PR 20/20 Blog

And the Sergey Goes To ... 2010 Inbound Marketing Awards

By Keith Moehring | Posted Mar 8, 2010 | 2 Comment(s) | Filed in: Internet Marketing
In honor of the 2010 Oscars, we created our own award ceremony to pay tribute to those Inbound Marketers who have made the biggest contribution to the growth and success of our industry over the past year.

The Inbound Marketing Award, or Sergey, is named after Sergey Brin, one of the two founders of Google. (We contemplated naming it after Larry Page, but “And the Larry goes to” doesn’t have the same ring to it.)

Best Original Screenplay

And the Sergey goes to ... Dharmesh Shah and Brian Halligan for their book, “Inbound Marketing: Get Found Using Google, Social Media and Blogs.” “Inbound Marketing” is an inspiring tale of how an ordinary marketer can transform his or her company’s Website into an awe-inspiring, lead-generating machine. It’s a heroic how-to for any little guy looking to make a big difference.

Runner Up – David Meerman Scott for “The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use Social Media, Blogs, News Releases, Online Video, and Viral Marketing to Reach Buyers Directly, 2nd Edition.”

Best Ensemble or Cast

And the Sergey goes to ... Mike Volpe and Karen Rubin, hosts of HubSpot TV. Every Friday, these two dazzlers of the computer screen deliver all the latest inbound marketing news of the week. In a short amount of time, their show has grown in popularity so much that it now draws A-List guests, including Twitter founder Biz Stone and MC Hammer.

Runner Up – MC Hammer and his back-up dancers for their contribution to the Addams Family movie soundtrack. (The tie in to Inbound Marketing is YouTube. It is a stretch, but we make exceptions here at the Academy for catchy, but forgotten tunes.)

Best Actor/Actress

And the Sergey goes to ... Danny Sullivan and Search Engine Land. Sullivan and his team have received rave reviews for their performance at bringing marketers around the world the most useful tips and information when it comes to search engine optimization.

In addition, they host the Search Marketing Expo (SMX) Conference Series, which brings together the biggest stars in the industry to collaborate and expand upon SEO best practice.

Runner Up – Rand Fishkin and SEOmoz for creating great, useful tools complemented with blog posts full of insightful SEO tips, such as Whiteboard Fridays.

Best Director

And the Sergey goes to ... Bald Matt Cutts. Under his direction, thousands of unknown Websites have become stars, gaining both local and national exposure to millions of potential customers. These sites have been able to seize the spotlight and notoriety amongst their peers. If you haven't already, check out Matt's Google Webmaster Help YouTube Channel.

Runner Up – Matt Cutts with hair. Just as informative, but not as sleek.

Best Picture

And the Sergey goes to ... Google.com. Google gives thousands of unknown, talented businesses the opportunity to share the stage with their top competitors in a way that was not possible 15 years ago.

The "Avatar" (highest grossing film of all time) of Inbound Marketing, this search engine dominated its competition this year, securing a whopping 66.3% of all searches. In addition, what separates Google as a master of its craft is the unique ability to evaluate its own performance.

Google also reaches beyond the computer screen into the political/human rights arena, making a stirring social statement on the suppression of the Chinese government over its people.

Runner Up – Bing.com for their homepage picture usage.

In Memoriam

MySpace.com — The first real dominant player in Social Media, MySpace brought together millions of people regardless of age or location. This true trailblazer paved the way for sites like Facebook and LinkedIn to really give companies the reach they need to effectively communicate with their target audiences. And, while the site would eventually be infiltrated by millions of porn sites, we remember it for the doors it opened. Rest In Peace Tom.

Keith Moehring is a consultant at PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. Follow Keith on Twitter @keithmoehring.

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Social Media Transforms Spokesmodels Into Friends

By Christina Capadona-Schmitz | Posted Oct 30, 2009 | 1 Comment(s) | Filed in: Advertising, Social Media
When finding inspiration for your Halloween costume this year, did you turn to TV commercial breaks (remember that stuff you fast forward through on your DVR)? If so, you might be one of many dressing as "Flo" for Halloween.

Flo, the face of Progressive Insurance, has garnered more than 209,000 Facebook fans, is the topic of multiple fan sites and forum chatter, and the cornerstone photo of the insurance company’s Twitter feed. The Facebook group, "I'm dressing up as Flo for Halloween," had more than 350 members at the time of this post.

