RFP's are understandable, but are often misguided and poorly executed attempts for a group of executives to justify (or guess) at who they think would be the best Public Relatons firm or advisor to represent their company. If I am asked to fill out an RFP, I will take it on a case-by-case basis, depending on the situation and complexity of the document. As a start, I have the client-to-be fill out the following form.
Receiving End: "Uh.... WTF man. I've been in meetings. I have 500 more emails to go. And, did tell you I forget what my kids looked like because I have been traveling and working so much?"
If you think your co-workers, clients, associates or your boss gets boat load of emails with requests, asks, action items and attached files, consider the volume of pitches journalists, bloggers and analysts get.
Don't Let Breaking News Break Your Relationships With the Media.
Even if you are launching the world's next big best thing, consider what I call The Principle of the Receiving End.
The fact of the matter is that the media at large is slammed with pitches and requests daily. It's hard to not only cover the news, but write meaningful and effective content in a very competitive and disruptive media cycle.
Where To Start?
Send a very brief pitch.
Something like: "Hi X, I'm a PR person for X. We're going to be launcing a new XXX that enables your readers to X. I would like to send you some additional information and if it's OK, a couple of hidden links so you can learn more. We are expecting to launch in about 6 weeks and would like to get on your radar.
Would this be of interest to you?
Don't Pitch. Ask for Permission to Pitch.
I find emails like these to be very effective. Even if there is no interest, I generally get a response. And if they are not the right person, I find find most journalists to be helpful and will point me to someone who might be a better fit.
Just Because They Don't Cover Your Doesn't Mean You Can't Try Again.
Even with journalists I know, sometimes they are just plain busy, backlogged and jammed up. That does not mean they are not interested. They just may not have the bandwidth to cover you righ now.
Next?
Cirlce them on Google Plus. Follow their writing. Comment on their blog.
Remember, there's a huge backlog of news to cover and if you consider the Principle of the Receiving End, you stand to increase your chances of receiving the coverage your company deserves.
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, which has the best pricing (note I did not say they were "cheaper"), the best reach, and the best service.
"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 yup, they actually work. They are not a substitute for the social web. They are a 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 a more formal process, and makes you really think through what you are saying -- and how you want to reflect the collective 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.
I'm discovering the application of QR codes as part of my online / social identity.
My QR code is on my letterhead, email signature, and on my next round of business cards from Moo.
I want to make it as easy and flexible as possible to reach, connect and stay in touch with friends, clients, media, bloggers and analysts that I work with on behalf of the work I do.
I'm personally using the Jumpscan application which builds your free QR Code.
Last night I had the opportunity to take part in watching a series of new company pitches based on a method known as 3DayStartup. As its name implies, participants spend an intense three days with the end game of trying to start a technology company in three days.
Most of the students were from Trinity University, and mirrors the initiatives that local entrepreneurs and investors Pat Condon and Dirk Elmendorf have taken with the recent creation of a new entrepreneurial program at Trinity University. Recently, Trinity announced the hiring of Luz Cristal Sanchez Glangchai as Associate Director of the program.
Blair’s firm looks at deals ranging from $100,000 to $1,000,000, so an event like this is a great place to get a sense of what early stage companies are trying to build out before they go to someone like Blair’s firm.
“You know it when you see it….”
As you can see in this video, Blair talks about the types of companies he is looking for, and how the way the world has changed in terms of raising money.The cost of starting up has been dramatically reduced, especially when you can outsource infrastructure services from companies like Rackspace or Amazon.
Blair’s looking for deals in gaming, and specifically any type of company that is taking advantage of game mechanics to drive users and usage on the mobile web.
Blair also points out that if you can raise some amount of angel money, you are more likely to attract the attention of a firm like his.If you’ve raised some amount of money from an angel, then it also means that you have someone who has done some due diligence as a precursor to having a firm like DFJ Mercury consider you and your team.
During SXSW, I was interviewed by Steve Fisher, who covers customer experience stories for Network Solutions. Yes, I am a happy Network Solutions customer, but there is more to the story than just this.
The point that I make is that lower cost, or even "free" services have a hidden price. I'm stating the obvious here, but you get what you pay for. Beyond the obvious, I just trust them to take care of what might normally be seen as a commodity- which their services are not.
If you want to gain an insight on the value of trust, listen to my friend, Tony Greenberg. He's a deep thinker who understands the realities the IT services business and the how trust is gained on his site - OnlyTimeBuysTrust.
Before you go out and buy a bunch of apps for your iPad, my suggestion is download as many free apps as you can, and use them.You’ll get the hang of the interface, learn to use the very cool Multi-Touch technology and then decide which apps you may want to buy.
Initially, I suggest using your iPad as a media reader from sources like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, USA Today
-ABC Player – the future of broadcast TV on tablets
-Amazon Kindle – a great way to buy books
-BBC News – terrific presentation and organization of world news
-Bloomberg – also a terrific presentation
-Epicurious – well done cook book
-EverNote – a great place to store notes, photos and much more
-GAP – this is the future of online retailing
-Kayak – shop for travel
-Netflix – a great alternative to getting your videos from the Apple online store
-NPR – aside from The New York Times, the absolute best presentation of online, multimedia content
-TweetDeck – my personal fave for managing your Twitter feeds and of course, Tweeting Up.
-TWitPad – a different approach than what ABC Player has done because it’s all geared for online TV as opposed to broadcast TV modified for the iPad.
-Urban Spoon – same as on the iPhone or your desktop, but better view and interface on the iPad
-Yahoo Entertainment – set up your own online TV guide.Makes your being a couch potato
Other locals in San Antonio who bought an iPad because...
SalesBy5’s Chief Inspiration Officer, Nan Palmero was with his wife, Ashley who is a wedding photographer.He was buying one for her so she could make presentations to prospective and do photo previews on a tablet like platform.Wes Wilson, CEO of Upstack and Brandstack, bought one to do presentations for potential investors and partners. Ryan Kelly, CEO of Pear Analytics bought one because his company has an app for the iPhone and they are presently working on an iPad specific app that will ship in the next 90 days.Rackspace’sRobert Taylor, bought one for his personal use.He is an Apple fan and thought it was important buy one and be an early adapter.
Articles / Insights You Can Use to Learn More About Why The iPad Matters
