One of the most challenging aspects of public relations work is accepting – and even embracing – the loss of control that is inherent in what we do. From opening the morning paper to read the article that results from a media pitch, to watching a room fill up at a planned event, to launching a Facebook promotion and monitoring to see how many fans engage, the one thing we all learn early in this career is that there are no guarantees.
But that’s also what makes PR exhilarating and rewarding: that trust in the fact that more times than not, the benefits of allowing others to speak on behalf of our clients (if we’ve done our jobs well) far outweigh the risks involved. Nowhere is that more true now than in social media. As PR practitioners, we’re well versed in helping our clients understand that a loss of control over messaging and reaction to that messaging can be a positive thing for them and their brands. On the social Web, the value of authenticity is high, content is king (or queen), and the voices of real people engender a more favorable response than canned corporate-speak.
Yet, many companies and organizations are ignoring one of the most obvious resources they have in creating an engaging, authentic social media presence: their employees. Every day, front-line employees are interacting with customers. Often, they are the first – and hopefully not last – interaction that people will have with a brand. In our latest white paper, “Striking Gold: Build Your Brand by Mining Employee Stories,” we explore this potential goldmine. Take a look. Maybe it will inspire you to risk a little loss of control in exchange for storytelling that builds your brand.
Image Credit: Martin Deutsch
As design director at Cookerly, Tim serves as the creative lead in the development of branding campaigns, print collateral and digital media for clients across a broad range of industries, including consumer, professional services, healthcare and technology.
As a senior vice president at Cookerly, Mike Rieman is a strategic communications leader specializing in media relations and reputation management. With a proven track record of securing high-profile placements in top-tier outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN and USA Today, he excels at crafting compelling narratives that resonate across print, broadcast and digital platforms.
Mike Touhill is vice president at Cookerly Public Relations, where he helps lead traditional, social and digital media programs for B2B and B2C clients in packaging, telecommunications and technology, among other industries. As a communication leader, he develops and executes public relations strategy, provides proactive and reactive counsel to C-level executives and secures earned media coverage for client initiatives and product.
Andrew Agan is a vice president at Cookerly Public Relations, overseeing the agency’s internship program and leading media relations, content strategy and social media initiatives. He provides counsel and executes campaigns for clients across various sectors, including finance, healthcare, hospitality, technology, automotive and many others. Andrew excels at crafting compelling stories and building media relationships, resulting in clients being featured in notable outlets such as CNBC, Associated Press, Business Insider, Fox Business, HBO, Inc. Magazine, Sirius XM, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today, among others.
As vice president of Cookerly, Sheryl Sellaway uses her extensive corporate communications background to lead consumer PR efforts, deliver strategy for marketing programs and share expertise about community initiatives.