Brad Marley

Photo courtesy of Dan Paluska's photostream.

Being busy at work is definitely a good thing.

But there are days where the number of Post-it notes scattered on my desk is in direct correlation with the scattering of tasks in my brain. I find it ironic that we live in such a tech-infused world, yet we rely on such a non-techy item as those little yellow pads.

Obviously, my organization system is broken, so I need a new one.

That's where you guys come in.

I'm in search of a system (or some tips) that will allow me to work smart and effectively in an e-mail driven field, and also get organized so that I'm focusing on the big bets and not getting lost in the small stuff.

If you faced the same problem and beat it down to a bloody pulp, what techniques did you use?

I want to pick your brains. Virtually, of course.

 
  
This past Friday night I had some time to myself, so I warmed up the 'ol DVR and watched "The Legend of Jimmy the Greek," one of ESPN's incredible "30 for 30"documentaries that the Worldwide Leader is producing to celebrate its 30th anniversary. The story chronicled the famed NFL analyst/oddsmaker's rise to glory at CBS and his equally stunning crash.

Jimmy's run on "The NFL Today" ended when I was nine, so I didn't grow up with him on my television set because, well, it was broken half of the time and I was playing with Transformers. I knew CBS fired him for some crass comments he made about African-American athletes, but that's where my familiarity with him begins and ends. 

I was surprised to learn he practiced public relations for a short period of time after he was convicted of interstate gambling as a way of showing the authorities he wanted to clean up his act. He represented the billionaire Howard Hughes for a short while and was one of the people instrumental in getting poker televised.

Not bad for somebody who merely dipped their toe in the waters of PR.

So, in light of his successful run, here are some ways Jimmy The Greek can teach us to be better at our craft.

Be innovative.

Jimmy used to pay the kids who worked on the trains that crossed through his hometown of Steubenville, Ohio to pick up the newspapers in other cities and deliver them to Jimmy when they came back through town. This was before the Internet and major sports coverage as we know it today. He  mined valuable tidbits about the games he was laying odds on with information that nobody else had access to. Think about ways to be innovative and stay ahead of the competition.

Act like you own the place.

Whenever Jimmy walked into a casino, it was like he owned the place. Everybody knew his name and everybody craved to hear what he had to say. His knowledge transcended himself. Same goes in public relations. When you can establish that relationship and trust with the media, they will take the time to listen to you.

Do your homework.

Jimmy worked hard at the beginning of his career to separate himself from other oddsmakers. It's what led to the syndication of his newspaper column in the Las Vegas Sun. Like I mentioned above, he made sure he had all of the best information before he opened his mouth. When you're pitching a reporter on behalf of your client, make sure you think about every possible question they'll throw at you. If you have become one with the pitch, it will show, and that will lead to success.

Don't become part of the story.

Jimmy lived and died by his familiarity with his audience. Unfortunately, it got the best of him when he spoke "on the record" about his views on black athletes. Because he was a representative of CBS, they had to fire him. When you're reaching out to the media, it's imperative that you indicate who you are representing. I start every phone pitch by telling the reporter what my name is and who I am calling on behalf of. I don't want to risk being quoted (even though it happens sometimes.) It's not our story; we are merely the conduits.

Decide what you want to be famous for.

It's unlikely that Jimmy, a high school dropout with a propensity for gambling, would have found success if it hadn't been for a few big winning bets. But it's what he did with his winnings that made him famous. He realized early on that there was a market for his skill, so he marketed it. He worked hard at one thing and turned it into a lucrative career. If not for a slip of the tongue, who knows how we would remember him today.

Color me naive but there is still some skill involved in successful public relations, is there not?

I ask because I read a post last week in Getting Ink that detailed one PR professional's unsuccessful attempt to convince the blogger to blog about their product if they received compensation. The PR person pitched her twice with two different products with almost the exact same wording.

The blogger refused, citing an obvious disregard for professional courtesy and a potentially low payday, if she was even compensated at all.

After reading it, a few things bothered me.

1. Did I miss something?

This tactic flies in the face of everything we're taught as PR professionals. Placing a client's product shouldn't matter how much money you offer but, instead, how your writing skills, due diligence and knowledge of said product relate to the targeted reporter. One should never, ever offer a reporter/blogger money to write about their product. That's cheating.

2. Are my practices antiquated?

I've sent reporters products and software to review, but we never agreed that the reporter would write a favorable review if I let them keep the product. Believe me, I try to get everything sent back. Some reporters just refuse to return items.

3. Is there a bigger trend at play?

Is this where PR is headed? With metro newspapers dying and digital media coming on strong, is the PR profession suddenly going to become pay-for-play? If that happens, can we really trust that what we're reading is subjective? Or, does it become a case of bloggers blogging about the company that pays them the most money.

So many questions. Do you have the answers?

Every guy who attended high school remembers the popular girls.

Their slow-motion walk down the hallway made the nerds cower in prepubescent fear and the jocks sweaty with anticipation.

Good looks and flawless fashion sense raised their status to rock star levels while we toiled away on the periphery, forever yearning to be in their good graces. A simple nod of acknowledgment was all we asked, but in the back of our minds we knew that we never stood a chance.

From that unattainable goal comes a deep-seated resentment that their outward appearance and popularity will take them places in life we can only dream of going.

- – -

This is part two in a never-ending series on how to win at public relations. Here's part one.

Fact: Public relations is demanding.

So for those who want to do it for a living, we salute you.

But before you take the shrink wrap off of your AP Stylebook, run your fingertips over your keyboard and begin pounding out a brilliant pitch that is going to knock off your client's socks, know this: there will be days when you want to rip your AP Stylebook in half.

(Another hint: destroying company property is not a suggested strategy for winning.)

If you work on the agency side, it's not uncommon to balance a handful of clients at once who are  (rightfully) asking for immediate results — ugh, I hate this phrase — yesterday.  And it's inevitable that you will encounter one who doesn't understand why they are paying you a large chunk of their fiscal year budget.

To them, this might be a valid question.

They haven't seen a cover story in the Wall Street Journal (or an equally impressive piece of coverage) so they want to know what you've been doing.

Assuming you have been doing something, this is a perfect opportunity to show your value.

Are you building the client's reputation on their family of social media sites?

Put it in PowerPoint!

Are you changing customer perception through strategically placed op-ed articles?

Wow them with your words!

Are you consistently placing local executives on smaller but oh-so-important radio shows in key markets?

Numb them with numbers!

The first reaction we tend to exhibit when faced with a challenging inquiry is anger. The accusation that we're not adding value is one that can rattle even the most experienced PR person. But if you don't handle it properly and see it for what it is, you risk placing yourself on your client's bad side. And trust me when I say that nobody wants to be there. It can be impossible to dig yourself out.

So take a deep breath, assess what you've done, and show your client the nuts and bolts of the program. Assure them that the small steps you're taking today will mean long strides in the future, and maybe even that Wall Street Journal article, if newspapers are still around. 

(On second thought, don't say that.)