A Visit with Marilyn

I haven’t told anyone this, except my husband. A couple of months ago, I dreamed of Marilyn Potts. I was sitting at a luncheon table when she walked in and sat next to me. Someone was speaking at the podium, so she remained quiet. But there she was: tall, happy and kind.

I’ve never been one to take much stock in the meaning of dreams. I don’t even own a dream interpretation book. Still, this one struck me. In the dream, I kept looking around for someone else to notice that a ghost was at my table. But everyone nearby was new to our group and hadn’t known Marilyn. They weren’t aware of the legacy that follows her.

It’s fitting really. The whole reason we started the Marilyn Potts Endowment Fund after her death was to support young people as they transition from college to the professional world of public relations. It was something Marilyn did herself.

The reason I am bringing this up now is that our Del Oro Awards banquet is next week. There will be many things to celebrate, like our individual winners – Kelly G. Morris, APR, Kami Watson Huyse, APR, Adriana R. Garcia and Randy Escamilla – along with the great PR work of our campaigns and tactics winners. But we also will be raising funds for the Marilyn Potts Endowment Fund. We need to raise a few thousand more dollars in order to be able to start dispersing funds. And there is a class of seniors who could use our support right away.

So I hope that if you attend the banquet, you will either make a hefty donation or bid on several silent auction items. In fact, if you lose something you bid on, I hope you will write the check anyway. If you can’t be there, you can still make a donation.

How natural it will be someday, to see many more new and young faces at PR events unknowingly surrounding Marilyn’s spirit and fulfilling her dreams for them.

PRSA Silver Anvil is Now on Facebook

PRSA has created a Facebook page focusing on the Silver Anvil Awards. Here is the text of the announcement:

Visit the PRSA Silver Anvil Awards Evening event page on Facebook to keep up with latest news about the industry's most recognized and prestigious award program. The icon of best public relations practices, the Silver Anvil Awards will be presented on Thursday, June 5, 2008, at the Equitable Center in midtown Manhattan. The Silver Anvil Awards Evening has been named the “#1 Public Relations Industry Event in New York” by BizBash in its annual “New York’s Top 100 Events,” and will feature special guest celebrities along with pre-eminent public relations professionals who have risen to the top of their game in a highly competitive contest.

Use the Silver Anvil Awards Evening event page to invite others to learn more about the event and post your photos from the 2007 Silver Anvil Awards Evening. As we get closer to June 5, we'll post more updates, including podcast links, webcast dates, video clips and post-event photos.

Get Well Soon Charlie!

Our dear friend and PRSA leader, Charlie Kenworthey, APR, Fellow PRSA, underwent surgery for an aortic aneurism on April 9. He is out of ICU and is now recovering. Many of our members have asked how to share their get-well wishes. Cards can be sent to 1103 River Vista West, San Antonio, Texas 78216.

I've got Social Media Block

Like a ton of other people who work in offices, I'm blocked from quite a few web sites, many of them social media-related, at work. I do public relations for a large hospital system and I understand security. I get it, we deal with a lot of sensitive information – almost none of which I have access to. I also understand when you have thousands of employees that there is potential for a lot of "lost" time if said employees are playing around on the Internet while at work.

My challenge with not having access is that I monitor media and do media relations for my system and I don't have access to the same information that the reporters do. I also have some employee relations duties and I don't have access to a lot of the sites that might tell me how our folk are feeling. If they post on Facebook, MySpace, or YouTube, I'm out of luck. I can't see what they might have said when I'm at the office. So I look when I'm home after my son's gone to sleep.

Since tracking employee feelings outside the workplace isn't my main function, it's not that big a deal to look while I'm at home. The real problem comes when a reporter asks for something related to a site that is blocked to me. Here's a recap of a recent conversation I had with a reporter:

Reporter: We've found some video on YouTube showing patients being transported by an ambulance service. Can you look at the video and tell me if it's a HIPAA violation?

Me: Um, I don't have access to YouTube and wouldn't comment on another organization; but, I'm happy to direct you to a good resource to help you understand HIPAA.

