Every single one’s got a story to tell

This is a guest post from Pete.

There’s a lot I don’t like about this MarketWatch article “Who Needs Real Friends? I’m on Facebook and Twitter!”

Image via CrunchBase

It’s one of those year-too-late articles about why you should join Facebook and Twitter, talking about amassing scores of “friends” you never talk to, feeling special when celebrities agree to connect with you, and keeping in touch with old colleagues.

There’s an interesting spin to this though, in that the journalist talks specifically about how social media has impacted his profession. For anyone whose job involves working with media at all, there are a couple comments in here that should stand out.

“These digital innovations can help reporters communicate with newsmakers without the filter of a nosy public relations officer.”

Everyone’s individual filters are gone and information is being shared freely. That’s not a new principle to grapple with, but as a PR/PA professional, when someone calls you a “filter,” I hope you’d refute that.

Why? Because we’re forward-thinking. We recognize that in this new environment, the solution is to join in and be collaborative. We monitor and engage in social media with the hopes that we can help make those same connections for our clients, and not simply filter their messages, but help them communicate those messages strategically and more powerfully.

“Plenty of reporters have told me they’ve gotten terrific responses from people simply by throwing out a question on Twitter and asking people to tell their stories.”

Everybody has a story to tell. Now everybody has a free, easy way to do it, and spread the story to places they never imagined they’d see it. Each one of your clients has a story to tell too. Go help them do it.

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