Gen Y PR Prescriptions

Stuff Twitter People Like

May 18, 2009

I always joke around with a friend of mine about the love people (particularly people online) have for Bacon, and I pass along links of random bacon stories I find. One day, I stumbled across this post from Andy Sernovitz about the wonders of Bacon Salt.

His response:

“Amazing! How did you stumble across this? Is bacon a subscription tag for you?”

My response:

“Nah, I guess out of coincidence the people I follow [on twitter] are really into bacon….I did just add them to my reader though…”

There a several blogs out there that have taken a stab at highlighting the quirky ways of different groups of people: Stuff White People Like, Stuff Black People Like/Love, Stuff Jewish People Like, Stuff Journalists Like, etc. Some posts are funny, some posts ride the line and some are undeniably true.

Since the majority of the bacon stories I find come from twitter, I began to think about what “StuffTwitterPeopleLike.com” would include.

Here’s what I came up with:

Bacon
Having their posts re-tweeted
Creating their own language: Ex. Tweet, Tweetup, Twitosphere, TwitterPeeps, Tweeps, Twitterpillar
Bashing people who call themselves social media experts…while promoting their own “expert” content
Telling other Tweeters “Ur Doing it Wrong”
Usen LOLspeeke en der twetes
Rick-rolling
Making lists
Thinking about new avatars to post
Reporting Fail Whale sightings
Meeting followers by coincidence in real life

Agree? Disagree? Anything you would add?

4 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: PR Prescriptions, James S. Walker, Gen Y PR Prescriptions, James Walker, Twitter, Andy Sernovitz, jaywalk1, Stuff Twitter People Like, Stuff Black People Like, Stuff Jewish People Like, Stuff Journalists Like, Smart Blog on Social Media, Fail Whale, Bacon Salt, Bacon Camp | Permalink
Posted by jaywalk1

60 hour work weeks: Gimme More!

May 16, 2009

No sarcasm. No play on words. No complaints.

60 hour work weeks is the phrase which best describes my May. I didn’t plan it this way (don’t think anyone ever does), but the projects all hit at the same time and I wanted rock it, kill it, crush it, pwn it, work it, make it, do it (this is where you sing “make us harder, better, faster…).

Seriously though, while many of you work much longer days and nights, I’m not used to running to the metro to catch the last train to Virginia…at least not because I was working all day in the office.

spiral-clock With the exception of a few essentials (eating, showering, Pandora, reading the express paper), everything non work related suffered during these last couple weeks. I neglected this blog, hadn’t spoken to family and friends, and let the DVR, email inbox and Google reader get out of control. BRACE YOURSELF: I even took a temporary leave of absence from twitter.

Even though I my general routine was upset a bit, I wasn’t miserable. Those late night metro rides gave me quiet time to ponder all sorts of things: “Why am I working so hard?” “Should I be working so hard?” “Is this what the next few years of my life has to offer?” “Is it worth it?” “If I’m gonna work this hard, maybe I should be doing it for myself..” When others were leaving and uttering those phrases we all hate to hear (”Are you still here?” “Go home” “I hope you’re not staying too late again!”), I just smiled and kept cranking because they were great projects and I wanted to crush them.

It wasn’t until after the end of the second week and a road trip to get this little guy that I arrived at the major conclusion of the month. I was hanging out with my best friend and he asked “so, you think you’ll stay there for a while?” I thought about it for a second and said “I don’t know.”

Probably not the answer you were anticipating, but it’s that lack of certainty that will probably keep me there for years to come. As long as the projects remain interesting and I continue to meet co-workers with amazing experiences and life stories, I’ll continue to say gimme more!

1 Comment | Gen Y, PR, Thoughts, Work | Tagged: 60 hour work weeks, Gen Y PR Prescriptions, James S. Walker, jaywalk1, PR Prescriptions, Work | Permalink
Posted by jaywalk1

Social Media: Plan For Your Entrance AND Your Exit

April 26, 2009

“Social Media is not short term. When you engage in social media, you’re in it for the long haul.” This is a common idea shared at most social media conferences, and from time to time, you may hear me utter something similar, but it is normally connected to my thoughts on the “social media campaign.”

