DIY PR

My buddy, Glenn Kelman, the CEO of Redfin, had a strong reaction to last week’s post about PR by Marge Zable Fisher. So much so that he penned an alternate solution to the challenge of a good client-agency relationship: Don’t hire an agency and do it yourself. Here’s what he wrote.

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Nobody knows if Charlemagne could read because an advisor always read aloud for him. It was considered humbling for the king to do anything himself. The same fears drive the most captivating, articulate entrepreneurs to hire publicists. Who wants to risk looking like a fool? As a result, hardly anyone in technology ever tries to talk to a journalist by herself—except Guy, of course.

That’s too bad. Just the other day a newspaper’s technology editor told me, “It’s just so hard to meet entrepreneurs these days. You always get their PR people.” A dozen entrepreneurs sprang to mind who would kill to tell their stories. All have agencies. So what I am recommending is not howto manage an agency, but something more radical: not hiring an agency at all. Here are ten reasons why.

1. The truth will set you free. Over and over, publicists tell their clients to stick to the agreed-upon message to avoid mistakes but this guarantees you’ll never say anything thoughtful or spontaneous. Maybe your company has two and a half customers. So what? If you’re reading this blog, you’re probably not dumping toxins into a river or selling cigarettes to teenagers. Let GE and Philip Morris retain agencies. If you were stripped absolutely naked for the world to see, a few warts might show up, but more people would do business with you. Once you get comfortable with that, you’re ready to deal with the press on your own.

2. The rolodex is already online. Almost every journalist publishes his e-mail address, and many have a blog. You can also use LinkedIn and Jigsaw. The point is that you can communicate with journalists without a PR person. Usually a sincere note from an entrepreneur is enough to start a conversation. Pick out something good that the journalist wrote and say what you really think. Make a top-five list of what your company has learned in its first six months. Suggest an idea for a story. Keep it short; ask for nothing. It’ll mean a lot more coming from you rather than a publicist. Odds are you’ll hear back.

3. You don’t have to seem all grown-up and boring. Every entrepreneur feels vaguely disreputable. Maybe you drive a crappy car. Maybe you never went to prom. There are enough stuffed suits in this world to fill fifteen Wall Street Journals a day. As anyone who watches American Idol will tell you, what this spun-out, over-hyped world is absolutely famished for is a little genuine personality. And, outside of your technology, it’s probably the only thing you have. So stop trying to be like IBM and just be yourself.

4. Ideas are the precious things. Most entrepreneurs are bursting with unconventional ideas: Maybe you think an ad-crazy Silicon Valley has lost its nerve; maybe you’re a grown woman delivering pizzas to diffident recruits in Stanford’s computer science lab; maybe you’ve always wanted to meet the hairy guy living in a trailer park who sends you the inspired spam about mail-order pheromones. These are the kinds of ideas that journalists love.

   Imagine how you would finish this sentence if you were having two beers with your best friend: “You know the strangest thing about what we’re going through is …” What comes next is your best story idea. Even if the story isn’t about your company, you’ll be a part of the conversation. The rest will come naturally.

5. Let the fur fly. When proposing a story, consider Michael Jordan’s response when asked how much to bet on golf: “Whatever makes you nervous.” If there’s no drama, there’s no story. Most publicists are terrified of a genuine story with real characters and an unpredictable outcome, so no journalists are allowed into your data center on launch day nor can they mingle with customers at your user conference. As an entrepreneur, you’re going to be more comfortable with risk than a publicist. And you won’t win as a start-up without taking risks, over and over again.

6. Nerd-to-nerd networks are where it all happens—and value speed in everything you do. Most publicists feel threatened by the Internet’s systems of attribution, glorification and punishment, where Digg can make an obscure posting more important than the evening news. Agencies don’t have the street cred, the technical chops, the instinct for candor, the distinct voice and, above all, the commitment to speed to engage in a meaningful conversation with the blogosphere. In the thick of things, you don’t want to have to coordinate with consultants or get permission from anybody. Just ask John Kerry.

