Comments on: PR people are lame. Ignoring PR because you’re a cool Web 2.0 company is lamer.

By: zchamu

zchamu — Mon, 26 May 2008 14:52:25 +0000

Excellent post - I had the same thoughts. Twitter is really doing themselves a disservice by disdaining PR. To quote their own post: “Twitter is 16 employees made up of systems engineers and operators, product designers, and support specialists. We do not employ public relations professionals.” They don’t seem to realize that everyone on that list, and especially the support specialists, really should be “public relations professionals” on some level if they have contact with the public. Would you hire someone who isn’t a “developer” to develop? Why is it that these companies think it’s so easy to manage customer relationships, even after trainwrecks like this?

I posted more about this over on my blog - check it out.

By: Ophelia Chong

Ophelia Chong — Mon, 26 May 2008 05:28:30 +0000

No matter how they run their PR/business in the future, this will always rear it’s head. Unfortunately this will become a footnote to their company history.

By: Jenny DeMilo

Jenny DeMilo — Mon, 26 May 2008 05:11:16 +0000

Very thoughtful and insightful. Some good info there especially reminding people that correspondence is easily admitted into the public record. When i first read Jack’s response in that curt, dismissive email i thought well that’s what Twitter is all about. I’m not a Twitter user and I’m pretty sure i wont be now if this is representative to how they handle these kinds of situations. I just read their official Blog and i don’t think it helps the situation.

This isnt unique to Twitter its all over the Internet in smaller ways, but i think a company that just got 15 mil in VC cash they might have handled the situation better then they did, but alas they acted like they were running this thing out of their moms basement.

By: Dulcita Love

Dulcita Love — Sun, 25 May 2008 17:47:20 +0000

Thought provoking Joel. I especially liked your solutions to: consider turning a negative situation around by showing sympathy, responsiveness, sharing the rationale of the decision clearly, and being mindful that correspondence can become public record.

These types of situations are something business owners don’t hope for, but if it does happen, your tips are very practical to move through the situation with more grace.

Dulcita Love

By: Brittany

Brittany — Sun, 25 May 2008 17:42:11 +0000

Whats next, public school TOS? Twitter may need PR help, but for stupid catfights?

An influential blogger is going to fall “victim” to trolls, stalkers, and weirdos. They’re like the cavemen of the internet, they’ve been here since the dawn of time. Remember usenet? I think there were more trolls than actual users.

The nature of a Web 2.0 company is that they have new idea, and there isn’t really a business model to follow without some translation into the digital realm. I mean, out of all of the things that could POSSIBLY go wrong with Twitter, how much PR do they really need? Its not like you can find a dead hooker in Twitter.

While you make a good point that some Web 2.0 CEOs may not be the most eloquent of communicators, since when do they really have to be? I mean shit, look at our president. (oh snap).