Enter the spokesfriends

The advent of social media has enabled brand spokepersons to turn into what I call spokesfriends. By integrating inbound marketing techniques into traditional advertising campaigns, companies are creating personas that people connect with and trust.

While spokesfriends can’t define your product or service, or make it stand out in the market, they can give the personality and connection needed to create buzz.

Historically companies have found successful formulas to relate non-celebrity spokesmodels with audiences, such as the Dunkin’ Donuts Fred the Baker , the Marlboro Man, and the “Where’s the Beef” lady. Whether they are friendly, funny or downright odd, they somehow engage the masses, and likewise become celebrities in their own right.

In today’s social media world, it’s not enough to have a celebrity hype your brand, or leverage the power of a regular Joe, without adding that opportunity for customers to connect with them online.

Giving life to these characters through social networks adds the permission-based marketing element that can bring the brand closer to customers than ever before.

Some current spokesfriends and social media

Flo, the Progressive girl

The PR 20/20 office overlooks Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio, the home base of Progressive Insurance. Earlier this year Flo traveled to Cleveland to throw out a first pitch for a Cleveland Indians game and also made the local media circuit. On a radio interview, she shared that people frequently cite her as their reason for switching insurances, and are disappointed when their insurance policies don’t come in the boxes as shown in the fantasy retail shop of the commercials.

Flo is played LA-based actress Stephanie Courtney, who also has roles in TV and is in a comedy troupe, and shared this quote in an October Boston Herald article "Insurance pitchgirl a surprise TV hit," by writer Lauren Beckham Falcone: “I’m glad people aren’t mad at me for interrupting their programs,” she said. “It’s all a very pleasant surprise.”

TGI Friday's Woody

Woody was created as a social media experiment as detailed in the Adweek article "TGIF's Very Friendly Online Promotion" and MarketingTom.com post.

Through media support, Woody achieved a Facebook promotional goal of gaining 500,000 Facebook fans in exchange for a coupon for a free Jack Daniel's burger or chicken sandwich. What was expected over 30 days happened in six days, and TGIF had to quickly respond. The company rewrote the rules of the contest to accommodate for influx of online participants, extending to 1 million fans through page by end of September. There were issues with coupons and getting the free food, but the likable character combined with the offer helped to demonstrate the power of social media.

The Glade Lady

Spokesfriends can sometimes become popular for their more deviant attributes, such as seen in the Glade Lady, a truly desperate housewife. There are several blog posts and social media groups dedicated to Glade Lady’s deceiving ways, tricking her family and friends that she is baking instead of burning scented candles. Take for instance, the 64-member Facebook group, "I think the lady on the Glade commercials is a pathological liar...”

Spokesfriends of the pasts that would've been great in social media
- A Facebook fan page on the Country Crock family: I need to see the faces behind the hands that share the bread spread, and dig deeper into their carb obsession.
- How about a Taster’s Choice soap opera romance played out through Twitter?
- “Where’s the beef” blog tracks the quest of the lady to find a bigger burger, until she’s exposed to the cruelty of a mass production facility, fueling the goal to start her own free range farm. There's a "Where's the Beef" tribute page on Facebook with 175 fans.
A matter of choice

While it’s not reasonable to assume that all companies or brands can employ a spokesfriend to tout their product or service, they serve as a testament that social media gives brands the opportunity to connect in a more meaningful and personal way. Check out Rohit Bargava’s post, “Do You Know Someone Who Loves Your Brand?” He discusses Honda’s "everyone knows someone who loves a Honda” campaign driving more than 133,000 people to access an application through Honda’s Facebook fan page.

We can learn from the extended reach of the spokesfriends to explore how social media, as part of an inbound marketing strategy, can change the way customers connect with your brand.

Do you think it’s better for brands to create spokesfriends and harness power of social media, or leverage the power of celebrities already engaged in social media for extended connection, or forget spokesmodels altogether and simply offer a unique product or servicea and participate in the social communities of your customers?

Capadona-Schmitz is an assistant vice president and consultant at PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. She can be found on Twitter @ChristinaCS. It's also worth noting that Halloween is her favorite holiday!
How to Land a Job in PR

By Tracy DiMarino | Posted Oct 28, 2009 | 8 Comment(s) | Filed in: Public Relations
Six months ago, I was sitting in a college classroom at Ohio University anxiously awaiting graduation. It was an exciting time, yet also scary and frustrating.

