Christie Casalino of PR Week USA wrote a fine piece (and not just because I'm quoted in it) concentrating on the nitty gritty of working with bloggers. Which happens to be just the same kind of advice that you should use for journalists...

Here is the link and some excerpts....

Working with the top echelon of bloggers

Christie Casalino PR Week USA Oct 31 2005 00:00

The simple fact that so many popular blogs exist creates both challenges and opportunities for the PR pros who hope to work with them.

Extracts:

Lynann Bradbury, an SVP at Waggener Edstrom, says it's critical to read relevant blogs daily - and, whenever possible, on an hourly basis - to understand their slant, tone, and point of view and learn whether there's anything unique that you might be able to add to the discussion.

. . .

"It's not that much different than how you would engage the mainstream media in terms of the homework that you need to do up-front," notes Bradbury. "Being well educated about that blog and what that blogger cares about is critical and is a necessary foundation to lay down before you have a conversation with them."

. . .

I would advise PR people to treat bloggers as they would any other journalist," says Tom Foremski, former Financial Times reporter and publisher of the blog Silicon Valley Watcher, "but just make sure that you're talking the same language - spell out if something's under embargo, and what they can and cannot say according to the agreement that you make."

. . .

The way I coach people," says Bradbury, "is that you want to inform rather than influence, involve rather than invoke. If you're trying to influence them to force a viewpoint, you're going to lose."

. . .

(at the end:)

But according to Foremski, there's no cause for concern just because something negative is posted. "In a blogging forum, you can reply," he says. "Blogs encourage discourse and debate, where the old media model just broadcasted into the ether."

Technique tips

Do include bloggers in your media strategy

Do remember that blogs are open forums

Do treat bloggers with the same respect as journalists

Don't try to mislead or manipulate with a posting

Don't pitch or send press releases

Don't forget to explain the terms of an embargo