Dear pr.pros



First, I suggest that if you want the help of your colleagues, you let us
know who you are. It's just professionally courteous to sign your emails,
especially if you're not well-known on the list - plus, you're more likely
to get helpful answers.



Second, if you're going to be a pr.pro, I suggest you work on improving your
grammar and syntax; frankly, your message came across like a student's query
for a paper, and this list doesn't particularly welcome students asking us
to do their class work for them (that happens more than you might think).
Of course, it could just be a typo - God knows how many of those I've
"committed" - but when asking for help, I suggest you put your best foot
forward.



Third, and this is the biggie, if you're asking for help, you might want to
set the stage by telling us why you want that help. Give us something that
would put your question in context.


For instance, while I'm not the world's Guru on online resources, I do know
that I'm now in my 37th year in PR, and that since 1994, many of my clients
and most of my communications (with clients and the media) have taken place
online. Yet I don't have a clue what you're really asking, nor what you
really want that information for.


I can tell you that lots of people speak highly of Peter Shankman's Help a
Reporter site - I've not yet found it helpful, but then I haven't invested
the time needed to work that list. I generally stick to ProfNet, but then
again, that's personal choice (and an expensive one) which has born fruit
for me since the late 90s. I can't be totally objective about Peter's site
- he and I had a falling out a few years ago, and my recent lack of postings
from that list suggest that Peter's not yet ready to let bygones be bygones
- but that's got nothing to do with his service. I know my webmaster thinks
highly of it.



I've never heard of Pitch Engine - it may be one of those multi-million
spring-up-from-nothing PR sites that seem to have proliferated. I get
postings almost daily from half a dozen social networking sites that send me
(to me, useless) information about PR . perhaps this is one of them. Or
perhaps it's the best thing since sliced bread. Since I've got no clue what
you want it for, I can't even check the site out and give you an opinion.



I've at least heard of Media Bistro, but since I'm not looking to have lunch
with a reporter (they always stick me with the check) and because I've found
Internet meals to be way-low in calories (I prefer analog meals to digital),
I can't give you an opinion there, either.



So . let us know who you are, why you're asking and what you're hoping to do
with the information, and some of us may be able to help.



As for kicking this off for 2009, kicking what off? Another online list of
PR resources nobody's got time to work with? Or collecting unclear and
unfocused emails? Give us a clue, here, pr.pros, what do you have in mind?
How will kicking "this" off for 2009 help us? Maybe this is the best idea
of the 21st Century, but based on what you've told us (and, more important,
what you haven't told us), I don't have a clue. I suspect none of the others
here on this list do, either. However, they're more polite than I am, and
are waiting for some curmudgeon like me to ask. So here you go - the ball's
back in your court.



Give us a clue? Thanks



Ned



Ned Barnett, APR

Marketing/PR Fellow, American Hospital Association



Barnett Marketing Communications

420 N. Nellis Blvd. A3-276

Las Vegas NV 89110



702-696-1200 - ned@...

http://www.barnettmarcom.com



From: prbytes@yahoogroups.com [mailto:prbytes@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
pr.pros
Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2009 7:08 AM
To: prbytes@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [prbytes] PR Tools for 2009 (please add on)



I am listing the only tools that I know of that really has helped me
out-does anyone have listservs or any links that help PRs get to the
right person?

1. http://www.helpareporter.com/
2. http://www.pitchengine.com/ (HAVENT TRIED but saw on twitter)
3. http://www.mediabistro.com
4. this egroups (please list any that you think we should add)

I am not sure if this was done before but perhaps we can kick this off
for 2009?





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