Yep, I said it: social media campaign (Cue the dramatic music for the naysayers). I know that social media takes time and should be undertaken with a long term strategy in mind, but being in it for the long haul doesn’t mean that your program will run forever. When you are thinking about how you will engage in social media, you need to plan for both your entrance and your exit.

At the last meeting of the DC Chapter of the National Black Public Relations Society, I joined two other great panelists in sharing thoughts for a session on Strategic Social Media. I developed a presentation which focused on the following steps for developing a social media strategy:

Listen – Learn more about the current conversation.
Map it Out – Identify key players to connect with.
Get Help – Read the latest tips from industry thought leaders.
Do It Yourself (DIY) – Craft a tailor-made strategy.
Make Rules of Engagement – A guide for assessment and response.
Exit Strategy – A plan for how to evolve the campaign.

I really drilled down into my reasoning for listening because it is so integral to coming up with a good strategy, but I also wanted to focus a bit on the idea of an exit strategy because I think it often gets overlooked as we move full speed ahead towards implementation.

Here’s a simple illustration of how I view social media engagement:

Layer 1: The Decision to Engage

Layer 1 is very straightforward. It represents the period of time during which your organization is committed to being engaged online in social media, right from the moment the green light is given to begin planning until the bittersweet end.

Layer 2: Communication Channels

The next layer includes a few activities and channels of communication that you may use throughout to engage. For most groups, this will include blogging, podcasting and/or some form of video (Speeches, Events, Members/Dollars in Action).

Layer 3: Exit Strategy

The top layer is where things get interesting. This is where exit strategy comes into play. Many plan for social media campaigns to run like layer 1 or 2, one constant line moving forward or little pieces of activity here and there.

Layer 3 represents my view of how the social media campaign should be for most groups. Note, as we move from left to right, the arrow is getting larger and includes several phases. Your social media campaign, if successful, should be growing and evolving over time. Phase 1 will bring you out of the gate, but as you plan for that first campaign, you should be thinking of what will follow. If you meet all of your goals, what will be next?

If you’re building a social network, is there a plan for adding new features or empowering members to take a greater role in the process?

If you’re fundraising online using social media, is there a plan for how you will involve contributors and share future activity?

The arrow that I have displayed continues to grow, but this may not apply to every situation. At some point the campaign will have run its course. Do you have a plan for how to bring things to a close? To transition from campaign 1 to 2?

Things may change as time goes on, but it is always good to have an exit strategy in place.

12 Comments | PR, Public Relations, Resource, Resources, Social Media | Tagged: Black Public Relations Society, bprs DC, BPRS Washington DC, charity:water, exit strategy, Gen Y PR Prescriptions, James S. Walker, jaywalk1, PR Prescriptions, Social Media, social media campaign, social media exit strategy, Strategic Social Media | Permalink
Posted by jaywalk1

Crazy Web Experiences

April 26, 2009

Anyone who’s ever spoken to me knows that I’m all for interesting web experiences as long as your site doesn’t break my golden rule – taking more than 5 seconds to load.

These sites smartly adhered to that rule and provided a fun little experience. Thought I’d share. Be sure to follow the rainbow for the second one. Enjoy!

bio-bak

Unlimited Orange

Leave a Comment » | Just Fun | Tagged: bio-bak, Crazy web experiences, Gen Y PR Prescriptions, James S. Walker, James Walker, jaywalk1, PR Prescriptions, unlimited orange, user experience | Permalink
Posted by jaywalk1

Facebook Causes: The Jury has a Verdict

April 23, 2009

When I first read the Washington Post piece titled “To Nonprofits Seeking Cash, Facebook App Isn’t So Green, Though Popular, ‘Causes’ Ineffective for Fundraising,” I got pretty fired up and was ready to blast off a post, but I thought it would be more interesting to hear from you. I polled several online networks (the blog, twitter and linked in), and here’s what you had to say:

“Facebook Causes are great for raising visibility and finding people passionate about your cause/org. It’s also free, so why wouldn’t you?

