ZB Group

Journalism

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How to Cultivate Media Coverage During Sea Change

geralt/Pixabay

Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher, wrote more than 2,000 years ago that change is the only constant in life. We can all relate to his sentiment. This is apropos to the media business which has experienced a tsunami of changes. To cultivate coverage, a well thought out plan, strategy and skillset is required to achieve your goals.

Here’s a brief inside look at a few of the elements integral to garnering effective results in this fluctuating environment.

Consider the Span of Options

It was simpler to plan a media relations strategy in the predigital days when the media universe was comprised of far fewer outlets. Today’s modern media landscape encompasses many platforms with new ones constantly launching. It’s important to first identify and then reach out to those for which your story is a good fit.

Thoughtful consideration of the options, keeping abreast of journalists’ beats, and staying current on new shows, sections, publications, columns, etc., are important factors in determining the outlets and reporters who may be interested in your story.

Journalists may also work as independent writers or producers at their own companies. Some freelance and contribute to several different outlets on a range of topics. They too are important to consider for media opportunities.

Create the Target List

Creating the media list is a fundamental key step. There are a myriad of media to consider such as digital or internet media, podcasts, newsletters, content creators or influencers, blogs, TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, and wire services.

For example, if your product or service is geared towards consumers with a special interest, then a platform, podcast, newsletter or website intensely followed by a smaller audience may be better to approach with relevant story ideas than an outlet with a larger more general audience.

Or, perhaps the local TV news media and newspapers would be a good fit for your story and target audience. For the first year in their data, total estimated circulation revenue for publicly traded newspaper companies in 2020 surpassed advertising revenue according to this Pew Research Center report.

Monitor Changes and Evaluate New Opportunities

Note changes as media outlets close, merge, launch and get reinvented on a regular basis. New ones may be added to your target list for evaluation, inclusion and potential outreach.

For example, Puck is a new digital media company with several big-name reporters which will launch in September. Details about it are here.

These articles by media reporters for CNN, The New York Times and Axios respectively, illustrate how media opportunities continue to arise including at the Los Angeles Times, with new media ventures that have sprung up to fill voids, and due to NBC News’ major push into streaming.

NBC News NOW plans to expand its weekday live programming throughout the fall and add to its weekend live programming beginning in the first quarter of 2022.

We’ve summarized a few aspects pertinent to cultivating media coverage but there are many others to consider and ensure your goals are met. Contact us to learn how our skillset can benefit your company in these changing times.

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Why the Work Phone Call is Back in Vogue

Coffee mug with an iPhone while working
Image by Derek Robinson from Pixabay

Surprisingly, the phone call has become a popular method of business communication by young people while working remotely as The Wall Street Journal reported in The Resurrection of the Office Phone Call. Apparently establishing more rewarding connections to decreasing digital carbon emissions are among the advantages of phone calls over video meetings, emails and texts.

During the pandemic, millennials discovered the benefits of communicating with colleagues, mentors, clients and prospects by phone and phone traffic has shot up. The work call provides an effective method for one-on-one discussions without concerns related to using Zoom such as what to wear, whether your background is tidy and appropriate or if the lighting is good.

A phone’s portability is another plus. You can talk while getting fresh air or moving around inside instead of being stuck in front of a computer.

When I started in public relations, reaching out to the media to pitch story ideas and guest recommendations by phone was a mainstay. However, once email became universal it has generally been the preferred method when initially pitching producers, writers, editors, influencers and bloggers.

I often find a hybrid approach of calls and emails is most effective during the follow-up process and cuts back on the number of emails exchanged. Once a media professional is interested in an idea, a phone call is an efficient way to build a rapport while confirming details concerning a proposed interview, product feature, or bylined article. Also, connecting on social media is a good idea to learn more about them and share their work.

With growing concerns about the environment, CBS This Morning’s “Eye on Earth” correspondent shared our reliance on IT for remote work negatively impacts the planet. We may not be commuting as much, but sending 100 emails leaves the same carbon footprint as driving a mile in a car. In fact, the BBC’s Smart Guide to Climate Change says making video calls over the internet has a much higher carbon footprint than do mobile phone calls.

