Social Media the ‘New Wave’ in Communication?

Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn, Facebook, blogs, etc. are the new wave to communicate in today’s world? Apparently so. With all the new ways to communicate to your friends, family, co-workers and other people that want to follow you, the future is clear and networking and being connected is here. I must admit, I too have a MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and (obviously) a blog. But I feel that if I don’t keep up with today’s technology then it will definitely pass me by.

Twitter service is more a communication tool for the celebrities and friends to find out what they are doing right at this moment. I have a Twitter account but it mostly to follow my favorite celebrities and find out what there explanations are when they are arrested for DUI. Facebook expands upon that with games, quizzes, and other tools to have fun with your friends. I use Facebook the most to keep up with old friends from high school and my college days and to see how they all grew up and coping today. MySpace had started that way but now has moved into the commercial realms and promote businesses and services instead of individuals. I still have a MySpace but they lost me when they didn’t crack down on their security and allowed EVERYONE to see my personal information. Next thing I knew I was getting so much spam and junk mail to choke a horse. No thanks. LinkedIn is a business social network and has become a standard with connecting with past and present co-workers. I see this as a business Facebook. When I was off work, I joined a few discussion groups to assist with my job search which paid off. LinkedIn also is very helpful when researching new potential clients as well as reestablishing old business relationships.

There is no doubt that the world is going mobile and we crave information on-the-go. Smartphones are exploding that help manage your personal and professional life and the tip of your fingers. IPhone, Blackberry, Palm have revolutionized the smartphone industry and have implemented some of these social networks to give users access to friends and family as well as co-workers. All of these social networks have a mobile version of their website that can be accessed on just about any cell phone to give the ability to update yourself at ANY location. It is definitely a, “keep up or get left behind” world out there and if you don’t have the tools then you are in the vinyl era.

Your thoughts?

Publicity cutbacks in 2009??

PR Week reported this week that many companies are asking their PR agencies to either cut their retainers or hold back from any further publicity campaigns until the future looks a bit more brighter.  With the state of the economy as is, now is the WORST time to cut back on marketing and public relations.  Now more than ever is the time to work on your public image and to set your image in the market.  Many CEO’s do not share the same ideas and feel that they will be able to ride the storm out but cutting back on their image.  Without publicity and marketing, your company will not survive this current recession and will become another victim.

Have the Client’s Best Interest in Mind!

When taking on new clients you have to understand what their needs and goals are.  Understanding this will allow you to lay out a good plan of attack when it comes to promoting, informing or even handling a crisis.  Many publicist feel they can ‘wing it’ or can deal with situations as they come up but that can’t be farther from the truth.  Timing is everything when it comes to publicity and having a plan will give the client more confidence in the publicist skills to handle whatever is thrown at them.

We have seen many examples of publicists not having the client’s best interests including Kayne West, Terrell Owens and even more recently Lindsay Lohan.  When things go bad ultimately, the client suffers and the publicist is out of a job.  Having a plan in mind is vital when starting a relationship with your client.  Most clients have simple needs such as to promote themselves, a product or service or to inform the public.  Others won’t know what they want a publicist to do or even understand how they can help them.  It is our job to make the client understand that without a publicist, the client would be in serious trouble in the public court of opinion. 

Keep the communication lines open between you and your client.  In today’s world there are many way to communicate.  Phone calls, Text messaging, email, blogging or website such as My Space, Facebook, Twitter or Skype.    Find out what is best for the client and keep those lines open.  Keeping those lines open will be beneficial in understanding each other’s motivation.

Kim Etheredge was Terrell Owens publicist when reports came out that he attempted suicide when really it was a bad mixture of pain killers for an injury and supplements.  She called for a press conference and her famous word, “Terrell has 25 million reasons why he should be alive,” referring to the three-year, $25 million contract he signed with the Cowboys in March 2006.  She had more interest in herself than Terrell Owens and as a result, she was fired. 

Understanding your clients overall goal is very important.  Publicity campaigns for small business to high-profile clients should be handled in all the same matter.  Have a plan of attack, keep the communication lines open and above all…keep the clients best interest in mind!

Celebrities speak their political views…a good idea?

As the presidential campaigns are in full swing following the DNC and the RNC, actors, actresses and sports figures are now speaking out about whom they support and bashing their opponents.  Following Lindsay Lohan’s comments this week on her MySpace page about Gov. Sarah Palin is another example of how some celebrities should stay out of politics.  “I really cannot bite my tongue anymore when it comes to Sarah Palin,” wrote Lohan. “Is it a sin to be gay? Should it be a sin to be straight? Or to use birth control? Or to have sex before marriage? Or even to have a child out of wedlock?”  Celebrities that express their political views on the public stage are not using their status wisely especially if you are in a rebuilding stage.  Veterans such as Paul Newman, Bruce Willis and Clint Eastwood for example have already established their image and have a strong fan-base and can enter the political ring of endorsements.  For others that do not have the experience, knowledge and the awareness should use their public stage to promote their career.  There is no publicist out there that would advise their clients to bash a political candidate’s personal life in the media to gain personal attention.  With Lindsay in a rebuilding stage with her image, she should concentrate more on picking better roles in films than candidates.  You never heard Gov. Sarah Palin making personal attacks on Lindsay Lohan for her role in I Know Who Killed Me or discuss with the media about her cocaine addiction. My advice: Stay out of the headlines with your political views because you are cutting your target market in half.  In building, rebuilding or establishing a public image, celebrities need all the support they can get in the stands and in the theatres.  Lindsay…call me because it obvious that your publicist has no idea what is best for you.