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Are Media Ethics Changing?

With Twitter becoming a media darling as of late, it has been the target of countless questions about its financial stability.  Journalists from the mainstream media to blogs have been discussing and speculating on its viability for months.  Obviously, any chance to satisfy one’s curiosity and see the actual numbers would be a dream come true for many reporters.  But where is the line drawn on methods used to obtain information?

TechCrunch actually got its hands on these numbers.  The influential blog obtained Twitter’s private financial documents via a hacker who targeted a company employee and broke into her Google Enterprise Apps account where the documents were stored.  As news spread throughout the industry, experts began to focus less on how the documents were obtained and more on the implications to Twitter, Google and enterprise cloud adoption.

If we ignore how this story came to light, are we slowly inching our way toward the edge of a very steep cliff?  By obtaining these documents through illegal means, TechCrunch is dangerously close to setting a new standard for information-gathering practices in the media.  And with the industry not united in criticizing the methodology, it will be interesting to see if more private company data ends up on the front page in months to come.

By Kate Reed

You're Doing it Wrong! Or Maybe You're Not ...

Every once in a while a sanity check is needed. Whether it’s in your personal or professional life, it’s often important to stop and take a look at what you’re doing to see if it’s working.  This is something we’re constantly doing with our clients.  Is that plan going to work for you?  Are the channels we’re using effectively driving toward your business goals?  If the answer is no, it’s time to come up with something that will work better.

Recently, there’s been a lot of buzz about how social media should be used in PR.  There are theories coming from every extreme.  A July 5 article in The New York Times suggests that social media should be the only part of a successful PR campaign, while others like the folks at PRWeek argue that moderation is key.  I’m inclined to believe the latter.  While social media and networking Web sites have been instrumental in building visibility and relationships for clients – they simply aren’t going to work for everyone.  Your Twitter handle might get you recognized by a handful of key influencers and it might even get you “re-Tweeted.”  But I’d still argue that a two-page feature story in BusinessWeek about one of your key customers is still more valuable than a BusinessWeek reporter just Tweeting about your company, no matter how many followers he or she has.

So maybe you are doing it wrong?  Maybe you should be looking to social media to help increase visibility for your company – to influencers, investors, media and your customers.  Or, maybe you’re doing it right.  Striking the ideal balance of traditional tactics paired with the new roads of social media and networking may be the way to go.  A lot remains to be seen.  And frankly, it’s an ever-changing road.  So long as you keep your eyes open and consistently evaluating whether the path you’re on is taking you where you want to go, you’ll be sure to see what you’re doing wrong … and what you’re doing right.

By Meghan Attreed

A Twitter Shelf Life?

Now that we can all admit that Twitter has gone from a geek-exclusive curiosity to a fully entrenched component of mainstream culture, I grow “curiouser and curiouser” at what the shelf life for this microblogging phenomenon will be – or if there will even be one. 

It’s a question that’s been explored in the press, with some screaming “fad!” and others already embracing it as a cultural mainstay.  For business purposes the question carries added weight, as companies hem and haw over just how much of their already-taxed marketing resources to devote to something that may turn out to simply be the flavor of the month.  

I’ll admit that I was hesitant about Twitter at first and I still occasionally have concerns about its implications for society as a whole.  But its practical application as a business tool is huge, and I’ve come to recognize its value as another outlet for engaging with media, analysts, clients and colleagues.  Most of the time either I or an associate have used it to pitch a reporter or capitalize on an industry trend, which translated into tangible benefits for a client.  In this respect I’ll absolutely attest to its usefulness.

But that still doesn’t answer the question – how long does it have?  I ask this not because of my initial reticence to see its value, but simply, objectively, because of the sheer speed of its rise to prominence.  Many took notice of the recent MySpace news that the company is cutting its workforce by 30 percent, an obvious indication of its rapid overexpansion and inability to see beyond its own shelf life.  Facebook, having gone through more identity crises than Lindsay Lohan, may face a similar fate.  Yet neither of these networks seem to have penetrated the mainstream consciousness as quickly as Twitter.  So does this mean its fall, if it comes at all, will be equally as rapid?

Maybe.  Maybe not.  MySpace has never been used as substantially as its counterparts for business purposes, but its example should still be seen as a cautionary tale.  Regardless, companies need to think long and hard before putting all their strategic eggs in one social networking basket, be it Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. 

Social networking tools should be viewed as just that – tools.  A means to an end.  Companies should always be seeking new ways to communicate messages as broadly and effectively as possible to the right audiences, using the tools that will facilitate the growth of relationships meaningfully and genuinely.  A comprehensive new-media strategy will incorporate any and all tools that will enable this, but will also allow the flexibility to pull back on the use of those that cease to provide value.  

The nature and speed of today’s social networking environment is such that Twitter may be around for years to come – or it may be gone within a year.  The best thing a company can do right now is to prepare for either scenario.  

By Mark Van Hook

Tips for "Selling Yourself" in the Business World

I had the pleasure this week of working with one of my favorite organizations, Upwardly Global.  This non-profit organization helps highly skilled and educated legal immigrants reclaim professional careers here in the United States and works closely with U.S. employers to better tap this hidden talent pool.  Articulate has worked on a pro bono basis with UpGlo (as it’s affectionately nicknamed) for several years, coaching and conducting presentation skills training for job candidates.  I was a featured panelist at a job fair this week, speaking specifically to job candidates about what they can be doing to succeed when they get their shot at a job.  Many of the tips are common sense.  All of them are also key to learning how to sell yourself in any professional situation, whether it’s on a job interview, pitching a new-business prospect or engaging a reporter or analyst in a conversation about your client.

1.  Engage your audience.  Whether it’s a one-person meeting or telephone call or a group presentation, take the time to make conversation and learn something “human” about your audience.  The real key to winning is likeability.

2.  Don’t rely on charm alone.  All the charm and witty repartee won’t close the deal.  You still need to be credible and knowledgeable, so take the time to feel comfortable with the subject and learn about who you’re meeting with.

3.  Be concise.  Listen to yourself, and look for opportunities to stop talking.  Strive to be concise and pointed in your answers.  As with many things in life, less can really be much, much more.

4.  Ask questions.  Almost without exclusion, people like to talk about themselves.  Use this to your advantage in an interview situation by asking them about their business, their goals, their expectations – anything to make it obvious you want to learn about their business and then apply those learnings to your ongoing discussion or follow up.

5.  Anticipate their questions.  Thinking up short, concise answers on your feet can be daunting.  Instead, spend a few minutes thinking about the interviewer’s potential questions of you, and prepare your answers beforehand. 

6.  Fake it ’til you make it.  Most people respond very positively to friendly and energetic people, especially in an interview or “first meeting” situation.  Psych yourself up for interviews to ensure you’re putting your best foot forward to make a positive first impression.

7.  Practice makes perfect.  Sure, presenting and “selling yourself” can feel extremely awkward at first.  But the more you practice, the better it will feel, which means the better you will be.

By Laura Grimmer