Communications for Capitol Petroleum Group
MAVERICK for the Toronto Eaton Centre
Peak Communicators for Canada West Veterinary Specialists (CWVS)
Planit for Chesapeake Shakespeare Co.

Best External Publication (Print or Online)
Adfero Group for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation
Broward Health/Fort Lauderdale Media Associates
Florida Realtors
KCETLink
Lahra Carey Media & Communications for Quest Serviced Apartments
UCB, with Biosector 2
UMass Lowell Office of University Relations

Best Infographic
Gregory FCA for CA Technologies
GroundFloor Media for Oskar Blues Brewery
InkHouse Media + Marketing for Bullhorn
Matter Communications
MSR Communications for CPP
NASPE/AAHPERD
Slingshot SEO for HCC Medical Insurance Services
Version 2.0 Communications for Acme Packet
VerticalResponse
Weber Shandwick for NIKE

Best Op-Ed Piece
Fifth Ring for Raytheon Professional Services
Gregory FCA for CAST Software
Noble Strategic Partners for the Smoke-Free Texas coalition
Marcus Group for New York-Presbyterian Hospital
U.S. Department of Labor
Version 2.0 Communications for the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies
Weiss PR for SECU Credit Union

Best PR White Paper
Varsity
Walker Sands Communications for Infogroup

Best Product Launch
Alpaytac Marketing Communications/Public Relations for CardNinja
BlackBerry
Child's Play Communications for Reading Rainbow
Konnect PR for Pure Fix Cycles
NYU Langone Medical Center
RF|Binder for McGraw-Hill Education
Version 2.0 Communications for Panjiva
Walker Sands Communications for HarperCollins

Best Publicity Campaign
Cantor Fitzgerald and its affiliate BGC Partners
Citrix
Hollander van der Mey for the Dutch Video on Demand Association
Ketchum for DoubleTree by Hilton
Symantec Corp./Connect Marketing for Symantec
University of Utah Health Sciences

Best Speech
Diageo North America
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.
U.S. Green Building Council
Zipcar

Best Traditional Campaign
2K Games
Affect for Radware
BlackBerry
CRT/tanaka for Cambria Suites
GreenRubino for Washington State Fruit Commission
Grow Marketing for Birkenstock USA
RF|Binder for Abine
RF|Binder for Ameriprise Financial
RF|Binder for the NYU Stern School of Business
Weber Shandwick for Mars Chocolate North America

Best Traditional News Release
Gregory FCA for CAST Software
Hunter Public Relations for Arby's Restaurant Group
Primum Marketing Communications for MRPC

Digital/Social Media

Best Blog
Adfero Group for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation
General Electric
Kaiser Permanente
MD Anderson Cancer Center
MSR Communications for Bluewolf
PATH
Walmart

Best Electronic Newsletter
Diageo North America
Hunter Public Relations
M/C/C for Harris CapRock
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
U.S. Department of Labor
Westbound Communications for San Bernardino Associated Governments

Best Email Pitch
Ketchum for DoubleTree by Hilton
LS2group for Ford Motor Co.
Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District

Best Facebook Page
Gregory FCA for Friendly Planet Travel
Marketing Support for Adobe Echosign
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Piedmont Healthcare
Marcus Group for Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L)

Best Location-Based Campaign
Dotted Line Communications for Ask.com
MWW for McDonald's
National Car Rental

Best Mobile Strategy and/or Campaign
(Winner will be named in the Special Edition.)

Best Online Newsroom
MWW for Nikon
Powell Tate

Best Podcast
Dixon Schwabl for Greater Rochester Enterprise
MD Anderson Cancer Center

Best PR Video
Canyon Communications for Rain for Rent
M/C/C for Chuck E. Cheese's
The Nebraska Medical Center

Best Social Media Campaign
Bailey Lauerman
CRT/tanaka for BISSELL Homecare
Lynn University
M/C/C for Chuck E. Cheese's
MSLGROUP, MSL China for Alpenliebe, Perfetti Van Melle
Mullen for Century 21 Real Estate LLC
MWW for Nikon
Walmart

Best Tweet of the Year
Dixon Schwabl for the Heritage Classic Foundation for the RBC Heritage
GroundFloor Media for Oskar Blues Brewery

Best Use of Twitter
Arketi Group for the Technology Association of Georgia
CerconeBrown for Seventh Generation
Mx Group for JMC Steel Group
U.S. Department of Labor

Best Viral or Word of Mouth Campaign
Feather River Hospital
Impetus Agency for American Pet Products Association
Nature Conservancy

