Ok, you want to expand your horizons and build more media contacts. You’ve used every latest and greatest PR tool out there: Cision, Vocus, Bulldog Reporter, Sam Whitmore’s Media Survey, HARO, Profnet, Publicity Insider.
Newsflash – anybody can build a media list but what about a strong relationship?
Here are a few pointers:
A. Muckrack – http://muckrack.com
If you want to build strong relationships with media, think like they do. Muckrack.com is a great site for following reporters’ every social move. The site shows frequent tweets by national reporters and even breaks out their tweets by their beats. Furthermore, you can follow them directly from this site once you log on to Twitter. There’s even a cool feature on the side that shows you frequent tweet activities by journalists from all over the world.
B. Linkedin – http://www.linkedin.com
While most PR people are using this to stay connected to colleagues (past, present and future), journalists are too! If you have pre-existing and newly forged media relationships, don’t forget to make them connections on LinkedIn. Just be sure to practice good PR etiquette, send them a note first letting making them aware that you’d like to synch up with them on LinkedIn. You may also want to personalize the invite note on LinkedIn so that they know who you are and make the connection.
C. Yoono, Tweetdeck – http://yoono.com or http://tweetdeck.com
Put all of your stuff in one place. There are great sites out there that enable you to consolidate all of your social network updates and posts (incoming and outgoing) into one place. Subscribe to one and use it!
While many of today’s start-up companies need good PR, they simply can’t afford to hire a large agency. They’re on shoe-string budgets but need help writing press releases, booking media tours, securing feature coverage and/or refining their positioning.
That’s why we’re offering the 2010 PR Special.
Starting today, companies can enter our 2010 PR special contest to receive one-month of free PR services in January. This is a prize package valued up to $2,500 for two lucky winners. Enter today and let Brooks Media Relations jump start your PR program!
To apply, we want you to do two things.
A. Complete our online form on this contest page: http://brooksmediarelations.com/contest.htm
B. Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/dacrie
Winners will be announced by Dec. 31st and notified via e-mail.
Disclaimer: this offer does not apply to current or previous clients of Brooks Media Relations.
In the last 24 hours, Business Week has experienced more than a handful of layoffs – many of whom are some of the most talented, professional people I have had the pleasure of following and working with over the past few years.
And, with rumors of anticipated layoffs expected at the Washington Post, it’s a challenging time for time-strapped staffers and the PR people who want to keep track of them.
Now more than ever, this is when social media comes in handy. Here are a couple of tips of do’s and don’ts on leveraging social media to continue sustaining relationships – with those who have been laid-off as well as those still on staff.
#1. If you haven’t started proactively following reporters’ Tweets and LinkedIn updates – shame on you!!! In the last 18 hours, there have been kind messages sent in the Twittersphere about the new layoff climate at BusinessWeek. If you have existing media relationships with any one who has been laid off, you should send them a direct Twitter message that lets them know you enjoyed reading their work and wish them best wishes. If you cannot DM them, simply send an brief note of encouragement and request that they follow you so you can keep in touch.
#2. When layoffs occur, the persons still left in the organizations often experience sadness and frustration. If you have close media contacts who have not been laid off, drop them a note to let them know that you are happy that they’re still around and want to continue following their coverage.
#3. DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT – slam the media organization or write nasty notes in the socialphere. This only makes for bad PR and will surely get your name recognized – and not in a good way.
I encourage you all to comment and share your view points on this topic!
In the last few months, I’ve had the pleasure of working with more bloggers and social media outlets than ever before. As traditional media (as we know it) continue to blur with the new, it’s important for PR professionals to remember that – in most cases – the approach remains the same. So what’s the best approach?
#1. Treat bloggers with the same mutual respect, responsiveness and resolve as you would any reporter working for a news media outlet. Most bloggers have journalist backgrounds, with many still reporting full-time, with major news outlets. That said, traditional PR etiquette should still apply.
#2. Know what bloggers cover. The best way to get in front of a blogger is to know what they cover, how they cover it, and how they work. Simply following a blog these days is not enough. If you want to develop a relationship with bloggers, the best way is to follow them across all social media outlets. You should be following them on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, FriendFeed and every other social network that they use. Encourage them that you are a resource and ask them politely to follow you back, so that you can send them direct messages that are USEFUL, HELPFUL, and RELEVANT to their coverage.
#3. Don’t be too self-serving - Just like traditional journalists, bloggers remember when PR professionals consistently push their pitches, plug their clients and blatantly disregard their interests. Think about what can be helpful to bloggers and then provide them with that information.
