The Byline: PR and Marketing Insights from Eiler Communications

Finding a job in Michigan may be challenging, but it’s not impossible.

Matt Roush, editor of the Great Lakes IT report and technology editor at WWJ News Radio 950, gave a presentation July 17 to Automation Alley and the Entrepreneurial Institute of Southeastern Michigan highlighting some of the positives in the Michigan economy today.

Although large companies and manufacturing industries are consistently losing jobs, small entrepreneurial companies are slowly gaining jobs. The challenge is to know how to encourage more of this kind of growth. Some of the things Michigan has going for it in this area include: engineering talent, great research universities such as the University of Michigan, Wayne State University and Michigan State University and a welcoming environment for business.

There are some steps that can be taken in order to create a healthy environment for these businesses to survive. They include: increasing entrepreneurial K-12 education, increased acceptance and understanding of the risks associated with entrepreneurial businesses and a better understanding of the role of public relations in these ventures.

Many companies in the high-tech, healthcare and problem solving industries are growing and hiring. NSF International, a public health and safety company, is one of those companies. In 2007, NSF hired 117 people in the United States. So far 68 people have been hired in 2008. The company is averaging 31 open positions per month. NSF employees also have opportunities for internal moves – 46 employees were promoted or transferred through the month of June.

High-tech players in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Linux Box and Genetics Squared have also grown and hired this year.

“It’s simply not true that tech jobs are moving to India and China,” Roush said. He went on to say this is what some high school students are hearing from their counselors, despite the inaccuracy of the statement.

The companies who are experiencing growth are often the ones who are able and willing to adapt to the changing economy.

Plexus Systems, a company that provides business software solutions, added 30 jobs in Michigan in 2007. In 2008, the company will create more than 100 more positions.

Want another example? Meditrina Pharmaceuticals Inc., Velcura Therapeutics, NanoBio Corporation and ProNAi Therapeutics have all moved some of their business to Michigan. These pharmaceutical companies have also been adding jobs.

Creativity, high-tech skills and willingness to take an entrepreneurial risk may be one path to success for Michigan.

Beth

It’s growing, it’s wild, it’s unpredictable, it’s… the social media!
This article just reinforces the great magnitude of powers the social media and social networking have today. Is this form of communication dangerous?

“As many surveys have suggested, fear of public speaking is one of our strongest anxieties, often ranking above the fear of dying. The following won’t help: These days, the audience could be skewering you on blog sites — not after your presentation, but during. And just about everyone in attendance could know about it, except you…”

Maybe, but use it to your advantage! Social networking and the social media are powerful tools that can help build great buzz for your businesses when used the right way.

Social Anxiety, Meet Social Networking

Connie

Everything on my resume screams pre-med. I think I was bred and expected by my parents to become a doctor but as soon as I entered college, I took control of my own future and chose to fulfill my desire to learn about public relations and the social media.

Now why would any parent-loving child want to do that? Because I think one of the most important things in life is building relationships with other people, and as we all know, communication is the key to element to any working relationship. I wanted to learn how to better communicate, professionally.

It’s tricky. PR builds relationships with a range of professionals, analysts, trade, businesses and regional media. You have to know how to reach the right media outlets –specific writers and editors- with the right message at the right time. It is like the liaison in between the company/business and the media. The way I see it is this, in order for a company to get it’s product/service to its buyers, they need to go through the media and it’s not always easy to get the attention that you want. In today’s world, there is so much media and news going on it’s hard to create an identity and finding your niche market for yourself/company/product/technology/service/etc. but that’s where PR comes in.

I’m finding out that there is much to learn about communication in this field, we communicate through so many different channels such as blogs, search engines, phone, social networks such as facebook, my space, linked in, and twitter, e-mails, news releases, newsletters, and basically, if information can flow through it, we use it.

Developing skills for communication is exactly what I’ve come here to learn about, therefore, I couldn’t be happier interning here at Eiler Communications, a PR firm that specializes in media relations, social media and professional writing.

Connie

CEO of Eiler Communications Larry Eiler recently gave a presentation at Eastern Michigan University entitled PR in Marketing: How the Lines Are Blurring as Technology Grows as a Driver. The presentation discussed how the methods of gathering information and conducting research are constantly evolving and how PR technology is changing. Larry discussed how people rely on the Internet or “Emedia” for news/information. People no longer have to go to the library when doing research most have the technology to do the research from their home or office, and some can even do it on the go through a cell phone or PDA. As a senior in college, I strongly believe that no one uses e-media or social media more than high school and college students. As of lately e-media and social media has broke its way into the PR and advertising world. Major firms and corporations are now using technology such as blogs, podcasts, and some businesses have even used social media outlets such as myspace or facebook for advertising and electronic PR. People are now turning to the Internet for news, research, and information.

