Coyne PR and Goodyear gave bloggers an inside look into the tire maker’s proving grounds in Akron, Ohio—a move afforded only to “traditional” media in the past. Coyne PR SVP Geoffrey Phelps lists six tips for treating bloggers with respect:
• Treat them as media, but understand they are not traditional media and therefore have different needs.
• Respect the fact that they have deadlines and often shorter lead times than traditional media.
• Understand that they often don’t travel alone—a video blog is not a one-person production. But if they do, they may need a hand getting a photo—often with them in it.
• Everything needs to be electronic; don’t bother handing them a printed press kit.
• Cookie cutter doesn’t work. Give them access and time to get their own quotes and excerpts, even if they only end up being slightly different from the stock quote you were going to provide them.
• And, finally, always take them seriously, as they can make a huge impact, positive or negative.