“You Know I Just Work for the Agency…” And Other Forms of PR Self-Doubt

By Christine Needles

Jumping into social media is easier for some than for others. As a tech PR pro – someone who studied PR in college and then spent 8 years in the agency business before taking the leap to the client side this summer – social media represents a bit of a scary new world. Valeria asked me to share my thoughts on the state of PR, so I thought I’d begin with a personal story.

I recall clearly the first and only time it happened to me. I had established a great rapport with a newspaper reporter in my client’s hometown. The client was a recognizable name, and was important to my firm – it was a long-term relationship client and one that represented significant billings. I did everything my mentors and teachers had told me to do – I served as a resource for this reporter, helping provide access to the client when he needed it, keeping him in the loop on important news in advance of it happening, etc.

You could say it was a media relations success story, until… one day, my buddy at the paper calls. He received an inquiry from a reader about my client’s technology and a supposed “glitch.” I knew enough about my client to know that the glitch was only a perceived one and not something consumers should worry about. I also knew about an educational campaign my client and its partner – the one providing the gadget to consumers – had developed to help ease consumer concern and confusion about the issue. So, I mentioned it and shared with him what I knew.

Now, the reporter did call and tell me he planned to write a column, so I shouldn’t have been too surprised when the story ran, citing me by name as the spokeswoman. It was actually a harmless comment – a positive comment – and my client was not upset. But the partner made a bit of a stink and of course I received some ribbing. The story was also picked up across the country in syndication and month after month new hard copy clips would arrive at the office, stirring up more teasing.

From that point on, I approached conversations with the media much more cautiously. This was in fact a defining moment in my career. With every future discussion, I would begin with some type of comment discrediting my own expertise and reminding the reporter or editor that I was just a PR person and to get the real scoop, he must talk to my expert client. This resulted in a ton of client briefings – I considered this success as an agency PR person. Truth is, in the past 8 years, I have become an expert in many tech subjects, from data center technology and disaster recovery to RFID and supply chain tech.

This is why social media, blogging, Twittering and the like may feel so foreign to PR reps. In recent weeks there has been plenty of debate on the state of PR, how social media is changing the landscape, why PR people are missing the mark on interacting with bloggers, etc. Check out posts by Steve Rubel, Perkett PR (on what makes a “Web 2.0 agency”) and Nicole Jordan at bub.bilico.us to dive deeper. No question, we should be thinking about social media tools and how best to interact with our core audiences and influencers as part of our PR programs – I think most everyone agrees on that point.

Yet, what interests me most is why some of us may be hesitant to jump in. How often are PR people encouraged to have their own opinion? We are counselors, skilled at developing messages and talking points our clients will deliver. Can we have our own opinions? Do clients want their agency PR team out talking about them? Does this create a new liability concern for agency management? Do bloggers want to hear from PR people (outside of the many conversations about our own industry)?

Of course, there are many very talented PR pros out there who are ahead of the curve. At my last firm I had several amazing colleagues who were blogging, podcasting and Twittering in their spare time about topics near and dear to them personally. But in my experience, this level of personal participation is far from the norm.

Maybe other agency PR reps share in my anxiety as a result of years of training to hide behind the client as just an agency person. How can others like me get over this hurdle when it comes to social media? Well, it’s as easy as jumping in and giving it a try. I’m on Twitter, I follow blogs on several personal and professional topics using Google Reader, and I stay connected with my networks through LinkedIn and Facebook. With this post, I’m officially setting aside my PR self-doubt and daring to share my story and opinion!

Do you have a story like mine? Are you hesitant to jump in? Are you an information collector, not a content generator? Do you want to keep up with the changing face of PR? Pardon the cliché, but the train is moving full steam ahead, and now’s the time to get on board.

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Christine Needles is immersed in the world of tech B2B public relations. After 8 years as a PR-agency insider, she recently joined the Governance communications team at CA, Inc.  Today she's most curious about the chaotic intersection of traditional marketing/PR with emerging social communities and corporate use of these channels.  Christine is also fascinated by the psychology behind how PR people and the companies they serve relate to the communities they hope to influence.  In her spare time, Christine is running circles around Capitol Square in Madison, WI, as she trains for a half marathon, and trying to keep balanced through regular yoga practice.

Comments

[Kerry Gaffney]

I'm also ex-tech PR on the agencyside, actually I'm still with the agency (Porter Novelli) but these days I work for the global digital team here at PN Towers, London.

Really interesting post, I wouldn't say that I'm ahead of the curve for PRs but I've been twittering, blogging and playing with any social media tool that I come across for a couple of years now and I know that I'm not the norm.

Previously I had put the reluctance of my colleagues to join in the self-expressing fun down to time constraints. Everyone is pretty much heads down all the time. Plus why do they need to play with new tools when the pet geek in the corner can be tapped up for explainations and to attend client meetings.

