LT Public Relations

Each year, Sports Illustrated unveils its “Sportsman of the Year.” This year, Derek Jeter received the well-deserved honor. 

Jeter’s story is a great one and we encourage everyone to read it to appreciate a true competitive athlete who is a winner on and off the field.  What’s more, Jeter is relatively humble in comparison to other overpaid and highly recognized professional athletes.

One quote in the SI cover story about Jeter that caught our attention for public relations fodder was the following:

“If you’re accomplished,” Jeter says, “people will talk about it for you.  You don’t have to point it out.”

Put into context, Jeter’s talking about the unnecessary need to blow your own horn if you’re good at what you do.  Jeter is obviously talented and has been on baseball’s main stage for nearly 15 years.  With his successes or “accomplishments,” the need to self-promote seems superfluous.  That is, others will do the positive PR for you…if you’re good.

So how about for the rest of us in the business world?  You know, those who are not yet accomplished, but have a remarkable product or service.  Do we wait to be accomplished and let others ‘point it out’ for us?

In the business world, it doesn’t necessarily work that way.  Granted, the product/service must be excellent.  But until its ”accomplished,” LT Public Relations recommends strategically “pointing it out” through creative PR tactics (not advertising!!).

Once the buzz builds during an indefinite amount of time, others will do the pointing.  Until then, start exercising the index finger and do your own subtle pointing.

Do you trust the media?

Do you trust bloggers?

Who do you trust more?

 

During LT Public Relations’ recent “Buzz on a Budget” PR workshop, a spirited debate ignited about who people trust more, media reporters or bloggers.

We advocated that the media is still one of the most credible conduits to tell a company’s story.  The media can significantly help a company generate awareness because the reporter is an unbiased, 3rd party source that has done his/her due diligence to research, fact-find and check resources to ensure that the story they are reporting is accurate.  This leads to gaining an audience’s trust.

Later in the workshop, we mentioned that bloggers are also a credible conduit to tell a company’s story…yet not typically as credible as the media.  We based this statement on the rationale that bloggers do not typically go into the necessary depths of research and analysis that reporters are mandated to perform by their editorial department.  Bloggers tell a story with typcially much more candor and passion than the meida, but it is predominately told on observations or rumors–not necessarily facts.

The conversation during the workshop moved into a discussion of editorial credibility, integrity, and trust.  These elements are all interconnected, but TRUST was the motivational factor in determining which source someone believes when hearing/viewing/reading a story.

With all things considered, LT Public Relations still holds to its belief that most (underscoring the word most) media outlets can be trusted.  Yes, there are some bad apples and sometimes a reporter gets it wrong, but most media outlets are fair and balanced…and can be trusted.  Why?  Primarily for the points made earlier (research, fact-finding, resource checks, etc.), but also for accountability.  Reporters are held accountable for their reporting and must keep with the integrity of the media outlet they report for.

Don’t get us wrong, bloggers have a voice–and are gaining a stronger voice. But can they be trusted?  More than the media on a whole?

Regardless of who you trust more between these two influential models, both should be seriously considered when promoting a company or telling your story.

We welcome your thoughts on this discussion…either here on this blog (comments accepted!) or contact us (pr@ltpublicrelations.com)

Trust us, this is a spirited debate.

PLEASE NOTE, there was absolutely no research, fact-finding or resources checked on this blog post.