Why the Relations Part of PR Matters

High-Five SXSWi 2010 - High-Five Montage Tribute from Henry Balanon on Vimeo.

Jason Falls already wrote about it, so I might as well confess, I participated to the Chevy Volt influencer outreach program at SxSWi. The best part was that I'm a vegetarian and I still decided to go to the Salt Lick to spend quality time with Chris Barger and the GM team.

I even agreed to do a short video interview after dinner to talk about the conference and my take on the Chevy Volt, which I did not drive. The team helping GM gain visibility for the car marker new initiatives are doing a great job getting the word out about the new models and the value props of driving the car.

Chevy's outreach is a good example of why the relations part of PR matters. Both the GM team, and the Fleishman-Hillard team, the car maker's agency, reached out to people in their networks. Relationships matter even more in crowded situations like SxSWi this year (I'm told attendance was up 40% from 2009).

Also, check out Chevy Team Detroit, an initiative designed to talk about the people and the experience of the contest -- not the car itself. Putting emphasis on the people and their relationships and story is Marketing and PR in new media.

If you're thinking about a career in PR, pay attention to the agencies and people who are doing it right. Remember that each one of us, no matter where we sit in an org chart, has an opportunity to change the game -- and help gain visibility for a product or service with the right people.

Why insist on mindlessly pulling email addresses from people you have not taken the time to get to know? A note on this point, reading someone's blog or saying that you read it, is a good intro only when you demonstrate emotional intelligence after than sentence.

What will get you found?

• a rote pitch right after a custom opening
• not demonstrating knowledge of the very thing you pitch
• following up to a pitch a mere day later with the "so are you going to write about this?" note
• not responding to a question from the person you pitched for weeks
• reaching out after a post, then not delivering the information

I wrote about these points a few times before. It's so easy to meet people, be interested, and participate today. The Chevy influencer outreach is an example of why working through relationships will get you better results than doing a cold pitch. 

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Let's open a dialogue, help me understand. Why is this still the exception? What do you find difficult about building relationships with bloggers?

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[Disclosure: while I have issues with American auto makers designs, which is the reason why I would not buy one of those cars, I liked Chevy's approach. Chevy’s arrangements at SxSWi included transporting me to the airport, and to and from the the dinner invitation to join several other bloggers and notables from the social media space including Jason Falls, David Meerman Scott, C.C. Chapman, Liz Strauss, Steve Garfield, and more. I received no payment or promise for writing this.]

Comments

[Terri Waterman]

Maybe it's laziness in relationship building. We could feel safer with virtual relationships because it doesn't require as much effort, and we are free to leave anytime without feeling guilty - and nobody comes looking for us :) It's the commitment factor - how much do we fear it? How deep are we? How long can we sustain a relationship? Shouldn't this be a requirement for PR? Connecting with a large group of people takes tremendous responsibility, I would think.

I think if we make a real effort of moving outside the box and stay aware of how we relate to others (and ourselves), then any changes we need to make will come to us automatically. On any level. It's a matter of shifting perception and seeing that making an effort to truly connect will always work for you.

[Charley Hampton]

From my perspective, bloggers lose focus on what they want others to know, breaking the rule 'people don't care what you know until they know that you care.

Steven Covey's 'Habit #5' - seek first to understand, then to be understood ALWAYS applies.

[Valeria Maltoni]

@Terri - you put your finger on it. The accountability part scares people the most. It's much easier to say you emailed 100 people and figure out % response, than it is to cultivate a relationship with 5-7 of those people who are interested in what you've got. Plus, you can shrug away rejection from strangers. It's not so easy to take in feedback on why what you've got doesn't cut it.

@Charley - that's very interesting to bring up in a post where we discuss PR pitches *to* bloggers. We can easily apply your tip to PR professionals. Thank you.

[Eric Brown]

Hey Valeria,
Thanks for showcasing, and mentioning our Chevy Team Detroit, We are pretty proud of them, and see them as our future leaders in a state that so needs young, raw talent. It IS our only way out of the mayhem we have created.

I know three of the four pretty well, as they office out of our Urbane Co Work Space and I spend most Fridays over there, just taking in the vibrant energy they bring to the space.

[Valeria Maltoni]

Eric:

Brandon was one of the first young professionals I met when I came to Detroit for the BrandCampU event run by Hajj Fleming. He has explosive energy. The two made quite the pair in the video and in person. Mixing it up with people full of ideas is a great way to get energized. Especially, when those people are passionate about your city. Good things happen.

[Lauren Fernandez]

I wonder if its because PR professionals approach bloggers in a blanket statement - the same type of mistake many have made over the years with media, but never learned from. Bloggers are a niche group and each is different. It's easier than ever to research and learn about them.

What it comes down to? Laziness and lack of commitment. Many times, it's the intern building the media list, and then someone else pitches. Everyone should be involved in the process.

Lauren