What I Learned: Pour Your Heart Into It

PR 20/20 started out in February 2004 as a vision to evolve the PR industry. That vision, which 21 months later manifested into an upstart PR and marketing firm, was fueled by remarkable books that told inspirational stories of vision, passion and innovation.

“What I Learned” is a series of blog postings about the books and experiences that continue to shape our agency, and our vision. My hope is that these insights will inspire others to pursue their dreams.

Some men see things as they are and say “Why?” I dream things that never were, and say “Why not?” - George Bernard Shaw

Pour Your Heart Into It by Starbuck’s Chairman Howard Schultz

For this installment of What I Learned, I’ve included a selection of my favorite quotes from Pour Your Heart Into It. It’s a classic story about an entrepreneur with a vision, and the passion to make it a reality:

• “A company can grow big without losing the passion and personality that built it, but only if it’s driven not by profits but by values and people.”

• “If it captures your imagination, it will captivate others.”

• “Vision is what they call it when others can’t see what you see.”

• “Naysayers never built a great enterprise.” - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

• “When you see the opportunity of a lifetime, move quickly.”

• “Don’t be threatened by people smarter than you.”

• “Everything matters.”

• “Strong brands create a powerful, personal connection.”

100 Open Source Web Design Tools & Resources

Open source is a set of principles and practices that promote access to the design and production of goods and knowledge. The term is most commonly applied to the source code of software that is available to the general public, with relaxed or non-existent intellectual property restrictions. Wikipedia and Linux of two of the most well known examples of open source applications.

Here are 100 resources--including open source design software packages, CSS tools and generators, templates, and code sources--for tech-savvy organizations and individuals looking to save time and money building their own web sites.

read more | digg story

The Power of Viral Videos

Public relations as we know it is rapidly evolving, and organizations caught watching from the sidelines are being left behind.

Innovators and early adopters are taking the risks, and reaping the rewards, of launching social media campaigns. These organizations, seeking more affordable and effective, non-traditional marketing solutions, are turning to online tools such as blogs, podcasts, wikis and videos – and some are having remarkable success.

Take, for example, Blendtec. For the YouTube.com faithful, CEO Tom Dickson (that's him in the lab coat) is a social-media celebrity. But for those of you who aren’t familiar with the “Will It Blend?” video series, it is a case study in the power of viral videos.

In a recent StartupJournal.com article entitled, “Marketing Videos Are A Hit in Their Own Right,” it was reported that as a result of a series of online-only videos featuring Dickson blending items such as, golf balls, EZ Cheese, Transformers, magnets and iPhones (yes, he actually obliterated an iPhone), sales of Blentec’s home blenders sky-rocketed 43% in 2006.

It’s even more impressive when you consider that Blentec didn’t have a marketing department until 2006, and launched the video effort on a $50 budget!

Have you considered how social media is changing your business, and your industry? Maybe it's time that you do.

A PR Blog is Born

I’ve been considering joining the blogosphere for some time now, but it wasn’t until attending the T3 PR Conference in New York last week that I felt compelled to take action, and contribute to the social media phenomenon that is revolutionizing the PR industry, the business world and society.

So, here goes . . .

While not considered a profession until the early 1900s, thanks to the work of Ivy Lee and Edward Bernays, public relations has been widely practiced since the dawn of civilization.

Rulers, governments, religious institutions and businesses throughout history have recognized the power of informing and influencing their publics as a means to garner understanding and support.

As Bernays, PR pioneer and author, wrote, “The three main elements of public relations are practically as old as society: informing people, persuading people, or integrating people with people.”

The principles remain the same today. Our job is to effectively communicate and build relationships.

However, the rise of the Internet and social media has changed the rules, and the time has come for a mass-market revolution that makes PR (and marketing) simple, affordable and effective for businesses of all sizes.

The PR industry needs vision and innovation for the profession to continue advancing and gaining the respect (and budgets) it deserves as an integral part of every organization. It needs professionals who understand its history and its power to contribute to the advancement of business and society.

PR 20/20 Insights is a collaborative community to share, learn and grow our businesses together through collective intelligence and peer production. Let’s throw away traditional solutions and conventional wisdom. Let’s Look Beyond.

Stay tuned for consistent updates on the trends, news and technologies affecting us all.