ZB Group

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How Nuance is Relevant when Working with the Media

Image by Shotkitimages from Pixabay

“Nuances are subtle shades of anything and everything. To notice and live them is a very refined way to experience our life,” writes Diane Von Furstenberg, the legendary fashion designer, philanthropist, and trailblazing businesswoman in her latest book, Own It The Secret To Life profiled by Vogue.

She shares her life secrets and advice with readers by spotlighting particular words starting with the letter A-to-Z. Nuance is included in the N grouping. She explains in the book, “To achieve this task, I picked words that speak to me most and reflected on their meanings.”

The word nuance resonates with us. Like any professional service business, ours has nuances inherent to the elements involved when we garner media coverage for clients. For an inside look, here are nine instances where nuance comes into play during the process.

Target Media List

Where do you start? Define your audience – who do you want to reach? We identify the appropriate media outlets and curate a list that aligns with your audience and marketing goals. We also monitor media opportunities that arise and may be a good fit for your story, potentially adding them to our list.

Supporting Materials

High-resolution images and quality video that help describe or tell your story are important to have on hand. We advise on what kinds of digital assets are suitable for the media’s purposes and use. In addition, we create press materials that convey the nuances of your business and why it’s newsworthy.

Spokesperson

Who will speak on behalf of your company? Consider the CEO, founder, a designer, research specialist, marketing executive or someone involved with another aspect. An author, industry expert or popular personality who is partnering with your company on an event or brand initiative, may also be appropriate.

Media Outreach

We understand the nuances and needs of the different types of media and reach out with story ideas created specifically for the journalists, bloggers, podcasters, or influencers. Some may be interested in an interview while others in content for their columns, segments, roundups, trend pieces, or bylined articles.

Message Communication

We explain the nuances of how to share your key messages in a clear, concise, non-commercial way to inform the outlet’s readers, listeners or viewers so they will want to learn more.

Interview Types

Zoom, in-studio, by phone, or via a written Q&A, are all potential interview formats. We help spokespeople master the nuances of each type beforehand, so they are comfortable regardless.

Interview Questions

In most cases we will be able to share the types of questions in advance, but generally not the exact ones. As in any conversation, sometimes one question leads to another that can’t be foreseen. Therefore, the spokesperson must be prepared to answer any questions in a calm, confident manner.

Advance Preparation

Preparation is key! Practicing prior to an interview will help ensure the spokesperson is ready and confident. We conduct mock interviews and share tips concerning the nuances of body language, delivery, messaging and interview etiquette, among others, so the interview goes well and smoothly.

Merchandise the Coverage

Sharing the stories on your social media networks (tag the reporter and outlet in your posts), website, with staff, and in customer newsletters is beneficial. Each method has its own nuances but conveying the excitement of being featured by third-party influential sources to your community should be an overall goal.  

Questions?

Reach out and we’ll be happy to explain more.

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How Brands Can Build Positive Touchpoints with Four Media Types

Creating brand loyalty in the digital age is challenging but it’s on a more-level playing field. You must get consumers to think positively about your brand via different touchpoints. Shira Ovide, a technology writer for The New York Times, explores this in her column with the headline, “The Internet Broke Brand Loyalty.” Here’s a telling part of her piece:

“Think about the ways that you might have bought something in the Before Times – like, before 2010. Maybe you drove to your local hardware store looking for a cordless drill, and it stocked only Dewalt models. You trusted the store to sell a good product – or if you didn’t, it was your only option anyway. That’s what you bought. The retailer essentially made the choice for you, Mr. Levin and Mr. Lowitz said. (co-founders of Consumer Intelligence Research Partners) That’s not usually how we shop anymore. Instead of having that solo choice, we can browse the gazillion cordless drills on Amazon from our sofas and evaluate online customer reviews.”

The pandemic intensified “going online” making it often the first place consumers turn before purchasing goods and services whether by checking-out Amazon or major retail websites, company or brand websites, the news media, blogs, social media, online communities, trade publications, or influencers they follow.

Today, brands need to utilize the four main types of media under the communications umbrella to effectively reach and engage with prospects and customers. The PESO Model, created by Gini Dietrich, the founder of Spin Sucks, demonstrates how each media type ideally provides the greatest benefit when it’s integrated with the other ones.

The model blends paid, earned, shared and owned media, to establish credibility, trust and authority that fuels a brand reputation. Earned media includes building relationships with journalists, bloggers, podcasters, editors, writers, producers and influencers, so they share your story with their audiences – be it readers, viewers or listeners. For example, we garnered these for different clients; a major market radio interview, an interview with a national wire service, a featured story in The New York Times, a Q&A on a blog, a magazine article, a newspaper feature, a bylined article, and a conversation on a podcast.

The PESO Model illustrated in the graphic below, provides a clear framework for communicators like us to explain how the different media types work best in concert in today’s fast-paced evolving media landscape. Kudos to Gini for launching it in 2014 and sharing it widely ever since.

2020 PESO Model Graphic
Credit: Spin Sucks

At ZB Group, our services focus on the earned and shared media spheres within the headings earned media, community, partnerships, reputation and marketing communications, to achieve our clients’ goals. Please reach out to learn how we can add value and turbocharge your marketing campaign so that your brand is top-of-mind.