I've now been on a Twitter stream for a couple of days and got to read what my peers, colleagues, friends and new acquaintances are thinking about and doing in real time. And to those who say that we're constantly distracted when online, I say bullocks. What is coming through is admittedly raw, yet it is what each person is immersed in and contending with at that moment.
There is value in seeing that, especially if you consider that your customers are on the same boat -- their flight may be late, their day sucked, and now they have only 15 minutes to spend with their kids before bed time. To borrow from an expression RichardatDell used this morning, we're always in beta. That presents tremendous opportunity and a challenge.
What does always in beta mean to brands? How do you modify your PR strategy with always in beta in mind? You learn to tell your story first.
A case in point. A reporter on deadline calls to get a quote from you on a story they're writing. You spend time to get the expert on the phone so they can hear the story first hand. Yet, during the call, the reporter is distracted, not listening, and taking other calls. That is a royal waste of your time. This reason alone should convince you to start a blog or some form of social media outreach today.
Guess what the reporter is going to publish about your company? She will take the path of least resistance and the messaging from the pushiest and most aggressive company, the one that everyone sees as sexy. The one everyone is talking about. And it may not be you. Be there first. Beat the reported to the punch line, write your own story -- and destiny. Do it in a way that is compelling and real to your readers, share the value up front and worry no more about what the media will say -- they will have no chance but to follow.
If the media is not telling your story today, chances are you have not done a good job at telling it yourself. They are too stretched, too much in catch-up mode, too distracted by a thousand thoughts that have nothing to do with you and what you offer. And at the end of the day it's not really their job to publicize you.
Bonus link to a panel discussion on In the media we trust... or should we? Live from women's forum 2007. [tip of the hat to Bruno Giussani] Dina concludes her post:
My take - there are some terrific bloggers with solid journalist backgrounds who have opted out of mainstream media and are preferring to blog and work as freelance journos. And then there are those millions on-the-street ‘reporters’ bringing news and opinions to the world in real time and real voices (without those biases that come from business and ownership issues raised in the panel). One of the things I am learning thru blogging is the whole definition of ‘Who is the Media’, especially for the younger generation growing up with the internet, is undergoing transformation. With repercussions on both traditional journalists and new media users. Interesting times ahead am sure!!