Representing NAIFA Sheila Owens Vice President, Communications and Marketing Representing NAIFA (O) (M)

PR 2.0 Today’s topics: Reaching your audience in a fragmented media market The PR challenges and opportunities of social media

The Media Landscape: Back Then 1960s-1980s: 70-80% of adults read a newspaper* 1960s there were more than 1,760 daily papers 1,400 were evening papers; 300 were morning papers *Scarborough Research Newspapers were dominant source for news

The Media Landscape: Back Then Television was the ‘new media’ By the 1980s, television news ruled as primary source of news for consumers 55 million Americans were loyal nightly viewers

Back then: Primary tools for PR pros Press releases were faxed Newsletters were mailed PR practitioners placed stories in newspapers, magazines, TV & Radio (earned media) Companies placed advertisements (paid media) Little if any ‘niche’ media to reach out to targeted audiences

Back then: One-way communications Paid Media: Advertising Earned Media: Story placements

Media Landscape Now: Broadcast, Print Audiences Declining Average Rating (A35+) % Readership Among Adults Average ratings for local evening newscasts in the top ten U.S. media markets Average readership for local newspapers in the top ten U.S. media markets % in 2010? 17% readership loss 2001 – % in Early evening news: -48% Late evening news: -43%

The Media landscape: Now 24/7 news cycle Nearly 80% of adult population uses the Internet Multiple emerging media resources – not just mainstream news sources (niche media, blogs, Web sites, YouTube, Google, Yahoo) Consumer access to content anytime, anywhere

The Bad News The Media Landscape is Cluttered!

The Bad News Multiple media choices compete for consumers’ attention = a fragmented audience Greater challenges to get your message across to fragmented audience How do you know where to go to get your message across?

The Good News With more sources, greater opportunities to get your message across Digital services allow for targeted content creation with little or no technical knowledge Consumers are creating engaging, relevant content that you can find, interact with Opportunities to repurpose your own content for multiple media platforms – meet your audience in their space

The Good News: Everyone’s Talking Communications is full circle: 360 Communications “Socialized media is empowering us not only to consume content but also to create it. This is the era of new influencers and we become media and earn authority based on the content we share and also how and where we participate.” – Brian Solis, The Conversation Prism

PR 2.0: Enter Socialized Media Is Social Media a Fad?

What is Social Media? Social media are online communications in which individuals shift fluidly and flexibly between the role of audience and author. To do this, they use social software that enables anyone to post, comment or share to form communities around shared interests.

Why Social Media? Social media are here to stay. Through these communications channels, your colleagues, public officials, opinion leaders, news media and others are behaving differently – meeting in virtual communities, sharing content and spreading voice and influence online.

Why Should You Interact? The Internet is a breeding ground for lively discussions that can catapult one company (or a company’s policy or issue) over another. Participation in virtual communities will help position your company and experts as thought leaders in their field while crafting messages in a way that influences their online audience in a positive manner.

Twitter Launched in 2006 Facebook Launched in 2004 Unique Visitors (Millions) Trailing 24 months Linked In Launched in 2003 YouTube Launched in % +55.4%+31.1% +92.9% Social Media Sites Are Growing At A Rapid Rate Unique Visitors (Millions)

The Social Media Landscape Facebook has more than 300 million users LinkedIn passed 50 million global users YouTube streamed more than 10 billion online videos in just one month

Technological Change Requires Rapid Adaptation Telephone (1876) Television (1928) Cell Phone (1983) iPod (2001) Facebook (2004) Years to Reach 150M Users Acceleration of Communications Change

Why Join the Conversation? You need to know who is talking, who is listening What are they saying? What are you saying in response? How are you controlling the message?

Join the Conversation Monitor blogs, post responses Follow them on Twitter, tweet yourself Read their Facebook pages, engage

NAIFA: Getting Our Feet Wet

NAIFA Social Media Tools

NAIFA Facebook has nearly 800 fans 28% more likely than non-fans to continue using a brand 41% more likely than non-fans to recommend a fanned product to their friends

NAIFA Social Media Tools

You’ve got the Tools: Now what? Define your Social Media Strategy –Why are you in social media? –With whom do you want to engage? –How will you measure success?

