Fresh start for the New Year

The New Year has been branded as the perfect time to clean up and clear out your files, your desk and even that less-than-fragrant office refrigerator. But in this digital age, it’s important to clean out electronic files and storage in order to keep your online accounts and computer running smoothly.


Sarah Evans, a PR and new media consult and creator of Commentz, compiled a very comprehensive list of tools and tricks to help you clean up your online profiles. Check out her blog for some advice on shaping up everything from your Facebook account to Smartphone settings here.

This post was contributed by Vicky Smithee, @VSmithee.

Fresh start for the New Year

The Social Media Question Plaguing Businesses

Over the past few years, social media has drastically changed the landscape of strategic communications. Advertisers, marketers and PR pros have embraced social media as a way to extend and monitor brands' engagement with audiences; small businesses and entrepreneurs have taken advertising and brand management into their own hands, building their businesses online.

But despite the wealth of books and blogs talking about the myriad of ways in which businesses can wield the power of social media, many are still hesitant to get on board. Here's a list of the top 5 excuses for holding out: 

1.    "We need to be taken seriously." I totally understand! Many business owners think of social media sites as an internet fad that their teenagers use to post silly pictures with friends and follow the likes of Paris Hilton and the Kardashians. It makes sense that businesses, especially B2B, are concerned that participation in social media may make them appear frivolous. Nevertheless, there are many ways for businesses to maintain a sense of professionalism, while still being human. For instance, LinkedIn, a social networking site for professionals, is useful for recruiters, professional referrals, and doing your research before meetings and networking events.

2.    "People in our industry aren't on social media." How can you be so sure? It's true that some industries are slower to embrace technology than others, but companies are made up of people.  It's impossible to know if the people that you want to reach are online unless you look for them. Setting up a profile (or borrowing someone else's) to run a few keyword searches never hurt anyone. What you find may surprise you. Plus, if you consider that thousands of people join social media networks every day, it stands to reason that many of the people you want to connect with will eventually join, even if they're not there yet. Why not pave the way for them to find you when they get there? It will only put you ahead of the game.

3.    "It seems like a waste of time." Hmmm...Are free lead development, referrals, customer satisfaction feedback, SEO enhancement, networking, sharing industry-relevant information, establishing oneself as a leader and gathering information about customers, competition and prospects a waste of time? Most people don't think so. And the use of a social media "dashboard," such as Hootsuite or TweetDeck, makes it easy to plan and schedule future posts, so that account maintenance can be done whenever it's convenient.

4.    "What would we say?" There is a common misperception that every tweet and/or post must be original. Not so! In fact, "relentless self-promotion" is annoying to many people. But "sharing," or the referencing and passing-along of articles and ideas posted by others is a completely valid and appreciated practice. Many people find "curators," or people that routinely share quality, relevant information that they find elsewhere, to be a time-saving treasure. As long as you give them credit, the people whose content you have shared will also appreciate your help in the distribution of their messages. It's really a win-win-win situation. Beyond that, feel free to post news about your company's activities and news related to your industry, respond to questions and comments about your company or industry, and occasional feel-good personal musings. After all, people prefer to do business with people they know and like.

5.    "What if something goes wrong?" This is a valid, yet avoidable concern. First, exercise good judgment for every post. As a rule, since the online community is the largest public space in the world, don't post anything online that you wouldn't be comfortable sharing with everyone. If you wouldn't say it in a client meeting, to your coworkers, investors, grandparents or children, don't say it on social media. When in doubt, don't post it. You can always say it later, but you can never take it back. And in the case of a faux pas, apologize and correct the statement as soon as possible.

Social media is not one-size-fits-all. It is not appropriate for industries relying on extreme confidentiality, those who only do business with a few, very select clients, or those who simply don't have the time, interest or ability to keep it up. However, there are many benefits to be had by those who set their skepticism aside and decide to engage.

This blog post was contributed by C.Pharr's fall intern, Kate Kampa.

The Social Media Question Plaguing Businesses

What we need to know about Google+

As Google+ slowly gains momentum, PR professionals are closely watching for new features and updates about the social network, monitoring its utility and taking bets on the battle with Facebook. As organizations experiment with brand pages, clients will start looking to us to have all the answers.
So what do you need to know about Google+? PRSAY, a forum for PRSA members, goes over the basics of what PR practitioners need to know about the service in a great blog post here.

