From a Tweet to the Sacramento Bee

After being in PR for a few years, I was accustomed to making my clients be a part of the story, but not actually being a part of the story myself. On Wednesday as I was driving with my family to Redwood City for Thanksgiving I was reading "Tweets" when I noticed that the Sacramento Bee was seeking to talk to people receiving a subsidy that helps pay for health insurance coverage for the unemployed (see graphic). Since I currently benefit from the subsidy, I figured I would e-mail the writer to see if I could help. I quickly got a phone call back and on Sunday, my story and those of others were featured in an article on the COBRA subsidy expiring for people who signed up when it was first implemented.

After the story was published and remembering when I was contacted through Facebook a few months ago to be part of a story on new home ownership, I began to think about how reporters are now able to reach a much broader audience when seeking people to interview. In the past they could talk with their family, friends and co-workers, hang out in a public space with a sign or hope to get a call from a PR pro who knew of just the right person. Now they have a variety of services available to them. They can reach out in seconds to thousands of people through their personal/outlet Facebook pages, with a Tweet or they can use free services like Peter Shankman's "Help a Reporter Out" (aka HARO).

How does this change life for a reporter? How does this change life for a PR pro? How does this change the way the public interacts with the media? How does this change the way we get our news?

I don't have answers to all of them, but I do see social media as an opportunity for reporters and news outlets to better connect with all of their readers (viewers) and allow the public to become part of the story (besides, who doesn't like to see their name in the newspaper every so often?). It means that PR pros need to have clients at the ready to help reporters when the reporter needs them, not necessarily when the client wants the reporter (although once the relationship is established it might be easier for your client to get in a future story or be the story). For the public it means an opportunity to be part of the story, instead of a silent member of the audience. As for how does it change the way we get our news? I have noticed that in many cases (especially when I am traveling) I get most of my news from the 140 characters the news outlet provides and if a certain story peaks my interest they I can click through and read the rest of the story or research the topic further.

No I don't think that social media will replace a news outlet Web site, at least in the near future, but tools like Twitter and Facebook do give readers the opportunity to read the stories they want to read and be a more active participant in how each story is created and it gives writers a new way to connect with their audience and build them into each story they write. What are your thoughts?

Quick reminder: I am still looking for the right job opportunity, if you know of anything please contact me ... mrandrewbradley@gmail.com.

Thanksgiving 2009

It might not have been at the Bradley Lodge, but it was at the Bradley home in Redwood City. We headed to my brother's house to enjoy a family Thanksgiving celebration that included eating, going to the park, working on a few projects around their house (curtains, finished the swing set, built a sandbox, …) and we headed to Santa's Tree Farm in Half Moon Bay for what might have been my first "cut your own Christmas tree" experience ... after hanging out in the rain for an hour I decided that I prefer the pre-lit version I got at Sam's Club, besides it has a perfect tree shape. (note: a friend made the "Cupcake Turkey," I thought it was pretty cool)

Fort Bradley's Holiday Decor

After a fun filled week of bowling with friends, winning Esquire IMAX tickets and watching "A Christmas Carol" in 3D (while eating the biggest bag of popcorn ever - with free refills) and so much more it was time to decorate Fort Bradley for Christmas (I won't be here to decorate the day after Thanksgiving, so I had to do it early). The outside lights are up (thanks to my roommate, Tim, who will be adding a few more lights in the coming days/week to finish it up), the tree is up and decorated and the banister has some beautiful garland. Now I just need some presents under the tree and maybe some fresh pine scent.

As an FYI and early invitation I will most likely be having an open house for family and friends on Sunday, December 6th from 12:30 to 3:30, check for the official invite on a Facebook Status Update or e-mail me at mrandrewbradley@gmail.com if you are interested in attending and need my address.

Birthday's and Family

Last week was a week to remember our veterans, visit with family, celebrate birthday's and of course, mountain bike and look for jobs. I started out the week by meeting my aunt from Texas and grandma at the Waterloo near Stockton for dinner, then updated my resume and requested a few more references from previous co-workers and managers, which was cool (always good to see how great other people say I am). On Wednesday I went with my new mountain biking group on a 17.5 mile ride that included about 7,000 feet of vertical climbing at Salmon Falls (near El Dorado Hills/Folsom Lake), which was grueling, but amazing at the same time. I followed that ride with a much easier ride with a friend and took Thursday to relax and clean my house. Friday I was back on the bike at Lake Natomas and then had my parent's and dad's brother over to see my house and we enjoyed my birthday dinner at Tres Agaves. On Saturday I headed down to my brother's house for my nephew's birthday party (Cars themed of course).

