INK PUBLIC RELATIONS

We were recently asked to talk to a local Austin company about their PR program and some project work they were hoping to get some help on. Going into the meeting, we were thinking the project work would, of course, involve media relations (as did the company we were talking to). After really listening to their situation, their goals and what they hoped for as an end result, it became pretty clear to us that media relations would be a roundabout way to meet their needs. We drafted our proposal accordingly – focusing on improving internal communications, providing better content to their sales staff, and improving the feedback loop to ensure they were listening to their team.

We submitted our project proposal and waited with baited breath to hear back. The thing is, it is nerve-racking to submit a proposal that DOESN’T focus intently on media relations. After all, we are a PR firm and therefore we specialize in media relations. And we do. But at the same time, we don’t. We focus on communications. We do a ton of different work for our clients (believe me, it isn’t all media all the time here, at all), but if asked what my job entails by an outsider, I would say, almost immediately, media relations – meaning I support the media in their effort to report the news and I work with my clients to make sure their news gets to interested media. Media relations is the presumed activity of choice.

So we just heard back from the client (oh yeah, we got that business) that our approach was really appreciated – that we looked at their needs and based our recommendations off of what would most benefit them rather than just sending the same ol’ same ol’ media relations campaign.

It, of course, makes sense to do the above. But I don’t think it always happens. Just like it makes sense to tailor a pitch to the media, but clearly that doesn’t always happen. It is nice to be at firm that appreciates the right answer – not just the expected answer or the easiest answer.

In April of 2006, I started looking for a rescue puppy.  My husband and I wanted a dog and we knew we would get a rescue dog – there are just too many puppies out there that need love to go buy a dog.  I looked through several rescue organizations looking for that puppy that spoke to me – this is tough, because they ALL speak to me.  I want them all.  But one fateful day I was looking on Blue Dog Rescue’s website and I stumbled across this face:

Shamrock, Blue Dog Rescue

I mean, are you kidding?  Clearly this little magical one-eyed-wonder needed to be spoiled for the rest of his life. Seriously, just looking at this picture brings tears to my eyes.  I called BDR, filled out the application, passed an interview, scheduled an in-home visit…and Jenny with BDR brought the love of my life to my house.  Shamrock, who had been thrown out on the street with a severe eye infection, became Jack, my one-eyed pirate puppy.

When the opportunity presented itself to run the marathon for BDR in 2008 and raise money, I was all over it. Even though I can’t run this year, I will still raise money for this fabulous cause. And when I come knocking on your door asking for money, I might just bring Jack along – because you might be able to say no to me, but trust me, no one can resist Jack’s adorable wink and infectious attitude. And if you ever wonder if your money is going to actually save these dogs – just look at my little man. He is living proof that BDR is changing the lives of these dogs and the lives of those people lucky enough to adopt their new best friend.

Three years ago I laced up a pair of running shoes, connected to a Nike+ and decided to become a healthier version of myself.  In April of 2007, I could not complete a mile without collapsing, out of breath.  By July 1st, I could comfortably complete a 10k (6.2 miles) and on July 16th I ran my first 5k under 30 minutes. I signed up for the Austin marathon and a little less than a year after I started running, I completed my first marathon in the slow, but completely average and acceptable time of 4:43.

I was giddy after crossing the finish line.  I cannot explain the high.  I called my older sister, who has always been a runner, but had not completed a marathon, to tell her how fabulous it went, how great I felt, how I could run another five miles and I would be fine.

And her delightful (and predictable) response was, “Well, did you really run the whole thing?  Or did you walk some?”

“Well, I walked through some water stops – it is hard to drink water and run at the same time.  And there was this one hill that beat me, I had to walk a few steps there too, but…”

“So, yeah, you didn’t really run the marathon then, huh?”

Sibling rivalry at its best.

Earlier this year my sister completed her first marathon (and she did beat my time by about 20 minutes).  First thing I asked her when she crossed the finish line (I flew to Maryland to run the Frederick half while she was running the full) was, of course, “Did you run the whole thing?  Or did you walk some?”

“I walked – I was an ass.  And this was the dumbest thing I have EVER done in my life.”

She didn’t have the same positive experience I did with my first marathon – she could not have run five more miles – no way. But I had flown all the way to Maryland to run with her, so clearly, someone owes me a favor.  This year, for the Austin marathon, which I will have to sit out due to some family expansion (my little boy is due 3 weeks prior to the gun and I hear I won’t bounce back quickly enough to bust out 13.1 or 26.2), I have recruited a ghost runner.  Blake will be running for the INK team in my place, so I can help raise money for Blue Dog – I called in her debt.

What she doesn’t know is the Austin elevation is a beast – I guarantee you the same hill that bested me will annihilate her.

Blake and I prior to the gun at the Frederick Marathon.

In a previous life I was a camp counselor at a dude ranch. I got the gig for the summer and was hired to be a drama coach. I had ridden a horse or two prior to moving out to west Texas for the summer, but certainly wasn’t a capable horsewoman. I got to camp expecting to not have to deal with the horses at all – uh, wrong. I rode twice a day for the entire summer. The younger kids (who I was initially with) rode pretty sedate pack horses – really, you couldn’t upset those guys, they were docile and sweet. The older kids (who I was later charged with) rode out of a different stable and the horses were a bit more feisty (read that to mean A LOT more feisty). Anyway, I was thrown off a horse when I was showing the older girls how to run barrels (I have a picture somewhere, but cannot find it, so this will have to do). I was already skittish with the horses, and I was beyond shocked. Inside I was completely freaking out – but there were fifteen 13 to 15 year olds watching me, and if I spazzed, they would spaz. Not a good plan. So I hopped right back up on my horse and just kept on keeping on.

