Flickr Image: yago1.com

The Oriella PR Network issued their 2010 Digital Journalism Study recently. The survey consisted of 770 journalists across 15 countries, and is used to find out how digital media has changed the nature of news-gathering. In reviewing this study, I naturally paid the most attention to those items that directly affect public relations and media relations practitioners. 

For example, according to the report, “interest in traditional news content remains healthy.”  Results showed:

• 75 percent of journalists surveyed indicated they like to receive emailed press releases, and
• 52 percent want to receive still photography.

Interestingly, demand for social media news releases (SMNRs), chosen by 19 percent of journalists in 2008’s survey, and 15 percent in 2009, has leveled off at 16 percent in 2010.  

• Video content has fallen to 27.5 percent from 35 percent.
• Audio / podcasts have fallen to 15 percent from 19 percent.

The report notes it is possible that these declines may be due to the fact that publications have the capabilities to produce their own multi-media content now. Previously they were more reliant on content from third parties.

Considering the international reach of this survey, I was curious if our own U.S.-based media followed suit. I set-up a (very un-scientific) three-question survey on PollDaddy and asked my Twitter and LinkedIn journalist connections to respond. There were only a handful of responses, but the poll answered my question.

• 85 percent of journalists who responded to my survey indicated they prefer to be contacted via email. 
• 44 percent said it was okay to contact via Twitter, but keep in mind that I posted the survey on Twitter and LinkedIn so the journos that responded are those that are on social networking sites – be wary of assuming this is true across the board.
• 67 percent want to receive hi-res photos with press releases.
• 55 percent would like to see supporting documents (such as backgrounders, bios, fact sheets, etc.) and/or attributable quotes. 

When I asked for additional comments, one respondent replied, “I wish press releases had original quotes instead of marketing-speak.”  Another responded, “Short, sweet and to the point. Make it catchy. Make it actually newsworthy. Make it interesting. And don’t send something that’s happening that day. Timing is EVERYTHING.”

Jessica Pupillo, freelance writer and editorial director for St. Louis Sprout & About, opined: “Put the news release headline in the subject line of an e-mail. Also put the text of the release in the body of the e-mail, and ALWAYS include copies of the release and access to photos on your online press room. Include a phone number where you can be reached during reasonable hours (7 a.m. to 9 p.m.). If you don’t answer your phone when I call, I may just skip your news.”

The author of the Digital Journalism Study results report surmised, “Time pressures remain – it is down [sic] to the PR community to facilitate access to relevant stories so they can turn it into a compelling story as efficiently as possible.” And, goes so far as to state, “While the communications landscape has become increasingly complex, journalists continue to rely on PR professionals to address the basics of news gathering in the content they produce. Communicators that overlook this essential need do so at their peril.”

If you’re a media professional, do you agree with the survey findings published in the Digital Journalism study or from my poll? What do you wish public relations professionals would do better? If you’re in PR or media relations, how are you tailoring your strategy to meet the changing needs of journalists? Please share your thoughts with me and the readers of BurrellesLuce Fresh Ideas.

Speakers for the panel “The Future of Public Relations: Seizing the Opportunity” consisted of:

• Aedhmar Hynes, CEO of Text 100
• Matt Harrington, president and CEO of Edelman U.S.
• Peter Land, SVP, communications, at PepsiCo Beverages Americas
• Martin Murtland, VP, solutions for corporate communications for Dow Jones Inc.

I’ve listed some of the key points that I heard in the podcast. (NOTE: Unfortunately since there was only audio and no video, I was unable to keep track of exactly who was speaking at some times – so my apologies, in advance, to the panel if I’ve not credited you with your quotes.)

Hynes talked about marketing, advertising, public relations, etc. all being separate departments with separate budgets, as this is the business model that’s served well in the past. However, in reality, the future of the industry is about communicating the brand of the organization. What are the goals as a whole and what are the skill sets that match those strategic goals? This is the time for organizations to think about the fundamental concept of moving away from managing information or news to shaping and directing conversation.

Companies must influence the influencers. The concept of third-party advocacy has never been more important than it is now.

As in any discussion of PR these days, the conversation moved to changes in ROI and measurement and analytics. We all know we should get away from ad value equivalency, but what do we use in its place (aside from media value)?  How do you know your campaign is a success?  There are many tools out there that measure “online buzz.” Yet what does that really mean?  It goes back to where you start – when you set your goals, they must be measurable. Measurable goals will drive your reporting and allow you to determine which strategies were successful.   

So, what does the future look like for public relations?

• PR now has more opportunity and voice as it relates to corporate strategy. In other words, PR professionals are gaining more access to the C-suite.
• The future (of PR) is about confidence and being nimble. According to Land, we must be able to move incredibly fast and confident to walk into our CEO’s office and make suggestions.
• The move away from “agency of record” was briefly discussed because corporations have multiple needs (e.g., advertising, digital, creative, B2B, direct to consumer, etc.)  
• The next decade in public relations is predicted to be the most exciting in history thus far. It may seem like it’s “back to the future,” as some have lost sight of fundamental best practices, but we must now come back to this strategic consulting in shaping views, per Hynes.

What would you add? What does the future of PR look like in your mind’s eye? If you attended the conference virtually, what are some of the points you took away from it. Please share your thoughts with me and the readers of BurrellesLuce Fresh Ideas.

