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Archive for October, 2011

Lane Sutton, Kid Critic, Dishes on Social Media at PRSA. (Video Interview w/ Johna Burke, BurrellesLuce)

Friday, October 28th, 2011

Transcript -
JOHNA BURKE: Hello, this is Johna Burke with BurrellesLuce and I’m here at the PRSA Connecticut event on social media. I’m joined by Lane.

Lane, will you please introduce yourself?

LANE SUTTON: Sure. I’m a 14-year-old social media coach and entrepreneur for diverse types of businesses.

BURKE: Lane, you just did a presentation about social media. Can you tell us a couple of the key takeaways in working with the youth today via the channels of social media?

SUTTON: Definitely. So no broadcasting, OK? So we’re in the era where PR releases do not work on social networks. And now we need to engage and listen and have bigger ears out there. And then also customer service is a huge differentiator for PR in that what–that’s what sets companies apart from each other. And lastly, PR has been used so much. You know, it’s all about analysis and things. So some great tools to do that would be Hootsuite, Social Mention and journalist tweets.

BURKE: And to show that Lane is very well rounded, he has a pretty exciting announcement. What’s your new position at school when you’re not out public speaking, Lane?

SUTTON: I’m treasurer for student government for my freshman class at Framingham High School.

BURKE: Excellent. Congratulations, Lane.

SUTTON: Thank you.

Tags: Analysis, broadcasting, BurrellesLuce, customer service, Framingham High School, Fresh Ideas, Hootsuire, interview, Johna Burke, journalist, Kid Critic, Lane Sutton, PR, PRSA, releases, Social Media, social media tips, Social Mention, tweets, video
Posted in Advertising/Marketing, Career Advice, Client Services, Industry Events, Media Outreach, Media Relations, Online Video, Public Relations, Social Media | No Comments »

PRSA-NJ Panel Discussion: PR Strategy Tools for Effective Online News

Thursday, October 27th, 2011

Colleen Flood*

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to attend the PRSA-NJ panel discussion on Tools of the Trade: Effective Online News sponsored by BurrellesLuce. The event was held at the beautiful Monmouth University campus and had a great turnout of emerging journalists and up-and-coming publicists.

The panel had one consistent message across the board for students and professionals in attendance:

Know who you are pitching.
Know your news hook.
Be relevant, specific and succinct.

Judith Feeney — digital editor for NJ Press Media, Asbury Park Press (app.com), Daily Record (dailyrecord.com), the Home News Tribune, and the Courier News — started the discussion by reminding us there are a vast number of new tools and a lot less time to get the job done. She suggested that PR and media relations professionals need to become familiar with all of the tools out there. Know who you are pitching and don’t blanket your pitch to multiple people. Look at the type of material the publication and journalist produces and tailor your pitch accordingly.

Christopher Sheldon, the Long Branch editor of Patch.com, a hyperlocal publication, said to make sure to include the who, what, where, when and why in the first paragraph. If it’s not local to his area, he cannot write about it. His audience is looking for community news.

Christy Potter Kass, assistant editor of The Alternative Press, agreed with Chris and said her publication is also hyperlocal and stories must tie into the values and interests of local readers. She emphasized not to confuse hyperlocal publications with national publications. When asked the definition of “hyperlocal,” Christy said the more local the story the better. News must be about something going on in town or have a connection to the community.

Joan Bosisio, group vice president of Stern & Associates said that (with all the recent layoffs) PR people have an opportunity to help journalists, who are working on stories, do their jobs. Journalists are now doing more than one job and by presenting them with not only the story, but the materials to help them write the story (e.g., video, spokespeople and social media) you make their job easier.

Kristine Brown oversees PR for St. Barnabas Health, the state’s largest hospital system. She gave us some real life examples of crisis communications and advised that essential PR skills have not changed with all the new online tools available. Kristine said you still need to know your audience, know your story, cultivate relationships with the media (this has helped her in time of crisis) and move at the same pace the news is moving.

As for journalists and PR professionals alike, essential skills include: spelling, grammar, and attention to detail. The ability to take your own photos, as a journalist, will also help prospective media professionals stand out.

How are you using online tools to help you connect with journalists and the media? As a member of the media, what other ways can PR and communications professionals work with you to get their stories out? Please leave your comments below on BurrellesLuce Fresh Ideas.

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*Bio: Colleen Flood has been a sales consultant with BurrellesLuce for over 12 years and is eager to become a more integrated part of the social-public relations community. She primarily handles agency relations in the New York and New Jersey metro-area. She is not only passionate about work, but also about family, friends, and the Jersey Shore. Twitter: @cgflood LinkedIn: Colleen Flood Facebook: BurrellesLuce

Tags: Asbury Park Press, audience, BurrellesLuce, Christopher Sheldon, Christy Potter Kass, Colleen Flood, community news, Courier News, crisis communications, Daily Record, digital, editor, Fresh Ideas, Home News Tribune, hospital, hyperlocal, interests, Joan Bosisio, journalist, Judith Feeney, Kristine Brown, local, Long Branch, Media Relations, Monmouth University, NJ PR, NJ Press Media, Patch.com, pitching, PRSA, publicist, relationships, Social Media, spokespeople, St. Barnabas Health, Stern and Associates, stories, strategy, The Alternative Press, tools for effective online news, values, video
Posted in Industry Events, Media Industry, Media Outreach, Media Relations, News Coverage, Public Relations | No Comments »

Creating a Successful Elevator Pitch

Monday, October 24th, 2011

Lauren Shapiro*

“So… what does your company do?”