NAIFA Social Media Strategy NAIFA Goals & Objectives for Social Media To build Community. To promote NAIFA positions, products and people To reach, respond to news media To tell the “agent story” To drive traffic to NAIFA Web site. Measure progress through qualitative responses

Examples of how NAIFA uses Social Media To correct misperceptions To interact in a less formal way To build community To empower your community to speak for you To reach the news media

How does NAIFA use Social Media? To correct misperceptions NAIFAblog.com tells the agent’s story – Example: Trade story focuses on just a few members who support fiduciary duty Story ignored the 70% of comments on SEC site that opposed fiduciary duty standard of care NAIFA wrote blog to include the facts; sent to reporters and other bloggers to get our message out

How does NAIFA use Social Media? To respond informally News story conveys negative perceptions of industry (not necessarily inaccurate) Story does not warrant a formal statement from organization NAIFA writes response that takes issue with the story, clarifies and tells the agent’s side Post response on blog, Facebook and tweet response

How does NAIFA use Social Media? To Build Community Show LinkedIn page – member posting comment

How does NAIFA use Social Media? To empower community to speak for you –Engage in conversations with other bloggers that support your positions and policies –Provides powerful third-party support –Link to their blogs, pass them around

How does NAIFA use Social Media? To reach out to the news media –Follow reporters on Twitter –Ask reporters to follow you on Twitter –Look for reporters’ questions, requests for interviews on Twitter –Tweet, re-tweet reporters’ stories that support your positions –Post links to your press releases on Twitter, Facebook –Respond to reporters

How to Begin? Once you build your pages, tell people where to find you –Promote with press release about your new sites –Include links to your sites in your signatures –Post icons/links from your own Web site –Interact, interact, interact

Three things I’ve learned People are talking about our products – Listen! Allow your site to have a personality Once you’re in, you’re in Be authentic Don’t spam

Social Media & Financial Professionals 44% of advisors use social media for business 75% have an account on Facebook or LinkedIn Top three uses: prospects, monitoring industry/market news, reading expert commentary 40% optimistic social media will help grow their business 47% concerned with compliance issues *American Century Investments survey

Social Media & Financial Professionals Advice for Advisors: Make sure your posts are done within the requirements of your corporate and regulatory guidelines. FINRA Regulatory Notice “Guidance on Blogs and Social Networking Web Sites” Americans are increasingly using social media Web sites, such as blogs and social networking sites, for business and personal communications. Firms have asked FINRA staff how the FINRA rules governing communications with the public apply to social media sites that are sponsored by a firm or its registered representatives. This Notice provides guidance to firms regarding these issues.

Social Media & Financial Professionals There are companies that specialize in helping regulated firms with compliant social media policies and practices. Socialware – Arkovi –

Social Media: It’s not all that Social media is part of an overall communications strategy; it’s not a standalone tool PR 1.0 should be incorporated While there’s no question social media is here to stay, so is the value of face-to-face communications

Media Convergence The lines of journalism are blurring Columnists and bloggers are now local news sources and not just opinion providers News reporteres are now opinion providers Fewer subject matter experts in the newsroom Citizen journalists: Anyone who can blog or text can publish a story

How to help the reporter Appreciate the role and need of the journalist – they are under increasing demands to file and file immediately Provide information in multiple media platforms for their Web site, blog, YouTube video, podcast Understand their audience Reach out to new reporters on the beat; provide industry briefings, fact sheets

Tell Your Story: What’s your story? New products, trends, data Industry expertise on timely issues Local legislative developments affecting the industry – tell what it means to businesses consumers in your community

PR 2.0: Bottom Line In spite of the multitude of channels and technologies available, it’s still critical to develop personal relationships with reporters to enhance your industry and products. At the same time, we need to understand the non-traditional journalists – they can be as influential as the evening news once was.

Thank You! Sheila Owens Vice President, Communications & Marketing NAIFA (o) (m)