These days, mobile phones (and technology in general) are becoming more a part of our lives than ever before. How many people will admit that they flip out and feel lost  when they forget their phone at home, and that they would rather lose their wallet with all their cards and money than their mobile phone? It’s so strange, yet cool, to see how much things have changed in just the last few years.

People have admitted that these enhancements in technology have affected their lives in both positive and negative ways. In a study by The Sleep Council, they concluded that eight out of ten couples have admitted to using their computer or other device at bedtime. This does not surprise to me at all, but does make me feel a little sad that time that is supposed to be spent with our family and friends is now being shared with some type of device.

I think we have all become accustomed to the idea that we must be connected to the world and everything it has to offer at all times, no matter what.

Some things in my life that have changed with these mobile phone advancements are:

(1) When going out with friends I used to focus just on my time with them. Now, I am checking my phone every 10-15 minutes to make sure I don’t miss an email, a text message, or God forbid, a phone call!

(2) When leaving work, whatever emails I received after hours used to be read and answered the next day. Now, they are read the second I receive them and if urgent, answered then and there. Even if it is 11 PM.

(3) Text messaging has become the new way to communicate with people. Who needs to call everyone to see what they want to do when I can text everyone at once? Quick and easy.

(4) Watching TV at night now consists of me also being on my laptop and text messaging friends. Talk about multi-tasking.

(5) Call waiting used to mean I would just see who was calling and then call them back after I got off the phone. Now, I swap over just to tell the person I will call them right back.

(6) I no longer have a color-coordinated calendar based on clients sitting at my desk. It’s now all on my phone and computer. This is a great invention. Whatever I enter on my computer goes straight to my phone and vice versa.

(7) I can play any game I could possibly think of on my iPhone against people in another location.

(8) Lastly, the design of apps. I used to have to go to who knows how many websites to pay bills, check my football scores and more. Now, it’s all just a touch a way. No log-in, no going through 10 pages just to get to the page I want. Quick and simple.

As marketers, these advancements in technology have allowed us to do things we never thought were possible a few years ago. I love how I can now opt-in to text messages to receive coupons, or companies can create apps tailored specifically for their brand. It makes me wonder what’s next. What is going to be the next mobile marketing tactic that companies will use to draw me in? I am sure this will come sooner rather than later.

Top 5 tips for calling Media

*This post is part of Bailey Gardiner’s Public Relations Tactics series, which highlights tools and best practices to ensure a successful public relations campaign. The series will run weekly.

For those of you not familiar, the infamous follow-up phone call is a PR tactic we use to try to convey the awesomeness of our clients in the 15  short seconds we have before a reporter cuts us off and tells us he’s on deadline. These calls can be scary, repetitive and frustrating, but more importantly, extremely effective.

As it turns out there is an art to the follow up phone call, and in my past two years at BG, I have learned a couple of great tips that I thought I’d share here.

Top 5 tips for calling media:

• Don’t script out your call. It’s so tempting to do, but don’t. The reporter on the other end can invariably tell that you are reading your message and will likely completely tune you out. If you are leaving a voice mail, you probably got deleted after the first sentence. If you got them live, they likely stopped listening a while ago and when you do finish reading, they will tell you to send it in an email and hang up. Instead, try and remember that the person on the other end is human. Ask them questions. Maybe even start with a “how’s your day going?” You can ask them if now is a good time to chat. And after you give them your very short pitch, ask them if this is something they’d be interested in.

• If they answer, get as much information out of them as possible. These days it seems challenging to get someone on the other end to even pick up, so if you are fortunate enough to get someone live, make the most out of the opportunity. If they aren’t interested, ask them if there is someone else who is. You can also try another angle with them or ask them what they are interested in. And if you have another client that might be a fit, be sure to tell them about that, too.

• Try calling at different times of the day. Sometimes you’ll take out your list and make 20 calls and not one person will answer. That’s no fun. We all know a voicemail will only get us so far and it’s best to get someone live so you can really talk through all the angles. So once you’ve left your voicemail try calling back on a different day at a different time. And then just keep trying until someone answers. Your efforts will be rewarded when you finally get Mr. Reporter on the phone and he tells you yes.

• Remember what was said during the phone call. It can get confusing when you call person after person, but if you are able to have an actual conversation with the reporter, remembering what was said can go a long way to building a relationship with media. I once had a reporter from the Dallas Morning News who told me she wished our client that does stem cell therapy for animals would do it for humans so she could get some on her knee. Those little tidbits are gold when sending your email, because it proves to the reporter that you were listening and that you are genuinely interested in working with them. It also helps them remember you and your client. All in all, a win-win.