E-media has not only helped me tremendously for daily tasks but it has also taken a huge load off of my shoulders. For example, I am 6’10 tall and it used to be impossible to find clothes that would fit me properly. It is funny now that I look back on it because most of my outfits probably looked like I was stuck in the 70’s or 80’s for a good part of my junior high years. When stores started to implement online shopping it was then that I could actually dress normal and try to fit in. With the new online shopping craze, many stores started to carry plus size clothing that would fit me. Not to mention the development of search engines such as Google, this helped me tremendously in my quest for big & tall clothing. Instead of looking through different clothing brand websites, I could now just search big & tall and numerous sites were provided by a single search engine. This was great, not only could I start to dress presentable but the convenience of shopping from my couch rather than spending the whole day at the mall watching my mother shop.

Social media has not only done a lot for me but others as well. Sites such as facebook and myspace have helped a lot of people keep in touch with friends/acquaintances from their past. Blogging has been incorporated into almost every corporation or business website. This helps businesses tremendously because they get live feedback from everyday people. If these businesses receive negative criticism, they get the chance to apologize directly to their audience and state not only their solutions but also an alternate point of view. The main gist of this presentation is that e-media and social media are constantly evolving. In the closing of the presentation, Larry compared these breakthroughs to the Industrial Revolution but in comparison, this is the Information Revolution.

Phil

Presentation

CEO of Eiler Communications Larry Eiler gave a presentation at Eastern Michigan University entitled PR in Marketing: How the Lines Are Blurring as Technology Grows as a Driver. Here is a brief recap…
I. PR in the Marketing Mix
• PR has always been a key component of any quality marketing program
• It has some inherent advantages that gain it recognition as an authoritative independent source
• Third-party veterans of user, analysts
• It use to be one separate element in the mix
• Now it is everywhere because technology has made a new breed of journalist
• The content may be used in any marketing technique
• The Lines between advertising PR and other techniques have blurred
• A company’s reputation depends on trust. Truthful PR stories can build that credibility

Phil

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Ann Arbor, Michigan

I was born here, grew up here, go to college here, plan on staying here for at least another 7 years to finish graduate school here and I’ve never had the desire to leave for three main reasons.

First of all, this city’s 27.7 square miles with a population of 114,000 residents is just the perfect size for me. Its clean streets are lined with trees and one can easily tell from living here that it’s always thinking green. It’s not over crowded nor over polluted, you can easily walk all over downtown, ride a bike, or take the Michivan as an easy and eco-friendly means of transportation.

Secondly, I love the diversity here. I’ve never been bored by living here because I meet people of different cultures every day. Downtown offers a wide range of restaurants, shops, and performance venues as well as a wide range of people.

Last of all, I am highly optimistic for the future of this city.

Although Michigan’s economy was declining, (but because of Michigander’s positive attitudes is now back on the rise), Ann Arbor has always been the city that thrives. Ann Arbor’s economy is shaped mainly by the University of Michigan but it is also influenced by high technology, health services and biotechnology. When the Pfizer plant closed down in 2007, everyone thought the city was doomed. While many of the ex-employees relocated to different states, many like my father, stayed. And Ann Arbor keeps on thriving. It attracts all sorts of companies and businesses such as Genetics Squared, Mich Bio, and Ensure Technologies.

There are plenty of opportunities for businesses to bloom here. Why? Because there is a ton of highly educated people that live here. One of the main reasons why high tech firms such as Google decided to locate here is because of the high quality employees that make up a successful business. According to MSNBC, Ann Arbor ranks as the 3rd smartest city in the nation based on the percentage of the population age over 25 with at least a bachelor’s degree. This is no doubt due to the excellent education system that we have here in Ann Arbor. Not only is this city lined with trees, it’s filled with smart people and smart people lead to better businesses which leads to a better economy!

So, will I live here my whole life? No one knows the future for certain, but I wouldn’t be surprised if 20 years down the road I found myself living here with a secure job in this beautiful tree-lined city that is booming with opportunities and just perfect for me.

Connie

I’ve always found it hard to leave.

In December I’ll leave Central Michigan University and the town of Mount Pleasant, the places that have been my home for the past four years.

Like many undergraduates today it has taken me longer than four years to finish school. I’m grateful to have one more semester, because at the end of that semester I have to join the real world.

The real world I’m about to join is one where jobs are getting harder to find, gas prices are skyrocketing and people cannot always afford the things they need, much less the things they want. This is especially true in Michigan. But I’m an optimistic person. I believe good things happen more often than many people think.

Scanning the Detroit News homepage today I came across stories about jobs leaving the area and the state budget looking bad, but I also came across a business success story. A 15-year-old girl scout in Dearborn broke the national cookie selling record this year by selling 17,328 boxes of cookies in one five-week season.

Stories like this illustrate that even in a tough economy, hard work and a positive attitude can accomplish things.

I’m not looking to break any national records when I join the real world—I just want to put my degree to use and make a difference.

I think to be successful today, people need to be able to adapt. College taught me how to adapt. In the last four years I’ve lived in four different dorms and apartments; I’ve had a variety of jobs and internships and I’ve watched the football team play for two different coaches.

December is still eight months away and I’m not ready to make any predictions about what my first job will be or where it will be, but I am ready to live in the same apartment for more than ten months at a time.