After you read, take our poll on the future of Google+ here:

Google+ versus Facebook: what will happen?

Post contributed by Vicky Smithee, @vsmithee.

What we need to know about Google+

Seeking Spring Intern

C. Pharr & Company is seeking a dynamic intern for spring 2012 to assist with a variety of accounts ranging from real estate and construction services, to retail and healthcare. Junior and senior-level students studying journalism, public relations or marketing communications are encouraged to apply.

Candidate must be a resourceful self-starter with an understanding of media relations and AP style. Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, along with an eye for details and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, are musts. This is a great opportunity to work in a client-focused team setting, interacting with all disciplines within the agency to gain real-world experience and view the collaborative nature of the agency environment. This is a paid internship of $8/hour, and students may earn class credit.

To view a list of responsibilities, click here.

If interested, please send a cover letter and resume with current GPA to Lauren Venegas at Lauren@PharrPR.com. 

Company Overview

C. Pharr & Company is known for generating meaningful results for its clients through creative public relations and marketing. Focusing on business-to-business communications, the agency specializes in media relations, crisis communications, marketing, advertising coordination, planning and research.

We devise communication strategies that help clients achieve their goals through communications, increased business opportunities, higher brand awareness, changed attitudes and greater stakeholder support. Doing so, we build strong and trusting relationships with clients, communities and the media. Our clients value our counsel and support in meeting daily communication challenges as much as our help with long-term communication strategies.

C. Pharr & Company is built upon more than two decades of public relations and marketing communications leadership – a Texas leader known nationally for its business insight, strategic counsel and creative work with the highest of integrity. To learn more, visit www.PharrPR.com.

Seeking Spring Intern

Communications Summit Recap: What will happen in 2012?

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Dallas Chapter recently hosted its annual Communications Summit, inviting leaders in public relations, marketing and communications to share insights surrounding this year’s theme: “Digital DFW.”

In addition to a wealth of networking opportunities for guests, a career expo and targeted breakout sessions, the event hosted two standout keynote speakers: Shama Kabani (@Shama) and Kevin Sullivan (@ksullie).

Shama Kabani, of The Marketing Zen Group, kicked off the event with a breakfast keynote on the “Top 10 Digital Trends of 2012.” After opening with a frank admission that she was no psychic, she quickly proved how valuable her assertions would be by reviewing her background as an author, international speaker and CEO of a global digital marketing firm. Based on her extensive experience, she expects these digital trends for the next year:

1. Drag and drop apps: The ability to create applications for iPhones and iPads, Android devices and others will become less complex, opening the market to even more developers.
2. People will become Googlized: The battle of the four giants: Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple, will lead people to evangelize only certain brands.
3. Identity-based ecosystems: People use the web and social media to express themselves. Online personalities will become digital mirrors for a person’s real life.
4. Multi-channel publishing: PR pros and brands must present information in a variety of ways so that people can decide what medium they prefer.
5. Targeting and contextual targeting: Advertising will become more intuitive by using web behavior. Expect to see web ads that display based on what sites you visit, what you’re saying online and what you share on social media.
6. Video = Web + TV + Mobile: Video experiences will expand past traditional mediums to be used an increasing amount for web and mobile. Facebook is even making its own web television series.
7. Content curation and aggregation: More tools will be needed to assist people in sorting through the information they find online. Sites like Pintrest are digital swipe files that replace older methods of clipping photos and articles.
8. Artificial intelligence: The next wave of technology will be dependent on intuitive design. Apple’s Siri is a system to watch.
9. Online/offline becomes no-line: The references to being online vs. offline will drop off from relevance. Everything will become digitized; even tombstones will include quick response (QR) codes.
10. Rise of community managers: People will begin professionally educating themselves as community managers in order to expertly guide online conversations.

For a play-by-play of the event, check out the feed of live tweets here. Don’t forget to monitor the PRSA Dallas website for details on next year’s event—you won’t want to miss it!

Post contributed by Vicky Smithee, @VSmithee.

Communications Summit Recap: What will happen in 2012?

Spinning Your Wheels?

In PR you will no doubt go through phases when you feel like you are just spinning your wheels when it comes to media pitching. You’ve done your homework, carefully crafted pitches to each specific reporter, but you get nothing. This of course is frustrating, especially when the only updates you have for client reports include, “follow-up email sent. Pending response.” 

