I took a much needed vacation last week and spent a few days relaxing (aka drinking wine) in Napa Valley. While killing time before checking into our hotel, my fiance and I decided to drive around a bit to explore the area — it’s truly a beautiful area. While driving, we came across a small winery called Vincent Arroyo. A quick look online (Trip Advisor) gave us a favorable review of the winery, so despite being “Appointment Only,” we decided to stop in. What we experienced truly defined the concept behind this post about why PR really is, as mentioned, really not as valuable as its made out to be.

Despite not having an appointment and showing up unannounced, we were instantly greeted by an employee who was in the middle of a private tasting. Not skipping a beat, she greeted us with a smile and “Welcome to Vincent Arroyo.” After explaining that we didn’t have an appointment, the employee asked the couple she was giving a tour if it was alright if my fiance and I joined them. No problem, so we jumped in and caught up to where they were with the wine tasting.  Takeaway: You don’t need PR if your employees welcome customers with open arms, regardless of if said customers followed company protocol.

The tour continued with a look outside at the vines, where our guide proceeded to explain the history of Vincent Arroyo and how his operations differ from other wineries. Being the novice wine drinker I am, I obviously had beginner questions. No fear, our guide took the time to answer all my questions and formed her answers in terminology that I understood. Takeaway: You don’t need PR if your employees are well-informed and take the time to ensure your customers understand the information/product they are being served. Talking in the customer’s voice trumps any creative PR pitch you put out.

After the outside tour, we stepped back inside to the barrel room where our guide continued to share more information. Halfway through the barrel room tour, she stopped and asked if we wanted a special tasting. Not ones to pass up additional perks, the four of use instantly said yes. Our special tasting was some of the best tasting wine from their reserve barrels. Note: She wasn’t supposed to take us into the “back room” and we promised not to tell anyone. So I expect this to stay between you, me and whomever else decides to read this post. Takeaway: Give your customers premium content that’s valuable. Regardless of if the guide tells everyone the “reserve barrel tasting” is special, it made the four of us feel like we were important. Provide value to your customers and they’ll continue to come back. That’s simple business, you don’t need PR for that.

This was by far the best winery experience I had in Napa. Our guide was informative, friendly, went beyond her “duties” as a guide and provided superior customer service. As a result, we ordered wine from her. She sold without selling.

As a brand, you could focus your efforts on pushing out content in hopes that media outlets pick it up, and continue your push-marketing efforts online in hopes that just one of your followers will cave in and purchase what you’re selling. Vincent Arroyo doesn’t need proactive PR, thy need to continue what they’re doing now — putting customers first and being human.

For those who have no idea what the hell I am getting at with this post, here’s a the CliffsNotes’ version: Brand X provides stellar service to Customer A; Customer A shares that experience online; Customer B reads that experience and visits Brand X; Brand X provides same stellar service to Customer B; Customer B shares that experience online. Rinse, repeat.

Does it really matter?

We’ve slayed the corporate beast. Our outcry was heard. We made a difference.

Does it really matter?

We all have a voice. Our voice can now be heard.

Does it really matter?

Let me get a few things out there before I dig into why I disagree with Rachel. First, I am an avid fan of the social space. Not only do I spend a lot of time online, I make my living helping brands understand the online space. I’m a firm believer that any young PR pro should have an understanding of social platforms such as Twitter and LinkedIn. By all means, why wouldn’t you want to know and understand new communication tools? That being said, I think there is a big difference between being aware of a space and being active on that space. We all have our areas of experience and certain industries we practice in – I’d be lost if I had to work with a healthcare client. Social media is no different. I understand that social isn’t a separate piece of the PR pie – it should be fully integrated – however, not every PR pro should be advising their clients about social strategy.

