How To Avoid Obama's `Stupid' Stumble

What is truth?

The phrase, spoken by Pontius Pilate as he tried to sidestep his role in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is one of history’s most infamously cynical utterances.

Obviously, there are clear delineations of truth and falsehood. Right and wrong. Wisdom and foolishness.

But it’s the mark of a wise individual to know that the path to such clarity is not always a quick process. In fact, getting at “the truth” of an interaction can prove to be a never-ending journey.

All of which brings me to President Barack Obama’s surprisingly block-headed foray last week into a police investigation, when he said that police acted “stupidly” in arresting Henry Louis Gates Jr.

It all began with a report of a possible break-in at the Cambridge, Mass. home of Gates, a Harvard professor and friend of Obama.

The saga has been exhaustively chronicled by now. After a long trip, Gates did not have a key that he needed and was struggling to get into his own home. When police came to question him, Gates had an emotional explosion and got himself arrested for disorderly conduct (a charge later dropped).

Thereafter, the he said/cop said back-and-forth sprang forth.

Having written thousands of blurbs, briefs, stories and in-depth reports on incidents involving police in my journalism career, I learned long ago that what is written in reports and what actually happened can range from relatively faithful renderings of events to misleading, incomplete and even patently false accounts signed and approved by “officials” in authority.

Flawed as reports can be, the fact is that the President hadn’t even read the Cambridge Police report. So he wasn’t even close to a starting point of having an informed view of how the police department behaved–or at least claimed that it had behaved.

And he hadn’t spoken to Gates, nor had he conferred with the arresting officer, Sgt. James Crowley. And even if he had sat down the two in his Oval Office and asked for a recap, he would have received incomplete, self-serving accounts.

As I knew he would do the moment I heard his remark at the White House press conference, Obama has backpedaled from his criticism of Crowley.

But the egg on Obama’s face reveals this truth: it’s infinitely more prudent to acknowledge the limits of your knowledge than to confirm the lengths of your ill-informed, knee-jerk, know-it-all foolishness.

McAdam Landscaping At 30: Sowing & Reaping

For the last two years, I have had the pleasure of providing public relations service to McAdam Landscaping, a leading company that has accomplished much in its 30 years in business.

To take a look at some of its history, check out a news release I wrote and posted the other day on Triblocal.com, McAdam Landscaping: Sowing and Reaping for 30 Years.

I also posted a photo gallery on the Tribune site.

Bulldog Reporter Publishes Truth-in-PR Piece

It's true--I've been hammering hard lately on the fibbing front and the damage that lies can wreak on anyone's credibility, reputation and overall bottom-line in the marketplace.

And so it is that The Four Horsemen of the Apocryphal--the military, academic, athletic and business lies that I have observed in my career--were front and center in an essay I recently wrote.

It was published in the Barks & Bites section of today's Bulldog Reporter.

You can read the piece: "Let's Have More Truth in PR: Anticipate Journalist Questions—and Root Out Client Fibs in Four Key Areas."

The essay, which built off some recent Inside Edge PR blog posts, can also be found at my new Truth In PR blog.

If you have a Truth-in-PR issue you'd like to raise, just e-mail me at Matt@InsideEdgePR.com

Be Skeptical of Selective Statistics

We're all a star in our own life’s story, but merely a background character in others’ lives.

A humorous spin on this perspective is Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead. The two characters merit only passing mention in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, but playwright Tom Stoppard took that fragment and in 1967 expanded it to create an entirely different tale.

The same principle plays out with the stories we tell, whether in the media or at the dinner table.

In business, you can use the same data to hail a company’s growth or shine a light on its struggles. A classic example is when a business is said to have experienced a surge or decline in profits compared to a previous period of time.

So, for example, instead of raking in $80 million of profit, Company XYZ profits by “only” $40 million. Meanwhile, Company ABC-azon reduces the amount it loses from a jillion to merely $100 billion. What a success!

Of course, those are extreme examples, but you get the idea.

A few years ago, I recall reading a newspaper story on the murder rate in a major Midwestern city. It focused on persisting trends in which more people were killed during the hot summer months than other times of the year. Contained in the same story—buried, really—was brief mention that the number of homicides so far in that year were significantly lower than the same year-ago period.

The story very easily could have focused on that drop, with the unsurprising correlation of heat and violence relegated to background character status.

Keep Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in mind whenever you come across a story. Those “throw-away” remarks and minor mentions may contain the kernel of the less-known but more interesting tale to tell.

Another case in point: a Chicago television station once broadcast a segment on what they reported to be an upward trend in planned C-sections.

In the report, a source said that physicians and nurses comprise a large proportion of those who opt for planned C-sections (as opposed to the more common emergency C-sections). Instead of examining that intriguing angle—after all, these are the same medical personnel who are often caring for birthing mothers—the story simply moseyed along.

Here’s where the reporter could have asked some questions: What proportion of planned C-sections are done on doctors and nurses? And why is that?

Beyond that oversight, the story also failed to provide basic context, such as the percentage of births that are C-section (it’s about 25 percent) and the percentage of C-sections that are planned.

Those are dreadfully sloppy omissions, really, when you consider the entire thrust of the story was that they were on the rise.

On August 12: PR Secrets From a Media Insider

Where will you be four weeks from Wednesday, on the evening of August 12th?

If you are anywhere near Oak Park--and are in the market for immediately useful and practical tools to improve your public-relations efforts--then you should consider attending PR Secrets From a Media Insider.

Full disclosure: I am a biased source, since I am the one leading the session from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Carleton Hotel just south of downtown Oak Park.

Attendees will receive a workbook loaded with media-insider tips and principles that work time and again, largely because having been in the media for more than 20 years, I know just what reporters, editors, producers and other decision-makers need.

Hint: at the top of the list is a four-letter word that begins with "n," ends with "s," and has "ew" in the middle.

Of course, don't be so naive as to take some self-serving publicist's word for his purported ability to match individuals and organizations with an assortment of media outlets.

Instead, be sure to watch video clips of satisfied Inside Edge PR clients and read their testimonials to see if he has anything to back up all the talk.

Then--and only then--should you call me at 708-860-1380 or send an e-mail to reserve your space.

Story on Niches in July Issue of REALTOR

The July issue of REALTOR magazine is online, including my story on niches. "Own Your Niche." The story's subheadline: "Make a name for yourself by carving a real estate specialty that combines your interests with local market opportunities."

What is true in real estate is true in so many fields. The ability to distance yourself from the pack in a clear, compelling way is a huge asset. It's also one of the prerequisites for being truly newsworthy.

What skills and passions do you have in more ample supply than just about anyone else? Continually identifying those elements is a most worthwhile exercise because it leads to bottom-line sales and profitability.

The Re-Purpose of PR: Maximize News Value

As a reporter for 20-plus years, there were times when I just knew that I had my hands on a hot story.

What's more, I had tremendous influence--virtually total control, in fact--over whether the story saw the light of day. All I had to do was coordinate my efforts with an editor, perhaps weaving a photographer and a graphics artist in the mix.

