Cluetrain Manifesto–Was this really written 9 years ago??

Some thoughts from the Cluetrain Manifesto–brilliant stuff, really.

A conversation cannot be faked—people instinctively know when they’re in a real conversation and when they’re being worked over, whether audibly or on a screen.

People “in the market” know more useful and accurate information about products—the good, the bad, and the ugly—than the companies that produce and market them.

A sense of humor and authenticity should be companions. And companies that don’t have them are severely out of touch with the people they need to support them.

“Most marketing programs are based on the fear that the market might see what’s really going on inside the company.” Wow, I can’t paraphrase that one. 

Guth and Marsh Chapter 9

PR plans exist to maintain a relationship or to effect some change in a relationship with a public or group of publics.

A strategically planned event can bridge gaps with multiple publics at once.

News releases should pitch relevance; they should also reflect an understanding of the objectivity by which journalists are required to live.

PR tactics come in many, many forms. Creativity is welcome. Strategy is needed.

Guth and Marsh Chapter 8

Crisis plans are necessary: Practitioners must not ignore from the get-go that things will more than likely not go exactly according to plan.

The organization’s values/mission should be the foundation of all planning. Ideally, plans will serve an immediate need as well as contribute to fulfilling the organization’s overall goals.

Standing plans can be dangerous if not constantly re-evaluated and monitored. Creating tradition can be good if those put in place remain effective and do not hold the organization back in any way.

Guth and Marsh Chapter 7

Research and evaluation are extremely important parts of PR because we often don’t know what we don’t know. Intuition and “common knowledge” about something can be wrong. Assumptions lead to ineffective public relations plans.

A plan for evaluation should be established in the beginning. Knowing the steps that will be taken in evaluation can help guide your PR plan towards specific objectives.

How you ask questions in a survey matters just as much as what and whom you ask. The way questions are worded can have a profound impact on your results.

Guth and Marsh Chapter 4

The “relating” we do with publics is to make a way to ensure resource needs are met and values/goals are achieved.

Knowledge of how much influence a public has on the organization and an understanding of how the organization affects that public is very important for reaching the desired equilibrium, that “mutually beneficial relationship” PR people are always talking about.

A PR practitioner has to be aware that publics can change frequently and must be prepared to adjust his or her efforts and strategies accordingly.

Public Relations: A Values-Driven Approach Ch.13

Public relations vs. Marketing

–Public relations’ reach is broader than that of marketing because marketing limits its focus to the consumer, whereas PR addresses all kinds of publics, from shareholders to employees to donors.

–PR and marketing are not the same thing. The goal of marketing at its most basic level is to sell a product; the most basic goal of public relations is to build and maintain a relationship.

–Marketing and public relations can be used in conjunction very effectively in Integrated Marketing Communiations campaigns, which are campaigns designed to use media to build relationships with individual consumers to tailor the marketing of products to the specific individuals who will benefit or enjoy them.

Public Relations: A Values-Driven Approach Chapter 1

“Public relations fosters mutually beneficial relationships.” p.4

Public relations builds  identity by branding.

Grunig and Hunt defined PR as “the management function between and organization and its publics.” p.5 They also came up with four models of PR: press agentry, public information, two-way asymmetrical and two-way symmetrical.

PR is…a management function involving two-way communication and planned activity, a research-based social science that is socially responsible.

PR is different from marketing or advertising because of its emphasis on relationship.

The PR process is research, planning, communication, and evaluation–but things may not always go so smoothly as to flow neatly in that order.

Values-driven public relations emphasizes social responsibility.