A good practitioner knows media cannot possibly respond to every pitch they receive, but there is always a chance they have been busy or simply overlooked your email.  So, the question is… what is appropriate protocol for following up, and at what point do you consider a pitch dead?

The answer to this question has evolved over time. In the beginning of my career it was encouraged to conduct follow-up calls to reporters. Over the years however, reporters have expressed their disdain for receiving follow-up calls, complaining that they are a waste of their time. The only acceptable method these days is email. Soon will even that be considered too persistent? For a quick refresher on proper follow-up etiquette, I found a great article that includes some helpful insight from media.

Read what these guys had to say on the topic here.

Post contributed by Shelby Menczer.

Spinning Your Wheels?

The Perks of Premium and helpful tips for using HARO

Looking for a new way to gain media coverage for a client? Forget searching for a place to pitch a story, Help A Reporter Out (HARO) makes it easy to find one right inside your inbox. Whether you’re a reporter looking for a source or a source looking for a lead, this win-win relationship is a great tool for PR professionals to easily connect with someone who might be interested in writing about their client.

After being acquired by Vocus, HARO recently launched its Premium subscription package that provides a small variety of applications to help users get the most out of the program for a monthly fee. So, what does the Premium subscription provide you…and of course, is it worth the money?

Three daily emails with reporter queries
Unlimited Saved Searches: save time by having HARO filter out queries that don't match your keywords
Unlimited Profiles: provide biographies to make it easier for journalists to find a good source
SMS Alerts: get early warning when the next email has queries matching your keywords
In-app search: find more opportunities by searching the whole list online, anytime
Early Response: get advance warning of queries that match your keywords, giving you more time to write your response
Phone support
Price: $149.00/month

All in all, I think the premium subscription could save PR pros a little bit of time and gives an advantage to write a response early. The decision to pay for the service should really depend on how valuable the service has proven to your particular group of clients. If you’re frequently finding reporters through HARO, then these extra applications will ultimately have benefits.

Although the perks of the premium program are nice, I suggest PR pros stick to simplicity. The minimum free subscription gets you three easy-to-read emails a day with reporter queries. The free version may not filter emails for you but it only takes a few extra seconds to scan an email during your busy day of sending press releases, creating media lists or sending out Tweets. Read on for a few tips on how to use this program to your full advantage.

Five Tips for “Helping A Reporter Out”…

1.    Subscribe! It’s FREE! The only thing you have to do is get on your email and click open. Simply read through them and see if you can “help a reporter out” and most importantly help out your client.
2.    Don’t ignore the emails. Read them right away. It’s easy to ignore emails that don’t need your immediate attention. It takes 10 seconds to scan HARO’s reporter queries so open them right away so you don’t miss out on an opportunity.
3.    Keep responses short. After finding a query you think is a good fit for your client, write two short paragraphs that gets the reporter's attention, is persuasive and to the point. Don’t spend time on a long pitch. The reporter already knows what they are looking for. Simply explain why you’re the perfect source.
4.    Don’t abuse the privilege. HARO doesn’t tolerate spam, so don’t email reporters with other information unrelated to their query. Spamming reporters will easily get your subscription taken away, which brings me to my last tip…
5.    Build and maintain the reporter relationship. Each time you work with a new reporter, make sure it’s a good experience. Build a relationship with that reporter so that next time you have a story idea, you can call on the reporter again without going through HARO. This is a great way to meet new reporters and continue building your media lists.

Good luck and Happy “Helping!”

Post contributed by Kathrine Brody

The Perks of Premium and helpful tips for using HARO

Five tips for working on a hyperlocal level

Although placements in hyperlocal publications might not spike your client’s interest like the cover of The New York Times, specific neighborhood coverage can be immensely valuable and help build your brand in the community.

