• What's your drug (case study) of choice?


    For anyone that didn’t hear about the “Motrin moms” story, here’s some background:  Last month Motrin made an online video about babywearing for International Babywearing Week.  They thought it would be a great fit for their brand by telling moms that Motrin knows how fashionable babywearing is, and how all the cool, “official” moms do it.  But it hurts.  So, you know… take some Motrin.

    The video went viral, but not at all in the way Motrin had hoped.

    The backlash was intense.  Baby wearing isn’t hip, said moms, we do it because it keeps our children close, it is comforting to them and we love our children.  And Motrin, have you ever tried carrying a baby in your arms all day long?  That hurts.  Baby wearing is actually comfortable by comparison.

    Baby wearing videos were made, photos posted online, and mom bloggers and Twitter moms told Motrin what they thought of their campaign.  (It sucked.)  Oh, and did I mention that this all happened in about 2 days?

    What went wrong?

    So where did Motrin go wrong?  They didn’t think about their buyer persona.  They thought they knew the moms they were reaching, but they were sorely mistaken.  Had they done a bit more research on babywearing and talked to some mommy bloggers about it, maybe they could have done something to tie into baby wearing week that was actually effective, instead of alienating a huge potential market.

    As a fairly recent graduate, when I hear about Motrin I can’t help but think about the Tylenol case study we learned about in several PR classes.  (In case you aren’t aware of this one:  in 1982 several people in Chicago died from taking poisoned Tylenol from bottles that had been tampered with.  Tylenol lost tons of money by pulling its product off shelves and reaching out to consumers to apologize and make it right as best they could.  Tamper-proof bottles were a result of the case.  It’s a huge case study taught in PR classes when learning about crisis communication.)

    I can’t help but wonder – will Motrin be the new Tylenol?  Will the case studies learned by the next generation of PR graduates be about Dell, Comcast and Motrin instead of Waco and Tylenol?  (Any current students reading?  What case studies are you learning about in PR, marketing and communications classes?)

    Public relations is evolving

    In my opinion… they should be.  There’s been a lot of talk recently about PR being a dying industry.  PR isn’t dying.  But it is evolving.  Businesses will always want to find and reach their buyers.  The media (in some form or another) will always exist and need things to write about.  

    But think about it:  PR used to be about spin and control.  And I’ve got news for you: spin and control are impossible in a Web 2.0 world.  You can get your message out there, but if it doesn’t hit the mark, you better be ready to communicate.  Openly and honestly.  You need to get to know your buyers.

    Just ask Motrin.

    (For the record, Motrin’s VP of marketing did apologize on the company Website, and removed the offensive video.  But of course, the story, the video, and all of the responses from angry mothers, are still quite easy to find.)

     

     
    Laurel Miltner is a consultant at PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm.  Follow her on Twitter - @laurelmackenzie.
  • Twitter Strategy: The Incomplete Guide for Beginners

    One of the hottest topics in our industry right now is how professionals and corporations can use Twitter.

    First and foremost, it’s important to note that Twitter is not a blatant sales and self-promotional tool. Social networking on Twitter is a long-term strategy in which you must bring value to the community by publishing and sharing relevant information.

    With the proper Website analytics, you certainly can (and should) track traffic, inbound links, leads and sales from Twitter, but like most social media participation, I would not suggest setting out to achieve specific measurable objectives.

    Here are the 7 steps I’d recommend for beginners getting started on Twitter:

    1) Secure your personal and/or brand name.

    If you haven’t already, go to Twitter.com to reserve your personal name and brand name before someone else does.

    For entrepreneurs and company executives unsure whether to tweet as yourself (@FullName) or the brand (@CompanyName), although there certainly are exceptions, in most cases it is more effective to go with @FullName.

    2) Build your profile to be found.

    You have 160 characters to describe yourself and pique the curiosity of potential followers. Mix in your personal and professional interests to connect with a larger base of tweeters.