• It’s not about the what, it’s about the how – Twitter and LinkedIn don’t make up for a lack of relationship and not knowing how to pitch.
• Just as social media isn’t for every client, it’s not for every journalist & PR pro – There are thousands of PR professionals that who don’t actively engage on Twitter and LinkedIn that who still can produce high quality results
• You need a reason to be on Twitter – If you’re your only reason to be on Twitter is to pitch, not only will you annoy journalists, you’re likely to annoy other PR professionals as well.

Let’s not assume everyone works at an agency. My last employer was a large U.S. financial institution. We were extremely conservative (partially due to the financial crisis) and we were more reactive than proactive (whether or not this is the right approach is a different story). Being a large bank, we already had established relationships with reporters at the major financial media outlets. We also had an assigned local reporter that covered the financial space. Other than that, a lot of our PR was niche magazines and trade publications. So for us, there wasn’t much need to be proactive when the reporters and stories came to us. If you’re a PR pro at an organization like this, you really don’t need to engage on Twitter.

Granted, this is an exception to the rule and what if said PR person left for another organization, the point is there are a lot of companies and organizations that don’t require you to be versed in social media to a) find success personally or b) find success for your company.

Again, yes I think it’s foolish for you not to be familiar with Twitter and/or LinkedIn. But is it a necessity to find success in PR? Not at this time. I’m not advocating that you should ignore social media (come on, I’m a social goon) but I also don’t believe you’re doomed for failure if you don’t engage yourself.

Rachel’s Response

I’m surprised that Kasey and I disagree on this topic, because I connected with Kasey in the first place because I was incredibly impressed with his insightful commentary on topics that are important to the communication profession. While I relish this chance to go head-to-head with a pro who I greatly respect, I also respectfully think Kasey is totally wrong here. I’d like to point out that Kasey is saying two different things – that not all PR pros should be using social media, and that not all PR pros should be advising on social media. I’ll try to address both.

To clarify, it isn’t Twitter or Linkedin that I intended to point out as critical tools for a PR pros to invest time in – that relegates my argument to a purely tactical point-of-view, and my thought process is anything but. To put it simply, social media is sort of a big deal right now. To truly understand how it operates, evolves, and affects our clients or companies, it’s critical to experiment with how it influences our own relationships. We aren’t just publicists, we are strategic communicators, and social media is a form of communication. I certainly never argued that you should have a profile if you don’t know how to use it – the idea is to learn how to use it.

It’s just like anything else that takes experience. I can read a cookbook and understand that to cook pork tenderloin you want to season it, turn the oven on to 350 and cook it for an hour and a half. That doesn’t mean I can make the perfect pork tenderloin. I’ll try it a couple of times, changing the amount of salt, adding some lemon zest, cooking it an extra 5 minutes, until I’ve perfected the recipe that makes sense for my tastes and those I’m cooking for. Same goes for social media. I’ve learned through experimentation what elements in a blog post encourage conversation or what to tweet that makes others want to share it. I learn more every day, and I share that with my clients to help them understand how social media can help them build their businesses.

I also disagree that in the communication and PR worlds, that social media isn’t for everyone. If that’s really the case, it’s going to change pretty fast. I have trouble believing that there are industries that can’t benefit from engaging with constituents through the social Web. Using the bank example, while financial reporters are obviously a key tool to reaching target audiences, there are many ways to use social media to reach them as well. My guess is irate customers were sharing horror stories with others on social networks and forums. Why not offer support, answer questions and correct inaccuracies rather than sit on the sidelines? What about creating a blog advising investors on tips to protect their assets and provide a one-stop resource for breaking financial news? Maybe a series of YouTube videos of the bank president providing updates on how the bank is reacting to the financial crisis? These ideas may or may not be appropriate, but it’s meant to show the breadth of social media beyond just a Twitter profile. The question to ask is whether or not your target audience is online. With regards to banking customers, I wager they are.

It’s also important to keep in mind that PR isn’t just media relations, which Kasey focuses on in his post. PR involves creating and understanding overarching communication strategies, so you have to know what the latest tools are even if you don’t choose to use them now. The landscape is evolving too fast to rule anything out. I’d have a difficult time trusting someone’s advice on social media who wasn’t using it.

