Is Twitter just E-Litter?

I've been wondering, asking, inquiring and digging around to find out if there's really any business value to Twitter and tweets.

What do you think? Share your opinions, advice, success stories. My e-mail

A special report is coming soon!

-R

Post-TV Coverage: Order that video for your client, but WAIT!!!

FOX4 in spent the entire morning and afternoon with my client. The TV station aired at least three live segments for the show. Later that afternoon, the FOX news team arrived and did another story.

It was Earth Day 2009, and it was a Big Day for Techway Services, a small, woman-owned business in Arlington, Texas, that provides e-recycling services throughout North Texas.

Techway was covered by FOX, ABC and WB33. And when the adrenalin rush of working with TV reporters ended, the client wanted video clips of the coverage. Click here for pics.

Not a problem. This request is PR Standard Operating Procedure, so I called up the same company I've used for almost two decades. They are a news clipping service. They can quickly run a video news search, find the TV segments, record them to DVD and/or digital format,and send them to you. It's usually $75-$125 per DVD.

I order the clips. The client pays the bill. I get an e-mail with hyperlinks that allow me to download them. Cool.

I forward the e-mail and links to the client, and tell them to download them. A week later, my client asks about the status of the clips. I explain, then backtrack and discover that the clips were never downloaded. And I couldn't find any record of me downloading them.

No problem. I call my "ever-reliable" video clipping resource. I need to download them, or get them on DVD. Please. Please re-send.

Easy enough. Right?

Turns out, you have to download the videos within a defined timeframe. Ouch. My bad. Sorry about that. I'll remember that for next time. "Can you please re-send and let me go ahead and download those clips my client has paid for ... Huh? ... What?! You're kidding!"

The video service will not re-send the links. They want to charge us again to re-send the links and get the clips.

So, I pay twice and get one set of clips OR I pay for one set of clips and NEVER get the clips. Am I missing something?

My client and I are out $200 and get nothing because they didn't follow directions? Uh, because I didn't follow directions? Yeah, that one hurts.

I was so concerned I even talked to the regional sales person for this video service. He wouldn't budge. "Pay again or nada."

I was so stunned (and mad!) that I sent the guy an e-mail--a tersely worded e-mail--that read: "Dear (Name), I'm extremely upset that (Name) will not provide the digital stream ordered by my client--and paid by my client. And despite their payment, it does not have any video footage they ordered from you. We did not realize that it must be downloaded within a time period, and that was the only option for receiving the footage. Seems to me that borders on unethical business practices, i.e., magazines that say you are a subscriber and will pay in full unless you unsubscribe. If not illegal, your attitude is unprofessional and inappropriate. I'm astounded at your stance, especially since I've worked with (Name) since the 1990s and never had a problem. As a 25-year communicator in the area, I will be sure to alert my network of professional communicators that (Name) is not to be trusted, or used. In fact, I'll be writing a blog article detailing this experience."

He replied. His e-mail read: "In fact we indeed did provide the digital stream, ordered by your client. We sent the stream to you and you stated you downloaded, and sent the links to the client. With your experience with (Name)you understand we place a message in the email of the link needing to be downloaded. As for the only option to receive the footage, (Person) was working with the client, they wanted a DVD, and you requested the digital stream, per (person)We sent the stream to you, as requested, thus completing your order. Upon receiving your note stating you downloaded the stream, and sent it to the client and the client was unable to open due to expiration of the link. I expressed to (person) to supply you with another order, at the copy cost rather than the cost of a new order. I’m sorry you feel compelled to assassinate my character. We have been completely forthright with you and made every attempt to accommodate your situation. However, your demand that we supply you with a new order at no cost seems extraordinary. I would compare this situation to the purchase of a vase from a store, taking it home, and placing it on the mantle. After having the vase for 10 days, dusting the mantle, the vase accidently falls and is shattered. Would you return the pieces, to the location you purchased the vase from, and demand another vase – at no additional cost?"

Speechless. Stunned. Shocked. Not even sure what to say, or even think.

In retrospect, my e-mail should have been less inflammatory and less emotional. I should have stuck to the facts and simply shared that I would no longer use their services. End of discussion.

=============================
SERVICES FOR VIDEO/TV CLIPPINGS
=============================

• Moba Media
  
• BurrellsLuce
  
• MetroMonitor
  
• List of providers #1
• List of providers #2
  

The bottom line?

• I now spend my money with a different video monitoring service provider that I really like, and yes I went ahead and paid the cost for the clips and gave them to the client.

• I am more than willing to tell this tale of woe to anyone who cares to listen. Just be wary and cautious when it comes to who does what. Seek providers with common sense. Make sure they value your relationship and don't just think of transactions.

• My client NEVER received the video clips OR A CREDIT to their account balance, and this one provider has deposited the dollars.
  

YOUR TURN. So, share your experience with video clipping services.

• Who do you use and why?
• Tell us your opinion about the service provider mentioned above. Should it return the client's money?
• Take our poll on the blog page

And what providers do I recommend? Call me and I'll share what I know, 903-422-5117

The "Offensive" American Flag ... Say What?!

It's true. According to KTVT Channel 11 (CBS), a hospital supervisor complained--and took down--an American flag that an employee had placed in her cubicle.

The entire story is here.

Sad. Shocking. And time for one supervisor, reportedly an international who's been in America for 14 years, to head back to his or her native country. You don't like the Stars N' Stripes, get the heck out of dodge. We need patriots and citizens who stand tall for America and democracy.

Enough of my patriotic perspective.




What about the PR problem now faced by Kindred Hospital in Mansfield, Texas, and Kindred Healthcare of Kentucky? One employee--one supervising moron--catapults a Kentucky-based health care provider into the national spotlight.

