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.

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.

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.”

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

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/

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.

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!