For those of you who attended last year’s PRSA International conference and heard Arianna Huffington open the keynote address with, “The press release is dead…” or those who read Tom Forenski’s rant a few years ago, “Die! Press Release! Die! Die! Die!,” may be surprised to learn the press release, like traditional media, is NOT dead.  Falkow told us the news has changed, but journalists still want information.  The way that journalists work is evolving so we need to provide this information in different ways.

Lieb quoted some statistics on how journalists work today:

• 91 percent of journalists search Google to do their job (“expert” is a common search term)
• 89 percent use blogs
• 64 percent are using social networks

In addition, Lieb went on to say that over 75 percent of reporters view blogs as helpful in providing story ideas, story angles and insight into the tone of an issue. And, almost half of reporters say they are “lurkers” on social networking sites.

So, what do journalists really want and need from PR?  

• They want the news in easy-to-identify, digestible sections.
• They are looking for images, quotes, video, backgrounders, fact sheets.
• Tag the information so it’s easily found. 
• Give them the full embed code for multimedia.
• Put your news in a feed.
• Make it available on social sites.
• Aggregate your news/social content in one place.

She says, “Deconstruct the press release into special sections and tag the information. By using news tags, a newspaper or news site could pull together larger numbers of news stories and the PR industry would be helping news publishers to gather the facts and present them in a near-publishable format.”

Bottom line: if you aren’t telling your story, then someone’s telling it for you. If the media can’t find the information they need from you, they will find it elsewhere – and you may not like what they find!  

The media in general is expected to provide more than just a print story, or just a video clip – it’s also on the web. What is your organization doing to feed the media’s hunger for content? 

Want more tips and best practices for working with the media and giving journalists what they want and need? Visit the BurrellesLuce Resource Center which provides FREE white papers, tip sheets, and more. And be sure to sign-up for this month’s newsletter, “When Press Releases Go Bad” or view an archive of last month’s newsletter, “Staying Ahead of the Media Relations Curve.”

An AdAge article stated that some marketers have just about given up on the traditional path to broadcast media coverage – instead of pitching their stories to reporters, they are directly engaging consumers through original content they and their agencies have created. “And while they haven’t completely abandoned traditional media outlets, big-name marketers such as Procter & Gamble, Best Buy, MasterCard and Coldwell Banker are among those who have taken matters into their own hands by creating content and bringing it straight to consumers.” 

 And, it’s not just broadcast news using video anymore. A large number of traditional print outlets have online affiliate sites that are complementing text with video – even radio stations are getting into the game by incorporating videos into their websites.

If you aren’t already utilizing YouTube in your public relations efforts, it’s definitely time to sit up and take notice! (My colleague Denise Giacin recently discussed a similar topic in her blog post, “YouTube Turns Five … Are You Tuned In?”)

So, how do you get started?  Here are some tips from Douglas Idugboe at smedio:

• First (obviously) create the video. Expensive equipment or production studio time is not needed; you can use your own flipcam or other video recorder.
• Build your own YouTube channel by choosing a name. The name should include your company’s or one that reflects the product/service category you’re associated with. Register it and you’ll receive a URL reading youtube.com/user/[yourfullnamehere]. 
• Create a profile and upload an avatar or video screenshot that catches peoples’ attention.
• YouTube has different types of accounts. Idugboe recommends “Guru” to stand above the crowd.
• You can upload your own images and backgrounds to create a look consistent with your website, blog, business cards, etc.
• To help build your brand and your online community, check all relevant options under “Modules”
• If you want viewers to always see the latest and greatest, click “Edit” on the screen’s top right. At “Featured Video” click “Use the Most Recent”

From there you’ll then want to:

1. Embed your YouTube videos on your website and blog.
2. Link your channel and videos everywhere possible to maximize visibility (making sure to follow the rules of proper engagement).
3. Leverage your current network, and let YouTube help grow and expand it.
4. If applicable, notify local newspapers, TV and any other media outlets via press releases, to alert their audiences to your video.

In addition to cross-marketing to your existing network and the media, you’re probably asking “How do I optimize the video for SEO?”  In the video below, Greg Jarboe provides three tips for video search engine optimization from the International Search Summit in London last week:

Do you have additional tips on using video for PR for the BurrellesLuce Fresh Ideas readers? Are you using YouTube or other video sharing sites?  Care to share any examples of successful (or unsuccessful) cases of video used in public relations campaigns?

Flickr Image: Darren Foreman

In my last BurrellesLuce Fresh Ideas post, I shared some rather entertaining excerpts from journalists and bloggers regarding how they feel about “PR spam.” This post will discuss, “what exactly is PR spam?”

I mentioned before Drew Kerr’s definition of PR spam – “impersonal e-mail blasts that contain completely irrelevant information” – which sums it up nicely. But how do you spot PR spam?  Neville Hobson of The Hobson & Holtz Report wrote these detailed descriptors of PR spam:

1. The product or service being pitched by email is so obviously not one that I would have much interest in, a fact that would be very easily apparent if the pitcher had taken even a cursory glance at this blog or listened to my podcast.

2. The email includes an unsolicited Word document attachment. And it’s worth noting that not everyone uses Word. I do but the pitcher doesn’t know that.

