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Use PR To Tell Your Story and Build Relationships

How PR is Earning Its Place in 2016 was the subject of a recent article in Advertising Age. As reported, the changing media landscape is putting public relations in the limelight. Marketers realize the benefits a well-crafted PR campaign can reap for brands and services in an environment where consumers may choose to opt-out, skip and block their clients’ messages as they strive to grab their attention. Plus, many of the online ads purchased, people don’t see as reported in the WSJ on January 25.

One aspect of PR is media relations which focuses on working with journalists to garner positive earned media placements for whatever it is you’d like to promote such as your brand, services, new product, book or event – and build relationships. Your news is incorporated into stories in the form of TV or radio segments, digital pieces, newspaper or magazine articles or blog posts, which may also be shared on the outlet’s social media platforms or on yours. Earned media has valuable credibility because it’s reported by independent third party news professionals and sources who your audience knows, follows and trusts.

With that in mind, below are examples of how PR can help to tell your story. These represent recent media coverage we arranged for Stuart Friedman, the CEO of Global Context, who leads and founded a cross-cultural communications firm to help businesspeople work successfully with those from other cultures and Bart Jackson, CEO of Prometheus Publishing, creators of BartsBooks, and host of The Art of the CEO radio show.

Major Market Radio Interview – WCBS Newsradio 880, CEO Radio

Ray Hoffman, left, with Stuart Friedman at the WCBS studio in Manhattan
Ray Hoffman, left, with Stuart Friedman at the WCBS studio in Manhattan

CEO Radio is broadcast within the New York metro area featuring the experiences of chief executives and entrepreneurs. Ray Hoffman, host of CEO Radio, interviewed Stuart Friedman at the station. The interview, edited into nine different one-minute news features, aired December 14, 2015 – December 23, 2015. Each on-air segment is repeated four times a day. Listen to the full interview and the one-minute excerpts at the WCBS website.

Digital Marketing Communications Publication – Campaign U.S.

Stuart Friedman’s comments were included in the piece 20 Ways To Embarrass Yourself Around the World where he discusses what NOT to do in China and what TO DO in Sweden.

New Jersey Newspaper – The Cranbury Press

An Innate Craving To Create Things for the Good is the title of this half-page print story featuring Bart Jackson which was also posted online.

Community & Media Organization – Trenton 365

Bart Jackson, left, with Jacque Howard in Princeton, New Jersey
Bart Jackson, left, with Jacque Howard in Princeton, New Jersey

Jacque Howard’s Trenton 365 is a community building program promoting civic engagement. He interviewed Bart Jackson for his radio show Trenton 365 which is heard in the Delaware Valley Region.

Bylined Article – NJBIZ

Bart Jackson’s article, In Praise of Folly, was published in the NJBIZ “Industry Insights” blog sharing his thoughts about adding humor to the workplace.

Reach out if you’d like to learn how we can help your company, organization or brand get the attention it deserves, boost its image, grow business and build relationships in 2016 using public relations.

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Blatant Promotion – WSJ Columnist Features His Own Book

Article and ad for new book by Jason Gay
The Wall Street Journal, Sports, D5, November 3, 2015

Did you read The Wall Street Journal and see this on page D5 in Sports on November 3? Take a moment to click on the photo to see it better. In the print edition there was a column about a new book on the upper right hand side and an ad for the book on the bottom.

First, I found it strange to read an entire column by sports columnist Jason Gay touting his new book, “Little Victories: Perfect Rules for Imperfect Living” and secondly, it’s odd to see an ad for the book on the same page.

Seriously WSJ? A journalist was given carte blanche to use his column to promote his new book plus display an ad for it on the same page. Was he given a pass since he covers sports and not breaking news or business? I have no idea but think it’s a conflict of interest for a journalist and a news outlet the size and stature of The Wall Street Journal.

His column “The Best Victories Are the Little Ones” was laced with sarcasm and wit, so it was as usual a fun read. For example, citing his mother’s feelings about his new book he writes, “My mother has proclaimed it to be “Not bad.” In describing his new book he writes, “It’s a life guide for people who hate life guides” and “I want it to make you laugh – a lot.”

I enjoy Jason’s columns as they are usually light-hearted fare for this subscriber who is not well-versed in the world of big-time sports or knows a thing about fantasy football.