Inspired by a current client project to distribute news to more than 50 markets across the U.S. on a neighborhood level, we’ve come up with some tried-and-true methods for researching and pitching hyperlocal publications. Many of these tips are relevant for all types of media relations activities, but these are especially important with hyperlocal pitching:

1. Don’t underestimate a map. Is the new CFO you’re announcing from Minnesota? A particularly small town in Minnesota? The easiest way to find the DMA and other close cities to your target is to check a map. This can reveal the reach of top-tier publications, along with smaller cities and surrounding communities with publications that may cover the area, even when they aren’t explicitly listed. 
2. Double check the coverage area of reporters before you contact them. Especially when using national media databases, it’s important to always check the publication websites for coverage maps. If the writer only reports news for West Palm Beach’s east half, don’t send news for West Palm Beach west. Pay close attention to coverage boundaries because no matter how great your pitch is, reporters only want news for their particular area. If there’s a tenuous link, spell out why that reporter should care.
3. Be conscious of turnaround time. Many hyperlocal publications are online-only and are constantly looking for fresh content. Often, they can post news as soon as they receive it so be sure to include all details up front so your story makes headlines ASAP.
4. Be prepared to provide your own visuals. Hyperlocal outlets may only have one person on staff per coverage area and no photographer to send out on assignments. If you already have professional photos taken of an event, an executive, or even an idea for alternate visuals, offer them up.
5. Keep your eye out for new hyperlocal outlets. With the proven successes of sites like Patch.com and Dallas’ Neighborsgo, the hyperlocal media business model is a trend that is here to stay. With larger newspapers in trouble and declining television viewership, hyperlocal outlets online and in print are springing up everywhere, so it’s imperative to constantly check for new outlets in each market.

 Post contributed by Vicky Smithee, @VSmithee

Five tips for working on a hyperlocal level

PR back-to-school checklist

It is back-to-school season and you know what that means…you’re busy (and probably stressed) going through your child’s checklist to get ready for the first day of school. While you’re in this back-to-school, super-organized mode, why not dedicate some of this energy and prep for your own professional development? Set a good example for your kids by completing your own PR checklist to ensure you’re ready to go “back to school” this fall when your clients’ events and media pitching are in full swing after the summer lull. 

Here is our back-to-school checklist for PR pros:

• Finish your summer reading list – stop throwing those PR Tactics issues in the “read it later” pile. It’s time to dust them off and catch up on the latest PR/marketing trends. Just think, you may even learn a new trick or two. 
• Review the course syllabus for the year – your “syllabus,” the editorial calendar,  is something PR pros can’t live without. Be sure to check and see what editorial coverage is on the horizon while following up with those journalists you haven’t spoken to in a while to see what they’ve got in the pipeline. You never know, you might score a new media placement. 
• Buy school supplies – stop procrastinating! Do your research and buy that new media tracking or social media dashboard monitoring tool you’ve been talking about for a while now. 
• Update your school directory – yes, I’m referring to those dreaded media lists.  It’s time to revisit those lists and scrub them clean of any outdated contacts or media outlets that have folded. Don’t forget to “hit the books” (or Google for that matter) to find new outlets and contacts to add to your lists. 
• Check in with the “PTA” – and by PTA I don’t mean the parent-teacher association. I mean the association of public relations professionals, otherwise known as PRSA. Surf the PRSA website, connect with colleagues all over the U.S. and read up on new case studies and other insights that have been published. You’re sure to get some fresh, new ideas for the “school year.” 
• Do your homework –sharpen your writing skills for the fall course load. Spend some time reviewing AP style additions, SEO trends or even how to write better copy for your press releases, marketing collateral, etc. One of my favorites is Wylie’s Writing Tips. You’re sure to pick up a few pointers.

What are you waiting for? Stop procrastinating and get to work or you’ll be pulling another “all-nighter,” making you think you’re back in college. There will be a test on the first day!

This post was contributed by Leah Ekmark.

PR back-to-school checklist

Seeking Fall Intern

C. Pharr & Company is seeking a dynamic intern for fall 2011 to assist with a variety of accounts ranging from real estate and construction services, to retail and healthcare. Junior and senior-level students studying journalism, public relations or marketing communications are encouraged to apply.

Candidate must be a resourceful self-starter with an understanding of media relations and AP style. Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, along with an eye for details and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, are musts. This is a great opportunity to work in a client-focused team setting, interacting with all disciplines within the agency to gain real-world experience and view the collaborative nature of the agency environment.

To view a list of responsibilities, click here.

If interested, please send a cover letter and resume with current GPA to Lauren Venegas at Lauren@PharrPR.com. 

Company Overview

C. Pharr & Company is known for generating meaningful results for its clients through creative public relations and marketing. Focusing on business-to-business communications, the agency specializes in media relations, crisis communications, marketing, advertising coordination, planning and research.

