Alan Weinkrantz PR Web Log

Client, Pocket Communications, Gets Nice Profile in San Antonio "Express-News."

Client, Pocket Communications, had a nice profile in today's San Antonio Express-News.

The company is in a transition in re-branding itself with a new campaign theme "Truth in Wireless."  I am just getting going with my team on this initiative- so stay tuned for more to come.  

This is a great company with a very good management team and compelling product and service offering.  

Stay tuned.

Yes, Social Media Principles Apply to Musicians Too...

As an amateur musician, I think hard about social media applications for what I do with my love of music.  

I have been fortunate to help my guitar teacher, Steve Owens and have been given the opportunity to shoot videos of product reviews for my friends over at Red Bone Guitar Boutique in San Antonio.

Today, I am speaking to the Texas Music Coalition on Social Media for.... musicians.

Here is my presentation...

Texas Music Coalition 2009

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Before You Hire a PR or Social Media Consultant, Think About This...

So you've got your budget in place, lots of new initiatives under way and your company is ready to top the charts with news and buzz.

That's all fine and good, but you gotta have more than that.  

You have to have an internal resource - often not the VP of Marketing who can be a go to person who can take ownership of the client / agency relationship.

Years ago, PR was pretty much handled by a VP of Marketing or the Director of Marketing Communications.  We developed communications strategies, wrote traditional press releases, did outreach to the media and industry analysts and it all worked very well.

Now, with Social Media, the team and the nature of what we do has expanded.  There is a shift to voices - and having multiple voices in a company.  Often times, it's in real time. The voice of my clients are found on Blogs, conversations on other blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Wikipedia and yes, in industry analyst reports and traditional media.  

Before you move forward, it's important to make sure that if I call on an internal resource for product information, technology clarification, input on messaging, availability to be interviewed, or integration with your IT department for social media initiatives, everyone on the team has buy-in and is willing to make the time to integrate strategic PR and Social Communications into the mix. 

Does Your Company Have Social Media Policy in Place? My Talk at Today's San Antonio North Chamber Luncheon

Today, I spoke briefly at the San Antonio North Chamber Luncheon on the subject of Social Media in the Enterprise.  Most of my talk was centered on internal policies, mostly dealing with employees and team members.  

Social Media Policies

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I think the overriding principle should be:  "use common sense and don't be mean or stupid."  Your mileage will vary, but at the very least you should have some type of policy or policy initiative in place.

The presentation is on SlideShare or you can download and print here:

Download Social Media Policies

It's Camp Time in San Antonio May - September 2009

My column in today's San Antonio "Express-News" covered the idea of attending and taking part in various "camps," now through September.

May 9

GreenCamp

May 19

PodCamp 

May 29-31

StartUp Weekend

July 18

TweetCamp

August 1

ActionCamp

To learn more about the BarCamp movement, click here on Wikipedia

September 5

BarCamp

Personal Branding (good for your company and good for you!) - My Talk at IABC / San Antonio 2009

Today, I am speaking on the subject of Personal Branding at the IABC Meeting in San Antonio.  A special thanks to my pal, Brittany Tradup, from Robot Creative for inviting me.

IABC / San Antonio Personal Branding April 28 09

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You may also download the presentation on Slideshare here.

PR Really Matters - and Works with Social Media - My Talk at InteractiveAustin 2009

Today I am speaking at InteractiveAustin 2009.  My talk is called "PR Really Matters and Works with Social Media."

PR and Social Media -Interactive Austin April 27, 2009

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You may also download the presentation from SlideShare here 

How (and why) I am Branding Myself via BlogCatalog

One of my New Year's resolutions was to be more purposeful in developing my personal brand.  I wrote about this subject in my January column in the San Antonio Express-News.

I have been following the sage advise of Personal Brand Master, Dan Schwabel, along these lines.

Aside from being present and actives on my blogs and on sites like Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, etc. I've also tried to be more present on BlogCatalog, which is what this post is really about.

In looking at how to mash up, and best represent myself on the Social Web, I recently bought alanweinkrantz.tel which is the new domain for that purpose.  

While I really like the .tel concept, it does limit me in terms of graphically representing my brand.  If you look at my profile on BlogCatalog, you can see what not only my presence, but a graphically pleasing mash up of my activity on Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, etc.

If you are developing your own personal branding strategies, BlogCatalog should be part of your mix.  There is more to this site than just the blogosphere.

Disclosure:  I have done consulting work for BlogCatalog in the past, but they are currently not an active client.  

Want to Find Journalists on Twitter? Here's How. But Manage Your Expectations.

As more and more journalists are on Twitter, this might be a good way to follow and build relationships in your pitching efforts.

I just discovered Muck Rack, an online site that lists journalists who are active on Twitter.

The basic idea is good, but you still have to do your research:  is the journalist who is Tweeting away appropriate for your pitch?  If you are pitching technology, you probably won't want to pitch the travel Tweeter. 

My suggestion is that before you engage, much less pitch, you might try following the person at the appropriate news site you are hoping to gain coverage in.  Sometimes a simple phone call or brief email pitch (though somewhat old school) can still work and be very effective.

Your Tweeting (or Mileage) may vary.

How To Write a News Release (Here's a Handy Form). And Yes, News Releases Still Matter

Whenever I talk about doing traditional press releases, I generally get a blank stare or a look of disbelief.  

Typical Responses I get to the notion of press releases and heaven forbid, using a Wire Service like BusinessWire or PR Newswire.

"Who reads news releases?"

"No one is going to just pick up a news release."

"Why can't we just announce what we have to say on the social web and count on others to spread the word?"

"Our fans on Twitter will Tweet this thing up."

"OMG- news releases are so.... Web 1.0"

Here's my belief:  when appropriate, news releases matter, have impact and actually work.  They are not a substitute for the social web, they are part of your overall communications strategy.

If you are publicly traded, then it's a no-brainer that you have to have traditional news releases for disclosure and compliance issues.  And if you are not, I still believe that select, strategic news merits the time and minor expense of a news news release.

Here's why:

1.  Writing a news release is more formal and makes you really think through what you are saying and how you want to reflect the written word about your company.

2.  Investors, partners, suppliers, and your other publics will still mosey on into your press room to see what's news, how you report your news, and the wording and editorial strategy you take.  

3.  The written word is very much a part of your overall brand experience.  How you write, the tone and choice of words is very much akin to the graphical image you project, the company culture you promote and the quality of customer service you aim for.

4.  News releases, if applied correctly, can be searched (and found) on Google.  They are also a platform which can easily be re-published and spread by your stakeholders on the social web.

5.  A well written and well crafted news release illustrates team work and common vision.  

There is more to a news release than just the mechanics of writing and pitching. 

Oh, and speaking of pitching, yes, I still do very traditional pitching.  And that's a whole other post in its own right.

Here's a hand form you can use to get the press release writing process going.

Any comments on you belief (or disbelief) in using press releases?  How do you and your team writing your press releases?

Download News Release Input Form