Now I think it might be more down to PRs being quite conservative, we tend to rely on what has worked previously, not the same creatives but the same tactics replayed in various flavours. Note how PRs are getting slated for still using the one email to 1,000 recepients approach to bloggers. They do it because it always 'worked' for journalists, or at least had no consequences when it didn't.

Social media is offering the PR industry a golden opportunity to stop being quite so lazy, to stop, draw breath and re-consider how it approaches each new client, project or keeps that retained account fresh.

So that all said, I heartily encourage all PRs to start dipping their toes, get an RSS reader, follow a few blogs, get a twitter account, find some ppl you already know who twitter and follow them. It will grow from there.

[Christine Needles]

@Kerry - Couldn't agree more! Yes, time contraints are a factor, but in the agency world, I would argue much of those contraints are self-imposed. From the top on down to the AAE, it's time to start playing and letting our guard down. You've really hit the point right on -- that social media affords new opportunities for agency teams to be even more creative with programs and to bring fresh ideas to clients.

[Rebecca]

I wonder if part of the hesitancy for the PR world to get involved in social media is the hesitancy of the corporate world in general. If companies can't make heads or tails of social media, I imagine that it would be difficult to include it as part of the PR strategy, or to strike out on your own.

Anyway, I also notice you're in Madison - so am I! If you want to grab coffee sometime, I'll convince you to start a blog. :)

[Christine Needles]

@Rebecca - Client hesitancy might be attributed to some of the same factors - not understanding how these tools could be helping them achieve their PR goals. That's where a smart agency account rep can bring a lot of value by pointing to their personal experiences with social media.

I also ask, does social media have to be a separate program or strategy? Why not recommend a test - try out a corporate Twitter account or encourage more thought leadership through involvement in existing blog conversations? There are ways we can all dip our toes into the water without making a drastic shift from more "traditional" PR tactics.

Yes, let's connect for coffee!

[britt]

I agree wholeheartedly. I spent my first five or so years out of college working for PR agencies where indeed I became an expert of sorts on my client's business -- mainly to be able to pitch with ease and competently. I don't ever recall being mentored or motivated to have public opinions about my client's business – but then again there weren’t the vehicles that there are now (e.g. twitter or facebook) for easily sharing my thoughts or whims.

I think the dawn of social media tools has empowered PR people in many ways. We are no longer seen to be the mysterious orchestrator -- we are encouraged to have voices, share opinions and be a part of the conversation that is taking place whether that is about our client's business or about what we do on the weekends.

I find it difficult to have public-facing opinions since I've spent over 10 years listening, writing and coordinating the communications strategies of those I who worked for/with. Similar to what Christine describes, I have been uncomfortable when I have been quoted by a reporter after commenting on media call when I had merely guided the conversation to add richness or perspective; the intention was for the reporter to glean necessary info from the sanctioned “expert” (certainly not me!).

@brittmccoll

[Christine Needles]

@britt - Great point about these new tools opening doors for PR pros to have and share our own opinions. It's like a new awakening for us!

In the past, we might have shared our thoughts over breakfast with an industry analyst at a trade conference, or over a beer with a reporter "after hours." Now those conversations are happening in (very) public forums.

Some of us just need to be assured that we have an opinion worth voicing - whether about our clients or about what we're doing on the weekend (like you said)!

[Kami Huyse]

Given the success of this post, you should speak out more frequently. That said, I have been both on the client side, where I served as a spokesperson, and on the agency side, where my clients are the spokespeople.

Even so, when I first started my blog in 2005, I was really nervous about saying something that I would regret later.

And guess what, sometimes I have. But I have always kept in the back of my mind that I am discussing ideas in a public forum rather than personalities. That has kept me out of trouble 99 percent of the time, and even has allowed me to disagree with someone from time to time and still maintain mutual respect.

Still, I am very sensitive about proprietary client information and make a point not to reveal that. Anytime I do reveal something about my client on my blog or in a public forum it is with their express permission.

I think there is a false sense of security that can arise as we participate in these public forums like blogs, Twitter and Facebook (among others). We need to watch out for this and make sure to really think about what we are about to say, particularly as it pertains to clients. When I started blogging in 2005, it was a practice among PR bloggers at the time to NOT discuss client work. I think that was a disservice because it didn't give anyone a chance to learn from each other as we cut our social media teeth. However, that taboo seems to be somewhat broken, and now, we have to be even more careful that we carefully consider what we say in public about our clients, and moreover that they know we are saying it.

[Christine Needles]

@Kami - Thanks for the compliment, but more importantly, thanks for sharing your insights! I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one with nerves out there.

I agree with you. Words have lasting impact -- this is something we shouldn't forget as we chat with friends on Facebook or share our ideas about a client's industry on a blog.

My approach has always been: consider the client's needs/concerns first. That's the motto I lived by in my agency days, and which helped to create a foundation of trust with my clients. As you point out, the client should always know what you are planning to do, and how/where you intend to talk about them. Confidential information should be kept confidential, no question.