They are questions that are being asked in workplaces around the country (and probably the world): Should employees be entitled to access social media for personal reasons during a workday? Is access to social media helping or hurting our business? How does personal access impact productivity?
There are clear examples of social media in the workplace reaping benefits — and PR professionals are generally charged with pursuing them. Managing fan pages that build channels of communication and good will with your customers. Monitoring multiple social media channels to better understand how people view your products. Blogging on behalf of your business. Texting when customers or clients know that's the best way to reach you.
But many company leaders are finding that they're having to develop social media policies that discourage employees from using their personal social media accounts during business hours.
What's prompted this?
Unfortunately, social media can be addictive. Some people have a compulsive need to monitor their Facebook or Twitter accounts. They feel a need to be the first to hear breaking news on everything from Lindsey Lohan to President Obama. Some can't stand to be “out of the know.” Some enjoy the attention that comes with being able to break news to their friends and colleagues.
Apps like Tweetdeck aid the addiction by constantly interrupting to “flash” and/or beep postings from their personal networks.
These are early days for social media and most businesses are tolerant if addictive behavior doesn't affect an employee's productivity. We all have quiet times during a day when we can take care of one or two personal tasks.
But, if you are accessing your personal social media accounts when you have a work deadline looming or others are awaiting your input before they can meet their deadlines, consider the impact. How does if affect your colleagues and how does it look to them that you value social media interaction over meeting your obligations to your work team?
Social media is public, so everyone from the boss to the person in the office next to you has the opportunity to observe when you're online utilizing social media.
So, before your company feels forced to set up ground rules for social media, do a little soul searching. Are you using social media for personal expression when you should be focusing on your work? Have you dropped the ball on a project or missed a deadline yet found plenty of time to post on Facebook or tweet out during the work day?
Like any personal activity conducted during your workday, common sense and respect for your job and colleagues should be your guide.
Is social media your friend or your foe? A tool to help you do your job better? Or a thief that steals productive time from your day?
Friday, February 26, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
A Great Performance: Tiger Finally Speaks
Well, he finally did it. Tiger Woods came toward the light and confessed his sins in a dramatic and somber presentation today.
His handlers staged it well. They packed the room with close family and friends. Only a few, carefully selected press were invited. No questions were allowed. Like so much of Tiger's life, it was totally controlled. From this man who was both so in control in his career and so out of control in his private life, observers got a solid and touching performance.
Tiger expressed verbally a deep disappointment in himself as a man, a father, a sports hero. His physical bearing supported his words.
He perked up and raised his voice as he expressed outrage at the media stalking his family. He looked humble as he vowed to be a better man. When he said “I'm sorry,” he peered right into the camera in a plaintive effort to make eye contact with people around the world who were so let down by his actions.
When it was all over, he went to his mother for a hug and a photo opportunity that could only have been better if we could have seen her face. When she knew the camera was on her, she was serene. But her face was very tense and sour whenever the camera caught her off-guard as Tiger spoke. Maybe, like so many of his fans, she was really ticked off at his actions. Or, because she had to suffer the public pain of playing the key supporting role in this mea culpa press conference, maybe her best efforts to maintain her serenity failed.
From a PR/media training perspective, Tiger did everything right this morning. He looked the beaten man and played his part well. But how much more effective would it have been if he had held this press conference months ago? Mitigating circumstances made today the only choice, say his handlers. But we'll all be wondering about the timing for a while.
His performance certainly touched the hearts of The Golf Channel, some of whom were moved to tears. But, then, so much is riding for them on a Tiger redemption.
The network news teams reported as if they believed the words he spoke. No skepticism there.
How the media filters Tiger's message and reports it out to the world is as important as the words the man spoke himself. Many who did not see the event (and many who did) will reach their opinions about Tiger's sincerity after nearly endless hours of watching and reading both the traditional media and posts on the Web.
No matter what conclusion you reach about Tiger's sincerity, today's sad and somber PR event was a strong first step toward rehabilitating Tiger's image and, with it, his fortune.
His handlers staged it well. They packed the room with close family and friends. Only a few, carefully selected press were invited. No questions were allowed. Like so much of Tiger's life, it was totally controlled. From this man who was both so in control in his career and so out of control in his private life, observers got a solid and touching performance.
Tiger expressed verbally a deep disappointment in himself as a man, a father, a sports hero. His physical bearing supported his words.
He perked up and raised his voice as he expressed outrage at the media stalking his family. He looked humble as he vowed to be a better man. When he said “I'm sorry,” he peered right into the camera in a plaintive effort to make eye contact with people around the world who were so let down by his actions.
When it was all over, he went to his mother for a hug and a photo opportunity that could only have been better if we could have seen her face. When she knew the camera was on her, she was serene. But her face was very tense and sour whenever the camera caught her off-guard as Tiger spoke. Maybe, like so many of his fans, she was really ticked off at his actions. Or, because she had to suffer the public pain of playing the key supporting role in this mea culpa press conference, maybe her best efforts to maintain her serenity failed.
