My oldest son turned 10 last weekend. It was an Indiana Jones theme party (my wife throws great kids’ parties), and he received Indiana Jones toys, plus Star Wars and other commercialized toys. He’s already enjoyed playing with them and will in the future.

He (and his siblings) have also enjoyed playing with two airplanes one friend bought him (one pictured here). They’re not tied to any movie or TV show. They’re what I would call traditional, tried and true toys. Airplanes.

Just like it’s easy to get caught up with toys that echo the hotest new movie and forget about the fun you can have with such non-commercial toys, it’s also easy to get caught up in the latest trend in our professions.

But, let’s not forget about some tried and true basics:

  • Know what goal(s) you want to accomplish, and set objectives to achieve the goal(s). Then, develop supporting strategies and tactics to achieve those objectives. Don’t do just do what you did “last time.”
  • Objectives, as a smart man once said, are measureable. Once you have your plan in place, make sure you have ways to track and measure your objectives. Having certain levels you want to achieve (like X number of mentions per month, XY number of inquiries, etc.) is ideal, but not always possible, particularly for a new campaign. In public relations, there are many ways to do this. A few examples include Techrigy’s Social Media Manager (which my employer uses), BurrellsLuce (which I have used in the past), Google Analytics (which I use for my blog), and even customizable search tools like Rollyo.
  • Social media, like its sister media relations, is about…relationships. Social media allows for the greatest ability to target your customers and prospects. Use that advantage. Research the blogs, boards and other social media you wish to target. Read and learn about the bloggers, members and participants. You can only connect your company, clients or cause with the people you want to reach if you know them. Otherwise, you’re one of the few giving PR a bad name. Remember, it’s about people and relationships; not about “hits.”
  • Communicate often — with your client, supervisor, co-worker, and everyone else who should know about the plan you’re involved in. We don’t work in a vacuum. This tidbit is more for internal purposes –  but it’s likely the single biggest sin I’ve seen marketing and communication firms commit. I’ve been guilty of lack of communication as well. In this business world of digital communications, it’s an easy task to CC someone and let him/her know what’s going on.

Just like the airplanes my oldest son received for his birthday, there’s really nothing flashy or all that new in the above.

It’s basic, 101-type stuff — stuff that’s tried and true.

-Mike