In addition to understanding how social media affects the way we share messages, why wouldn’t a PR person WANT to be engaging through social networks and blogs? I’m at the forefront of breaking news. I get to connect with other PR pros to share best practices. I’ve won several clients through LinkedIn and Twitter. My blog has been recognized and I’ve been recognized on other blogs, helping me position myself as an expert. I get to interact with influencers I’d never have direct access to otherwise. Prospective employers are using social media to find talent. Yikes! I’m having trouble finding one good reason NOT to be online!

To conclude, I’ll address Kasey’s bullets:

• Knowing how to use Twitter, LinkedIn, or other tools don’t make up for lack of relationships, but I’d argue they help us build them. My argument was never that they made up for not knowing how to pitch media. Just because you use social media, doesn’t make you a PR practitioner.
• Not using social media certainly doesn’t prohibit your chances at nabbing a CNN hit. It does, however, significantly reduce your ability to advise your client on how to use it for a larger communication strategy beyond media relations. If you think you can read a couple blog posts about it and know everything there is to know, you’re wrong. Sorry. In regards to results, again, you are talking tactics, and results don’t always equal media coverage in our industry.
• If your only reason to be on Twitter is to pitch, you definitely need to spend more time on social media so you’ll learn that’s the wrong way to use it. Case closed.

So what do you think? Is being well-versed with social critical for PR pros?

* Rachel Kay is principal of Rachel Kay Public Relations, blogs at CommuniKaytrix and can be found at @rachelakay on Twitter.

Disclosure: This is not sponsored by PRSA, nor was it encouraged or suggested. This is completely from my heart and truly how I feel.

I joined PRSA about a year and a half ago. It wasn’t an easy decision for me and it took a long time for me to finally decide to go forth. I was active in PRSSA during my time at Drake University. While it was an enjoyable time and I’d highly recommend any PR student to join their school chapter, it wasn’t anything that blew me away. But a great experience, nonetheless. So after graduation, I was thinking about joining the local PRSA chapter where I was living and decided to check things out. Again, I walked away disappointed. I never joined.

* I’m sure the chapter is great, it simply wasn’t a great fit for me.

When I moved back to Minnesota in 2007, I had no intention of joining PRSA. After all, up until now I had gotten along just fine without it. There came a time, however, when I realized that I needed to be connecting with other professionals in my industry, and I needed to be networking. While I was creating these relationships and sharing my views online, I needed to take the same approach offline. So I joined PRSA and subsequently, Minnesota PRSA.

The first thing I did when I joined was sign up for Minnesota PRSA’s “Mentor” program. I was matched with Brant Skogrand, who’s turned out to be a very valuable connection. During our first meeting, Brant encouraged me to get back into blogging (I blogged back in ’05, but ran out of steam). He also encouraged me to join a committee and connected me with the communications committee. It was this experience on the communications committee that the light really hit me; and yes, I began to drink the kool-aid.

Through my involvement with the communications committee, I was fortunate to meet Arik Hanson (who I interviewed for a article for Quarterly). He asked if I was on Twitter. I was, but I hadn’t really used it. So I began to follow Arik, saw his interaction and realized the value and importance of Twitter. From that point on, the relationships and connections continued to grow. My passion and excitement for the Minnesota chapter evolved into what it is today.

So what’s the point of this rambling? I’m very passionate about my profession. Outside of owning a professional basketball team, I couldn’t imagine doing anything different. As a PR pro, I feel it’s my duty to stand up and be an advocate for my profession. While there is still room for improvement within PRSA, I’m proud to say I belong to the organization. The connections I’ve made and the knowledge I’ve gained is invaluable. My experience with Minnesota PRSA has truly been one of the best professional investments I’ve made.

