Monthly Archives: June 2010

Jun 30 2010

Top 5 Ways PR Agencies Can Keep Talented Employees

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PR agencies need to invest in talented pros

Since the beginning of my career both in PR and on the media side, I’ve witnessed firsthand a number of talented professionals leave their job for a ‘better opportunity,’ which almost always translates to more money. And lately, I’ve heard this happening a lot more frequently from friends and colleagues across all industries as the economy slowly improves. The result is a terrible feeling for both the team and the client(s), who I’d argue care as much about keeping a strong team intact as they do getting media opportunities.

I completely understand that sometimes you can’t give everyone what they ask for. I also know that people move on and the agency/company will not go into a tailspin with the loss of a few employees. However, it’d be comforting if more often we saw companies do what it takes to keep those skilled, exceptional workers so as not  to see them look around, much less take offers elsewhere.

So since everyone loves lists so much, I came up with five suggestions for agencies/companies regarding how to improve retention rates and keep as happy a workforce as possible. After all, a happy workforce can mean happy clients (well, we hope!).

1) Inve$t in Talented Employees. I realize that in this economy we should all be thankful for a job, let alone receive a raise. However, rewarding those employees who go above and beyond with generous raises, especially in this job climate, would go a long way in having them ignore the calls from recruiters. Again, reward those that deserve a hefty raise, not staff members that only bicker and moan for one.

2) Work/Life Balance. If the agency cannot afford to give substanial raises then there should be other ways to incentivize workers. Maybe it’s the option to work from home once a week? More vacation days? The possibilities are endless. Here’s a few of them in an article I read in Inc. back in April.

3) Eliminate The 1-Year Review. Make Reviews Occur Frequently. People get bored at their jobs. Whether it’s from being in the same position for several years or just not feeling challenged anymore. By having, lets say, quarterly reviews then it would be possible for staff to be more transparent with senior management about their job, what they like/don’t like, where they’d like to be going, etc. This would also remove some of the guessing game that junior and senior staff play in regards to who is unhappy and who might leave soon.

4) Launch Agency-Wide Promotions & Contests. How many times have you recommended to a client that they provide free giveaways to their target audience to create buzz and excitement? A ton, I’m sure. So why can’t agencies do the same thing? They could award money vouchers to the person(s) that gets the most media opportunities in one month, or give an extra personal day to someone that helped win new business for the firm.

5) Show Signs Of Appreciation. Often. No matter how many times we say otherwise, we all like to get a pat on the back. I don’t know about all of you, but I love getting e-mails from my boss(es) or having one of them walk by my office telling me how proud they are of something I accomplished. Even if it’s just a note saying they appreciate all of the hard work a team is doing during a tough time. The more these types of things happen, the more I think staff will respect and support management.

What do you all think of these suggestions? Anything you’d change or add to the list? Am I completely off-base? Let me hear your thoughts!

Jun 22 2010

Big Misconception: PR Doesn’t Get Easier As You Move Up In Your Career

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If you were to poll your office regarding which staff members do the most work,
I’d be willing to bet that most would say junior staff. However, I’m beginning to learn that moving up and being promoted does not necessarily mean you can relax and have everyone ‘underneath you’ do all the work.

Currently in my fifth year in PR, I can tell you that I’m being challenged more so now than I ever have in my career. How come? Here’s a few of the things I’m currently going through:

1) Learning how to manage others.

2) Writing more comprehensive client plans.

3) Trying to gain a comfort level discussing compensation and title issues with my boss(es).

4) Understanding that every client is different and so is the way you work/respond to each one. In other words, client relations.

5) Figuring out how to get media opportunities in a landscape that is seeing less and less journalists/outlets to pitch

I can easily say that this has not always been an effortless or fun transition moving up from Account Coordinator to Account Supervisor. But with that said, I AM learning something new everyday. The day that stops happening is the day that I’ll move in-house or to another agency or ultimately decide to take my career in a different path. Because to me, no matter if you’re in PR or any other industry, it’s all about learning and constantly challenging yourself and being challenged by your superiors/clients. Otherwise, you’ll never reach your full potential.

Jun 17 2010

Poll: What Challenges PR Pros The Most?

"When a man is pushed, tormented, defeated, he has a chance to learn something." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

There has been numerous times over the past few weeks in which I worked on press releases and client plans. Throughout it all I’ve had numerous challenges from coming up with creative event ideas to figuring out how to shape a quote so that it sounds newsworthy enough to generate media interest. Yet despite how many times I wanted to quit and give up, I learned a tremendous amount and believe I’ve come out smarter today than I was two weeks ago.