3. The pitcher writes a pseudo-friendly greeting but it only looks like a bad database mail merge. My favorite: “Hi, Neville ,” (notice the space between my name and the final comma). A close second is the simple “Hi ,” with that same space (yes, I’ve had lots of emails like that).

4. The email contains nothing but the text of a press release. That sin is compounded when the email subject line says (you guessed it) ‘press release’ or ‘latest announcement from XYZ Company.’ The nail’s in the coffin when the email also includes the press release as a Word attachment with lots of font and other document formatting.

Hobson wrote this nearly two years ago.  So why are we still talking about this topic today?  Sadly, it’s because PR spam is even more of an issue now than then.  The more technology advances, the easier it is to spam – even unintentionally. 

Some point the finger at “lazy PR flacks,” and yes, every profession has some, but doesn’t apply to most that I know. Some point the finger at the companies that provide media lists, media directories, and media database services.  In my humble opinion, that’s just shooting the messenger.

So, here’s what I think it’s really about.  It’s about client expectation and targeting.

• Clients and CEOs like to see big names on the media list – even when it’s not appropriate. It’s the PR practitioner’s job to provide good counsel. Set a realistic and common level of expectations. 
• Once that’s established, research the writers on your list.  Not just what beat they cover, but what they are writing about. What are they passionate about?  How does your story tie-in to these things; in other words, why should the journalist or blogger care?
• And be sure to check (or double check), journalist, blogger, and community guidelines before pitching. When in doubt, go without.

If you take the time to do this, then surely you won’t be accused of being a PR spammer! What would you add to the list? How do you know when you’ve been the subject of PR spam? What are you doing to make sure your activities are staying off of the “PR naughty list?”

Flickr Image: Hergarty David

Media relations and PR professionals today are beleaguered to not only deliver exposure through traditional media channels, but to also engage bloggers, stakeholders, key influencers and, in many cases, direct consumers. 

How do you know if you are conducting a valid media relations campaign or are just contributing to PR spam?  I like Drew Kerr’s definition of PR spam: “Impersonal email blasts that contain completely irrelevant information.” Although, clear and concise, it should also be noted that even well intentioned PR professionals can be seen as spammers if they aren’t aware of suggested guidelines or following best practices.  

So, in the spirit of Spring and all things new, I thought I’d share some of the, um, more entertaining excerpts I’ve read on this topic and save the lecture for another day. 

• PR pro and blogger Dave Fleet offered some advice. One piece is to “Sign your name. Trolls send anonymous messages. Good PR people don’t.”  (Am I the only one who gets a mental image here?)
• Stephanie Quilao, in her (now retired) Back in Skinny Jeans blog, wrote an open letter to those pitching her. I’m a huge fan of “telling it like it is” and she bares no bones here.  Among her advice was:
  • Use the name of the blogger when pitching: “My name, Stephanie Quilao, is written all over my blog on every post and in the “About” page, so use it. Do not address me “Dear Blogger,” “Hello Back in Skinny Jeans” or “Hey Fit Blogger!” Yes, I’ve gotten versions of the “Hey you!” When you don’t use my name, it tells me that you are either lazy, cold, or don’t really give a rat’s [expletive deleted] about who I am.” 
  • “Stop talking at me and talk with me. Eight out of ten times, this is how your pitch sounds to me, ‘Dear Stephanie, us, us, us, us, {insert product name}, us, us, us, us, {insert press release}, us, us, us, us, enough about us, let’s talk more about us, and what you’ll tell your readers about us…’ You sound like the adults in Charlie Brown, and I tune out because we’re not having a conversation, you’re shoving your agenda at me.”
• Avoid large email attachments. Sally Whittle wrote on her Getting Ink blog, “… and attachments. Dear God, why are we still having this bloody conversation? Only today, I got a 5MB attachment attached to a random press release – twice, because the PR agency hasn’t cleaned its data lately. If you’re using WiFi on a public hotspot or you’re using a 3G dongle or BlackBerry, downloading huge chunks of data is not fun. HUGE waste of time. Don’t do it.”
• In a U.K. PR Week article, Mark Borkwoski says: “PR spam is as contagious as chlamydia and has the same effect. It can cause sterility in the people infected.” While the analogy here is a bit crude, it certainly gets the point across.
• Develop meaningful relationships; learn to effectively communicate. Lou Hoffman sums up relationship-building between PR and the media by saying, “If the PR profession jumped on this bandwagon, we would go a long way toward resolving what the warden in Cool Hand Luke called, ‘a failure to communicate.’”

I can’t wait to hear your PR spam anecdotes or comments – please add to this BurrellesLuce Fresh Ideas post.

McCormick began with the “Three E’s Bringing Change.”

• Economy – budgets are down and value propositions are up, making it more difficult to succeed in the marketplace.
• Environment – trust is down, number of messages is down, and audiences now expect to provide input.
• Effects Strengthened Through PR/Partnerships – public relations understands how to build and sustain beneficial relationships; transference of credibility moves the messages faster and feedback is more immediate and helps facilitate needed change.