We devise communication strategies that help clients achieve their goals through communications, increased business opportunities, higher brand awareness, changed attitudes and greater stakeholder support. Doing so, we build strong and trusting relationships with clients, communities and the media. Our clients value our counsel and support in meeting daily communication challenges as much as our help with long-term communication strategies.

C. Pharr & Company is built upon more than two decades of public relations and marketing communications leadership – a Texas leader known nationally for its business insight, strategic counsel and creative work with the highest of integrity. To learn more, visit www.PharrPR.com.

Seeking Fall Intern

Google Plus: the new social media frontier?

As PR pros, it’s our job to be up on the latest and greatest social networking tools – especially ones that are creating as much hype as Google+ seems to be. But what is Google+? What does it mean for the other networks that currently reign, such as Twitter and Facebook? More importantly, how can communicators, marketers and PR practitioners use it effectively?

 Google+ describes itself as a project that makes sharing on the web feel like sharing in real life. A bit vague, perhaps, but that’s just what it seems to be for now – a project.

A post from Ragan’s PR Daily notes that Google combined a variety of the technologies it has already developed over the last several years, doing a masterful job of weaving these technologies into a well-integrated network that bears some similarities to Facebook, Friendfeed and even Twitter.

Although it may be too early to see the effects Google+ is making for the social networking world, it’s not too early to draw some conclusions on the current features. The post combs through several tools such as monitoring, targeting, company presence, search engine optimization, enterprise, circles and other observations. Check out the post here. What do you think of Google+ so far?

This post was contributed by Lauren Venegas.

Google Plus: the new social media frontier?

Measuring the success of PR

Every public relations agency has its own ways of distributing news, executing events and reporting results. But, one thing is universal: your clients want to know how these impact their bottom line. Especially with the advent of social media, clients are asking “What is the return on investment?”

Responding to a column in the Wall Street Journal alleging that the PR industry lacks a definitive form of measurement, Ragan’s PR Daily delves into the shift away from measuring results using AVE, or advertising value equivalency.

Ragan’s agrees there is not one, easy way to measure the success of PR. Instead, there are multiple ways to track the impact of publicity. For more on what types of standards are being used in the industry, read the post here.

This post was contributed by Vicky Smithee.

Measuring the success of PR

Tradition Has Its Place in the Working World

Now that college graduations are over, a whole new set of job seekers are entering the workforce. And while the economy is in better shape than it was just a few years ago, The Bureau of Labor Statistics says unemployment rates are still struggling to improve, which means more people will continue fighting for the same limited number of jobs. 

This leaves many people asking, “What can I do to stand out to potential future employers?”  Although it seems to be one of the most obvious answers, sending a traditional thank you note is often an overlooked practice. A post-interview thank you note - sent individually to each person you met with - does not need to be anything fancy, but should be handwritten on stationery and mailed the very next day. The sentiment will be lost if too much time passes.

Not only is it proper and polite to thank someone for their time and consideration, but a thank you note allows you to restate your interest in the position. It also serves as an opportunity to mention anything you may have forgotten to say in your interview. Personalization is another important thing to remember. To do this, try referencing something specifically discussed in the interview, and/or how the individual treated you.

Thank you notes also say a lot more than just what is written. They tell prospective employers that you are thoughtful, considerate, organized and good with people. When employers are faced with a sea of equally qualified candidates, these basic people skills become increasingly significant.

Sending a proper thank you note is crucial to being remembered and makes for a successful job search. And because a lot of people forget or just don’t know better, you’ll find it will help you stand out in the competitive world of job hunting.


This post was contributed by Shelby Sabin.

Tradition Has Its Place in the Working World

Gaining experience before "The First Job"

On the last day of her internship with C. Pharr, our summer intern Sara Corwin shares some fantastic tips that can help students seeking their first jobs or professionals hoping to find their spot in the world of PR.

One of the most important aspects of being a college student is getting a head start within the industry of your field of study. To avoid feeling like a fish out of water after graduation, embrace what is available to you now to help build your skills and professional manner while you are a student. This is an important aspect that will build your resume, not only helping you prepare for a job but aid in landing one too. Gaining experience is achievable with a lot of determination and a little creativity.

