Speech Bubble © by Vectorportal

I recently had a discussion with a man who is building a business that is aiming to help PR professionals with their biggest workflow issues.

He was very kind, and was asking me informed questions regarding the common issues I have and have seen coworkers deal with, when he said,

“We want to help press release… I mean PR professionals…”

Before answering his question, I clarified,

“PR does not stand for press release, it stands for public relations.”

Do people really think that PR professionals make an entire career of writing press releases?

I did a little research.

Remembering that Rosanna Fiske mentioned this while PRSA was redefining PR and after reading Patrick Slevin’s PR Week article on the subject, I asked the following people how they describe my career to others.

• My mother (a retired psychiatric Therapy Aid): “My daughter does public relations and she works online.”

• My brother (a professional Handyman): “Public relations or some s***”

• My father (a Correctional Officer): “Kelly works on the computer.”

Note: my father is still afraid of computers

• My boyfriend (a Ski and Snowboard Instructor/golf course Assistant Irrigation Technologist): “A publicist who does social media.”

As Patrick said, “As PR practitioners, it’s our responsibility to further the public dialogue. It’s our charge to educate and inform audiences and allow them the opportunity to reject or accept our messages, impressions, and meanings, which is the way of public relations.”

Shel Israel argued that the definition of the industry should not be the focal point, as the ‘Digital Age’ has not changed this, but rather, ”it changes the tools of engagement for the professional communicator.”

Either way, I don’t think that this exercise was (is) done enough when PR was redefined, so I encourage you all to ask your family members, spouses/partners and friends what they think PR stands for and what PR professional do, and share their responses in the comments.

You may be very surprised about the results of your own messaging. I was, and am currently working to correct it.

 Kelly is a traveler, New York native, public relations and social media professional, avid music lover, techie, and psychologist. She is passionate about enabling meaningful conversations and connections via the social web, believes that learning is lifelong and enjoys discovering new tactics to create and sustain brand identity and influence and maintain advocates.

• 17 May 2012 : PR Does Not Stand for Press Release (and Other Misconceptions)
• 16 May 2012 : Why Your Klout Score Doesn’t Matter (Much)
• 15 May 2012 : What Does a Blogger Really Want?
• 14 May 2012 : PRBC Special – Book Excerpt, Freebies and Discounts
• 11 May 2012 : Faulty Friday

I’ve been wanting to write about Klout for a week or so now, and why I think Klout is a good starting point for a lot of things, but in the end doesn’t mean anything. This all started for me with the infamous Wired article a few weeks ago where an executive’s job interview essentially ended after his Klout score was deemed too low. After much wailing and gnashing of teeth, posts were written about how much Klout sucks and how it is making those in the PR and marketing industries lazy.

It seems there’s only two sides to be had. Either Klout is the savior we’ve all been waiting for in measuring influence or it’s a meaningless game. The truth is that it’s somewhere in between. Online influence is an important topic. Who is talking about your brand and shaping opinions about it is VERY important. That doesn’t mean that offline influence has taken a back seat and don’t mean anything though.

Speaking at conferences, writing a book, teaching a college class, client referrals, none of these are measured on Klout. Does that make them meaningless? Certainly not. Klout is pioneering a segment of PR and marketing that is critical as the digital realm becomes more important. This isn’t something that is going to be hashed out overnight, or even in the span of a few years.

That picture you see is my Klout score. It was at a 62 a few weeks ago, but has dipped as my job and personal life have demanded more attention. As I’ve spent time on several major projects, enjoying my wife’s pregnancy, searching for a new house, and the Game of Thrones series (I’m reading the books first), my time spent in the social media sphere has diminished. I have a hard time believing that I’m not influencing the world around me, and yes. I know exactly how arrogant that sounds.

Influence doesn’t mean everyone around me bends to my thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. It means that others around me think I’m valuable in some way. Klout is heading in the right direction. Just don’t think it’s a non-stop flight to measurement paradise.

• 17 May 2012 : PR Does Not Stand for Press Release (and Other Misconceptions)
• 16 May 2012 : Why Your Klout Score Doesn’t Matter (Much)
• 15 May 2012 : What Does a Blogger Really Want?
• 14 May 2012 : PRBC Special – Book Excerpt, Freebies and Discounts
• 11 May 2012 : Faulty Friday

But as PR pros have we stopped to think about what the bloggers want from us?