McCormick cited a number of statistics and studies to prove his point that current changes are good for PR. For example, according to CareerCast.com, PR tops other communication disciplines, such as advertising and journalism, in the listing of top 200 jobs. The annual Veronis Suhler Stevenson study predicts a consolidated aggregated growth rate for public relations as nearly 10 percent for the years 2008-2012.  Even in a downturned economy, spending on PR in the U.S. grew by more than 4 percent in 2008 and nearly 3 percent in 2009 – to $3.7 billion.  And, finally, the rise of the Internet and social media has given PR a big boost.

Why else does McCormick think the future of PR is bright? Things like: advances in technology, changing role of traditional media, reduced trust in business, 24/7 immediate/global news cycle, segmentation of messages and authentication of sources, the ongoing turf war on owning social media, and the fact that organizations will no longer own messages/messaging and that actions will define reputation are all benefits influencing the landscape of public relations.

Finally, he made the following suggestions for preparing for the future:

1. Focus on strategy, not tactics
2. Include all the tools available
3. Integrate and innovate
4. Embrace the new normal
5. Deliver more listening points than talking points
6. Maintain your individual brand ethics

What do you think? Are you beginning to see an upturn in business? How are the current media and economic environments affecting the way you do public relations? Share your thoughts with me and the readers of Fresh Ideas.

 In this post I’d like to share some of the advice that was provided in the “Diary of Young Professionals” session.  Allison Hughes, Lara Golike, Tanya Kath and Phillip Cleveland served as panelists and answered questions from the Missouri and southern Illinois PRSSA members in attendance.

When asked for advice about entering the job market, the panel offered these points:

• Don’t go in with a sense of entitlement. You’ll be “knocked down a peg” and only set yourself up for disappointment.
• Not everyone works with clients immediately. While you should have a writing portfolio, you are still the “low man on the totem pole.”
• With entry-level positions, you may have to jump through the hoops and prove yourself until acknowledged as a professional.  It can be a long road, but you must keep on until accepted.
• In corporate PR there can be as many as ten approvals and red lines before something is given the go-ahead.
• Not every office is like “Devil Wears Prada!”

As far as advice about job searching and what skills should be highlighted, the panel offered this guidance:

1. Digital PR is a must. Agencies want to hire those that already have these skills. 
2. Be sure Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages are “clean.” With Facebook, you can set privacy filters, but keep in mind that nothing is truly private on the web. 
3. As far as skills to be highlighted, do NOT say you are a “people person.” 
4. Include group projects (not just individual) as this demonstrates team work.
5. Showcase achievements rather than activities. 
6. Be prepared for an on-the-spot writing test.
7. When interviewing, ask lots of questions before accepting a position so you know what you’re getting into.
8. Early in your career (or even when doing internships) – diversify. Even if you know what area you want to go into, don’t pigeon-hole your experience.

Finally, panelists were asked about some the things they wish they’d learned more about in school, to which they responded:

• AP Style (there’s even an app for that now!)
• Social Media
• Reading industry magazines and newsletters as well as thought-leaders blogs.

If your local PRSA, IABC, AMA or other group has a Pro-Am event, I’d encourage you to participate in any way that you are able.  What additional advice would you offer these about-to-be young PR pros?

Flickr Image: David Reece

Now that 2010 is well underway, I thought it would be interesting to go back and read some articles and posts from the past couple years to decipher what’s changed in the realm of media relations. 

I was a little surprised to find that not much has really changed!  (Not entirely surprised as this was what I suspected.)

Your target media now may not be just traditional media but also bloggers, ezine/webzine editors, streaming webcast producers, and freelance writers. However, the qualities or traits that define good media relations have remained essentially the same: Before preparing your press release, do your homework and familiarize yourself with the chosen topics as well as recent writings of your target journalists and bloggers. Then do some additional checking to ensure that your intended audience is also the audience for the media you’re about to pitch. (BurrellesLuce 2009 whitepaper “New Rules for Media Relations”)

In early 2009, Jeremy Porter conducted interviews with PR professionals in an effort to gauge what the biggest challenges were in dealing with the media. The results shared on his Journalistics blog could have been written today!  Some of the challenges included were:

• Having accurate media contact information – keeping up with ongoing changes
• Breaking through filters to reach the right contact, at the right time, with just the right information
• Leveraging new media like Twitter in appropriate ways
• Having better access to what journalists are writing about and what information they value most
• Measuring the value of media outreach and placement – beyond impressions, release pickup and ad value
• Developing more effective processes for media relations – moving away from one-size-fits-all pitching

With the exception of Twitter, this sounds like the same challenges we had 15 years ago when I was working at a St. Louis PR agency.

I’m not oblivious to the fact that public relations and the media are changing in some ways (that may be the topic for a future post), but in many ways it seems that the more things change, the more they stay the same.  Am I wrong? What similarities or changes have you seen occurring in the world of public relations and media these past few years?

Flickr Image: Gavin Luhrs

As I began to think about the topic for this first post of the New Year, I thought about my goals and aspirations. (Colleen Flood, my colleague here at BurrellesLuce had similiar inspiration when she wrote about “Setting Smart Goals in 2010“).  Then, I realized that there is already lots of good information out there – many that parallel my own thoughts.  So, I thought I’d provide a round-up of some of the posts I’ve read in the past week – ones that I think we can all relate to. 

