While Shel Israel, co-author of the book Naked Conversations, admits that some public relations professionals are among his favorite bloggers, he is also fed up with what he calls a “bevy of bad PR pitches.”
My experience is that an increasing number of PR folk are trying to treat bloggers as media. They want to find the 3-5 highest ranked topical bloggers and get hits that can be converted to clips.”
In his usual charming way, he offers some advice that those of us that are asked to pitch boggers should all take heed to follow:
Here's the real trick. Don't pitch the conversational network. Join it. start your own blog. Get into the social networks like Facebook. Send your own tweets. Be part of the conversation so that we bloggers can see who you are and what yo do and what you have to say.
My suggestion, read what Shel has to say, then read it again. Shel is nice about it, like my the editor who cut me a break in my early days in PR, but others are not so level headed and understanding.
Bottom line, to build your influence and that of your company online, start building relationships:
- Read and comment on blogs, the digital equivalent of listening
- Never hard sell anything
- Ask a blogger, “what do you think?”
- Ask yourself, “How can I help this blogger?”
What are your tips?
Photo of Shel in Seville by Nono
tags: shel+israel, pitching, blogger+relations, blogger+outreach, public+relations, PR