    • Be sure to put your full real name in the account settings section.
    • Create a descriptive, keyword-rich bio. Think about the keywords that you would search to find yourself. It’s fine to be cute and creative, but make sure someone reading your profile understands who you are and what you do.
    • Be sure to include a link to your Website or blog.
    • Do NOT lock your updates, unless you are on Twitter strictly to connect with your existing network.
    • Upload a good picture of yourself with a distinguishable face.
    • Change the design to anything but the default setting.
    [SAMPLE TWITTER PROFILE]
     

    3) Pick your applications.

    In order to get the most out of Twitter, without getting overwhelmed, it’s important to download applications that make it easier to monitor and participate. Based on a great blog post from @chrisbrogan (who knows far more about this stuff than I do), I now use Tweetdeck for my Mac and Twittelator Pro for my iPhone.

    Note that some tweeters will run into corporate roadblocks accessing twitter and downloading apps, so check with your IT department. Also, quick note to HR departments, if you don’t have a Twitter policy in place, it’s probably time to add one to your employee handbook.

    4) Publish some relevant tweets.

    I’d suggest posting 10 or so relevant tweets before you move on to step 5. At least for me, before I follow someone back I’ve never met, I glance at their bio to make sure we have something in common, and I scan the first page of their updates to see that they are making an effort to contribute something of value to the community. There are people who choose to auto-follow everyone, but it’s not what we advise our clients to do.

    So what makes for good tweets?

    • You read dozens (if not hundreds) of blog posts, articles and emails every day . . . start there. Share news alerts, industry trend posts, your own blogs posts, random relevant thoughts on your profession, predictions, etc. Just keep it non-promotional and useful.
    • Re-tweet (RT) valuable information from your Friends.
    • Direct message (DM) people who post especially strong tweets.

    Some “Twitter Elite” can post a play-by-play of their entire day and still keep followers interested, but for most of us tweeting in moderation is recommended. I know that personally I have learned to skim by when I see the familiar face of some uber-tweeters.

    It’s recommended to share personal information (i.e. interests, hobbies, travel, etc.) because it makes your participation more authentic and creates deeper connections, but we strongly advise clients not to get carried away with this kind of content.

    5) Find friends and build followers.

    • Start with people you already know on Twitter. Follow them, then see whom they follow and see if there’s anyone that would make for a good connection. Quick tip, when viewing friends and followers on Twitter.com, hover over someone’s name and their bio will pop up. You can click on their name and visit their Twitter page too.
    • Next go to twitter.grader.com and search by keywords for people like you. Twitter Grader (@grader) pulls keywords from the bios of top tweeters, so you can scan their bios and then click over to their page to learn more or follow. Here are some sample keywords I’ve searched to find friends: CEO, entrepreneur, social media, inbound marketing, PR, public relations, golf, Cleveland and SEO.

    • Another great place to find like-minded tweeters is search.twitter.com. Just enter keywords that interest you (i.e. “public relations”) and see who’s tweeting on the topic. Click on their name, check out their bio, and follow if it’s a good fit.
    • Watch for @ replies from your friends and click on people that seem interesting. Follow them if you’d like.
    • Add your Twitter name to your business cards, email signature and social network profiles (Facebook, LinkedIn).
    • Include your Twitter name at the end of every blog post.

    6) Establish a monitoring and participation system that works for you.

    The more people you follow, the harder it is to keep track of everything that’s happening on Twitter. It’s amazing how much you can miss in an hour.

    • Use “Groups” on Twittelator and Tweetdeck (or whatever apps you choose) to make sure you at least see the people that are most important to you and your business. Here are some sample groups to consider: your co-workers/employees, media, industry influentials, business partners, top bloggers, Twitter Elite, and local tweeters.
    • Start tweeting at a frequency that fits your schedule. Twitter can be addictive, especially as you're getting started, and when you add it to your mobile phone. I usually check Twitter 6-10 times per day on average (first thing in the morning, at lunch, 1-2 times in the afternoon, end of the workday, and 1-2 times in the evening).

