I’m not very good at long-term predictions but I’m so good at short-term predictions sometimes I wonder if I’m psychic.  For instance, I can predict that my boyfriend won’t have done the washing up because he’s probably spent most of the day doing this.  I can also predict with 100 per cent accuracy that my mum will always grab the Jesus Handle in the car when I’m driving.

My favourite long-term predictors are the folks at Trendwatching.  I can’t get enough of their stuff. You can buy their annual report or download their free monthly briefings which are full of great insights and case studies.

There’s also Trendspotting who have put together a series of presentations with predictions from industry experts.  My only question is does Seth know they found his doppleganger? 

I thought slide 5 on Feedback 3.0 was a cool way to describe the move toward businesses listening and engaging in two-way communication, and I’m sure there will be a collective sign of relief from slide 7.  Apparently ‘The Dowdy Look’ is back which is excellent because it’s far too labour intensive doing ‘Flashy Sexy’ all the time, where as I can pull of Dowdy almost effortlessly.

While we’re on the topic of consumer insights, earlier this month Nielson unveiled the monthly Economic Current.

If you have any favourite consumer or trend predictors or predictions be sure to leave us a comment.

Posted by Renee Creer

Today something happened that made me appreciate why journalists loathe PR people who ’slack pitch’ them.  Let me explain.  This morning I got an email from a PR person who was pitching their client to me for a possible story on the Stellar* blog.

·      Firstly, the email was addressed to the sender with my email BCC’d, so it was a group email.  Immediately I’m thinking:  if you don’t know me, don’t group email (read spam) me.  At least take time to introduce yourself, especially if you’re pitching an idea to me.  Granted sometimes this is not possible, but make those times few and far between and if you have to group email, the pitch better be right on the money.

·      Secondly, the email started like this: ‘Thought this might be a good fit for your blog’. Lazy, lazy, lazy.  Tell me why it’s a good fit.  Explain the connection and angle, don’t just cop out with that kind of statement.

·      Thirdly, after the intro, the sender had done a copy/paste of a section of the press release which consisted of two nonsensical paragraphs about the client which I actually had to read several times to even begin to understand the copy, let alone what the point was.  You’re supposed to be a communications specialist, please try and write copy that makes sense and is grammatically correct (I know we all have the odd slip up).  The PR blurb was then followed by the line: ‘Let me know if you are interested’. 

After coming to terms with the epic fail that was this pitch email I was left struggling to understand:

A.  why this was emailed to me, and

B.  how it was possible for someone to read our blog and think this story was relevant?

I was also keen to see who was behind the pitch so I linked to the sender’s blog where I found a post with publicity tips.  The post said that time should be spent creating an angle specific to the media outlet because this would show the journalist that a message has been tailored for them which would, in turn, dramatically increase the likelihood of getting coverage.

Yes indeed.  Perhaps there is a need to revisit this advice.

This, however, was only the beginning for the sender’s website write up contained some pretty impressive claims such as being Australia’s best PR agency along with other unsubstantiated feats.

All I can say is that if Australia’s best PR agency is sending slack pitches like the one I received, the industry is in trouble!!

While this is a scary example, I think (hope?) PR professionals are moving away from this kind of approach.  And I’m pretty sure the agencies still standing at the end of this economic crisis will be the ones that think as strategically about their method of media liaison as they do when developing client proposals.

Posted by Renee Creer

Here’s part two of our post on how to work with a PR agency (part one here if you need it).  These tips can make the difference between having an excellent experience or one you’d rather forget.

Integration

• PR works best when fully integrated with your business and the rest of your marketing mix.
• Ensure that your PR agency is looped in with your other agencies and staff and share details of strategies and campaigns.  Share outcomes and learnings also to drive efficiency and success. 

 Reporting

• It is important to agree at the outset how your agency is going to report to you. This can be done through work in progress meetings (WIPs) on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis and monthly/annual reports. All of these can be done either over the phone or in face-to-face meetings.
• If reports need to be forwarded on to senior management or other teams in your company (e.g. sales)  who may not understand what PR is or does, make sure they contain analytics that are relevant to them e.g. facts and figures, press coverage or messages mentioned, so that it really triggers their interest and ultimately their buy in.

Results

• Regularly evaluate the agency’s deliverables to see how they’re tracking and to consider whether they need to be adjusted.
• Conduct regular and honest reviews of progress and achievements to ensure the relationship ticks along smoothly and that any issues are dealt with immediately.
• At Stellar* we have annual ‘health checks’ with accounts and clients with 360 feedback.  After campaigns or events we report on key learnings.
• Recognise that PR takes time. Unlike advertising or other communication methods where you pay for a space in a newspaper and something appears, PR is a long term investment which may mean your story doesn’t appear for several weeks or even months. Also bear in mind that journalists may have their story cut at the last minute by their editor and that nothing is guaranteed.

So, that’s that.  Now you have your new knowledge, go forth, embrace your agency and make them your best friend!

For further reading, check out the Cooler Insights blog

Anything else to add? Please post a comment below.

Posted by Helen Lear