I have said it before and I will say it again. It’s October 2009 and for all the talk about social media and how it’s penetrating the world, at the corporate level social media remains largely untapped. While I too have read those stories about how great Jet Blue or Zappos is, they are among just a few companies that actually monitor. Nearly all companies aren’t participating, spending or even monitoring their social media (as I know first hand from complaints against large corporations, like Chase Bank and their inept customer service team, including Marleena Caro.)

I own the 21st largest PR firm in the United States, have over 1,500 friends on Facebook, 1,300 people following me on Twitter, dozens of employees, huge email lists, and on numerous occasions when personal contacts don’t work out, have “shouted out” via social media to no avail. No response from major companies who consider my PR agency and I to be good, bill-paying customers. It’s quite apparent that no one is monitoring or responding.

I also see it on the corporate side: brands continue to talk a lot about social media but won’t pony up and pay for it. There are a number of companies who are spending as they should in this arena, and we have helped many of them own this new form of media. They have made quantified sales and are capturing mind share.

But my guesstimate for the larger market place is that there will be no major changes before 2011.  It’s all still talk, and if you want any indication, take a look at the Top 50 PR agencies and ask: How many blog? How many twitter?

Ronn Torossian

5WPR

We do a lot of crisis communications work at my crisis PR agency. Most of the clients who hire us for these matters aren’t publicly announced, but annually, we bill over $1 Million in crisis communications. We do crisis communications work for people who have (or are concerned they will be) indicted or arrested, or corporations who are concerned a certain issue may hit the media, providing damage control and the like.  As such, we deal extensively with producers for programs such as Dateline, 20/20, 48 Hours and others.  I have spoken with Robert “Joe” Halderman, and worked with countless other reporters and producers on these programs, including the famed Martin Bashir.

I stand as one who wasnt surprised to learn of Halderman’s extortion attempt.  It was bound to happen – dealing with producers for these programs, we have found a select few of them to be non-stop and at times vengeful. They operate with their own set of rules, and realize the power a negative story on their programs can do to one’s life. Their power is tremendous and can ruin lives.

We have had clients threatened, cursed, lied to and worse, and it was simply a matter of time before a Producer asks for millions to not have a story aired. The fact that this was David Letterman makes this an even larger issue.

Ronn Torossian
5WPR

Here are some quick, off-the-cuff thoughts from an extremely busy day. Although none of these are particularly ground-breaking or original, they are rules I always try to follow:

·        When things get hectic, allow yourself 3 seconds before answering a question (count in your head: one, two, three…) It allows you more clarity.

·        When speaking on the phone in your office, stand up. It gives you more authority.

·        Get out of your office and out of your comfort zone more often. Meet people face to face, move around and network.

Random musings from a PR agency owner.

Ronn Torossian

5WPR