TJ Dietderich

Your Copy Sucks: I don’t think that means what you think it means

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tsuarmy_crossword-3
(CC) flickr // image munky

I love English, but I’ll be the first one to say it is cruel, unwieldy, illogical, and frustrating. We have words that sound alike but are spelled differently, words that have two meanings, words that are spelled the same but sound different, words that have three meanings, words that mean one thing as a verb but the opposite thing as a noun, and words that have seventeen meanings.

And there are some words and phrases you should just avoid because you are doing it wrong. Sorry, but you are.  Here’s a quick rundown: Continue reading →

Danielle Cyr

Dear Reporter – We’re Really Here to Help

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Person holding coffee cup, compass inside cup, elevated viewI’m not one to state the obvious but this needs to be said – PR pros are here to help reporters.  We’re here to provide information, coordinate interviews and come through with a last minute source when deadline knocks.

It’s not just about us touting our clients and promoting our business partners, it’s about being a source, and more importantly, a resource. Continue reading →

Keith Trivitt

The Fallacy of “Blogger Relations”

13 Comments

Male against financial journalsI’ve never really had a problem being a little unconventional with my thinking, so I’m going to go ahead and say what some in the PR business may consider blasphemy: To me, the term “blogger relations” is a bunch of BS.

It’s not that I have a problem with actually reaching out to and effectively working with bloggers. I am completely for that, and embrace those types of relationships each day with my work. My problem stems from the fact that those of us in PR have even had to take the time to create a new term for the type of relationships and media outreach we should have been doing all along with EVERY type of media, not just bloggers. Continue reading →

Jess Greco

Flack in Training Vol. 5 – The Interview

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Businesspeople in Meeting Room

So you’ve sent your resume to all the agencies in your area that are hiring (and hopefully some that aren’t, just in case!) and you’ve landed your first interview. Getting a potential employer to take that step from having your resume to actually calling you and scheduling a time to speak is difficult, but the biggest hurdle of the entire job search process is getting through your interview alive. Ok, so I may be exaggerating slightly, but going on your first PR interview and not knowing what to expect can be pretty terrifying. Since I spent the entire summer going on all sorts of interviews, I’ve picked up on some tips and things that you should know to help you shine, stand out, and hopefully get that coveted first job offer. Continue reading →

Sherri Haymond

Bringing Back CB Slang: A short history of “What’s Your Twenty?” (and why you should care)

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What’s your 20? I’m sure you’ve heard it a thousand times before – if you’re in the entertainment biz, you likely say it all the time – and if not, well, I bet you’re jealous of those of us who do. (In that “I want to feel like I’m on the Dukes of Hazzard!” sort of way….). It’s a cool phrase that’s part of American English and the name of my walkie-talkie rental company.   When I was researching its cultural history, I discovered a really interesting parallel between the language and traditions that grew out of CB radio culture and those that we are creating now as we navigate social media’s explosion.  While platforms change, our culture’s tendency to [r]evolve following the introduction of each new technology remains the same and is limited only by technology itself. Continue reading →

David Spinks

Build your Community like a Friendship

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DavidSpinksWhile building a community around a brand is viewed by many as a business tactic, the manner in which you build your community has very little to do with business. Building a community has a lot more to do with people.

In order to build a strong community, a business must treat their community members like friends. Here’s the why and how: Continue reading →

Christina Khoury

Christina’s Coffee Talk with Michael Schaffer

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Mike Schaffer
Mike Schaffer

It’s a bird; it’s a plane, it’s Michael Schaffer for this week’s coffee talk. This non-coffee drinker (gasp) was a former DJ that uses music to “pump up the volume” for his day.  He’s a savy PR/ Social Media professional working in the entertainment/sports world as social media director for Brotman-Winter-Fried Communications. To get through his crazy days Mike turns to songs from Glee, the Cupid Shuffle, Ingraham Hill and the Beastie Boys for motivation. Not one to name drop, he did admit to losing his cool when he met  Jaleel White, who played Steve Urkel.  Also be sure to check out Mike’s blog: The Buzz.

And so I give you, Mike Schaffer, shedding light on the sports and entertainment world of PR. Continue reading →

TJ Dietderich

Your Copy Sucks: How to Pitch a Blogger

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(CC) flickr // websuccessdiva
(CC) flickr // websuccessdiva

Do you want to know an inside secret on how to pitch a blogger?

Oh man. Lean in close. No, closer. That’s it. Almost.

You have to talk to them like they’re a human being.

I know, it’s crazy. It doesn’t have much to do with the length of your pitch or the “Hi” instead of “Hello” in your salutation. It doesn’t have anything to do with how many bullet points you have and what Cool Blogger Slang you employ. You just have to talk to them like they’re an actual person, which, gasps all around, they are. (Another crazy fact: journalists are also people. Maybe you should give this a shot with them too?)

Just one rule: talk like a person, treat them like a person. Here’s how to do that.
Continue reading →

Nathan "PRCog" Burgess

PR Win! Save by CoffeeCup

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All opinions (and I mean all) herein are my own and not the official opinion of PRBC or any of the other writers.

stuff
(CC) flickr // andy_carter

There’s a software company I’m a big fan of — CoffeeCup [and no FTC, they aren’t compensating me in any way].  Most of the software they create is for website development – ftp programs, html coding, flash animation, etc.  The software’s always very user-friendly, they provide good support, have an active message board for customers, provide free updates, and give away a decent amount of free software so you can get a flavor of what they produce.

It’s a feel-good company.  The company name “came from the domain name of the coffee house where we got our start. (Yes, we owned a real coffee house first.) Domains cost $100 a year back then, and coffeecup.com was already paid for, so why invent a new name?”  They claim to run on “an unlimited supply of Red Bull, Mexican food, Jelly Bellies, and passion for our users.”   Continue reading →

…..a chance to start the day off right.