How many times have you been asked this question? What is your response? Whatever it is that is your elevator pitch… the 15 second – schpeel (or the amount of time it would take you to ride an elevator) you give to someone who has no idea what you or your company does. It is a simplified, condensed version given in layman’s terms to explain the complexity of your inner working knowledge of the industry and your organization. The goal of the elevator pitch is to leave the listener with not only an understanding of your company/service but with some excitement and curiosity.

According to an article on MoneyWatch.com by Robert Pagliarini, “An elevator pitch isn’t about cramming as much information into a minute as possible. A well crafted elevator pitch is much more about finesse. It should evoke emotion more than thought.”

Elevator pitches are used more often than you may think! They are used at the initial stages of selling (whether you realize it or not), during networking events or just in passing. But what are the key components of an elevator pitch? According to Pagliarini, an elevator pitch must contain the following elements:

A “hook.” Grab the listener’s attention with either a question or statement that gets them interested and wanting to know more about your clients, products, or services.
About 150-225 words. Keep your pitch short. Remember, this is an elevator ride not a plane ride.
Passion. If you talk with gusto and excitement… they will also be excited!
A request. When finished with your pitch, be sure to exchange business cards and request a time to discuss in more detail.

The key to an elevator pitch is to be confident. This is your job, your company and your industry… you know what you are talking about!

Do you have any tips to share about elevator pitches?

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*Bio: Soon after graduating from the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, in 2006 with a B.A. in communication and a B.S. in business/marketing, I joined the BurrellesLuce client services team. In 2008, I completed my master’s degree in corporate and organizational communications and now serve as Director of Client Services. I am passionate about researching and understanding the role of email in shaping relationships from a client relation/service standpoint as well as how miscommunication occurs within email, which was the topic of my thesis. Through my posts on Fresh Ideas, I hope to educate and stimulate thoughtful discussions about corporate communications and client relations, further my own knowledge on this subject area, as well as continue to hone my skills as a communicator. Twitter: @_LaurenShapiro_ LinkedIn: laurenrshapiro Facebook: BurrellesLuce

Tags: BurrellesLuce, creating a successful elevator pitch, Fresh Ideas, goals, industry, Lauren Shapiro, pitching, tips
Posted in Advertising/Marketing, Career Advice, Client Services, Public Relations | No Comments »

PRSSA National Conference: Speed Networking & PR Student Questions

Friday, October 21st, 2011

The speed networking session at PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America) National Conference was chock-full of driven, ambitious PR students who will soon be looking to become the next generation of communications professionals. I thought I’d share my experience, and solicit feedback, with the @BurrellesLuce Fresh Ideas readers.

How to Craft a Proper Résumé
The predominant question of the day was about the length of their résumés. I responded that if a student is active in PRSSA, works for a student-run firm, and is actively interning, then the résumé could justifiably go beyond one page. However, from what I gather, most large PR agencies, as well as communications professors, advise all students to restrict their résumés to one page without exception – going so far as saying students/candidates will not make the grade and/or the résumé would not get reviewed!

Subsequently, I advised that they stick to the one-pager, but to note there are samples available, and to be sure to have a portfolio of their work ready to take on an interview. However, I still believe that outside of class and the top tier agencies it is okay to go to a second page if the experience warrants doing so.

Timing Your Job Search
Another question I heard frequently was how soon to begin the job search, to which I snarkily responded, “You haven’t begun yet?”

Seriously, I advised that they should already be thinking about where they want to go (geographically), whether they want to work for an agency, a corporation or a non-profit, and to begin researching and networking accordingly. For example, in St. Louis (where I’m a PRSA member), there is PRSA, IABC (International Association of Business Communicators) and CSPRC (Community Service Public Relations Council).

Depending on where the student has decided their path will be, they should be networking with the appropriate organization by attending mixers and/or luncheons and getting involved. Or, if they’re not staying in the same geographic market, find those people on Twitter and begin connecting and building relationships. And, if they are already seniors—especially those that graduate in December—if they haven’t already started this process, then they are behind the eight ball!

There were lots more questions, but these seemed to be the most prevalent. What advice would you give for new and existing PR professionals on the job hunt? Or what questions do you have if you’re looking to start or continue your career in communications?

Tags: agencies, BurrellesLuce, Career, communications, Community Service Public Relations Council, crafting, CSPRC, Engagement, Fresh Ideas, IABC, International Association of Business Communicators, job hunt, job search, length of resume, networking, PR, PRSA, PRSSA, questions, relationships, Resume, Speed Networking, Twitter
Posted in Career Advice, Industry Events, Media Outreach, Media Relations, Public Relations | 1 Comment »

More from the 2011 PRSA International Conference!

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

A lot of industry professionals stopped by our both, this week, at the PRSA Conference in Orlando to check out our media outreach, media monitoring, media reporting, and social media monitoring services. While there, they took a few pics, entered to win some cool prizes and provided feedback.

Above: Patrice Tanaka, CRT/tanaka and Johna Burke, BurellesLuce