As we head into a Holiday weekend, I would like to take a moment to say thanks to all of the BLAST employees....yes, I know it is the 4th of July and not Thanksgiving, but our employees ROCK!

-Thanks for making this such a fun place to work!
-Thanks for challenging each other to be better day after day!
-Thanks for producing great media coverage on a daily basis!
-Thanks for all of your hard work and dedication to BLAST and our clients!

To everyone at BLASTmedia / BLASToutdoors and readers of our blog, we would like to wish everyone a happy and safe 4th of July weekend!

As a PR specialist, it's always exciting to meet new people and hear interesting stories from within our client's industries. This past week was no exception, when I attended LT Pact '08 in Las Vegas. One of our clients, Layered Tech, was hosting their third annual conference to provide attendees with the most current information in the hosting industry. Besides Layered Tech, we also work with two other companies that are involved with the hosting space, 3Tera and Woopra. That's why it was great to hear first-hand from industry analysts, key industry players and a slew of other companies and individuals who are leaders in the hosting environment. But the best part of the week for me was meeting three of our clients, numerous members of media and a handful of company executives in person.

In today's connected world, we are so accustomed to corresponding through email, instant messenger, Facebook and now Twitter - the phone call and face-to-face contact are limited when you have clients all over the world, as we do. Here at BLAST, we utilize them all. We are in constant contact with our clients, to not only keep them updated with everything that is going on from the media outreach front (interest, feedback, coverage, etc.), but also to hear about everything that is going on with their company. That's why we jump at opportunities like this past week to get to meet and hang out with three of our awesome, and unbelievably fun clients. Not only did we get to soak up more knowledge about their industries and products, but we also got to know our clients on a more personal basis, which is always vital to maintaining good relationships.

Also at LT Pact, I was able to meet a couple of my media and analyst friends from GRIDtoday, Web Host Industry Review, Forrester Research and Tier 1 Research, to name a few. Introducing them to our clients to see and hear what our clients really have to offer is priceless. All the phone calls and emails in the world cannot match putting your client in face-to-face conversation with members of the media. Besides conferences, trade shows, and press tours, do you have any interesting places you have put you clients in contact with the media?

Last week, news broke in TIME Magazine about the extreme rise in the number of pregnancies at Gloucester High School in Gloucester, MA. For a school of 1,200, the 17 pregnancies this year - more than four times the number from last year - definitely came as a shock. Who or what was to blame? Naturally, people blamed movies like Juno and Knocked Up, but others claimed these girls were in admiration of a school-mate who had a baby as a freshman.

However, the real shock came when the high school principal, Joseph Sullivan, commented to the TIME reporter that several of the girls had done this on purpose as part of a "pact." According to a related Associated Press article, Sullivan was quoted by TIME as saying, "That bump [in the number of pregnancies] was because of seven or eight sophomore girls. They made a pact to get pregnant and raise their babies together."

What's more disturbing than the possibility of these girls actually making such a pact? The possibility that no such pact existed, and that Mr. Sullivan may have spoken incorrectly to a national media outlet.

The city's mayor, Carolyn Kirk, is now publicly denouncing the rumors, telling the Associated Press, "any planned blood-oath bond to become pregnant -- there is absolutely no evidence of." Apparently, when asked by the Superintendent about how he came to believe a pact existed, Sullivan was "foggy in his memory."

This story is tragic for the pregnant teens, the unborn children, the parents and Mr. Sullivan's career. There is also a great PR lesson to be learned. Whatever you say to the media is fair game, so if you don't want it published and you don't have all the facts, it's best to keep it to yourself.

We are constantly working to get our clients positive media exposure and this includes securing interviews with radio, television and print outlets all over the world. Before an interview, we're sure to let our clients know not to divulge any information they are not comfortable sharing with the world, or that is not completely fact-based... a lesson that has been clearly demonstrated in Gloucester.

