This post was written by regular contributor Katie Wall.

Remember playing the game of telephone when you were younger? It always amazed me how a simple strand of words moving from one person to the next could get jumbled up so quickly, almost beyond recognition.

“There are four turtles and toys in the barnyard!” Umm…The original sentence was “There are more girls than boys at the party…”

The same thing happens with Twitter. When you only have 140 characters to convey your message a lot can get lost in translation. “You” becomes “u,” grammar is distorted and we #hashtagwhatevertheheckwewant to avoid spaces. Sometimes messages are changed so much that they become mere fractions of what they used to be (I know I’m guilty of this, it’s amazing how much we can all slice and dice a sentence so that it fits within the character limit)!

Beyond forwarding simple changes in syntax, Twitter moves at a pace that allows false news to spread alarmingly fast. Who could forget when Johnny Depp or Zach Braff died? Or the more recent rumor that American Airlines would be flying doctors and nurses to Haiti for free, which created a wave of people sharing what seemed to be time sensitive information rapidly.

Do you think we are cheapening our own messaging by limiting ourselves to 140 characters? Do you think that we’re losing important pieces of information in the shortening of messages? Is it too easy to share false information now? And are the quickly spreading rumors getting in the way of us sharing greater truths?

Photo copyright of doobybrain.com.

My mother always told me that eavesdropping was rude and un-ladylike. Cue Southern belle.

Imagine my surprise when I had a journalism assignment in college to eavesdrop in a public place - and write down the dialogue. The point of the assignment was to absorb, then convey the passion and emotion at whatever level, between the people discussing.  You also became more in tune to the type of people you were listening in on.

So why is eavesdropping an essential skill in the PR field?

Social Media
Face it. You’re only as great as the people you converse with. You might be brilliant with executable ideas, but if no one is listening? It’s not beneficial.

If you aren’t challenging yourself on a daily basis and constantly operate in a comfort zone? You miss the point of learning through social platforms. Find those that are discussing an interesting topic and absorb what they are saying. Research the terms mentioned and the tactics discussed. Write down your own thoughts, and when you’re comfortable, ask questions and interjet opinion.

Strategy 101
Eavesdropping isn’t always cut and dry – or you listening in on a conversation between others. It can be reading body language and how a person approaches an issue. Words don’t always match actions.

In the business setting and during strategy sessions, you have to be in tune to those around you. Strategy is a team effort. If you don’t have the buy-in, it will never get off the ground. Focus on the energy of the room and build on it.

Traditional Public Relations
Eavesdropping is a bit different for the traditional setting. Besides the reasoning discussed above, it’s reading the trades, daily newspaper and major newspapers. Get to know who you are pitching – what stories are being picked up, the style of writing and if their is consistency in author.

A typical PR person will set aside time for both online portals and hard copy papers. Many read the hard copy on their smart phones. Research is a critical skill in this field.

So, what else would you add? What types of eavesdropping are beneficial?

Photo copyright of http://f00.inventorspot.com.

Corporate buy-in around technology is often a struggle – compared to consumer buy-in, it’s a tedious task that stalls much of the time. Consumers are attracted to hot trends, ease of use and the packaging/hardware. Corporate entities want to know how long training will be, intuitive nature and if it really will speed up process.

Does this apply to technology, creative, advertising fields? Not really.

The thing to be considered though - what type of industry is your client in? Do they embrace change? Does the political structure impede technology adoption?

Corporate

Interruption
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” This common phrase sums up the biggest obstacle when it comes to technology adoption.  Time is not there to waste – and if its complicated/not intuitive, you’ll lose them. By showing new technology, you are interrupting the work day and a process that already works. Sure, you might speed it up. But if it takes you forever to prove it? Game over.

Policies
Company policies have been instilled to make the business efficient.  As a technology provider, study their processes and figure where it can be more efficient using your tools. As an agency, it’s not your place to recommend that an internal process be changed – instead, work to cultivate your own processes to work with theirs.

Send information on up to date products that they might find interesting. Show case studies. An informal approach of “FYI, thought this was interesting” puts the ball in the court it should be in: the corporation.

Consumer

Interruption
As a consumer? When it comes to technology, they want the best. They want to show it off to their friends, they want to have the internet/mobile applications/etc. at their fingertips. Interruption doesn’t play as much of a role – consumers will carve out time to learn. Customer service is in place for most at a 24 hour level – which means a consumer can mold questions and learning to fit their schedule.

