Brad Marley

This is part five of a never-ending series on how to win at public relations. Check out the rest of the posts here.

If you’re like me, the blinking red light on your desk phone that indicates a waiting voicemail is akin to the person who left the message sitting next to you in your cube, poking you in the arm while you’re trying to work, bugging you to call them back, their imaginary nudging timed to the blinking.

Hey. Hey. Hey. Pick up the phone. Pick up the phone. Pick up the phone. Call me back. Call me back. Call me…

STOP.

Now, imagine this scenario from the perspective of a reporter on a deadline (which is, well, all the time.) 

That light probably hasn’t stopped blinking since they started writing for the newspaper. With their insanely busy professional lives, they don’t have time to see who called. I bet those messages get erased in one fell swoop, never to be listened to.

And that includes the pitch you just left on their voicemail.

So, now you’re in a pinch.

That voicemail had all of the details, including the number where you can be reached. But now, you’re forced to wait for a response.

Do you call back and risk the reporter berating you for bugging them?

Or, do you stay patient, hoping for a call back?

Such is the life of a public relations professional.

Here’s my tip for avoiding this scenario: don’t leave messages.*

Yeah, you’re going to run into the occasional journalist with caller ID who answers the phone with an impatient “What!?” because they recognize your number, but at least you’re going to get an opportunity — albeit, three seconds’ worth — to share your pitch, which is more than I can say for your sad voicemail.

At the end of the day**, those three seconds in front of your target reporter are like gold. Your ability to successfully pique their interest is where you earn your keep, not the 30 seconds you spent leaving the perfect message that will likely be erased.

Of course, you saw an asterisk up there, didn’t you?  There are two situations where I approve (as if you are seeking my approval) leaving a message, and that occurs when you are engaged in ongoing conversation with the reporter, or have an established relationship. In my humble opinion, if you think the reporter is awaiting your call, or you engage regularly, a voicemail is not the worst idea ever.

Otherwise, I suggest you leave messages with the frequency of Haley’s Comet visits.

(Oh, the double asterisk? I just wanted to apologize for using the often-used buzzphrase “at the end of the day.” I’ll try not to let it happen again.)

Last week, the popular sports blog Deadspin devoted some space on their site to an idea that Major League Baseball discussed during an internal brainstorm dedicated to solving baseball's parity problem.

Essentially, this "idea" is that teams would be able to make their case to switch divisions on a yearly basis in order to increase their chances of success. It's a horrible idea.

Bud Selig, whether fair or not, has been subjected to harsh criticism during his time as baseball's commissioner. And, thanks to a strike-shortened season in 1994, an All-Star Game in 2002 that ended in a tie, and the steroid issue, he deserves much of it.

But not for an idea that will never see the light of day (I hope.)

It is no more newsworthy than the ideas my firm throws around when we are brainstorming ideas for a new client pitch. The good ones rise to the surface, while the bad ones die, never to be seen again.

This idea should have died a quiet death, but, as well all know, everything counts as news. 

Now, I'm not going to rail against blogs like Deadspin, because I enjoy reading most of their content. But when they started their site under the motto of "Sports News Without Access," they set a dangerous precedent for every blog "Without Access" that came after.

Now, everything has become fair game for the media.

Everything is a potential time bomb, waiting to explode.

There is no such thing as a "non-news story" anymore.

(Shit, ESPN practically collapsed in on itself when Urban Meyer announced that he was taking a leave of absence.)

What wasn't news a decade ago now has the potential to appear on the front page if it's scandalous, or is perceived to be scandalous by the public. Even if it turns out to be false, the rush to report news first will inevitably lead to potentially hazardous false starts.

As the gatekeepers of your client or company's information, it's so important for PR professionals to understand this.

If you haven't done so already, you need to know what is happening within your walls so that  you can be prepared for anything.

If you're not a part of management meetings that discuss organizational decisions, you must become one. Often times, huge decisions are made with no input from the communications department. But in a changing news cycle where news is always breaking, and the next scandal is merely one executive's off-the-cuff comment away, we have to become a part of the discussion.

It wouldn't be the worst idea ever.

This is part four in a never-ending series on how to win at public relations. Read the other posts here.

When you begin your work in the field of public relations, there is a tendency to be terrified of talking to reporters.