• You have 15 seconds – one of my colleagues once broke it down for me like this, and I’ve found it to be really true: You essentially have 15 seconds to capture the media’s interest so the first sentence you say about your client better be solid. After that if they are still interested, you have about a minute to make your case. Any longer and they’ll start to tune you out, so have a little list of the best, most-newsworthy points that you can touch on in just a minute. If they are still interested, then you are good to go. You can likely keep them on the phone for another 5 minutes after that. The trouble is, it’s so hard to get past the first two barriers that you don’t often get those 5 minutes. So prepare yourself, prioritize your points and then just wow them.

Got any other good pointers for luring the media in via phone?

If a company doesn’t have someone who can manage their social media in-house, does that mean that company shouldn’t be on the social networks? There’s a lot of hubbub in the PR and social media worlds these days about who should manage social media. We have clients that get the value of listening, learning and engaging with their community but don’t have the resources to manage the enormous time suck that is social media. Should they be left out?

The best scenario is when you have a client like Meagan at Seaport Village. She has a passion for social media, can write well and has an eagerness to learn. In this relationship, we provided our client with strategy, helped her develop a blog, taught her how to use keywords and tags, and continually coach her on the latest tools and trends. We are her social media sherpas and it works really well.

But what about those clients who don’t have anyone in their marketing department to take it on? Our first answer is – it doesn’t have to be someone in the marketing department, it has to be someone at your company who has a passion for social media. We can teach and guide almost anybody if they’ve got that. But what if they don’t have that either. Are they out of luck?

I don’t think so. If the public relations team is a true member of their client’s communications team and has taken the time to understand their client’s business, its audiences, and challenges, then they can shepherd the brand through the social networks. Ideally, there is SOMEONE at the company who can be the team’s eyes and ears on the ground and take photos or send quick texts or emails about things as they happen in real time. That way you’ve got real time sharing, along with the brand interaction and monitoring. And in our experience you will eventually find someone in house who wants to participate.

It’s not ideal, but it’s better than nothing. When companies have no presence at all, they often get taken to task for not listening or being present. So is it better to be there through a proxy who knows the brand and manages its public communication on a daily basis anyway? Or better to be absent? What do you think?

It’s been a great couple of weeks for Bailey Gardiner, and we’re pleased to announce another new client. Aladdin Bail Bonds has chosen our San Diego marketing agency to represent them nationwide – we’ll be managing advertising, public relations and social media. Who knew the agency that represents Tiffany & Co., The San Diego Museum of Art and the Se San Diego Hotel would also count a bail bonds company among our clients.  Well, come to find out it’s a pretty amazing company.

Aladdin is the largest bail bonds company in the US and is by far the industry leader, with nearly 100 offices across California, Washington and Idaho — and growing. They have literally revolutionized the bail experience for countless people. And although no one ever wants to find themselves in the position of needing Aladdin, you sure do want to know if you ever need them, they will be there to treat you, your family and friends with respect, courtesy and  professionalism.  That’s why they also refer to it as “retail pre-trial release services” – sounds a lot different than “bail bonds” huh?

It makes sense that their tagline is We’ll Get You Out. We’ll Get You Through It.

So we are very excited to begin creating a new advertising campaign for Aladdin including TV spots, online and print ads, outdoor/out-of-home and other cool stuff such as in-store retail signage and more.  Plus we’ll be launching new social media programs, reorganizing their website  and strategizing their digital presence.

Check back now and then, because we’ll be blogging about the process and campaigns as they develop in real time.  Plus, we’re volunteering one of our creative team members to get arrested so he can learn about the experience firsthand (he just doesn’t know it yet!)

OR YOU COULD USE THESE GUYS INSTEAD. Hmmm...

We’re looking for someone different.

We want a person that clients–even difficult ones–and co-workers would trust and feel comfortable with. Someone that can respectfully disagree, tell people why, and then lead the way to a better solution.

What we need is a seasoned Senior Account Executive or an up and coming Account Supervisor. You will be required to perform all typical account management duties, provide strategic solutions for a variety of clients, roll up your sleeves when you need to, and last but not least adapt to several client personalities and styles.

We’re an interesting group of people with the common thread of creativity. If  you’re curious about who we are, go to baileygardiner.com, check out our portfolio, read our blog, and comment on your favorite post.