I couldn’t wait to move on with my life and put all my education to the test. But, at the same time, I had no job lined up and like the rest of my classmates, I was facing the grim truth of today’s economy: many companies aren’t hiring and worthwhile PR and marketing jobs are few and far between.

With this reality, I knew I needed to do something different – something that would make me stand out from the rest of the job candidates. So, I came up with my own personal job-search strategy and stuck to it.
- Be present and learn as much as I can.
- Meet people in person and truly interact.
- Create relationships that aren’t based on finding a job, but rather on common interests.
- Participate in conversations about the industry.
- Become visible online.
- Let people really get to know me.
Now, I’m not saying this strategy is golden or perfect, but it worked for me. (I was hired a month before graduation to start work when classes were finished.) And, I think there’s some strength to it.

Instead of sending out millions of resumes and cover letters, scouring job sites and calling HR departments, I devoted my time to building sustainable relationships (with both people who were and were not hiring). In doing so, I hoped that people would notice, remember and contact ME when a job was available.

Think inbound marketing for the job candidate.

To my surprise, this strategy made the job hunt more fun. It turned looking for a job from a headache to a learning experience. And, by focusing my efforts on building relationships, instead of finding a job, I was able to meet many people I otherwise would not have, while gaining valuable insight along the way.

So, here’s my advice to all you job hunters out there from someone who recently went through it herself.

Intern / Volunteer

Experience in the industry is important. Internships and related volunteer positions offer great opportunities to learn and grow. Therefore, accept these roles, even if they aren’t paid. (Yes, I worked an entire summer for free.) Soak in as much information as you can. Ask questions and try new tasks. This is your chance to develop your skills.

Be Well-Rounded

While PR/Marketing experience is a plus, it shouldn’t be the only area you focus your time. Pursue other interests. Groups and clubs can open your eyes to new perspectives and can offer a job candidate a fresh angle to discuss in job interviews. I learned some of my most important life lessons from my volunteer work with Give Kids the World, The Saint Bernard Project and Camp Quality Ohio. Without these experiences, I wouldn’t have the same outlook on perseverance, positive thinking or determination. Take lessons learned from unrelated experiences and apply them to your career goals.

Participate on Social Networking Sites

Get out there and mingle with people online. Learn how to use social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Engage with professionals in the industry. Ask questions and share your perspective. You have something to offer, so let people know.

For starters, clean up your Facebook profile, beef up your LinkedIn page with job descriptions and recommendations and check out the #PRStudChat hashtag on Twitter. Here, professionals and students alike are sharing ideas for landing that first job, as well as informative blog posts and articles.

Read Blogs

Speaking of blogs, read them. Get up-to-date on who’s influential in the industry and what they are talking about. Educate yourself on new trends and you will be one step ahead of other job candidates. Some blogs to get started with are:
Also, consider starting your own blog about a topic you’re passionate about. This isn’t something I did, but it’s a great way for employers to stay connected and get to know you, while providing you with an outlet to show off your writing skills.

Go on Informational Interviews

A great way to show you’re interested in a company and the field, in general, is to request informational interviews. Unlike traditional interviews, informational interviews are held even when a company is not hiring. Their purpose is for the prospective job candidate to ask questions and learn about the company and industry.

Schedule as many of these as you can. There are plenty of industry professionals who would be willing to meet with you. Take advantage of them and get started meeting people. Just remember to send a thank-you note after the interview.

Find Professional Clubs and Organizations

Seek out professional clubs and organizations in the city that you live or want to work. Usually these groups are populated with industry professionals. Join the groups you can and become active. Don’t be afraid to talk to people and ask questions.

For example, Cleveland has a Social Media Club, which is open for anyone to join. Through it, I had access to local people discussing and interested in the same items as me. Check out your local PRSA chapter or American Advertising Federation chapter and see if they offer programs, lectures, etc. that students can attend.

Network

People within the industry are usually the first people to find out about job openings. Therefore, forming ongoing relationships with industry professionals is a great way to know who is hiring. Whether online, at informational interviews or at events, learn how to network effectively.

