my 2 cents

Be careful what you say (and where you say it) -- Part 2

Back in January, I wrote about a high-level public relations agency exec who embarrassed himself and his agency by tweeting how he hated visiting his client's headquarters city of Memphis, calling it a cultural wasteland.

People at the client saw his tweet and it quickly got passed throughout the company.  Last I heard, the agency kept the giant account, but the wayward tweeter was removed from running the account.The lesson then -- be careful what you say online -- is as true now as it was ten months ago.

Even a supposedly private email can create a problem.  Last year I sent an email to a friend, saying some gossipy (but true) things about someone else who we both knew.  Months later, the recipient of that email  accidentally it to a few people -- including the person I had ripped into.  It proved to be a bit awkward for me.

I've learned -- if you don't want anyone to know what you've said, don't write it -- especially online in any form.  Personal conversations and phone chats are safer, for sure.

I just heard a story about another online communication that backfired on the person who sent it. Over breakfast a few days ago with a widely-followed business reporter at The New York Times, he told me how he had done an interview with an ad agency executive for a story to run the next day.  The person who was interviewed wanted to blow his own horn, so he bragged on Twitter that he'd just spoken with this reporter, and he went on to say what the story was about.

The reporter was surprised when, moments after the interview, he got a call from the guy's competitor at another agency, saying he heard the reporter was working on a particular story.

By trying to make himself look more important, the tweeter unwittingly invited a competitor into the story that eventually appeared.  The reporter wasn't all too happy, either, since the tweets also could have tipped off reporters at other papers to the story he was breaking.  I don't think that reporter is too fast to respond these days to that guy's calls and emails.

So again, the lesson to be learned is this:    

        Be careful what you say and where you say it.   

If it's using any form of digital communication, perhaps it's wisest to keep quiet.  Or at least think before you tweet, email or blog.  Remember -- it could be out there for the world to see.

Adding to the blogroll

It's the first of the month and,in keeping with tradition, I'm making some adjustments to my blogroll.

I am adding two interesting blogs that I think are worth reading.

Tamera Klemer's blog has some interesting views on social media.  Based in Toronto, Tamera is a marketing and communications strategist, blogger, thought leader, and public speaker. She has 10 years experience in interactive creative and strategic planning and execution.  Tamera blogs at wildfire 3i.

David Brazeal, in Missouri, also has a good blog.  It's called JournaMarketing.  His blog is about thinking like a journalist to tell better stories, make yourself a better communicator, and advance your organization's PR and marketing goals.

I'm also removing a blog from the blogroll, since its creator has retired from both business and blogging.  My friend and longtime client Gene DeWitt has shut down his DeWitt Media Solutions and is spending his days reading good books and learning Spanish.  Gene has been for more than 30 years one of the leading media gurus, with his independent media agency DeWitt Media, which he eventually sold to Publicis as Optimedia. Enjoy your retirement, Gene.

Adding to the blogroll

There's an interesting blog that I look at periodically.  It's written by several journalists, and they discuss ways they are using social media to enhance their news-gathering abilities and get feedback from readers.

Beatblogging.org is a collaboration between 13 news organizations from around the country and NewAssignment.Net, "to figure out how journalists can use social networks to improve beat reporting."

The current post is "Using a blog as a conversation starter to engage users." 

It begins:  "Not every post a beat reporter makes needs to be just about news or facts.

Some posts simply serve to be conversation starters -- to engage the community. After all, one of the major differences between beat reporting on the Web, instead of in print, is the community that forms online. A good beat reporter harnesses that community and actively engages readers."

Beat Blogging is written by the energy and green tech reporter for the San Jose Mercury News, the college sports business reporter for The Chronicle of Higher Education,  the pharmaceutical industry reporter for The Newark Star-Ledger,  the public schools reporter for The Dallas Morning News,  a digital music columnist at Wired, the child welfare beat reporter for the Ft. Meyers News-Press, a science writer for The Houston Chronicle, the P&G reporter for the Cincinnati Enquirer, an NBA reporter for ESPN, the technology in the classroom reporter for Education Week, the regional technology business reporter for The Seattle Times, a reporter covering Hershey, PA for the Harrisburg Patriot-News, and a video games reporter for MTV Multiplayer.

