When I worked in Public Relations: A Blogger’s Perspective
When I was in college all I wanted to study was Journalism, after I wanted to be an actor, singer, and fashion designer. But I couldn’t because I worked in a full-time position during the day, when all the Journalism courses were taking place. So, I settled for a degree in Communications.
My position was never an executive one, I never managed a staff, I was more the person who pitched, much like the public relations people who pitch me today. I handled media alerts, press releases, and a whole mess of yucky work, like events, compiling info from Lexis Nexus, and looking up contact from Burrelles, etc. Yet, I had a nice salary, and though I didn’t work for an agency who could afford large client perks, it had its moments.
When things weren’t all rosy and happy, I had my little community of public relations family to talk to. Like for example, when a client’s expectations were incredibly unrealistic and over the top, or went beyond the allowable budget or timeframes, our little public relations family came together and figured it out.
Or when a journalist was a complete elitist, entitled, rude, and unprofessional jerk -yes, journalists, real journalists behave this way too – I had my little family there to vent with. There were times when even the lowest level reporter would come on site and be awful to work with – I can see their faces now – and there was nothing we could do, because we needed them so.
This is why, as someone on the media end, I am baffled by the comments and statements often made by some public relations representatives and their view and opinion of bloggers.
Granted, a lot of bloggers have it coming. Because just like not everyone is a good swimmer, not everyone is a great blogger and if that blogger is looking to be a business as well, then it lowers the number even further.
I am of the belief that bloggers – good, hardworking bloggers, who have invested time away from their families and lives to build their brand, their blogs, and their presence – should be compensated. Though I don’t believe public relations representatives are the ones to go to for actual compensation, but they can help us get there.
Public Relations is the bridge to the blogger’s means.
Those relationships are important and we, as bloggers, should give them the value and care they deserve. However, I believe public relations representatives should also nurture and give value to their relationships with bloggers and those in the social media world, because in general, we will treat you better.
I remember the days before blogging when I would send out pitches to major newspapers, television networks, and other traditional media, followed by phone calls basically “begging” them to pick up our stories and they knew we needed them. Less often was the case when they reached out to us for a story, and when they did, we bent over backwards and inside out, delighted that they wanted to feature our client in their segments. Each feature was a merit for us and a positive check mark on our client’s report.
I remember working early mornings, late nights or weekend shoots, catering to the reporter’s every whim and often time not getting much respect or praise for it. Oh yes, I remember.
Bloggers, great bloggers, the ones public relations and marketers crave, will never treat people poorly. We get the pitches, the last minute requests, the invitations, and we write, we feature, we tweet, we come in droves.
So why then do we merit any less respect? Why are we less valuable? Why, oh why would we be referred to as transients who shouldn’t expect anything for what we do, such as pay or the merit of being pointed out to the client as someone to note? The beauty of working with bloggers is that you don’t have to work with the ones you don’t want to. Met a bad apple? Don’t generalize, just move on. We bloggers can, and will, do the same.
We are not just housewives, or stay-at-home dads who lost their jobs, and so decided to stay with the kids and blog. Some of us don’t even have kids. Most of us, a lot more then you would think, actually quit our jobs to pursue this venture. Yes, we spend endless hours in front of the computer while in our pajamas. But most of the time, while you are out of the office, and home sleeping, we are going through your pitches, the many photos we took at your event, researching your client, so that we could write that piece that would help our readers and make you look good. All of this work in hours most public relations people, no matter what level, would never dream of putting into their jobs. And we do it more often then not, for free. Not even real journalists work that hard.
I constantly encourage my blogging and social media peers to fly right. If you want your blog to be a business, treat it as such, behave and present yourself accordingly. Set your worth and show through your work that you are worth it.
And for my public relations people I say, erase those stereotypes from your mind, they are working against you and keeping you from not only getting to know the space better, but from building relationships that can be invaluable in the long run.
A lot of us aren’t journalists, and we’re not wanting to be. We are writers. Bloggers. Entrepreneurs. Creators of lovely visions and messages. Networkers. Influencers. We connect you with them.
Bloggers are the bridge to the public relations’ means.
And more often then not, we are the best thing that could happen to your client and your business. Do your research, study us, vet us, ask around about us, read our blogs, talk to your peers and remember that this new era is not a bad or scary one, but a great new opportunity.
I have the fortune of working with an amazing group of agencies and public relations people. I’ve had to do some researching and weeding and vetting myself to know where to set my sights and who is worth my time. It works both ways. It takes time and it’s not always easy. But most of all, it takes the respect of each other’s work. Without that, we will never get past the things that ail us in this new platform and we will miss out.
Carrie with Children
Hi Carol – I can definitely relate to your post – I'm a former PR pro, turned stay at home mom/ newbie blogger by choice! It's been very interesting to see the "other side" of the PR/Blogger relationship.
I'd love to "talk shop" with you sometime. My site is http://www.CarrieWithChildren.com I'm also on Twitter at @CarrieWChildren.
Carol Cain
Hi Carrie, any time! I am still sadden by the supposed PR rep whose comments inspired this post. She gives my former career and the many amazing people in it a really bad rep.
