This Monday finds me playing the role of public relations Lone Ranger, as the rest of the team is currently attending the 2012 NSA Convention in Indianapolis. While the gang is off meeting with clients and potential clients in the land of racing lore, I’m holding down the fort; firing off a litany of emails and keeping up with the day-to-day workings of PR/PR, all set to the inviting backdrop of 100% Florida humidity. Thanks to our social media cache, I’ve been able to monitor the happenings at the convention (which included a ‘friendliest staff’ award this morning); specifically, our brand-new Instagram account (shameless plug): @prprpublicity. Instagramis an invaluable asset during conventions and trade shows, and provides a fun and entertaining way of marketing your brand.

By now, the world is fully aware of the enormity of Instagram, after it was purchased by Facebook in April for a cool billion dollars. This photo-sharing social media site is unique in that it is available only to smartphone users, and until the Facebook buyout, only IPhone users. It works much in the way that Twitter does, complete with ‘@replies’ and tagging, but add in a wealth of different filters for your photos and the ability of your followers to ‘like’ them.

Lindsay has done a bang-up job chronicling PR/PR’s presence at this year’s NSA Convention, with constant Instagram updates of the goings on in Indianapolis. By uploading and sharing your photos on Instagram while at a convention, you can provide follow-worthy content to those interested in you or what you’re trying to promote (and make the coworkers you left behind jealous of the fun you’re having.)

What makes Instagram so useful at conventions is that it allows your potential clients to view you in action, all from the comfort of their smartphone. Is there a better endorsement than visual evidence of you onstage giving a rousing keynote or a picture of your crowded booth in the exhibit hall? Couple with the ability to geo-tag your location so your displays are easily found or your followers to mention you in their own photos and you have the makings of a social media snowball that builds your visibility.

I have two more days of manning the ship here in Orlando, and I am looking forward to the continuous stream of visuals from the PR/PR Instagram account. Establish yourself on this meteoric social media site, and allow your clientele to see you in action.

-Carter Breazeale
PR/PR Public Relations

A sure-fire way to incur a ‘case of the Mondays’ is by being asked if you have a ‘case of the Mondays.’ Let’s face it: no one really loves a Monday, and that single cliché office-term is the quickest path to the beginning of the workweek spiraling out of control. We’re used to hectic Monday mornings around our office, complete with staff meetings, shoring up any pressing matters from over the weekend, and of course, brainstorming topics and eventually writing this blog. Some days, topics fly around the room like a locust swarm, and on others I’m left staring at the wall for six hours wondering what to write about. Crafting an insightful blog worth following is a rewarding, but arduous task, and can sometimes bring about ‘a case of the Mondays.’

In an effort to spare some of you would-be bloggers from a few of the roadblocks I’ve encountered, I’m going to outline some inherent challenges that I’ve experienced with my tenure as PR/PR’s resident blogger, and the strategies I utilize to overcome them.

Find a Parallel, Even if it’s Not Obvious

With weekly blogging, the first critical element is finding unique links to what’s circulating in the news. At first glance, you may not recognize a news story’s relevance to your topic, but often your best work occurs by shifting your focus and approaching a topic from a different angle.

Know Your Audience and Provide Actionable Advice

Our blog has gained steady steam since its inception, and it’s due in part to maintaining our established topic, and familiarity with our readership. Knowing your audience and why they’re seeking out your point of view is a key cog in sustaining consistent page views.

Another integral factor is providing actionable tips and advice. Many readers are typing in your blog URL to solve problems; provide your distinct perspective with concrete, ‘put in to practice’ advice, and watch your followers multiply.

Talk it Out

Formal brainstorming sessions can feel slightly daunting, especially on a Monday morning when setting up the office after the weekend. Here at PR/PR, many of our blog topics are borne of casual conversation. When the ideas don’t immediately jump out at you, take a step back and allow others to contribute to the conversation. Often, you just needed a new set of ideas and fresh thought process to determine your topic.

Grab a Coffee and Take a Breather!

Forced writing is painfully obvious to your readers. I find the best panacea for my writer’s block maladies is re-upping on caffeine and stepping away from the screen. Staring at a blinking cursor can sometimes feel like waiting for the mailman. A change of scenery can work wonders for your creativity, as it allows you to decompress and relax while casually brainstorming your ideas.

Running the PR/PR blog has provided me with a crash-course in blogging, and with every new venture, there’s liable to be a few speed bumps along the way. By employing the above techniques I’ve been able to surpass them and avoid rough Mondays, and hopefully you will find them useful to besting your struggles as you begin blogging.

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations

The Internet do-gooders prevail again. In another spectacular display of the power of the online community to rally behind a worthwhile cause, Reddit has successfully raised over $600,000 to donate to Karen Klein, the victim of abhorrent bullying at the hands of a gang of pre-teen miscreants. When the video went viral on YouTube, Klein received an outpouring of emotional and financial support, as a PayPal account was established to send her on a much-deserved vacation in light of the torment she received. There is an interesting debate developing, however, as the donated funds quickly mounted beyond the organizer’s imagination. These events lend to two questions in particular: is raising north of $600,000 (and climbing) for a bullying victim overkill, and what unique PR problems are in store for Karen Klein?

In spite of what’s widely perceived by the public as a noble undertaking for a woman who was needlessly verbally abused, Karen Klein’s situation will undoubtedly be the source of scrutiny. What began as a genuine attempt to raise $5,000 to send her on a nice vacation has increased exponentially to a life-altering sum of money, leading many to question if the amount of donations were unnecessary. As someone who was unwittingly thrust into the public eye, Klein now has a distinct set of public relations circumstances that she will have to manage.

