The high points of the talk were:

• The traditional press release is nearly dead with the exception of publicly traded companies
• Very soon, all of your online profiles (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) will merge into one profile that you can use in various places.
• Very soon, your online contacts or friends will be ranked.  For example, on Facebook, your mother will “rank” higher than the girl you met at the bar and friended but never talked to again.

Just a quickie overview.  All in all, a great talk.  Thanks to Peter for coming to see us!

Peter is the social media and public relations guru responsible for HARO, or “Help a Reporter Out”.  It’s a free mailing list that connects PR folks with reporters who need sources.  He’s making an appearance in Richmond to benefit Fight SMA, which, coincidentally, is one of my clients!  EndGame PR provides PR, social media, SEO PR, and website management for the nonprofit organization.  Fight SMA is working to rid the world of spinal muscular atrophy, which is the leading inherited killer of infants.  The neuromuscular disease slowly robs its victims of their ability to walk, talk, breathe, and even smile.  In its harshest form, it usually kills babies before they turn two years old.

Peter Shankman’s appearance is being organized by The Hodges Partnership, a PR firm run by a couple of good friends of mine who is also a good friend of Fight SMA.  The event is on January 27 at 7:30am at the WCVE studios (address: 23 Sesame Street in Bon Air).  The cost is $25, with money going toward Fight SMA’s quest for a cure. For more information, please call Julia Webster at 804-788-1414.  You can also visit the Facebook event page built by The Hodges Partnership.  I plan to be there, so look me up if you attend!