Be sure to send thank-you letters to everyone who helps you in your search. Remember, that they are busy professionals and they didn’t have to help you. Follow up with contacts after your first meeting. Email them blog posts or articles that they might be interested in from time to time. Keep in mind that in order to form a relationship, it has to be mutually beneficial. Offer value and people won’t mind helping you later.

Be Yourself. Don’t Be Afraid to Let Your Personality Shine.

Most importantly, be yourself. Sure, all of the suggestions above can help, but in the end it’s your personality that’s going to be the deciding factor… so let the world have it. Shine.

What do you think? Job candidates, share with me what’s worked for you in the search. PR professionals, what advice do you have for professionals looking for a job in PR? Post your recommendations in the comments section below.

Tracy DiMarino is an associate consultant at PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. Follow Tracy on Twitter @TracyDiMarino.

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Photo Credit: JimmyWayne
Does Inbound Marketing Really Work?

By Paul Roetzer | Posted Oct 26, 2009 | 12 Comment(s) | Filed in: Internet Marketing
Inbound marketing is on a roll: A new book. A growing online community with a free university. A skyrocketing startup with a wildly popular blog and a fresh $16 million in Series C funding. Plus jam-packed summits in cities around the country.

So is it a fad, or is it fundamentally changing the way organizations think and market? And, more importantly, does it work?

One PR Firm’s Story

I had my first conversation with Dan Tyre of HubSpot in September 2007, just months after Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah founded an upstart software company based on their belief in what they termed “inbound marketing.”

Dan talked to me about search rankings, blogging, lead intelligence, Website Grades, inbound links and content.

I have to admit that most of it was new to a PR guy who had spent his career in publicity, marketing strategy, branding, communications and sports marketing. But despite my uncertainty, I saw a tremendous opportunity to evolve our agency, and our industry.

It took two more calls with Dan before we signed on with HubSpot, plus another 10 months, and countless conversations with Brian, Dharmesh, Dan and Peter Caputa, before we fully committed and began our transformation into an inbound marketing agency.

The Results

We have worked with dozens of clients to integrate HubSpot and build inbound marketing campaigns. Regardless of the industry — financial, insurance, technology, professional services, software, consumer services, real estate — we have seen consistent success for organizations committed to inbound marketing.

And while we can’t share their analytics, I believe so strongly in the value of inbound marketing, and its importance to businesses and the future of the PR industry, that I figured what better way to prove it than to show you our own results.

Now those closest to me know that I tend to be somewhat guarded when it comes to PR 20/20’s business strategy and data; however, there are times when all of us have to step outside of our comfort zone in order to advance an idea.

So, starting in April 2008, when we fully activated inbound marketing for our own agency development, here’s what has happened:

Our Website Grade has gone from 57 to 87, while the top 156 PR firms in the industry maintain an average Website Grade of 49.

Dramatic increases in traffic, driven almost exclusively by content marketing, search marketing and social media participation.

Site traffic generated through multiple sources, including continued upticks in organic search and social media traffic.

Our blog has seen an increase in subscribers of more than 900%, moved up to a Technorati ranking of 266,049 and been named to the Junta42 Top Content Marketing blogs.

Blog Subscribers

Technorati Rank

Increase in inbound links from less than 100 to more than 5,500.

Most importantly, our revenue growth during this period has outpaced the PR firm industry average by more than an 8-to-1 ratio, according to industry data detailed in PRWeek’s 2009 Agency Business Report.

9 Tips to Make Inbound Marketing Work for Your Business

Based on our experiences, and the analytics of dozens of client campaigns, here are nine tips to help your organization plan and activate an effective inbound marketing campaign:
1. Disrupt the market. Stop relying on PR and advertising to make you appear more interesting. Differentiate your organization from competitors, bring real value to customers and continually innovate.
2. Get educated. Start with the Inbound Marketing University and new Inbound Marketing book by Halligan and Shah, as well as The New Rules of Marketing & PR, a classic by David Meerman Scott.
3. Find the right agency partner that has a proven track record of integrating inbound marketing strategies. Traditional PR firms, SEO companies and ad agencies most likely are not the answer.
4. Get to know your buyer personas and set measurable objectives for your inbound marketing activities.
5. Design and activate a fully integrated inbound marketing strategy focused on six key areas: brand, Website, content marketing, search marketing, social media and public relations. Keep in mind that YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are brands and platforms, not strategies.
  - Brand Marketing: Define the difference and establish your positioning.
  - Web Development: Design, connect and grow.
  - Search Marketing: Get found.
  - Social Media: Monitor, participate and publish.
  - Content Marketing: Publish fresh, relevant and link-worthy content.
  - Public Relations: Build relationships and enhance communications.
6. Practice patience and dedication.
7. Benchmark and measure everything, in particular inbound links, leads and sales.
8. Adapt, execute, evolve and take risks.
9. Be willing to deconstruct your brand and business model to remain relevant, and position yourself where the market is going.
What Do You Think?
- Is inbound marketing a fad?
- Has your organization seen similar success through search marketing, social media, content marketing and PR?
- Are your agencies providing the level of knowledge and support needed to succeed in inbound marketing? Which agencies are most qualified to take the lead (PR, advertising, SEO, interactive)?
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