• Associated Press business writer Joyce M. Rosenburg did a story on small business owners making resolutions. The first interviewee was a PR agency owner and her resolution was one we should all strive to do:  spend quality time with clients. In that same article, another PR agency president planned to improve her work/life balance. 
• My Twitter friend @PRcog has some resolutions, found on the PRBC (PR Breakfast Club), site that I think many of us can relate to, as well: Stop using descriptors like “cutting (or bleeding) edge,” “revolutionary” or the “next big thing” and to convince clients to stop caring about their follower/fan count.  He doesn’t say it, but it’s implied that they should be focusing more on the strategy, not the tool. 
• Linda Jacobson, APR, published her New Year wish list which included promising to only put out quality content (versus a press release just for the sake of releasing something). She also encouraged us to “play nice with others,” stating that, “Marketers, advertisers and PR professionals need to be on the same team. Playing to each strength usually gets targeted results. When one of the three legs decides not to do this, the result skews and doesn’t deliver full strength.”
• Charlotte Schaff posted her top ten resolutions on the Valley PR blog, which include making the most of her PRSA membership, improve media relations by being a connector and source to the media, and (one I can personally relate to) saying “no” more often. 
• PR student and PRSSA national vice president of professional development, Nick Lucido resolves to learn to lead – his resolutions are in relation to his studies but can be applied in the business world as well.
• Finally, Brian Solis, in his “Greatest Hits of 2009” series, states “Our resolutions for 2010 must include learning and participation. With an open mind and an open heart, we can continue to learn, grow, and in turn, teach those around us to make 2010 a banner year for new media literacy and change.”

 What resolutions have you made? What would you add to this list? I look forward to your participation!

In researching being a PR mentor, I found quite a bit of good information on how to find a public relations mentor, where to find a mentor, and finding the right mentor; however, I wasn’t able to find much on being a PR mentor. 

Let’s face it, we’re all doing twice as much with half as much time these days (or at least it seems that way). So why should you invest the time to mentor?  Here are my three reasons for becoming a mentor:

• Good way to learn.  I’m not necessarily talking about “reverse mentoring,” but it may be as simple (and enlightening) as discovering a new slant on an old strategy, method, or practice. Furthermore, you’ll encounter your protégé’s world and take away that experience. You may even learn something about yourself in the process.
• Expand your network. Many of us work in non-traditional work settings these days, participate in webinars versus group meetings, and generally have less face-time together. Whether you work in a traditional office setting or not, mentoring is a great way to expand your reach. Your protégé today may be a hiring manager or client tomorrow.
• Return the favor. “Pay it forward.” “Share the wealth.” However you want to phrase it, it just plain feels good to help others. When you mentor, you leave a legacy of sorts – your work ethic, character, experience, and even your professional personality are instilled into your mentee. 

Still believe you don’t have time to be a mentor? Then, how about participating in social media conversations or participating in Twitter chats such as #PRStudChat, #u30pro, #journchat, or #solopr just to name a few. Arik Hanson thinks this sort of “virtual mentoring” is the wave of the future per his recent vlog post over at The Spinks blog.  BurrelleLuce’s own Valerie Simon agrees, commenting “While there is certainly an important value in that old school (one-to-one, face-to-face) mentor/mentee relationship, virtual mentoring offers an important opportunity to gain access to a broad gamut of leaders.”

I’m eager to hear about your mentor relationships and thoughts.

Flickr Image: josh.liba

Contrary to some, the press release is far from dead and continues to be a useful tool for public relations practitioners.  In fact, a recent poll conducted by Ragan Communications and PollStream found nearly 50 percent of corporate communicators believe press releases are “as useful as ever.”  

By definition, a press release (aka news release) is an announcement sent to (targeted) news media for the purpose of letting the public know of company developments, events, or other newsworthy items.

My esteemed Twitter friend, Bill Prickett, APR, recently wrote some benefits of a well-planned, well-placed news release – an inexpensive way to get publicity, which includes:  building your brand/image/reputation/business, providing consumer information/education, lending credibility to your message, and driving traffic.

But the question at-hand is should you send a release?  Years ago, I attended a marketing and sales training workshop where the trainer taught us about the “so what” (or “who cares”) test. The same concept applies when determining whether your release is newsworthy enough to send.  For example, if you say the headline/topic aloud – “XYZ company opens new location,” you should then follow it up by thinking like the reporter or reader, and asking “so what?” or “who cares?”  It might mean that locals won’t have to drive so far or they will have more selection and shorter lines, etc.  In other words, if your release can’t pass the “so what” test and illustrate why the news has value, then don’t send it! 

I’m not saying that a press release is the only or best way to get your news out to the media – and, ultimately, your stakeholders. Journalistics recently reported that he believes blog posts and tweeting may be a better way of sharing news with your stakeholders.  According to MarketingCharts, Ragan.com’s Lindsey Miller noted that corporate communicators are increasingly using social media as a way to get around “canned” information, and to personalize, target, and reach reporters.

Every circumstance is unique and not all situations will warrant release to the media, but the press release is still an integral part of the PR toolkit.  Do you agree?  Why or why not?

Did you know that Americans conducted 3.5 billion (yes, billion) searches on YouTube in September of 2009? You should, according to Greg Jarboe and Laura Sturaitis in their “What’s the ROI on Your Press Release” workshop. 