As a publicist, it's a different story. I no longer have my hands "on" a hot scoop. Instead, I shepherd the story as best I can (largely through writing the news release in journalistic style) and then hand it off to various members of the media.

Sometimes, what comes next is a humbling, head-scratching experience. For whatever reason, reporters, editors and producers do not warm up to the idea quite as much as I thought they would, or think they should.

Fortunately, though, there are times when the media is in full agreement with my assessment, such as those outlined in the Inside Edge PR Success Stories section of my website.

While media placement is never guaranteed, I remind clients to think about ways in which they can recycle and re-use the content we develop for media outreach campaigns.

In that respect, the purpose of PR is to be not only purposeful, but re-purposeful---how can you maximize the value of your communications, even if the media never devote even an iota of coverage?

Therefore, any decent news release ought to contain elements that can be used in brochures, on websites and in other marketing materials that speak directly to the client's target audience.

For many organizations, particularly small businesses, viewing the media as the primary communication outlet is simply putting too many eggs into an unreliable basket.

The Four Hot Spots For Tall Tales

In my Inside Edge PR post on Monday, I touched on the perils of fibbing or embellishing--OK, let's call it like it is, lying--in the stories that we tell.

In this case, an ex-baseball player is trying to stretch a single (a few low-level minor-league baseball seasons) into a home run (Major Leagues) in his marketing materials as a financial adviser.

In my two decades as a journalist, I found some areas of people's lives were especially fertile ground for the creation of tall tales. Here are four categories:

1. Military service and/or decorations, such as these stories about a would-be Vietnam War hero, including my piece for the Chicago Tribune. The saga played out two years ago this week.

2. Academic background and credentials. See George O'Leary, the short-lived Notre Dame football coach as the poster child of this phenomenon. O'Leary also padded his athletic resume.

3. Athletic accomplishments. (See Monday's post and the story below.)

4. Business history/successes. (A year ago, while reporting for a national trade magazine for its "30 Under 30" feature, I detected one highly questionable candidate and steered the publication away from him.)

Because of my passion for playing and covering sports over the years, inflated accounts of sports careers are especially intriguing to me.

There was the time in 1998 when a Cook County Board candidate, Mike Olszewski, claimed to have played for the Pittsburgh Penguins. When I confronted him with my research turning up no such thing, he backpedaled like "Get Smart" secret-agent Maxwell Smart:

"Would you believe I played minor-league hockey in Decatur?"

When I tried confirming even that modest claim, the evidence was less than compelling. I dubbed the episode "Penguingate." Olszewski lost in his bid for public office.

This Much Is True: Place a PR Premium on Truth

Last week, I received a marketing letter from a financial adviser who listed "played for the Chicago Cubs" among his bulleted background points.

Hmm. I didn't recognize his name, so looked him up on the authoritative Retrosheet and Baseball Reference websites.

He wasn't on either site, though I did find some minor-league stats for him from nearly 40 years ago. He had a .228 batting average in two Class A (low-level minor league) seasons, one in the Cubs' organization and another in the Tigers'.

Of course, the word "organization" or "minor-league system" makes for an inconveniently cumbersome bulleted point, doesn't it?

Now, this fellow may well be a great guy. I bet his friends would describe him as bright and hard-working and trustworthy. If so, then it's a shame that exaggerating this one athletic exploit--and being naive enough to think that people won't check it out--could undermine those strengths.

Or maybe the inaccuracy is only the tip of the iceberg?

Either way, the simple point remains, and it's one that anyone must place foremost in any marketing or PR communication. Especially in an era where fact-checking zooms with a blink-of-the-eye Google search, when laying your story-telling's foundation, it's always best to start with the truth.

A Less-Is-More Creative Gem From Bill Daniel

Providing to your readers, in an economy of words that succinctly get to the single, distilled point or principle that you seek to convey, is infinitely more effective and engaging than droning on endlessly, even if you employ 15-cent words and $1.50 phrases and $15 paragraphs that have each and every punctuation mark—including the oft-used em-dash, which I rely on a bit too much myself—in their proper place.

Or, to put it another, much better way: less is more.

That’s why I want to take a moment to rave about this fantastic ad that my father-in-law, longtime advertising genius Bill Daniel, created a few months ago.

Before moving to Palm Springs four years ago with my wonderful mother-in-law, Pat, Bill was a force in the Chicago ad world for more than 35 years. After working for the likes of McCann-Erickson and Foote, Cone & Belding (FCB), for 20 years he co-owned an ad firm in Chicago (Equinox Advertising, which later became Washington Daniel).

Along the way, he was instrumental in numerous award-winning campaigns for the likes of Reebok, Allstate Insurance, IBM and Anheuser-Busch. At FCB, one of his brainchilds was The Silver Bullet, for the Adolph Coors Co.

As for this classic rabbit-foot ad, it is appearing regularly in Below the Line, a movie trade publication. It replaced a text-heavy ad that, while highly informational, was only slightly more digestible than the 70-word monstrosity that began this post.

Which Below the Line ad do you suppose will be remembered, and acted upon, more frequently?

I hope and trust that you will enjoy Bill’s creative masterstroke as much as I do. And if you want to try to lure him out of semi-retirement a bit more, just drop him an email at wjdaniel@mac.com.

PR Checklist: What to Look For in a Publicist

Do you know what to look for in a publicist?

If you type “what to look for in a publicist” into Google, you get little more than vague platitudes like the importance of being a “people person” and “following up on a press release.”

Here is one pontification:

“A publicist is adept at establishing core messages and fundamental corporate goals, and introducing them to the media and the public through high interest stories and press releases about products, people, services and benefits.”

Ugh.

When I made the move from journalism to PR about four years ago,
blather like the above white-noise statement is why I was so reluctant to associate myself with the term “publicist.”

That’s because, in my 20-plus years as a reporter, most publicists were more preoccupied with looking and sounding good rather than being of any help. The typical PR flack dresses well and writes awfully, and has little, if any, journalism experience.

As a result, there is a huge disconnect between most PR folks and legitimate journalists. And by “legitimate,” I mean someone who pursues those quaint practices known as “research” and interviews that go beyond cutting-and-pasting others’ work or conducting all their Q & As by e-mail.

As a daily newspaper staff writer and later, as a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune and Time magazine, I encountered more than a few PR pros, usually at high-priced, glamorous firms, that were little more than obstructionists.

They littered their work with misspellings, factual errors and omissions of basic information that undermined any credibility their client may have and gave me little confidence that I could trust anything they communicated.

In short, precious few had sufficient news sense to make my deadline-heavy, difficult job any easier. Instead, publicists would typically waste my time and stress me out. They were intent on sharing only tiny nuggets of self-serving information, rather than doing the diligent work of providing the meat-n-potatoes material that make up legitimate news.