The photo album includes pictures from my parent's trip to the Bradley Lodge and Yosemite, bike rides, my birthday and Luke's birthday.

A Moment to Remember

Please take a moment to remember our Veterans today. They are the ones who fought, the ones who died and the ones whose lives were transformed so that we could have our freedom, our rights, our lives. They are the ones who made the lives we know possible.

Thank you to all who serve, to all who served and especially to the families who have had loved ones pay the ultimate price.

A New Resume

I have now been unemployed for about eight weeks. I have gone to interviews, informational meetings and attended conferences for professional development, like Social Media Weekend. Although being unemployed can be demoralizing at times, it is also an amazing opportunity to learn, not only about social media and PR trends, but also about searching for the right job and building a better resume. Today I took the opportunity to learn more about "Guerrilla Resumes."

With California’s unemployment at over 12% and a nationwide unemployment hovering above 10% for the first time in decades, this new resume format adds logos, quotes, embedded links and more, striving to make your resume stand out from the crowd and get you the interview over someone just using a plain text resume.

Here's a video and link to how you can spice up your resume and a JPEG of my new resume (still in progress, blacked out portion is address/phone number).

As always, if you want a copy of my resume or have any job leads, please contact me ... mrandrewbradley@gmail.com.

Social Media Weekend

Over the past two days I was fortunate enough to attend Sacramento's first Social Media Weekend to learn not just about Facebook and Twitter, but about blogging, selling online, building a brand, marketing and so much more. Speakers ranged from one of the best known "Mommy Bloggers" (Christine Young, founder and writer for FromDatesToDiapers.com) to Jessica Knows (a mom that just so happens to blog and is active in the PR community), to Bayside's Director of Communications and Technology, CJ Alvarado, to the brains behind the event, SacTweetUps and so much more, Sacramento Marketing Labs’ Alejandro Reyes.

What did I learn?
- I learned that a lot of us really have no clue what we're doing, but we love what we're doing and will keep learning more and always try to do it better.
- "Social Media," blogs, Twitter, Facebook and so many other applications are still new and everyone is working to figure out how to use them to benefit themselves, their brands and their companies.
- Companies are learning that they no longer have the luxury of 24+ hours to respond to a critic, but instead must do so within minutes to avoid a crisis spinning out of control. Individuals can be connected to long lost friends or be connected to new friends that live next door or half way around the world. Both must figure out what to do with their connections, friends and fans in order to continue to help each other, provide the information needed to make wise decisions about everything from a major purchase to where the best place is the eat dinner in Midtown.
- For more insights on Social Media Weekend click here to search Twitter and the event's hash tag #socialmediaweekend.

Coming from a background of news and PR it is also very interesting to me how the news is changing. Within minutes of this week's massacre at Fort Hood, news agencies and individuals were disseminating information in 140 characters or less, even putting “Twitter Lists” to their first real test. How did I find out about the unfolding events? Through Twitter on my Blackberry while walking around Downtown Sacramento. How did I find out about Balloon Boy while painting my brother's house in Mountain View, through Twitter on my Blackberry. Why was I quoted in the Sacramento Bee for buying my house in Roseville ... because the writer saw my Facebook posts. Yes, although I try to read the newspaper online and watch the news at least once a day, I do get a lot of my news through Twitter as it is happening or minutes later, I no longer have to wait hours between newscasts or until the next morning to read it in the newspaper.

Where is our world headed? Do we all have social A.D.D.? Is Facebook a fad, like the pet rock? Will we all be looking down at our phones or the screens on our laptops 24/7 in the coming years? Maybe, but if the SacTweetUps and other events I have attended by searching subjects on MeetUp.com are any indication, I think we will be using social media to connect with new friends that share common interests to meet in person, develop businesses and follow our passions. What are you thoughts? The next Social Media Weekend will be in the Spring of 2010, as dates are announced I will keep you informed. Also, Alejandro Reyes (aka Successfool) will be launching a new Web site/blog on Monday, November 16, 2009, so remember to go to http://www.getinternetfamous.com/ and support him and see what "Getting Internet Famous" is really all about.

PS ... I still need a job, blogging and mountain biking are fun, but jobs pay for the fun (and the mortgage), if you know of any opportunities in PR, marketing, event planning, using social media or similar please contact me at mrandrewbradley@gmail.com or @mrandrewbradley on Twitter.