    7) Connect, build relationships and have fun!

    I’ve met some great people through Twitter, and even connected offline at face-to-face networking events. If you follow the steps in this post, you can quickly build up your follower base and make some valuable connections.


    As the title suggests, this is an “Incomplete Guide,” so if you’ve got other ideas or tips, please share them in the comments, or suggest links for others to check out.

    Paul Roetzer is founder and president of PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. He can be found on Twitter @PaulRoetzer

     Subscribe to receive the PR 20/20 blog by email or RSS feed.

  • Keeping Corporate Blogs Updated and Relevant

    You launched a blog for your business, or helped guide your corporate client into the blogosphere.  Now weeks or months have passed, and your faced with the difficulties of keeping the content fresh and relevant.

    Here are a few potential challenges and some simple solutions to help. You’ll find the most effective way to tackle these challenges is to share relevant, timely links that have interest to your target audience.

    Audiences

    You created your corporate blog to stay connected with your audience and capture new audiences.  Now you are losing that connection or your blog is turning into a promotional vehicle.  Or possibly you are having trouble attracting new readers and subscribers.

    • To connect or reconnect with your audiences, seek feedback and invite commentary on the blog, and see what readers are interested in.
    • To stay relevant, monitor and participate in the online communities, blogs and forums where your target audiences are active.   This helps you get a feel for interests and keep a pulse on trends.
    • Understand your buyer personas.  Buyer personas are profiles or biographies on distinct market segments (e.g. customers, prospects, mainstream media, bloggers) you plan to reach and influence. David Meerman Scott (author of The New Rules of Marketing & PR), believes buyer personas are a fundamental aspect of great marketing.  Check out his full post on buyer personas.  

    Time

    You created your corporate blog as a quick, simple communication tool to provide real-time news, updates and information to your audiences.  Now it’s hard to find time in your schedule to post items, and stay updated on important news and trends.

    • Plan ahead by creating an editorial calendar of blog topics and schedule specific times for your posts each week.   
    • Invite guest bloggers to share information and expertise.
    • Not every post has to be an earth-shattering revelation, or take hours of writing and research. Time is important to your readers too, so don’t be afraid to add shorter posts, and save your longer, thought-provoking entries for another time.
    • Use RSS feed readers for quick access to the important industry and social media channels that you monitor. 

    Content

    You created your corporate blog to publish valuable content for your audiences.  You’re an expert on your topic (that’s why you author the blog in the first place), but it can be a challenge to continually produce new and useful content.

    • The simplest and most effective blog post can be the sharing of valuable and relevant links.  Link to news stories, other blog posts, resources, Websites and more.  Add your insight and position to connect to your audience.
    • Consider linking to online tools, videos, photos, tips, ideas, and lists that have use to your audience, making sure to provide proper attribution to the sources.
    • Another great advantage is that by sharing timely information, you’re blog becomes a source of timely information that your audiences will value.  It also connects you with influentials in your industry.

    Corporate Blog With Caution

    Josh Bernoff (VP of Forrester Research, co-author of Groundswell) gave some strong points on effective corporate blogging in his Dec. 9 post, “People don’t trust company blogs. What you should do about it.” 

    The post centers around a Forrester Research project from Q2 2008 on consumers trust of information sources such as personal email, traditional media, social media, and more, with corporate blogs recording the lowest trust levels at 16 percent of participants. Click here for the full post.  

    Bernoff believes that blogs created exclusively about companies and products are the possible causes of the low trust ratings.

    Says Bernoff in the post, “If you want to be a thought leader and helper for your customers, and you blog frequently about those customers’ problems and solutions, then you can generate trust. This takes time and effort, but it will enhance your company’s reputation and it’s worth it…” He also states a few tips for corporate bloggers including that a blog “has to be more about your customers than it is about you,” and to “adjust your strategy based on your objectives.” 

