I don’t know why the new service from Cision makes me want to play hide and seek. Perhaps because it’s named Seek or Shout? It makes me all juvenile.

But the service itself is not juvenile (apparently that’s just me).

For those of you who have been in the PR industry a long time, you likely know HARO, or Help a Reporter Out, created by Peter Shankman and then sold to Vocus in 2010.

Well, now Cision has a similar service, but it’s for journalists, bloggers, and PR pros.

From their site:

Seek content, expert sources, research and other support for stories. Shout to let the community know you have a story to tell. Join Seek or Shout today and see what a difference the right connection and the right time can make.

I’ve been using it since there were only five (I made up that number, but it was very few) of us on there and it’s a great way for me to get story ideas and sources for blog posts. I also really love that I can push pitches to come through there instead of to my inbox.

For the PR pros who need extra tools in determining the best relationships to build either for your company or your clients, Seek or Shout uses the Cision database and combines it with personal preferences, most recent stories, and stories that are culminating in real time.

It also tells you about job changes, promotions, and new jobs at the media outlets. It’s come a long way since the big green books that were updated only once a year.

If you’re seeking sources or story ideas, you click the “seek” button. If you have something newsworthy to tell – a new product, campaign, or award – you click the “shout” button.

Either way, it allows you to connect directly on stories, blog posts, videos, and podcasts that are most valuable to you right at this moment.

If I’ve convinced you to at least check it out, you can do so by watching the video below (or click here and it’ll magically appear).

It’s free to join. I highly recommend you do so, no matter which side of the table you sit…or even if you sit on both sides like me.

Seek or Shout…not Hide and Seek.

Gini Dietrich

Gini Dietrich is the founder, CEO, and author of Spin Sucks, host of the Spin Sucks podcast, and author of Spin Sucks (the book). She is the creator of the PESO Model and has crafted a certification for it in partnership with Syracuse University. She has run and grown an agency for the past 15 years. She is co-author of Marketing in the Round, co-host of Inside PR, and co-host of The Agency Leadership podcast.

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