7. Even bad coverage isn’t so bad. I was once profiled in a national business magazine doing odd things in my underwear. It was terrible; I lay face down on a couch for an hour after reading it. And you know what? It wasn’t that bad. Never whine to the journalist about coverage, avoid narcissistic story-lines, and don’t worry if you make a few mistakes.

8. Go in alone. It’s hard to make a move when your dad drives you on a date or to sound contrite about the neighbor’s begonias with your mom standing behind you. It’s just as hard to connect with a journalist when a publicist is always at your side. You often need a candid space in which you can say what you really think. Just bring a notebook so you can jot down any follow-up items and you’ll be fine.

9. Passion + expertise = credibility. A publicist will never have your passion for your project, and she’ll never have as many colorful customer stories as you do. A friend of mine once told me about “the greatest idea in the history of capitalism,” which turned out to be a semi-pornographic massive multi-player video game. A publicist would never have pitched it as well as he did.

10. Make time. Most entrepreneurs say they don’t have time for DIY PR. Sure, it takes a while to spam 100 journalists with every press release. But that doesn’t work anyway. Focus on a few big ideas, and you can tell them yourself. Use a feed-reader and Google alerts to track industry news and company mentions. Conveying your company’s story in a personable, compelling way is one of your most important jobs.

11. (Who’s counting?) Hire an employee, not an agency. When you need help, hire a person, not an agency. This is especially important if you’re not interested in journalism. And if you can afford it at all, it’s worth hiring an employee rather than a contractor. You want someone who can dive into what you’re doing whole hog because he believes in it, without all the staff churn and management overhead of an agency.

    What should you look for in this employee? The worst PR person has contempt for journalists because he either believes journalists can be easily spun or because he becomes aggravated when they can’t. The three best questions to ask when interviewing a publicist are “Who are your favorite writers in journalism?” Why are they your favorites?”—so you can find someone who actually cares about the craft of journalism—and “What is an example of a feature story that you’ve pitched?”—so you can find someone excited about ideas.

    Also, ask for a writing sample. As with any other position, value brains, drive and a soft touch over looks. Most of all, don’t hire anyone fake. Of course, you’ll need to make it clear that the PR person won’t be managing an agency.

A battalion of agency publicists will try to terrify you about the perils of launching your company without their expertise, but anyone who tries to scare you from DIY PR, starting a company, or buying a house online usually isn’t someone an entrepreneur should heed.

Comments

[David Reich]

I don't have time to respond to every item of Glenn's post, but there are a few things that I must comment on.

It seems like you've been burned, Glenn, by unprofessional p.r. people. Mass mailing of news releases and shielding the client from the media by the publicist are stereotypes that are not reflective of effective public relations tactics. They're stereoptypes,unfortunately, because there are many agencies that employ those tactics and, as a result, may not get the best results for their clients.

While news releases sometimes have to be mass-distributed, a professional takes the time and energy to target both the release and the pitch to appropriate media.

I never have my clients hide behind me. I always give reporters info on my clients and encourage them to contact them directly by phone, cell or email. I suggest they go through me only if they are unable to reach the client or if they prefer to talk with me first. I try to be a conduit, not a roadblock.

As far as DIY PR goes, if you have budget, find a good p.r. agency or p.r. counselor to help you. As CEO, CMO or the boss-man, your time is probably best spent on doing things that demand your personal attention, like managing your business or dealing directy with key customers or prospects.

[Daniel D]

I am in the PR business. I book authors on national shows such as NBC's Today Show, CNN, etc., along with radio and print. I don't consider what I do as being "PR," it's more "connecting."

I agree with Glenn's comments. One of the main things I do is not to try and replace the client but rather be the introduction between the client and the media. I hear it daily... media professionals (producers, writers, etc.) who are sick of novice "PR" people calling with some canned pitch that is read off with absolutely no regard for the media professionals time or interest.

The media landscape is changing. People are searching for authenticity and to be able get their truth straight from the source. Media professionals are no different.

