APEX PR

I admit when I saw this tweet in my feed this morning, I was horrified.

Why would anyone turn on the option to receive direct messages from any follower (even if you don't follow them back)? I get enough annoying auto-DMs from people I follow ("Thanks for the follow! Please like my Facebook page!").

While I've yet to find a reason to activate this feature for my personal Twitter account, I can think of a few reasons why it would be a huge boon for brands.

Customers can send discreet DMs and may be more inclined to start a conversation with your brand

You could message a user and ask for permission to use their photo or tweet in one of your campaigns (provided they've opted in, of course)

Some downsides to consider:

Spam. So much spam.

Community managers will have more customer service messages to contend with, and will need to plan for this accordingly so that each interaction gets a prompt reply, ideally within 24 hours (though obvious troll messages can be ignored as per usual)

An irate customer may feel free to be extra colourful in a private message

In essence this feature would turn Twitter into a sort of email/text message platform and potentially make brands as accessible as your drinking buddies, which could be either good or bad.

What do you use the DM feature for right now? Are you going to opt in to receive DMs from people you aren't following?

Our CEO's new non-profit organization, Ignite Capital, was featured in today's 24 Hours (News, page 8)! 

"While Canada has been rated as one of the five best countries for entrepreneurs, three in four find financing a hurdle. This is the group Ignite Capital wants to help," explains McNamara, who has counseled several leading corporations such as Coca-Cola and Nike.

Recently a call came into the APEX office from a student who was looking to interview a PR professional for a school assignment. I immediately recognized this task as one that I had completed while doing my post-grad degree in PR and offered to give said student a call back to chat. I wanted to help. 

The student thanked me for calling her back and proceeded to set up an in-person interview time. I explained that while I wasn't available to meet her for three hours on a Friday afternoon, I thought we could probably do an effective interview over the phone. She panicked: the interview had to be in person, and the assignment was due on Monday. I apologized that I couldn’t help her and went back to my work, but I couldn’t help think of all of the things that were wrong with her approach.

Here's some tips on how to request an interview with a mentor, prospective employer, or for a school assignment.

Don’t leave it to the last minute

In any company, but especially in a profession where your day is accounted for in six-minute increments, it can be difficult to drop everything for something non-billable. If you’re looking to set up an interview, give it a good two to three weeks to come to fruition so proper plans can be made.

Be respectful 

You don’t know the position of the person on the other end of the line, so every point of contact should be respectful and pleasant. Large companies get requests for informational interviews all of the time, and it’s easy to drop a call from someone who is rude and disrespectful.

Keep your reputation in mind

If you’re a student with an internship program, or you’re doing an informational interview with a prospective employer, you want to put your best foot forward. If people remember you as the rude person with poor time management skills, you’re not getting hired. Period.

Something is better than nothing

If what you want is a three-hour sit-down meeting with someone in your desired field, keep in mind that they most likely do not have that kind of time. Three hours is nearly $500 in billable hours that that individual will have to make up on their own time. If they can spare 20 minutes over the phone, take it. If they suggest sending an email over with your questions, do it. And if they can’t accommodate your request, thank them for their time anyway.  

It’s on you

Remember that this is your request, benefiting you. It’s not really anyone else’s problem if your assignment is due the next day, if you’re desperate for information, or if you can’t plan far enough ahead to make it happen. 

Here’s the thing. The assignment isn’t just about the interview, it’s about the whole process: networking, making connections, and learning something about your desired field. The ultimate goal of a post-grad degree in PR is to get a job in PR…so be nice. It goes a long way.

Robyn Hunt is a Consultant at APEX Public Relations. Follow her on Twitter.

At last night's gala at the Thompson Hotel, Susi Vander Wyk of Chilliwack, B.C., was officially named Walmart Canada’s 2013 Mom of the Year. 

This is the second year that Walmart has awarded the title to a mother who has made an outstanding contribution to her family and her community. Susi started EPIC, a support group for parents of children with disabilities, after her daughter Holli was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2. And this only scratches the surface of Susi’s long list of accomplishments!

In addition to the title, Walmart will donate $100,000 to Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy Canada Society, Susi’s charity of choice, and $10,000 to the charity of choice of each of the other seven finalists. During the gala awards ceremony, all eight finalists were rewarded with $10,000 to treat themselves.

Susi was handpicked out of seven finalists by a jury including Juno Award-winning artist Chantal Kreviazuk, notable Quebec comedian, actress and radio host, Sophie Prégent, the 2012 Mom of the Year, Katie Schulz, Editor-in-Chief of Walmart Live Better magazine, Sandra Martin, and president and CEO of Walmart Canada, Shelley Broader. Guests at the gala enjoyed the hosting spirit of The Social's Traci Melchor and were treated to a show from Nikki Yanofsky and a surprise performance from Chantal.

