Why Public Relations And Media Relations Don't Mean The Same Thing Anymore

Don't get stuck in the past. PR folks need to keep up with the ever-evolving digital world to stay relevant.

Public relations is evolving faster than an out-of-control science fiction character. Yet many PR companies in my experience are stuck in the past.

They still think of public relations as straight media relations with maybe a dollop of social media added, along with a sprinkling of branded content.

Don’t get me wrong. Media relations remains a viable part of public relations. But it’s just part of what the profession can do. Unfortunately, companies that don’t recognize that are missing a major opportunity.

“Today PR often encompasses everything from social media to content marketing and even native advertising in some cases,” says Rebekah Iliff, chief strategy officer of AirPR, the PR marketplace and technology platform.

While once the stepchild to its more glamorous sibling advertising, PR today can in fact far surpass the performance of advertising thanks to its ability to turn more traffic into leads.
For example, AirPR's data show that PR generates conversion rates 10 to 50 times that of advertising conversions.

A recent Nielsen-inPowered study showed that earned media--which is just a fancy word for PR--is more effective than branded content at all stages of the purchase funnel.
This isn’t a prescription to overdose on PR. But PR, because of its third-party endorsements, adds built-in credibility. A mistake some companies make, however, is to think third-party validation means only the media and maybe a few celebrities.

“Many people just consider industry luminaries and the ‘rock stars’ when thinking about influencers,” Sarah Skerik, vice president of strategic communications and content at PR Newswire, told me.

Skerik says she’s had better results by getting something shared on LinkedIn than by having it retweeted by big names on Twitter.

Adjusting To Today’s Digital World

The challenge today for public relations is adjusting to the constant drum of news from social media and mobile. No longer are episodic, big budget launch campaigns the ticket to success. Instead, brands must widen the net and maintain an always-on presence. This means using a combination of third-party validation, along with branded content and social.

As Heidi Sullivan, senior vice president of digital content at PR software company Cision, told me, “There is no silver bullet today. Getting mentioned in a big daily newspaper doesn’t reach your entire audience.”

At the same time that the role of public relations has morphed into a bigger job, technology is helping to transform PR into something you can measure.
No longer do companies have to rely solely on media placements as the only evidence of PR success; today armed with the right tools, they can understand the impact of PR on leads and ultimately sales.
Yet many companies in my experience would as soon measure their employees’ bathroom habits as they would their PR effectiveness.

“This is the one thing I see missing the majority of the time,” Iliff told me. “A company says to a PR pro ‘we want to see our sales go up' but then gives them no access to how to actually make that happen."

By: Wendy Marx (For Fastcompany.com)

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http://www.fastcompany.com/3034498/the-future-of-work/why-public-relations-and-media-relations-dont-mean-the-same-thing-anymore

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8 questions to ask before you design your website

When clients or friends tell me they plan to design a new website, I get curious and excited. What colors are they going to go with? What are their SEO goals? What layout are they using?

Creating a personal or business website requires serious thought and attention. There’s a lot more to it than deciding what font you plan to use. To help people who are starting a business and are looking to build a public face of a new organization or those looking to redesign be a bit less overwhelmed, here are some crucial questions they can ask themselves before, and while, creating the new website design.

1. What is the purpose of your website?

It seems obvious, but knowing the true purpose of your website will determine everything that it does and how it looks. Make sure you lay out clear objectives and goals for your website before you start on the design.

2. What will your domain name be?

Your website title should be easy to remember. Also make sure you know which domain will be appropriate (.net, .com, etc.).

3. What technology will you use for your website design?

Find a platform you’re familiar with and that is easy to use. (I recommend WordPress and/or HTML5.) If you understand how to do the basic coding, then you can make minor edits without the help of a website designer.

4. What will your content be?

A personal website will usually have content that is more about blogging and personal tastes and interests. A business website will feature content about the business itself: An “About Us” page, a blog, contact information, and pages devoted to products and/or services. It’s essential to feature content that is SEO focused, such as vivid images, creative videos, and keyword-friendly copy.

5. Who is your audience?

Every website design is a little different, and you can always tell those who know their audience well and those who don’t. Website designers who understand their audience use appropriate colors, targeted SEO (keywords, images and videos perfect for that audience), and a clean, uncluttered layout. Make sure it’s immediately clear whom you’re trying to reach when your website pops up.

6. Is your website viewable in all browsers?

Your website should not become distorted depending on the type of browser someone is using. Be sure to test your new website on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer.