Klein has been rather mum on what she intends to do with the funds, and as is her right; she did not come to the public seeking handouts or sympathy, her life changing circumstances were the direct result of a viral video and compassionate benefactors. Unfortunately, the court of public opinion has no regulation, and some op-ed writers are now calling for her to give the money back.

Being thrust into the spotlight immediately opens you up to the media microscope, and with public relations, this presents an innate set of issues. If unprepared, as Karen Klein unequivocally was, it’s entirely possible to step on your own toes and turn the public against you.

An interesting story will unfold as more details emerge as to the final monetary tally and Karen’s intentions, and certainly many news outlets will provide their own opinion as to what they feel is the right path to take. Whether you agree with online users’ graciousness or not, we can all agree that what Karen Klein was subjected to is a wretched testament to the state of our society, and should never, under any circumstances, be tolerated.

-Carter Breazeale

PR/PR Public Relations

The creatures and inhabitants of Bon Temps are back for the summer, and with last night’s True Blood premiere, it appears we’re in for another couple of months teeming with over the top violence and gore, adult situations and Jessica Hamby.

Admittedly, an ex-girlfriend of mine fought by hell or high water to convince me that the HBO staple was more than gratuitous visuals and campy nonsense. I avoided it like leprosy or liver and onions; only daring to peer into the living room to see if the opening sequence to Entourage had begun rolling and it was finally safe to assume my position on the couch. Then something strange happened. Whether it was Twitter or Facebook, I could not escape the allure of these Louisiana vampires. After being inundated online with True Blood to the point of saying ‘uncle,’ I gave it a shot; and like every previously skeptical American: I loved it. By dominating the social media stratosphere, the PR department at HBO has made it virtually impossible to escape True Blood, and it’s one of television’s most successful shows because of it.

@TrueBloodHBO, the official handle for the show, maintains a prolific presence on Twitter that has contributed to the show’s continued success. With a sage-like mastery of frequency and repetition on the social media platform, the folks on True Blood’s team have tweeted over 8,500 times. Updates include engaging the audience with recaps and retweeting users’ usage of show-specific hash tags such as ‘#tbmoments,’ and on the eve of the premiere included links to a live Q & A with cast member Rutina Wesley.

By making audience awareness and participation an integral piece in their marketing model, True Blood has enjoyed a CDC-alert level of viral success. What many newcomers seeking to increase the visibility of themselves or their brand online fail to realize about social media marketing is that blanketed self-promotion is the antithesis of what makes utilizing outlets like Facebook and Twitter so successful. The key is subtlety and engaging and fostering a conversation about you or your product, not forcing promotional tidbits onto the streams or newsfeeds of your followers. This is where HBO’s staff excels, and it reflects in their annual ratings.

Engaging with your audience in an organic and casual forum is what builds crowds and sells books. There’s nothing that fosters a fan base or followers like interpersonal connection; getting into the ‘trenches’ if you will, and really playing an active role in enriching your audience’s lives. Emerging trends are imperative to keep an eye on, and when it comes to getting involved with your demographic, there are many developing avenues to explore; here are a few of them.

Reddit AMAs (Ask Me Anything): Reddit, a social news website that I’ve mentioned numerous times on our blog, has experienced a meteoric ascent in terms of online popularity and power in the last year. Its denizens, or ‘redditors,’ organized and raised $600,000 for charity to promote a Stephen Colbert rally in 2010, and fomented the SOPA/PIPA online blackouts earlier this year that altered the course of governmental policy. An ‘AMA’ or ‘Ask Me Anything’ is a sub-section of the website that allows users to tell their story, and open themselves up to a variety of questions from Reddit users.

An online group-interview of sorts, AMA’s allow for self-promotion without seeming self-promotional. You’re a professional speaker who’s rubbed elbows with some of the industry elites; what are they like? What is the actual involvement on your part in crafting a monetarily-viable speaking career? These are some examples of the exchanges that take place in an AMA. While presenting yourself in a spontaneous manner, you generate public interest in who you are and what you do, and may gain a few new fans along the way.

Creating a Blog and Participating:  Blogspot, Tumblr, WordPress. All of these are platforms on which to create a blog and maintain a running dialogue with your online-followers. Many bloggers make the mistake of merely writing an update, clicking the ‘post’ button and walking away. Get involved in the comments section! Encourage your readers to take part in conversations that stem from your writing. You may encounter dissenting or opposing viewpoints, but engaging and addressing them will cultivate a respect for your work and opinions. Get blogging!

TweetChats: A unique, developing aspect to Twitter is the ability for live chats. By logging into your Twitter account via TweetChat.com, you can follow hashtags (#, denotes a trending word or topic) and take part in a conversation with other users in real-time about your field of expertise or your take on what’s currently taking over the Twittersphere.

It’s simple to interact on Twitter, especially using hashtags, but Tweetchat allows for private chat rooms that revolve around a particular topic and non-delayed responses. This medium allows your voice to be heard, your opinion to be stated, and as it displays your Twitter handle: followers to be gained.

You have important things to say, and getting your message to a widespread audience is why you got into the business in the first place. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty; utilize all of the rising online trends to your advantage, and watch your target audience grow in numbers.

– Carter Breazeale
PR/PR Public Relations