One of my favourite Sunday morning pastimes is listening to Michael Enright on CBC’s Sunday Edition. I enjoy the remarkable list of guests, the informative content and thought-provoking commentary. This past Sunday was no different. While listening to Ira Basen‘s documentary Brand New World, featuring APEX's Ken Evans, I was struck by the following points that impact not only myself, but my clients.

You are already branded (whether you want to be or not)

As soon as we are born, we become a brand. Our name becomes a representation of who we are. It is our "book cover" and something that people can judge us on. Personal branding from day one is an asset to be protected.

How we think about brands and how we interact with them has changed dramatically

Individuals are now behaving like brands and brands are now behaving like individuals. Brands are no longer items we wear, eat or buy, they are a part of our lives. We interact with them, follow their every move and communicate with them just like we would our friends.

Brands who do it well have a sense of humility and sense of humour about them

The more brands behave like humans, the more likeable and attractive they become to their audience.

Using consumer labour and consumer activity enriches the brand culture and brand power

Never before has it been easier for a brand to get instant data from their audience or followers. A social test group of people who are passionate and willing to share their thoughts are available at the click of a button. Additionally, the feeling that a brand is "listening" to us validates our relationship with a brand and makes us more likely to buy their product or service.

In the world of the social web, content is like a currency

Not only are brands using content and inspiration from their followers, consumers are "borrowing" material from brands and sharing brand information.

As communicators, we are advising our clients on best "branding" practices, but do we give much thought to our personal trademark and more importantly, should we?

On the occasion of APEX Public Relations' 15th anniversary, our people share their answers to the question: How has PR changed in 15 years?

"15 years ago, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Tumblr, Flickr, Blogger, Digg, and social media generally did not exist."

"The way content is created. Brands are able to create their own content rather than having to go through publications."

"The way we interact with media. We can follow them on Twitter, see what they're posting on Instagram and Facebook, and tailor our pitches accordingly."

"We faxed press releases to newsrooms." 

"Mobile phones, laptops, and text messages were not the norm: connectivity, always-on communication and speed-to-market now define public relations."

"We compiled monster clipping binders for clients." 

"We actually pitched and negotiated story ops over the phone and in-person." 

"Only 2% of us had a cell phone in the late '90s."

"We measured media coverage using ad values instead of MRP."

"It’s now a recognized profession."

"Less focus on traditional media channels, and more emphasis on participating in the social world."

"Many more media outlet to get a client’s story told, way fewer media people to help with the story-telling."

'The art and science of influencing people has evolved into mastering social media."

"It’s not just about media relations anymore – PR people do social media, experiential marketing, sponsorship, product placement, advertorials, strategic planning, and a whole lot more."

"Fewer publications and more and more cutbacks on pages and circulation of newspapers/magazines. It requires the PR practitioner to be even more creative in their pitches and angles to grab a journalist’s attention."

A note from our CEO:

15 years. How did that happen? One minute I was moving into our 1,000 square foot sublet on Bloor Street by myself and the next planning for our new move to 10,000 feet of open concept space at Bloor and Sherbourne. While we’ve stayed in the same 'hood, a lot has changed.

We are 30 people strong with a myriad of talent. Their expertise has grown exponentially – it’s not just about media relations anymore. We have experts in social, experiential, CSR, digital, event planning and reputation management. We’ve moved from counting clippings to measuring the impact through MRPs, a system that was born at APEX. And while we’ve always been a very social group, that word has taken on a new meaning, now integrated into everything we do for our clients and for our firm.

But a lot has stayed the same. When we met to celebrate our anniversary the other day, the chorus is the same one I have heard over and over again. Fabulous people. Amazing clients. Challenging work. And that doesn’t just happen…we’ve worked hard to sustain that culture.

We started with name brands – Netscape, Fuji, BMO and Adobe in year one and continued to build that brand experience throughout the years with prestigious clients such as Absolut, Coca-Cola, Coty, Johnson & Johnson, Kellogg’s, Levi’s, Molson, Nestle, Samsung, UPS and Walmart.

And we successfully transitioned our leadership as I stepped back to focus on philanthropic initiatives. APEX is expertly led by our President Linda Andross with support from the best agency management team in the city.

I don’t usually brag, but there is an amazing dynamic at APEX and it hasn’t wavered for 15 years. I couldn’t be prouder.

I’m an arts student (with a Communications degree) and proud of it. I didn’t suffer through labs and an unfathomable amount of tutorials. I wrote papers, spent a lot of time in the library, read books and went to lectures. I loved my program; I’m glad I graduated and that I no longer have to go back to school. 

However, one thing I wish school taught me (which might seem like a no brainer for many of you), is that working at APEX – and likely all PR agencies – requires me to write more, read more, learn more, work harder than I did while in school... all tasks and skills that have benefited me both personally and professionally. 