Reporter: You can't look at YouTube [I'm pretty sure I hear laughter in his voice]?

Me: No, it's a site that is blocked on our system.

Reporter: Wow. So anybody can say anything about your hospital and you won't even know it?

Me: Well, anyone can say anything about our hospital because it's their right to do that. But, no, if I wanted to check from work, I wouldn't know.

Reporter: Hey, if I ever come across anything, I'll let you know!

Me: Gosh. Thanks.

I follow a group of people on Twitter who are so incredibly smart, well informed, and sharing that I'm constantly learning from them via their Tweets. When I first came to this health system, I noticed that Twitter was one of the blocked sites. When I asked our IT guy to see if I could have it added to my "safe" list, he got back to me with this funny answer, "Sherry, Twitter is listed as a 'match making' site, so we can't okay it. I thought you were dating someone?"

Great. So not only was I blocked, the IT guy thinks I'm trying to hook up while at the office. So, now I post to Twitter through text on my personal phone and I read using my company BlackBerry (but can't post through BB because its Java function has been disabled). It's worth it to me to have access to the group I'm following – I learn something almost every day – but it's so convoluted!

If you want another take on the "Blocking" visit Shel Holtz's campaign against corporate blocking. For me, being blocked from sites is a pain but not really a huge hindrance to my work. For a lot of people though, it can be a real strain. Shel's got a great source of information about it on Stop Blocking!

I'm interested to hear your thoughts on blocking. Has blocking been a strain on your professional time? At what point can employees be trusted to not abuse the system by hours of shopping online or chatting with friends?

What do you think?

New Media, New Influencers & Implications for PR

The Society for New Communications Research has released the results of its study, "New Media, New Influencers & Implications for the Public Relations Profession." You can download the whitepaper online. Below is quoted from the executive summary:

Public relations professionals today are confronted with an astounding array of new communications channels. Internet-based social media tools like blogs, podcasts, online video and social networks are giving voice to the opinions of millions of consumers. While mainstream media continues to play a vital role in the dissemination of information, even these traditional channels are increasingly being influenced by online conversations.

The "new influencers" are beginning to tear at the fabric of corporate communications and marketing as they have existed for 100 years, giving rise to a new style characterized by conversation and community.

The Society for New Communications Research set out to conduct an examination of how influence patterns are changing and how communications professionals are addressing those changes by adopting social media. The goals were to discover how organizations:

• Define new influencers;
• Communicate and create relationships with them;
• Use social media to create influence; and
• Measure the effects of these efforts.

The larger goal of the study was to use these discoveries to offer a set of recommendations to professional communicators.

This is quite a thought-proving report. I urge you to read it and see how the findings compare to how your organization is approaching and measuring social media impacts.

Even Spys are Blogging

If you think your organization’s work is too sensitive to blog about. Think again.

The Israeli Secret Service has launched its own blog. That’s right. Spys are blogging.

The blog is authored by four agents, shown only in silhouette, talking about their jobs and recruitment and answering questions from readers. According to the BBC story, the agency is hoping to debunk myths and nurture recruitment.

This is just one more demonstration of the fact that starting an organizational blog doesn’t have to mean revealing all your business secrets. But there may be something related to the work you do that people would be interested in having a conversation about.

It just may take a little creativity. Luckily, that’s what PR people are good at.

More Resources on Using Twitter

In my last post about Twitter, I suggested you read Dan York’s post, “The 10 ways I learned to use Twitter in 2007... (aka Why and How I use Twitter).” In addition, I’m providing links to some additional resources about using Twitter. (By the way, I found some of these through Twitter posts by my followees and the others through a search in Delicious, another tool I’ve recommended.)

Using Twitter to Help Communities
Blog post by Nate Ritter

From Twits to Tweeple, Why I Embraced Twitter and You Should Too
Five-part series by Jennifer Laycock

Part one gives step-by-step directions on getting your Twitter account up and running.

Part two explains how to send messages and take advantage of the Twitter follow/followers system.

