Timing = The Great PR/Agency Social Media Enemy

Controlling the Conversation – Part 2 of 3 on the Impact of Social Media and Marketing Agencies

In my first post of this series, we talked about how some agencies have gotten in hot water as a result of social media.  Another aspect of social media that I find very interesting and potentially dangerous, given my background in public relations, is timing.

Anyone today with a cell phone is now capable of reporting news.  One cable news station has branded them “i-Reporters.”  With the advent of the Internet, and even before with 24-hour cable news stations, there is a rush to be “the first,” – first on the scene, first to get it on the air, first, first, first, but at what expense?

In PR school, I learned that whenever possible, good news or bad, you want to be the one controlling the release of information to the public.  You want it to be on your terms and your timing – pro-active vs. re-active.  But is this even possible now with Twitter and Facebook?

Take for example the announcement on Memorial Day that Ohio State University Head Football Coach Jim Tressel was stepping down as coach.  The following day, there was quite a debate on Twitter about the timing of this announcement.

Were Tressel and OSU being disrespectful towards the media by “upstaging” them with this announcement?  I was honestly surprised by the vehement reaction that I read.  Many people were upset that this was announced on a day we set aside to honor our fallen soldiers.

I honestly saw it as a case where OSU and Tressel wanted the chance to release the information before anyone else did, such as a student-intern in the Athletic Director’s office who happened to see the resignation letter or overhear the conversation.  How much “news” is being leaked by someone being in the right place at the right time with a 4G cell phone and Twitter account?

Controlling the release of news – good or bad – can be critical to how you manage your company’s image.  If you think something is going to leak before you have the chance to get it out there, even if it’s a holiday or you’re not ready on your end, sometimes it’s best to get it out there first so you can control the message and mitigate the damage.

So what’s the implication of this for marketing agencies?   A lot of agencies talk 360 and 24/7, and social media makes that even more real.  Here are a few ways you can provide value to your social media clients:

• Monitor what’s being said about them on Twitter, on Facebook and in blogs.  Then be prepared to create strategies with the data.  Blogger relations is an exciting arena and can open up a world of third party recommendations/reviews of your clients’ products.
• News breaks on the weekends or during your daughter’s dance recital.  Everyone’s entitled to a life and personal time but make sure your clients can reach you in an emergency situation.
• Whenever possible, make sure you are controlling the announcement of good or bad news.  Ironically, reporters usually aren’t in a hurry to jump over good news.  If you think you may get scooped by that intern in the Athletic Director’s office, release it sooner rather than later.

Many of your clients still don’t know how to use social media and they certainly don’t use it fully and to their advantage.  This is a chance for your agency to shine by providing that value add to your clients and opening up another channel for them to engage their customers.