I am a mom blogger, crawfishtales.com, and I have had the opportunity to be on both sides of the pitch. This has given me insight that I have used to mold the way that I, as a PR pro, engage bloggers. I constantly remind myself that bloggers are receiving multiple pitches just like a reporter and that I need to make my pitch stand out from the others. The best pitches are the ones that are thorough and have thought through the pitch from the bloggers prospective.

Here are a few things that bloggers want when working with a PR pro or brand:

• The specifics up front. In your pitch includes the due date, what to post about, the links and how many words you are requesting. This helps a blogger to determine realistic expectations and if they can fit it in.

• Compensation. While in a perfect world we would all love to compensate a blogger for their time and effort but often times there is no budget. There are other things you do have of value that can be used as give-a-ways which are a tool that bloggers love to offer to their audience. PR pros need to understand it is not always about money, it is about why a blogger should do free promotion of your brand to their audience.

• Provide resources but not tone. Arm bloggers with information such as background information on the company or product, FAQs, pictures and social media handles. The blogger will take it from there and craft what you have provided to reflect the tone and voice that matches the blog. Don’t force prewritten language on the blogger.

• Promote their work. While you are looking for the promotion from a blogger to expose your brand, the blogger also is looking to you for exposure to your audience. Remember to tweet a link to their post or give them a shout out with the link to their blog on Facebook.

• Remember it is not about the numbers. Sometimes the data on blogs is tricky. Working with a blogger is more about the exposure and influence that the blogger has and less about the exact page views. Don’t beat down a blogger on exact numbers focus on the reach.

• Keep in touch. Bloggers want to be your friend. Bloggers want to keep the lines of communication open to develop a relationship. The more you stay in touch the more likely the blogger is to develop fun ways to work together and the more exposure your brand gets.

Focus your blogger relations on a specific blogger list and then develop a plan for how you can work with that list ongoing. By developing a relationship with a group of bloggers that you can call upon frequently, you are making your job easier and empowering them as brand ambassadors.

Sometimes it is about the quality of the blogger relationships and not the quantity. Whirlpool, Disney and Lifetime have blog programs that you can refer to as an example of how you can customize a blogger program to fit your brand, company size and market.

Thanks to Lisa Concepcion of LisaTakesMiami.com and Daisy Teh of TheItMom.com for providing insight to what it is that bloggers really want.

• 17 May 2012 : PR Does Not Stand for Press Release (and Other Misconceptions)
• 16 May 2012 : Why Your Klout Score Doesn’t Matter (Much)
• 15 May 2012 : What Does a Blogger Really Want?
• 14 May 2012 : PRBC Special – Book Excerpt, Freebies and Discounts
• 11 May 2012 : Faulty Friday

Click to enlarge

We’re very excited to present to you today a combination of fantastically informative features and the opportunity for you NYC-area folks to get the chance to win free tickets to see marketing superstars Gini Dietrich and Geoff Livingston at their G2 Marketing in the Round training, on June 20th, 2012 from 4:00p to 7:30p, which is based on their new volume Marketing in the Round.

Following the training, the two marketers will be joined by Michael Schecher, digital marketing director for Honora Pearls, to conduct a panel discussing best practices in integrated multichannel marketing programs to be moderated, by yours truly – Nathan Burgess.

Even if you don’t win the free tickets, we’ve got a discount code for $20 off the ticket price for when you decide you’d like to attend.

And so, without further adieu, a brief into to the concepts presented in Marketing in the Round and at the end of the page a download link for the excerpt and discount code for the event.

As for those free tickets – leave a comment below the post.   The two best comments (as judged by Geoff and Gini) each get one ticket to the training in NYC.  Comments will close, for purposes of the contest, on Tuesday May 15, 2012 at 11:59p Eastern.  All travel, lodging, etc. costs are the responsibility of the winning party.

Why the Four Approaches?

By Gini Dietrich and Geoff Livingston

We’re thrilled to publish an excerpt from our new book Marketing in the Round on PRBreakfastClub.  The piece focuses on the four primary types of approaches marketing strategists select when creating marketing campaigns.

Marketing in the Round focuses on building an integrated multichannel campaigns in the current social media era.  Part of integration is understanding how companies approach markets and select tactics.

Rather than making up our own fancy list of strategies for the book, we decided to ground the strategy section in classic military strategy, specifically Musashi’s Book of Five Rings.  This is primary theory that propelled Japan to become the world’s second largest economy in the last century, and still serves as the central arc of the country’s business philosophy.

