Top 10 reasons media relations will get easier in 2010

Jeremy Porter of Journalistics.com wrote out his predictions on how networks, tools and analytics will make media relations easier this year. These go hand-in-hand with what Mary, Jonathan and I talk about in our book, Bite-sized Marketing, and deserve to be repeated. Jeremy's full post is well worth reading, but here's the quick list:

1. Social media. Social media (i.e. Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook) make it easier than ever for us to connect with journalists outside of a static media database.

2. Research tools. Beyond social media tools, there are a wide range of improved research tools for searching information across all online channels.

3. Commercial PR products. Most have adapted to serve our needs better as PR professionals, improving workflows to make our recurring tasks more efficient, while building in functionality that is more pro-journalist.

4. Analytics. Better analytics solutions, be it traditional Web analytics or emerging social media analytics toolsets, will better equip public relations professionals to measure the results of their pitch efforts.

5. Collaboration tools. There are far too many PR teams managing media relations efforts across a static or shared spreadsheet.

6. Diminished reliance on press releases. Improvements in the distribution format of news, such as social media releases or short-message pitches (i.e. Twitter pitches), give PR professionals more options for quickly getting news into the hands of the most interested journalists.

7. Expanded media options. We are no longer limited to print, broadcast and Web sites for our media targeting. A quick tweet from a journalist can be just as valuable to our PR results as a full-page article in the Sunday paper.

8. Mobile and the rise of location-aware apps. Next year’s list will include augmented reality, for this year, we’ll just focus on the rise of mobile and location-aware applications.

9. Improved distribution. Although I’m firmly against mass distribution, evolving technologies for dynamic “targeting” of contacts can help us better target relevant information to journalists, while working around the intricacies of exclusives and preferential treatment of news.

10. Improved filtering. Journalists are learning how to better manage and process information. For the truly overwhelmed journalists that had resorted to building complex e-mail filters and PR blacklists, this means many of them may be more receptive to pitches again. Reputation-based systems (like the one we’re working on) or social networks that give journalists access to reliable information on us, helps them respond faster to our requests. They can more accurately gauge who among us is a reliable source, and who regularly “spams” journalists. As journalists are better equipped to filter out “PR spam,” those of us with “good” pitches will see better response rates.

Thoughts on an Unstaffed "Library Express" Branch in WA

Have you seen the short news article in Library Journal about a small unstaffed branch in a new housing development in Washington state?

Sarah Houghton-Jan, aka the Librarian in Black (LiB), posted about it yesterday, bringing up some good questions. I decided to chime in there and ended up writing what should have been a full post over here on The M Word!

The LiB questioned whether an unstaffed branch was worth it as far as money saved, and more importantly, should it still be called a "library" when there is nobody there giving service? (It was designed basically as a room where residents could order books via OPACs and pick up holds when they became available.) My take from the marketing side was different. Here's an excerpt from what I said there:

...[F]rom a marketing POV, this is a winner. the key is this paragraph from the LJ article:
“The new mini-branch was inspired by a survey of community residents; some 95 percent said they would rather pick up their holds in a nearby unstaffed library than drive to a full-service library. Redmond Ridge is a 1,228-unit master-planned community.”

So the library system did exactly what this target audience asked for: opened an “unstaffed library” right in the community. It’s sure to be used b/c it fills a specific desire for these patrons. And for that I say, Bravo, King County!

Go over to LiB's blog and read the thought-provoking post, and comments, in full. Tell us what you think: Is this unstaffed "library" (named "Library Express") a slippery slope toward cutting staff to save money, or a brilliant use of marketing to meet patrons' needs? Or both?

Motorola Survey Reveals Shift in Media Consumption Habits Across Generations

Interesting article ...

The 2009 Media Engagement Barometer commissioned by Motorola's Home & Networks Mobility business (NYSE: MOT) has revealed a shift in consumer influence that hasn't been widely recognized yet: Age no longer dictates a consumer's willingness or ability to use media technology or services. In fact, all generations - Millennials (75 percent), Gen Xers (74 percent) and Boomers (66 percent) - recognize the role entertainment technologies play in helping them keep their lives in order, which helps explain why Millennials (80 percent), Gen Xers (78 percent) and Boomers (78 percent) are equally likely to desire to be constantly connected.

With all generations now immersed in entertainment technologies, we must look beyond age to predict influences.