Beth Kieda

Launching a corporate blog? Here are three critical aspects to keep in mind, conveniently alliterated to enhance retention and recall:

1. Content
One word, Benjamin*, focus. Start the blogging process by thinking about two elements: what you want to say and to whom, and build your blog’s content scope from that vision. If you manage a software company, for example, you might choose to offer a resource for business leaders to learn about trends and new products. Having established your focus, you wouldn’t then decide blog about unrelated topics, like personal experiences, HR issues or the various mental troubles of Britney Spears. Blogs, like businesses, shouldn’t try to be everything to everyone.

2. Connections
The Internet gets more awesome every day. Because widespread RSS subscription availability and neat-o user-aggregated tools like Digg, Del.icio.us and Technorati, readers help boost your blog’s SEO by bookmarking your content if they think it’s valuable. You can also become a bona fide member of the blogger community by creating a blogroll, a list of related blogs you read regularly. Eventually, you’ll build your readership through reciprocated links in the blogrolls of others.

Connections are not all virtual. They also involve those real world relationships you’ve worked so hard to cultivate. Face it, you know people. In fact, you probably know some folks in your industry space who are blazing a trail. Invite them to guest blog or pick their brain in an interview and blog about your conversation. By adding new insights, you’ll build your credibility and grow your reader base.

3. Commitment
Readers like new content. Blogging experts say readers will stop visiting your blog shortly after you stop updating your content. Commit to frequent, regular updates and keep the content coming. An easy way to make this happen (and effectively fit blog maintenance into your busy business life) is to create a blog editorial calendar. Many hands make light work, so bring your leadership team or employees in on it. Make the blog a company-wide initiative.

Blogs take time and energy, but don’t stress. You can vary the length and content of your posts—write a unique post one week and just link to your favorite another week. Variety helps your readers stay interested, too.

Visit these sites to learn about the many buzzwords used in the post:

Lorelle VanFossen, author of Blogging Tips: What Bloggers Won’t Tell You About Blogging, shares how and why to add some of the above-mentioned neat-o tools to your blog in her article, “Adding Del.icio.us, Digg, Technorati and Slashdot Links to Your WordPress Blog.”

Internet security guru Robert Elamb’s article, “Putting a Del.icio.us, Digg, Technorati and Slashdot button into your blog” offers some great overview information in addition to step-by-step bookmark install instructions for those curious about the more technical aspects.

This Datamation article, “The Benefits of Corporate Blogging,” offers a rationale and some practical tips.

Posted by Nicole

I’ve become mildly addicted to Google Trends lately. If you’re not yet familiar, the free tool presents a list of the top Google search terms at this moment and allows you to enter your own terms to measure and compare search popularity around the world and over periods of time. Access Google Trends from your regular Google page (it’s under the “Google Labs“ option, or directly via the link above.

For example, I learned that Dr. Phil’s popularity jumped up in early January. If you’re following the Britney Spears saga (and you probably can’t help it), then you know why this is. Thanks to Google Trends, we also finally have concrete proof that chocolate is more popular than vanilla.

From a PR, marketing, and journalistic perspective, Google Trends can be helpful in a number of ways. It provides a quick pulse read about what people care about around the world (or by region) at any given time and is a great way to identify ways your company, clients or local news sources can fit into the bigger picture of cultural trends.

How could Google Trends be useful for businesses? Well, when I checked on Friday, “operation boot camp” was the #3 search term and “on fire” by Trends standards. This may or may not have been prompted by a story on CNN’s Web site about an Atlanta man who lost 128 pounds through a program called Operation Boot Camp. But people started searching for the topic of fitness boot camps in general.

If you own a gym (or better yet, run a fitness boot camp), this would be a great opportunity to contact your local newspaper or TV station and let them know you can see fitness boot camps are a hot topic on CNN right now, and if they are working on a local story on the topic, you are available as a source to talk about the advantages of boot camp programs for weight loss, and what makes a boot camp different than just hitting the gym.

Google Trends change in real time, so what’s hot today might not be tomorrow. But it’s a great and fun way to stay current.

Posted by Rebecca

I’ve had the pleasure to work with a diverse group of companies to help them become better known in their respective industries. In doing so, our firm has employed every conceivable traditional public relations tactic and some non-traditional ones.

While we’re calling and emailing media, securing speaking engagements, writing byline articles, conducting blogger relations and managing crises for our clients, it’s easy to forget about internal communications. If a company is introducing a new product, hiring a new CEO or going after a new type of customer, we advocate that public relations strategies be integrated with focused, internal communications strategies in order to maximize overall business results.

The disciplines of external vs. internal communications have been so specialized that owners of the functions all too often operate independently. Smart companies integrate the functions. They might not reside in the same department or under the same leader, but they work together to achieve exponentially larger results than either could achieve alone.

Southwest airlines’ Nuts About Southwest blog is a great example of an integrated tactic as it achieves greater online visibility while providing a forum for employees. Greater visibility and presence in cyberspace is certainly a public relations goal, and greater employee engagement is certainly an internal communications goal. Together, they help Southwest achieve the ultimate business goal of growing profits.

Posted by Linda