I find the bigger issue with clients has to do with the fear of looking small. They think they need the big PR firm to make them look "bigger" to media which is false. They think if they get on the phone right away with the media or call direct initially that it appears "needy," which again is 100% incorrect.

Just be you. Consult with a PR company or someone who has experience in media to help you craft your pitch and understand the process but don't be fooled into thinking you need them more than they need you. :)

[Amanda]

Totally agree, Guy.

I'm don't believe in publicists. Who wants a watered down story? Not any journalist I know. That said, you have to be pretty savvy to get by without your "mommy" in tow... these tips are great. I learned many of them when I couldn't afford a publicist, and now that I can, I don't want one!

[Kevin Tomczak]

Great advice, and excellent comments. If you are a true start-up that's bootstrapping and have a number of years to any potential acquisition or are looking for first round funding - then don't hire a PR agency or an employee specializing in PR. If you feel completely solid on your messaging and it's working, don't even hire in a consultant. Build your company - focus on the customer and build some momentum in your space. Use the hours between 12am and 2am to identify the key influencers and plan how you might get coverage, while growing your business. Celebrate any coverage that you get, because you have told a compelling story to an overloaded third-party in a very short period of time.

However, if you're a little beyond bootstrapping, or you're trying to court suitors, or even trying to increase brand equity, there are a number of critical things that a dedicated PR agency, employee, or team can bring to a early stage company:

1. Relationships - which have been discussed in the comments and cannot be imitated by a newcomer to the PR world.
2. Rigor & Coordination - which can be as simple as identifying the key influencers and analysts for your industry, or as robust integrating your marketing efforts with a schedule of releases, press and analyst tours, and proactively pitched stories or angles that are topical and compelling.
3. Freedom - as an entreprenur, you don't want to have to write a pitch, and then make the email and phone rounds to the editors that could be interested in the story. You should focus on your customers, know them, and know how you satisfy their needs. Be available for the media, but you don't need to bird-dog them. Let someone else worry about where the air cover for your sales force is coming from, or how to maximize the impact of good PR when it comes (or minimize potentially damaging PR).
4. Cost-effective promotion - think about your PR investment in dollars. Each release, if done through a wire service is $200-$400, but it'll be the best money spent. If it's crafted correctly, it'll be searchable, and will help support a good web presence. Also, convert your hourly time into a billable rate (granted, you're a fixed cost, but assume that if you weren't doing PR, you'd be doing something else of a similar value). Then, convert your PR retainer into hourly rate. What's more effective from a pure financial standpoint? Then, consider the value of coverage that you will get from hiring in the specialty vs. the value of the coverage if you were to do it yourself. For most early stage companies (but not necessarily start-ups), you'll find that the specialty is the better option.

I'm much more marketing than PR, but I've seen PR done well and I've seen it done poorly. PR done poorly can lead an early stage company to bankruptcy. PR done well enhances a brand's value, puts an organization on the map, and provides excellent references for other marketing initiatives.

-Kevin Tomczak

[Jonathan Fields]

When I launched my last business, I had no PR contacts and no money, but I knew an incredibly valuable thing that landed a lot of national PR with no outside help:

If you want to be "in" the news, you need to "make" news. Editors, producers, journalists and bloggers are desperate for high-impact, powerful content, it's just that most of what comes across their desk amounts to requests to be "in" the news without really having anything newsworthy to share.

Make news, real news, tailored and scaled to the outlets you seek to be covered in and getting "into" the news becomes pretty easy. I know this firsthand. Using this knowledge, I was able to create pitches that scored giant national coverage for a business I launched with a $100 PR budget, no firm, no publicist and no prior contacts. I just stopped thinking about how to get covered and started thinking about how to make the jobs and lives of those I wanted to cover me easier and happier.

There's another giant benefit to DIY PR. The contacts and the relationships become yours and by facilitating far more direct lines of communication, you may be far more likely to be called upon as a resource upon short notice if a journalist knows they won't have to jump through hoops to get to you. This has happened to me countless times, where I wasn't necessarily the "best" source, but I was the easiest one to connect with.

