Real-Time PR: A Must-Have Mindset for Staff & Clients
Photo credit: iStockphoto.com
"Scale and media buying power are no longer a decisive advantage. What counts today is speed and agility."
- David Meerman Scott in his new book, Real Time Marketing and PR.
I was at Barnes & Noble on Tuesday, November 2, 2010 to buy David Meerman Scott's new book, Real-Time Marketing and PR. It's the first time I bought a book on its launch day. David's book is just timely and invaluable - a "must-read" for anyone and everyone in the marketing and public relations business. David talks about proven and practical steps to take marketing and PR into real-time. He references his past life working on the institutional trading floor of an investment bank in the mid-80s. The trading floor is where the traders made their big bucks by acting quickly on the information in front of their screens.
Fast forward to 2010. With the 24/7 flood of actionable information coming in from all directions - both traditional and new, the real-time mind-set is a "must-have" and is more important than ever.
His book led me to think about the people we hire and the clients we serve.
Who we hire
David's book validates one of the qualities I seek in the PR staff I hire. This is the same quality that large agencies look for. PR firms look to fill positions with people who have a sense of "urgency". David's sense of "urgency" does not mean hyperactivity or hyperintensity. I agree with his ideas and will look for candidates who have "real-time thinking and attitude." The best marketing and PR staff see opportunities and move quickly in order to achieve the necessary buy-ins before the windows close.
Can you think of examples of this? How might this information help you in your interviews with public relations firms? Can you think of any friends who move and think in real-time? Can you think of those who don't? Can adopting "real-time thinking and attitude" give you an advantage over other candidates who seek PR positions?
The clients we serve
David says that "typical companies only draw from experiences in the distant past" and "...only plan business far into the future."
What about NOW?
David says that "few companies operate effectively in the present" where they can, or are free to, "plan for" and ""react to" now".
David includes many examples of how companies benefit simply by paying attention and participating in conversations that take place now,...without the typical delay associated with legal review or disclosure committee sign-off. This is an area, however, that may require further in-depth discussion between public relations and corporate counsel.
Is your company moving in real-time? Do you have systems in place that allow you to respond in a timely manner? Can you think of examples when real-time thinking could help or hurt a situation? How long does it take for you to respond to challenging public situations? What needs to change to make it easier to move? How fast do you respond to the ideas sent by your public relations firm?
Have a look at David's book, a must-read for all marketing and PR people. Here's the affiliate link.
At this moment, David's new book and his last book, New Rules of Marketing and PR, currently occupy the #1 and #2 spots on the Amazon Bestsellers list.