We can assume that Mr. Sullivan clearly did not get any media coaching - or did he? One has to look at the district superintendent and school board in this situation - did they really not offer any advice or direction on what message he should convey, or was this a planned cop-out to take the focus off the school? What do you think?

We understand that it's important to see a return on the investment of a campaign and prospective clients often ask us about how a PR campaign's effectiveness can be measured. We're always working with our clients to help them connect the dots - correlating media placements to web traffic and, ultimately, sales.

Today, we proved the power of PR to ourselves. Our friend Wayne with Gear Diary, who recently posted about Tanita's KD-400, brought another cool product to our attention today. When my colleague Katie at BLASToutdoors in San Francisco passed on a recent post of Wayne's about a "unique" desk organizer, I knew it would be the perfect complement to her San Fran desk. As soon as I completed my order to have one shipped to her, Katie let me know that she just ordered two! Ah, the power of PR! Who says you can't link media coverage to sales?

If you'd like one of these desk organizers for yourself, head on over to Stupid.com.

BLASTmedia and BLAST Outdoors' clients run the gamut when it comes to the latest and greatest tech products. It seems like every time I turn around, we're bringing on a new and exciting client. One of the best perks of working at Blast is getting to try out the cool stuff around the office! So when word spread that I would be leaving this week to be a camp counselor down in Bedford, IN, the girls in the San Fran office hooked me up with some great camping gear! Now I'm ready to head to camp with my Coghlan's Headlight, Cliplight and Micro Lantern and SmartShield eco-friendly combo sunscreen and insect repellent. Check me out with all my cool gear in the great outdoors!

It's no secret that PR practitioners have a love/hate relationship with the media and vice versa. Right now, CBS is at the top of my favorites. CBS purchased a full page ad in the New York Times today honoring longtime NBC News Washington bureau chief Tim Russert. CBS - nice job of putting network rivalries aside and doing the right thing. Our thoughts are with Tim's family, friends and colleagues as they lay him to rest today.

A full page about kickTrak and the importance of kick counting in Pregnancy & Newborn:

Large agencies are great if you are a company looking for strategic planning, big ideas, focus groups, event planning and media coverage all thrown into one for a large monthly retainer. However, some big companies are just looking for solid media coverage and could do without all of the other stuff. It is these companies that overlook agencies like BLAST because of our size - but I would put our client coverage against any global agency month after month. Since we only focus on media relations, we do it extremely well and have close relationships with the press. Large companies could get fantastic media coverage for a fraction of the retainer, but too often think they have to "go big" in order to get great PR.

Tip No. 2 is Know Your Message. I meet countless entrepreneurs at various industry events, parties and trade shows - all extremely excited about their venture but cautious about spending money on PR....and rightfully so, because they can't explain their business! Unless you can tell me in 10 seconds or less what your product/service is and why it is unique, you're probably not ready for PR. If you, the CEO, can't concisely communicate what it is you do, then your employees likely can't either. And, as PR people, we must have clear and concise messages about your product/service to share with the press. While we can certainly help you create key messages, all people in the organization must have a clear message when communicating to the public (media, analysts, venture capitalists, etc.) before embarking on a national PR campaign. Once that single message is defined, we can help you mold it to appeal to different audiences.

Building a foundation is the third tip, but this again applies to both large and small companies. One would assume that multi-million dollar companies would have strong Web sites and collateral - but man, have we seen some crap Web sites from established companies. With all of the Web design talent out there looking for work, there is no excuse for having a poor Web site. It is likely the first place people go to learn about your company, so make sure it's a good first impression. If your site hasn't been updated in the past year - find someone who can do it for you.

Tip No. 4 suggests spending money on a PR campaign that strategically will make the most impact. Want to know the public opinion about your brand/product? Hire a firm that can execute a focus group or survey for you. Are you looking to host a major event/PR stunt to get a lot of attention? Hire a firm that is great at event planning and media execution of it. Is your goal to get in front of your target audiences on a national level to help drive sales? Hire BLASTmedia.