So, again, I ask: do you know what to look for in a publicist? Here are the Top 10 traits that I recommend you seek:

1. A Passion For The Process
2. Numerous Referrals/Case Studies
3. Stellar Educational/Professional Background
4. No-Fee, No-Obligation Initial Consultation
5. Enthusiasm and Belief In You
6. Confidence In Abilities
7. Well-Developed Media Connections
8. Hands-On Attention From An Experienced Pro
9. Ongoing Access & Communication
10. A Strong Support Team

For an elaboration on each of the points on this list, see "PR Search Checklist: 10 Traits to Seek in a Publicist."

Fact: A `Savings' Claim That Is Marketing Crap

Last week, I was at the Jewel in neighboring River Forest, Ill. when I came upon a 2009 desktop calendar that, understandably, was drastically marked down.

With nearly half the year already done, and stacks of the calendars on the shelf, Jewel was clearly in fire-sale mode with "Fact or Crap." Its cover promises "a year of bizarre trivia" consisting of statements that may or may not be true.

For example, from June 11th: "All members of Scottish clans are blood relatives." And from May 21st: "Initially, dogs were allowed to enter the Boston Marathon." (Both are crap, while a June 4th assertioh--"Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team."--is fact.)

As for the photo that accompanies this post, it's only fitting that I conclude in this way.

Fact: I did spend $1 for this novelty item.

Crap: That I would have "saved" $109.90 by buying nine additional "Fact or Crap" desktop calendars. In fact, I don't really believe I "saved" $10.99 by shelling out a buck for the one calendar.

Do they really think anybody is going to fall for this lame "savings" claim? Who are they crapping?

Irony, Tragedy in Photograph of Sosa & Bonds

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of interviewing Stephen Green, a fellow Oak Parker and the Chicago Cubs' official photographer, for a segment to air on Oak Park's Channel 6.

Through the end of the month at the Oak Park Public Library, Green has an exhibit of some 30 of the thousands upon thousands of photos he has taken since he began working with the Cubs in 1983. One is of Sammy Sosa listening to Barry Bonds as he discussed a hitting technique before the All-Star Game, circa 2004.

At the time, both had come under suspicion, to say the least, of having used illegal performance-enhancing substances to elevate their efforts. As Green and I spoke, I mused aloud if subsequent revelations of cheating somehow tainted the artistry of a photographer's work.

Since my interview with Green, Sosa's name has surfaced--to nobody's surprise--as one of the 100-odd Major League players who tested positive for illegal performing-enhancing substance use in 2003, the same year he was caught using a corked bat.

Over the past several days, I have arrived at an answer to my question: the artistry of the photograph isn't tainted, but it takes on a different tone--such as irony or tragedy.

The same is true for any writing related to those heady, naive times, such as my development of a baseball statistic, the Home Run Power Ratio, that was featured in an October 1999 issue of Sports Illustrated.

Just as it's impossible to undo a photograph from its place and time, it's far-fetched to think that anyone could recalibrate statistics by weeding out cheating, which comes in so many forms, both blatant and subtle.

Facebook Fixes Username Achilles' Heel

Facebook has a whirlwind of momentum and plenty of neat widgets that do cool communication-related things well beyond my earthly comprehension.

But until a few days ago, one of its lingering weaknesses was the lack of a user name (or "username" in Facebook parlance) that you could assign to your personal Facebook page.

To track someone down, you needed to type their name into the "search" box and sift through a long list of possible matches. In some cases, for whatever reason, I simply could not find people whom I knew were on Facebook. And if your name was relatively common (or "popular," to put a nice spin on it) then that made the searching all the more difficult.

To Facebook's credit, the company has closed up that that Achilles heel. I didn't move quickly enough to secure my first and last name as my user name, but my first two initials and last name will work just fine.

Father's Day Presents a PR Opportunity

Father's Day is 11 days away--have you thought about how it may help you promote your business or organization?

One of my clients is Nakamura Chiropractic & Acupuncture in Schaumburg. Its leader, Dr. Hiroya Nakamura, is continuing a wonderful, international family legacy that makes it a natural fit for the media.

Today, Sara Lugardo, Chicago's Asian Community Examiner, posted a column on the Nakamura family tradition at Examiner.com.

The news release is also online at Triblocal.com.

Monica Seles: Class Act Comes to Five Seasons

After reading her wonderful and courageous new book, Getting A Grip: On My Body, My Mind, My Self, I sensed that tennis great Monica Seles was a kind, warm person who possesses tremendous inner strength and wisdom borne of adversity.

So I was intrigued over this past weekend, when she visited Five Seasons Sports Club in Northbrook, to discover whether she would project the same qualities in person. Much to my pleasure, she exceeded even my high expectations with a genuine, others-centered demeanor.

Among other things, she posed for "just one more" photo scores of times--including one that I quickly snapped (see above), my left arm extended, a few moments before she departed.

You can read about her visit, which supported a charity tennis tournament, the 10th Annual Handzel Open, at Triblocal.com.

I also shot video of some of her opening remarks, which you can find at my YouTube channel.

Below is her response to a question I posed:

Quality Writing: If The Term Fits, Then Use It

Writing clearly and compellingly doesn't come easily.

Every word and every punctuation mark brings a new decision. Which word to use next? Is this really the moment to whip out the semi-colon? Should I pose a third question in this rhetorical series?

In the quarter-century since I began writing for publications (or should I simply say 25 years? since 1984?), my appreciation for--and quest to accomplish--skillful writing has steadily risen.

To compound the challenge, stories have to be written in rapid-fire fashion--even more so than in years past, since the news cycle is a relentless 24/7. When I was in a newsroom throughout the 1990s, my deadline usually was simply by the time I headed home. Now it matters if the story gets online by 2 p.m. vs. 5 p.m. vs. 8 p.m.

I offer these musings to provide sympathetic context to a word choice in an otherwise-well written USA Today story on Powerball winner Neal Wanless in South Dakota.

Quoting from the story: "The ticket was sold at an Ampride store in Winner, S.D. — an ultra-ironically named town about 35 miles from Wanless' home outside the small town of Mission, S.D. — late last month."

Is it just me, or wouldn't "ultra-fittingly" be a more apt term here than "ultra-ironically"? (Personally, I would do away with the needlessly breathless "ultra" and just go with "fittingly.")

Yo, Rod & Patti Blagojevich: The Offer Stands!

A rather rough day on the PR front for Patti Blagojevich, the beleagured wife of the former governor of Illinois.

She eats a tarantula on "I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here," but the charity of her choice can't stomach being associated with her. You can read about it here in the Chicago Tribune's account.

I suppose it's time for me to remind the Blago Brood that the offer still stands from hair salon owner Theresa Charo. In a February campaign waged by Inside Edge PR ("Client sets sights--and shears--on Blago"), Charo offered to raise $1,000 for charity if Rod agrees to let her shave his head.

And if that scenario isn't appetizing, Charo will happily cut the entire family's hair for free through January 2011.

Sure, the $1,000 shaved-head sum pales in comparison to the double-top-secret reality-TV fee that Patti is commanding.

But at least nobody has to drink any hair spray.