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Beyond Prospects: The True Potential of Inbound Marketing

By Paul Roetzer | Posted Oct 5, 2009 | 0 Comment(s) | Filed in: Internet Marketing
Inbound marketing is all about getting found by prospects and generating leads. Right?

According to HubSpot, champions of the inbound marketing movement (see online software, book and summit), “Inbound marketing software helps your company get found by the qualified prospects that are looking for the products or services that you sell in search engines, blogs and the blogosphere, and social media.”

And it does. As a HubSpot customer and Partner Agency, we have witnessed first-hand the lead-generating value of inbound marketing. But inbound marketing can do so much more for your business.

For example, consider its brand loyalty and retention attributes with existing customers. Or, how about its ability to help recruit and retain employees, connect with mainstream and social media, influence competitors and engage with peers?

The Power of Content and Community

The social-Web savvy, analytics geeks (including me) that have become advocates of inbound marketing know that the true power is driven by two things: content and community.

Regularly publishing fresh, relevant, link-worthy content (i.e. blogs, podcasts, videos, optimized press releases, Webinars, case studies, white papers, eBooks and by-lined articles) gives organizations and professionals the ability to boost search engine rankings, generate inbound links and drive Website traffic, which obviously can generate leads. While bringing value to online communities helps to establish and grow relationships.

However, content and community also strengthen your brand and enhance your thought-leadership positioning, which can have a much greater impact on your organization’s long-term growth, stability and success.

So, when building your inbound marketing strategy, be sure to think beyond prospects, and design a gameplan to reach and influence all audiences relevant to your business.
- Customers
- Employees
- Job candidates
- Bloggers
- Mainstream media
- Partners
- Vendors
- Competitors
- Peers
Every inbound marketing plan should start with lead generation, but the most powerful campaigns will use content and community to build loyalty.

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

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Image courtesy of Intersection Consulting.
Inbound Marketing Lessons from our Founding Fathers

By Laurel Miltner | Posted Jul 2, 2009 | 2 Comment(s) | Filed in: Business, Internet Marketing
All the chatter online this week about “free” (Chris Anderson’s new book, Malcolm Gladwell’s review of said book, and many others’ thoughts on free and the future of business models), really got my wheels turning.

With the 4th of July just around the corner (and thanks to a thoughtful Facebook post from a former professor regarding freedom of the press) I started thinking about the implications our freedoms, rights, and perceived rights have on business practices — particularly online.

I started wondering what a Bill of Rights would be like if it were written for consumers today, in a time when people basically have the world at their fingertips. What rights do we have — or should we have — as consumers, and how can businesses cater to them?

The Consumers' Bill of Rights

For the sake of this blog post, let’s assume that our ideal business exists because it offers a product or service which the company’s executives and employees truly believe solves a consumer problem, improves the standard way of doing something, or otherwise betters quality of life in one way or another.

(If you don’t know what the actual Bill of Rights entails – see the United States Bill of Rights Wikipedia page.)

First amendment

Consumers shall have the right to information; your company shall provide helpful information about your industry and products or services.

The rise of the social Web has taken the freedom of the press and free speech beyond what our founding fathers ever could have imagined. This gives consumers the ability to heavily research any topic of interest and seek out information as they need it.

Your job is to create and share information about your industry. Blog, publish eBooks, case studies, whitepapers, thoughtpapers — and make them free. Let your potential customers really get to know you, and your company. Give them the information they need to make an educated purchase decision. When they are ready to buy, if you are the best fit for them, they will know where to find you.

