I have worked for people that have stood on both sides of the issue as to whether or not you should be on the phone while a client does the interview. If the decision has been made that you will be listening in, do you tell the reporter you are on the other line? Do you chime in? Or, do you just pretend you aren’t there and take a back seat? And, what do the reporters think?

There are so many opinions that surround this topic; I thought I would poll the PRBC crew and a couple of reporters to get their thoughts.

Resoundingly the responses from the PRBC were “Yes, be on the call!” However, every situation is different.

Client by Client

As PRCog so eloquently stated “it’s really client by client – some like the reassurance that someone’s there, some don’t need the spoon feeding.”  If you have a new client, being on the call might prove to be advantageous. You can get a sense of how they respond to questions, learn more about their expertise and the company itself, and get the overall feeling of how the client is with the press.

For your more media-savvy clients, you may not feel the need to be on the call. However, you could offer to be there in a more administrative capacity and that you are solely there to see how the interview flowed and do whatever follow up may be necessary.

Additionally, you might want to take into account the actual story topic.  A reporter I polled said that “I don’t mind at all when publicists are on the phone call, assuming the story is not an investigative piece.”

Follow Up

Another reason some prefer to get on the line is purely for the sake of follow up. An anonymous reporter I asked about this topic said, “What I really like about having the publicist on the line is that it sometimes saves me time, because he/she knows exactly what follow-up information is needed and neither the source nor I have to spend time explaining what is still needed after the interview.” That’s right folks. If you are on the line, then you know what you need to get that reporter after the interview – bio, headshot, etc.

Mute it or Chime In

In many cases, PR-pros get on the phone, but put their end on mute. Other times, there are those that actually chime in during the interview from time to time. One reporter stated that “one thing I really hate is when the publicist chimes in and starts asking questions. I know this is a well-intended effort to help, and I appreciate that, but it takes up time and often takes the interview in a direction different than the one I want to take. Also, in some cases the publicist thinks he/she knows what I want to know, but they don’t.”

Yet, our own Keith Trivitt says that “I have noticed that a lot of the reporters I work with actually like it, as they’ll cite something I told them prior to the interview, and then I can jump in quickly and reiterate that point so my client will elaborate on it.”

Absence & Accuracy

You know the story – reporter interviews client, reporter writes story, client says “hey, wait, I didn’t say that.” Or, how about the “your client never picked up the phone for the interview” incident? Both of these potential disasters are the primary reason why PRBC’s CT Michaels says that he gets on all the calls.

So, readers what are your thoughts? Do you get on the line with a client and reporter? Do you steer clear? If you are on the line, do you participate?

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• 30 July 2010 : Friday’s 5 • 30 July 2010
• 29 July 2010 : Twitter is one big, fat inside joke between 100 million people
• 28 July 2010 : Your Copy Sucks: Punctuation Ruins Lives
• 27 July 2010 : Do You ‘Crunch Proud?’
• 26 July 2010 : What the Old Spice Guy Videos Lacked: Real Messaging

If you haven’t heard yet, I’m almost ready to deliver the next member of the PRBreakfastClub family. That means that I’ll be taking maternity leave for six weeks. SIX WEEKS! Gulp.

Now, I know having a baby is like a big deal, but not being immersed in the PR universe for six whole weeks? This concept is starting to turn into a very hard pill to swallow.

If you are a workaholic like me, when you go to sleep, you dream about work. When you’re on your way to the office, you think about work. When you watch the news, you’re always wondering how you can get your clients on it.

Anytime I envision my upcoming time away, I start to hyperventilate. I know (or so I’ve been told) that my days and nights will be filled with diapers, sponge baths, tummy time, sleepless zombie walks to Dunkin’ Donuts, etc.

However, I can’t help but stress over what I’ll be missing.  The PR industry is ever-changing and I’m afraid that when I come back, I’ll be so out of the loop. I’m sure some of you are rolling your eyes, but what if you were gone for a long period of time?

What breaking news is going to happen? What new trends will emerge in the social media world? What are you going to do without my PRBC posts!?!? (I’m kidding with that last one).

Look, I get it. Work isn’t – or shouldn’t be – a person’s entire life, but when your world has been focused on it for so long, it’s difficult to imagine anything different. Don’t get me wrong, I’m freaking out about excited for this new adventure and I know the PR world will be here when I come back. Yet, my inner workaholic is in full on panic mode.

I assume the majority of these feelings stem from the fact that I am a publicist. It’s my job to know what’s going on all day, every day. While six weeks might not seem like a long time, in the PR world it translates into months.

So readers, have you been in the same position? Do you have any tips or suggestions on coping with lengthy time away?