Multimedia is one of the biggest trends in public relations today. One reason is that your press release no longer goes just to the media, but now directly to consumer as well. 

Three ways to build ROI with every communication was shared in a pre-conference post by Jarboe and Sturaitis. In his presentation at the PRSA International Conference, of which BurrellesLuce was a sponsor, Jarboe offered some additional key points for optimizing your release:

• Conduct keyword research to find relevant terms (synonyms) that your stakeholders are likely to use.
• Edit your press release to include those terms — particularly in the headline and first few sentences.
• Add links so readers can easily locate related content.
• Measure your results — not only in brand awareness and Web site traffic, but also in qualified leads and online sales.

Keep in mind, different people want different formats. Some may only want text. Some may need hi-res photos, video and/or audio. While others may just want to link (so be sure to include your URL). Sturaitis advises to use social media buzz, Twitter, blogs, Web sites, link love, etc., to garner as much “Google real estate” as you possibly can.

Not convinced you need to utilize multimedia in your press release?  Here are some eye-opening statistics via comScore Video Metrix. During September 2009:

• 168 million Americans watched 26 billion videos.
• 125.5 million viewers watched 10.3 billion videos on YouTube.
• 45.6 million viewers watched 424 million videos on MySpace.

Jarboe shared three ways you can help ensure your videos get discovered in search results and related videos:

1. Think of the title as your 120 character headline, but Google only displays the first 61-65 characters so the brand name (if in the title) should go last.
2. Be as detailed as possible within your 1,000 characters, and include URLs.
3. You have 120 characters to tag brand, city, topics, etc.

Finally, Jarboe advises, “PR needs YouTube. Do it offensively, do it defensively, just do it!”

This PRSA International Conference Workshop was led by Rebecca Rose-Markarian, APR, and my BurrellesLuce colleague, Johna Burke. 

The session began with Markarian demonstrating a real-life example of a successful media relations campaign — for the 2007 Jaguar XK. Rebecca discussed the details behind the public relations strategy and why it was successful. The takeaways include some of the same items I included in a recent blog post, along with some great additions:

• Do your homework; research the outlet and the journalist.
• Role-play your pitch.
• Give the journalist an angle; offer multiple exclusives if you can, each with a different slant.
• Be human — respectful, courteous, professional.
• Make the media’s job easy.
• Don’t take rejection personally.
• Use social media to keep in touch.

Burke began her portion by talking about some tips for protecting your brand’s name in cyberspace, advising everyone to check their companies’ names on usernamecheck.com and knowem.com. (You can view her presentation slides here.)

She explained that most of us “get” the concept of social media but don’t really know how to apply it. We should ask ourselves, “Where is my audience,” and “How am I engaging?” In the case of Twitter, we should keep in mind that it’s not just what we see, but what we don’t see that matters.

She went on to talk about the impact of social media on everything from printed publications, web content vs. premium web content, and byliners to bloggers. One takeaway that really stuck out in my mind was that you must write for communication first and optimization second. We all want traffic and to be read; however, being misleading to get it will only backfire.

Finally, she touched on a point that Markarian mentioned — that we should engage journalists via social media (IF that’s where they hang out and how they want to receive communication/pitches). Read their articles and blogs and comment. 

What would you add?

Mark Mahoney, senior communications specialist for Kohler, kicked off the session by introducing a national collegiate marketing competition for Save Water America. The competition requires the chapter/student-run firm to respond to a request for proposal (RFP) and develop an executive proposal outlining a marketing and public relations plan and budget. They will receive money and supplies to execute their marketing plan and will be judged on several criteria including creativity, media value, attendees, and local product sales.

The top team wins $10,000 worth of water-conserving products for their school, an all-expense paid trip to Kohler headquarters with roundtable executive meeting, and water conservation products for each team member. First and second runners-up will also receive water conservation products for their school and team members.

Following Mahoney’s presentation of the national collegiate challenge, Lucido opened the floor to a Q&A session with the student panel, which consisted of:

Kaitlyn Darr, University of Georgia
Emilie O’Toole, Boston University
Erin Phillips, Rowan University
Regina Pena, University of Alabama

These students’ knowledge of public relations and media relations is extraordinary. Having worked at a PR agency myself, the advice the student panel gave on agency life and activities was spot on – if I hadn’t known these were students, I’d have thought I was listening to a panel of PR pros!

These student-run PR firms are not just theoretical; they have real clients, do real hands-on work, and gain real world experience. Many have even gone through the process of becoming nationally affiliated where they adhere to strict standards which include the PRSA Code of Ethics.  

The session wrapped up with a faculty member declaring that she has seen cases where students (who have been active in a student-run firm) have been hired for a position that called for 2-3 years experience (versus an internship or entry-level). After hearing and meeting some of these young about-to-be PR pros, I’d hire them in a heartbeat – would you?  How important do you think being involved in a student-run firm is to their future job prospects?

Flickr Image: lakelandlocal

Last week I wrote a post summarizing some recent posts on the topic of PR interns pitching the media, adding my own two cents along the way. I tweeted the link to my post and it sparked a lot of conversation.

