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Loading ...I’ve read and reread Michael Arrington’s screed on the state of PR today. No doubt he’s had his full of moronic pitches from overly enthusiastic types pushing this story or that. Many of the pitches will be totally inappropriate for TechCrunch.
If you’re an entrepreneur, he’s got some great basic advice laid out. He also has some dangerous ideas that, once again, show me that some of the people out there who become somewhat successful in a relatively short time have: a tendency to assume that most aspects of marketing are somewhat frivolous and that all one has to do is follow these small steps.
Let’s get right to what he wrote:
So back to practical advice: what do you do if you’re a startup looking for help in getting the word out about your company? First off, don’t hire PR help until the volume of inbound requests by press are simply too much to handle without help. That’s way down the line for most companies.
Until then, take the time to start reading blogs and other publications that cover what you’re doing. Go to an event or two. This should be fun for you, since they’re writing about stuff that you’re spending all your time on. You’ll start to see links to other relevant sites, and before long you’ll fully understand who’s who in the space, get a feel for people’s personalities and passions, etc. Leave a few thoughtful comments. Better yet, start your own blog and link appropriately. And in your leisure time participate in the fascinating conversations occurring on Twitter and FriendFeed.
Suddenly you are no longer just a spectator with an agenda. You are now part of a community. You are a person that gives and takes. Someone who makes the overall network stronger. And I guarantee that after a few weeks of actually participating in the community, you’ll have far better press connections than most of the PR people we deal with daily.
I highlighted that last sentence because it is so stupid. A few weeks? Please. It’s like telling an aspiring actress that all she has to do is go to Hollywood and hang out at a few cool places for a couple of weeks and she’ll have far better connections than most agents.
Other than that, it sounds like great advice. And it is, for the most part. But it’s unrealistic for many. And it consistently spewed out views - seconded by many of the repondees that they’ve got in all under control as far as marketing goes. I’ve seen many a crash and burn from those who take on this mindset. That’s because they don’t think beyond the mindset.
If there’s a shitload of competition out there to break through the noise, then there’s a shitload of competition to break through h noise. Regardless of whom is getting out there amidst the conversations both online and off.
One intrepid PR person, a real fireball by the name of Kel Kelly, came in and told it like it is:
Most of our clients are savvy, Web 2.0-based businesses and they come to us because the “blogosphere only” strategy failed miserably…
…As for having the CEOs do it themselves, I encourage you to get your lips off the crack pipe and step away. Most of my CEOs don’t have time to scratch their ass never mind build and execute a blogosphere strategy or pitch, secure and manage a segment on The Today Show.
Kel is my new best friend. She hit that one out of the park. The problem with Arrington’s point is that applies to so few people. It makes sense, but it often ain’t enough.
I nevertheless think he’s onto something in that entrepreneurs have to be their own evangelists. But I’d say the best thing they could do is enlist the services of a seasoned PR professional that knows the lay of the land…meaning knows the niche industry that the start-up is entering, meaning the key media people and key blogs and bloggers. A sherpa that acts as the initial guide. Press releases aren’t needed. Big pitches aren’t needed. Or at least as much. This type of person should be looked upon at “marketing/PR counsel”, just as an attorney is looked upon as being legal counsel.
Here’s the danger of doing a full fledged DIY strategy:
Time
If you remember, Kel said “Most of my CEOs don’t have time to scratch their ass never mind build and execute a blogosphere strategy or pitch, secure and manage a segment on The Today Show.” Oh, yeah!
So true it’s laughable. Starting and running a business is hard work. It’s a lot of work. It takes boatloads of dedication and time. Getting involved in online conversations and running one’s own blog is hard work. It can be a lot of work, It can take boatloads of dedication and time.
Entrepreneurs are human. I’m going to stereotype, but most of the audience that we’re talking about here are relatively young (under 50). A lot in their thirties. Mostly men. A lot of those have young families. They work 10-15 hour days during the workweek and another 5-8 on a weekend day. When they’re home, they’re going to want to spend time with their spouses and perhaps read their children a bedtime story - that’s if they’re home in time. Spending another 1-3 hours a day reading online mags and blogs is going to be too much. Some can do it. Most can’t.
Better Insight
Timing is everything. A PR person - a good one that is - can see trends coming down the pike. They’ll know editorial calendars. They’ll know when it’s too soon for this or a little late for that. PR people can often get you in the right place at the right time.
They’ll often know which event are worth checking out and which ones may be a waste of time and money.
They’ll know what makes key editors and bloggers take notice. The entrepreneur won’t. Which brings me to my third point…
Hubris
The reality is that, from what I’ve witnessed, the majority of people behind start ups fall overly in love with their products and/or services that they fail to realize that most other people won’t give a shit. They overvalue the relative worth of what they’ve created. They’ll enter conversations all pumped and they won’t necessarily contribute the way they should. They won’t “listen” that much. They don’t understand that most people aren’t going to listen them as well.