Social Media: No Need To Get Blogged Down

"Social Media & Your Business: A Phase or the Future?" enjoyed a solid and receptive turnout on Thursday night at the Oak Park Public Library. About 30 people, mostly business owners, attended and learned a ton from Sherri Lasko of Sunspot Marketing and, I hope, at least a few pounds' worth from me.

I learned a bunch myself, including this reminder: people are at a loss when it comes to blogging--and it need not be so. We polled the audience and found:

13 were on LinkedIn,
10 were on Facebook,
And four were on Twitter.

The grand tally of folks who blog: zero, zilch, nada, one big, fat goose egg.

As much as I have seen the collective reluctance to blog, I was somewhat astonished that not even one soul raised a hand to claim themselves as being an active citizen of the blogosphere.

Below is a 55-second excerpt of my blog-encouragement, which was a riff off of a tongue-in-cheek hand-out I provided on Blog Schmog: Why You Absolutely, Positively Don't Have to Blog.

Blog, Schmog: Why You Absolutely, Positively Don’t Have to Blog

You hear “blog,” and think, “Blah!” As in, “Yuck!”

No, make that “Blah-blah-blah!” As in, “A royal waste of my time—as a reader, and certainly as a writer.”

OK, I hear you. And it’s true—you don’t have to write a blog. Isn’t it so 2007, anyway?

Of course, if you are looking to grow with the 21st Century way of doing things, then there’s got to be some online formula to help you promote and grow your cause, business or widget of the moment. Try this combination on for size:

Hone the Discipline of Reflecting

Take some time to actually think about what you’ve done, what you’re doing and what you plan to do. Then distill those thoughts into words. It’s not simple, but on the other side is a huge pay-off: improved processes and practices.

Psst, let others in on your mental journey. It increases their understanding of and respect for what you’re up to.

Display Your Expertise

Through anecdotes and insights that only you possess, convey what separates you from the pack. Give a bit of yourself away—not the whole store, but enough to add value to those who come across your path.

Send a Signal That Your Cause or Business Is Alive and Well

When you haven’t updated that website in years—or, God forbid, haven’t gotten around to creating one in the first place—think of some simple way to let this cat out of the bag:

“Hey, everyone, I’m still around and gainfully engaged in the marketplace.”

Hint: if you’re thinking of cutting-and-pasting those very words into an e-mail, then sending it to everyone you know, it’s time to ponder Plan B.

Create An Anchor for All Your Communication

In the online realm, it’s a good idea to figure out a way to rise above the din that comes with billions of options.

So, amid enticements to check out this video, to read that product review or to study your baseball team’s latest box score, how do you help cyber-surfing Hansels and Gretels find their way to your home?

By consistently leaving trails of crumbs—on your e-mail signature, in comments on websites and everywhere in between—that all lead back to the same URL (Uniform Resource Locator).

That’s a good start: engage in reflective thinking; show and share your expertise; regularly remind the world that your business is in business; and establish a reliable communication anchor.

By now, it should be abundantly obvious that you absolutely, positively don’t have to blog. Then again, you don’t have to harness one of the most multi-dimensional, dynamic ways for kick-starting your efforts.

'Tis the Season to `Go Green' With PR

"Green is the new black."

Over a year ago, that phrase was the centerpiece of one of my clients' involvement with a design project at her alma mater. You can see some of the efforts to the left, and the story here.

Stories focusing on environmental stewardship are hot this time of year. Witness recent Inside Edge PR releases about Better Homes & Gardens Gloor Realty and McAdam Landscaping here in the Chicago area.

Is there something your business or organization is doing in the "green" category? My advice: think of a fresh way to position it and get the word out to your local media.

Coming May 28: Social Media Workshop

On Thursday, May 28, I will be co-presenting a workshop, "Social Media & Your Business: A Phase or the Future?" at the Oak Park Public Library.

To learn more, click on the image to the left. Better yet, right-click it, save it to your desktop and share it with others who may benefit from the session. That would be social media in action.

Along with Sherri Lasko, in the workshop I will provide an easy-to-follow introduction to the various social media services and how they can benefit individuals, organizations and businesses.

The workshop begins at 7 p.m. and will go until 8:30 p.m. It'll be fun, illuminating and will employ layman's language, so you won't get a headache from techno-geek-speak.

ULI Update: State of the Industrial Market in Chicago

A few weeks ago, I had my latest writing assignment with the Chicago chapter of the Urban Land Institute. The session covered the "State of the Industrial Market: Past, Present and Future Opportunities" in the Chicago area.

You can also check out prior blog posts about ULI topics I've covered, from talks the organization held last November, as well as in January and in March.

Want To Drive Online Traffic? Then Tweet!

To Tweet or not to Tweet?

That's the question that has surfaced with increasing regularity the past few months. In addition to the compelling data about Twitter's growth, anecdotal indicators abound: in the last week, I've seen that my pastor and the National Basketball Association are on Twitter.

(I'm following Pastor James, but don't feel the need to be an NBA disciple just yet.)

Having attracted about 90 followers since opening my Twitter account almost exactly one year ago (May 15, 2008 was my debut), my presence on the social-media service is modest, at best.

But I have seen upticks in traffic when I post links to this blog and other writings on my Twitter account (you can follow me by going to my page on Twitter, "InsideEdge".

Then, late last night, I got a compelling glimpse of Twitter's power.

Around 11 p.m, I took a few minutes to provide links to two recent news releases that I had posted previously on Triblocal, with specific introductory verbiage so people would know the gist of what they would see. I had shared the releases with a variety of media outlets, including posting them on Triblocal.com, the Chicago Tribune's citizen-journalism site.

Here are some preliminary findings:

Link I: After nine days, a piece on an upcoming skin cancer fundraiser at Five Seasons Sports Club in Northbrook had generated a mere four hits. Within 10 minutes of Tweeting about it, the hit count jumped to 14.

As of 8 a.m. today, the tally was up to 23--more than five times the pre-Tweet tally. What will the hit count say when you click on the above link?

Link II: Intrigued to measure the Tweet-pact (Twitter impact) on another Triblocal story, I offered a link to a two-month-old Scheck & Siress news release on a family's efforts to address their infant son's plagiocephaly, or flattened head.

Within nine hours, the number of people who had viewed the story climbed from 28 to 41. After a protracted period of stagnation--less than one visit every two days--that's more than one hit per hour.

Granted, these figures don't measure what, if anything, anyone will do about having read these pieces.

As a result of my late-night Tweets, will Five Seasons see more visitors at its skin-care fundraiser on Tuesday night, or gain new members down the line?

Will a parent who hadn't thought about contacting Scheck & Siress do so now that they learned about the company's various services?

We will probably never know--though any organization ought to be continually asking clients how they found out about them, so they can measure what marketing efforts are working.

Although the extent to which those Tweets make a difference may never be clear, much more obvious is the answer to the alternative question: What if, after having already invested hours upon hours in developing those news releases, I had not taken a few moments make that extra awareness-raising nudge?

