AdferoGroup

Four years ago, technology journalist Tom Foremski deemed the press release “nearly useless,” a PR tool that is far more likely to line a trash can than to earn media coverage.

Fed up with the wasted effort and expense that goes into pushing out a press release, Foremski offered a new proposal: “deconstruct” the traditional press release into straightforward factual nuggets and list quotes from C-level executives that publishers could piece together to form a news story. By using tags to indicate company-generated content, journalists would be free to add their own angle without duplicating the effort that typically goes into rewriting facts.

The “Die! Press Release! Die! Die! Die!” blog post turned out to be something of a watershed moment for the public relations community. Foremski’s critique became the basis for the social media press release, an innovation many predicted would transform the industry.

There is no denying RockMelt, the new social web browser from former Netscape founder Marc Andreessen, is really, really cool. Like all of the latest tech fads (anybody remember Google Wave?), this comes with plenty of hype and but does not really deliver.

The browser is social, connecting you with Facebook and Twitter. You can add feeds of your favorite websites (I added ESPN and New York Times). And, it puts it in one convenient location. All of this is really cool, no arguments here.

But, it is not perfect. The current incarnation only offers the incorporation of two social networks: Facebook and Twitter. Myspace, Tumblr, Digg, and Flickr are all given the cold shoulder. But this is insignificant because RockMelt (hopefully) will be integrating other social networks in future versions of the browser.

It all started with a convivial conversation about video games – but those never remain convivial for long. The conversation quickly shifted to the popular game Rockband and before we knew it… the Battle of K Street was born.

Last Friday, Suite 250 at 1666 K Street closed up shop a bit early, as Adfero Groupers and our neighboring officemates from Fireside 21 suited up in their best rock attire for the showdown. Bands consisted of four members each, one for every instrument. Thanks to a few automated band name generator websites, groups like the Claw of the Holiday and The Hideous Barnacle Hammers added their names to the line-up.

The rules were simple – a qualifying round in which each band played one song of their choosing, followed by a final round with the three highest scoring qualifying bands. Though the battle was a close one, The Crack in Iraq is Wack proved victorious after a grueling set list of Blink 182, Bob Marley & Stone Temple Pilots.

Media relations is no easy task. Journalists are busy people, and when pushing your client’s message, you have a small window of opportunity to gain a reporter’s attention, relay the message and achieve the media hit that keeps you in business.

Pitching bloggers can be more difficult still, in part because bloggers do not always hold themselves to the same journalistic standards as the traditional press. Make a misstep with a blogger and you may find your message turned on its head, doing damage rather than benefit.

As a PR exec, I know pitching is tough. Beyond that, no one is perfect. It’s a learning process every time, refining and adapting as you go. But in addition to my PR work, I run a blog on homeland security, Security Debrief, which allows me to offer perspective on pitching from the other side of the fence.

For most PR professionals, continuing education means learning about the latest communications tactics.

Over the past year, Adfero Group and the National Press Club have sponsored the Get PR Smart series to focus on exactly these sorts of tactics: how to use the latest social media tools, how to connect more directly with a target audience, and how to effectively engage in media monitoring.

The next event – scheduled for Friday, December 10 – will take a different approach. The seminar will address one of the most important, but often overlooked, subjects for both PR professionals and clients: Establishing a Meaningful Client/Agency Relationship.