Much peace,

Jonathan

[Mike Spinney]

Put the emphasis on bullet #9. I'm a PR consultant (an excellent option between agency and DIY!), and if there's one thing I can NEVER provide my clients -- one thing that is arguably the most important element in PR -- it's the thorough familiarity of subject and enthusiasm that an entrepreneur brings to the conversation.

For all the messaging exercises and strategies I might help facilitate, for all the plans I help put together, for all the writing and editing and backstopping I can do, for all the contacts and insight I provide, it's all useless if someone without skin in the game isn't available to pay it off. And if a client needs me to help with the story, they are likely already doomed.

Listen, there's plenty I and my colleagues can do to help a company get the word out, and a skilled communicator/manager is important for maintaining a consistent and effective program (assuming that's what a particular company wants and needs) but it all starts with an owner, principal, or C-level executive willing to mix it up on their own.

[Dave W]

Great article.. I have been looking around for some good advice on DIY PR, and stumbled upon your blog. I have attempted to look at PR firms, but could not see the benefits when they clearly did not understand what start up companies have to do to build credibility, and that credibility comes with passion, time and experience.

A single PR campaign will not give instant results, you have to keep trying different things, and if they don't work straight away then why would you hand out all your hard earned dollars for some one else to test the waters without results.

If your doing the PR yourself then there is no immediate pressure for results and you can ensure the message is correct.

I'll be checking back frequently...
Thanks

Dave W
www.premiumhomedesign.com

[Glenn Kelman]

Thanks for all the kind comments, and sorry to have been offline for a few hours.

To Laura McKern, who argues that focusing on a press release misses the point, I couldn't agree more. We agree that journalists have different motives than their sources, but this does not preclude trusting relationships.

Duane Benson seems to be upset that I don't care about the press, but the premise of this post was that I do. We simply disagree on what works. Duane is right that an agency can tell you when your idea for a story is stupid, or when you're in love with yourself.

Jennifer Jeffrey's idea of combining a little DIY with some help from an expert is a great idea. I just tend to prefer an employee to a contractor or an agency.

There are lots of great agencies out there, but just hiring one go-to person can be easier for a start-up to manage, and is probably more cost-effective too.

[Nic Darling]

This is a great post. I particularly like the idea of hiring an individual instead of an agency when more help is necessary. At the start up company I recently began working for it is very important to us that everyone involved with our product is excited and fully invested in its success. We like working with people as committed as we are and an agency, no matter how great they are, probably has a few other things on its plate.

Right now, I am trying to learn the ropes of PR and marketing and this post pointed me in some very helpful directions. Thanks.

Nic - www.marketingneophyte.com

[Duane Benson]

I really enjoyed the post about Margie Zable. Although, I did disagree with a few points. The post by Glenn Kelman just upsets me. A while back, an executive in my company told me that we don’t need to do any PR because that’s just what big companies do to waste money. Mr. Kelman’s post seems to be a continuation of that theme. Well, you can waste money doing just about anything, but PR, if handled properly, can be an extremely cost efficient method of getting attention.

1. About the truth setting you free. Publicists tell their clients to stick to the “decided upon message” because many folks are simply not capable of coherently answering a question from a seasoned press professional. Public speaking is called, what, the second most feared thing after death? Speaking to a reporter is public speaking – just through a conduit.

Journalists may tell you that they are after the truth, but, being mostly human, they are really after a “story”, and not necessarily your story. It takes a certain skill to navigate through the manipulation to make sure that your story is actually represented. A good PR professional is only trying to help you do that.

If you have the skill to take on a seasoned journalist, by all means do so. If not, hire a good PR specialist. Be involved and make it clear to them that you are interested in results and not self-coddling. This is where people get into trouble. They don’t help the PR folks help them or they use the PR folks to boost their own personal egos or as a shield.