Connectivity is more of a lifestyle issue. Being accessible at all times is seen as a necessity across generations (Millennials, 79 percent; Gen Xers, 64 percent; Boomers, 65 percent).

There is a two-way dialogue between consumers of all ages as they engage with technology products and share their experiences. The majority of Americans report influencing the decisions of their children (75 percent), friends (74 percent), colleagues (67 percent) and parents (58 percent).

Parents, grandparents and children alike are actively engaged in the tech sphere of influence. Gen X and Boomer parents reveal that they are influencing their children's tech habits (Gen Xers, 87 percent and Boomers, 79 percent) even more than their Gen X (62 percent) and Millennial (76 percent) children influence their habits.


The purpose of the study was to explore how different generations engage through technology products and services with family, friends and colleagues. Interviewers questioned a survey sample of 1,000 Americans ranging from 16-64 years old. However, as technological innovations continue to progress, people's lives can no longer be so easily segmented. Millennials, Gen Xers and Baby Boomers come together through technology, forming bonds based on usage habits rather than age group.

"Service providers and technology companies are starting to deliver video, communications and information services more aggressively across multiple devices. However, if the key to success for these new services is consumer acceptance, adoption and loyalty, then it's critical we understand

The consumer influence model has obviously shifted:
Connectivity Is a Necessity
Demand for Content Anytime, Anywhere
Universal Need for Customization
Sphere of Influence -Parents are influencing kids!

full article

Library Marketing Success Story

Kris Neiman, Head of Administrative Services, at Kenosha Public Library shared news about a teen program that was very successful. I liked it because it was very simple and the results were phenomenal. They invited teens to submit their photos to a gmail account (since the size capacity is greater and didn't overload their server) then had people vote on Facebook by using the "like" feature. 

How easy can it be?

Thirty five teens submitted pictures but the real success was the increase of Facebook fans from 86 to to 400 in TWO weeks. They are going to follow up with an adult contest in the Spring.

As our customers' communication channels evolve it is important for libraries to keep up and FB Pages is an excellent communication tool. Way back when, FB had introduced their "Causes" pages but they really didn't work for a multitude of reason. FB Pages is the new generation. When people agree to be your fan, it gives you access to communicate news about your library directly to their news feeds in real time. Not only can you post updates, you can invites fans to your events, encourage them to interact with you and have fun with polls and other apps. It's free, popular and effective. In the PR world, we call that a no brainer :-) . 

Below is a list of strategies FB suggested to attract fans. Read the entire,10 Facebook Page Strategies Every Brand Should Know.

1. Develop Custom Tabs for Custom Ads
2. Don’t Let New Users Land on the Wall
3. Create a Unique Page Image
4. Integrate Applications To Increase Engagement
5. Join the Conversation, It’s Not Optional Anymore
6. Publish Interesting and Relevant Content
7. Repost Comments By Other Users
8. Update Regularly
9. Post and Tag Users in Photos and Videos
10. Leverage the Power of Facebook Event

Heading out to Illinois

I'm heading out to Illinois next week for a talk on mobile marketing. Sarah Long interviewed me for her Podcast, Longshots. Here's the write up and a link to the interview. Can't wait to meet everyone! It's my first trip to Chicago and I'm looking for a good blues club and pizza place. Suggestions?

"Sarah talks with Nancy Dowd, director of marketing and public relations for the New Jersey State Library. Nancy shares the status of their exciting, low cost mobile marketing project, which is showing great success with typically tough to reach target audiences. They also discuss Nancy's dual blogs and the impetus behind her new book, Bite-Sized Marketing: Realistic Solutions for the Overworked Librarian."

Handy Promo Tool: Coffe-Cup Sleeves

I just spotted this on the LJ Insider Blog, written by Norman Oder:

November 23, 2009: The Maine Library Association (MLA) came up with a nifty new way to promote libraries and the organization itself: coffee/hot drink sleeves with literary quotes (authors include Mark Twain, Benjamin Franklin, and George Eliot), the MLA's new logo, and the MLA URL.

"The project started with a new logo and is part of a way to promote a new web site that is currently being created," explained MLA president Sonja Plummer-Morgan. "Offering coffee sleeves to the business community gives us an opportunity to reach their customers, but also to open dialog about the value of economic and community development and the role that libraries play."

I like it! What a simple idea that reaches a wide audience.