Whether it's a direct report who unnecessarily scares you before you pick up the phone to place your first call, or you catch a reporter on a bad day who scars you for a good three weeks, it is their willingness to write about your client that determines your fate.

Your success lies in their ink-stained hands.

But as crazy as it might sound, reporters are not terrible people.

Their main drive in life is not to belittle every single PR person they come in contact with. They have spouses. They have kids. They have interests outside of their job, just like you and I.

But the pressure on them — especially now — is insane. So it's understandable if they get a little ornery with us.

Why we make them ornery in the first place is another blog post on its own, but there is a way to circumvent (or, minimize) the bad retorts: treat them like you would want to be treated.

I know. It's mind-blowing.

With a large percentage of reporters using Twitter to find sources, it's easy to discover their interests, which will help you in your quest for an audience with them.

You will never cross a reporter who doesn't enjoy a little banter through e-mail, as long as it's appropriate. (Duh.) If this is your first time pitching a reporter, perhaps it's a good idea to stick to the pitch. But if you've established a rapport, I encourage something to break the ice; inject some personality into your pitch. 

Not only will it help your e-mail stand out, but they just might e-mail you back.

In honor of the newly-minted "Help a PR Pro Out" Day, today's guest on the "Five and One" is Christa Shalhoub, a talented PR professional from the suburbs of Detroit, and creator of "Christa Shalhoub's Recession Tips."  

We go way back to our days answering phones in Ford Motor Company's Media Information Center. She's a relentless pursuer of the story, with the fiery attitude that is often needed in this crazy business of ours. And I mean that in a good way.

You can find her on Twitter at @ChristaS.

Let's get to it.

Brad: You were, unfortunately, a victim of the recession. What was that like?

Christa: Everyone is really a victim of the current recession. Even before I was laid off last year, my spending habits definitely changed, and instead of buying something, I would think to myself, "don't get it – we're in a recession." At first it was a joke and something I said all the time, but then I lost my job due to layoffs and really began to think of the current economy and how to control my spending. I am extremely fortunate. I have amazing parents, siblings and extended family that I can lean on when things get tough. Since no one was waiting on my paycheck to buy groceries, I took the time off to sleep, catch up on reality TV and spend time with my niece and nephew.

Brad: But "Christa Shalhoub's Recession Tips" was kind of born out of your unexpected free time, right? You know, when you weren't watching "Keeping Up With the Kardashians"?

Christa: Not just from my free time, but really from always thinking about how I could really stop spending like I used to, before money was tight.

Brad: How did you come up with the idea?

Christa: I realized that avoiding spending wasn't that hard and I needed to make people around me aware of my need to change. This way, when I was taking all the leftovers from my parent's house, letting my big brother pick up the bill for dinner and unplugging all the appliances in my apartment, it made sense to everyone. Also, some of my tactics were a little weird and since I am clearly hilarious [Editor's note: Clearly.], it just made sense to share my crazy with everyone. These tips allowed people into the life of someone who wasn't working, staying up late and trying to just get by. People could relate to everything I was saying and, luckily, I was able to communicate it all through humor. Of course, not all of them are as funny as I want them to be, but I am not perfect.

Brad: What has been the reception?

Christa: The reception has been great! I know this because originally I was providing the tips on my own personal page and then one day I wrote a normal status update and people got annoyed that it wasn't a recession tip. That is what really made me realize people liked them and that my genius and humor needed their own domain. I also judge how funny each tip is based on the "likes" and comments. If nobody interacted with a post, I know it wasn't that funny.

Brad: You recently surpassed the 500 fans mark. Any plans to take it out of Facebook, so to speak?

Christa: Ideally, I would love to write a book which would include new tips that haven't been showcased on Facebook yet. Until then, I am happy growing my fan base on Facebook and challenging myself with new and creative ways to avoid finding my pocket book.  

Brad: Finally, I ask everyone a random question that has nothing to do with the communications field. Here's yours: If there's one movie out there that describes your life, what is it? And, why?

Christa: The original "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." We all feel a little like Charlie Bucket sometimes. We are always a day late and a step behind, until we get the Golden Ticket and our dreams come true. Then we spend the day with a bunch of annoying kids, drink the fizzy lifting juice and get screwed out of the chocolate. I am just waiting for a crazy man to give me his factory.

Brad: Bonus question! Ideally, what type of work are you looking for?