Part three explains how Twitter can help you meet new people.

Part four discusses the power of Twitter in terms of driving traffic and launching viral buzz.

Part five discusses use of Twitter as a news source.

The Big Juicy Twitter Guide
Very useful seven-part series by Caroline Middlebrook

The Several Habits of Wildly Successful Twitter Users
From the Slacker Manager blog

Newbie's guide to Twitter
By Rafe Needleman

PR Director Escamilla Blogs about Client's Humanitarian Work in Zambia

PRSA member and former local television reporter, Randy Escamilla, is currently writing for one of the blogs hosted by the San Antonio Express-News. Randy heads up public relations for the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word. On Friday, he left with some of the sisters on humanitarian mission to Mongu, Zambia -- the poorest and most remote part of this African nation. They will be continuing their work to save babies from AIDS.

While there, Randy will be sharing stories with us through a blog that is part of the SAEN's "Postcards" blog series.

Read Randy's story to learn more about the Sisters' work over the next two weeks of their trip.

But also take a look at this creative tactic of using a temporary blog to tell a story from the other side of the globe.

Big Ideas, Small Budget – Podcast Online for Non-Profit Communicators

Roughly a quarter of the registrants at our PRSA luncheon today represent non-profit organizations. Thus, I want to let you know about a podcast that went online a few days ago. Donna Papacosta of Trafalgar Communications held a conference call recently about non-profit communications, particularly related to social media. She has turned that conversation into her latest podcast episode, Big Ideas, Small Budget. (Disclosure: The voice with a drawl is mine.)

This is my 20th year working in the non-profit sector. In that environment, it’s easy to get used to thinking small. Ironically, while big businesses are struggling to understand the social change we are currently going through that limits the effectiveness of one way mass communications, many of us in the non-profit world have long understood the value of dialog directly with stakeholders. This wasn’t because we were ahead of the game or anything. We just couldn’t afford to keep up with the big guys.

But the world is changing. Social media tools open doors to us to communicate more effectively with small budgets. But perhaps this is also our time to step up and provide some leadership by sharing knowledge about building relationships based on trust and mutual listening.

Don't miss our next luncheon about the Final Four in SA!

Our next chapter luncheon is this Thursday giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what San Antonio is doing to host a great NCAA men's Final Four showdown this spring.

Details are on the chapter web site -- where you can also register. Come along, it'll be fun.

Ten PR steps to multiply trade show results

By Robert Sheldon, APR
Public Relations Director, Creative Communications Consultants, Inc.
(cross posted from PRSA San Antonio Byline)

If you have a client or employer who exhibits at trade shows, chances are they spend a lot of money on booth space rental, transportation, travel, booth graphics – not to mention labor. Good public relations planning and execution can help multiply the results from this costly effort. Here are ten steps for better results:

1. Build excitement among attendees with pre-show publicity. In the months leading up to the show, announce what must-see new products will be at the show or describe demonstrations or activities at the booth. The objective is to build traffic from potential customers/attendees.

2. Make a list of all the possible magazine or Web editors who follow your client’s/employer’s industry and call them to see if they will be attending. Don’t just do an e-mail blast. If they’re coming, invite them to stop by the booth at a specific time for one-on-one meetings with company representatives or to preview new products. Follow-up by e-mail to confirm the appointments.

3. If the trade show has a tabloid-style “show daily” publication, contact the editor well in advance to place key news releases or even feature stories involving your client/employer. These are well-read by trade show attendees and help to build booth traffic.

4. If the trade show has a conference in addition to the show, encourage your client/employer to be a presenter on his/her area of expertise. You’ll need to start early, however, as presenters are chosen months in advance.

5. If warranted, prepare a press kit with news releases on the new products being introduced at the show and any relevant features. Provide a CD with documents and high-resolution photos in the kit; or list an ftp download site if you have one. When an editor visits, walk through the press kit to highlight your main messages.

