I Wish I Knew: In The Know

Many people ask what they should read everyday. This is a tough question because you can’t read everything, but you need to read enough to be dangerous. And, you need to be up to date on your area of specialty or your clients.

Personally, I begin each day browsing the headlines of the New York Times and then quickly skim through USA Today and my local paper. Each week, I try to read Newsweek and BusinessWeek and read Fortune magazine each month.

When I had multiple clients, I skimmed through the trade publications that covered their industry as well as daily email updates (I still do this for my current industry). Then, I targeted what publications I wanted to see them in and studied those. You don’t want to pitch publications that you’ve never read, because the journalist can sense your ignorance.

Something you should keep in mind – if you work for an agency, you need to know as much or more about your client’s industry. How else can you positively represent them if you don’t know the ins and outs of their product and their competitors?

In Your Spare Time

What about business books? Each year, dozens of new business books are released and it’s hard to know which ones to read. I’ve read several lately and many don’t directly relate to the PR industry, but offer valuable insights. Here are a few of my favorites:

The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR, by Al Ries and Laura Ries. This book is already a classic in the industry and gives you a leg to stand on when fighting for dollars against the advertising and marketing departments. This is a must read if you’re in the PR industry.

The Tipping Point, by Malcom Goodwin. All products that become successful, such as the iPod, have a moment in time where they go from “another product” to a must have. Goodwin says, “Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread just like viruses do.” To learn how to make your product or idea or issue the next biggest thing, this book is a must read. Goodwin also has a blog at www.gladwell.com/tippingpoint/index.html

Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. Technically, this book has nothing to do with communications, but it is fascinating all the same. The authors take various problems, like crime, apply economic principles to them and devise solutions. Maybe the next time you’re struggling with your PR strategy and tactics, consider applying economics to your problem. You can learn more by reading the authors’ blog at www.freakonomics.com/blog

You’re Marketing Sucks, by Mark Stevens. Wait, I’m in PR. Why should I read about marketing? In an ideal world, marketing and PR work together. So if your company’s marketing plans are off target, your PR tactics will be off strategy as well. This is a great way to discover the principles of good marketing. Stevens also has an interesting blog which you can find at www.msco.com/blog

Happy reading and feel free to share books that you feel are a must.

November 2006

Comments

The Tipping Point is written by Malcolm Gladwell. This book is an easy read along with his newer book Blink.

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