Shining A Light on Police `Rush To Judgment'

This week, I began working for Elliot Zinger & Associates, a Chicago law firm whose specialties include criminal defense. The firm recently began representing Hyungseok Koh, a Northbrook man charged last month with murdering his son, Paul.

After a preliminary investigation by the defense team, Elliot Zinger says Mr. Koh is himself the victim of an overzealous police force’s “rush to judgment."

So far, a press release issued late Tuesday afternoon and posted on Triblocal.com has led to coverage in the Northbrook Star, a Pioneer Press newspaper, and Examiner.com.

Marketing/Journalism Tension Flares at Tribune

If you haven’t noticed lately, the line between journalism and marketing has been getting blurrier.

The latest case in point: the Chicago Tribune’s marketing department apparent soliciting of “subscribers’ opinions on stories before they were published,” according to an Associated Press story.

As the AP reported, “An e-mail signed by 55 reporters and editors, sent Wednesday to Editor Gerould Kern and Managing Editor Jane Hirt and obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, questions why the newspaper was conducting the surveys and what stories were used.”

It will be intriguing to see how this plays out, though it is unrealistic to expect any clarity emerging as to whether subscribers had any effect on news coverage.

Biographies Help Differentiate and Connect

What's your story?

If you run a business, do you have a well-written biography on your website and in any other communication materials? I am continually astonished by the prevalence of successful professionals who don't have a bio.

Then there are those who have poorly crafted bios that appear to have been scrawled hurriedly as they strolled the aisles of a Whole Foods, hunting for milk and eggs. (Sometimes, it's better not to have a bio at all than to have something slipshod that reflects poorly on you.)

If your biography (often found in the "About Us" section of websites) falls into either of the above camps, you are squandering a huge opportunity to:

1. Differentiate yourself from the competition.
2. Forge a deeper connection with your prospective clients.
3. Lay the groundwork for news releases that help promote your product or service.

A case in point: a month ago, I wrote a biography of Denise Hauser (pictured), a talented kitchen and bath designer who for 18 months had been running her business, Denise Hauser Design, without the benefit of a concise, compelling bio.
Less than two weeks after I crafted her story, the bio formed the bulk of a news release on Denise's recognition in a local charity kitchen walk.

The story ("Longtime biz exec carves out kitchen and bath design niche") is on Triblocal.com and was prominently placed on page 2 of Triblocal's weekly print edition, which went to some 10,000 subscribers in a three-town area that is in the heart of Hauser's market.

Without the bio in hand, the article would have been considerably less effective and much less likely to have gained inclusion in the Trib's print version.

To see biographies embedded in other Inside Edge PR news releases, here are pieces on Andrea Donovan Senior Living Advisors and another on Five Accessories.

Social Media's Powerful Domino Effect

If any organization had any doubts about the urgent importance of monitoring its brand, 24/7, then the recent Domino's Pizza controversy offers a compelling cautionary tale.

Millions have seen videos of a few since-fired employees as they behave in a disgusting manner as they prepare food. You can link to those videos through a report ("Social media: The cause and the solution to Domino’s nightmare?") at Medill Money Mavens, a site maintained by the Medill School of Journalism graduate level advanced economics and reporting class.

Type "Domino's Pizza" into Google and near the top is this video response by Domino's USA President Patrick Doyle.

Here's A Lead: Find A BNI Chapter Near You

As I have been doing for the past few months, I shot some video (see below) yesterday at a meeting of Oak Park Partners, a chapter of business-referral titan Business Networking International.

I've been a member of Oak Park Partners for nearly three years. With a roster of about 35 members who are as varied as they are talented, it has been a tremendous source of business leads, growth and profitability. Along the way, I have likewise referred business to many members as we all strive to follow BNI's motto of "givers gain."

If you are looking to expand your business network, I highly recommend you find a few BNI chapters in your area and see if one may be a fit for you and your enterprise.

Among other elements to each week's 90-minute session, every member and guest is allotted 45 to 60 seconds to give a "commercial" about their services and/or products. Below, you will see James Hasley, owner of a Maid Brigade franchise in Cook County, make a 10-minute presentation--a spotlight opportunity that members get on a rotating basis.

Publicists Must Anticipate, Address Conflict

I just read an engaging piece ("The Redundant Journalist Guide to PR: Things To Be Considered Before Jumping Careers") by journalist-turned-publicist Craig McGill.

In a humorous, been there-done that address to journalists considering a move to PR, McGill makes plenty of on-target points. As someone who has made the transition, however, I have to differ with at least one of his five key messages:

"You write press releases, not the story."

In that section, McGill writes, "If you do get a topic or issue that you can sink your teeth into, remember you aren't looking to give all sides. You aren't writing the row (Matt's note: "row'" is Brit-speak for "conflict"), just your client's side of it."

In my experience, writing a release that is limited in scope (confined to the client's perspective, for example) simply limits its potential to spark interest from credible media.

With the media more short-staffed than ever, it's vital for publicists to offer written content that not only anticipates the conflict inherent in a story, but offers rock-solid facts (statistics, maybe even contrary viewpoints) that make it all the more tempting for the media to say "yes" to coverage.

Here's one example from a news release I recently developed for Scheck & Siress.

Rather than simply tell the story about what the company is doing to help care for children who have plagiocephaly (flat-head syndrome), I expanded the release to include fuller context and conflict--in this case, with the successful "Back to Sleep" campaign that has drastically reduced Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

So far, five media outlets have expressed interest in the story, including two that have published it.

Well Worth A Read: The 4-Hour Workweek

I am reading The 4-Hour Workweek, by Timothy Ferriss. He's smart, he's funny, and he's so right about so many things.

The timing of my read is perfect---this week I'm working three hours every morning during a family trip to Palm Springs. The truncated timeframe is forcing me to be more focused and efficient--an approach that only hints at the insight and wisdom that Ferriss offers in his book.

If you are looking to become more productive in your work--and to take firmer control of designing your life--then his book is well worth checking out.

I'm always on the look-out for recommended reads: please take 10 seconds to e-mail me with a book suggestion.

Have you taken my "e-mail frequency" poll yet on LinkedIn? It takes another 10 seconds. Check it out here.

Biz Publication Includes My Social-Media Tips

Sometimes my work goes in streaks.

There have been times when I simultaneously represented four different medical providers--an obstetrician, a neurologist, a chiropractor and an acupuncturist.

In the past year, I've had a fair share of real estate-related work, both as a freelance writer for REALTOR magazine and as a publicist for the irrepressible Roz Byrne (check out this "Wizard of Roz" blog post here) and Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate Gloor Realty.


A recent Gloor release published in Triblocal's print edition is to the left here.

Lately, though, the trend could be summed up in three words: Social Media Central. The latest is a story in this week's edition of The Business Ledger, a weekly publication in the western suburbs of Chicago that quotes from some of my recent social-media training tips.

If you check out the story, by Associate Editor Sherri Dauskurdas, you will see it doesn't shy away from packing some social-media name-dropping punch in its headline: "Twitter away hours while LinkedIn to Facebook."