Second Amendment

Consumers shall have the right to not be “sold;” your company shall implement a smart sales strategy.

By integrating analytics into your Website, assessing visitor behavior and conversion rates, and gathering lead intelligence, you should be able to get a pretty clear understanding of who your best buyers are, and what makes a qualified lead.

Instead of cold calling or mass mailing laundry lists of people, use this information to cater to your potential customers’ needs. Talk to them about their problems and what your product or service can do to help. Sell smart.

Third Amendment

Consumers shall have the right to join groups and discussions on a given topic and know whom they are taking to; your company shall never allow representatives to pretend to be someone they are not.

People join online communities and post on discussion boards because they care about a particular topic, they want to learn and share information with others. Some companies think that a great way to create positive buzz online is to have an employee pretend to be a customer and rave about their product or services in these community or forum discussions.

Not only is this shady, but people often see through it. Nobody wants phonies in their communities.

Fourth Amendment

Consumers shall have the right to find the information they are looking for online quickly and easily; your company shall help them in this task, authentically.

Everyone knows that most people these days use search engines when looking for information. Make sure that your Website is optimized for search engines and for searchers. Don’t fall into the black hat SEO trap of trying to manipulate your rankings. Eventually, the search engines will recognize this and penalize your site, but more importantly, your potential customers will not appreciate you trying to scam them into considering your company.

Fifth Amendment

Consumers shall have the right to know what your company truly stands for; your company shall operate ethically and stay true to its core values.

We’ve all heard stories about leaked memos, people saying things online without thinking, and other business horror stories. When hiring, make sure you only invite people that you trust to join your team, and that your employees adhere to the company’s core values. Don’t let phony people jeopardize your brand or incriminate themselves by acting foolishly.

Sixth Amendment

Consumers shall have the right to share their opinions about your company online; your company shall listen and join in conversation.

Remember that gross Domino’s video that hit YouTube a few months back? Remember how long it took for the CEO of the company to respond? Sure, it was only about two days later, but by that time, millions of people had viewed the video of Domino’s employees desecrating customer’s food. Your company needs to monitor the Web, know what people are saying about it, and when necessary, respond in a timely manner.

Seventh Amendment

Consumers shall decide for themselves if you are helpful and interesting enough to tell others about; your company shall be rewarded for doing things smarter, better, faster, bigger and more creatively than your competition.

It’s widely accepted that the number factor in search engine rankings is inbound links to your Website. In other words, if people like something you did enough to share it, you’re doing something right. You will be judged by the value you create.

Eighth Amendment

Consumers shall have the right to choice; your company shall not talk poorly about competitors for the sole purpose of making your stuff look better.

Let’s face it — people can see through the crap. Instead of bashing your competition, why not build relationships with them? I’m sure that there are a lot of things that they are doing right. As people in the same industry, why not share your thoughts and ideas?

There are millions of people in the world — if your company is right for someone, they will know it. But your competitor might have a different approach that is right for someone else. Embrace competition, tell them what they are doing right, and learn from their successes (and blunders) to help make your company better.

Ninth Amendment

Consumers shall have the right to disagree with you and your opinions, and make legitimate complaints about your company, product or service; your company shall allow people to air their grievances.

The social Web is about conversations and relationships. Not everyone is going to think that your company is the best, the smartest or the coolest thing out there. Other peoples’ opinions matter just as much, if not more than, yours. If someone leaves a comment on your blog telling you that you’re wrong, or they disagree with your opinion, listen to them and see what you can learn. Respond intelligently and thank them for their thoughts.

If someone gives you a negative comment on Facebook, or a bad review somewhere, don’t try to take it down or push it away — engage your critics and see what you can do to improve their experience with, and opinion of, your company.

Tenth Amendment

Consumers, collectively, shall decide which businesses will succeed; your company shall innovate ahead of the crowd and be the best.

This is what it all comes down to. Consumers are connected and collectively intelligent enough to do their research, sift through the scammers, and decide what companies they want to work with. The only way to succeed in the world today is to be the best.

If you try to push out a mediocre product or half-hearted service, offer decent customer service and don’t provide enough value for your buyer’s dollars, people will not want to do business with you again, and they will tell their friends not to do business with you, and word will trickle down, and your business will fail.

