The New Rules of Marketing and PR
I finally got around to reading David Meerman Scott’s “The New Rules of Marketing and PR,” just in time for the release of his next book, “World Wide Rave.”
The book is amazing. It’s no wonder it’s used by university professors and often referenced by other notable marketing experts. This book is especially relevant as traditional media (primarily print) continues its near rapid demise. PR professionals, business owners, nonprofits and other organizations, now more than ever, need to shift their strategies and not solely rely on media to report their news.
David Meerman Scott provides a springboard for getting started in the world of social media and becoming the aggregator or your own news. The book is full of real-world, useful ideas and mini case studies, as well as tools and tips for developing effective strategies using the new rules. Some of which include:
- Rethink the way you write your press releases – write it to your audience and post it where your audience will find it – online. In addition to your Web site’s newsroom, shuttle it around on some of the search engines. Another good (and free) resource is pitchengine.com, a service that allows you to embed video, images and useful links in your releases. It then gets picked up by different online readers.
- Reform how you communicate with your audience. Don’t aim for the masses. Find your niche and go straight to the source by establishing a presence in the space your target audience occupies, i.e. blogs, podcasts, social networking sites and online forums. Be patient and remember this is a two-way street. Be interactive and listen.
- Keep your content relevant, informative, useful and/or entertaining. If you do this (not just push your own agenda) your audience will actually seek you out and be more likely to take action.
- Practice transparency.
- Determine your voice and goals. Act as a publisher.
- Write short, concise posts. People don’t have time to read large blocks of content.
- As always – it’s about the mix, and now that mix includes an online presence. Continue to utilize traditional media, but also practice reaching beyond your own Web site. Explore social media, even if you just start by reading blogs, just get out there. Know your audience and engage them in two-way conversation. It’s no longer about one-way communications or “interruptions.”
Now go out, get started and enjoy the journey!