So in a timely back to school blog post, here is some advice for you aspiring PR pros: 

Read as much as you can – Not just anything, but find things you’re interested in. Learn new things in new books, online, on blogs, on social media – read it all. If you don’t have subscriptions or pay wall access, beef up your Twitter and scour the web for articles and links. As a PR pro, it’s an unwritten rule to be a news junkie. Try it out, you’ll be amazed at what you learn. 

Never stop writing – After four years of writing 10-15+ papers almost bi-weekly (and more during exams), I couldn’t wait to stop writing and give my brain a rest. However, I actually write more now than ever. Press releases, fact sheets, interview prep sheets, pitches, wrap reports, client emails, Facebook posts, Twitter content calendars – the list goes on. One other thing, take pride in your writing and always strive to make it better. 

Late nights and hard work are the norm – I remember pulling all-nighters in the library and thinking “this needs to end.” But newsflash, folks, PR is a client service industry and they pay the bills. Be prepared to work your butt off, say yes, take chances, ask for help and grind when you have to. Every job has a learning curve and so does PR. Like the saying goes, you get what you give – so give it your all. 

“All the world is a stage” – Whether it’s a presentation, a new business pitch, a brainstorm or a client status call, PR pros are required to sell, present and believe in their work. So whether you love or hate public speaking or giving presentations, it’s part of the job. Remember: if you can’t convince yourself, you won’t convince other people (i.e. clients or media).   

Find your niche – I've met lots of students who think PR is just parties and events, but 99% of what we do is prepping for those executions behind the scenes. What I mean is, keep an open mind when given tasks and when attending planning meetings. You may not like writing, but your first press release could get you hooked. Same goes for social; maybe community management is your calling… but you won’t know until you try. 

Working at APEX over the last 2.5 has been a blast. I love my job and I hope the above tips help you when you’re kicking doors down looking for an internship.  

We give so much thought to how to respond to negative feedback about your brand. But how should you react to a compliment?

As much as I complain about lame customer service on Twitter, I'm also prone to tweeting shout-outs to companies that provide stellar service. I did just that after buying my new glasses from Warby Parker.

From start to finish, my experience with Warby Parker was excellent. They responded to my emails and tweets within minutes. I summed up the top-notch service I'd received in a tweet:

The same day, they tweeted back...

...and thanked me with a custom-made video!

Such a smart move: create a small, genuine interaction that I in turn shared with my network. This video probably took them less than a minute to make, but you can bet that the next time someone asks me where to buy glasses, I'll recommend Warby Parker.

So take the time to respond to positive comments, whether it's with a tweet, a Facebook comment or even a brief video. It could make the difference between someone liking your brand and loving it.

We were very lucky to have Globe and Mail media reporter Steve Ladurantaye in for a lunch and learn last Friday. We think it's important to build relationships with journalists, to find out what makes them tick so we can be better at our jobs. And that's why we brought in Steve, fed him cheese and fruit and asked him questions for an hour.

Steve is very active on Twitter, and as he was chatting with us about his personal Twitter rules I was suddenly reminded of this article that boldly stated that PR people don't need journalists anymore (because they can just use social media):

Journalists are becoming less important to PR by the day. There are so many outlets, so many different and new marketing and social channels, that we can often reach your audience without your help anymore.

I asked Steve what he thought of this. Is the future of PR ditching media pitches and leveraging social/digital channels exclusively?

According to Steve, no. He immediately brought up Oreo's "You can still dunk in the dark" Super Bowl real-time marketing campaign. They executed a perfectly-timed tweet (obviously by a marketing team waiting for an opportunity to jump on), and that in itself was a win. But what turned the event into a major brand victory was that it was widely reported on by the media.

Oreo needed the media to amplify their Super Bowl stunt, explained Steve. The reason you immediately think "Oreo" when you hear "real-time marketing" is because it was covered by tech journalists from Fast Company, Forbes, and Wired, to name a few.

At APEX, we agree with Steve. The symbiotic relationship between media, PR folks and social media will always exist and will never be about one or the other – both for successes and fails. We see a true PR win as a robust combination of traditional and social coverage, and so do our clients, particularly the ones for whom social media is still “new.” Generating coverage in mainstream media like the National Post is just as valuable – if not more – than 50,000 retweets.

  Ultimately what makes those 50,000 retweets so impressive is when it crosses social/traditional lines and becomes a touch point throughout our lives. Also, just try telling your client you’re taking their fiscal budget and using it to create a new Instagram page!

  To sum up, marketers will always need the media and media will always need marketers. Sending out an attention-grabbing tweet is great for your strategy, but earning traditional coverage will turn it up to 11.