2. Yes, the Rolodex is already on line, but count the hours in the day. If you have the time to sift through every site then you probably don’t need any PR help. You probably need a real job. PR folks do need pressure to be creative and search beyond the top level publicly published editorial contacts, but, in theory, they have the time and expertise to do so. I know how to speak with my customers better than just about anyone else. That’s why I’m successful in my job. Editors speak a different language and a good PR person will speak that language.

3. “grown up and boring?” Mr Kelman’s challenge is that he likely hasn’t been working with the right PR agencies. The good ones will keep you from sounding grown up and boring. The good ones will take your words and adjust them so that not only will your audience find them exciting, but the editors will hear them and see circulation numbers.

4. Journalists do love great ideas, but they are busy folks and see a million of them. How you speak to them counts. Again, my voice is targeted at my ultimate audience. If you don’t have any customers, perhaps you can afford to make the press community your ultimate target audience, but it can be a lot more effective to have someone that lives in that world do it for you.

5, 7. Maybe many PR people are afraid of a controversial or dramatic story. That’s probably true, just as it is probably true for most people in general. If drama and or controversy are good for your cause, or can be made to be good for your cause, make sure your PR people understand that. If they don’t, perhaps you don’t have the right PR people. Get some that will relish it and will build on it.

8. When I was 16, I had my driver’s license but I wasn’t a good driver. I thought I was, but I wasn’t. I recall a few dates when I was so nervous that my driving made my date nervous enough to just want to get home. That didn’t work out so well. Another way to look at this is the journalist may very well get a charge when the publicist sits back and you take control of the interview. Use the PR resources for coaching before you go in and as a prop when you get into the interview. You can even add some drama by asking the PR person to leave the room or wait outside. Let them clear the way so your passion for your cause won’t be obscured by lousy driving skills.

9. Most publicists don’t have the same passion that I have for my business. But, they also don’t have the same self-love and ego that I have. The publicist should act like a sounding board and tell me when and where I’m just full of myself. Sure there are times that I’ll fight back, but a good back-and-forth will far better prepare me to really let that passion out without having self-centered glurge interfere with the real message.

I currently do much of my PR myself. I have an outside contract PR specialist that helps me out and if I had more money, I’d have more outside help. There are plenty of contract / commission / hire options, but the real message should be to pay attention to whom you are hiring, be it an agency, a consultant or an employee. Pay attention to what they are telling you and make sure they pay attention to you. If they aren’t the right person, get a different one. Don’t throw away a great tool based on one or a few bad experiences.

Duane Benson
http://blog.screamingcircuits.com

[hh]

I have recommended DIY PR myself to bloggers and it is useful to an extent. (http://tinyurl.com/2qtygo)

However, one point to note here is that companies do not hire PR agencies because there are some geniuses there who are going to help craft wonderful story ideas. While ideating and message managing abilities are crucial, PR agencies also leverage their huge resources and networks built over the years of working with the media across a range of industry verticals and clients. While the relationship of a journalist and PR person is professional, the trade secret is that you need clout to do stuffs like kill a negative story that was supposed to appear, get media insides like stories that a particular journalist is working on your competition, which journalist favours whom, etc. Not all stories pitched and published in the media result from a plain simple formula - send an email and have coffee together.

As business grows, people realise that they cannot do everything alone – they need specialisations and people dedicated to one job - advertising consultants, marketing consultants, event management agencies, finance managers, etc. etc.

[Steve Spalding]

The more I blog, the more I write and the more I build my business I am realizing that the real secret to success is getting as close to, "the people" as you possibly can. I think, for young startups especially, that is something that is often forgotten.

It's easy to get into the habit of believing that your time is as important as Steve Ballmer but as a young startup most of your time should be devoted to building yourself as a brand, and building a community around you.

Give the press attention and they'll come back for more. I guess I've been on both sides of the mic, and I've found that my favorite entrepreneurs are the ones that are excited enough about their project that they're willing to take times to answer my silly questions.

If I had to go through the PR gatekeepers everytime, I don't think I'd bother. Great article Guy, it really validated some points I'd always had.