From a PR/media training perspective, Tiger did everything right this morning. He looked the beaten man and played his part well. But how much more effective would it have been if he had held this press conference months ago? Mitigating circumstances made today the only choice, say his handlers. But we'll all be wondering about the timing for a while.
His performance certainly touched the hearts of The Golf Channel, some of whom were moved to tears. But, then, so much is riding for them on a Tiger redemption.
The network news teams reported as if they believed the words he spoke. No skepticism there.
How the media filters Tiger's message and reports it out to the world is as important as the words the man spoke himself. Many who did not see the event (and many who did) will reach their opinions about Tiger's sincerity after nearly endless hours of watching and reading both the traditional media and posts on the Web.
No matter what conclusion you reach about Tiger's sincerity, today's sad and somber PR event was a strong first step toward rehabilitating Tiger's image and, with it, his fortune.
Friday, February 12, 2010
'Newsonomics' Predicts The Future Of The Media
Anyone who works in journalism or with journalists should find this interview interesting as it explores lots of issues that the news media and pros in the PR business have been discussing for a couple of years.
As more and more reporters and editors are laid off or furloughed (USA Today announced another one-week furlough for 1500 employees today), everyone in the business is struggling to define a new business model that will keep their newspaper, magazine or TV station afloat. Invest 30 minutes to listen to this NPR interview and your next stop might be the book store to pick up a copy of the book to learn more.
As more and more reporters and editors are laid off or furloughed (USA Today announced another one-week furlough for 1500 employees today), everyone in the business is struggling to define a new business model that will keep their newspaper, magazine or TV station afloat. Invest 30 minutes to listen to this NPR interview and your next stop might be the book store to pick up a copy of the book to learn more.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Staging A Successful Press Conference
A press conference is all about presenting information that you want to relay in the way you want to communicate it. From the welcoming remarks to the Q&A period, the successful press conference takes preparation and a professional approach.
Whenever you can, script all remarks. Even if your speakers don't follow them word for word, the message and tone will come through if you prep your speakers well. In addition, insert the prepared remarks in the press kit and the media will most likely refer to what you've prepared, ensuring a pick up of key points.
Make sure your press release and the remarks are in sync. In fact, any quotes from your speakers in the press release should be picked up verbatim from the remarks.
Don't assume a media alert will bring the media in. Call each one and check that they have you on their “to do” list.
Don't be obsessed with starting the press conference on time-- it's more important to have your key target media in attendance than to start on time. On the other hand, if they are more than 10 or 15 minutes late, respect those already in attendance and start the show.
Find someone in your client's organization who can handle the logistics of set up, sound system etc. An efficient person on that end will save you both time and headaches in the long run. Communicate clearly with that person – treat him as part of your PR team.
After the press conference, be sure all the key media who were not in attendance receive the press kit shortly after the conference ends.
These are just a few of the things you need to do to ensure a successful press conference. There are many more things involved, but if you begin by following these simple guidelines, you'll at least have a good foundation for success.
Whenever you can, script all remarks. Even if your speakers don't follow them word for word, the message and tone will come through if you prep your speakers well. In addition, insert the prepared remarks in the press kit and the media will most likely refer to what you've prepared, ensuring a pick up of key points.
Make sure your press release and the remarks are in sync. In fact, any quotes from your speakers in the press release should be picked up verbatim from the remarks.
Don't assume a media alert will bring the media in. Call each one and check that they have you on their “to do” list.
Don't be obsessed with starting the press conference on time-- it's more important to have your key target media in attendance than to start on time. On the other hand, if they are more than 10 or 15 minutes late, respect those already in attendance and start the show.
Find someone in your client's organization who can handle the logistics of set up, sound system etc. An efficient person on that end will save you both time and headaches in the long run. Communicate clearly with that person – treat him as part of your PR team.
After the press conference, be sure all the key media who were not in attendance receive the press kit shortly after the conference ends.
These are just a few of the things you need to do to ensure a successful press conference. There are many more things involved, but if you begin by following these simple guidelines, you'll at least have a good foundation for success.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Training & Resources: Invest Time To Find Free Help
Wish you could stay on top of changing tools and trends, but don't have thousands to spend to go to seminars? Invest a little time and you can find "free" help that could be just as good.
More and more free seminars are being provided by companies as "value added" to other services they provide to you. Check with your clipping service or mailing list management provider. "White papers" can be found from reputable sources who post them on the Web to attract potential customers. From social media marketing to general public relations tips and even ideas on how to "pitch" the media more effectively, chances are, it's out there.
Many times you can gather the staff around a speaker phone and computer and for an hour or two, you're at school. No travel, no hotel bills, no conference fee. Then, back to work without ever leaving your office. How efficient is that?
The knowledge is there for the taking, so become a learning sponge. It's good for you, your career development and your clients.
Many times you can gather the staff around a speaker phone and computer and for an hour or two, you're at school. No travel, no hotel bills, no conference fee. Then, back to work without ever leaving your office. How efficient is that?
The knowledge is there for the taking, so become a learning sponge. It's good for you, your career development and your clients.
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