Ahhh, we have reached the moral of the story…are you excited?

I got home from my relaxing two-week vacation from social media (blogging, tweeting, facebooking, everything) about three weeks ago and immediately had to go on several business trips, went to visit my older sis in DC, ran a half, sold my house, bought a new house – it has been a crazy three weeks. I have fallen off my social media horse. I have twittered here or there, but mostly, I have remained AWOL. I miss my online friends. So I am back.

I would like to officially start my time in the saddle by pointing out that I find the current backlash against twitter rather annoying. I know Oprah, Ashton and CNN made twitter a household word and now there are “too many people” and “too much spam” but really, it was bound to happen.  Honestly, the more the merrier – if there is something going on you don’t like, ignore it and move on.  It is an ‘opt out’ technology – if someone is annoying you, just un-follow them. No need to complain about the tool as a whole when the problem is clearly user error.

Alright then, see ya around the corral – and by corral, I mean twitter feed.

Alright faithful readers – I am on vacation. And in a deal with my Husband, I have promised to cut my ties (no Blackberry, no twitter, no Facebook, certainly no email) for the entirety of our time in Germany. He had to give up fantasy baseball – it is going to be a fabulous little vacation.

I am interested to see what happens while I am gone – I am looking at this as an experiment. I will update everyone when I get back.

Till then, peace out.

There are a lot of people out there with rules. I don’t want to pick fights (so I won’t name specific names) but there are lots of “I won’t follow you if…”, “I won’t read you if…”, “If you are advertising, get out”, “You can talk to me, but don’t pitch me…”, “You can pitch me, but don’t talk to me…” rules and regulations for ’social media.’ These people are making ‘the online’ a less than appealing place for beginners. You know who they are? They are the ripped/toned/sculpted bodies at the gym that make me want to run around Lady Bird Lake rather than lift weights in their precious house of worship. I totally understand – they get how the machines work…for them. They have clearly mastered dieting…for them. They would probably be happy to tell me how they did/do it…and expect me to want to do the same. But really, what works for them will not likely work for me. I feel a lesson coming on!

For every constructive advice driven post I read from folks about how they use twitter, blogging, 12Seconds, or whatever to connect with their audience, there is a snarky post written highlighting peoples’ missteps or how someone did it ‘wrong’. I got news for you people – there isn’t really a ‘wrong’ but there is a whole bushel full of ‘different.’ Different does not automatically mean wrong. Should you auto-follow – hell, I honestly have no idea. Is auto DMing good or bad – well, it isn’t my cup of tea, but that doesn’t mean it might not have some value for someone. Should you tweet three times a day or twelve? Should you blog every day? Should you comment? Should you digg? Should you re-tweet? How many re-tweets is too many? Look folks, this is the “messaging service we didn’t know we needed until we had it” and I honestly don’t think it should be this complicated. I can give advice (and I know I do this in excess, and often) but my last piece of advice is almost always: however YOU are comfortable using it is right. You might not always make everyone happy – in fact, I think it is kind of a sign of success when you start to piss people off – but if you find value, then keep on keeping on.

INK has three tenets for “social media” – and right now, I am talking about number two: One size DOES NOT fit all. And while we preach this to our clients to re-iterate that going after a space just because someone else did or someone else saw success is not always the best idea, I think it bears repeating for other leaders in this space. I am not condoning gaming the system to stockpile followers, but there are no hard and fast rules. This space is new and it is still evolving – just stick your neck out and get to participating – because you might find the better way. And if we all just follow the rules, it will become a boring, stagnant, USELESS space in no time.

I like the cut of this bird's jib

*the title is for my husband, who will likely not read this, but still…

For the past five years I have been building a monster. I have been working, no, slaving, away – dedicating every free moment I have to a creature that has always been stronger than my grasp. I have gone to countless seminars (I have even sat on a panel or two), dedicated a ridiculous number of catch phrases to memory, been a willing guinea pig (alpha and beta users UNITE), commented, blogged, digged, tweeted, hell, I have become transparent—all in an effort to understand and enable this crazy thing called social media.

Here at INK we have rolled out successful campaigns for clients using social media – from blogging to vlogging, and everything in between – and we have encouraged our clients to follow three key tenets of living in the social media space: 1) always give much more than you get; 2) one size does not fit all (just because Skittles did it doesn’t mean you have to), and 3) listen and participate (with a heavy emphasis on the former and a demand for the latter). But as is so often the case in client services, we have neglected our own participation in the social media space (there are only so many hours in the day, people), for the betterment of others.

It has been awhile in the making, but the lightning bolt has finally struck, the heart is beating and my monster is officially alive. It is with great pleasure and pride that I introduce to you my little army of creatures: @millionbaker, @karihernandez, @nashwilliams and @ckvincent. I would also like to note that already the monsters are stronger than I – with more followers, more friends, more fans, and far more presence and influence than they even know.

My name is Blair Poloskey (@poloskey) – I empower social media participation and passion.

I am Dr. Frankenstein.

“None but those who have experienced them can conceive of the enticements of science.” -Mary Shelley, Frankenstein