Do You Censor Yourself?

I just read this from Marcompass. It asks some important questions about self-epression and self-censorship on social media. As I see it, the answers to this question seem to divide into two camps,1) those for caution, and 2) those for free expression. This may be a false choice. Read on.

Do You Censor Yourself on Social Media?
By Joyce Dierschke March 12, 2009
It came up just the other day - someone emailed me a video that had an obvious political slant. I thought it was interesting and entertaining, so of course, my first reaction was to post it on my Facebook Page (They make it quite easy to do this - YouTube offers several options to share on your social media pates with just one click…one simple click…too easy?). I was just about to click on the “post” button when I a thought entered my head: Maybe not.
My Facebook Friends include friends, family, acquaintances, a few people I don’t know all that well, colleagues and clients. It’s not that I’m ashamed of my political views, quite the opposite actually. And I would have loved to share this video with the majority of my “friends”, but I began to think about the clients that are in my “friends”.
Now don’t get the wrong idea - there was nothing obscene or truly bad about this video, but it definitely leans to one side. Its not that I don’t want or even care, frankly, if anyone knows my political views. But I do understand that many topics, politics especially, can be very emotionally -more so I think, lately. I wouldn’t want to offend anyone or have them think I am some sort of radical…do you see where I’m going with this? Its not that I would offend anyone, but the possibility - remote as it was - stopped me from posting the video.
So I began to think - do others censor themselves on social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Blogs, etc.? The whole idea of Web 2.0 and social media is transparency - but does that mean that you should say and post whatever you want? Or because of the neverending/everlasting network that is the Internet, do we need to be even more careful about what we say and post?
My decision was not to post the video. But I wonder if that was the right thing to do or not. After all, it wasn’t incendiary, at least I don’t believe it was. I didn’t want to take the chance - and it was mostly my clients that I was concerned with - of someone thinking, “oh Joyce has those political views does she? well, since I don’t agree, I think I’ll find a new copywriter.” Actually, sounds silly now that I’ve written it out!
Still, I think it brings up a valid point about how we portray ourselves on line. Do we build specific on line personas? Or should we just be ourselves completely? And if we are not truly ourselves on line, what does that mean for social media transparency?
Have you ever censored yourself when using social media? Or do you believe that it is an anything goes medium? Perhaps you fall somewhere in the middle? Let me know your thoughts!

Strategic Planning for Social Media

I recently attended a meeting on strategic planning for social media. Instead of a session on the intricacies of Facebook and Twitter, it turned out to be a back-to-basics on how to write a strategic plan.

Now, that might seem like an oxymoron. After all, aren’t social media supposed to be organic in nature? Don’t you destroy the conversation when you introduce an official point of view? Well, as in all things, the answer is yes and no.

So, how can you plan for social media when they are supposedly uncontrollable? How can you influence the conversation and still keep it real? I will take up these questions in a series of 10 articles over the next few months. I plan to look at questions including:

1. Why and when should a business engage in social media?
2. How do you plan your social media?
3. What should your role be as a public relations professional in your client’s social media efforts (or conversely, what should you expect of your public relations professional?
4. Which social media should you use and how should you use them?
5. What are some do’s and don’ts in using social media?
6. Are social media really grassroots communications, or should you take an active role in managing them?
7. Are social media a unique form of communication or just a communications channel?
8. How and why should you respond to positive or negative comments on your social media?
9. How do you measure success in your social media programs?
10. How long will it take for this stuff to help your business?

While I plan to write these articles from a communications point of view, my intention is that these articles will make perfect sense to the business owner who wants to incorporate social media into their marketing. I welcome your comments, so please comment early and often, so that your voice can be heard.

Philadelphia PRSA Elects 2009 Board

The Philadelphia Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, a professional association, elected its 2009 board.

Jack Horner, president of Jack Horner Communications Inc., Philadelphia, is president.
Michael Gross, president and co-owner of Anne Klein Communications Group, Marlton, is president-elect.

Anne Buchanan, president of Buchanan Public Relations, Ardmore, is vice president.

Sarah Casey, assistant account executive of Maven Communications, Philadelphia, is secretary.

Molly Wilson, account supervisor of Tierney Communications Inc., Philadelphia, is treasurer.
In addition, these directors-at-large were elected:

Barbara Link is a communications consultant at Link Ink, Penn Valley.