Wendy Limauge (aka S
I really enjoyed your post Carol. I follow you on FB and read just about everything you write. I'm just a few hours away in CT so I'm always looking for things to do in NYC and your take on hotels, etc.
I am also a full-time blogger, earning a living with my 4 sites.
Could it be that some bloggers have set a bad tone so that PR people kind of lump us all together? I don't know because I don't hang around with "bad apples". I stick with the positive people who are trying to accomplish something.
Maybe PR companies think of us an uneducated. I didn't go to college but I have owned my own businesses for 20 years now, first as a computer consultant/web designer, then a wholesale business owner and now blogger, and have always been an entrepreneur since I was a child. I consider myself "smarter than the average bear" (than you Yogi) so college isn't even something that matters to me as far as what I can accomplish.
I think it all basically goes back to the golden rule – do unto others as you would have them do unto you – it's something to live by. I treat everyone who emails me with respect and I usually get the same back.
Keep up the good work and writing 🙂
Oh, and I still haven't figured out how to write a press release
Carol Cain
Wendy Limauge (aka SThanks Wendy. Honestly, I think it is two things: as PR ppl (putting that hat on for a bit), we come across bad apples with members of the traditional media all the time. Poorly behave, entitled, demanding, and some of them really suck at their jobs, even with a degree. But, we would never say anything to them and risk the raft of the media outlet (and loss of our jobs) to fall upon us. I think this is the case with bloggers yes, but I also think that the fact that we work from home "in our pjs and don't have to get dressed in a suit and tie and be in an office by 8am" -I loosely quote an awful PR rep there- does make the uneducated PR person generalize and make assumptions about us and our worth.
So, in short, yes there are bad apples, but there have always been. The lack of education is not the bloggers, it is the PR people who make the assumptions and generalizations on who we are.
Jennifer Hutcheson @
Bravo! I have to say that this is one of the best posts I've read! You are spot on and because I too have worked on both sides I can completely relate. Thank you for giving a voice to the bloggers and helping to build a stronger blogger/pr bridge.
-Jennifer
Carol Cain
Jennifer Hutcheson @Thank you Jennifer!
Ana L. Flores
Yes!! You know that I feel exactly this way, as well. It was part of our convo yesterday.
I insist that bloggers are not journalist or traditional media people, and we don´t want to be put into that corner just because it´s an easy (lazy) fit.
We are evolving in a new medium that is still going through growing pains, but it is conversations such as this one that will help to shape its form.
I am one of those bloggers that has said no to her formal career (as a TV producer) to invest my time and efforts into a medium I have become passionate about. Thanks for writing this for us.
Melisa
This was a fantastic post, Carol. It's always great to hear your perspective on things, not only because you've been on both sides but because you are honest, to-the-point, and sensible. Great job! (Tweeting this link…NOW!)
Barbara
Hi Carol –
I am saddened by anyone in the media relations business who does not understand the true value of forming symbiotic and great working relationships with bloggers. Your perspective as a former PR professional may be why you are such a joy to work with in all respects.
I have been a media relations professional for a long time :). In the early 90's I saw the future of the web and its power and I began to explore social media and how it might add to my professional and personal life. As the time has gone on it should be clear to all media professionals – editors and producers of traditional media are being buried with pitches that they can no longer even address. The truly wonderful aspect of working with bloggers is that you do not have to wait for an editor or producer to agree to take your story to your intended audience. You can now work with bloggers who *are* your audience – and they talk to others who you want to reach with your information. Many of the people I know feel much more of a sense of trust reading what the bloggers they follow say — Moms talking to Moms; Military folks talking to other military folks etc. And when bloggers do it right – they are transparent about how they received the good and services they are discussing.
I truly value the relationships I have with bloggers because we have also connected on more than just professional levels – we use social media to get to know each other as well.
Thanks for writing this for both ends of the spectrum. It's a pleasure working with you and getting to know you. Thanks for the opportunity, Carol 🙂
Carol Cain
BarbaraThank you Barbara for sharing your perspective as well. Your understanding of it all also makes it the reason it is so great working with you as well. Very happy to know you. xoxo
Frankie De Soto
Excellent post. As a blogger who owns two blogs, I consider myself a new media curator and content creator, not a PR or journalist. I like to provide information and collaborate on topics. I feel that traditional and PR professionals failed at this opportunity which is a majority of the newspaper industry collapsed, they never wanted to adapt to a evolving communication and technology culture where everybody can be in media.
Yakini
VERY well put, Carol. Thank you for this!
Amy @ The Q Family
I don't think I have anything to add except THANK YOU! I think you have written it all out and beautifully explain it well.
Susan Payton
Wow, what a rant. Not really a rant. But I get ya. I'm on both sides of the fence: I blog and get pitched to, and I pitch to bloggers, being in PR.
I still fight to get bloggers paid for projects. They deserve it. Time is money. But PR agencies don't always have that say with their clients. I'm lucky in that I run my company so I can (to a degree) tell my clients what they need to do with respect to working with bloggers.
It'll come. It's just slow for PR peeps to recognize that bloggers are journalists.