LinkedIn Survey Feature Shows Promise

With each passing day, it seems, something new emerges in the social-media realm. Or, to be more accurate, a new tweak comes to my attention for the first time.

Two weeks ago, it was my discovery that you can create surveys on LinkedIn, the professional-networking site.

Immediately, I did what I suggest anyone do when they want to see if any given application is worthwhile: I gave the new discovery a test drive by setting up a survey.

Of all things, I created a poll about folks' use of LinkedIn: "What do you primarily seek from your LinkedIn experience?"

The four choices I offered: Biz/employment opportunities, Receive Recommendations, A Social Outlet, and Innovative Ideas. (LinkedIn rotates the order in which those choices appear, by the way, to ensure I'm not steering people in any overwhelming fashion.)

So far, here are the results. As of this morning, 78 people had replied--certainly almost, if not, all from my own network, though you can enable, as I did, anyone on LinkedIn to answer your survey.

LinkedIn does all the work of categorizing the responses by gender, age, job title, job function and company size. In addition, 14 people have chimed in with supplemental comments.

As embryonic as the process has been for me, already I can see a variety of benefits flowing out of these surveys. Among them:

1. The collection of original data, tailored to your needs, for business or personal purposes.

2. Opening up a dialogue revolving around common interests.

3. Establishing your expertise, via the content contained in the questions as well as via your interpretation and commentary of the data flowing from the questions.

4. Expanding your network. Over the past two weeks, I have experienced a rise in the number of people seeking to LinkIn with me. Part of that increase, I suspect, is attributable to my survey question.

Want to take the survey? Get on LinkedIn, then click on the survey results link.

Time To `De-Link' a Non-Responsive Contact?

Last week, I recommended three people who had recently LinkedIn with me, bringing the tally of folks I've endorsed to nearly 50. For me, the quality of my contacts is much more important than the quantity.

In fact, I'm mulling whether to drop one individual from my LinkedIn roster after he did not respond to an introduction--as well as a follow-up e-mail--that I made on behalf of another one of my LinkedIn contacts.

What gives? What would you do?

In an Inside Edge PR post from last year, I outlined my philosophy of why I write recommendations for as many of my LinkedIn contacts as possible. In another post, I shared some of the how.

Lastly, for a look at the recommendations I've made on LinkedIn, go here.

Paulson: Keep Newspaper Struggles In Context

"Context."

If reporters and editors walk out of my "Go Figure: Making Numbers Count" seminars with only one word retained in their memory banks, then that's the one I wish for.

For the umpteenth time over the past eight years, that was among the points I shared on Friday. In other words, numbers communicated in isolation--without any frame of reference--are dangerous, potentially misleading, frequently useless, and bear a variety of other story-warping ills.

(You can check out a few excerpts of the session, at the New York Press Association's annual convention in Saratoga Springs, on my Go Figure: Making Numbers Count blog.)

As it turns out, the convention's keynote speaker, Ken Paulson, (pictured with me, after his talk) emphasized the same point.

The editor of USA Today and USAToday.com from 2004 until a few months ago, Paulson is now president and COO of the Newseum. When he used the "C" word, Paulson was discussing another subject--the ostensibly imminent extinction of newspapers.

He didn't specify the publications by name, but some developments that came to my mind include the recent spate of bankruptcies (see: Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times) and closings (to wit: the Rocky Mountain News, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer) among major newspapers.

The latest punch in the journalism gut, just this past weekend, comes from my original stomping grounds, as The Boston Globe is now in apparent peril (or at least being tough-talked in labor negotiations with its corporate parent, The New York Times Co.)

While noting that he was not seeking to minimize the real financial and other challenges besetting newspapers, Paulson remarked, "The sky is not falling."

He pointed out that baseball card sales have declined 71 percent since 2000. "In other words, it's not just us," said Paulson. "You look at anybody who published a product on paper and they're in the fight of their lives."

"You have to separate the troubled economy from the challenges we may face as an industry," Paulson added. "It's also probably worth noting that the people who are predicting the demise of newspapers the most are on cable television and are bloggers, and it's in their interests to suggest we don't have a bright future."

But perhaps the most intriguing and thought-provoking part of Paulson's keynote was his parallel-universe account of the 21st century introduction of the newspaper (had Johannes Gutenberg invented the digital modem instead of the mechanical printing press.)

In a humorous 2 1/2-minute riff, Paulson reeled off a list of strengths and benefits from "the invention of a new product called the newspaper."

Among his list was portability, a virus-free environment, "no annoying pop-up ads" and "a painstaking new process called fact-checking in which we actually verify information before we pass it along to you."

You can view a portion of Paulson's talk below:

In Bulldog Reporter: `Words Still Matter'

Late last year, the Medill School of Journalism solicited input from alumni about the future of journalism. I shared some thoughts at the time, but knew it was an incomplete effort.

That's almost always the way with the stories I write--the feeling that more could be done. Now, at least, those original ruminations have expanded into fuller form.

They appear today in Bulldog Reporter's Barks & Bites, in an essay bearing the headline, Words Still Matter in a Web 2.0 World: The Future of Journalism and PR Lie in Storytelling.

I invite you to check it out, and offer your perspective, either on the Bulldog Reporter site or via the Inside Edge PR blog.

My Growth Formula: Complex Assignments

If you're not growing, you're shrinking.

I am a firm believer in this truth, and it's part of what fuels me every day to learn as much as possible.

This morning, as I listened to Malcom Gladwell's "Outliers"--the supremely talented author reads the book himself--I was struck by his mention of the three elements that add up to work fulfillment.

They are autonomy, complexity, and a relationship between work and reward.

The second piece of that equation, complexity, is what I enjoy most about the ongoing assignment I have with the Chicago chapter of the Urban Land Institute.

Since September, I have had five opportunities to tackle what is (for me, anyway) the complex task of distilling more than an hour's worth of ULI discussion into a cohesive 1,000- to 1,200-word summary. You can read my reports, including the one from last Thursday's session, here.

Having covered government bodies for the better part of two decades, I have a finely tuned ear to what a variety of people say, and how it all fits into the larger web of all that is said. But because ULI talks encompass topics with which I have little familiarity, the process presents an entirely new challenge.

Although ULI gives me two days to file a summary, I usually file my report within six hours. The rapid turn-around isn't as noble as it may seem--I am eager to flesh out the session in writing before the impression of what I just learned fades to gray.

Marching Out On a Social Media Note

It's been a social-media kind of day here at Inside Edge PR international headquarters.

Walked a block down the street to Marion Street Cheese Market, where I shared some pointers on how to navigate on Facebook, LinkedIn and the like, at "Social Networking Sites--Are You Connected?"

Shared photos and some text with Triblocal.com,as well as with Helen Karakoudas at the Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest.

Later in the day, I learned from my social-media mentor, Sherri Lasko, that creating a Facebook Fan page is a piece of cake.