    Blog Health Check

    Unsure if your corporate blog is trusted by readers? Check out a great resource published by Jeremiah Owyang, senior analyst at Forrester Research, in his Dec. 10 post Health Check: How Trusted Is Your Corporate Blog? Owyang describes his methodology as a "very simple heuristic health check to gauge whether your corporate blog is going to be trusted by your readers." 

    What are some of the challenges you are facing with your corporate blog?   

     

    Christina Capadona-Schmitz is a PR 20/20 consultant, who has been with the Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm since March 2006.  She can be found on Twitter @christinacs.

  • 5 Tips for a Successful Holiday Google AdWords Campaign

    I’ve passed the Google AdWords Professional exam, run several client AdWords campaigns and read everything I could get my hands on about pay-per-click (PPC) campaign management. However, when we recently suggested to a client that they should run a PPC campaign to promote their product for the holiday season, we learned holiday Google Adwords campaign management is a completely different animal.

    While for the most part, typical AdWords campaigns target people searching for a specific product, service or industry; holiday campaigns need to appeal to a broad audience. This changes the typical approach to keyword selection, ad copywriting, bidding and campaign setup.

    Fortunately, I had the help of my colleagues and combined with our client’s thorough understanding of their audiences and holiday-buyer personas, we were able to adapt, customize and put together a strong and successful campaign.

    Here are five lessons we've learned that can help you run a successful holiday Google AdWords campaign:

    1) Target the Undecided To maximize the number of clicks you will receive, target audiences who are using search engines to research gift ideas for their loved ones. In addition, a holiday campaign should contain general keywords, such as “gift” or “present.” Undecided shoppers obviously do not know what they are shopping for so the more general the keyword or phrase, the better.

    2) Nicknames for your Audiences Before selecting your keywords, it is important to define the audience your product would appeal to the most, and then determine all the names that can apply. For instance, if you sell a product that appeals to a male audience, you may consider using the terms men, guys, dads, fathers, grandpas, sons, husbands, uncles, etc.

    WARNING – Just a heads up, if your targeting terms for husbands, boyfriends, wives or girlfriends, be sure to create a Negative Keyword “naughty” or “adult” if you do not sell those types of gifts.

    3) Remove the Mystery To ensure you only get quality leads clicking on your ads, make sure the ad copy makes it obvious what you sell. Your ad should contain a keyword or phrase that clearly defines what the searcher will find on your site. This way, if your “cool gift for dad” is golf clubs, searchers will pass it over if their dad prefers spelunking.

    4) Open Up the Content Network I have never been the biggest proponent of the content network considering it is a time consuming process to identify the sites your ads are showing on and then request that your ads stop showing on those none-relevant sites. However, for holiday campaigns, I’d recommend it, mainly because your ads will appear on huge ecommerce sites, like Amazon.com. We’ve seen the content network do very well for our campaign this holiday season.

    5) Be Ready to Bid Be ready to pay a premium for your keywords. With general holiday terms, you will not be the only company bidding. Your ad needs to be in the top 3 to get the most clicks, and consequently you need to be ready to bid high enough. To give you an idea of how much you can spend, over the past three weeks, we’ve seen CPCs range from $3.00 to $12.00 for terms like, “Gift Ideas for Dad” and “Gifts for Grandpa.”

    Also, do not rely heavily on Google’s Traffic Estimator to give you an accurate gage on the traffic and costs per click because for three-quarters of the year, no one is searching holiday terms, thus skewing the results.

    Keith Moehring is a Consultant for PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. He is a certified Google Adwords Professional and has been working in PR & Marketing for more than three years. You can follow him on Twitter @keithmoehring

  • PR 20/20 Opens New Downtown Cleveland Headquarters

    PR firm plans to expand staffing and inbound marketing services.

    CLEVELAND – Dec. 15, 2008 – PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm, has moved and expanded its downtown Cleveland headquarters in the historic Gateway District.  The 2,900-square-foot space is located on the seventh floor of the Caxton Building at 812 Huron Rd., which has been home to PR 20/20 since March 2006.

