Every once in a while I tweet music star, Taylor Swift, to let her know that I'd be happy to answer the phone if she ever wanted to call me. 

She never tweets me back. Besides becoming a Grammy nominated country music artist, I don’t know what more I can do to get her to notice me. Which is why I’m writing a blog post.

I need to strengthen my social media presence so maybe I might stand a chance, because power lies deep within credibility and numbers…and social media.

What are some things that we as practitioners should try to integrate into our social media life?

According to Forbes, we should be involved in a large number of channels such as YouTube, Vimeo, Twitter and LinkedIn and participate frequently.

CommPRO.biz has 10 tips of their own on what to do in 2012 for social media. Here are the ones I thought were the most important.

• Add search engine optimization (SEO) keywords to social media blurbs because by doing this it helps people find us.

• A social media icons to all of our websites to make our efforts easily accessible.

• Create and announce a “we’re going to the Moon” plan.

“The U.S. went to the moon because the president set the goal, called both industry and the citizenry to action, and would not take no for answer,” said Vicki Flaugher of commPRO. “Follow this example with social media implementation. Include everyone and set the bar high.”

• Produce more original content. As I said earlier, producing content is the way to become a social media presence, but this content must be original content. Be interesting!

• Stop all third person jargon. Social media needs the personal touch because as Flaugher puts it “would you consider it professional to introduce yourself in third person at a business cocktail party?”

• Above all – find the right people in your company to use social media, but also include everyone because they may have some ideas that will help.

To read all of commPRO’s tips, click here.

My first BBN Academy, and what an incredible experience! In his closing remarks Rob Morrice claimed it was “the best BBN event ever”, which I totally believe but I am also sure that Richard Brelet and Polly Draganova will have accepted this as a challenge to create something bigger and better next year.

The true essence of BBN’s international network was highlighted as members from the US, Canada, UK, Finland, Sweden, Germany, France, Dubai and Hong Kong gathered at the fabulous La Finca El Bosque in Madrid. In the beautiful surroundings of the Spanish countryside, our hosts made sure that we got a cultural experience to savour, from the fantastic food and wine to the excellent tapas and flamenco evening that brought the Academy to a close.

There was a lot of eating, and perhaps on occasion a slight over-indulgence in wine, which fuelled two intense days of learning about the BBN toolkit – BAM, TECS and the Big Long Idea – delivered by some of the best minds in the network. World leading processes that undoubtedly position BBN and its member companies as global leaders in B2B marketing communications, we were also lucky enough to have Rick Stoner from Bader Rutter share some extremely interesting insight into social media strategy, a taster of Gordon Brown’s Brain Juice creativity training, a demonstration of a really neat digital sales app developed by Dennis Elfstrom of A plus M and a master class in pitching to win from Ian Ord.

While all this was going on, we also found some time to get to work on the development of BBN’s PR offering…so watch this space!

I was sad to leave La Finca El Bosque, but I have come home completely inspired and truly motivated. I’ve made some fantastic friends and even learned a little bit of flamenco for myself! It was an absolute privilege to be part of it all – here’s to BBN Academy 2012!

As the cost of higher education looks set to rise in national and international terms, more and more articles can be seen on the worth of university in comparison with work-based experience. In truth, I believe both are equally important, there is nothing better than the balance of education and experience.

So, it seems the million-dollar question would be; in which environment do you learn more? And which environment makes you most attractive to a potential employer?

It’s a question I spent a lot of time considering while I was stuck, slouching behind a book in my classroom at the age of 15, and after much research I decided I had the answer. My parents encouraged me to stay in the schooling environment, but I felt my ambition and passion for learning was stifled by what I believed society had laid out for all youngsters my age. I needed to take a risk, break the rules, and from that day on I always felt I had a point to prove. To show that the most important lessons in life were not necessarily nestled in the pages of a textbook.

Over that summer I enrolled in college and as I waved goodbye to my friends who jetted off on holiday, I landed myself an in-house communications placement with Petrofac, based in Aberdeen. It was the best decision I feel I’ve made to date.

Almost immediately, I fell in love with the oil and gas industry, and the challenges it presented. I had a lot to learn, and that alone excited me.

I soon found myself working an event entitled ‘Energise Your Future’ set up to educate school children on what the oil and gas sector has to offer. Ironically, some of the classmates I had been studying for my exams with just weeks before, along with the teachers who had previously told me that leaving school at such a tender age would be the worst mistake I would ever make, walked through the door. They were amazed at my level of maturity and the development I had made across such a short time within work. This gave me a great sense of pride; it was the start of the journey of proving them all wrong. 

For the next three years, I found myself working extra hard at college, studying NC Media and Public Relations, before taking on HND in Advertising and Public Relations. Undoubtedly, I learnt a lot of skills during this time that were crucial to helping me grasp the concept of the integrated industry in which I wanted to blossom, however I still found myself craving a way to put these skills into action.

Therefore, again I filled my time with practical and at time nerve-wracking experiences, such as taking part in the Junior Apprentice interview process, which in itself was a massive learning curve, teaching me that you really can take no prisoners in business.