6. If the show has a “press room,” be sure to keep it stocked with additional press kits.

7. Schedule a press conference only if you have “earth-shattering news” that is likely to prompt significant interest from the trade media. When in doubt, don’t waste editors’ time.

8. Immediately after the show, send out personalized thank-you notes to every editor who stopped by the booth. Reiterate the main points you wanted them to take away from the show.

9. Send the press kit to all remaining editors on your original call list who didn’t attend the show but follow the industry.

10. If you discussed future articles ideas with editors, follow-up by phone about a week later to see if they still want to pursue them.

Finally, track your publicity efforts with key publications in the following weeks and report the results – because you will get them!

On Build-A-Bear, Privacy, and Protecting Children and Your Company

I heard about this on Jumping Monkeys (one of my favorite podcasts, which focuses on raising children in a digital age). They recently interviewed Denise Howell who is one of the few women who writes a blog for ZD Net. She is a lawyer focusing on the “intersection of emerging technologies and law.”

In January, she wrote about her visit to Build-A-Bear store, where children get to design, stuff and accessorize their own bears. Denise’s keen eyes noticed that the company was enticing children to provide personal information on their super-cute in-store computers. Upon publishing her first post about it (“Harvesting data from children with cuddly creatures and cutesy keyboards”), she got quite a reaction which she describes in a follow-up post (“Follow-up: Build-A-Bear says it will take privacy suggestions to heart”). The most interesting is the quick and thoughtful response from the company, which she also shares with permission.

The whole situation raises some compelling points:

1. The response from a company representative to a blog post is an excellent example of using the social media space. As PR folk, we absolutely must be encouraging our clients and organizations to monitor the blogosphere and how to respond to criticism and praise. This is not something to figure out when we get around to it later this year. It’s a now thing. Build-A-Bear gets good points for this one.

2. If you have any part of collecting customer or web site visitor data, make sure you: are following the laws that govern this, have a privacy policy in place and clearly visible, are protect the data securely – extra securely – and are not misleading anyone. Denise provides specific suggestions to Build-A-Bear that you can read in their e-mail exchange.

3. Children are a special population. If your customers are children, then re-read #2 above more carefully.

4. As consumers, we must be more mindful about your own privacy and what data we are sharing. Does that retail store really need to know about your first-born in order to sell you a battery? Heck no!

5. As a parent, teach your children not to type personal information into a computer. Explain what personal information is. After hearing this story, I had a 3-minute talk with my 6-year-old. I told her that when she is on the Internet, not to type her full name, her address, her phone number, or even the name of her school. She asked why. I said, for safety. That was enough for her age. This is how I know: She then said, if the Internet page asks for any of that, I’ll just… “ask your mom or dad first,” I suggested. But she continued, “no, I’ll just click that red X at the top.”

This topic is critical to our organizations and clients legally, ethically and in terms of reputation. It’s also about making sure that in the enthusiasm of some great project that we don’t overlook who it’s all for.

Blogging Tutorial Available Free Until Feb 29

The web site service, atomiclearning.com, has for the month of February made available a type of online workshop about blogging. It is comprised of a host of screencasts in bitesize topics (with a focus on blogger.com). These are usually part of their paid annual service, but in February the blogging screencasts are free.

Topics include: blogging basics, selecting a blog hosting solution, creating a blogger blog, authoring your first blog post, formatting and editing, using hyperlinks, posting images, syndicating your blog and team blogging – just to name a few.

Check it this online Blogging Workshop. But hurry, it’s only free for the next two weeks!

Tweeting with Twitter is Sweet PR Treat

I finally signed up for Twitter a couple of months ago. I had been avoiding it because so many people said it is addictive. And it is, but not in a bad way.

Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service – meaning once you sign up (easily), you can send updates (or "tweets") of up to 140 characters long) to the Twitter web site. You choose people to follow so you can read their tweets, and people follow you to read yours. Over time, you’re part of a community.

If you’re boring, you could just post details of what you are doing, like drinking coffee, getting sleepy, etc.

Or you can be creative.