[Brian Solis]

Interesting...very interesting. DIY PR is something that I highly recommend to startups and small businesses as a way of conserving cash and also engaging with their customers and the communities in which they participate.

Social media has really changed the entire game for the better and I'm out there trying to help PR people and company executives "get it" day in and day out.

DIY works to an extent. Ultimately, you'll have to embrace PR - whether it's internal or external. There are pro's and con's with each however, and one can't assume that all PR is bad. The saying, "if you want it done right, you have to do it yourself," still carries some weight, but if you're responsible for business innovation and growth, then focusing on PR infrastructure should be left to someone who can execute based on your goals.

http://urltea.com/nks

[Leslie McKerns]

The CEO of Redfin is missing the point.

The purpose of the press release is to let the journalist know that your client is a regular, consistent and knowledgeable source regarding an issue or topic.

A press release does not work as a one shot effort because it is most likely not the "news" in the release that is of interest to the media. It is that they may have identified a credible source.

Now, if that credible source can be married to some deeper news or issue that their readers want to know more about--crack out the champagne, because you both have something to celebrate. And if that credible source can be made to contribute to an interesting story with on point, fresh, insightful and colorful comments, why all are practically giddy.

The PR firm understands that it is a business relationship (with the media), the client does not.

Ask me how many times I have been asked by a potential client if I have a relationship with the media, and how many times I secretly sigh, and tell them, yes, but it is not a personal relationship. It is that they know that I will send them a source they can use about something their readers want to know.

[Roger Anderson]

This is great advice Guy. Too many entrepreneurs do not take this bull by the horns and it is a very important bull to wrangle.

I got a standing ovation a few years ago for a talk I gave to entrepreneurs on handling your own reputation. Many entrepreneurs just don't understand the importance of getting into the public view. They go too early and give away the game, or they wait too long thinking they will be discovered.

I don't know that many newspeople are just waiting to be called and told about your next great paradigm or innovation. They are looking to sell a story. I try to tell the technology focused individuals that I work with that they need to talk about the benefits of a home without mice not how well their mousetrap works.

You can hear the best 4 minutes of that presentation at your convenience. I appreciate any feedback.

As always Guy, your efforts to fill Oprah's roll for the online edification of entrepreneurs are appreciated.

[Margie Zable Fisher]

Wow. Glad there was such a strong reaction to my post.

Glenn's points are excellent and I'd like to add to them with some DIY PR Resources I put together.

- A free chapter of the Do-It-Yourself Public Relations Kit (written by moi) is available at http://theprsite.com/public_relations_kit.htm.

- Free article on setting up an online newsroom: http://womenentrepreneur.com/column/216.html

-Many free articles on a variety of PR subjects: http://theprsite.com/article_index.htm

And last, but not least, my list of recommended DIY PR resources that you can buy (a few of mine, but mostly from other companies) is available at http://theprsite.com/products.htm

I also have a list of my 10 favorite free press release sites that have helped generate Web traffic for myself and clients and increased site rankings (thanks for the original list from Matt Bratschi of www.hollanderconsultants.com). If you sign up for my newsletter, then send me an email with "guy's blog" in the Subject Line, I'll e-mail it to you.

Best,
Margie Zable Fisher
theprsite.com

[Jennifer Jeffrey]

Wow - I thought the first PR post was packed with valuable info, and this one is even more so.

I think there's room for both approaches - a bit of DIY plus some expert involvement. The most important lesson that I'm taking away from this is: don't "hand over" your PR function entirely, even if you do retain a firm to do most of the work. PR works when everyone is engaged in getting the word out.

[David]

Well said, and I like the linkback at the end. This is a good example of PR (and SEO).

[rod/techfold.com]

If you're going the DIY route, here's 4 tips to help you manage your online engagement quickly and easily using Technorati, Del.icio.us, Digg, Google, and your RSS reader:

http://techfold.com/2007/05/28/engagement-4-tips-for-startups-established-players-using-digg-delicious-technorati-and-google-to-build-your-community/