The most important thing I learnt across those three years however was that if you have a concept you truly believe in, mixed with a heart brimming with ambition and undeterred focus and determination to top it off, you can go places, in fact you can go anywhere you like.

At 18, getting ready to go into third year University studying Communication with Public Relations, this was what inspired me to seek an internship with Fifth Ring, the company began locally in 1991, fuelled by a fantastic concept, a lot of hard work and a lot of vision, creating a now global horizon. I also enjoy the versatility of consultancy work; it’s that feeling of waking up and knowing that no two days will be the same. It’s a fast-paced, demanding environment that promotes adrenalin within me I don’t feel I could gather in-house. 

Now that I have secured employment with Fifth Ring as Public Relations administrator, I look to offer as much as I can to the team, while at the same time acting as a sponge, soaking up as much information as I can from the talented individuals surrounding me. I have felt great support in the past three weeks from the team who have welcomed me in, and I look not to settle but instead to push on and progress within the company in the future.

So in answer to those out there who question whether a work placement is worth their time and effort, I believe I am evidence that it is. If you have enthusiasm, a positive work ethic, some brains and a lot of brawn, who knows what opportunities may come of it. An investment in your future now, could be the difference in gaining employment or eating the dust of a fellow candidate after being ‘pipped at the post’..

by Phil Allan, account manager, Fifth Ring 

Another spill, another multinational oil giant left wriggling on the hook of public opprobrium.

One of the sentiments expressed among ER observers in the UK following Macondo was that “it wouldn’t happen here”. This wasn’t complacency that spills and leaks would not occur in the North Sea, but more an assumption that robust emergency response planning and well-drilled teams would have had quickly learned the lessons and would deal with it. Well, guess what?

If Gannet Alpha has proved anything, it is that exercising scenarios and how to respond to a crisis is one thing, but a “live incident” cruelly exposes a flawed response plan.  BP and Shell have been faced with real-life examples of what all of us who work in the energy industry train and plan for. Both companies have done a lot of things right, but the lasting impression is that both have been found wanting and out of step with public expectation.

Scottish Environment minister Richard Lochhead confirms the expectation of Government, media and the public when he said on Wednesday that people will accept nothing less than "complete openness and transparency" on the spill. He’s right.

Looking back at BP’s response to Macondo with the benefit of some hindsight, it didn’t do anything that wrong: it apologised quickly and took responsibility for the cleanup. Representatives were on the whole assertive and contrite: “The gulf oil spill is a tragedy that never should have happened; “We take full responsibility for the clean up”; “We are committed to making this right”. Tony Hayward saying he wanted to get his life back, somewhat undermined his team’s best efforts.

Shell is experiencing what BP went through – a credibility gap. Shell said it was unable to estimate how much oil was in the pipeline, before stating that 660 tonnes was left at a press conference in Aberdeen on Wednesday. It may have been better to say it was working to establish just how much oil was still down there.

Taking a couple of days for the story to break is another issue – established ER practice suggests that holding statements are issued only in response to media inquiries, but maybe that also has to change as Shell has been seen to be at best, latchy, or deliberately trying to sit on bad news.

Fifth Ring is employed as consultants by energy companies to provide a media response in the hours after an incident. Our advice is simple: provide consistent, accurate and regular updates and ensure an information vacuum does not occur. Twenty-four hour news, Facebook and the ever-more ubiquitous Twitter allow stakeholders, commentators and experts to opportunity to pose questions and demand answers – if they don’t get them, they will provide their own to fill the void.

At Macondo, media stories about increased discharge estimates were accompanied by speculation that BP was trying to hide the facts. While events have eventually proved that Hayward wasn’t far wrong when he said the spill was “relatively tiny” and the impact was going to be “very, very modest”, the perception was that he was attempting to minimise damage and play down the incident.

Shell meanwhile, in what is already the biggest spill for 10 years have been using the full ER lexicon: “significantly reduced leak”, “residual small leak”, “stemmed the flow”. Facts may back up its assertions, but the story is as fluid as the “rainbow sheen” on surface of the sea and the negative headlines are proving harder to dispel than the oil.

So what can be done?