They’ll think that they should be featured in the today’s business section and on tomorrow’s Wall Street Journal. A crafty PR person can cut through the hubris and blind enthusiasm and set the record straight.
Just like Kel Kelly did.
Filed under: Controversial Marketing, How to Blog, Marketing Hubris, PR Hubris, PR Industry, Web 2.0, Web 3.0
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Great post!
It’s interesting to observe how new hypes are trying to change fundamentals. Like you mentioned - marketing, PR - when these functions have been done by non-professionals?
Why suddenly the game is changing? Because of new channels/tools???
Back to basics: business 101.
Thanks!
Thanks for this great post.
If companies, “don’t hire PR help until the volume of inbound requests by press are simply too much to handle…” then the volume will never be too much to handle. How would media hear about the company? Magic? The volume will never be overwhelming without actively pursuing the coverage which is what professional PR does. PR is not about selling products to consumers — that’s what marketing is for. PR is about creating interest and excitement among the media about your product/service so that they will cover it. The coverage generates awareness that leads to sales. Too many people use PR and marketing interchangeable, or expect PR to do the job of marketing and that’s a mistake that can cause big problems for businesses.
Fabulous article. Thanks for writing that!
Thanks all.
Oddly, Arrington’s advice has a lot of merit, at least initially. His suggestions as to what start up types should do is on target. He makes a few glaring mistakes.
One is thinking that an entrepreneur will automatically have the time and the right attitude for their own marketing efforts. Another is that two weeks of engagement is all that’s needed.
PR people who respect themselves as professionals are most definitely needed in today’s competitive world.
Glad to have you in my posse as my new BFF. You net/net it all in one great line: “It’s like telling an aspiring actress that all she has to do is go to Hollywood and hang out at a few cool places for a couple of weeks and she’ll have far better connections than most agents.” For shizz.
I too have been back through and reread all the posts. One thing I pick up on is the cautious tone most PR people take on when addressing Mike. It is almost rooted in fear as if they are afraid to get on his bad side. I know a lot of these people and many are fiesty SOBs. It’s amazing to watch their personalities shift when dealing with him.
The whole thing reminds me of the very first blog post I ever wrote: People are People
http://www.kelandpartners.com/kelkellyblog/2007/11/08/people-are-people/
Surely Arrington’s perspective on this matter is valid — *way* valid. But right off the bat, he’s missing sometime important. He says, “First off, don’t hire PR help until the volume of inbound requests by press are simply too much to handle without help. That’s way down the line for most companies.”
But that assumes that all a PR firm does, all a PR firm is good for, is handling “inbound requests by press.” Sure, many PR people get by just fine by providing that as their key service, but so many more PR people do so much more than that.
Mike Volpe of Hubspot has some great insights on the value he, as a PR services buyer, sees PR firms providing. Perhaps of additional value for many people, he’s specifically addressing the value a PR firm can provide to even a Web-savvy company (as his is):
http://tinyurl.com/5d3gv2
Mike, what a great comment! We do PR for lots of super-small shops and it is not about being over-capacity, it is about being expert in it.
What most organizations and companies need from us at Abraham Harrison is path-finding. In fact, there are lots of examples wherein these companies may have the bandwidth to be able to handle the volume but really don’t know how to best go about it, don’t know best practices, and — the most important part — don’t wanna.
I don’t know about other firms, but we’re happy to expand and contract based on what our client needs. If our client just needs advisement and support in her efforts, we’re happy to do that, too.
I love listening to the Podcast, Inside PR — those cats are solid. The biggest lesson I learned from their hundred-or-so podcasts is that PR professionals are not news release monkeys or flacks, PR professionals are consultants and should be retained and maintained from the start of a project as opposed to after the shit hits the fan or “until the volume of inbound requests by press are simply too much to handle without help.”
That’s exactly right Chris.
Arrington wrongly sees PR as press responders.
Actually, what startups often need are oveall marketing consultants that can give the lay of the land. Again, many people behind startups think that it will easy sailing once they’ve gotten (and I’m thinking mostly of tech startups) their code functioning and that they’ve got one connection to a client, it’s all smooth sailing. They don’t realize that they’re battling for mindshare with a hundred other things.
Oddly, the fact that Arrington starts out by saying that PR firms are turning away clients should tell him something. That means that PR firms recognize that a lot of potential clients don’t have a story to tell.
Another thing I learned from Inside PR, those Canadian guys, is that there is a general mis-perception that PR sells snake oil and that the fact that “PR firms are turning away clients” shows how foolish everyone is.
To be honest, the very-same people who can rock a Web 2.0 software application oftentimes really suck at shameless self promotion, effective marketing, innovative publicity, or recognizing when something will go viral or blow up in their face.
Oh, and PS: we do about 3/4th of our outreaches as the client, so Arrington might be getting quite a number of pitches that he perceives as coming directly from the company of record but the entire outreach process is probably being guided by the PR agency of record. Most of the best pitches are not signed “Abraham Harrison LLC.” We do “as” and “on behalf” and most organizations choose “as.”