Best Website Launch
American Automobile Association (AAA)
Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute
Coca-Cola Co.
CRT/tanaka for the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council
Intellectual Ventures
University of Utah Health Sciences

Annual Report

Best Annual Report
Concurrent Technologies Corporation
OCC
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
University of Utah Health Sciences
Waggener Edstrom Worldwide

Branding and Marketing

Best Branding Campaign
Alpaytac Marketing Communications/Public Relations for Turkish Airlines
BlackBerry
Ketchum for DoubleTree by Hilton
Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District
Piedmont Healthcare with Tailfin Marketing and Big Table Agency
RF|Binder for Band Aid Brand
RF|Binder for Band Aid Brand
Susan Magrino Agency for Hendrick's Gin

Best Cause-Related Marketing
Bailey Lauerman
California Earthquake Authority and American Red Cross
Cantor Fitzgerald and its affiliate BGC Partners
Flagger Force Traffic Control Services
NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA)
Children's Medical Center of Dayton
U.S. Green Building Council

Best Content Marketing/Brand Journalism
Gregory FCA for Yoh
rbb Public Relations
Securities America

Best Event Marketing
Dittoe Public Relations for the Western Golf Association (WGA)
Global Gateway Advisors and Polylog PR for the National Business Center for APEC in Moscow
Hollander van der Mey for the Dutch Video on Demand Association
Ketchum for DoubleTree by Hilton
King County, Washington
Peppercomm for Tyco
RF|Binder for Band Aid Brand

Community Relations/Special Campaigns

Best Community Relations Campaign
Ameren Missouri
Bailey Lauerman
Bullfrog & Baum
Diageo North America
Effect PR for TTNET
Griffin Strategies for LBJ Express
O'Malley Hansen Communications for HanesBrands

Best Corporate Social Responsibility
Abshire Public Relations for Parker's
CRT/tanaka for Charles Schwab Foundation
Diageo North America
Effect PR for TTNET
Pioneer Services, a Division of MidCountry Bank
PR Newswire & Mullen Advertising for Men's Wearhouse
PR Partners for Walmart de Mexico y Centroamerica (Walmart Mexico and Central America)
Weber Shandwick for Vital Voices and Bank of America

Best Fitness/Health Campaign
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
Hollander van der Mey for the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare & Sports
MWW for McDonald's
NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA)
Peak Communicators for the Canadian Diabetes Association
University of Michigan Health System Public Relations and Marketing Communications for University of Michigan Transplant Center

Best Green Initiative
Dixon Schwabl for Zotos International
Ogilvy Washington for LG Electronics
O'Malley Hansen Communications for HanesBrands
Suasion Communications Group for Concord Suites
U.S. Green Building Council
Walmart

Talent

Best Client of the Year
DoubleTree by Hilton, submitted by Ketchum
Babiators, submitted by Konnect PR
Avigilon, submitted by Peak Communicators

Best PR Team
Aflac
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
Dixon Schwabl
Florida Realtors
USACE Galveston District

Lifetime Achievement Award
(Winner will be named in the Special Edition.)

PR Rookie of the Year (Agency or Corporate)
Jackie Gogel, Cognito
Brandy Stone, Konnect PR
Reina Porritt, Minnesota Sports & Entertainment
Amber Rice, Noble Strategic Partners

Grand Prize: Best PR Campaign of the Year

Cantor Fitzgerald and its affiliate BGC Partners
Griffin Strategies for LBJ Express
Hollander van der Mey for the Dutch Video on Demand Association
Murphy O'Brien Public Relations for Mukul Beach, Golf & Spa
National Safe Boating Council for the National Safe Boating Council
Peppercomm for T.G.I. Friday's
RF|Binder for Band Aid Brand
Communications Group (tcgpr) for Skyline International Development
Nature Conservancy

We thank all those who entered.

Get more information here about the 2013 PR Daily Awards.

17 email etiquette tips

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:45:31 GMT

I've heard David Grossman speak and found him to be a great resource for all things related to internal communications and employee engagement.

He recently shared some great email tips to help you be more productive.

In the spirit of using email better, and helping others use email better, below are his tips—with my thoughts about them—that anyone can implement:

1. Keep your message simple and clear. Edit unnecessary words to focus your recipient on what's most important. Short sentences and bullet points make your message easier to read on a computer screen and smartphone. It's estimated that people read more than 40 percent of email on a smartphone.

2. Answer all questions and be proactive. Avoid wasting time with back-and-forth emails. Answer all the questions someone poses to you, and proactively answer the questions your recipient will likely ask next.

