At a recent meeting for CEO’s and business owners, we shared a case study.  It involved a publisher who knew for years that the world of public relations and advertising, as we knew it, was soon to be revolutionized with the internet.  This business owner did not like risk; he enjoyed a comfortable lifestyle based on his current income, and, he did not want to replace or supplement employees with people who would embrace the challenge of the new online world.  So, he chose to do nothing.

 

The result?  I’m sure you already know.  The publication no longer exists.  

 

The moral of the story is also obvious.  We must adapt to the reality of our new world or our businesses, at least our market share, could perish.  

 

Our new business paradigm must include a healthy online presence with an interactive website, perhaps a blog and RSS Feeds, plus profiles that are actually monitored on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites.  But don’t despair, with fewer venues for our advertising dollars, there is probably room in your organization’s budget for the addition of the online marketing strategy.  

 

The style of our communication is morphing, too.  Transparency.  Humbly sharing our knowledge and services in a collaborative spirit defy the “tell them, tell them again and then tell them again” mantra to get our messages out despite our audience’s unwillingness to hear it.  

 

Advertising and public relations practioneers are adapting to this new paradigm.  Where only a few companies found the wisdom to optimize their articles that practice is growing fast.  More companies are fighting for the first page of Google.  Only about 8% of companies use RSS Feeds which leaves that option as a viable winner in the public relations world, at least for now.   For a simple explanation about RRS Feeds, visit:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0klgLsSxGsU.

 

Press Feed owner, Sally Falkow is a leader in this brave new world since 1997 and my mentor in it.  You may find her recent commentary on RSS Feeds and search engine optimization enlightening:  http://www.infocomgroup.net/falkow/?p=648. 

 

As we know, reality shifts quickly.  As CEO’s and business owners are just beginning to embrace the new communication medium, there’s something else that is developing into the next new medium.  So don’t get lost or fall too far behind.