In the Book of Five Rings we found the four approaches, which we translated to a more loving customer-centric viewpoint:

1. Direct: Communicating one-to-one with customers

2. Top Down: Public relations- and advertising-centric models seeking to influence markets from positions of authority

3. Groundswell: Creating customer movements through social media, loyalty programs, and other word-of-mouth techniques

4. Flanking: Using advertising and guerrilla marketing tactics to reach customers in unexpected ways

Certainly most sophisticated campaigns blend a combination of these approaches, yet they add context to understanding why a company chooses to market with them. Much of selecting approaches lies in how to achieve a series of corporate objectives and goals with the resources at hand, competitive positioning, and the general market landscape.

Once an approach is selected, understanding how tactics support them empowers strong collaboration across marketing departments to achieve goals.  Individual disciplines can determine which tactics to use to help out.

For example, if leaking social videos and responses is important to support an overarching top-down advertising campaign, social media can focus on building a YouTube channel with social network integration, and hopefully, influencer buy-in and support.

Sounds nice, doesn’t it?

That’s exactly what Weiden + Kennedy did when they deployed their original Old Spice Guy advertising campaign.

So you can see understanding the approach helps the various marketing disciplines contribute to an overall campaign or initiative.

We hope you enjoy the excerpt. Hopefully, you’ll like it and attend our training and networking event in New York City on June 20.

# # #

Geoff Livingston (geofflivingston.com) is an author and marketing strategist, and serves as VP, Strategic Partnerships for Razoo. A former journalist, Livingston continues to write, and most recently he co-authored Marketing in the Round, and authored the social media primer Welcome to the Fifth Estate.

Gini Dietrich is the founder and CEO of Arment Dietrich, a Chicago-based integrated marketing communication firm. She also is the founder of the professional development site for PR and marketing pros, Spin Sucks Pro and co-author of Marketing in the Round.

And now the cool stuff - 

Click here -> Marketing in the Round Exerpt to download your excerpt of Marketing in the Round (right click and “Save As” or “Save Target” to avoid opening in your browser).

The discount code for the G2 Marketing in the Round Training in New York is: prcog

See you there!

Pitching © by Will Folsom

Every now and then we get perfect, on target pitches and press releases.  Most of the time, they’re ok, and then very occasionally we get the real stinkers.  The ones that <sarcasm> fit perfectly into our designated coverage and readership.</sarcasm>

Yesterday must have been a very special day as we received not one, but two completely mistargeted pitches.

Mercifully I’ve removed the names of the offending senders, but otherwise, below please find, for your reading pleasure, pitches perfectly suited to you, our readers (I assume I didn’t have to use the sarcasm tags this time around).

First – the one that actually had a pitch:

Hi Nathan,

After 4 months in development, our hotly anticipated and first-of-its-kind ‘Superfood-powered’ weight loss app for iPhone is expected to launch in Apple’s App Store next Tuesday, May 15th.

I would like to offer you a sneak peek of our app – Super Diet Genius. We believe that your readers in particular would find our app of great interest. With summer creeping around the corner, the time is ripe for a new-to-the-world weight loss app powered by Superfoods.
…

(the pitch did go on to include links to background materials, videos and explain how to get the app on a preview basis, etc.)

I’m sure that filled your PR, social media, learning needs for the day.  If it didn’t, then perhaps…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Aretha Franklin, Ricky Skaggs, Dallas Holm, The Hoppers, Love Song and Rex Humbard Announced as GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame Inductees

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – May 10, 2012 – The GMA Foundation (GMAF) has announced that it will induct Aretha Franklin, Ricky Skaggs, Dallas Holm, The Hoppers, Love Song and Rex Humbard into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

“The diverse talents represented in this years class of inductees have impacted millions of people around the world. It is an honor to induct these individuals” said Charles Dorris, Chairman, GMA Foundation.

…

Yes, this one was just a copy and pasted release, with the body right justified and boldfaced throughout.

Pretty sure we all know the moral of the story, yes?

• 17 May 2012 : PR Does Not Stand for Press Release (and Other Misconceptions)
• 16 May 2012 : Why Your Klout Score Doesn’t Matter (Much)
• 15 May 2012 : What Does a Blogger Really Want?
• 14 May 2012 : PRBC Special – Book Excerpt, Freebies and Discounts
• 11 May 2012 : Faulty Friday

Half empty or half full?

An article recently published over at the MIT Sloan Management Review blog caught my attention. Essentially, the article asserted that in a world where optimism reigns, a little pessimism is a good thing.