7. What social media channels will you promote?

Linking to your social media accounts will not only boost website traffic, it will also give you major SEO points.

8. How will you track your website traffic?

You can’t increase SEO if you’re not clear about where you have to make changes. Try using Google Analytics to see where you can improve and where you’re doing well. These are just a handful of the many questions and decisions that go into building a website, whether it’s for personal or business purposes. What other questions do you think are important?

By Paige McDaniel (For PRDaily.com)

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http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/16670.aspx


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6 PR lessons from Mr. T

I didn't know it at the time, but many of the lessons that have shaped who I am today came from the TV shows I watched as a kid. In some cases those shows taught me a bit about my future career, too.
Yes, I am saying I learned PR lessons from '80s television.
Those of us who grew up in the '80s recall our favorite sitcoms with great pleasure; they were full of heartwarming, yet humorous, life lessons. As a child growing up on an apple orchard miles from town, TV meant the five channels that came in via a rabbit-ear antenna. But it was all I needed for hours and hours of Saturday morning cartoons and an endless number of sitcoms.
Of these, one of my favorites was "Silver Spoons." Starring the great Ricky Schroder as Ricky, "Silver Spoons" began running in 1982 when I was 10 years old. During the fourth episode we were introduced to a celebrity who would become a childhood hero: Mr. T.
Here are a few PR lessons from the great Mr. T:

1. Stay on message.
"First name 'Mr.,' middle name 'period' and last name 'T'!"
Mr. T played a bodyguard whom Ricky's father hired to protect Ricky from a bully. In an inspired scene, Mr. T shows up to class to protect Ricky and has a run in with the teacher who inquires about his name. Mr. T's response was simply brilliant: "First name 'Mr.,' middle name 'period' and last name 'T'!"

There you have it: a PR lesson from Mr. T. In that statement, Mr. T exemplified the art of staying on message. Sure, he could have offered a long answer about how his real name was Laurence Tread, but as a professional bodyguard he was known as Mr. T. But that sort of explanation didn't make sense for Mr. T's character or brand. He needed a clever, terse and funny response-and he delivered.

2. Words matter.
"Love is a verb… and verbs show action."
Mr. T, let's be clear: "Love" is also a noun, but we get your point. Love is not just a word—it's an action. OK, yes, that is a life lesson rather than a PR lesson, but the PR lesson is that words matter. Mr. T had a true hold on words and used them well. While he could be brief, he was on message and usually made sense. He clearly stated his point in a manner that even children understood.

3. Don't miss a big opportunity because of cost.
"You gonna lose a deal over $35? That's chump change! My lunch cost $35!"
The PR lesson here is simple: Some things are not free, so don't lose a story or deal based on minor expenses. Sure, none of us want to pay for PR—earned media is our holy grail—but we should never think of PR as free. Earned media is earned. With that in mind, we always need to be willing to absorb a cost, whether it be it dollars or time, to get the results we want.
If something costs more than you expect but the value of the story is high, don't miss out. For example, when I was in consumer product PR, I cannot tell you how many times I rushed to FedEx to get my package into the last overnight shipment to make sure my product was in the hands of a producer or reporter the next morning. The cost was high, both in shipping fees and time spent rushing to the airport terminal, but the reward-often as awesome as a "Today Show" feature-was almost always worth the trouble.

4. Don't hate your competition.
"No, I don't hate Balboa, but I pity the fool."
This is fantastic Mr. T advice from "Rocky III." We have competition, but we should never be haters. Always take the high road.
When you are neck-and-neck with the competition for coverage, or featured side-by-side in a story, never hate. Just love them for making you a more competitive person, and then pity them because you are awesome and will obviously win.

5. Stay focused.
"I got no time for the jibba-jabba."
This is good advice, Mr. T. The life of a PR pro is very busy; we do not have time for distractions or "jibba-jabba." We need to stay focused and save the idle conversation for later. And as any good PR pro knows, jibba-jabba can often lead to over-sharing and going off message. We certainly don't want that.

6. Face your fears.
"I ain't getting on no plane, Hannibal!"
On "The A-Team" (another great TV show of the '80s), Mr. T learned one lesson time and time again: Face your fears. B. A. Baracus, his character on the show, was terrified of flying on planes, and the other characters often tricked him into flying. Every time, Mr. T realized it wasn't so bad. He didn't usually admit it when things worked out, but you could see he knew it inside. I always believed he was proud that he'd tackled a fear.
PR folks need to confront their fears every day. Our fears are wide and varied, ranging from the fear of rejection when pitching to the fear of public speaking or failing on a project. But we can, and must, overcome them. Face the fear head on.

