Oprah Winfrey is set for a big 2011. She's launching a new cable TV network today. Image via Wikipedia
A few years ago, Oprah Winfrey got it right when it came to New Year’s: “Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.”
When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, perhaps the PR people and employee communications folks among us have another chance to get it right. Here’s what I propose we all resolve to do in 2011:
- Stop cross pollinating social media channels indiscriminately. No more automatic feeds from one channel into another. That means, no more automatic tweets proclaiming your new Foursquare badge and no more Gowalla check-ins on Twitter either. And certainly, no tweets on your Linked In profile. And no Facebook places. Ever. That’s just not what people signed up for.
- Along those same lines, stop sending Linked In invitations which use the default message: ”I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.” Seriously, can’t you take a moment to come up with something specific to the person you are seeking to connect with?
- When you issue a news release, make sure it has some news.
- When you call a reporter, be sure you know if they are coming up on their deadline. If they are, don’t call unless the reporter asked you to as part of the story they are working on.
- When you write any kind of employee communication, consider how the most cynical person in your workforce will react. Revise the tone in your final draft accordingly.
- When you write an email, tweet a thought, or utter a word to a reporter, ask yourself, “Would I be embarrassed to see this quoted on the front page of the paper tomorrow?”
- When you issue a news release, consider how you can leverage social media to get the news out. (Too often, PR people new to social media fail to think on those terms.) Maybe you should consider issuing a social media news release, too.
- When you post an Intranet story, come up with a compelling lede and a catchy headline. Your co-workers will thank you.
- If you’re a PR person, consult with your employee communications counterpart before you announce news. If you’re an employee communications person, give your PR counterpart a heads-up to something a reporter might be interested in. (Integrating those two disciplines makes a lot of sense.)
- Whatever your role on your team, use photography and video more. Remember, pictures (still or moving) always make for a more compelling story.
Related articles
- HOW TO: Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions Using Social Media (mashable.com)
- Top 10 Social Networking Resolutions for Business in 2011 (ipwatchdog.com)
- 10 Social Media Resolutions for ’11 (socialmediatoday.com)
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Couldn’t agree more. Those automatic feeds must end! I still crack up thinking about the time my sister-in-law chided my brother-in-law on Facebook stating “Dan, it appears that all you do is eat.” He tired to explain to her that those posts were his Foursquare check-ins. Her only reply was “What’s your point? I really don’t care where you eat breakfast and I think everyone else is sick of reading about it, too.”
While I agree with your cross pollination reduction, I do find some local people and establishments they are at from their Foursquare tweets. My 4sq check-ins that are sent to my Twitter feed are ones that I hope do the same for others. I never tweet my Gowalla check-ins. As well as no Twitter on LinkedIn. And I never plan to check in from Facebook Places. Just not what I use FB for.
The rest of your top 10 I am in full agreement with. Will be great to see other follow these same resolutions.
The occasional foursquare or Gowalla tweet is great, especially when there is some commentary. Otherswise, I’m not a fan. The same goes with the “The ______ Daily is Out!”
Ugh.