More rationale in support of phone conversations was explained in an article in Scientific American. It discusses a paper slated for publication in the Journal of Experimental Psychology by Professor Nicholas Epley at the University of Chicago Booth School who studies social cognition and Assistant Professor of marketing and psychology Amit Kumar at the University of Texas. Their research indicates people should consider talking rather than typing to forge better connections and more satisfying interactions.

Another study with young children cited in The New York Times showed that telephone communication was just as effective as being able to touch and see a parent. “The clear implication is that you don’t need to literally see your loved ones and friends to feel your bond with them,” psychiatrist Dr. Richard Friedman writes in a recent op-ed.

As the iconic song reminds us, “Everything Old is New Again.”

Contact us to learn how we can help promote your brand with our hybrid approach and other effective strategies to amplify your marketing in 2021.

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How to Keep Your Brand in the Limelight

Are you staying connected with clients and customers, driving awareness and trust for your brand and building relationships to keep your business in the limelight? If not, you should be.

Opportunities for in-person meetings with clients, prospects and customers have been curtailed. Before COVID-19 consumers could learn about your brand, company or organization by attending live conferences, networking events, trade shows, social gatherings, large community events or during spontaneous interactions out of the office.

Now with several in-person activities on hold due to public health concerns and many working remotely, consumers are spending more time online reading, watching and listening to news outlets to stay informed, make purchase decisions or to learn something new. Attending virtual events and classes for work, exercise, personal or professional enrichment, have become routine.

During this time, a concerted media outreach effort that is tailored for your specific goals can help you achieve them. For example, it can relay what’s new, describe your products or services’ benefits, authentically share your leaders’ expertise or personal story, increase interest and credibility, or announce new business initiatives. I explain our proven approach with three key elements in this brief video.

According to a new report from journalism professor Damian Radcliffe at the University of Oregon, COVID-19 has boosted subscription numbers for a range of publishers. Make sure your brand is part of the narrative where and when your audience is consuming their news and information.

Here are 8 ways to do this effectively:

  • Draw attention via media interviews on Zoom, email or by phone
  • Schedule socially distanced in-person interviews, if possible
  • Use eye-catching video and images to supplement interviews
  • Coordinate reviews and giveaways with lifestyle bloggers and writers
  • Get featured in holiday gift guides, roundups, “Best of” and “Top 10” lists
  • Participate on podcasts which your audience follows
  • Arrange for profiles in newsletters
  • Engage with social media influencers to share your story, spotlight your products or services or create original content for their communities.

To discuss how we can collaborate using the above strategies and others that will successfully meet your needs, please reach out.

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To Pitch or Not to Pitch in a Crisis? That is the Question.

COVID-19 has affected many facets of life from travel and the economy to schools and parenting.

During ordinary times, we reach out to the media regularly with all sorts of pitches crafted about our clients to pique interest in different story ideas. From travel and health to beauty and retail, our pitches may be associated with consumer trends, small business, CEOs, thought leadership, holiday gift guides, human interest, how-to tips, roundup articles, and everything in between.

But these are not ordinary times.

In the age of the coronavirus is it a good time to pitch?

We say yes, as long as the pitches are sensitive to the evolving health and economic crisis. This is an unprecedented time including for those who report the news. Bloomberg reporters candidly explain how they have been affected.

COVID-19 abruptly changed our lives causing great uncertainty about “returning to normal” for the foreseeable future. In March and April, as this Wall Street Journal article discusses, while stuck at home consumer spending on food and alcohol, gardening, home amusements and comfort items boomed but with declines in other sectors.

During early spring only pitches associated with the coronavirus pandemic or those describing acts of kindness were warranted, as Jamie Yuccas, a correspondent with CBS News, along with two other journalists, shared on Navigating Newsrooms During COVID-19.