Also, a lot of organizations have had success using the cause to fundraise with specific drives. You can’t expect ANY fundraising initiative to work without a call to action and sense of urgency. People who think you can just create a cause and have cash come rolling in are seriously misguided. That’s my two cents.”

-Emily Carone

“They’re a tactic, not a strategy. Causes work when they are being used in concert with a concrete ask or goal. It’s a vehicle for building support but must have relevance to something bigger.”

-Adam Rosenberg

“It certainly is effective – it just depends on how you’re looking at it -
The Causes application isn’t offering you a magical portal to an untapped fundraising goldmine…and neither is any other online or social media application.”

-Lateef

“All the social networking platforms including Facebook are part of a new social revolution that is initiated from the Internet. This revolution is still in its initial stages, and it is likely to move towards a concept of “instant democracy” where the expressions, choices, and associated impacts are expected to be “instantaneous” and far reaching.

In this context, these platforms and its users are going through an initial exploratory and evolving period, followed by a somewhat “disenchantment” for a while, followed by gradual maturity, leverage, and proliferation.

Looking from bigger perspective, none of these are going to be waste, but from a local perspective of an individual and associated priorities, it can be total waste of time.

- Nataraja (Nats) Upadhya

I use it for a global-type awareness. It is easy to reach my constituency and then it takes old fashioned asking and methods to receive the funds. For example it is easier to tell your friend about the cause and have them pay through Facebook Cause or paypal.”

- Orletta Caldwell

“Some how we (non-profit and for profit organizations) have all been sold on the idea of passive income from the Internet. The internet doesn’t mean less work, It means more efficient work. NO FREE LUNCH!”

- Napoleon C. Birch

“Waste. Everyone adopts the cause because it’s as easy as clicking the mouse, yet I haven’t seen any case studies or analyses illustrating that Facebook Cause pages actually produce action or contributions.

If my client wants a Facebook page, we’ll set it up, but we’ll also manage expectations and point them to other, more effective means of promoting the cause.”

- Kevin Mercuri

So what do I think? I agree with most of you who say that Causes is not a waste. Causes, ESPECIALLY when you’re talking about fundraising, is a tool. When I look at Causes, I am personally more interested in how you can use it and other tools, like the Facebook petition, to raise awareness, rally people around an issue and share information about actions people can take to address the issue. That’s just me.

On the fundraising note, this is a little bit more complicated than “If you build it, they will come.” If you build it, they MAY come, and there’s a CHANCE that they will give, but you have to develop a relationship (between you and them or a least a link between them and the cause) and make the ask. It’s a lot of work, but it’s possible if there’s someone working with you who understands three things:

Fundraising
Relationships
How to use social media to connect the two.

In the case of Facebook Causes vs. Washington Post, we the jury find the defendant, Facebook Causes, effective…for those with realistic expectations and an online strategy tailor-made for their organization and supporters.

1 Comment | PR, Public Relations, Resource, Resources, Social Media | Tagged: Causes, Facebook Causes, Facebook Causes petition, Facebook Fundraising, Gen Y PR, James S. Walker, James Walker, jaywalk1, Online Fundraising, PR Prescriptions | Permalink
Posted by jaywalk1

Facebook Causes: Worth it or a Waste?

April 22, 2009

I was going through the reader last night and finished up by checking up on PR Prescriptions. While reviewing posts in the works, I actually felt guilty for not posting anything in the last week or so. With work and things like the BPRS panel, everything’s been in hyperdrive, but in a good way! On to the point of the post…

Over lunch, I read this Washington Post piece that really lit a fire:

“To Nonprofits Seeking Cash, Facebook App Isn’t So Green
Though Popular, ‘Causes’ Ineffective for Fundraising”

I have some interesting thoughts on this that I will post on certainly, but first I want to hear from you. Think Facebook Causes is effective? Worth it or a Waste?