Jonathan Morein is director of public relations of the Altus Group, Philadelphia.

Lisa Packer is principal at Robinson Packer & Wannenburg, Wayne.

Jenny Shields is a consultant.

Candace Steele is senior director of product communications at Cephalon Inc., Frazer.

The Power of Sacrifice

What is the value of sacrifice? At a time when everyone is battening down the hatches, is it smart for companies to keep employees, even if it hurts the bottom line? Steve Korman, CEO of Korman Communities, thinks so.

Korman has taken out ads in the Philadelphia Inquirer and New York Times, imploring companies to put the long-term security of his workers ahead of stock-prices. While he acknowledges that companies that must make cuts to say in business may have no choice, However, he asks companies to refrain from making cuts just to improve their stock price.

I have to say that this is a pretty courageous stance. I'm sure that it won't make him many friends among the Pfizers and FedExes of the world (Korman holds stock in these and a number of other Fortune 500 companies). However, I believe that it will have positive PR value for him and his company.

Do you think it's a good PR move? Take a look at the article and decide.

Area executive urges firms: Resist layoffs
By Diane Mastrull

Inquirer Staff Writer
It was during a morning workout on his treadmill early last week that Steven Korman felt inspired to make a public appeal to business leaders:Resist layoffs - even if that means smaller profit or a drop in stock prices. Read article

How Sweet It is - Pairing Wine, Chocolate & PR

Checkout this upcoming event at PRSA Philadelphia

Wednesday, February 11, 2009 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Join PRSA for a Special Valentine’s Day Event! Join us for a presentation by Philadelphia-based John & Kira’s Chocolates at the Union League of Philadelphia on Wednesday, February 11, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. - part PR success story, part wine and chocolate…what’s not to love? John & Kira’s Chocolates, a company built on food and fun, will introduce us to the brand and discuss how they managed growth brought on by successful media relations. Following a 2002 cover story on Gourmet Magazine, the company instantly grew from a two person shop to one that had 15 on staff in order to produce enough chocolates. Today, their mail-order gourmet chocolates are in demand around the world.

This presentation will be followed by a delicious and informative wine and chocolate pairing.
Bring your Valentine or colleagues interested in this entertaining presentation.

The Union League of Philadelphia140 S. Broad StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19102
Business Attire
Event Registration
Member $45.00Non-Member $50.00
Register Now!

Be Smart About Copyright

The PRLawyer recently posted a very useful article on 14 ways to use your reprint to generate a buzz. I recommend that you read it – it gives some very good suggestions for getting more value from your media coverage.

Now, if you’re new to public relations, a reprint is a reproduced copy of a magazine or newspaper article. Since the material is copyrighted by the publisher, it is advisable to purchase the reprint rights, or the written permission to reproduce copyrighted material from the publisher. This is especially true if you plan to reproduce the article for marketing purposes, or if you plan to put a copy on your Web site.

Now, in my experience, clients often copy and mail or their articles on a regular basis. In truth, none have ever complained of running into problems with the publisher. Still, if you plan to send it to more than a few trusted friends or clients, I’d recommend looking into getting the rights. This can cost anywhere from a few hundred, to a few thousand dollars depending on the publication.

What you get for your money can vary. Some may provide you with a single, printed copy, while others will provide a PDF. Some may allow you to create the reprints, while others will hold the original and require that you use them for the reprinting. Make sure you know what their requirements are before you move forward.

Similarly, if you want to put a PDF of an article on your Web site, you may want to look into getting the reprint rights. Again, I have never known anyone to have an issue. In reality, you could probably take the article down if the publisher ever called you to complain.

Another way to do it is to post a link to the article if it appears online. Most print publications post their content online, so it’s pretty easy to do this. However, be aware that you run the risk of the link being broken if the publisher takes the content down.

For a good guideline on copyright, take a look at Copyright Compliance: How to Legally Share Newsclips by Burelles/Luce.

Got a question about copyright? Put it into the comments and I’ll get you an answer.

The People Have Spoken

A new survey confirms that Americans want, nay, they demand plain English in corporate communications. OK, that's probably not a big surprise to most of you. However, as communicators, how often do we slip into "corporate speak"? More often than we think or are comfortable admitting, I'd gather. 

There is an especially powerful demand for clear language in financial documents. Do you support a law mandating plain English in corporate communications? Take a look at the survey.