Christa: In a perfect world, I would love to continue my career in PR and marketing, while staying in the Detroit area. My PR skills are pretty awesome and I have provided media relations support for major corporations like Microsoft. I would love to work for a company that is passionate about communications and is looking toward different digital and social platforms to share their message.

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I'm excited this morning because I'm finally posting the first entry in what I hope becomes a regular feature on my blog: the "Five and One" series.

It's where I grill people in the communications field with five questions related to the industry, and one random question.

So, without further ado, my first guest is public relations practitioner extraordinaire and colleague, Brian Barthelmes. (On Twitter he's @bdbarth. Go follow him.)

I chose him for two reasons: 

1. He's really good at what he does and all of us in PR could stand to learn from him.

2. He sits on the other side of the cubicle wall from me in our office, so I could easily pester him to stop doing work and answer the questions.

Let's begin!

Q: Why did you decide to pursue a career in public relations?

Brian: I graduated from Michigan State University in 2000 with a degree in advertising. I was always curious about public relations, and signed up for the one and only "public relations concepts" class offered in my sophomore year. I learned two things: (1) public relations is about helping people and organizations communicate a message despite all the "clutter" around them; and (2) writing was the centerpiece of the profession. Not only did I do well in that class, but it made me want to roll up my sleeves and jump from "concepts" to "application" to really get a feel for what the field was all about. As it happened, MSU offered a specialization in public relations during my senior year, and I'm the first "enrollee" in that program. A benefit of being part of the specialization was access to a very substantive advanced writing class. From writing and perfecting a press release with a 10-minute deadline to daily AP Stylebook quizzes to an end-of-class professional portfolio project, it was that class — and the professor who taught it — that made me realize a career was for me.

Q: What is the biggest challenge facing PR practitioners in 2010?

Brian: PR professionals will continue to be challenged to leverage — and stay ahead of — the pace, manner and methods of communication in the world today. When I graduated 10 years ago, social media didn't exist, and Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn were barely visions in their creators' heads, and even the Internet was in its infancy. After having been successful in the public relations field for more than a decade, it's as though I've got to learn the practice of public relations all over again. All of us as PR professionals owe it to ourselves to roll up our sleeves, learn the social media landscape, understand its value, and be counselors to our clients looking to leverage it strategically.

Q: Why do you get out of bed in the morning?

Brian: At its basic level, PR is about helping people. The uninitiated might say we're not saving lives, but then again, maybe we are. Whether it's a recall of an unsafe product, the discovery of a harmful prescription drug or the response to the aftermath of the massive earthquake in Haiti, somewhere there are professional communicators — PR people like me — helping to tell people how to stay safe, how to help, how to get help, and how to prevent. And it's not all about communicating in a crisis. When deciding whether to pursue a career in journalism or public relations, our CEO told me and a roomful of employees that her choice was between reporting or making the news. Like her, I chose the latter, and I haven't looked back.

Q: What's one piece of advice you would give somebody who is exploring a career in PR?

Brian: Invest every minute of your time striving to be a professional who doesn't just write well, but writes well for public relations. What's the difference? The former is about adhering to the rules of grammar and usage, forming proper sentences, writing cohesively and generally following the rules. The latter is about all of that — plus writing strategically to reinforce a particular message. And when it comes to the written word, more words don't mean half as much as using the right ones strategically.

Q: What is one skill that is imperative for somebody who wants to succeed in PR?

Brian: Commit to continuing your public relations education after graduation. To keep up with the pace, manner and methods of communication, continuing education is essential. The good news is that educational resources are everywhere. Look up your local chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and take advantage of monthly luncheon events that offer the chance to network with professionals and learn from them as well. Sign up for a PRSA committee and work to line up topics that you want to learn more about. For example, I attended a "Social Media in Healthcare" panel discussion through the Detroit Chapter of PRSA last week, led my director-level social media professionals working in hospitals, physician practices and the media. It's this firsthand perspective about the challenges and opportunities associated with social media in healthcare that I'm now able to take back to my clients, which empowers me as a PR professional and a counselor to my clients.

Q: Finally, today's random question comes from Glassdoor.com's Top 25 Oddball Interview Questions Of 2009: What was your best MacGyver moment?

Brian: I once used a LARGE amount of duct tape to keep the bumper of my first car from dragging on the ground. Make no mistake, duct tape is probably the single best (and stickiest) product ever invented. Maybe the duct tape people need PR.

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