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• 30 July 2010 : Friday’s 5 • 30 July 2010
• 29 July 2010 : Twitter is one big, fat inside joke between 100 million people
• 28 July 2010 : Your Copy Sucks: Punctuation Ruins Lives
• 27 July 2010 : Do You ‘Crunch Proud?’
• 26 July 2010 : What the Old Spice Guy Videos Lacked: Real Messaging

As this trend continues – which I have a feeling it will – everyone is going to have an opinion on the subject. Can bloggers be publicists? Should companies stick with PR firms?

I’m not saying that bloggers shouldn’t be marketers or they can’t be publicists, but I do think a select few might need some insight. So, what’s the reality you may ask? Well, being a publicist/marketer isn’t as easy as it looks.

Instead of pointing out some of the mistakes that I’ve seen as of late, I thought I’d highlight a few key things to keep in mind if you want to tackle working in the crazy world of PR/Marketing.

You No Longer Represent You – Typically, bloggers represent themselves, their name, and their own reputation. When you are hired to publicize/market a brand or product, you no longer represent yourself.  Instead, you are seen as the voice for that company and you have to answer to that company. Their reputation is in your hands.  This can be a particular tough pill to swallow considering bloggers are known for speaking their minds about everything. You have to start analyzing the details – is there something on your blog that isn’t in line with the companies you are working for? Is that tweet you are sending out appropriate? If you post that on Facebook, who will it offend? Is “LOL” really a good response to criticism?

Grow a Thicker Skin – Sure, the blogging world isn’t always nice to one another – there’s fighting, mean comments – at times it can be a tumultuous atmosphere. I always read posts about how bloggers should start being nicer to one another; I sure wish that was the case with posts about publicists and marketers. See, once you enter into this world, your work will be scrutinized. Are there typos? Did you pitch on point? What are the flaws in the campaign?  Is that comma in the right place? Unfortunately, it’s par for the course. However, now if a blogger or journalist “calls you out,” you can no longer blame it on bloggers treating bloggers badly. Why? Well, because you are now a publicist/marketer, and as I’ve stated before, there is no room for error.

Relationships will Change – Once you enter into the PR/Marketing territory, whether you want to admit it or not, relationships will probably change. Maybe it’s a relationship you had with a blogger or even with another publicist; people might start to view you in a different light. I’m not saying every single relationship will change, but don’t be surprised if some publicists start to consider you a competitor, or a few bloggers think you are just talking to them because you want something from them.

It’s More Than Who You Know – Yes, a large part of being a publicist/marketer is about relationships, but it doesn’t stop there. There are messages to be crafted, crisis communications plan to think about, strategizing, reports, and so forth.  Relationships might be a popular topic in the pr/marketing space, but really the responsibilities and expectations go far beyond that.

If you choose to venture into the PR/Marketing universe, proceed with caution and think about all the different components involved. If it’s something you really want to do, talk to a publicist/marketer friend to get the scoop on what the reality is like.

Readers, do you have any other suggestions that bloggers should keep in mind if they choose to put on the PR/Marketing hat?

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• 30 July 2010 : Friday’s 5 • 30 July 2010
• 29 July 2010 : Twitter is one big, fat inside joke between 100 million people
• 28 July 2010 : Your Copy Sucks: Punctuation Ruins Lives
• 27 July 2010 : Do You ‘Crunch Proud?’
• 26 July 2010 : What the Old Spice Guy Videos Lacked: Real Messaging

Now my husband just informed me that he bought a domain for our future son as a gift. My first reaction was “We don’t even have diapers yet.”  So, I sent out a tweet about his latest purchase, and got an immediate number of responses.  It seems he isn’t the only one preparing for our child’s SEO future.

Honestly, this would be the last thing I would even think about as I get ready for parenthood, but these days, should it be one of the first?

Whether you are a brand or individual, your online presence and identity is crucial. Everyone is rushing to register website addresses, Twitter and Facebook IDS, etc. There have been a number of times I’ve been working with brands, go to register a Twitter ID, only to find it has been taken already. Imagine what it will be like 15 years from now.

I predict that more and more social media savvy parents will pick out their child’s name, then head straight online to secure the domain name, Twitter handle and Facebook page.

Even if Twitter and/or Facebook slowly start to die down in popularity, it’s almost a sure thing that other social media sites and services will rise up. Basically, it’s a safe bet that social media isn’t going anywhere.

Setting up your unborn child with excellent SEO might not be the first thing that pops into your head, but based on my recent tweet, evidently more and more people are doing it.  Do we hold the future of our children’s online identity in our hands? Will the future of baby registries include personalized domain names and Twitter handles, along with cribs and diapers?