Interesting reading.  I'd say it's worth a look.

Blog Tipping

Here are a couple of blogs I've come across that I think are worth a look.

Sonia Carreno has had, for more than 10 years, a consulting business -- Passage Communications -- working with publishers, agencies and technology platforms to develop product strategies, competitive landscapes and business development.  She's also worked at media agencies, dealing with both mainstream media and social media. 

Sonia, who is in Toronto, started her blog back in November, and she writes knowledgeably about media online and advertising.  It's called Passage Communications.

Another interesting blog is called Beat Blogging.  Beatblogging.org is a collaboration between 13 news organizations from around the U.S. and NewAssignment.Net.  Contributing bloggers -- all journalists -- explore how journalists can use social networks to improve beat reporting.  They share their own experiences, successes and frustrations.  It's revealing to see what they're saying.  It can offer helpful insights for those of us who are in marketing and public relations.

Check both of these blogs out when you have a few moments.

Weekend fun

I came across two things online that I thought were worth sharing.

First, our good friend and marketing's blogging guru Ann Handley, chief content officer at MarketingProfs, has found her own voice.  She launched a personal blog called, appropriately, Annarchy.  That's Ann with me, from a blogger meet-up last September in New York.

Ann's a great writer -- clever, witty and just plain fun to read.  I'm sure you'll enjoy Annarchy.

Several weeks ago I came across a video on YouTube called Uncle Jay Explains the News.  Every week, Uncle Jay (whoever he is) gives his take on what's been happening in our world.  This week, he talks about reality shows.  Some weeks are funnier than others, but they're all pretty good and worth taking about 3 minutes of your time.

So, click away and come back here Monday.  Have a good weekend.

Media Age

Gene DeWitt is known in advertising circles as one of the foremost media gurus.  Over a 40-year career, he directed media buying at some of the biggest ad agencies before starting his own shop, which grew to become one of the largest independent media agencies before  it was bought by Publicis.  Gene continued to run it for a few years, and he now has a media consultancy -- DeWitt Media Strategies.

I worked with Gene for some 12 years, as his public relations consultant for both DeWitt Media and then Publicis' Optimedia.  I was always impressed by Gene's knowledge of media and his insight into the constant changes taking place in the media marketplace.

That's why I'm glad to see Gene's become a blogger.  Now we'll all be able to share in his wisdom.

I'm adding Gene's The Media Age to my blogroll.  Check it out and I'm sure you'll want to do the same.

Welcome to the blogosphere Gene.

Adding to the blogroll

As we begin another month, I'm adding a few blogs to my blogroll.  They approach communications from different points of view, and I think they're all worth reading when you have a chance.



PR Conversations

I came across this blog through my recent posts on PR licensing.  It's written by a group of public relations educators and practitioners from Europe, Canada and Africa.  It's a chance to get a look at some thinking with a local perspective on public relations issues from around the world.

Annansi Chronicles

I had the good fortune of having Kofi Annan as the next person on the list to get the Age of Conversation mascot Curious George after me.  Since he's in the New York area, we decided to do the hand-off in person rather than by mail.  I'm glad we did.  He's a smart and interesting guy, and his blog talks about African  lifestyles and marketing. 

Inside the Marketers Studio

I met David Berkowitz back in March, only about a month after I started blogging.  Meeting him again a few weeks ago prompted me to check his blog again and I saw what I'd been missing.  He's on the blogroll now, for good reason.

Jack O'Dwyer's blog

Jack O'Dwyer has been covering the public relations business for at least 30 years with the weekly Jack O'Dwyer's Newsletter. Last week he launched a blog that covers happenings in the p.r. world.  It also has links to dozens of PR blogs (including this one), and links to more than 40 major dailies, the wire services and networks, more than 40 major magazines and websites of many trade associations and some media watchdog groups.

More good stuff to keep you at the computer into the wee hours.  Have fun.

Adding to the blogroll

Here are a couple of interesting blogs I'm adding to my blogroll this month.

