Just how connected are social media and word-of-mouth? How well do you know your “AP Stylebook”? Can your waiter teach you a thing or two about personal marketing? Check out the Hoffman team’s favorite PR blog posts and articles from this week:
- Is the “AP Stylebook” your best friend or worst nightmare? Either way, as a PR professional, it will become a part of your routine while writing press releases. PR Daily listed some “AP Stylebook” shortcuts to keep you on your game for those feeling a bit rusty. Did you know there is an online version that you can turn to instead of flipping through pages? Or that learning the way the “AP Stylebook” rules are listed can save you time in the long run? Taking time to flip through this guide every so often will help ensure that you can find the entry you are looking for with ease when you only have an hour to crank out that press release.
- How closely does our social media reach correlate with real-life influence? A study published in Royal Society Open Science questioned how effectively social networks can encourage word-of-mouth communication. The Cision PR Blog listed five findings from the study that are relevant to marketing professionals. Because the number of friends we have on social media is misleading, PR and marketing pros must figure out the correct metrics to plan budgets and where our clients’ dollars will go the furthest.
- What do wait staff and one-on-one marketing have in common? The Bull Dog Reporter thinks that PR and marketing professionals can take a page out of your favorite waitress’ book. Just like a pleasant waiter interaction can heighten your engagement with the restaurant, increase the likelihood that you will go back to that restaurant and affect the amount of money you spend, good one-on-one marketing does the same for your business. Personalized campaigns rely on more than just plugging the recipient’s name into an email.
- There’s nothing worse than a brand using slang incorrectly on its social media feed. It can be cringe-worthy and alienate audiences. But if used properly, slang can be a powerful tool that can help brands develop loyal followers. To make sure you avoid any embarrassing slang mistakes, the Meltwater PR Blog developed a guide with correct definitions and usages for current slang phrases. But remember, authenticity is key. Over-using these phrases — even correctly — can still be a major no-no. A little goes a long way.
- Just how does China’s financial crisis affect private companies’ public relations strategies? PR Week asked three financial PR experts what China’s economy means for PR in China. In the past, economic downturns in China have led to violent swings in stocks and shareholders expecting the very worst from companies. The main piece of advice for PR professionals in China right now is to project an image of level-headedness and take a proactive approach for communications to all stakeholders.
Check back every Friday for our This Week in PR roundup to discover more PR industry trends and news.