    The new office, suite 780, features exposed ceilings and ductwork, finished wood floors, spacious workstations, a glass-encased lounge with bar and panoramic views of Progressive Field, ballpark of the Cleveland Indians.

    “Our growth has been fueled by demand for inbound marketing expertise and services, including: content marketing, social media consulting, blogging, search engine optimization, Google AdWords campaigns and Website development,” said, Paul Roetzer, PR 20/20 president and founder. “The new space gives us the ability to continue expanding our services and staffing, which we plan to do in 2009.”


    Check out the PR 20/20 new office Flickr photos

    Related Blog Posts

    •    10 Public Relations Trends that Will Change the Industry Forever
    •    Dawn of the Inbound Marketing Agency
    •    Are the 4Ps of Marketing Dead?

    About PR 20/20

    PR 20/20 is a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm specializing in public relations, content marketing, social media and search engine marketing. PR 20/20 publishes its service and pricing guide, which features set pricing on more than 100 public relations and marketing services, at www.pr2020.com.
  • HubSpot Video Interview with Paul Roetzer

    Rick Burnes of HubSpot recently sat down with PR 20/20 president Paul Roetzer to discuss the vision behind the inbound marketing agency.  Burnes featured the discussion on the HubSpot blog in his Dec. 12 video post, "PR Agencies That Survive Will Be Inbound Marketing Agencies." 

    Click here to view the full post. 

  • And the No. 1 Marketing Budget Priority for 2009 Is?



    It's 2009 marketing budget time, and the one consistent theme with every organization we talk to, no matter what their size or industry, is, "How can we use the Internet and the social Web to generate more leads?"

    If you haven't asked that question of your PR firm, ad agency or marketing communications agency you should. Actually, let me re-phrase that:

    If your agency hasn't approached you about establishing an inbound marketing strategy for 2009, find a new agency!

    Traditional media outlets, including industry trade magazines and newspapers, are quickly losing circulation and influence in the U.S. As masses of consumers search the Internet for products, news and information (in October 2008, Americans conducted 12.6 billion core searches according to comScore), organizations in every industry are shifting budgets away from print advertising, trade shows and direct mail toward more measurable and effective Internet strategies (search engine optimization, content marketing, Google AdWords, blogging, social networking, etc.).

    Inbound marketing refers to marketing strategies in which consumers choose to learn more about you by conducting a keyword search online, subscribing to your RSS feed, downloading your case study, opting into your email newsletter, watching your videos, listening to your podcasts, visiting your social network or commenting on your blog.

    So, rather than interrupt the unqualified masses with traditional marketing strategies such as direct mail, telemarketing and advertising, organizations can connect with qualified consumers online when they are actively looking for what you offer.

    Inbound marketing is powered by content. In order to grow smarter and faster than the competition, organizations must maintain powerful and informative Websites, and continually publish great content online through blogs, podcasts, videos, optimized press releases, case studies, white papers, eBooks and by-lined articles.

    If you're new to inbound marketing, visit HubSpot's internet marketing blog, and check out some related PR 20/20 blog posts below:

    •    10 Public Relations Trends that Will Change the Industry Forever
    •    Dawn of the Inbound Marketing Agency
    •    Are the 4Ps of Marketing Dead?
    •    Readership is not the Problem

     

    Paul Roetzer is founder and president of PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. He blogs here, and tweets there.

    Subscribe to receive the PR 20/20 blog by email or RSS feed.

    Follow me on Twitter: @paulroetzer

     

  • 10 Public Relations Trends That Will Change The Industry Forever

    In January 2008, we published a blog post on the 8 Public Relations Trends to Watch in 2008.  That post became the most popular page on our Website, was cited on the Wikipedia Public Relations page, created tremendous speaking opportunities and generated thousands of visitors.

    That is the power of blogging and the social Web (aka Web 2.0). Every business, and every professional, has the ability to influence audiences and affect change like never before with self-published content.