Coronavirus-related pitches and those about brands giving back to benefit essential workers are still appropriate, but other types are also relevant now to incorporate into pitches for journalists, bloggers and influencers:

FOOD & DRINK – healthy recipes, desserts, cocktails and easy meals to make for single adults, couples or families cooking at home together.

BEAUTY – at-home beauty, hair, and skin-care tips for looking your best on Zoom calls and to boost self-confidence

ORGANIZING – tips to declutter an apartment, house or home office

CLEANING – easy ways and useful products to clean and sanitize especially for frequently used kitchens and bathrooms

TRAVEL – properties and attractions currently closed but producing video for virtual visits to sustain interest; those that are reopening with key health and safety plans in place

PARENTING – ideas to get work done with young children at home; fun family recreation with playdates limited and perhaps no summer camp

LOCAL DESTINATIONS – convenient places for getaways accessible by car

VENUES – those that are equipped to host small weddings, meetings or special occasions since previously planned larger affairs or major conferences and events are likely cancelled or postponed

EXERCISE – companies that offer online classes, fitness equipment, or exercise products, for maintaining good physical and emotional health

RETAILERS – those offering ordering online and curbside pickup or contactless delivery as well as stores that are reopening

SMALL BUSINESS and PROFESSIONAL SERVICE COMPANIES – those who have pivoted from in-person to offer consulting, training or other services online; small businesses who have instituted new ways of doing business

EVERGREEN IDEAS – these are not event or time-sensitive including human interest or thought leadership ideas from CEOS, founders or entrepreneurs  

In the midst of a pandemic or not, by customizing each pitch stating why the idea is of value for the media’s audience, will help increase positive PR opportunities and build enduring connections with consumers.

Please reach out if we can help. Be well and stay safe.

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8 Tips for Effective Media Collaborations as More Outlets Go Online-Only

This year more media brands are ceasing their print editions and becoming online-only publications. So you may think there are less opportunities to garner coverage but there’s good news! Many new outlets are proliferating online while others transform into multimedia platforms.

Websites, blogs, Web interview programs, social networking platforms, apps, podcasts, internet radio, and the multiplatform capabilities of TV and radio news outlets, all provide different PR opportunities.

A few recent notable publications that have gone digital-only or will do so in 2019 are Glamour, Brides, Money and ESPN The Magazine. They’ve evolved investing resources in their online brands since more people are consuming news and information on the Web.

This spring I attended a PRSA “Meet the Media” event in NYC featuring journalists and influencers who are busy writing or reporting about travel and food for several major outlets. After the informal networking portion of the evening, the four panelists shared the latest trends, tips to pique their interest, and do’s and don’ts for collaborations, before a jam-packed room of PR professionals. I’m happy to report they welcome our help!

Here are 8 takeaways from Lee Abbamonte, travel expert & TV personality, Salvatore DiBenedetto, food influencer aka The Grubfather, Aly Walansky and Jordi Lippe-McGraw, independent lifestyles, wellness and travel journalists for a variety of media outlets.

Journalists and influencers specializing in travel, food and lifestyles speaking at the PRSA-NY Meet the Media event on March 25, 2019.
From left, Lee Abbamonte, Salvatore DiBenedetto, Aly Walansky and Jordi Lippe-McGraw
  • Don’t be shy, just pitch.
  • Don’t pitch via social media, use email.
  • Make sure your pitches are relevant for the journalist/influencer’s areas of expertise. Don’t send off-target pitches and waste their time.
  • Do your homework and promptly respond to any requests.
  • Find the interesting story and deliver on it.
  • Think like a journalist – what’s the hook? Will their audience care?
  • Designate a budget for working with some key influencers. Many have established large loyal followings due to their ability to create engaging content for those with particular interests.
  • Relate how your story idea ties into trends in travel. Culinary travel, multigenerational, family, girls and guys trips, bachelor and bachelorette trips, experiential, and solo travel are all hot trends.

Leave us a comment with your tips or thoughts.