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• 30 July 2010 : Friday’s 5 • 30 July 2010
• 29 July 2010 : Twitter is one big, fat inside joke between 100 million people
• 28 July 2010 : Your Copy Sucks: Punctuation Ruins Lives
• 27 July 2010 : Do You ‘Crunch Proud?’
• 26 July 2010 : What the Old Spice Guy Videos Lacked: Real Messaging

Imagine a very long, brief pause.  Then he started talking in circles, so I pushed again, “No, I mean what did you actually learn?” He proceeded to fess up that it was more of a networking event than an actual learning experience. All in all, he didn’t learn anything new.

Here at the PRBC there has been much debate about the necessity vs. uselessness of social media conferences, but this isn’t about that. Many of us are social media advocates – we praise the importance of social media, offer advice on how to navigate it – however, on occasion I get the feeling that we are just restating the same points over and over again.

Admit it: Have you ever clicked on a social media article that looked interesting, then proceeded to read through the two pages of text, only for the article to state that social media is important? Well, duh.

I think it’s safe to say that a person could spend 24/7 reading everything there is to know about social media, or going to a dozen different conferences – but when does the education process turn into repetition?

There is so much information and so many conferences out there spouting the latest technology developments to commenting on best practices on how to use these channels, which always makes me feel like I am missing something. Yet, when I get around to digging in deep on these topics, I quickly realize, “Hey, I already knew that.”

I try to read up on all things social media, all of the time, but I find it’s best if most of my energy is spent with the technologies that are relevant to my target audience.

Those of us that work in this space are under the constant pressure to know everything there is to know. I think it’s important to have an overall understanding of the social media sphere, but how often do you learn something so new that it actually blows your mind?

With the immense amount of information available, what do you feel is important to know? Where should you spend your efforts? Finally, do you think social media education is now turning into social media repetition?

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• 30 July 2010 : Friday’s 5 • 30 July 2010
• 29 July 2010 : Twitter is one big, fat inside joke between 100 million people
• 28 July 2010 : Your Copy Sucks: Punctuation Ruins Lives
• 27 July 2010 : Do You ‘Crunch Proud?’
• 26 July 2010 : What the Old Spice Guy Videos Lacked: Real Messaging

Dear Flack,

How does one stay active in the PR/marketing world and keep up their skills when they’re unemployed?

This may be a bit off topic, but I was late to the other unemployment posting, so I thought I’d ask here since it’s somewhat relevant.

I’m currently unemployed, and I really want to keep my PR and writing skills active while I continue to search for work. I would appreciate any tips that others have tried during periods of unemployment to keep their skills current and continue doing what they love (and it would also be great to be able to share what I did to keep on top of things while unemployed with potential employers).

Thanks in advance for any tips!

KA

Dear KA,

Staying active in the PR/Marketing world while unemployed may seem like a daunting task. What actions can you take to remain relevant that might also be of interest to potential employers?

Instead of just sitting around, twiddling your thumbs, and watching reruns of Seinfeld, here are a few tips to help you bide time while looking for a job in public relations/marketing:

• Volunteer – There are a number of non-profit/charitable organizations that would welcome the assistance from a PR pro. Not only would you be flacking for a good cause, but you also have the opportunity to add to your overall portfolio and build media relationships. The majority of the time, organizations are looking for help with press releases, pitching for events – all things that will look stellar on a resume. So just do some research and see what local charities around your area may be in search of some much needed PR help.

• Conferences – Public relations/social media conferences provide a great arena to meet other PR pros. However, sometimes these conferences come with hefty price tags. Surprisingly enough, on occasion organizers are looking for people to volunteer their time to help out at the registration desk or other related tasks. In return, you’ll have a great networking opportunity and free admission!

• Get with the Social Networking Program – As cliché as this sounds, the PR world is your oyster. With Twitter and LinkedIn, there are a number of ways you can interact directly with public relation firm presidents, HR folks and more. In fact, members of our very own PRBC family have scored interviews and job offers simply by forming relationship through social networking. In fact, the other day I was contacted by a former intern via LinkedIn to see if I knew of any job opportunities. It just so happened that I did, and so I sent her the information.

• Informational Interviews – Okay, stop your scoffing. Scoring an informational interview is better than never getting a foot through the front door – right? Reach out to PR agencies and request an informational interview. You never know what will be available down the line, or they might actually have open positions that they aren’t advertising yet. I went on an informational interview once, and guess what? It turned into a job offer.

• Find a Recruiter – Another thing you might want to look into (if you haven’t yet) is finding a recruiter. A recruiter doesn’t only assist you in finding a job, but also provide feedback about your resume, cover letter, and even give you some interview tips. Be careful not to make the mistake of leaving the recruiter solely responsible for finding you a job – you should also be actively looking/applying as well.