Lastly, make sure you are talking to everyone and anyone about your product/company. YOU are your best PR, so take advantage of networking functions, trade events, holiday cocktail parties, whatever - you never know who you will meet that might be able to help your business in some way.

These are just a few suggestions for companies who are thinking about PR or looking for an agency. Whatever agency you choose, be sure to hold them accountable for media coverage results every month - we expect it from our account reps and you should, too!

Advertising is a billion dollar industry in the U.S. - and is an industry that seems to get more creative by the day. This morning, an ad was featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer and on the newspaper's Web site advertising Derrie-Air, "the world's only carbon-neutral luxury airline" that charges passengers by their weight. As the company's policy states: the more you weigh, the more you pay. It turns out that this was all a hoax, and was simply a test by the Philadelphia Media Holdings company to see what kind of traffic they could drive to www.flyderrie-air.com.

Philadelphia Media Holdings spokesman Jay Devine said the goal of the campaign was to "demonstrate the power of our brands in generating awareness and generating traffic for our advertisers, and put a smile on people's faces."

This is certainly one way to get people's attention - but I have to wonder - did it work? Yes - I'm sure it put a smile on a lot of people's faces when they realized it was a joke. However, the interesting thing about this advertising tactic is the media coverage it has received so far, and continues to receive. The ad ran this morning, and already, the Associated Press has written an article linking to the fictitious site. So, when the Philadelphia Media Holdings company goes to prove to their advertisers the "power of their brands," aren't they really going to be proving the power of PR? Clearly, a lot of money, time and effort went into the making of this campaign, but how are they going to factor in the traffic and awareness that the media coverage generated for them? I would venture to guess that a good portion of the visitors that come to the Derrie-Air site are from other states, even other countries. I'm sure that Philadelphia Media Holdings will attempt to prove to their advertisers that they are the best way to get in front of their desired audience. But in the end - it goes to show the power of good old-fashioned media coverage.

~Charles Darwin~

Find the audience and get the message in front of them in a manner they want to receive it. On the surface, that seems like fairly easy marching orders. Peel it back a bit and you'll understand why companies hire PR agencies.

I speak to many young PR pros and they all seem to think they are on top of Social Media, Web 2.0..blah, blah, blah. PR Week even focused this week's issue on Digital Media with a panel of PR Pros spouting off about the new frontier of digital media. Folks, it ain't new! We've been following/influencing bloggers and social media for over 2 years now. Tell us something we don't know!

Our clients don't care their audience is hanging out on Pownce, Twitter or FriendFeed. Our clients are worried about getting their product to market on time, opening new sales channels and managing the day-to-day rigors of their business. They need their PR Agency (or PR team) to help drive sales. In order to drive sales, PR Pros have to find the audience and call them to action.

Web 2.0 (I really disdain that term) and Social Media have indeed opened the door for PR Pros to explore many new ways of getting in front of your client's audience. Some "ways" are better than others, and GREAT PR Pros understand how to use Social Media as a powerful PR Tool.

As a professional PR practitioner, today's media rich environment has never been more exciting -and it has never been more challenging. Juggling the demands of multiple clients is hard enough as a PR rep. Mixing in the demands of trying to follow a fickle audience traverse the web is equally as challenging. What separates good PR folks from GREAT PR folks is the ability to influence "the target audience du-jour" NOW. Not tomorrow, not next week and certainly not "when the product lands on the shelf"....NOW. In my experience, leveraging Social Media is the quickest and most powerful way to accomplish this.

What worked yesterday to identify that audience and get in front of them may not work today or tomorrow. What are you trying differently to identify and influence that audience? What new avenues are you going to turn down today to see whose hanging out on the corner? Great PR people choose to make those turns everyday.

.......Find the audience and get the message in front of them in a manner they want it delivered....that's my definition of Social Media (some things never change).