So now, as of 11 p.m., the Inside Edge PR fan base tally is on the verge of breaking into double-digits. For those scoring at home, that means seven people other than me and my wife have taken the plunge.

By the way, if you're curious, or even interested, in becoming a fan, the best suggestion I can give for finding the Inside Edge PR fan page is to log into Facebook and type "Inside Edge PR" into the search box.

I am confident that within a few days, I'll have learned another, much more efficient route. And that brings to mind one of the inelegant messages I shared with those who jammed inside MSCM this morning: this social-media world is a continual journey of learning something, trying it out, seeing if it works, then moving on to the next thing.

Stay tuned for what tomorrow brings.

The Five Stages Of Facebook Grief

On Tuesday, I will be giving a presentation to Oak Park-area business owners on the use of social media in business.

As part of my preparation, I was struck by the sense of dread that Facebook and its social-networking brethren routinely strike in the hearts of many business owners that I encounter.

Today, there are those who are kicking and screaming as they join Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media. Their behavior is marked by so much reluctance and trepidation that I couldn't help but create an adaptation of Kübler-Ross' Five Stages of Grief model.

What follows, then, are The Five Stages Of “Good Grief, Do I Really Need To Be on Facebook?”


1. Denial and Isolation.

At first, we tend to deny that the expansion of Facebook, from high school and college students, has taken place. We may withdraw from our usual social-networking contacts. This stage may last a few moments, or longer, especially if someone "pokes" us or tries to goad us into a virtual snowball fight.

2. Anger.
The grieving person may then be furious at Al Gore for inventing the Internet (even though he never said he did), or at the cyber-world, for letting online social interactions happen. He may be angry with himself for ever getting an e-mail account, even if, realistically, nothing could have stopped it.

3. Bargaining.

Now the grieving person may make bargains, such as this one: "If I join Facebook, can I at least stop hearing about this thing called Twitter?"

4. Depression.
When prompted by the ridiculously open-ended “What’s on your mind?” or the terse command "Write something," the person feels numb, although anger and sadness may remain underneath.

5. Acceptance.

This is when the anger, sadness and mourning have tapered off. The person simply accepts the reality that he will forevermore be in touch with hundreds, if not thousands, of people for the rest of his life. And what's more, he actually likes it.

He starts a Fan Page of an obscure 16th-century poet.

Provocative Keywords Help Spark Attention

What's in a name?

The ability to attract attention, for one thing.

This morning I was reviewing the 150-odd (some odder than others) videos on my YouTube channel.

Most of them stem from public-relations outreach I've povided for clients, such as Downtown Oak Park's mass dog wedding (a Guinness World Record attempt) in November 2008, I Do, Doggone It!

Continuing a pattern that emerged immediately after I uploaded those pooch-related videos nearly five months ago, the one with "Same-Sex Dog Marriages" in the title has easily outdistanced the other seven I Do, Doggone It! videos.

As of this morning, the same-sex clip (featuring my rather hoarse voice after a frenetic day of PR madness) had 1,318 views. By comparison, some of the other bow-vow clips, with not-so-provocative titles, are under 200 views, though a few are approaching 1,000.

How's this for an attention-grabbing title that may be in my YouTube channeling future: "AIG Bernie Madoff Rush Limbaugh Same-Sex Pro-Life Bailout Plan."

I should note, however, that the video would truly need to touch on all of the above-mentioned elements, perhaps a tongue-in-cheek first-person commentary that ties them all together (with extra-durable rope).

Provocatively named videos really ought to reflect the actual content of the video itself. Otherwise, you run a great risk in breeding resentment, which is typically not a very helpful PR tactic.

A Decade of Self-Employment: My Top 10 List

Today marks the 10th anniversary of my last day as an employee.

After eight years at The Courier News in Elgin, Ill. (then a Copley Newspaper), I resigned on March 26, 1999 to pursue a freelance marketing and writing path. Over the past decade, I've been most fortunate, with encouragement and all manners of support from my fantastic wife, Bridgett, to be able to maintain my self-employed status.

Things haven't always worked out as I planned. In fact, it's usually turned out even better.

Oftentimes, that is because I was willing to listen to the marketplace when it told me that it wasn't interested in my ideas. Then, the marketplace would add, "But, hey, if you might be able to do XYZ, would you be interested?"

Almost always, whether it's providing marketing services for a couple looking to adopt a baby girl or helping a restaurant boost its sales, my answer has been, "You bet!"

I have never applied for a job, and I have never seriously thought of doing so. My entrepreneurial streak is too strong, and the wide-ranging work has just been too fun to ever look back.

Here, then, is a Top 10 List of Self-Employment Memories, listed in no particular order, over the past 10 years.

1. From 2000 to 2004, roving around the Midwest for Time magazine in pursuit of interviews with the likes of Tiger Woods, The Smiley Face Bomber's college buddies and basketball phenom LeBron James (as a high school senior and later during his rookie season in the NBA).


2. Covering a variety of towns and cities for the Chicago Tribune (1999-2005, with a little work thereafter). After the August 2003 birth of my twin children, Zachary and Maggie Rose, I would often type up my reports with one of them sleeping in my lap.

3. Moving my office from the living room to the second bedroom to Panera and, then, in June 2007, to my current "real office" location a few miles from home.

4. Joining the Oak Park-River Forest Chamber of Commerce in October 2005 to promote my personalized story service,
Your Front Page.

While the service has not quite captured the public's imagination (yet), that first Chamber meeting led to a great six-month gig as community relations liaison for Boston Market's healthier-food prototype experiment in River Forest.

5. In the summer of 2006, joining Oak Park Partners, a chapter of Business Networking International (BNI) whose purpose is to provide client referrals to one another.

The affiliation has surrounded me with top individuals who have not only referred numerous clients to me, but have also inspired me to develop myself professionally.

6. Realizing in late 2006 that, OK, I guess it was all right to call myself a publicist. After more than 20 years as a diehard journalist, this was no simple step. Of course, my entire Inside Edge philosophy revolves around the journalistic information-gathering and story-telling style.

7. Following a suggestion by a former editor, Scott Stone (now a Daily Herald VP) and creating a math literacy seminar for journalists, Go Figure: Making Numbers Count.

That move has sent me all around the country since 2001, training the media (usually at state press association conventions) as I share my passion for telling stories skillfully, ethically and responsibly. My next training is in eight days, at the New York Press Association convention in Saratoga Springs.

8. In October 1999, getting published in Sports Illustrated, the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. The brief item on the Home Run Power Ratio, a baseball statistic I created, provided me with a much-needed confidence boost.

9. In January 2007, catching on with Five Seasons Sports Club as the publicist for its Northbrook and Burr Ridge clubs, and immediately helping secure global coverage for a Guinness World Record attempt.

10. Delivering phone books one day in November 1999. I got a bonus for being extra-diligent in securing signatures from recipients!

I have certainly overlooked dozens of other worthy candidates. But there's always my Top 20 list, due for release on March 26, 2019.