• Tell don’t spin. Spokespeople must be factually accurate and refrain from commentary. Stay focussed on the details of the response effort
• Get help from the statutory bodies. DECC and Scottish Government could and should be consulted and urged to take a greater role in a joint information process. The public needs to understand there is a highly- trained experienced team working to put things right
• Once the story is up and running at top of the news agenda – organise daily news briefing with up-to-date progress reports. Consider putting up a senior engineer as part of the team, who can give technical information that people will trust. Shell putting technical director Glen Cayley forward was a sensible move
• Accept there is likely be a “rush to judgement” in the media and prepare a swift and robust response to inaccurate reporting
• Never say nothing - nature and the media hates a vacuum. Speculation, comment and vested interests will gleefully fill the void created by your company’s silence. Be proactive and anticipate the worst-case scenario
• Identify the stakeholders and work out what to say to each audience by anticipating what their particular concerns are going to be. How your company reacts in a crisis will speak far louder than adverts featuring fluffy clouds and baby pandas wrapped in a corporate flag
• Accept your punishment: if there have been failings it is better to face these, deal with them, ensure lessons are learned and move forward. Be open, work with the authorities and the media and move forward.
• Train, train and train again: we exercise with our major clients on a monthly basis – and we work together to introduce realistic scenarios that allow a “story arc”. In a major incident it’s going to be executives making the decisions and taking the lead – they have to have the correct training. A media consultant has to be part of any incident team. Independent specialists can offer objective advice broach the difficult questions and help formulate answers.
• Get the web working for you: direct the media and public to a dedicated site that is activated when an incident occurs – press statements, fast facts, photographs and video should be made available. Online and social media offer direct and immediate communication with the public. Journalists can have accurate, informative copy and will appreciate the company is making efforts to engage.

I was recently brought into the exciting world of PR working as an intern for Fifth Ring in Houston. Little did I know how much I would learn and gain from this experience.

Fifth Ring Houston opened its doors in August 2008, and in a short amount of time has flourished into a powerful Houston agency. Recently, Fifth Ring won a PRSA Houston Mid-Size Agency of the Year Excalibur Award, and it has been a pleasure being able to witness such success.

Fifth Ring has global offices in Houston, Aberdeen, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur and Abu Dhabi, and it is amazing to me how seamlessly everyone works together and supports each other’s efforts. We know if we can’t find the answer here in Houston, we can rely on someone across the ocean to support us.

The office culture of Fifth Ring is very much work hard and play hard. If we’re not speaking with a client or discussing strategic next steps, it is often silent, except for the clicking and clacking of genius spreading through our fingertips! Of course, we occasionally come up for air and talk about the on-goings of the world and pop culture phenomenon, but we truly are here to deliver award-winning, results-driven public relations and marketing campaigns for our clients.

While at Fifth Ring, I have had the ability to write press releases and articles, work with media, and see the benefits our efforts have for our clients first-hand. Each day we are presented with new challenges, and each day we find better solutions. I am fortunate to be surrounded by individuals that challenge me and encourage me to expand my skills and learn different tools that will transcend into my future career.

Like many young women my age, I grew up watching the stereotypical chick-flicks and TV shows that portray public relations as an exotic, trendy, and fast-paced career. However, as I began to pursue my career in public relations I realized just how much hard work and dedication it takes to be in this industry, and let me tell you, I am up for the challenge.

Thank you,

Kelly Lawrence

Fifth Ring proudly sponsored the July PRSA Houston Energy Media Mixer that brought together five key Houston energy media and more than 50 people from various energy companies. http://www.prsahouston.org/

Here’s who attended on the reporter side:

• Deon Daugherty, Houston Business Journal
• David Cohen, World Oil
• Judy Murray, Hart’s E&P 
• Linda Hsieh, Drilling Contractor 
• Greg Miller, Bisnow 

As PR professionals it is important to understand what our publication targets look for and tailor an appropriate pitch. Attendees were able to get an insider’s look on how to do this more appropriately.

Do you ever wonder how to best pitch a publication? Well the editors told us! Here’s what they had to say.

• World Oil announced its 2012 editorial calendar will be available online in September and that stories should be pitched three months in advance.
• The HBJ is printed weekly, specifying Mondays are best for interviews while Thursdays and Fridays are best for pitching stories. HBJ looks at company blog posts for potential stories, in part because Deon is new to the energy industry.
• Drilling Contractor is taking stories through September for its next issue, and the team publishes 24 online issues a year.
• Bisnow is currently preparing to launch an energy section; the publication plans to be online by August 1. They want pictures of people and events.
• Hart’s E&P always welcomes submissions for online posting, but the print magazine is released during the first week of each month and stories have to be wrapped up six weeks earlier. Judy Murray suggested to call her directly to increase chances of getting a story accepted. E&P also mentioned the possibility of using company blog posts on the E&P homepage.

The energy journalists discussed the hot topics for the second half of 2011. Almost every reporter said: Shale/unconventional gas and regulatory issues.

However, each publication discussed handling the topics slightly differently:

• HBJ would focus on how businesses make money through shale.
• World Oil wants shale stories and stories regarding regulatory compliance in deepwater.
• Hart’s E&P is delving into other unconventional gas including oil sands, tight gas, and heavy oil.
• Drilling Contractor is interested in shale stories and reminded the audience that their stories were written for operators, not just for drilling contractors.
• Bisnow is interested in the key people behind the shale industry

The audience asked how the publications handle an energy crisis issue. Here is what two editors had to say:

• David Cohen mentioned that a controversial internal issue might be included in a columns or reports section, such as the Shale Energy Report.
• Judy Murray noted the magazine would not print a controversial story, but would welcome the company to post an unedited blog or article for the magazine’s weekly e-newsletter.

A special thanks to our clients for attending and to PRSA for allowing us to sponsor!

Thank you,

Angelica Nelson