NONE: Re: ONLINE-ADS>> Online/Offline PR Crossroads
Re: ONLINE-ADS>> Online/Offline PR Crossroads
Eric Ward - URLwire Web Site News - (netpost_at_netpost.com)
Fri, 23 Jan 1998 15:43:27 -0500 (EST)
Guess I've kept quiet long enough. Here goes...
The largest problem facing the offline PR folks is the
lack of willingness to accept their shortcomings
online, and pursue an out-sourced solution. Don't be
so possessive and defensive. I can cite at least 3
examples of marquee name PR firms with supposed online
savvy who have tried to argue with me that Bizwire
reaches the online community with their "hi-tech" press
run.
My shortcomings offline are legion, but I know online
like a glove.
Another NYC based PR megafirm tried to argue with me
that the contacts for the online version of a large
print Internet magazine were the same folks as for the
print version. This is so categorically incorrect it
literally hurt my feelings (I'd just seen Titanic).
I've spent years identifying people he was saying
didn't exist...
If you have ever met me you know I am not combative and
always try to help folks better understand this medium.
Yet for a half hour I was lectured by someone who is
online 10 minutes a day that "print coverage of this
Web site will get us more exposure and traffic than
online coverage, because of the numbers".
Yes, those print mentions really drive traffic. Not.
Print coverage brands, online coverage drives.
And how many times have I been sent an Email press
release that had the headlines in all caps with the
URLs and Email addresses unclickable due to basic
formatting blunders? And with lines that ran 80, 90
characters long. Or with an unsolicited attachment?
And I mean I'm talking about major PR firms who are
representing huge clients.
I will grant you that these are not fatal mistakes, and
that it's human relationships and solid news that
matter more. Still, learn the medium, man. Study that
Eudora, and quit using the Cc: field for your press
runs. <g>
I freely admit my shortcomings in the offline world,
and when a client has offline needs I refer them to an
expert. Offline folks, however, especially at big
firms with big clients, are protective, combative,
think they get it, and hurt their clients in ways they
don't even see. I saw a full press release in a Usenet
newsgroup recently. It was sent by a PR firm with a
marquee name. Yikes. Five screenfulls of text in a
Usenet group, for the love of...
So lately I hear everyone trying to play nice nice and
use the "we gotta get along" approach. Fine, but then
be receptive to the things we onliners have learned.
My face has been against a monitor for 12,000 hours in
the last 6 years. I am happy to help you. Let me.
Eric Ward
The WardGroup / URLwire & NetPOST (since 1994)
...........mailto:EricWard_at_urlwire.com..............
.High-end topical Web launch & event news services
.Content driven URL submission planning & campaigns
.Strategic Web Marketing Reality Checks
.Speaker, C|Net, iWorld, and Thunderlizard Conferences
<http://www.netpost.com> & <http://www.urlwire.com>
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