A Bounce-Back PR Tale, In More Ways Than One

Whenever I agree to represent a business, it must pass my "newsroom vet litmus test."

In other words, if I were writing for a newspaper or magazine and someone pitched the story to me, would I be genuinely interested in at least digging into story suggestions about this company?

In September, after a client, Robust Promotions of Villa Park, found me via my LinkedIn account, I knew in short order that the answer, in terms of its news potential, was a resounding "yes!"

So I was more than a little baffled by the media's luke-warm response to the firm's story, which teems with relevance and newsworthiness.

Over the past few years, Robust Promotions has helped nearly 100 restaurant chains boost sales via repeat business by creating innovative scratch-to-win cards.

Talk about a local small business making good--and playing a key role in helping numerous other businesses survive and even thrive amid these trying times. Fortunately, the Chicago Tribune's online user-generated adjunct website, Triblocal has emerged with a weekly print edition in 10 zones spanning 50 communities throughout the region.

This development has given more than a few of my releases a second bite at the media-coverage apple. This time around, the story got picked up. You can read about the piece on Triblocal's Villa Park community page. As of this writing, some 80 people have clicked on the story.

Or, if you are one of the roughly 13,000 Trib print edition subscribers in Elmhurst, Lombard or Villa Park, it's on page 5 of the March 19-25 Triblocal print edition.

Any Chicago-area business or group that is not factoring in the increasingly aggressive Triblocal into its media-outreach strategy, both online and in print, is squandering its external communications potential.

Versatile Pitches Provide Multiple PR Options

Whenever you can offer the media a story suggestion that has versatility--it can be a human interest feature, a health and wellness story, and a business piece, for example--then it provides you with bigger placement potential.

In other words, if a given outlet isn't interested in the story under Category A, then you still have a chance that it will be deemed a fit for Category B or C.

A recent news release that I developed for Five Seasons Sports Club in Burr Ridge fits this description. I wrote about a corporate wellness program that Five Seasons has launched, with the release detailing the experience that corporate neighbor Turtle Wax, based in Willowbrook, has enjoyed with the club.

You can read the release at Triblocal.com as well as see the Triblocal photo gallery I created.

Included in the story is a video of one of Turtle Wax's employees talking about how the program has helped improve his health. Check out the interview on YouTube here.

Social Media Create New Adoption Options

A recent CNN.com story on innovative social-media approaches to adopting children is just the latest example of how our world has drastically changed in recent years.

I've documented numerous examples, in this blog and elsewhere, that underscore how the collective "traditional" media is no longer the sole arbiter of what is newsworthy. (News flash! ANYONE can create their own printing press or video channel these days.)

Likewise, adoption agencies, all too many of which have financially preyed upon the hopes and dreams of those seeking to start families, are now far from the only game in town.

And that welcome development is thanks largely to sites like Facebook and YouTube and LinkedIn, as well as other sites that foster viral FOAFOAF (friend of a friend of a friend) communications.

I recently began helping a wonderful Chicago-area couple seeking to take this very path. They have two sons already (one biologically, one via adoption) and their heartfelt desire is to add a girl to their family.

More details to come, but in the meantime, if you know of anyone who may be a match for them, please shoot me an email at matt@insideedgepr.com or call me at 708-860-1380.

PR As Hoops: Following Your Own Shot

Playing basketball over the years, I've been pretty adept at offensive rebounding, even if I was no Dennis Rodman (pictured). Often, it's because I've known better than anyone else on the court exactly how that shot I just took was going to careen wildly off the rim.

I try to adopt the same mindset in life--following up with new acquaintances, old friends and assorted family members in my personal life and, of course, the media in my professional pursuits.

Once they say "yes" to a story, then there's a fair chance they'll say "sure, why not?" if I suggest a follow-up piece months or even years later.

When I was a newspaper reporter, a solid chunk of my work was following up on one story or another, whether it was my "Where Are They Now?" columns for The (Elgin, Ill.) Courier News in the early 1990s or keeping track of criminal cases, municipal matters or any variety of news threads that I, or even a colleague, had begun at some point in the past.

This all comes to mind on the heels of Windy City Sports'
recent feature story on Wayne Arner.

He is a member of Five Seasons Sports Club in Northbrook, a client of mine. There, Wayne has transformed his fitness level over the past 2 1/2 years from overweight and easily fatigued to his current stature as a rock-hard triathlete to be reckoned with.

What's so fun about Wayne's story is that it's far from over--he's just now beginning to hit his stride. And now that he's been featured in publications like Pioneer Press and Windy City Sports, and on sites like Triblocal.com, there's a natural media interest in checking in on how he's faring, in order to update readers.

I've promised Wayne we won't use up all of his 15 minutes of fame, but I'll do my best to fill up as much of that span as possible!

A First: My Numbers Cameo In GO Magazine

A few times over the years, I've pitched airline magazines with story ideas. Alas, none of those overtures have, um, gotten off the ground.

But I recently had the good fortune of being quoted in GO Magazine, AirTran Airways' inflight magazine.

Some of my observations about numbers, and their interplay with we humans, formed the basis for a sidebar ("Prime Numbers") that freelance journalist Geoff Williams wrote, accompanying his engaging main piece, "The Importance of Numbers: 5 Reasons You Will Read This Article."

To read the entire package, you can find the main story and sidebar in GO Magazine's online archives.

To see the sidebar as it appeared in print, click on the image that runs alongside this post.

For a sample of my numeracy writing, under my "Go Figure: Making Numbers Count" training program for journalists and other professionals, you can read this piece on the Inside Edge PR website's Resources page.

(Special thanks to Brooke Porter, GO Magazine's managing editor, for graciously providing me with the copy of the article and granting permission for me to blog about it.)

Hyper-Oprah Messaging A Sign of The Times

When I was starting out as a newspaper reporter, Ronald Reagan was in his first term as U.S. President, there were three main choices on television and “hyperlocal journalism” meant that I had a lot of energy pedaling my bicycle around town in pursuit of my next story for the Marshfield (Ma.) Mariner.

But now “hyperlocal” is part of our desperately fragmented communications culture. Media outlets, especially newspapers, are busily trying to outdo one another with coverage of your backyard—and if that’s not personal enough, maybe even that patch of dirt on the edge of your backyard (with photos and bar charts!).

Today’s Chicago Tribune included a piece by Bonnie Miller Rubin (“Pitch writ large aimed at Oprah”) that highlighted an advertising companion to this approach. Let’s call it Hyper-Oprahism.

A charitable organization that has tried to get her attention via the traditional route (pitching stories to her show’s producers for a decade) placed seven billboard ads that were addressed specifically to Oprah:

"Oprah, 3 million children with clefts need our help,” declares The Smile Train message. ”We need yours."

Though the gurus at Harpo Productions are still declining to profile the group, the Trib’s piece—and the guaranteed spin-off stories it will spawn—can’t help but boost the organization’s fund-raising efforts.

In the end, The Smile Train should be smiling even more broadly--and so will anyone who takes a cue from their out-of-the-box approach.