But, if you create and offer the best services or products in your industry, provide the best customer service and give great value to your buyers, then people will like you, and they will tell their friends about you, and they will tell their friends, and so on, and so forth… and your business will be a success.

The only question is — are you up for the challenge?

Laurel Miltner is a consultant at PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. Follow Laurel on Twitter @laurelmackenzie.

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Will Traditional PR Firms Survive?

By Paul | Posted Mar 4, 2009 | 0 Comment(s) | Filed in: Public Relations
I recently read the PRWeek article, “Efficiency Is Crucial in Agency Review,” which provides further proof that the traditional PR agency model is shifting, possibly towards the inbound marketing agency model of value-based pricing on services designed to build Website traffic, inbound links and leads.

According to the article, “Agency reviews in the last several years have often led to clients consolidating their PR firms, but today's deepening recession has accelerated this trend as clients seek to cut budgets and economize.”

While PRWeek concentrates on major brands such as Coke, Pfizer, eBay and Philips, the lesson apparent in the article is that organizations of all sizes are expecting more results on tighter budgets.

Here are a few of the more telling excerpts from the piece:
- “The recession has acted as a catalyst, pushing clients to stretch their agencies across more disciplines.”
- “Traditional advertising isn’t a particularly healthy field, so that’s not a good place to broaden services.” (Jerry Swerling, director of PR studies and the USC Annenberg Strategic PR Center and management consultant)
- “I’m seeing clients saying they don’t feel like they’re getting as much bang for their buck.” (senior level source at procurement firm)
- “. . . Some clients are responding by eliminating AOR agencies and working with firms on a project basis. . . .”
Is it time for the Inbound Marketing Agency?

In September 2008, we published a blog post titled, “Dawn of the Inbound Marketing Agency,” stating that a mass-market revolution had begun that threatens to make traditional PR agencies obsolete, and spawn a new generation of industry leaders and influentials.

“If you’re a PR firm, you can’t ignore or resist where the market is taking us. It’s time to expand our knowledge and services. Think critically about the value we deliver to clients. Consider the state of MSM, and the future of our industry.”

Here’s a snapshot of the inbound marketing agency from the original post:
- Staff: Expert copywriters (as most PR professionals are), who function as Internet marketing consultants. All employees/consultants are heavily engaged in social media.
- Services: Content marketing, social media, search engine marketing and Website development, as well as evolved forms of publicity, brand marketing and crisis communications.
- Pricing: Value-based instead of prohibitive hourly rates.
- Results: Truly measurable and meaningful outcomes, including: inbound links, Website traffic, leads and sales.
- Infrastructure: More agile, scalable and tolerant to risk than most traditional PR firms.
Is it possible that the recession has accelerated the need and demand for these agencies?

Read the full post: “Dawn of the Inbound Marketing Agency”

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.

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HubSpot Releases State of Inbound Marketing Report

By Paul | Posted Jan 30, 2009 | 0 Comment(s) | Filed in: Internet Marketing
Based on our previous posts (see And the No. 1 Marketing Budget Priority for 2009 Is? and Dawn of the Inbound Marketing Agency), it’s no secret that we are strong proponents of inbound marketing, a philosophy that is starting to spread to the mass market.

According to the State of Inbound Marketing report released today by HubSpot, “Traditional outbound marketing techniques – including direct mail, print advertising and telemarketing – are becoming less effective. Buyers are not only finding ways to tune these messages out, but more importantly now have the capability to evaluate the products and services they need on their own.”

This isn’t news for most marketing professionals and business owners, but the report highlights how both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) organizations are shifting their marketing resources towards inbound marketing activities (i.e. SEO, social media, blogging, content marketing, email, pay-per-click advertising), and reducing their cost per lead.

KEY FINDINGS

Finding #1: Companies that spend more money and effort on inbound marketing experience a lower cost per lead.

Finding #2: Inbound marketing activities contribute a significant portion of sales leads.

See Survey Shows Inbound Marketing Sales Leads Are Cheaper Than Outbound for the complete State of Inbound Marketing report.

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.

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Follow me on Twitter: @paulroetzer
And the No. 1 Marketing Budget Priority for 2009 Is?

By Paul | Posted Dec 10, 2008 | 1 Comment(s) | Filed in: Internet Marketing
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

By Paul | Posted Dec 7, 2008 | 11 Comment(s) | Filed in: Public Relations
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.