Pierpont Communications, Inc.

The Lone Star State. A place where everything is bigger. A state you don’t mess with!
                      
Whether you were born here or got here as fast as you could, it’s no secret that Texans are a proud bunch. And while every good Texan knows its glorified history, there any many interesting state facts that aren’t common knowledge.

For example, did you know we have a state dinosaur? It’s the Paluxysaurus Jonesi, named after the town of Paluxy and Paluxy River, where dinosaur fossils were discovered.

Here are some other official state symbols you may not have known about.

• Sport – Rodeo (The world’s first was held in Pecos, Texas on July 4, 1883.)
• Dance – The Square Dance
• Dish – Chili
• Mammal – Armadillo
• Tree – Pecan
• Fruit – Grape Fruit
• Vegetable – Sweet Onion
• Gem – Texas Blue Topaz
• Plant – Prickly Pear Cactus

There are plenty more state symbols, too.

There are also lots of interesting and unique facts about Texas – for example, did you know the name Texas means friendship? The state is named after Caddo Indian tribes that originally inhabited the eastern part of the state. These tribes, as a group, are called “Tejas,” which means “those who are friends.” The word “Tejas” eventually evolved to “Texas,” but the friendship theme remained. In fact, our state motto is “Friendship.”

Here are some more facts about the state Pierpont calls home:
• The colors on the Lone Star flag represent bravery (red), purity (white) and loyalty (blue).
• Texas has a total of 6,300 square miles of inland lakes and streams, second only to Alaska.
• More than five thousand wildflower species grow in Texas.
• More species of bats live in Texas than in any other part of the United States.
• Brazoria County has more species of birds than any other comparable area in North America.
• Laredo, Texas is the world's largest inland port.
• Dublin, Texas is the only place in the world where they make Dr Pepper (aka Dublin Dr Pepper) according to the original formula.
• Texas boasts the largest of all the state capitol buildings and is second only to the national capitol in Washington, D.C.

Finally, Texas wouldn’t be Texas without its unique slang. Check out this entertaining article from Texas Monthly to learn how to talk Texan. Now get on out here and learn firsthand why Texas is like a whole other country!

We all know Twitter can be used to get the latest news and share knowledge. But have you ever considered how it can help you connect with the media?

Whether you’re a public relations professional or a business communicator, Twitter can help you build relationships with key journalists, all in 140 characters or less. As newsrooms continue shrinking, many reporters are turning to Twitter to help them quickly identify expert sources and develop story ideas.

Here are a few tips for making the most of your Twitter presence when it comes to establishing a rapport with key journalists:

• Engage in conversation – We all know that Twitter is best used as a storytelling and sharing tool. Pay attention to what relevant reporters are talking about and join in on the conversation. Whether it’s commenting on a recent article or answering a question related to your particular industry, corresponding with journalists on Twitter is an effective way to make a good first impression. And remember, you can’t just engage with them one time – to build a relationship, you have to be patient and connect with them on an ongoing basis.

• Position yourself as an expert source – In addition to participating in other users’ conversations, start a discussion of your own. Post and comment on significant news stories affecting your industry. This will help build your credibility and enhance your thought leadership.

• Post story ideas – Have you ever considered breaking important company news via Twitter? Keep it brief, tag relevant reporters and use hashtags to get your news noticed. A simple, strategized tweet can sometimes grab the attention of a busy journalist when a long-winded email or phone call can’t.

• Retweet your stories – If a reporter cites you as a source and posts the resulting piece on Twitter, retweet the story to your followers to spread the news and show the journalist that you’re paying attention to their coverage. Think of it as another way of posting positive news to your website’s “In the News” page.

• Play nice – Always remember to keep the conversation relevant and genuine when engaging with reporters on Twitter. Don’t bombard them with replies or direct messages and keep your comments intelligent and helpful.

Need an easy way to manage the reporters you follow on Twitter? Consider using Twitter lists to keep them organized according to topic or industry. Setting up a third-party platform like TweetDeck or HootSuite can also make it easy to categorize and follow tweets.

What’s your favorite way to connect with journalists on Twitter? Share a recent success story or your most important tips in the comments below.

Nearly everyone knows someone who has been affected by breast cancer in some way. This year, in an effort to vamp up Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October), different organizations have taken to social media to get as many people involved in the cause as possible.

Thebreastcancersite.com is spreading the word about its new “click for a cure” approach. People click on a link on the site and sponsoring companies and organizations provide donations for free mammograms to women who could otherwise not pay. Their @TheBreastCancer Twitter and Facebook accounts are updated multiple times a day, reminding followers to click.