• PR covers various industries. If you have a particular interest for sports, fashion or green living, for example, show off your knowledge and creativity by creating a blog or tweeting on what you are passionate about.
• Volunteering for local nonprofits or other organizations may also demonstrate your passion for a particular industry and will show that you are actively engaging in that field. Design and write their newsletters, post event information online, pass out flyers and brochures or simply lend a helping hand at events or within their office.
• Internships are also a great opportunity that is a must-have for PR, marketing and journalism students. Always keep an eye open and apply to several. You can also speak with a local organization and see if they need any help with a little PR. You never know, you could become their very first intern.
• Attend industry-related events, such as lectures downtown, networking events at local eateries and luncheons. Be sure to take notes, have personal business cards on hand and follow up with the professionals you meet. Embrace LinkedIn!
• Seek out professionals for mentoring, shadowing or informational meetings. If you want to learn more about a particular business or industry, just ask!
• Be a part of your school’s organizations. You can boost your written and verbal communication skills by writing for the school newspaper. See if your school has a chapter for PRSSA or other journalistic society. If your school does not have PRSSA, or there is not a PR position within an organization, take the initiative to make one. Do PR for your sorority or another organization you are a member of. You can show leadership and utilize your skills by running for officer positions.
  

There are plenty of opportunities out there to become more involved in PR before graduating and landing your first job. Get creative and embrace the resources available to you.

This post was contributed by Sara Corwin. Read more insights by Sara on her blog: http://scorwin42.com/ or find her on Twitter: @scorwin42.

Gaining experience before "The First Job"

Job applicants - This post is for you!

As PR pros we are constantly sharing tips and industry trends with colleagues, clients and/or anyone who reads our blogs and tweets.  I just read a blog post from Peter Shankman and thought it was extremely fitting to re-post his blog on “how to” and “how not to” find a job since we just opened a job search for an Account Coordinator. 

If you are one of the applicants applying for this position at C. Pharr & Co., I would highly recommend you read Peter’s post before sending us your résumé – he has some great tips. As he notes in his post, be sure to proof your résumé for spelling errors. Spelling mistakes seem to plague the majority of résumés I read. So, before you apply take the time to proofread your résumé. Don't hesitate to ask a friend or family member to review it as well to catch those minor errors you might have missed.  No matter what industry you’re in, attention to detail is a key trait all professionals must possess in order to succeed.

Heed this advice - spell check is not your friend.  Remember that last email you sent and realized after you hit “send” that spell check didn’t catch this error, “I know I would be perfect for the roll of Account Coordinator due to my vast experience…” If you can’t find the error in that phrase, then this post is for you!

Thanks for reading and we look forward to reading you’re résumés…again, another error. I just used my “friend” spell check and as predicted it didn’t catch it! If you didn’t catch it either then don’t bother applying.

This post was contributed by Leah Ekmark.

Job applicants - This post is for you!

C. Pharr Hiring Account Coordinator

C. Pharr & Company is seeking an Account Coordinator in its Addison Circle (North Dallas) office. The Account Coordinator will support multiple national and regional accounts including real estate and healthcare. Candidates must have college degree in public relations or related area. Prior PR agency internship and leadership experience are highly valued.  Successful candidates will be self-directed and able to multi-task. Superior organizational and communication skills are required. Specific responsibilities include assisting with events, media list development and management; research and reporting, interacting with agency and client teams and social media support.  C. Pharr offers a fun, fast-paced, collegial environment with great opportunity for professional development and advancement. Check us out at www.pharrpr.com. Send resumes to info@pharrpr.com.

C. Pharr Hiring Account Coordinator

The Associated Press Got it Wrong!

News is buzzing on the Internet today about the Associated Press falling for a press release hoax. The fake press release appeared to be from GE, claiming that the company would repay a $3.2 billion tax refund to the Treasury Department. Once the AP learned the press release was a hoax, they pulled the story immediately.  Read the details of the prank here.

I'm sure GE's PR rep went into crisis mode as soon as the story hit the wire. This issue brings to light one of the problems with media today. While citizen journalism and social media are great tools to get your message out, the ability to publish breaking news within seconds has a downside. Every outlet from bloggers to mainstream media wants to be the first to break a news story. Unfortunately the AP fell victim to a prank in its haste to get this breaking news out the door.

This is a good reminder for all of us, especially PR pros, to check facts on our own release and pitches, ensuring the information we have - whether it is from clients or our own research - is accurate. You never know when you might be the victim to a prank such as this. Remember, just because you Google something doesn't mean it is accurate!

This post was contributed by Leah Ekmark.

The Associated Press Got it Wrong!