Companies are always looking for exposure. Getting featured in articles that reach their target audiences is always paramount.
But what makes good coverage?
I pose this question because during the course of my career, I’ve worked with company executives who anxiously await to see themselves in print only to get disappointed that they were only mentioned or even worse, not included!
Why?
The answer is simple: good coverage typically starts with the message. And while we as PR professionals counsel our clients to speak in sound bites, the truth of the matter is that we should be telling them to ditch the marketing jargon and take the time to hone in on messages that will resonate with their target audiences.
For example, if you are a consumer-focused technology, how does your technology make consumers’ lives better, more simplified. Secondly, if you are a new start-up with considerable competitors in your space, how are you different? Lastly, is it viable?
Recently, I worked with a reporter who informed a client that conceptual ideas are great but aggressive growth trajectories and established differenatiators are what people want to read about.
As PR professionals, it’s important for us to pose these questions to our clients before we retain business yet alone pitch it.
When writing PR pitches, please remember you literally have 10 seconds to get interest. Here are a few helpful tips:
A. Catchy Subject Heading – If you send a generic subject heading, it either looks like spam or uninteresting. Keep the heading short, but put something in there that will get a reporter’s attention.
B. Don’t Send Attachments – Reporters don’t like unsolicited e-mail pitches, yet alone attachments. For background, also include a link and put a sentence in there letting them know that they can contact you with additional questions.
C. Keep it Very Short – Simply state why you’re contacting them and make sure to provide your contact information. For example, “Just read your story on XYZ, and wanted you to take a look at this company because….
When it comes to pitching reporters, PR people typically take too long to get to the point. Whether it’s a voicemail, e-mail or press release, it’s important to keep it short.
Here are some quick tips:
A. E-mail pitches – If a reporter has to scroll more than 3 times reading your pitch via a mobile device -it’s too long! Put the most important part of your message in the upfront section, which is the “what” and “why”, provide the link and your contact information.
B. Voicemail pitches – Reporters typically can’t stand long-drawn out voicemails and don’t like to be pitched via voicemail. BUT if you have to leave a voicemail message, take no longer than 30-40 seconds to make your case. Anything longer than that will be considered annoying and most definitely get deleted.
C. Press Releases – I’ve seen several discussions about press releases and their value. To be honest with you, if you’re pitching just a press release – you may want to rethink your tactic! Press releases are designed to provide a full overview of a company’s announcement but pitching should always be personal! Send a quick e-mail pitch andput the press release at the bottom in full text no attachments).
While these may seem very basic, you’d be surprised at how many of us rarely do this in full form!
With the advent of Twitter and other social networking sites, the dynamics of news cycles continue to change day to day, impacting how print and social media outlets intercept and report on news – according to a recent Cornell Study referenced in today’s New York Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/13/technology/internet/13influence.html?hpw
Earlier today, The Wall Street Journal reported that Business Week, which is owned by McGraw-Hill Publishing, could be up for sale due to the recession and impact of the advertising downturn. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124748510469832423.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
As ad dollars continue to shrink, a potential sale should come as no surprise. Bottom Line: everbody is feeling the heat.
Earlier this year, Forbes, Newsweek and other mainstream business publications re-organized their editorial departments (i.e., downsized).
So, how could this impact PR professionals?
As someone who has worked with closely with national media, it all comes down to following your media contacts and continuing to stay on their radars. Drop your contacts a note saying that you’re checking in and want to keep working with them to follow their coverage. Better yet, find a way to ensure that you’ve made yourself a resource and they will add you to their e-mail distribution lists to make you aware of when they’ve left for greener pastures!
Most importantly, continue to follow relevant news within the publications your clients read.
Set up a Google News Alert to track up-to-date news on a possible pending sale of Business Week.
If you are seeking PR freelance professionals, you should always start with the one person you know best. YOU!
The first step . . .
Evaluate your needs and be specific in articulating them.
Secondly, be specific in your request for proposal (RFP). You can do this, when you have asked yourself and answered for yourself a few basic questions:
1. What specialized services am I seeking?
2. What’s my budget?
3. What’s the timing? How soon do I need this?
4. Who am I trying to reach?
5. How do I like to work with PR people?
And your RFPs should be detailed but not complex. Two-three pages simply outlining your communications challenge, objectives and budget will help articulate your needs and provide a good basis for a PR scope of work.