Another organization, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, has created a 3-day Walk for the Cure event that is taking place in 8 cities through-Nov. 30. You’ve likely heard about this event, which attracts several thousand participants. People can create walking teams, volunteer to hand out water and even take their place at designated cheer stations to support the people participating in the event. By following @the3day or visiting www.the3day.org, anyone can get updates on event locations, registration and even follow the event walkers’ updates.

Sugarland, TX has also started to advertise for its local breast cancer awareness events on Facebook. “Think Pink: MD Anderson Breast Cancer Awareness” is scheduled for Oct. 1, from 7 – 10 p.m. in the town square. They are planning to light up the plaza and fountain with pink lights while the Fort Bend Symphony puts on a free show for the public. For more information on the event, visit the Sugar Land Facebook page.

Social media has provided our society the unique opportunity to connect with anyone with the click of a mouse. My challenge to you is to accept the challenge that these organizations have provided and get involved! Cheer on walkers via Twitter, share information and events on Facebook and encourage everyone you know to “click for a cure.” Together we can make a huge impact and together we can help find a cure.

Google+ recently rolled out some big changes. You can now search Google+ (something that should have been there since the beginning). This allows you to look for people, topics and general news through Google+. Google+ is now open to all, so what are you waiting for? Sign up here. Once signed up, you can download the mobile Android app and participate in mobile hangouts with up to 9 other users.

But that’s not why you’re here. You’re here to figure out what happened to Facebook? So now, on with the Digital Influence Weekly…



Facebook changed again. First thing I need you to do is calm down and realize that this isn’t the first time it’s changed, nor will it be the last. Get it out of your system and let’s get into what’s happening.

Here are some of the big things you have either noticed or will need to know.

1) You can now better see who is sharing your brand’s content. When you see the “View 1 Share,” click it to find out who shared it and what they said. That’s a chance to publicly thank them fyi and get them to continue interacting with you.

2) There’s a news ticker at the top right of the page showing things happening right now. So be sure that what you post isn’t a mistake, because you’ll have less time to correct it before it’s seen.

3) You are shown top stories first no matter what. I doubt that will stay permanent as lots of people don’t care about top stories. They want the less popular things that may end up being more important to them anyways.

5) The Timeline – This will be a scrapbook of things that have vanished from your news feed/profile over time as it’s evolved and changed. It looks as though you can also add things that happened before Facebook was around. I think this will be a fun tool and keep closing generational gaps as you share these memories with family members. It’s only open to developers right now, but if you can’t wait for the Timeline to come to you, here’s a way you can get it now. (Some assembly required. It’s probably better to wait.)

5) Facebook is continuing to strengthen how your brand’s information shows up on news feeds based on your community’s interaction. So this is the time to re-invest in making your Facebook Page a living, breathing part of someone else’s life. Liking something isn’t enough anymore You need to think of how you can get others to mention and share your brand. So start spending more time as your brand and doing something positive by interacting with those who post to your page or share your information. Go interact on other Facebook pages for your industry.

I’d also suggest you read Dwight Silverman’s post on the Facebook changes. He discusses how the students at his University of Houston class respond to the changes, concerns about rising information overload and reviews those changes Facebook has made. He also links to many other great resources on the topic.

Personally, I love seeing how much conversation about Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook happen on networks other than their own. +1 the RT of the thing I LIKED please. ;)

Have a great weekend!

How are you enjoying Google+ so far? Love it? Hate it? Generally indifferent about it but would totally say hi to it if you saw it on the street? Well, if you’re a Google Chrome browser user, you’ll get more out of Google+ with all these great apps and extensions. Try them out and let us know what you think.

And now, the Digital Influence Weekly…



Today, Pierponters Jen Pearsall, David Gonzalez, Lindsey Garner and Brian Block attended the Social Media Breakfast - Cloud Sourcing Government: A Dialogue Between Houston and Social Media Leaders. Mayor Annise Parker opened the morning discussing how the city is growing along with social media, slowly but surely, to help manage citizens’ needs. The City of Houston already has an extensive list of active social networks for various departments. They are in place to listen to citizens, act on information submitted by everyone and respond to the public with useful updates.

We were then treated to an inside look on how BARC Animal Shelter and Adoptions, the Houston Airport System and 311 use social media. Did you know that the Houston Airport System tweets in Spanish? BARC used social media to fight rumors and restore trust with the public. 311 has been taking steps to be where people feel most comfortable communicating issues. Look for more updates from 311 for sure.

To see tweets from your fellow Pierponters and more, follow the conversation here on Twitter. There may even be a video available later today so check the stream. If you have any follow up questions, please tweet them using the #SMBHGov hashtag.

Have a great weekend!