I get it. The lines between editorial and advertising are blurring with native advertising, brand journalism, branded content, sponsored content and paid posts all becoming more popular. Even Blurrier Lines on NPR’s On The Media show explores this trend.

Unfortunately we read about cuts everyday at news organizations grappling with how to stay profitable, figure things out and grow their audiences in the digital age. However the WSJ is not your neighborhood weekly where highly promotional pieces may appear that are sold as part of an editorial/advertising package.

Your thoughts? I’d love to know.

 

 

 

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HOW PR AND PUMPKINS ARE ALIKE

Stults Farm
Stults Farm

Autumn is a beautiful time of year in New Jersey. Bright skies, cooler temps, colorful leaves and numerous farms selling a bounty of fresh picked and pick-your-own fruits and vegetables. I snapped this photo at one of my favorite local area farms, Stults Farm established in 1915.

On a recent visit while gazing at their pumpkin patch, I thought about the similarities between PR and particularly media relations or earned media coverage. Media relations is one of the components of PR in which we specialize. Read on for some comparisons as you have fun pumpkin picking, decorating or savoring pumpkin pie this season.

PLANT THE SEEDS AND PLAN YOUR STRATEGY. A first step is to plant the pumpkin seeds in the patch. A PR pro does the same when working with a new project or client. Much thought, creativity and up-front planning goes into the strategy to “plant the seeds” that will ultimately produce news media coverage in the form of TV or radio segments, articles, podcasts or blog posts.

The strategy is very important – who do you want to reach? Will you concentrate on local, national, international news outlets? What types of journalists, bloggers or other influencers are appropriate for your messages? Will an in-person, online or blogger event make sense? Should you consider partnering with a non-profit organization whose mission supports your product or service? Would thought leadership pieces such as bylined articles be developed? There is a lot to consider up-front so that the PR/media relations plan is successful and your goals are met.

Stults' Pumpkin Patch
Stults’ Pumpkin Patch

PICK OUT INTERESTING, NEWSWORTHY TOPICS, ANGLES OR IDEAS. Once the pumpkins have matured it’s time to pick your favorites from the patch or farm stand. To drive results, it’s important to pick topics, angles or ideas that are newsworthy. Here are a few things to consider:

  • Can your product or service tie-into a current lifestyle, news, health, business or other trend?
  • How does your product or service help consumers or other businesses?
  • Do you have something that is new and different to introduce?
  • Is there a time of year or national event that could provide a hook?

PR/media relations professionals together with their clients answer these types of questions and many others to pique interest and arrange coverage.

CARVE OUT THE LIST. Now the fun starts! Much like the time-intensive activity of carving out a pumpkin, a mainstay of any media relations plan is carving out your target list. Extensive thought is given to who should be contacted and which types of outlets to include on the list – national, local, regional or all three. This list may include tech, business, food, style, home, fashion, health, real estate, workplace or general news reporters, to name a few. Also, many reporters are freelancers who cover different beats and contribute to several outlets. In today’s multimedia environment, stories are often published or broadcast across multiple channels, devices and platforms. There could be a wide range or a small niche of journalists who are a good fit for your story. Since journalists often switch beats and jobs, it’s very important to keep media lists current. An updated database with journalists, bloggers, freelance writers/editors/content creators and influencers is the bread-and butter of media relations.

LIGHT IT UP AND SHARE THE GLORY! Much like a lit pumpkin which shines brightly, attracts attention and glows, once a story is published or aired featuring your company, product, service or event, light it up and increase “the glow” by sharing the news. Showcase your media placements in e-newsletters, on your website or across your social media channels.

The credibility, visibility and SEO that coverage in the news media provides, remains a cost-effective part of any marketing communications plan.

 

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The Future of Quality Journalism: From The Experts (Videos)

The Quality Journalism in the Digital Age Conference on April 10 was definitely a Friday well spent. Hosted by the Rutgers School of Communication and Information, media professionals, academics, content providers, photojournalists and leaders in the nonprofit world shared their views about the changing landscape and its future as they see and live it. We also learned about their provocative work and research.