• Blog – Hey, what’s better writing practice than actually writing?  If you don’t have a blog, start one; or ask one of your favorite PR/Marketing blogs if you can contribute. It’s a great way to get your voice heard and name out there, and it also gives you a chance to keep up with those scribing skills.

• Don’t be a Defeatist – Look, the job search process can be a grueling, and sometimes you might not realize that it can show through in your attitude. Keep positive and don’t let them sense your frustration. Believe me, potential employers will be able to tell right away if you are feeling defeated – so keep it in check!

So, readers what other tips do you have for keeping the PR Pro busy while unemployed?

Dear Flack is written by Marie V-B, a seasoned public relations professional. Advice is based on both personal experience and input from members of PR Breakfast Club and outside expert sources.

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• 30 July 2010 : Friday’s 5 • 30 July 2010
• 29 July 2010 : Twitter is one big, fat inside joke between 100 million people
• 28 July 2010 : Your Copy Sucks: Punctuation Ruins Lives
• 27 July 2010 : Do You ‘Crunch Proud?’
• 26 July 2010 : What the Old Spice Guy Videos Lacked: Real Messaging

(Note: Marie and I know taking on the role as captain isn’t all rainbows and unicorns and we needed someone to play devil’s advocate. In true PRBC fashion, we turned to our resident devil, Cog, and asked if he would put together why, although our traits are important, it’s not that easy. You can see that post here)

A team captain needs to:

Be loyal. What is said amongst the team, stays amongst the team. Think of Robert De Niro in “Meet in the Parents” and the circle of trust. Players need to have confidence that in addition to their voice being heard, their captain will go up to bat for them when the time is needed.  If the team’s wrong wrong, there needs to be trust that the captain will explain why and how the situation can be handled differently to effectively move on.

Be patient and understand the players. Similar to sports teams, each employee takes on a certain role within the team. There will be extroverts/introverts, clowns/dictators etc. It is up to the team captain to understand what motivates each individual to nip problems in the butt. Leader needs to know each individual’s strengths and weaknesses in order to use them to their best ability. Pair up the employee that thinks outside the box but has bad grammar with an employee who’s straight laced and sleeps with the AP style book .

Know how to motivate, not deflate. Effective leadership is a tricky thing. Leaders have a job to do and that’s to lead, but one has to be careful to not deflate your entire staff’s motivation in the process. When some leaders get frustrated they take the doomsday approach – “the whole world is going to end if you don’t do this.” One might see this as an effective technique, but it also has the potential to backfire. Look, your staff probably knows when something is important, but emphasizing that there’s no hope can lead to hopelessness. If your employees are under the impression that you’ve given up, then what is their motivation?

Never point the finger. As a leader if you are angry about an issue, your first response might be blasting your staff as a whole, which sometimes can include finger-pointing of specific individuals to the masses. As much as you might be tempted to single out certain people, it’s better to deal with them on a one-on-one basis. As an employee, when your manager lets you know you’ve done something wrong – that can be a hard pill to swallow in the first place. If that same person is scolded in front of his/her other colleagues – that will cause unnecessary tension and embarrassment.

These are traits that we believe are vital for any captain to know. What would you add?

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• 30 July 2010 : Friday’s 5 • 30 July 2010
• 29 July 2010 : Twitter is one big, fat inside joke between 100 million people
• 28 July 2010 : Your Copy Sucks: Punctuation Ruins Lives
• 27 July 2010 : Do You ‘Crunch Proud?’
• 26 July 2010 : What the Old Spice Guy Videos Lacked: Real Messaging

Let’s say you have taken a job you’ve come to now realize was the wrong move, and you have only been there a short few months.  Or you recently took a position and the company was forced to do layoffs and you end up on the cutting room floor. More than likely your next step is to look for another job ASAP.

Obviously a short job stint isn’t necessarily a great thing for the resume, and it also could be a red flag to potential employers. How do you approach short job stints? Do you remove the position from your resume? Is it something you can address in the cover letter?

When this happened to me in the past, I had no idea what to do. I was lucky enough to land a new job fairly quickly, but I realize this might not be the case for everyone. To get you real answers, I turned to Jami Secchi, Vice President of PR Talent, a public relations recruiting agency.

Here are Jami’s best tips on dealing with short job stints:

• One vs. 10 – A lot depends on if you have just one short stint or ten of them.  If you have ten, you might want to create a summary resume where you highlight all of your experience up front and then just list your jobs and dates of employment at the end. But be careful, because it’s not always the best way to do a resume, especially in the PR industry.