You have 5-7 years of large and/or small advertising agency experience, positive attitude, strong presentation skills, and national consumer marketing experience. We pride ourselves on being integrated and we need our team members to think that way as well. Digital experience is required and please don’t try to fake it. For example, you will be expected to strategize and execute PPC, online advertising, email campaigns, and websites. In addition to living in an online space, you know how to integrate your approach to marketing and have worked in most, if not all,  elements of advertising (print, radio, television, outdoor).

Salary will be commensurate with experience and competitive. We offer medical, dental, paid vacation, holidays, sick/PT, 401k and profit sharing, not to mention great weather.

Send resume to resume@baileygardiner.com. Your resume will not be considered without salary requirements.

No calls or emails. Really.

It’s already been a big week for Bailey Gardiner. Our PR team won a prestigious new national public relations account – Hero Nutritionals, the originators of the gummy vitamin category that has become somewhat of a phenomenon in the nutrition and natural foods industries. We’ll be managing national public relations and social media programs, focusing on new product introductions, product reviews and company features for the privately-held business based in San Clemente, CA.

We’ve wanted this client for a long time, as evidenced by their prominent position on our agency website’s Love List of clients we would love to work for.

What’s cool about Hero is that their vitamin and supplement products are allergen, gluten and cassein (whatever that means) free, with 100% natural flavors and colors.  Okay, so we’re just learning that cassein is kind of like a milk protein. But most of all, their gummy vitamins for kids and adults are fun and tasty – who wouldn’t want that?

This client will allow Bailey Gardiner to work our magic on a brand that deserves the attention, and already is part of a growing conversation online.

As part of our winning presentation to the leaders at Hero, we showed them an analysis of their brand in online social media forums.  I even conducted an informal poll through Twitter to find out how many people would buy and consumer gummy vitamins if they knew such a thing exists for adults.  The results were overwhelmingly positive – and a great outpouring of interest to show our potential client during the pitch.

Work begins immediately, so be on the lookout for press and social media impressions on their way to a computer or mobile device near you.  Oh, and I guess the occasional traditional print and broadcast news delivery system as well. (Wait, what’s that?)

Advanced social media users often struggle to get new information at social media seminars. To that point, this post was meant to be a recap of a recently attended social media conference that discussed measurement of social media campaigns.  However, this particular course vaguely touched on measurement and repeated what we’ve been hearing at almost every other conference we’ve attended.

And it seems the more conferences our public relations and social media teams attend, the more we begin to realize the need for a leveling system with entirely different information for advanced social media users.

I’ve decided to share my recommended leveling system for all AMAs, Ad Clubs, and any other conference coordinators, to help as they’re planning their social media conferences:

Novice Social Media Users: This would be geared towards clients and marketing professionals trying to break into the social media world, but are overwhelmed with where to begin.  Basics would include: which platforms make the most sense for your clients, how to put together a social media plan for your clients, and how to begin building and best utilizing these platforms.  Attendees would learn, based on provided case studies and overall breakdown of platforms, if they should use Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Flickr, YouTube or implement a blog strategy.

Intermediate Social Media Users:  Geared towards professionals already utilizing social media platforms, this level would share how to make platforms more searchable, more engaging and more time-manageable.  Discussions would include Facebook and Twitter apps that increase fan interaction, and simple SEO strategies to keep bringing traffic to Flickr, your blog, or Facebook fan page.

Advanced Social Media Users:  Assuming attendees already have social media plans in place for their clients or brands, advanced members would learn how to provide comprehensive measurements to their clients, as well as a list of tools and applications that aid in the management of each platform.  Some of the best tools and applications BG has found has been through trial and error or personal recommendations by experts like  Jason Baer, Chris Brogan and Mashable.  These conferences should offer recommended social media behemoths for professionals to follow. After all, we are attending these educational courses to share and learn new techniques.

Do you think there should be a leveling system to these conferences?  If so, what do you think should be taught at each level?

So you built a Facebook fan page.. now what?

Getting the word out about your page is essential. But what happens once someone actually gets to your page? If you’re not providing interesting content, it’s likely they won’t be back.

Whether it’s for your corporation or just for fun, you can use these creative ideas to grow your Facebook fans, attract loyal readers, increase participation and up your consumer brand awareness.

Below I’ve organized the latest tips and tricks:

#1: Do something interesting..fast.

The landing page of your Facebook page is your best opportunity to grab a viewer’s attention and entice them to explore further.

Take Skittles, for example. The colorful and fun video app on their front page allows you to “Holla at the Rainbow.” Through the interactive phone, you can place a call to the rainbow via one of their pre-recorded voices.

