More from PRSA...PR in the Digital Age
Monday, October 27, 2008
In the interest of full disclosure, I must tell you I’ve worked with Rob Key of Converseon. In fact Rob and his team helped us create the Opportunity Zone and its policies and approach.
I think he’s one of the thought leaders in social media public relations, because he never loses sight of the fact that it’s all about people connecting with one another.
Key was one of several PR pros who did a panel today at the PRSA international conference on the changing PR landscape in light of social media and digital convergence. He was joined by David Bradford of Fleischman-Hillard and Lee Oddon of Top Rank in the discussion.
Some tips they shared on succeeding in the online conversation:
- Listen first, then engage, according to Key. One way to do this is to “go native.” Understand the communities interested in you and your business. Know the leaders, know the influencers, and understand the value you can bring to the conversation.
- Oddon recommends taking the time to understand the sentiment, and then reach out and engage, giving the online community tools to express themselves.
- Bradford suggested that companies seeking to wade into the online conversation use ideas as a starting point – engage about ideas, asking questions, and entering the conversation rather than pitching a product or service.
And perhaps the hardest of all, be engaging. Say something interesting. As Key says, how many companies are really ready to be provocative?