You can share insights you’ve had and resources you’ve found. You can ask questions and learn from people in your network. The cool thing is that you communicate quickly and you don’t have to be at your computer. You can use Twitter from your cell phone as well.

From an organizational standpoint, there is lots of potential. For example, universities are using Twitter to notify students about emergencies.

Learn more about how you can use Twitter by reading Dan York’s post, “The 10 ways I learned to use Twitter in 2007... (aka Why and How I use Twitter).”

Oh yeah, follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/clgoodman

Warning, this Newscast May be Dangerous to Your Health

As a PR person, I am probably not supposed to say this out loud. It’s the kind of thing we say only among friends. But I haven’t kept it a secret. So it’s not really a confession when I reveal that I can’t stand TV news.

As a PR person, I am supposed to keep track of what’s being covered on local news. I’m supposed to know who’s reporting for what station.

But when I watch, I get so angry – angry about the sensationalism, about the violence, about reporters shoving microphones in the faces of people who are grieving or in the midst of some personal tragedy. And I get angry at the lack of thoroughness that reporters are forced to comply with.

As a mother of young children, it is easy for me to get out of my news-watching obligation. There is no argument that TV news is not healthy for young children.

So imagine my dilemma a few days ago, when my first-grader’s homework assignment included watching the weather report on TV. We turned on the 9:00 news hoping they would touch on the weather at the start of the newscast. (Yes, I realize the 9:00 news is Fox, but I wasn’t going to keep my child up later for the 10:00 news options.)

As the anchors started running down the stories they would be covering, one announced: “Woman found chopped up in her front yard!”

Click.

I’m not picking on the reporters themselves. They are part of a system that is driven by powerful outside forces while at the same time being critical to our democratic society. So, yes, it’s important to tell the bad news as well as the good. And yes, there is a lot in this world that is not pretty. I understand that.

But come on.

We can do better than this.

CustomScoop Trial Passes the Test

I’ve been meaning to share with you my experience when I tried CustomScoop’s free trial clipping service. CustomScoop provides online blog and media monitoring service. Listeners to the New Comm Road and For Immediate Release podcasts can receive a free trial.

I took advantage of this offer in October when my organization released some research. In addition to the trial, I also use Nexis and Google Alerts to monitor media coverage, and Technorati and Google blog search to monitor blog mentions.

The results? CustomScoop did better than all the others combined.

Based on the search terms I had defined, I received an e-mail listing of the current day’s news and blog coverage every morning. Nexis didn’t find any of them, even though some included major Texas newspapers. Google Alerts sent about half of the newspaper stories CustomScoop found. And the ones from Google usually came a day later.

I definitely recommend you check them out. Plus, there are some freebies on their web site.

My Second Report Card for Learning New Technologies

This time last year I set some goals for 2007 for learning technologies. Here’s how I did and what’s in store for 2008.

New web site
The site is still up and running. But I can’t say much more than that. My goal for 2007 to train employees to use the CMS so they can create content was way too small. So, I attended a Ragan conference on web site management in December and have come up with a whole new strategy for using and growing our site strategically.

Lesson so far: If you want a different result, do something differently or even revolutionary.

Goal for 2008: Completely restructure how our organization maintains and uses our web site.

Social Networking
This year, I spent more time in Facebook and MyRagan. I also discovered that I’d set up a LinkedIn account a few years ago. As a result, I’ve reconnected with my best friend from high school. But I haven’t found an application for my work yet, mainly because I can’t find our target audiences online. The tools I’m using most regularly are podcasting, Jott and Delicious. And I’ve just joined Twitter about two months ago.

Lessons so far: Less is more. I do not have time or inkling to try them all.

Goals for 2008: Introduce employees to social media tools and applications for work.

Blogs
Blog monitoring has only been slightly beneficial to my work. But I’ll keep it up. One of my goals for 2007 was to leave more comments on others’ blogs. That has gone out the door. I haven’t found very many bloggers who are dealing with my industry yet. And the other blogs I like, focusing on PR and communications, are interesting and insightful. But I found that if I’m reading them at work, I’m not getting my work done. And if I’m reading them at home, I’m not spending time with my family.