What do you say when CBS 11 calls your corporate headquarters asking why a hospital employee considers the American flag offensive?

How do you manage this crisis, now that it's in the media mainstream? What about:

• Employees, who are questioning "what happened," at corporate and hospitals across the nation?
• Suppliers who are outraged at providing an "anti-American" organization?
• The one hospital supervisor who took down the flag and expressed offense--HR, legal and communications implications
• Referral sources and health network providers, from physicians to insurance providers?
• Investors!
  

Well, here's how the hospital responded, as reported by Ch. 11: "Kindred Healthcare's corporate headquarters are located in Kentucky. We called them for comment when we were first working on this story Tuesday, but they did not return our calls."

Today, there's a statement at the Kindred Healthcare site:

STATEMENT REGARDING KINDRED HOSPITAL MANSFIELD:Kindred Hospital Mansfield has a great deal of appreciation for the service that many of our employees and their families have given to their country. We honor our veterans and active military through a variety of benefits and service programs. This was an isolated incident between two employees that we are working to resolve amicably. Both employees have family members who have served in the military. The disagreement was over the size of the flag and not what it symbolized. We have invited the employee to put the flag back up. We share their love of country and we appreciate the service of their family members as well as all members of the armed forces.

About the company's statement? Does it suffice, does it squelch the crisis, and was Kindred ready?

I think it does. Mostly. The statement is brief and positive, affirms patriotism on the part of the company and the questioning employees, and shows the company is taking action. In fact, it reveals that all parties involved are proud of America and the dispute wasn't about the American flag, it was the size of the flag.

Wow. I guess size really does matter.

So, if one employee in one remote hospital in little ol' Mansfield can create a media avalanche, isn't it time to think "be prepared"?

What do YOU think?

White Papers: The Brouhaha & Banter

I declared April 2009 as National Write A White Paper Month.

My goal? To test my theory that white papers are so-often written as self-pontificating pieces that rarely add value to the marketplace--and don't fit the structure and purpose of valid, well-researched, well-written white papers.

It worked.

My stats show 54 individuals downloads for the special report, with four people who actually downloaded and followed up with positive feedback. Each and every request for the report received a personal reply from me, with the white paper attached. I had one snafu where a guy who requested the report expected to download it immediately (a technology thing vs. a personal response thing). Lesson learned on that one.

Interesting enough, there is a white paper writing guru, a guy named Michael Stelzner. I've never met him but he was the fifth person to download the special report. I recently found a blog post from Michael, plus added reader comments that perpetuate the white paper discussion. In his blog, he calls me a sly fellow. Not sure what that means but I'm glad he mentioned the special report, and received added perspective from readers.

That's what I love about social media and the Internet Age. As marketers and communicators, we can share our stories, thoughts and experiences, and then quickly gain feedback from colleagues we don't even know. It's community-building that really works.

Read what Michael and his readers say about white papers.

Now, what do you think about white papers? Share your comments. You can also get the special report. It's still available and you DON'T HAVE TO REGISTER. :)

Other White Paper Resources? Nice, informative sites:

• White Paper News
• Stelzner's Web site

The New Age of Journalism: What's Next?

Journalism major, University of North Texas, class of 1987.

That's me. I'm a journalist. A writer; a guy who adheres to the intricacies of Associated Press Style and still loves to hear the roar of presses cranking out ink and paper. Did I mention the high I feel when smelling freshly printed newspapers? There's nothing like it. I've written for newspapers and magazines. I worked on a newspaper staff and a magazine staff. But mostly, I've worked corporate communications and in the PR agency world. I'm a communications veteran--20-plus years of writing for publications.

There is so much I love about the journalism profession. There's:

• the adrenalin rush of meeting the writing deadline, hunting story sources, searching and digging for perspectives and insights.
• the moment you know you get that GOLDEN QUOTE from the story source--someone who says "it" perfectly, or says something that contradicts another source.
  
• the rush of getting the paper laid out, prepped and ready to go--especially on a daily newspaper. There's the artistry of page layout, writing headlines that fit the columns and pages and ... Ahhh, it takes me back. Remember setting type, rolling the pages through a waxer and having to adjust the stories to a page? No computers. It was just you, a bunch of hot wax, big news pages, a really sharp Xacto knife and a bottle of White-Out.
  

Finding a story, discovering the nuts and bolts of the story, identifying and approaching the story players, and then wrapping it all into a neatly packaged news story is a thrill, especially when it stands true to the tenets of journalism--clarity, objectivity and "just the facts" reporting without editorializing, adding my comments or steering it vs. reporting it. Today's journalism is too-often tainted. It's colored with corporate or individual preferences, agendas and points of view. It seems objectivity has been crucified in the name of political will and/or corporate greed. Yellow journalism has returned with a vengeance. This generation requires gossip, rumors, opinion and everything else, all thrown together into a stew that certainly is no longer a news story. Today's news is tarnished. It's packaged for entertainment and tectonic impact, not objectivity, fact-finding or the pursuit of truth. No. It's about ratings superiority and conquests in advertising dollars. Google's chieftain stated yesterday that he was deeply concerned about the decline in quality journalism but had no easy answers for the industry's woes. He talked about a new age or era for journalism and newspapers.

We're definitely there. It's a world where anyone--and everyone--is a journalist, or thinks they are. Virtually any one can post truth or lies via a blog, podcast, Twitter and more. Facts don't need verification and approaching primary story sources is inconvenient and apparently, unnecessary.
Citizen journalism is everywhere.

A new era. Definitely. For the better of my chosen profession. Definitely not.