So with this in mind, I wanted to ask the following poll question:
Jun 15 2010

Top Five Ways to Piss Off a Blogger (And Never, Ever Get Your Story Covered)

eReleases Founder, Mickie Kennedy, provides his thoughts on what PR pros need to know about pitching bloggers

With more and more readers turning to blogs instead of traditional media for news and reviews, it’s no wonder that public relations professionals are increasingly incorporating blogger relations into their media plans. But, before you go approaching ‘Barry Blogger’ the same way you would approach ‘Rex Reporter’, think again. When constructing your blogger relations strategy, keep in mind these five ways to piss your targeted blogger off. Then avoid these irritating tactics at all cost!

1.) Don’t Bother to Read the Blog – PR pros with even a week’s worth of experience wouldn’t dare submit a story about stock portfolios for retirees to a tween magazine, but many PR pros assume bloggers are grateful for whatever news they can get. In fact, the most successful blogs are narrowly focused. Take the time to peruse previous blog posts to find out of if your story is consistent with the blog’s topic before sending a pitch.

2.) Assume the Blogger’s Publishing Schedule – To publish content, all a blogger has to do is write up an article and hit “post.”  So why should they take two weeks or two months to post your story? It isn’t like they’re a “real” media outlet, right? You wouldn’t tell Time Magazine which issue your story belongs in. Treat a blogger with the same respect. On the other hand, as with print and broadcast publications, there are ways to encourage a blogger to post your story at a certain time. Submit a seasonal story or one highlighting an upcoming event. If the blogger is interested, she’ll probably post it within the season or before the event. Just give her plenty of lead time, like you would with a print or broadcast media journalist.

3.) Treat Bloggers like Pseudo-Journalists – Some bloggers aren’t trained journalists; some are. However, you can bet that any blogger who has taken the time to build up a large readership is dedicated to her work. Treating her like an amateur or a dabbler is a sure way to get the figurative door slammed in your face.

4.) Offer a Bribe – “I gave you a freebie, now where’s my positive review?” you ask.  Nothing will insult your target blogger’s integrity like insisting that he can be bought.  While it’s true that many bloggers make affiliate income from reviewing products and offering links to them on their site, any blogger worth his salt will not give a positive review in exchange for a freebie. Plus, Federal Trade Commission regulations now require bloggers to disclose freebies or cash received in exchange for a review.

5.) Pester Them – Bloggers are easy to contact. Blogs usually allow comments, bloggers often post their email addresses, and many bloggers embrace social media. But just as you wouldn’t call a reporter over and over again to ask about the chances of your story running, don’t pester your target blogger. Remember – just because you can contact her, doesn’t always mean you should.

Blog exposure can be just as lucrative as exposure in more traditional media, but only if PR pros become adept at the tricky art of blogger relations. Avoid pissing off bloggers, and you’re already well on your way to success!

This article was written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases, an online leader in affordable press release distribution. Grab a free copy of the Big Press Release Book – Press Releases for Every Occasion and Industry. Mickie’s blog, PR Fuel, covers PR and social media and is updated every weekday. He can be found on Twitter via @ereleases.

*Editor’s Note: I think it’s always good to reiterate tips such as the ones Mickie provides here. Especially for new PR pros, this type of information never gets old.

Jun 10 2010

Unhappy With Your Job? Let Your Work Do The Talking

We all know that employee morale remains low despite signs that the economy is slowly getting better. People aren’t happy with titles and compensation levels, and recruiters are getting slammed everyday with resumes of professionals asking for new opportunities. But rather than complain, whine, and sulk about your clients and work environment, why not continue to work hard and do an awesome job in an effort to get to where you want to be?

I’m a firm believer in that those who go above and beyond and show their value to management will be rewarded. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a better paycheck (though that absolutely helps), but rather it gives you options. Getting the job done and being a team player affords you the opportunity to be transparent with the boss(es) and discuss with them where you see your career going and what you’d like to be able to do moving forward. If you don’t give it your all at your job then I can assure you that not many senior-level people will put their efforts into helping you if you aren’t helping them or the agency.

I’m not saying that if you are miserable at your job that you should stay at it. Not at all. I’m just saying that if you do great work then you become that much more attractive to your company and prospective employers. Ultimately, you will reap the benefits (new title, more money, better role, new job opportunity) in the end.