 @CMM_PR suggested that an informal web-poll could be an interesting measurement for this question.  I set-up a very basic poll with yes/no answers based on whether you’re a PR pro, student or educator on PollDaddy and tweeted the link.  @prcindy suggested that I add a yes/no for members of the media, which I did immediately. 

Forty-six people registered their opinion in the poll and the breakdown is as follows:

• 18 Out of 24 PR pros say, “Yes, PR interns should be allowed to pitch the media.” Six say “no.”
• Of the 18 PR students that replied, 16 said, “yes.” Two said “No, they shouldn’t be allowed to pitch the media.”
• Only Two PR educators voted, both of whom said “yes.”
• Two members of the media split their vote with one having indicated “yes” and one “no.”

 Obviously, this isn’t a scientific study but it does show most agree that PR interns should be educated, prepared, coached and allowed to pitch.

Some follow-up comments/quotes:

I asked Heather Huhman, journalist/career expert to students and young professionals and founder of Come Recommended, for her thoughts on the subject. She replied, “If interns aren’t going to pitch the media during their internship, then what skills are they leaving with, exactly? They can learn the principles of pitching in the classroom. I completely agree with Abby Gutowski—it’s up to the supervisor to manage the situation properly.”

My BurrellesLuce colleague Valerie Simon, and #PRStudChat host, offered “An internship is an excellent opportunity to get some firsthand experience in the pitching process. Interns can gain valuable experience doing the necessary research, writing the draft of a pitch, and assisting with the necessary follow-up.”

And, finally, Chris Sleight, editor at KHL Group Publishing in the UK, replied on the poll page with, “Yes, as long as they’re trained and well-briefed. This includes knowing the client’s business well enough to be able to answer simple follow-up questions on the spot. Amazing how many agencies throw their students/interns to the lions without any of the tools they need to do the job. Not only is it unfair on the individual, it means the pitch fails and the agency comes across as a bunch of unprofessional idiots. So short-sighted!”

Flickr Image: chemisti

Typically, I try to share tips on pitching the media including bloggers.  In this post, I’d like to discuss whether PR interns should engage in pitching the media.  My BurrellesLuce colleague, Valerie Simon, mentioned this as part of her post, “Summer PR Internships: Preparing for Your Future” several months ago, but I’d like to expand on that mention and get your feedback.

Earlier this year, I read a blog post by Joan Stewart (aka the Publicity Hound) where she gave four reasons why interns should never be allowed to pitch the media. (The post is in response to a Forbes.com “do-it-yourself PR tactics” article.) Seems to me, her reasons boil down to a single point – that is she believes interns do not sound professional.  Stewart likens a PR intern pitching the media to a med school student performing brain surgery. I am not sure I agree with such an extreme analogy, but I do see her point.

@Journalistics then posted a blog saying he does believe interns should get real-world experience, but likens their pitching to “having an assistant shop for your spouse.” He goes on to give some compelling arguments and even turns the tables, suggesting: “What if the local paper wanted to interview you for a story and sent the intern out to write it? How would that make you feel?”  In the end, Porter concedes that there are some instances where having a PR intern pitch the media is just fine.

Spurred by the Journalistics’ post, Becky Johns fired a rebuttal with her own, “7 Reasons To Let Your Intern Pitch Your Story.” She provided well-thought-out responses and sums it up with, “Of course, it is not always appropriate for interns to make pitches, and supervisors should use good judgment when it comes to making pitching opportunities available to interns. But just because someone has the label ‘intern’ does not mean that person cannot gather a proven track record and gain more responsibility and independence with projects over time.”  Very good point!

Weidert Group’s interns chimed-in with help from their PR manager and internship coordinator, Abby Gutowski. Her post states “Teaching young PR interns the art of a media pitch can be scary to hand-off, but it is the responsibility of PR managers to do it right.” She then provides some excellent tips on how to do so successfully.

In response to the same Forbes article mentioned earlier, an IT reporter responded: “I personally don’t care if it’s the senior person or an intern that is pitching me necessarily. What matters is that whoever is trying to get me to pay attention, has done their homework, and understands both who I am and write about, as well who their client really is talking to and about.”

The reporter response sounds about right to me.  Perhaps this should be a discussion question for #PRStudChat?  What do you think?

Image: PurpleMattFish

My last post was “Do Your Homework: Media Pitching Basic Essentials – Part 1 of 2.”  In part two we’ll look at pitching bloggers who aren’t members of the media. After all, pitching bloggers is not necessarily the same as pitching a journalist who happens to blog too. The Bad Pitch Blog recently stated “At the risk of oversimplifying…the difference between journalists and bloggers is paid vs. passion.” Remember, a blogger most likely does not have an editor and can write what they want at any time!