3 Comments | Uncategorized | Tagged: bprs DC, Facebook, facebook donations, fundraising, Gen Y PR Prescriptions, James S. Walker, jaywalk1, Non profit, nonprofit fundraising, PR Prescriptions, Washington Post | Permalink
Posted by jaywalk1

Twestival: A True Change of Heart

April 11, 2009

I’m passionate about a lot of things that might not matter so much to other people. Biographies, MUSIC!, Meeting new people, REAL conversation (real life, real issues, real thoughts), Kehinde Wiley paintings, Post-its (not kidding…), Summer rain, Art made from wood, metal and glass, Magazines (Long live print magazines!), BMWs and of course PR and Social Media!

Those things may not rank high on your list, but I also care a great deal about health care and education. Health care was something I took for granted really until I started working at a health care communications firm. I realized that so many people out there were in trouble because they didn’t have the right information and support, and this goes for both prevention and treatment. For this reason, I’ll always do what I can to share information of that can save lives.

Education is something that I greatly value. I was raised by a teacher, so besides my own schooling, I spent many hours in the classroom. I think it is so very important and I want to do what I can to share that with others as well. I tutored while I was in college, am seriously considering getting back into it now and most certainly plan to become an adjunct professor at some point in the future. I love gaining and sharing knowledge. That’s probably why I’m so passionate about PR and social media.

Now that I’ve gone through all of that, I’d like to share with you my newest passion: Water. My passion for education was bound to develop and I really just fell into health care, but water came to me through purposeful appeals. The first time the issue of water, specifically the fact that some people in the world didn’t have access to clean water, clicked for me was during an MTV special I watched years ago that followed Jay Z and his involvement with a well built in a small village in Africa. I thought “Cool idea. Good that he’s doing that” and went back to my regularly scheduled life. It was cool, but it was also on TV and seemed almost like another entertainment program I could turn off when I was ready.

Fast forward a few years and you have James, 22 year old semi-socially aware working professional who has discovered 53.6 percent of himself and is extremely focused on mastering PR and rising not just in the company but in the industry. In comes this thing called Twestival which sounds like an amazing campaign inspired by the source of all, a.k.a Twitter.

Basics: Cities all over the world hosting happy hours events on February 12th to raise money for and awareness of charity:water, a a non-profit dedicated to bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. Sounds great right?

Right, so I got pumped about it, invited a few friends and showed up on the 12th ready to get invested (physically and monetarily) in the cause. I don’t think I have EVER been more disappointed with an event. The event just wasn’t about increasing access to water, or at least I’ll say that I didn’t get that feeling. There were a couple signs, people taking pictures and a less than amazing group of merchandise being displayed for a silent auction. I didn’t meet anyone who told me more about the cause, what I could do to help or what happened next. My friends and I were completely turned off and put it in the box of bad happy hour memories (thankfully this box is pretty empty). I was so turned off that even though I tweeted all about it prior to going, I nixed my plans to write a post about it. I was going to be polite and silent since I had nothing nice to say at all, but I could resist commenting when fellow Brazen blogger Allison Jones wrote about her thoughts on the campaign. I thought my connection to Twestival and charity:water was done, but then I got an email with this subject: “You gave us money. Now what?”

They read my mind and provided more than a few lines about how much money they raised and a link to give more. They are posting video from right there on the ground as the plan comes to fruition. The wells are being drilled, lives are being improved and people like me are being won over. I’ve had a true change of heart and will be reaching out to them to see what I can do to help. Hopefully there will more updates to come…

1 Comment | Uncategorized | Tagged: charity:water, Gen Y PR Prescriptions, James S. Walker, jaywalk1, Kehinde Wiley, Post-it, PR Prescriptions, Twestival, Twitter, Water Cause, Water in Africa | Permalink
Posted by jaywalk1

Commercials that Make Me Chuckle

April 8, 2009

I wouldn’t mind having a closet like this.