Am I biased? Absolutely. If you’re a PR pro, join PRSA. If you’re a PR pro in Minnesota, why aren’t you a member of Minnesota PRSA? Honestly, it’s an absolutely fabulous chapter. As I mentioned above, I’d tell you if it wasn’t a beneficial experience.

So there it is. I’m a proud member of Minnesota PRSA. I’m drinking the kool-aid. I’m proud of my chapter’s status, I’m proud of the status of my industry. I know there’s room for improvement and I’m going to do everything I can to make sure both of these continue to provide value.

We stress the importance of emerging ourselves with the latest trends and we spend hours networking online. While both of those have provided great value to me, it’s the offline connections and work that I truly value. We’re all different. Some get value from professional organizations, some don’t. What’s important is finding what works for you and continually trying to better yourself and advance your profession. That’s what I’m doing. That’s what Minnesota PRSA is helping me do.

Yeah, I’m talking about you.

So why should your organization be interested in me? I shot a quick video to explain who I am and why I would be valuable to your organization.

Find me on LinkedIn

Find me on Twitter

Check out my blog on finance

Email – kasey [at] kaseyskala [dot] com

Phone: 952.373.1240

Looking for references? Check out what others are saying about me. Here.

*Client references available upon request

The premise of Shark Tank is entrepreneurs pitch a team of investors in an attempt to gain additional capital. A lot of offers the “sharks” make require the entrepreneur to give up majority control in their businesses. Some take it, others walk away. So it begs the question: at what point is the struggle not worth it anymore?

For start-ups and small businesses, the dream of financial independence is the ultimate goal. Yes, I know creating a product that “changes the world” is also a high priority. But ultimately, starting a business doing what you love and being able to make a comfortable living is the American Dream.

I’ve been fortunate enough to experience both sides of the coin. I spent time at a small family-owned business that truly enjoyed the chase and passed up multiple buyout offers, and I also spent a short time at a business that took the payout and moved on. Each situation was different and there wasn’t a “right” or “wrong”, but it gave me a unique look at what truly inspires business owners.

So what does this have to do with the PR space?

When working with a client or pitching a potential client, how do you deal with the struggles? How do you deal with success? Would you take the shark’s offer and be willing to give up control for the additional resources? Or do you continue the struggle in hopes of making it by yourself? Is the reward any greater if you push through the struggle, regardless of the final outcome? Looking back, are there any instances where struggling alone and not meeting the desired results was worth it? Or are people simply stubborn if they don’t reach for help?

Brought to my attention via The Financial Brand, it appears Westpac Bank, based in Australia, wanted to educate its customers on why it decided to increase lending rates. So, in a proactive approach, Westpac decided to address customer concerns via video. Awesome, very few financial institutions make good use out of video. Well….unfortunately, this is where the good news stops. Instead of giving customers the honest truth, Westpac decided to rationalize by comparing their decision to that of growing bananas. Yes, you read that correct. A financial institution compared the economic crisis and its impact on doing business to bananas.

Think I’m joking? Here’s the video:

To the best of my knowledge, Westpac has yet to offer a follow-up apology or comment. Strike 2.

As a result, NAB – competitor and only other Australian bank to follow Australian Reserve’s 25 basis point increase, decided to capitalize on Westpac’s blunder. NAB assembled street teams to try and recruit unhappy Westpac customers. Pretty clever on NAB’s part.

What’s the PR lesson here? It’s pretty obvious. Westpac had the right idea when it decided to inform their customers why they were increasing their lending rates. Keeping your customers informed is critical to any business, let alone a financial institution. However, their attempt to be cute completely backfired. Had Westpac simply been open and honest, this backlash would have never happened. Believe it or not, banks have increases lending rates before. Even during tough times!

Additionally, Westpac should have came out with an apology and addressed the issue again in a more appropriate manner. Admit your mistake, apologize for the blunder and reaffirm to your customers that you have their best interest in mind. Again, not rocket science.

So quit trying to be cutesy, and try being honest. You’ll be amazed how much your customers will appreciate the truth.