Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Teleconference Thursday on how public relations people can tap the blogosphere

Three weeks ago I had a long post on how Wal-Mart's public relations firm was seeking out bloggers it viewed as sympathetic to the retail giant--including this blogger--and tipping them off to new stories they can blog about if they wish.

On Thursday Bulldog Reporter's PR University will have a teleconference on how public relations professionals can utilize the blogosphere to get their messages out.

From their website:

What to do when a blogger sandbags your company, news or CEO? What's the smartest--and most fruitful--way to build long-term relationships with bloggers in your space? How can you best track what's being said about you or your company online--and what are the "new rules" for reaching and influencing blogs read by the stakeholders you want to reach? Join Bulldog Reporter's PR University for an exclusive panel of top media bloggers and the PR experts who successfully pitch them to earn the answers to these and many more critical questions designed to demystify the blogosphere. You'll walk away with practical tools and tactics for successfully incorporating blog outreach into your communications strategy.

Your Presenters:
Shel Israel, Co-Author, "Naked Conversations"
Alice Marie Marshall, Owner, Presto Vivace, Inc
Tom Foremski, Editor, Publisher, founder, Silicon Valley Watcher
Jeremy Pepper, Group Manager and Online Communications Specialist, Weber Shandwick
Moderator:
Brian Pittman, Director of Content, Bulldog Reporter's PR University

Why you--and everyone on your team--should attend this PR University training session:

Many in PR still haven't figured out how to approach blogs--much less tap their awesome power and influence. Simply put, many communicators seem reluctant to approach these online pundits--and with good reason: An influential blogger could derail your company news, product launch or expert's credibility without so much as a second thought.

On the other hand, a favorable review in a key blog could give your idea the stamp of approval traditional media often needs to see before it can take the story to mainstream America. The bottom line is this: Internet buzz is critical to protecting your brand--and blogs represent an often overlooked (yet key) component of making sure your online strategies support the reputation you've worked so hard to create.

Audio Conference at a Glance
Date: Thursday, March 23, 2005
Time: 1PM EST; Noon CST; 11AM MST; 10AM PST
Place: Your telephone or speakerphone
Cost: $279 per dial-in site (unlimited attendance per dial-in site)
To register: Click here or call 1-800-959-1059

The good news: You can now leave the guesswork behind and confidently incorporate advanced--blog relations--into your arsenal of communications tools. Join our exclusive panel of top bloggers and cutting edge PR pros who successfully pitch bloggers day in and day out for a practical training session designed to demystify the blogger mindset, today’s best blog-pitching practices and turn you and your team into blog PR experts.

Don't waste your money on this one.

For starters...

There is this sentence:

An influential blogger could derail your company news, product launch or expert's credibility without so much as a second thought.

I'm sure the public relations staff at DePaul University would disagree with me, but I try to be very fair in my criticism. So do other bloggers who give a damn. Coincidentally, the responsible bloggers have the highest readership. Why is that? Bloggers who mislead their visitors soon have fewer site hits.

Only two of the four presenters are bloggers, and only Foremski's blog Silicon Valley Watcher is any good.

As opposed to $279, here is my 2 cents. A business that does something stupid, unethical, or illegal should beware of the bloggers. If you get caught, confess and move on.

And treat bloggers with the same respect you'd give to a mainstream media reporter.

Please deposit your 2 cents in my PayPal account.

Lesson over.

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