It's a beautiful day in our San Francisco office! And it's not because the sun is shining and 80 degrees either. We just received the June issue of Women's Health, chock full of great fitness news and features - and FOUR BLASTmedia/BLAST0utdoors client mentions! We're always excited when our clients are featured in top-tier national publications, but it's even better when we can experience the excitement together. Pick up a copy today to see SkirtSports (twice), SmartShield and Tanita featured!

SLEEPTRACKER's PRO model was selected for display in the master bedroom and Tanita's BC-558 Segmental Body Composition Monitor was chosen for display in the master bathroom. Being chosen as part of the WIRED SmartHome gives our clients' great visibility, as the exhibit is open from May 2008 - January 2009. Each client is featured in the exhibit guide upon entering the home and information about each product is also featured online. If you get a chance to visit Chicago, be sure to make a stop at the museum to check out our clients!

SLEEPTRACKER's Lee Loree talks to an exhibit guide about the SmartHome

Tanita's BC-558 displayed in the SmartHome's master bathroom

Ashley and I had the pleasure of hanging out with the CrunchGear and TechCrunch bloggers (and 200 of their closest friends) at the 2008 NYC Meetup on May 1st. We get to see a lot of these guys at trade shows and press tours throughout the year, but it's always fun to hang out with them outside of a work setting. As you can see from the photo stream and the video they put together from the event, it was a good time! On the whole, we met a ton of cool industry people, heard about a lot of start ups and had the chance to share a few beers with some of our favorite bloggers. John, Doug, Devin, Matt, Peter and Nicholas - thanks for a good time as always! Until next time...

The onset of editors and PR professionals on social media sites is growing by the minute and everyone is talking about how the "old way" of doing PR is broken. I agree that the way we contact editors and where we see the best results for our clients is changing, but we need to get back to the basics in regards to how we are contacting the press.

At BLASTmedia we are embracing sites like LinkedIn and Twitter. We are also using Facebook and MySpace for business purposes. These sites are giving us much more insight into not only the editor's professional life, but also their personal interests. We realize that there are now new ways to communicate with editors, but the process needs to be the same as it always has been...Do your research on the editor and find out what he/she writes about and cares about, and then offer a quality story idea that will help them do their job well.

We have found that if our messages are targeted and relevant to the editors we are working with, it doesn't matter whether it is over email or Twitter; the job is still the same!

Is social media affecting the way you do your job?

It's Earth Day today, and with all of the buzz surrounding our Mother Earth today, BLASTmedia decided to celebrate in style. Everyone (well almost everyone) dressed in their favorite "granola gear" and went out of their way to do something special for the planet today. The award for most environmentally friendly today definitely goes to Heidi Lee, who actually rode her bike to work - an amazing eight mile ride - way to go!!

Other highlights of our eco-friendly ways include Chantal and Ashley carpooling today and Carey bringing recyclables from home as well as filling her gas tank in the evening, which is better than during the day. Mendy also made sure to turn the water off when brushing her teeth, Margie opted not to use her hair dryer this morning and Lindsey packed a 100% waste-free lunch. These are all small things, but every little bit makes a difference. If you need some inspiration, here are some ways you can do your part: 100 Ways to Save the Environment

To really get the party started and enjoy the gift of nature, we all had a picnic lunch out on the lawn in front of our office building. Yes, we may have looked like fools to the bankers inside, but enjoying the sunshine and hugging a few trees just felt like the right thing to do.

Earth Day is a Happy Day, and rather than scare everyone with the extreme ugliness that could be our future if global warming continues at its current rate, I'll just provide you with this site from National Geographic if you want to check it out: Global Warming Fast Facts

We're doing our part to be as green as possible around the office. What types of things do you do to help out? Whatever your method, keep up the good work, and here's to many more Earth Days to come!

BLASTmedia in all of our tree-hugging glory