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There continues to be great debate in the marketing industry regarding who should “own” what in the era of social media. There are rational arguments and real opportunities on all sides of the fence. Marketers leverage word-of-mouth tactics to engage consumers. Advertisers create branded profiles and channels in social networks and community properties. Communication professionals (i.e., public relations, marketing communications, investor relations, etc.) engage in the conversation and secure editorial placements with influencers and among consumer-produced sites.

Perhaps this is oversimplified but here’s what I see happening. Few organizations trust or understand how to tap the influence of conversation. And they still want control. So they opt for the creation of a channel, whether it’s a Web site, a profile in a social network, a podcast or a video on YouTube. Easy stuff. And it’s easy for advertising and marketing companies to sell because it’s related to what they have done for years. 

The power of outreach and need to spark conversation seems to be lost on the average marketer. Even in New York, which is one of the most progressive pools of talent in the industry, the lack of new thinking (other than a new wrapper for old ideas) is astounding. PR professionals that understand how to navigate social media and new communications are creating some of the most appropriate original thinking. Professionals from all marketing disciplines need to spend time in the social media space to understand what really matters and what works.

In the end, it’s not marketing vs. PR. It’s channel and conversation. An integrated mix of messaging platforms is the best way to proceed. Establish a bit of control and participate in the ups and downs of uncontrolled communication.

Technorati Tags: public relations, social media, marketing, digital channel, conversation, conversational marketing

There was a bit of a buzz today regarding a pitch one of our youth trend spotters in Fleishman-Hillard’s Next Great Thing (NGT) made trying to raise visibility of their recently launched team blog. It appears that her pitch, while generating a largely favorable response irked one esteemed blogger in particular who shared it with her network sparking a bit of a blurt about how PR and marketing agencies need to learn how to properly approach bloggers. Notice I didn’t use the word “pitch”. Toby Bloomberg (that esteemed blogger) offered her 12 Blogger Relations Secrets For PR, Advertising and Brand Marketers. She included a bonus tip that read, “In the world of social media relationships are the new currency.”

This is bang on. I keep telling my peers that rapport is the most important thing in social media. The concept of pitching works in some instances if it’s relevant. Some of our online editorial outreach folks make it a habit of leading with a question and getting a nod of permission before offering up what we think may be of value or of interest. The most important thing is to know your audience. What’s going to appeal? How is it going to be interpreted?

I personally am more comfortable in the realm of rapport versus pitches. More often than not you generate results through the connections you have built up. It’s just like landing a great job or an incredible client. So much of it is who you know and being in the right place at the right time. Cliché but true.

I guess the trick is to define your own style that works for you and the recipients of your communication.

In order to excel in this new environment, you need to be a known and credible resource. PR people in particular are typically well suited for social media if they can get past the concept of packaging information in traditional formats. We use the social media mix to make it work. PR professionals have access to the subject matter experts that can offer unique and informative points of view. We also have access to the facts, research and materials that can provide greater context. Based on my experience, if people know you can deliver and help them enhance their content, you’re going to do well.

FH is in the process of globally switching on the firm to embrace digital communication. Ethics and being appropriate within digital culture are two of the greatest tenets we promote as people come on stream. We also talk a ton about respect for the individual, being authentic and transparent, and not over marketing. We’re engaging in a conversation and contributing to a community. In order to really create value, you need to be passionate about what you do and what your clients do. If you can’t speak with enthusiasm and insight, should you really engage in the dialogue?

Also see my colleague David Jones’ take on this: Bad blog pitch? You be the judge

Technorati Tags: social media, public relations, blogger relations, fleishman-hillard

Have you taken your first step into your Second Life? How about Virtual Laguna Beach or Cyworld or There? I have to admit it my first experience in Second Life was a bit bare. It took a long time for my avatar (my in-world character representation) to load its clothing. After my initial embarrassment, I started to explore. I almost bought virtual property. Almost set up a clubhouse for peers from Fleishman-Hillard where we could hang out. But I didn’t. In the end, I figured it would just lie dormant. I was probably right because I have not made it back regularly. Not so much because I didn’t like it but more driven by the fact that I didn’t have time. Heck, I can’t even find time these days to keep this blog alive. Such is life in client service. Work comes first.

With that said, I still believe there are some great opportunities to interact and engage in-world. I have noticed a couple of strategies. One is what I call a conversational or interaction strategy where your avatar is at the core of the program. Our team’s work in Virtual Laguna Beach is truly exceptional. The client avatar we pilot, Tony Fresh, is one of the most popular characters in Virtual Laguna Beach. Tony is a bit of a a nomad. He wanders the world and is often accompanied by a kiosk which is kind of like a prop. The kiosk is a great conversation piece and allows us to promote our client’s products and drive traffic to their Web site.

We have also been getting some great coverage for our work helping H&R Block launch an island in Second Life. This is more of a destination strategy, but it relies heavily on interaction as well. H&R Block has two tax professionals available for tax preparation assistance on Tuesdays and Thursdays until April 17, 2007 from 6-7 p.m. SLT (PDT).

So the big question is not whether you should interact through a conversational strategy or attract to a destination, but do both. At minimum, take the time to interact. It’s amazing who you can meet.

Technorati Tags: Fleishman-Hillard, Second Life, Virtual Laguna Beach, H&R Block