 Here are my three basic essentials for blogger relations:

• Research the blog/blogger. As with pitching journalists, the first step is research. This entails not just using a search engine or service to find the blogger, but it means reading what they’ve written – not just the last post. Shannon Nelson hit the nail-on-the-head when she wrote, “PR has to invest the time to peel back the layers and research who [the bloggers] are, what [the bloggers] talk about and who [the bloggers’] audience is before sending a pitch—or take the chance of their pitch hitting the spam folder (or worse, appearing as a slam on their blog).”  To expand on that thought Frank Krolicki wrote recently, “Most bloggers are immersed in their topic of interest almost all day, every day, and are much more open to dealing with someone who shares their passion than someone who’s simply looking to get quick publicity for a client,” which leads to my next point.
• Develop a relationship. You can do this by starting a dialogue with the blogger.  Connect with them on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook or any other social media sites where they hang out. Contribute to the conversation by commenting on their blog or post.  Always be respectful, but not stuffy, and don’t be overly familiar too soon. (Kind of sounds like dating, huh?)  Consider asking permission of the blogger before adding them to a pitch list.
• Have a plan/call to action. Allow me to reiterate the last point in the previous paragraph: Consider asking permission before adding a blogger to a pitch list.  Better yet, don’t add them to a pitch list at all. Rather make the pitch one-on-one as part of your natural conversation. When you get to the pitching stage in your relationship, be sure to articulate exactly what you are looking for – set a common level of expectations to avoid any misinterpretations.

 Finally, it wouldn’t hurt to review Todd Defren’s Blogger Relations Case Study; however, before you go, please tell the readers of BurrellesLuce Fresh Ideas what points you would add to the blogger pitching essentials list?

www.weeklyreader.com

My first blog post here (ever) was entitled, “Doing Your Homework, Key to Journalist and Blogger Outreach.” As part of that post, I made a few points on what “doing your homework” means.  If you missed it, here’s a recap:

…“What exactly does ‘do your homework’ mean? That simple phrase actually means a multitude of things: research the outlet, research the journalist, know your story (inside and out), if you’re pitching an expert – be sure that person is available, if you’re pitching a story – be sure it’s fresh, and finally, be more than just a “pitcher.” Build relationships and be there for the reporter when he/she needs something – not just when you need to get a client some ink.”

It has bothered me ever since that I didn’t go into more detail, so I want to circle back and elaborate on these three key points when pitching journalists. (My next post will address blogger outreach.)

1. Research the outlet/journalist – Research means not only using a media database service, like BurrellesLuce Media Contacts, to pull a list. It  means digging deeper – looking at past stories, reading the journalists’ or outlets’ blogs. In other words, virtually getting to know the person so that you are sure your news is a good fit.  I’m not saying that you can’t include general or features reporters as long as you tailor your pitch to their interests. The more familiar you are with a writer’s work, the better your chance of success.

2. Know your story – Of course, you say, “I know my story.” But do you, really? Are you capable of presenting it in 30 seconds? It’s not a bad idea to practice your pitch with colleagues or friends. And, ask yourself: why is this story newsworthy? Be able to explain the significance of the story, the unique angle, the connection to their readers, and its relevance. Have facts, statistics, photos, quotes, back-up stories, and experts where you need them. I’ve been told that an old writers’ rule is “show the story, don’t tell the story” – remember that when pitching. One final note – never, never, ever lie or make-up an answer. It’s always better to admit that you don’t know, as you can then find out and get back to the reporter ASAP rather than to risk yours (and your client’s) reputation.

3. Be available (but be patient) – Be prepared when you’re ready AND when the journalist is ready. It goes without saying these days that you should include your cell number, email address, Twitter handle or any other way the reporter can reach you instantly. Journalists are often working on tight deadlines and may need you on the spur of the moment. However, keep in mind that it’s just as likely that your pitch may “sit and stew” for days, weeks or months. Remember, you are not likely to get a promise of coverage so don’t alienate the reporter by being a pest.

What would you add to the basic media pitching essentials? Looking forward to the conversation.

Instead, what I want to offer here are some media relations points and posts that I’ve found to be helpful reminders of how to achieve successful media outreach.

• Jeremy Pepper recently advised: “Turn it off and listen. Yes, we’re always supposed to be on – but turn it off, and be a person instead of a pitch machine.” He was referring to attending BlogHer (a trade event) but I think this can be applied to many other situations.
• In a guest post on Lauren Fernandez’s blog, Stuart Foster begins with “You should never write anything that you wouldn’t feel comfortable yelling as loud as you possibly can in a crowd of people.” He goes on to stress that, “Your outreach will be successful only when you can effectively blend your personality and the client’s brand personality into one and the same.” In other words, you must believe what you’re selling.
• With regard to business media, Jon Greer writes “… we can’t waste precious time pitching non-stories to over-worked journalists. It means that when we do pitch a story, we need to be ready to provide facts and figures, human interest, quotable quotes, photos, graphics and other sources for the story.” You might consider a multi-media release which incorporates all the information in a nice, tidy package.
• A few weeks ago @Journalistics‘ Jeremy Porter stated, “Consider doing role-playing on a regular basis…” The post was in reference to interns but I agree with him that it’s not a bad idea for the entire team. You don’t want to sound like a telemarketer.
• According to a recent post by Linda VandeVrede, “It used to be that you could create a target media list and focus on trade editors, bloggers, journalists, and analysts.  But that was so 2008.” Actually, it may be more like 2007, but in any event, creating that targeted list is only the beginning.
• On the Sword and the Script blog, it’s summed up that “Queuing up a press release and blasting it out to a list of reporters amounts to nothing more than sloppy and perhaps lazy PR work” which punctuates the previous point’s assertion.

Have more media relations tips or want to point readers to a compelling post or online article on this topic? Please share with us, here at BurrellesLuce, and all of our Fresh Ideas readers.