Efficiency
Will it break? How reliable is it? As a consumer, many use technology for work, freelance and just to enjoy. If it’s always breaking or needing to be replaced, not only is the brand tarnished, but you’re losing brand loyalists. The bright and shiny wears off, as the new product is just around the corner. One must build brand loyalty, rather than product loyalty. If the brand isn’t dependable? The consumer will buy something else.

These are just a few examples of tech buy-in: what would you add? What obstacles have you faced? In the technology world, will we ever have complete buy-in?

Time Management is a habit – it’s not something you can learn easily. Being organized doesn’t automatically mean you will succeed at time management.

This graphic details a time management tip from Steven R Covey’s book “7 Habits of Highly-Effective People.” It illustrates four possible categories for the things on your to-do list:

• important and due soon (1)
• important and not due soon (2)
• not important but due soon (3)
• not important and not due soon (4)

People make a mistake when they focus more on 2 and not 3. Ranking your projects in order of deadlines, than importance, is a good practice.

Routines and practice is something that goes hand and hand with those that are best at managing their time. It’s also about “determining” a few other things that play into the graph above.

Determine your personality
Most are separated into ‘Type A’ or ‘Type B’ personalities. Much is dependent on the environment and type of professional field. A Type A will get a lot done at a fast pace, and set a lot of goals, while Type B will take their time and focus on one project at a time. Each has pros and cons. Recognizing what type will help you juggle projects and know how to approach each.

Determine if its paper or digital
Determine a system that works best for the individual. If reminders help, utilize an Outlook calendar and smart phone alerts. If you’re a compulsive checker, have the schedule on both paper agenda and an online platform. If paper is easily lost in your handbag (can I hear an amen?) then invest in a dry erase board.

Evaluate yourself during the day to see if you are on track, and re-focus as needed.

Determine strategy behind measurable objectives
Anyone can make a list and say that they will do this or that during the day. Juggling takes practice.

Create “objectives of the week” and don’t state why you are going to do them – but HOW. Jot down a few bullet points, as well as benchmarks to achieve throughout the week.  Write down how much time it will take until you get in the groove. Reward yourself with “me” time at the end of the day – or the morning.

Time management is about the individual and what will work for them. Evaluation is key. What else would you add? Are there other indicators?

PR and social marketing folks already have brands embracing social media. Non-profits aren’t going away – they will always be there in some form. There’s an association for everything. Brands need to start evaluating if cause marketing is appropriate for their brand and what they can really stand behind.

Cause marketing or cause-related marketing refers to a cooperative effort between a for profit business and a non-profit organization. The term is often used to describe any type of marketing for social and other causes.

Cause marketing differs from corporate giving because the latter involves a specific, tax-deductible donation. Cause marketing isn’t usually donation based.

Edelman’s 2009 Goodpurpose(TM) Consumer Study found that 57% of consumers worldwide say a brand or product earned their business because it was associated with, or supported, a good cause. The chart above demonstrates the levels and types of cause marketing. But how do you get started?

Find a cause your brand can rally behind
Transparency is even more important when it comes to social causes. If the passion isn’t there, it will be apparent – The burn of being found out even more so. Those that work for NPs have passion – So should you. Take the time to survey employees and see what causes they already volunteer for. Think of employee morale before speeding ahead with a campaign. Having a non-profit tied to your product can, in many cases, make the brand more reputable.

Find a charitable cause in line with your vision and products
A great way to get a brand behind cause marketing is to find something relatable. If you are a produce company, why not partner up with a food bank? Something that is in line with your vision will help consumer buy-in and strengthen brand mission. If there isn’t something directly in line, name recognition will also go a long way. You could also go the smaller route and push a non-profit to name recognition with brand aid. Every non-profit can use help. Volunteering your time goes a long way.

Use social networks to advocate
The tools are there. What better way than to engage your community and get them behind the cause as well? Survey and ask what else they think the brand can do for said cause. Drive your passion daily in postings to raise awareness. Some of the best cause marketing campaigns rely on grass roots methods.

How else can brands utilize cause marketing? Do you agree? Disagree? Let’s discuss.

*Diagram copyright and used from http://www.causemarketing.ca/.