If you read Arik Hanson’s blog, Communications Conversations, then you’ve probably enjoyed his series on “PR Rock Stars,” where he’s interviewed a variety of PR and communications professionals. I figured it was about time someone interviewed him for a change, and he graciously obliged. So, as Michael Scott would say, “Well, well, well… how the turntables…” Um, yeah.You’ve interviewed some talented people in your PR Rock Star series on your blog. What’s your definition of a PR Rock Star?
AH: Contrary to popular belief, there’s no hard-and-fast definition. To date, it’s really just been a list of folks I’ve been big fans of or PR pros who are succeeding in their industry or niche. Typically, I also like to focus on folks tackling timely issues: Kelly Groehler of Best Buy using Twitter as a tool to further brand reputation; Rick Mahn at Land O’ Lakes showing us what a non-traditional rock star looks like; and LeeAnn Rasachak and Sarah Ryder at Select Comfort implementing social media strategies internally and externally to raise awareness and educate. Sorry folks, there’s really no “special sauce.” ;)
You spend a great deal of time mentoring communications professionals, not only online but also through your involvement in PRSA. Who have your mentors been and what are some of the most important lessons they’ve taught you?
AH: I happen to think your mentors don’t necessarily need to be more experienced than you. They don’t have to be 20-year PR vets. They don’t even have to be formalized relationships. But, they do have to provide value. And the best mentor/mentee relationships provide value for the mentor AND the mentee. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship. The mentor/mentee model is changing a bit–you’re starting to see that more. Younger folks “coaching up” to senior-level folks (especially in the social media/digital area). Some of the folks I’ve learned from along the way: Deborah Ely-Lawrence (now at Prime Therapeutics), Nicki Gibbs (former PR Rock Star), Katharine Kaboord, Joel Swanson, Rose McKinney, David Mullen, Connie Bensen, David Folkens and Candee Wolf just to name a few. And of course, I have a budding mentor/mentee relationship with you, Amy, that’s I’ve really enjoyed the last few months.
You’re a Twitter “power-user” in the sense that you really make use of the tool to meet people, engage in genuine conversation, share content and make connections. How do you describe Twitter’s usefulness to people who are just starting out and can’t quite get past the “What are you doing” banality?
AH: Good question. To be perfectly honest, I probably don’t do a very good job of articulating Twitter’s value to the “doubters” out there. I think of my brother, who’s always asking me why I invest so much time in this tool. What I tell him is simple. Three reasons: 1) I can meet folks I’d never have the chance to otherwise meet, 2) I can broaden my community exponentially in ways that just wasn’t possible before, and 3) I now have the opportunity to learn from experts and thought leaders from across the world. These are the same folks who may refer me to a potential job, send freelance work my way, or point me toward a volunteering opportunity. My post about the social media MBA was a little tongue-in-cheek, but I have learned about the equivalent of a mini-master’s degree this past year in the social media space thanks to my interactions online. What kind of price tag can you put on that? And along the way, I’ve made some good friends and expanded my circle of colleagues I can turn to for advice and counsel. Those are some pretty powerful reasons, don’t you think?
You’ve got a full time job at Fairview, you blog and consult on the side, your involved with PRSA and you’ve got a wife and two young kids. How do you effectively manage all of this? How do you balance family, work, community and your online activities?
AH: The short answer? I don’t. But, because I’m so passionate about PR and social media, it never really feels like work. So, if I’m writing a blog post at 1 am, it’s not painful. The key for me is focus. You really can spend a lot of time engaging with your community if you’re not careful. You need to be militant about focusing and using your time wisely. For me, that usually means hopping online once in the morning, once at lunch, once before I hit home and after the kids go to bed. I try to write my blog posts in chunks so I’m not writing throughout the week. Saturday afternoons are a good time for me. I can crank out 3-4 blog posts in an hour if I’m feeling especially productive. But, the balance word is very elusive. I’m not sure I’ll ever be the most balanced person. But, I do make sure I commit myself to work I’m passionate about so it never really feels like “work.”
You’re obviously very comfortable with social media from a personal standpoint: you have a great blog and an active Twitter presence. But you’ve admitted that your industry (healthcare) is slower to adopt these technologies. What are you doing to sell others on the value of social media as a communications tool? What would you say to skeptics in your organization or industry?
AH: Lately, I’ve been going with the “Well, just look what Mayo’s doing” argument. Seems lame, but that’s pretty powerful in the health care space–especially when the Mayo Clinic is right down the road in Rochester and they’re widely regarded as one of the better health care brands in the market (Lee Aase, who heads up social media at Mayo, was also just featured in a front-page article in the Star Tribune a few weeks ago, which helps). I just think social media is a very good fit for health care companies for a number of reasons. It’s a people industry and many of these tools focus on better connecting people to people. Also, why couldn’t health care organizations use social media tools as another customer service channel? I mean think of all the patient questions we could answer online–saving thousands upon millions of dollars in potential costs. Or what about using these tools to better enable our patients to share their stories–effectively furthering our brand for us? Like I said, just makes too much sense NOT to do it. Those are the arguments and examples I use. So far, the problem’s not been a lack of “want to” but instead it’s been a question of resources. But, that’s a different discussion ;)
What has been your proudest moment as a PR professional?
AH: I’ve won numerous awards, been recognized by my peers and been a part of very successful client projects, but you know what really gets me fired up? Watching my peers and colleagues succeed. For example, seeing my friend and PRSA colleague Jason Sprenger step up to the plate in a new job and take on a new PRSA leadership role; or watching my good friend Joel Swanson take on an agency leadership role and flat out kick ass for the last few years; or witnessing a couple budding rock stars like Jillian Froelich and Katharine Kaboord come into their own as PR professionals and really start to realize their full potential. Or watching you, Amy, start Social Media Breakfast from scratch in the Albany area and really fill a need for that community. That’s what excites me. I really enjoy helping others succeed. And watching them flourish.