So, yesterday I received my first pitch from a PR agency about something I should promote on my blog… and I will by telling Accoona that they should hire 5W Public Relations if they want a PR firm that can actually get them results. For the sake of decency I deleted the person’s name who emailed me (The firm was Fleishman-Hillard), but I for one will never understand why an employee of another PR firm would pitch me about a product.

Blogs are not unbiased… and mine certainly will never be… People shouldn’t pitch me products, unless they want to hire us. We are capitalists, pure and simple…. So, Ms. Fleishman-Hillard, I mentioned your product… and Accoona – If you want a PR firm to get you results, call us.

Below is the pitch.

From: XYZ
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2006 11:22 AM
To: Ronn Torossian
Subject: PR resource - a new AI enhanced search engine

Hi Ron:
As an FYI, I thought you might be interested in checking out this search engine we’re working with called Accoona (yes, as in “Hakuna Matata” meaning “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” in Swahili): http://www.accoona.com. Accoona recently relaunched its news and business search engines. The engines are built on artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms which enable retrieval of more results for stories associated with the search term and not just containing the term.

For instance, when users type “Oscar winners” into the search box, Accoona delivers stories about Academy Award winners, whether or not the stories mention the word Oscar. It understands the larger context of your search. Through the “SuperTarget Your Search” function, you can further refine search results using on-screen, scroll-down menus, including “people mentioned,” “date published,” and “publisher,” among others. The menus reveal the number of times each choice is mentioned in the results.

The third portion of the overall engine, the Web search function, will be updated in the coming months. I look forward to hearing your thoughts about the product and encourage you to mention or link to it on your blog.

Best, XYZ
Fleishman-Hillard
212-453-XYYZ
XYZ@fleishman.com

Ronn Torossian

5W PR

A NOTE (EDITED) FROM THE HEAD OF MY LA OFFICE… VERY INSIGHTFUL SO I HAD TO SHARE…

I was describing tonight to a new employee who comes from working in a very slow paced corporate environment about agency life, and agency culture, and how each agency or company takes a certain type of personality to thrive – combined with raw smarts or intelligence.
Sometimes the challenges people run into at the beginning of a new relationship with an agency, particularly when coming from working from in house, is time management, and juggling multiple clients (instead of just one), at the pace of 100’s of media outlets, 24/7. It can be a little maddening when you break it down.

Another challenge is coming from understanding one business or one client to understanding five, ten, twenty – or even hundreds over time. So it takes really passionate people who can sell – passionate people who like instant satisfaction (such as instant email replies and instant press), passionate people who are fascinated by so many different industries and brands and want to have their hands in it all – thirsty to learn everything. It takes passionate people that know how to just handle it, when everyone else is weighing them down.

To really build an agency that has found success in so many mainstream and vertical markets, it really takes passion for it all – everything. If you think about it, we work and understand how so many industries come to market and operate, it’s powerful.

Entertainment, Technology, New Media, Cable, Consumer Products, Government, International Affairs, Non Profits, Artists, Marketing, Fashion, Lifestyle, Automotive, Beverage, Pets, Music, Real Estate, Hospitality, Environment, Medicine, Telecom, Professional Sports, Film, TV – the list goes on.

It’s a real coup to be very successful growing an agency in multiple industry sectors – and to be able to really understand and navigate the public relations strategy for any industry in the world.

Ronn Torossian

5W PR

So, my thought for the day – There’s no business like being an entrepreneur. I started today in my office at 530 AM and am now leaving at 830ish PM. No breaks, no lunch ( I realized at 215 I hadn’t eaten all day since the 3 cups of coffee in the AM).

The day flew by because I love what I do… and I think that people can only succeed when they love what they do… when they want to go to work… It’s how I run my company and how I live my life….

I am always amazed when I meet people who build things, who create from scratch. It’s the people in business I enjoy the most and the people I personally learn the most from. They make mistakes as they go along… and many, like me, wear their emotions on their sleeve. They take intense pride in what they do, and want to succeed and win.

Am reading about the creation of Nike and am in envy of how people like Phil Knight have changed the world, and I see it every day on every level with the different clients we deal with. People who are so inspired to win, who believe so much.

There’s no business like entrepreneur business – The feeling of ownership, of creation and its something which we try to impart every day to our employees – Having pride beyond just the paycheck, having the drive and the hunger to succeed. I think half the fight of succeeding is showing up every day – Being focused and really “Just Do It.”

I tell my people – Go, Just Do it… and that’s honestly the advice of this self-made entrepreneur. Work hard and just do it.

Ronn Torossian

5W PR

So, I know it’s been quite a while since I blogged…but I have been swamped and simply haven’t had the chance. As 5W Public Relations continues to expand, travel demands increase - In the last 45 days business has brought me to the Middle East, Central America, Miami, Canada, Boston and elsewhere. I have barely slept a day in my bed, and it’s been very draining.

I find worldwide the world getting smaller - Everywhere I travel the world intersects and one person knows another. The world truly is a global village and brand building and financial opportunities can truly exist anywhere. From sitting in a lounge in an airport in Central America or in a café in the Middle East, I see people on laptops and it’s amazing.

As an entrepreneur, I seek opportunity wherever I go and I continue to be amazed and impressed at just how difficult it is to work for myself and the different challenges that come with success. Simply unreal.

The last few weeks have been great for business as for the 2nd year in a row we were named the fastest growing PR firm in the U.S …. I plan on adding and continuing the blog again real soon.

Ronn Torossian

5W PR