By Marc Cowlin (for PRDaily.com)

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http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/16730.aspx#



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5 Ways to Get People to Remember You (And Your Company)

After a recent lecture, a young consultant came up to me. “I have a problem,” he said. “People seem to forget me right away. I’ll remember meeting them, but they have no idea we connected before. I think I’m just not memorable enough. What can I do?”
Being memorable is essential for every entrepreneur -- after all, people won’t fund you or buy from you if they don’t even remember you exist.
Here are five ways to ensure you’re making a strong and lasting impression.

1. Identify a commonality. When I interviewed the eminent psychologist Robert Cialdini for my book Reinventing You, he told me the fastest way to get someone to like you is to find a commonality you share with them. People will trust you and relate to you if they feel you share a bond -- whether it’s that you’re from the same hometown, went to the same school or even just that you both like dogs or the color orange. And if they like you and trust you, they’ll remember you.

2. Pique their interest. Many of us kill conversations in the first 10 seconds. When someone asks the inevitable, “What do you do?,” you need a better answer than just a boring recitation: “I own a business” or “I’m a technology entrepreneur.” Find a way to pique their curiosity and make them want to know more. It’s a lot more interesting and memorable to say “I help companies become more famous” or “I’m launching a business that will enable you to connect with doctors without ever leaving your home.”

By Dorie Clark (for Entrepreneur.com)

For the next 3 and full article please click

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/233768


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Beats Co-Founders Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine Expected to Take on Senior Roles at Apple Following Acquisition

Beats co-founders Jimmy Iovine and musician Dr. Dre are both expected to take on senior roles at Apple following Apple's acquisition of Beats Electronics, reports The Wall Street Journal. The two may not take on full time positions, but will commute from the Los Angeles area, where Beats is based, to meetings in Cupertino and elsewhere as necessary. 

Citing people familiar with the matter, The Wall Street Journal suggests that specific roles for Iovine and Dre remain unclear, but Iovine will be leaving his role as chairman of Interscope Geffan A&M records, a division of Vivendi SA's Universal Music Group. Both Dr. Dre -- real name Andre Young -- and Iovine could help Apple secure deals with record labels and attract younger customers.

While Mr. Iovine's rock-star temperament could still ruffle some feathers in tech-centric Cupertino, it may help Apple broker deals in the music industry and appeal to the younger consumers who gravitate to Beats headphones.

Apple is said to be working on an overhaul of iTunes in order to boost declining music sales. The addition of the Beats Music streaming service along with a thriving hardware business and two seasoned veterans of the music industry may help the company achieve the drastic revamp it's aiming for while introducing new revenue streams. 

Today's report follows a report from the New York Post suggesting Iovine will join Apple as a "special adviser" to Tim Cook on creative matters. While Apple's $3.2 billion acquisition of Beats Electronics has yet to be completed, Dr. Dre seemingly confirmed the acquisition in avideo posted this morning, where he alluded the merger would make him the "first billionaire in hip-hop." 

As noted by The Wall Street Journal, Apple's hiring of Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine represents Tim Cook's willingness to step out of the spotlight. Earlier this month, the companywelcomed former Burberry CEO and high-profile hire Angela Ahrendts as the new retail chief. Other Apple executives, like Jony Ive and Craig Federighi, have also been stepping into the spotlight more often than they did under Steve Jobs.

By Juli Clover for MacRumors.com

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http://www.macrumors.com/2014/05/09/drdre-and-jimmy-iovine-to-join-apple/

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Jet Magazine to Shift to Digital Publishing Next Month

Jet, the pioneering African-American weekly magazine that rose to prominence covering the civil rights movement, is expected to announce Wednesday morning that it will no longer publish a regular print edition, the latest in a growing list of periodicals avoiding print in favor of digital publications.



By LESLIE KAUFMANMAY (Via NYTimes.com)


http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/07/business/media/jet-magazine-to-shift-to-digital-publishing-next-month.html?_r=0



About us:
L&B Consultation: is a full service Multimedia Marketing & Consulting
company focusing on publicity, radio promotion,
brand identification, brand management

Check out www.LbConsultation.com
Follow us on Twitter @LBConsultation