If only my broom cared as much.

Just cuz. I can imagine the faces in the room where this concept was first shared.

Love the stats: “233,000 people just twittered on twitter. 26% of you viewing this have no idea what that means.”

Leave a Comment » | Advertising, Just Fun | Tagged: Baby Come Back, Heineken, Now network, Sprint, Swiffer | Permalink
Posted by jaywalk1

Has your company done anything cool lately?

April 5, 2009

In my search for all that is interesting involving PR, Marketing and Social Media, one company keeps appearing in my inbox, wall or twitterfeed: LEGO.

I’ve blogged about my connection to Lego in the past, but aside from Apple, who definitely knows how to get my attention, I can’t think of many companies that have been able to regularly make me say “that’s cool.” To some of you reading, it may not sound like an amazing accomplishment for a customer’s reaction to a brand to be “that’s cool,” but I think it is, considering the options: “That’s stupid,” “That’s a waste,” “Someone got paid to come up with that idea,” or, among the worst in my opinion, SILENCE – being so irrelevant that your efforts don’t even get noticed.

Here are just some of the ways that Lego has migrated onto and setup shop on my cool list:

1. Creating an anniversary celebration like this:

2. Inspiring someone to recreate art like this using your product:

lunch_skyscraper

3. Being the focus of a section in the master guide that is Groundswell:

groundswell 4. Having so much online content that you could have an Alltop page:

5. Using your product as your business card…literally:

lego_card Not every company is going to be able to do these types of things – different products, industry, goals, mission, etc. – BUT, every company can be involved in something this noticeable, this innovative, this different, this cool.

What other companies would you put in the “Lego Cool” category? Has your company done anything cool lately?

1 Comment | Uncategorized | Tagged: Alltop, Apple, Bakalov Lego, Gen Y PR Prescriptions, Groundswell, James S. Walker, James Walker, jaywalk1, Lego, Lego 30 year anniversary, Lego business card, PR Prescriptions | Permalink
Posted by jaywalk1

Strategic Social Media: Engaging Communities, Developing Relationships, Managing Crises

April 2, 2009

Here’s one for the DC folks. On April 15th, I’ll be on a panel of speakers presenting on social media. The panel is being sponsored by the DC Chapter of the National Black Public Relations Society (BPRS). Here’s the info:

“Strategic Social Media: Engaging Communities, Developing Relationships, Managing Crises.”

The event will be held at APCO Worldwide on April 15th, 2009 at 630pm. Featured panelists include:

Lesly Simmons of the American Red Cross,
Amanda Miller Littlejohn of Miller Littlejohn Media and
James Walker of APCO Worldwide.

We will be discussing the essentials of social media strategy, effective ways to develop relationships online and proven methods for using social media to manage crises.

All attendees are asked to RSVP to bprsdc@gmail.com with your name, company and number of guests. Feel free to share this info with your friends and colleagues. We look forward to seeing you on April 15th!

Leave a Comment » | PR, Professional Development, Public Relations, Resource, Resources, Social Media, Work | Tagged: Amanda Miller Littlejohn, Black Public Relations Society, bprs DC, BPRS Washington DC, DC Social Media, Gen Y PR Prescriptions, James S. Walker, James Walker, jaywalk1, Lesly Simmons, PR Prescriptions, Public Relations Washington DC, Social Media Developing relationships online, Social Media Engaging Communities, Social Media Managing Crises | Permalink
Posted by jaywalk1

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Gen Y PR Prescriptions

60 hour work weeks: Gimme More!

Crazy Web Experiences

Facebook Causes: Worth it or a Waste?

Twestival: A True Change of Heart

Commercials that Make Me Chuckle

Has your company done anything cool lately?

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