2012 Should be the Year PR Types, Mad Men and Digital Marketers Come Clean

I've been in the journalism/PR/digital marketing business for 18 years (in that order). If you've ever worked at an agency, you know that the lines between PR, advertising and marketing has become blurred because of online communications, i.e. social media.

The space is become very crowded. Guru's are a plenty. Books are being written at a feverish pace; books on Google+, Facebook, social media in general, location-based stuff, etc.

It's never ending and to be brutally honest, it's tiring.

Here's what I'd like to see from PR, advertising and marketers in 2012:

• Stop using buzz words
• Talk to clients in a language they can understand and that's digestible
• Stop saying you can't measure social media, because you can
• Brand awareness is great, but create campaigns that are business-issue focused
• Be up front about your limitations and don't be afraid to ask for help
• Don't pretend that you can do it all because you can't
• Stop writing books that are full of snake oil; rather, write books that are case-based and provide a roadmap of how to succeed in the space
• Do less self promoting and help others get notoriety for the work they are doing
• Stop attending all the conferences and meet with people in smaller groups; relationships still matter, not a stack of business cards
• Mentor someone, not 15,000 people at once on Twitter

Finally, the last piece of advice I have for people in the business, just be yourself. You don't have to be that guy or that gal. Be yourself. Keep it simple and focused. Building trust is the foundation of this business, regardless if you're a marketer, PR professional or Mad Man.

Again, sorry for the simple-minded post, but as I've said recently, a lot of simple things add up to big things.

Here's to

little big things in 2012.