In our culture, pessimism is generally perceived as a state of mind where one anticipates negative outcomes. We often classify individuals as either optimistic or pessimistic based on the age old question, “Is the glass half empty or half full?” We tend to classify those who answer “half empty” as stewards of a pessimistic outlook, always focusing on the negative and what’s likely to go wrong.

Despite the stigma that pessimism has, can it be interpreted as an undervalued asset and a valuable tool in PR?

As the MIT post suggests, thinking pessimistically presents distinct advantages, among them the ability to proactively recognize and avoid future problems, stave off passiveness and quell overconfidence. In a society that favors a positive temperament, does pessimism have a place in PR to help us to be more discerning in our point of view and cautious about the future to help colleagues and the C-level be more perceptive and realistic?

As the voice and often the face of our company and/or clients, it almost seems counterintuitive for us to be pessimistic, especially in an environment and a culture that expects and thrives off optimism. If being pessimistic translates into negativity, how exactly can it be an asset to a PR pro? Here are 3 ways:

1. Pragmatism – Effectively broadcasting and leveraging the positive are a big part of public relations. I’ve sat in on many meetings where executives extol the virtues of a new product or service, glowingly illustrating the features and benefits and how it was created to fill a market need or in direct response to consumer demand. Executives dream big but sometimes may not evaluate all the angles letting overconfidence shadow realistic possibilities. It’s your job as a PR pro to speak up, ask the “what if” questions, and whiteboard all the scenarios covering the optimistic and pessimistic outlooks.
2. The Big D – Ever heard the adage, “the best offense is a good defense?” It seems in the new era of digital communications that sometimes, collectively, companies end up rosier following a crisis then they were before it happened. If the unexpected strikes, can you quickly turn to a well prepared, crisis communications strategy? Preparation is key for public relations so make sure you map a defense by properly assessing the optimistic and pessimistic in advance. The ability to be nimble is a key characteristic of today’s PR pro.
3. Balance – Optimism is a powerful force in business. The MIT article pointed out that thinking optimistically has been directly linked to helping job candidates find work more easily and get promoted up the ladder faster. Why then, should PR pros include a dose of pessimism as an important ingredient in our business acumen? The answer is balance. It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement that comes from ideas or newfound success and the promise they hold for the future. Timely, balanced and realistic injections of pessimism through careful evaluation of all possible scenarios is important. Not only does it help to temper overconfidence but it demonstrates level headed thinking in times of optimistic euphoria. Step up and lead by example by developing a balanced approach.

Do you agree? Does pessimism have a place in PR? Share your thoughts with us.

Worried! © by photoloni

For the most part, I find the PR industry’s trade publications — PRWeek, PRNewser, PRNews, etc. — to be good standard-bearers for effectively covering the ins-and-outs of this diverse and growing industry. Sure, they tend to focus too much on AOR announcements  — the old-time stock ticker-tape reports of PR — but they do the job.

So I try to do my best not to critique. Look, reporters and editors have a tough job at those publications. They are reporting on the very people — PR pros — who know how to promote a cause or a person better than anyone. So I imagine there is quite a lot of pushback and calls for fluffier fluff pieces than at your standard trade reporter’s job.

But there is one type of trade story I can’t stand: the “[Fill in new/flashy technology] is destroying the profession!” piece. You see it every few months, often when some new social network or platform catches fire. Suddenly, PR pros are running around like chickens with their heads cut off, desperately trying to answer client questions about whether they can “Pin” their latest press release (as if anyone cares).

And so it was that I came across a blog post headlined, “Create, but don’t compromise” by former PRWeek Editor Julia Hood.

After relaying a few anecdotes about how The Economist routinely makes PR pros sound like the scourge of the earth, she gets to the meat of her argument:

The always-on, abbreviated nature of today’s digital communications is leaving many PR pros “worry[ing that] we are compromising by increments every day.”

Hmmm. Not so sure about that.

She’s right in noting that PR pros must always keep the verification of facts and information they disseminate in mind when crafting any and all communications, no matter truncated they may be. But I always get a little worried when I read a PR trade (or blog) try to make the point that just because we have so many new and fast-moving comms channels to work with, PR pros somehow inherently risk losing their credibility or professional standards.

If that were the case, TV would have corrupted the profession long ago as it overtook the seemingly austere days of radio. Obviously, that was not the case. And we shouldn’t try to imagine it will be the case now that we have moved firmly into the digital age.

