Author: Becky Green (was McMichael)

New to PR? Here are 5 social tools all PRs should use

Posted on by Becky Green (was McMichael)

5. Linked In – the best way I have found of staying in touch with former clients, finding new staff and seeking professional recommendations

4. Twitter – if you don’t know why, see Charles Arthur‘s blog.  Add to that a mobile Twitter app like Dabr or Twitterberry for keeping up on the move.  Ditto an app such as Tweetdeck for managing your Twitter feed(s)

3. An RSS reader.  Although I spend a lot of time hiding from mine…but in my defence, most of my feeds are now delivered through Twitter

2. Wikipedia – because let’s face it, when new to PR (especially tech PR) you won’t know your operating systems from your middleware and wikis or glossary services like this will be your best friend.

1. Delicious – reading is the lifeblood of our industry but if you, like me, find almost every subject you come across interesting and have a healthy dose of ADD thrown in for good measure, this is your best friend.  It is like having a clippings book and personal researcher with you at all times. Essential.

These are just the basic essentials.  For the next stage, see Ged‘s meme that I responded to here about the new skills required but I would be put off hiring anyone not proficient in working with the sites, tools and apps listed above.

tough times?

Posted on by Becky Green (was McMichael)

The market has changed. Your partners are your competiton. The market is beyond crowded. Hundreds of people could do what you do. It isn’t going to change back but the fear of not getting it right every time can’t stifle having a go and doing things differently.

That is why I love this cartoon from the talented Hugh McLeod.

create-or-die-jpeg

Oh yeah, and whatever you do…do it amazingly well. Independent thought, creativity and well over and above the average. Not a lot to ask hey?

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Using photos in social media

Posted on by Becky Green (was McMichael)

Interesting post from Seth Godin on the power of using a good picture on social networking sites.

“If it’s important enough for you to spend your time finding and connecting with new people online, it’s important enough to get the first impression right.

If you use any online social network tool, the single most important first impression you make is with the 3600 to 5000 pixels you get for your tiny picture.”

how to handle technology journalists (via Jon Silk)

Posted on by Becky Green (was McMichael)

Read a hilarious post today via Jon Silk | pr geek: Handle with care #2: Technology journalists.

“People are giving up on journalists as a ‘dying breed’. As the Press Gazette closes in a puff of poorly-written PR, journalists are allegedly scratching around, starving and confused, for morsels of work from the remaining publications who are apparently only accepting free vendor content anyway. Don’t worry, none of this is true.

In reality, journalism is alive and well and adapting to the new communication channels of 2009. The websites of the big publishing houses are better than they’ve ever been and, while there have been some closures, there have also been launches.

So, fear not dear technology PR or marketing person. There are still people out there that might want to listen. The only challenge left facing you is knowing how to handle them. Hang on a minute… I know! How about a handy guide?”

His 7 points sum it up exactly:

1. Be confident.
2. Don’t ask them how much they know about your client.
3. Respect their deadlines.
4. Avoid being patronising.
5. Don’t say ‘thanks’.
6. Give.
7. Give a sh*t about their readers.

And quote of the piece goes to:

“Despite the fact that you’ve been sick three times and are now cowering under your desk merely at the thought of having to call one, technology journalists don’t actually know that much more about technology than you do.”