    So while the original post is still relevant, a lot has happened since January. In particular, we recently wrote about the Dawn of the Inbound Marketing Agency, a new breed of PR firm that I believe will supersede traditional PR firms, and possibly challenge the dominance of advertising agencies, as marketing budgets continue to shift toward Internet marketing.

    In essence, the social Web, and all the tools and services it continues to spawn, has forever changed the game. There are PR firms that will adapt to meet the growing mass-market demand for Internet-based expertise and service, and there are many that will not.

    So here’s an updated look at 10 PR trends driving the revolution: 

    1) Inbound Marketing

    Inbound marketing refers to permission-based marketing strategies in which consumers choose to learn more about you by conducting a keyword search online, subscribing to your RSS feed, downloading your white paper, opting into your email newsletter, watching your videos, listening to your podcasts, visiting your social network or commenting on your blog.

    2) Content Marketing

    Inbound marketing is powered by content. In order to grow smarter and faster than the competition, organizations must continually publish multi-media content online through blogs, podcasts, videos, optimized press releases, case studies, white papers, eBooks and by-lined articles.

    Content marketing, which requires expert copywriting and strategic planning, is the single largest growth opportunity for PR agencies. Learn more about the impact of content marketing in our post, "How PR Firms Can Rule the Marketing World."

    3) Social Web (aka Web 2.0) & The Decline of Mainstream Media

    The social Web of consumer-generated content and mass collaboration (i.e. blogging, micro-blogging, forums, social networks, photo and video sharing, social bookmarking) is no longer a trend. Rather, it is an integral and powerful part of our lives.

    However, as mainstream media’s (MSM) ability to reach and influence publics declines, demand for social Web strategy, consultation and services will explode.

    4) Search

    Through content marketing and the social Web, organizations have the ability to reach and influence consumers directly at the exact moment they are searching for products, services and knowledge.

    In essence, they are granting you permission to market to them, but you have to be there. This is accomplished through content marketing and search engine optimization (SEO), which will become a core competency of inbound marketing agencies.

    5) Measurement

    Advertising equivalency and media impressions have long been the PR industry’s means of measuring success. And while these numbers tend to satisfy the C-Suite, what really matters are search engine rankings, inbound links, Website traffic, leads and sales. These highly trackable metrics are how firms should, and will, be judged.

    6) Web Software Solutions 

    New online software (mostly developed by companies outside the PR industry) has made it possible for firms to dramatically expand their services (e.g. monitoring, measurement, SEO, content distribution, Website development, pay-per-click advertising), and in turn provide more measurable value to clients.

    7) Next Generation Leaders

    The next generation of PR industry leaders and influencers, who are already emerging, will come from Generation X (ages 28-43) and Generation Y (ages 18-27). They will be extremely tech-savvy, fully immersed in the social Web, highly tolerant to risk and motivated to separate themselves from traditional wisdom and conventional solutions.

    Data from Forrester Research Technographics® surveys, 2008.
    For further details on the Social Technographics profile, see groundswell.forrester.com.

    8) Value-Based Pricing

    Traditional retainers and high hourly rates are too restrictive for the mass market, and once organizations (small and large) realize there is an alternative, demand will skyrocket for firms that deliver value-based pricing.

    9) Mobile

    I don’t pretend to comprehend the full impact of mobile marketing on our industry and business at large, but the geniuses at Google do, and they recently wrote about it on their blog post: The future of mobile 

    And, just as I'm getting ready to publish this post, I see this article from PRWeek: Omnicom opens mobile-focused firm in New York.

    10) Website Development

    Website development must be driven by buyer personas, visitor behavior, content marketing strategies and SEO.

    Inbound marketing agencies will become the preferred providers for Web development services, with the technical design and programming still delivered by the experts (possibly outsourced, or brought in-house).

    Related Posts


    Paul Roetzer is founder and president of PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. He can be found on Twitter @PaulRoetzer

     Subscribe to receive the PR 20/20 blog by email or RSS feed.

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