Our Blog: where do you stand?

Participation is Marketing

By: Marijean Jaggers | 09/28/2007

Presenter: Geoff Livingston

Geoff kicked off the session asking if anyone still believes messages can be controlled.

A mom shared about her high functioning Autistic son who uses Twitter to communicate with his mom. He can't manage social interaction but Twitter gives him a tool that allows him to communicate with his mother and others from his cell phone. What a powerful example of the use of social media in a real-life scenario!

Geoff opened up the discussion to how companies react to negative comments. He provided the example of Southwest Airlines changing a policy based on negative feedback from bloggers.

"The meaning of public relations means having a relationship with the public," said Shel Israel. It's time for PR people to start listening to the public and bringing that back to companies for reaction, feedback and when appropriate, change.

Read. Listen. Participate. Comment a little bit -- all before you start a campaign. Become a part of the community so you know what they care about and understand their issues.

How do you teach people about social media who don't know anything about it? Set up a RSS reader with blogs for them to read. After reading several blogs they will find they have something to say.

You can't buy social media; it's an experience.

From a blogger: How do I demonstrate value to my boss (as a blogger)?

Shel said, "Does your boss have a problem with people within your company talking to your customers? Then what's the problem?"

A thrift chain used an anonymous blog to change the perception of thrift buys to fashion using a blogging avatar called Fashonista. They were very successful and drove thousands of visitors to the site, and to the stores.

Jay Rosen, New York University School of Journalism wrote that the audience is no longer an audience any more. They're talking back. It's no longer a situation of the messages being delivered from above, either podium or platform.

It's hard for organizations to realize they are part of something larger. Force yourself to not use the words customer, consumer, target audience or audience. It's about relationships (interacting, conversations, exchanges) with people.

Target is a military term. That's not very friendly.

We have all been trained to use the word "audience" Geoff said -- we all need to retrain ourselves.

Question from the audience: How do we deal with traditional PR executives resisting change and social media engagement?

Geoff said to lead by example. Results speak more than anything. Geoff encouraged us to get out there, do it, and share what's happening.

Question from the audience: Should we interact with customers in their own space? Yes. But be transparent about it and identify yourself as a PR person (if that's who you are).

To customers: blog, or be blogged.

"Blogs are the best personal branding tool ever invented," David Parmet.

Geoff said, if you are part of a community, think about what your community cares about. Try to provide something of value to them. If perceptions need correcting, find out where they are coming from before you try to "fix the branding."

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