3. Respond quickly. Email is built for speed. Respond within 24 hours. If it will take longer to respond, let the sender know you received his or her email and are working on a response. You will build trust among your friends and business associates, and amaze your clients and prospects.

4. Use polite greetings and closings. "Please" and "thank you" go a long way to convey a positive tone.

5. Use proper spelling, grammar and punctuation. Be professional and show you care. Always use spell check and proofread your emails.

6. Do not use all caps. Did you mistake the meaning of that statement because "not" wasn't in caps? No? Neither will your recipient.

7. Don't use special formatting, backgrounds, colored text, or emoticons. Many feel they're unprofessional.

8. Double check for correct email addresses and attachments. Avoid being embarrassed or disseminating proprietary information.

9. Be clear in the subject line. Briefly explain the content of your message to prevent people from ignoring your emails.

10. Never send an email when you're upset. Step away from your computer and consider how to best resolve the issue.

11. Don't hide behind email. It feels so easy to avoid difficult conversations by sending an email, but research shows conflicts escalate more quickly and last longer over email.

12. Don't be afraid to pick up the phone. Email is not always the right vehicle. You should never give bad news over email. It's best to address complex information in a face-to-face conversation; nuance is often missed over email.

13. Use the Cc field as an FYI. The Cc field means "this is for your information," and you are not expected to take action. Cc your manager when you want him or her to know you took action.

14. Use the Bcc field for large groups of recipients. Don't advertise people's email addresses.

15. Only use "reply all" when appropriate. If everyone on the chain doesn't need to see your response, why fill up their inboxes?

16. Take care when you send large files. Check with your recipient in advance to see how she would like to receive the file.

17. Avoid sarcasm or tongue-in-cheek humor. Email doesn't convey the meaning behind these types of statements.

Which of these email tips could make a significant difference for you and those you email?

Tom Smith is director of operations and integrated marketing at Anua. He blogs at CTSmithIII's Blog, where a version of this article originally appeared. It first ran on PR Daily in June 2012.

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Should we embrace the social media faker?

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:52:56 GMT

There’s this guy. He’s become very popular in the “social business” space.

He annoys the crap out of me.

He tweets nothing unique—mainly quotes and platitudes that are very retweetable. He writes nothing original—mainly articles geared to appeal to the masses but without much substance.

He has a PR mission for the company he works for: to become known and, by proxy, to help his company become perceived as a social business. He preaches authenticity and transparency but then has all the employee Twitter accounts set to automatically tweet links to his posts and retweet him.

The PR machine gets him onto the right lists, the right panels, the right interviews, the right blogs. They create progressive stunts to get attention.

Why does this bother me so much?

Am I jealous of that attention? I can honestly say “no” to that. What does bother me is that people buy it. Hook, line, and sinker.

It seems crazy to me that someone who has actually done very little for his company with regard to actual change—or even progressive thought, for that matter—can become a leading voice for the movement of which I’m a part. It makes me feel that the things that actually matter to me, like the hard work of organizational transformation, are being belittled or devalued.

Here’s the thing: I tend to analyze the things that annoy me, and I can’t help but wonder if maybe I’m wrong about this “charlatan” view that I have. First off, by all accounts he is a nice guy. People I know and trust seem to like him, at least.

Second, there’s no question that this is an “inauthentic” approach, but maybe this is one of those times when if you say something loud enough and long enough you are then forced to become the thing you say you are—or risk exposure? The whole “fake it till you make it” thing?

Is faking it OK?

Is there value in that? Am I being too harsh in my judgment of this guy and others like him? Sure, he seems more concerned about image than reality at the moment, but maybe that will help to create a better reality later on.

I’ll never be in love with this approach, and, yes, it will probably always annoy me when people value what I consider the “wrong” things in this profession. But that’s just life, and I can’t apply my own values to everyone else.

It can’t be my mission to be the white knight out there trying to protect the masses from the snake oil. There are already plenty of those people out there, and frankly I find them just as annoying. Let’s face it, even this post it can be taken as a form of condescension and elitism: “I’m smarter than you, so let me warn you away from your own stupidity.”

The bottom line is that there are things that I wish didn’t work. There are things that make me question my own values and what I’m willing to sacrifice in the name of “success.”

Cognitive dissonance is a bitch, isn’t it? What are your thoughts on the subject?

Matt Ridings is a co-founder and CEO of Sidera Works, a marketing and organizational development consulting practice. A version of this story first appeared on Mark Schafer's blog, {grow}.

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