When SEO Became Digital Relevance (Also Known As Original Content And Earned Media)
If you work in public relations or communications and didn’t catch this story about Slingshot SEO in the Indianapolis Business Journal over the weekend, read it now. Pay particular attention to this paragraph: Digital Relevance believes it stakes better odds of earning media interest by providing research showing industry trends rather than pitching often-rejected news stories about new products or services. Meanwhile, other employees are researching online news websites and trade...
Read MorePrice Points: It’s Not You. It’s Your Failure To Read The Market.
There’s a beautiful home for sale in my neighborhood. The historic property has been redone with all the finest upgrades, and the owner clearly loves the house he spent almost two years and countless hours of his own time restoring. Last September, he put it on the market as a FSBO. He held open houses every weekend, and lots of people, including nosy neighbors like yours truly, stopped by. He even had a few offers. But no sale. So he raised the price (presumably to cover the commission)...
Read MoreIBJ Forefront: “The rise of a new Hoosier swing voter”
Almost two years ago, the Indianapolis Business Journal asked me to be part of a group of regular writers for a special, bimonthly section called Forefront, which features political opinion columns focused on local and state news. This week, my piece on the rise of a new Indiana swing voting population is featured on the cover of the section. I’ve posted the text of the column below. Quick, describe a Hoosier swing voter. White, married, middle-class male from southern Indiana, somewhere...
Read MoreMedia Training: Indiana Motor Truck Association Future Leaders of Indiana
Many thanks to the Indiana Motor Truck Association for the recent invitation to discuss media and public relations with their Future Leaders of Indiana Council. Participants also heard from KWK Management Group principal Kelli Waggoner, who talked about government affairs and lobbying at the Statehouse. It was a great event, and it was a pleasure to be part of the agenda. Pictured here (L to R): Eli McCormick, Kelli Waggoner (KWK Management Group), Jacob Nichols, Robert Haag, Jennifer Wagner...
Read MoreAP: “The Big Game 2.0: Are You Adapting?”
Submitted with the standard caveat that sports advertising, journalism and public relations is very, very different from any other industry or topic, this AP video still makes some incredibly compelling points about the globalization and digitization of media. (h/t Politico...
Read MoreWashington Post: “Home is right where Potomac Law Group wants its workers to be”
A disruptive business model that puts experience and quality work product above fancy offices and layers of expensive overhead? This Washington Post story sure sounds a lot like what we’ve set out to accomplish in the field of public and media relations. Lieber, who calls himself a “disrupter,” said he has invented a new delivery vehicle in a town filled with law firms that have been slow to evolve. Lieber charges clients around $300 an hour for his lawyers. He turns around and pays...
Read MoreMedia Training: Indiana State Bar Association Leadership Development Academy
The Indiana State Bar Association recently asked me to moderate a media training for their 2013 Leadership Development Academy. Participants watched and critiqued “good” mock interviews with WISH-TV political reporter Jim Shella and Indiana Fiscal Policy Institute president John Ketzenberger. I offered myself up for the “bad” mock interview, where we showcased all the things you never want to see a source do or say on camera. Participants then had a chance to ask Jim and...
Read MoreDegree Of Difficulty: Two Reasons Why Big Clients Should Pay Smaller Retainers
In the traditional world of PR pricing, big clients almost always pay more. The sales pitch is that big clients require more resources, need more attention. The reality is they have more money, so agencies ask them to pay higher fees. Reality check: Big clients with big budgets should actually pay a more equitable rate and make better hiring decisions when it comes to outside PR and communications counsel. There are two reasons why. First, almost all of those clients come to the table with...
Read MoreLessons In Productivity: Track Your Time For A Week
Think you’re incredibly productive, spending every hour of every day laser-focused on your clients’ needs or developing new business? I bet you’re not, and I bet you don’t realize just how much time you spend browsing Pinterest and checking Facebook. Don’t worry. I’m not picking on you. It happens to everyone, and the best solution is to find out what you’re focused on by tracking your time. Even if you work in an industry where you regularly monitor...
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