In that respect, I sincerely hope that PR pros aren’t worrying whether “we are compromising by increments every day” just because Twitter and other social networks have become powerful new communications platforms. If anything, we should be celebrating the growth they have provided to the PR industry and the ability they have given PR pros to finally move away from the days of one-dimensional press release development.

Of course, there will always be issues inherent with a profession adopting any new form of communication or engagement platform. But that’s no reason for us to worry that we’re somehow chinking away at the very standards of professionalism and standards that underpin the profession.

• 17 May 2012 : PR Does Not Stand for Press Release (and Other Misconceptions)
• 16 May 2012 : Why Your Klout Score Doesn’t Matter (Much)
• 15 May 2012 : What Does a Blogger Really Want?
• 14 May 2012 : PRBC Special – Book Excerpt, Freebies and Discounts
• 11 May 2012 : Faulty Friday

Can you say social media mudslinging?

Consistent with most mud runs, Rebel Race offered various heats on Saturday and Sunday.  By Monday morning, there were hundreds of rabble-rousers expressing their displeasure for how the event was run.  Someone actually set-up a separate Facebook group page that to date, includes a trove of comments and even a letter submitted to the Better Business Bureau.

So how did the Rebel Race react to this social media scrutiny? Some may argue not fast enough.  To their credit, the organizers posted an update on Saturday acknowledging work was being done to deliver a better experience for Sunday’s participants (see below).

Unfortunately the race experience was more of the same on Sunday and the feedback on Facebook continued.  While there were some positive comments, the majority were negative.  On Monday, Rebel Race posted the following statement (see below):

From a crisis communications perspective, the company’s message was direct.  It acknowledged the unexpected issues and reinforced the need to ensure safety. However it did not offer any assurance on how it was going to remedy the situation and fix future races.  In situations like this, rebuilding trust is priority one.  Offering a 50 percent discount (with an imposed deadline of seven days to redeem it) as a consolation for a “less than fun experience” is not the best way to earn a second chance. Perhaps a full refund or free registration to a future race would have conveyed genuine concern, empathy, and a commitment to making things right.

Social media offers a two-way channel to engage with people and listen. It’s debatable whether or not the Rebel Race was listening, but they are clearly in a muddy mess.

Domenick Cilea is president of Springboard, a marketing communications firm specializing in the technology and telecommunications industries. Serving clients located throughout theUnited StatesandEurope, Domenick has embraced the evolution of traditional marketing and public relations disciplines as well as the emergence of digital strategies and social media. Follow him on Twitter at @dcilea.

Writer

The hardest part of any writing assignment is the first part. That first sentence is where most writers struggle, whether it’s a news release or a news story, a memo to a client or a note to the boss. It’s the first thing out of your mouth; and it has to be good. It’s also where people will lose interest if you fail to grab their attention. So, what do you do?

First, use The “Hey, Mike” Rule. It’s named for Mike Simmons, my right-hand man when I found myself running a newsroom at 27. Mike worked a lot with young reporters who were covering nighttime meetings of city councils and school boards. They’d come back to the paper and find Mike to tell him what happened. While their explanations to Mike were clear and concise, they wrote some of the most convoluted leads imaginable.

These were sharp guys who worked hard, but the problem persisted. So I made a rule, The “Hey, Mike” Rule. Every lead in the newspaper had to read like it could be preceded by the words, “Hey, Mike… .” And it worked. Following is a re-creation that will help you get the idea.

BEFORE: The Pasadena City Council voted Monday night to continue to explore with a consulting firm the benefits of converting the 6.2-acre site of the defunct Gilley’s honkytonk on Spencer Highway into a retail space for a major tenant.

AFTER: City officials are still trying to take Walmart to Gilley’s.

Leads Should Grab Attention and Focus It

Great leads aren’t just about brevity. Sometimes the most memorable thing about a situation is a detail. If it’s truly compelling, don’t be afraid to use it in a lead. Look at this gem from Scott Goldstein of The Dallas Morning News:

A 12-year-old boy barely as tall as the judge’s bench pleaded guilty Tuesday to aggravated robbery in exchange for up to seven years in juvenile prison in connection with the killing of a man pushed into a moving DART train last year.

You can just see that kid, can’t you? I only wish the lead was shorter so the reader could focus longer on that image. That’s because (ultimately) what we want from leads is focus. Give the reader something to focus on and make it something they care about. A great reporter once told me any great story is about money, sex or power. If you’ve got one of those cards, play it.