• Beyond Your Control – If you left for reason beyond your control, another option is to briefly describe the reason in parenthesis next to or below the dates of employment like (company bankruptcy) or (merger) or (HQ moved to another city).

• On or Off the Resume – The choice to leave it a short job stint on or off your resume depends on what you did in the job.  If that experience is relevant to a position you are applying for, it could be beneficial to leave it on, even if it was only for five months.  But, if you are going to remove a job from your resume, regardless of how long you were there, you just need to be able to explain the gaps.  Employers will most definitely ask about it and you will have to respond.

• The Cover Letter – It’s not a good idea to ever address a short stint in a cover letter. Your cover letter is a brief introduction of you and should always remain concise, positive and to the point.  If you are insecure about a short job stint, putting it in the cover letter only draws attention to it.

• Explain Yourself – So, how can a PR professional best answer the question about why he/she was only at a certain company for such a short period of time?  As long as you don’t bad-mouth the company or anyone that works there, you will not seem negative. Sometimes things just don’t work out for whatever the reason and most recruiters understand that.  Be honest about it and, of course, let the employer know you’ve learned a lot from the experience.  Answer the question and move on.

• Avoid Being Seen as a “Job Hopper” – The best way to avoid being seen as a job hopper is to not job hop.  However, sometimes that’s unavoidable.  Try to stay in a position for at least one to two years, and if you are unhappy in a position, see if there are other opportunities for you within your company.  That way, you can say you’ve been with a company for a certain period of time, but your professional growth strategy was to hold a couple of different positions.  Also, if you’ve freelanced between jobs at various points in your career, you should list them under one section in your resume and indicate the different dates under that one section.

• Always Tell the Truth On Your Resume – Do not fabricate or exaggerate to cover up a short job stint.  Most employers appreciate the honesty and do realize things happen.  They themselves might have been in a similar situation at some point and may even be able to relate!

Readers, what do you think? Have you had a positive/negative experience in dealing with a short job stint? How did you rebound?

PRBC would like to thank Jami Secchi for her time and invaluable advice.

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• 30 July 2010 : Friday’s 5 • 30 July 2010
• 29 July 2010 : Twitter is one big, fat inside joke between 100 million people
• 28 July 2010 : Your Copy Sucks: Punctuation Ruins Lives
• 27 July 2010 : Do You ‘Crunch Proud?’
• 26 July 2010 : What the Old Spice Guy Videos Lacked: Real Messaging

Since I started out in the PR industry, I’ve quickly seen more and more publicists get blasted throughout the interwebs for their mistakes. Granted this public exhibition of PR faux pas has made communications professionals more aware and cautious about what they send out for mass consumption. One could also argue that at the same time, it’s made us totally terrified.

Why so scared? It seems in today’s public relations world, you just aren’t allowed to make mistakes. With blogs, web sites, Twitter, etc., anyone can blast a publicist in a public forum for making an error.  Yes, some PR slip-ups are worse than others, and those super awful ones probably deserve the heckling – but do all of them?

Take the TechCrunch incident for example. Should the publicist have been more careful? Yes. However, at least within the context of the e-mail, the PR firm was having a slightly on point discussion on how to pitch the writer.

Before I hit the send button, I try and quadruple check everything to make sure I’m not doing something totally stupid. Is this comma in the right place? Wait, wait the journalist totally covers this topic correct? Let me go online and triple check and make sure. I refer to this practice as heightened e-mail anxiety. This routine doesn’t mean I never make mistakes. I will be the first to admit that I’ve had a few “oops” over the years.

In any job, especially if you are new and learning the ropes, you are bound to make a mistake here and there. It’s normal – or should I be so bold as to say it’s human. In PR it’s a whole different ballgame. One lapse in judgment and your reputation, job security, PR future, and self-esteem could all be at risk.

I understand the relevance of blogs like the Bad Pitch Blog that try to educate the public relations community by showing us what not to do.  Yet, the practice of PR bashing on the internet is becoming an all too common occurrence – I mean major technology web sites are talking about our mistakes. It seems as though anything is fair game. As publicists, are we just not allowed to make mistakes?

What do you think readers:  Should everyone lighten up a little bit? Do you think PR bashing has gone too far? Or, do you say game on?

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• 30 July 2010 : Friday’s 5 • 30 July 2010
• 29 July 2010 : Twitter is one big, fat inside joke between 100 million people
• 28 July 2010 : Your Copy Sucks: Punctuation Ruins Lives
• 27 July 2010 : Do You ‘Crunch Proud?’
• 26 July 2010 : What the Old Spice Guy Videos Lacked: Real Messaging