On a less expensive note, they also change the status on their fan page frequently and usually the message is pretty hilarious. At the time of this post it reads: “The Rainbow wonders what plastic pumpkins use to collect their Halloween candy.”

* Note – Before you build your custom content, you’ll want to know about the new changes to Facebook fan pages that will launch in January of 2010. They will have a direct impact on any of the content your company creates for its fan page.

#2: Give them something free.

Whether it’s a coupon or something larger, there’s nothing like the promise of gratis goodies to keep consumers coming back.

Our client, The San Diego Museum of Art gives away tickets regularly for correct answers to art questions they post on their page. And Buzztime, the popular trivia company (also our client), frequently holds facebook contests and offers prize packs for correct answers to themed trivia questions centering around sports, books (like Twilight) and more.

Little Debbie, who initially launched their page with low response, launched a sweepstakes for a free Smart car (with the option to become a fan) via Facebook ads. Within 12 hours, their fan base had climbed from 5,000 to 125,000.

#3: Find your voice.

Facebook is a great place to have some fun with your brand.

In fact, Aflac has created a page specifically for their loveable duck mascot. And you won’t just find pictures of him. Here the duck voices his opinion on everything from candy to turtlenecks, shares his favorite videos and encourages participation in Aflac Facebook contests. He’s so entertaining that he has 162,000 more fans than Aflac’s corporate page even though a lot of the content is actually the same.

TGI Fridays has their own spokesperson exclusively on Facebook. Meet “Woody,” the guy who reportedly made a bet with TGI Friday’s that he could get 500,00 fans by Sept 30th in exchange for free burgers for all of them. He encourages consumers to be his Facebook fan (via web banners and TV spots) in return for free food coupons dolled-out over the social network site.

#4: Interact with and encourage fans.

Some of the biggest corporate fan pages weren’t started by companies, but by enthusiastic fans themselves. Coke and Fig Newtons fan pages both have pages that were started by fans. And Jamba Juice’s fan page was begun by an enthusiastic employee.

In all these cases, not only did the companies not take these sites down, but encouraged those who started them to keep them going with company backing.

#5: Give them a reason to come back for more.

Free stuff isn’t the only way to draw users to your page. Regular, entertaining content is one of the best ways to keep users coming back.

On the Food Network page, fans can download a widget that serves them a recipe of the day each day and even ask their favorite Food Network stars questions and have them answered.. right on the page!

And on our very own Facebook page, Bailey Gardiner keeps readers entertained with weekly inspirational quotes. We also showcase our latest client work and post the latest pictures of our clients sitting on our famous orange couch.

For even more great examples of how to market your Facebook fan page, check out our own Callan Green’s Mashable post and the latest from Adweek.

We do a lot of research for our advertising clients. From primary to secondary research, understanding their target market is a key to the success of our campaigns and communication strategies. One of my favorite forms of primary research is focus groups. I have moderated more focus groups than I can count. From pool chemicals to cable service to birth control.

Here are my top ten tips for moderating a focus group:

1. The person moderating the focus group should be close to or similar to the participants — especially if you are discussing a personal or sensitive topic. They need to feel comfortable speaking up on the topic. The moderator should also be personable and quick-witted. Thinking quickly on  your feet will be important as the conversation will take many turns.
2. It is the focus group moderator’s job to listen and facilitate the conversation. Not to share their opinion or to agree or disagree with the participants.
3. Understand your client’s singular objective for holding the session. You will most likely have to ask additional questions that aren’t on the guide or session outline.
4. Never, under any circumstance, go beyond a two hour session. I would suggest limiting it to 90 minutes as energy levels tend to drop severely after that.
5. Have a warm-up or ice-breaker question ready. This helps all of the participants get comfortable speaking with the group. It doesn’t even have to be about your topic.
6. Answer participant questions with a question. If someone asks what the price of a new product will be, ask them what they think it should be or what they would expect it to be.
7. Be honest. Tell them that you are working for XYZ company and that they are in your target market. Tell them that your clients are watching from the double-sided mirror. Even have them wave at the window — it helps break the uncomfortable feeling of being watched.
8. Establish rules. I generally start the session with three rules: You talk. There is no right or wrong answer. We are recording this session for our records only, your names or voices will not be used outside of that.
9. Take a short break halfway through the session. Let the participants use the restroom. Take that time to check with your team watching the session. They may have follow-up questions.
10. Some questions are best answered on paper. To avoid group think, ask your participants to write some of their answers on paper and then to share them with the group.