Recently a client asked us to punch up some copy they were planning to use in an email blast. Our Stephanie Fedler saw that the lead needed improving, and she correctly played the money card, focusing on how a big bank was willing to give $20 to people who supported one of its partners.

“I think these are some nice changes,” the client wrote back, “love the first line.”

Three Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Let’s look at the first sentence of a couple of recent press releases and a news story, point out some pitfalls, and offer a suggestion for each.

Macadamian, a global leader in user experience design and software development, today announced that it has rocketed up the 2012 Edition of the Branham300, the definitive listing of Canada’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry leaders, as ranked by revenues.

Between the global leading, rocketing and definitive lists, this lead makes Macadamian sound overly self-important. Too many proper nouns is another issue. All that blurs the message that this is a successful company. Borrowing from elsewhere in the news release you could say:

Macadamian, a leader in software product creation, has been listed among Canada’s top 5 mobile technology companies and fourth among the Movers & Shakers in the nation’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry.

Sometimes reaching for a connection is the problem, as in this British news release from McDonald’s:

Worldwide Olympic Partner McDonald’s marked 100 days to go to the London 2012 Olympic Games this week, with the launch its “Champions of Play” programme.

Typos aside — just 100 days until the start of the Olympics? Unless you’re competing, do you care? Later we find elements of the story that are much stronger:

McDonald’s is bringing nearly 200 children from more than 34 countries to the London 2012 Olympic Games to attend events, meet athletes and get a behind-the-scenes look at selected venues.

Sometimes the problem is length, as in this lead from the Washington Post:

Israel’s military chief said in an interview published Wednesday that he believes Iran will choose not to build a nuclear bomb, an assessment that contrasted with the gloomier statements of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and pointed to differences over the Iran issue at the top levels of Israeli leadership.

Can you read that in one breath? I’ll bet you make it about 25 words, which has long been my rule of thumb for how long a lead can be. Delaying the introduction of just a few details retains the conflict in the lead but slims it down to a manageable length:

Israel’s military chief has expressed views on Iran that are in sharp contrast with those of other Israeli leaders, including the prime minister.

Self-importance, weak connections, and length can conspire to ruin good stories in the very first sentence. Watch out for them, and don’t forget to say, “Hey, Mike … .”

Clay Zeigler is vice president of content at Idea Grove, an integrated marketing firm in Dallas specializing in public relations, online marketing and Web design. Clay has more than 25 years of experience writing and editing for print and online publications. At The Dallas Morning News, he led groups of reporters, helping them refine their approaches to reporting and writing. Previously, Clay headed a team of copy editors and led a small newsroom to national accolades.

Earlier this year, an Atlanta Journal Constitution restaurant reviewer wrote a fairly negative review of a Buckhead steakhouse. Although he enjoyed the atmosphere, the journalist was very unimpressed by the quality of the food, and he gave the spot a “Fair” rating. AJC readers responded in kind.

But one dissenting voice stood out from the criticism. Posted under a vague alias, this positive and enthusiastic review disagreed strongly with the journalist’s critiques.

What that commenter did not mention, however, was that she was a member of the PR team representing the restaurant. The journalist was not so oblivious: as a website administrator, he could see the commenter’s email address, which clearly identified her, and he called her out.

To quote one of the subsequent comments: Busted.

Transparency is not a luxury in PR. If that PR professional had identified herself in her comment—simply writing “I work for Company X, but this has been my experience” would have been sufficient—I would be writing a very different post. But the professional instead attempted to sway the conversation by using an anonymous account, and history has proven that the Internet is not kind to those it deems inauthentic.

It seems like common sense advice: Identify yourself. Identify your conflicts of interest. But the temptation to sway the conversation is strong, and some of our colleagues in PR, perhaps due to inexperience or perhaps because they don’t believe that they will get caught, continue to make the same mistake. Pretending not to have a conflict of interest—and that is exactly what these types of comments are doing—rarely ends well, and it reflects poorly on the industry as a whole.

Strong commenting policies and guidelines rooted in transparency and disclosure, like those set out by the United States Air Force, can help prevent these unfortunate outings. As publicists, we recommend that our clients are transparent and authentic in interviews. Shouldn’t we hold ourselves to the same standards when commenting on blogs?

Holly Grande is the social media manager for Cookerly Public Relations, an Atlanta-based PR and marketing agency. Follow Holly on Twitter @hollygrande.