Goals for 2008: Keep looking for bloggers who reach my target audience.

Media Relations via Social Media
This year, I made more improvements to the press room section of our web site. But we’ve had very little news for media. Next year will be different, so I’ll have more chances to improve my use of the social media release and other Web 2.0 tools.

Goals for 2008: Improve my use of the social media release. Use other social media to be a better resource to reporters.

Podcasting
From a work perspective, our podcast has grown dramatically even though I slacked a bit on promoting it. And we have even bigger goals for next year. From a personal perspective, I discovered some mommy-podcasts. Instead of reading blogs, I am listening to podcasts whenever I am in the car, on an airplane or waiting while my kids are in gymnastics. I still listen to the great communications-related podcasts, but the ones by moms and by parents, are the ones that really speak to me and make me laugh out loud at inappropriate places.

Lessons so far: Podcasts are easy to integrate into the daily life of a working mom.

Goal for 2008: Continue to improve and promote our podcast series.

For me, social media is not the new thing anymore. It’s a part of my life, but not as much as it is for other people. I’m not an expert, but I know enough now to say yes to some elements and no to others. The truth remains, we learn best by doing.

Meet National PRSA Chairman Jeff Julin

I’ve got another must-listen podcast for you. Eric Schwartzman hosts the On the Record Online podcast. He recently interviewed PRSA’s 2008 chair, Jeff Julin. In the short interview, Julin talks about the biggest challenges currently facing the PR industry and what he plans to do as PRSA chair.

The interview is the first opportunity for many of us as PRSA members to “meet” Julin who seems quite personable. And I always appreciate Eric’s interview style.

------------------------

Thanks Eric!

PS. When are you going to give us the behind the scene’s view of the writers’ strike? Are we going to miss out on the Academy Awards this year?

The Truth Behind FEMA’s Fake News Conference

The cliché perfect storm is getting real old, but there’s no other way to describe what led up to the so-called fake news conference held by FEMA leaders during the October wild fires in California. And our own Kami Watson-Huyse, APR, gives us the behind the scenes story.

In a first-ever guest interview for the popular podcast, For Immediate Release, Kami talks with John “Pat” Philbin, the now former FEMA director of external affairs, who is quite candid.

It is a tale of overworked and exhausted staff of an agency under fire while responding to a natural disaster. A highly politicized nation’s capitol. Reporters who are either lazy or at least quick to judge. Ethical and tactical mistakes made by junior staff. And a boss with character who takes responsibility rather than pointing fingers – at great personal cost.

You can read the interview on Kami’s blog, Communications Overtones or listen to it at For Immediate Release. You can also join in the discussion on Kami’s blog, where Pat Philbin is participating and willing to answer your questions.

TPRA Silver Spur/Best of Texas Awards Competition

From the call for entries…

Hold on to your hats and buckle your seat belts! Before the 2008 roller coaster we’re all on gets too far along the tracks, don’t forget we're already moving fast toward the entry deadlines for the 2008 Silver Spur/Best of Texas Awards Competition. The “First Call” deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17. The “Last Call” deadline (with a $50/entry late fee) is 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24.

Visit www.tpra.com for entry information and the online payment form. Or, for more information, contact Julie B. Fix, APR, TPRA Contest Manager, at awards@tpra.com">awards@tpra.com or call 281-494-6097.

The 2008 Silver Spur/Best of Texas Awards is sponsored by the Texas Public Relations Association and the Austin, Central Texas, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio PRSA Chapters. Members of all sponsoring organizations qualify for the "member" rate on entry fees.

The best work in Texas public relations will be recognized at The 2008 Silver Spur/Best of Texas Annual Awards Banquet, Saturday, March 1 at the St. Anthony Hotel in San Antonio, in conjunction with TPRA's Annual Conference, Feb. 29 – March 2. Mark your calendars and make plans to celebrate with your PR friends. (For information about the conference, visit www.tpra.com)