Norm Leigh, a public relations man in Ohio, writes Biz Writer Blog.  Looks like he began blogging  around the same time as me this past February, but I hadn't come across his blog until recently.  One of his recent posts, "Write as you speak -- speak as you write" is, in my opinion, right on target for how a blog should be written.  Not stuffy and dry, but conversational in tone and somewhat informal.  It's the way I like to write for my 2 cents.  Check out Norm's blog.

Also new to my blogroll this month is Sean Howard's CrapHammer.  He covers an interesting array of topics.  He lives in Toronto, one of my favorite cities (after New York, of course).

If you don't know these blogs, click over to them now and check them out.  I think you'll enjoy them.

Adding to the blogroll

It's time to add a couple of blogs to my blogroll. Here they are...

Melodies in Marketing    Mario Vellandi has been sitting on the sidelines for while, although he's been active in the blogosphere.  We've all seen his comments on our blogs and over at MP DailyFix.  He finally jumped in with his own blog about two weeks ago, and it's worth a look.  Welcome, Mario.

Digital Perm    Here's a blog by a member of the new wave of newspapermen -- a digital newspaperman.  Matt Haverkamp works at Washingtonpost Newsweek Interactive.  (I just wrote a post last week about a new entry from them - Sprig.) 

StickyFigure    Steve Woodruff has done a good thing for us, by using PageFlakes to create an easy-to-use marketing blogger portal.  So far it lists about 85 different blogs conveniently broken into the following categories: branding, marketing, advertising, design, writing, customer experience, social media and digital marketing.  It allows you to take a quick look at current posts and four or five most recent ones, without having to jump from blog to blog unless you want to check one out more closely.  Thanks, Steve, for pulling this together.

Happy reading, everyone.

Adding to the blogroll

One of the best things about blogging is the sharing that takes place.  It's not only sharing of information and ideas, but also sharing the space with each other.

There doesn't seem to be a lot of ego on the blogosphere -- at least not in the marketing community that I've been getting to know these past few months.  Most people generously and genuinely point readers to other bloggers through tips and links.  They readily give credit to others for ideas and information.  Whatever competition there is appears to be friendly and in good spirit.

With that in mind, I want to tell you of a few blogs I've recently added to my blogroll, along with the reasons why.
In no particular order...

One Reader at a Time
I met Bob Glaza when he responded to one of my first posts about the supposed death of newspapers.  Bob is a newspaperman, working in marketing at the Spokane daily.  We've had some dialogue by posts and comments and now we also talk privately by email.  I like his writing and he loves newspapers.

Techno//Marketer
I added Matt Dickman's blog to my blogroll the morning after I met him at the bloggers' soiree that CK organized last week.  He was in from Cleveland on business and stayed over so he could spend time with all of us.  I've been reading him since then and I recommend visiting him for his insights.

Transmission Content
Mark Goren and I hit it off right away.  I first came across him in one of the discussions in CK's book club on MarketingProfs.  He's added some good comments to my posts, and we started talking more just before he drive in from Montreal to join the bloggers' meet-up here.  His posts are well worth reading.  If you happen to speak to him, please remind him he still owes me some Montreal bagels and deli. (Like we lack from that here in NY City.)

Instigator Blog
I found this through Mark Goren.  I don't yet know Ben Yoskovitz up in Canada, but I like his informative posts that include specific tips and how-to's.  If you haven't seen his work, I'd say it's worth a visit.

I also want to offer my hearty congratulations and appreciation to a few bloggers who've recently hit some milestones.  Celebrating a year of blogging are Ann Handley at MPDailyFix and Mack Collier at The Viral Garden.  That Servant of Chaos Gavin Heaton hit 500 inbound links and 1,000 comments.  Drew McClellan scored his 1,000th comment at Drew's Marketing Minute. (I was it.) I'm not aware of any milestone, but a general thanks to Lewis Green.  We just discovered that our grandmothers look like they could be sisters, except his was from Italy and mine from Russia.

And, hitting her 200th post in less than a year is our prolific, wise and giving friend CK.

My own milestone?  Nearly two months blogging and I'm lovin' it, thanks to all of you.

David