The day was open to the public at no cost –  anyone interested was invited. I had the opportunity to chat with a TV producer for the “CBS Evening News” and the executive producer of “NJ TV News with Mary Alice Williams“. You can hear both of their presentations at the links below in Parts 2 and 3. The day wrapped up with a lovely evening reception at The Rutgers Club where I spoke with a sharp enthusiastic Rutgers student about Instagram and Pinterest and with a Syracuse University grad (my alma mater) who is a political and economic reporter for Millennial, a digital magazine.digital media devices

You can access all four sessions at the following links:

Part 1:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OQNdhEYRvo

Part 2:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90qpEZPjYaQ

Part 3:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqvLd-H2Ca4

Part 4:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTyzXhJE64U

 

Here are a few takeaways:

  • Newsrooms are a public good – the best hope is public support and engaging consumers. An example is NJ News Commons.
  • Find new sources of funding to help sustain journalism as The Washington Post did when the founder of Amazon.com Jeff Bezos took ownership.
  • Internalize quality journalism as a VALUE and in PRACTICE. Quality journalism comes with a cost.
  • The number of copy/layout editors at U.S. daily newspapers has declined drastically. In 2006 there were 10,424; in 2014 there were 4,722.
  • Many reporters now need multimedia skills since they’re required to shoot-write-edit-report their own stories.
  • Long form journalism is becoming more popular.
  • Trustworthiness is key for consumers of news.
  • Even with all the disturbances, much of what newspaper reporters do today they were doing 30 years ago.
  • Social media has helped build audiences for those outlets with limited resources.

Thank you Phil Napoli @pmnapoli, Katie McCollough @kemcco and Rutgers @MPIIRutgers for organizing an insightful important conference.

What do you think the future of journalism holds?

 

 

 

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15 Tactful Media Tips for 2015

2015 In honor of 2015 here are 15 insights about what producers, editors and reporters consider when deciding what stories to cover or experts to interview. Check out this recent ProfNet article, Pitching Resolutions: What Reporters Want in 2015 which highlights key tips from reporters working at ABC, Bloomberg, Forbes, Fox and TIME and our list below for building productive working relationships with the media this year.

Keep it Brief and Targeted – Get to the point up front. Do your research. Become familiar with the news outlets and the journalists’ beats before making a pitch.

Offer Up Interesting, Credible Sources – A guest on a TV or radio program must be articulate, personable and enthusiastic in addition to being knowledgeable about the subject matter.

Recommend the Best Expert for the Interview – Designate different experts as media spokespeople to increase your chances of getting coverage according to their expertise, role at the company or their availability.

Respond Quickly – Once a reporter decides to do the story or interview you’ve pitched, confirm the details and get the reporter what they need as quickly as possible.

Meet Deadlines – Journalists will often use a source who is not only appropriate but meets their deadlines. Make it a habit to be deadline-sensitive so the source will be remembered for the next opportunity when he/she is a good fit.

Be Flexible – Sometimes, a producer/reporter/blogger may have to change the date or time of an interview due to unforseen circumstances or a major news event. Accept changes graciously and be willing to reschedule the interview.

Provide More Information for Follow-ups – The source should be available and able to answer additional questions if necessary as the story is fine-tuned.

Support a Trend, Timely Event or Newsworthy Occurrence – Craft your pitch to align with a popular trend or offer an expert who can weigh-in on a current news event to grab a reporter’s attention.

Send Suggested Interview Questions – Send the reporter a few questions before the interview which the expert can discuss. The reporter is likely to add his or her own questions but it provides a starting point for the discussion. The reporter may also send you the kinds of questions they would like to ask the source in advance.

Prepare for Interviews in Advance – Nothing is worse than a spokesperson who is dull or not prepared. Preparing for and practicing before an interview is very important. Media training can help to prepare guests for interviews.

Make Videos, Photos available – Photos and videos help make interviews or stories more interesting and shareable. Have good quality ones on hand in case they are requested.

Take “Not Interested” as a Legitimate Answer – Accept “no”, don’t nag and try again.

Don’t Harp on The Run Date – Unless it is a LIVE interview (then you know it ran) be patient about the run date. A print publication may have a 6-month lead time. Follow-up if a reasonable amount of time has passed.

Don’t Suggest a Topic Just covered – If a reporter recently covered a particular topic chances are they will not cover it again in the near future so don’t pitch it. Think about another angle or topic that is on target.

Invite Journalists to an Informal “Meet & Greet” – Consider organizing a breakfast, lunch or early evening wine/cheese gathering for reporters to stop by and meet potential sources. Then they may reach out in the future.

Please add any other tips in the comment section and have a Happy New Year!