7 Must-Have PR Tech Tools

 

Web 2.0 has made the daily nuts and bolts of public relations work unrecognizable from a decade ago. Now, every public relations team needs reliable tech tools for media monitoring, instant messaging, task management, and media-list building, just to name a few. PR people routinely use apps for document design like BeFunky, the industry standard software Cision, and a wire distribution platform like PR Newswire. Some in our agency swear by sanity-preserving apps that have nothing to do with daily business, like Spotify and Calm (for meditation, which we still aspire to!) Apps and web tools come and go like Silicon Valley startups, and the choices can feel endless. Here’s our must-have list.

7 great tools for the tech PR workshop

Wunderlist

Crenshaw partner Chris Harihar swears that Wunderlist is the next best thing to having an assistant (insider tip: PR people do not typically have dedicated assistants). Wunderlist is pleasing to the eyes, and more user-friendly than Outlook’s “tasks” bar. It’s synced across all devices so it’s readily available to check at all hours of the night (insider tip: PR people work nights). Plus, it allows you to separate work lists from others like travel, chores – whatever the user deems necessary to keep life from spinning into chaos. You can toggle seamlessly your grocery list and the Q4 PR plan. Also, if you’re collaborating on a project with a coworker – as we always are – we can share lists using the app.

Mailtester

Cision’s media contact information should never been taken as gospel, since journalists, outlets, and email addresses are constantly in flux. PR pros can verify a reporter’s email address quickly by typing it into the single bar on the website www.mailtester.com. If the contact is elusive but you know the domain, you can test address combinations. Most domains allow access for this type of testing, although a few do not. Mailtester or one of the similar apps like EmailHunter is a lifesaver for most PR people.

Techmeme

Techmeme is a favorite news aggregator website for tech PR people. Every pro has her go-to channel for tracking news developments in technology. A quick glance at Techmeme.com or its e-newsletter brings you up to speed on trending conversations from outlets like The Verge, ArsTechnica, and Financial Times – as well as a list of upcoming tech conferences and events. Our own account supervisor Erica Schain says it’s the best place to get a summary in real time of what’s trending across the tech blogs, offering a bird’s eye view of what reporters are writing about. As a bonus, Techmeme launched its own podcast earlier this year, hoping to duplicate the roaring success of The New York Times Daily, a top podcast since 2017.

BuzzSumo

BuzzSumo remains a go-to tool to assist PR pros in keeping track of who’s writing about what topics, and the resulting social engagement from each placement. This tool is key for sniffing out gaps in the narrative that allow PR pros to find the right story angle to pitch. BuzzSumo pro plans allow one to identify influencers’ shared content, find backlink opportunities, and monitor brands and competitors’ content. A quick search returns a list of influencers on any given topic, along with several telling statistics, including domain authority and share percentage. Cost ranges from $79-$499 per month.

Slack

While heavy hitters like Microsoft (Yammer) are racing to develop applications to compete with Slack, and competitors like BaseCamp and Trello offer solid alternatives, it remains the best option for the Crenshaw Communications team for internal collaboration. We have separate channels set up for each client, and we can swiftly share links, images, and documents. Like many companies, we even have a dedicated channel for non work-related chat, where we might share a ridiculous pop culture story or gossip. Though Slack hasn’t yet unclogged email inboxes, it helps us make things happen faster — an absolute must in the world of New York tech PR.

UberConference

Remote voice and video communication are critical to PR work, from client meetings to media interviews. Every PR agency needs a versatile solution for meetings. UberConference allows for easy connections without pin codes and app downloads, and can be integrated with tools like Slack and LinkedIn. With the UberConference Business upgrade ($15/month), participants from 50 countries can call in. Further, the cloud software allows meeting participants to collaborate on documents during the call. Clearly, one of the great advantages of technology is its improvement of collaboration not only in PR, but all industries.

Survata

We encourage clients to tell data-driven stories that are mediaworthy and verifiable. Survata is an affordable market research company that advises on and executes surveys using its network of publishers and partnerships with research panels. An SMB can conduct market research with unlimited survey questions at a reasonable cost. We’ve found it a useful resource among the many options for customers surveys and newsmaking B2B opinion research.

10 Productivity Apps for Every PR Professional

If you’re a PR agency professional, you know efficiency and organization are crucial to everyday life. However, it can be challenging when you have several clients to manage, meetings to attend, multiple pitches under way, and new business to pursue – and a personal life! Thankfully, it’s 2015 and we can embrace technology that makes our limited hours a little more productive so you can accomplish more. Here are 10 apps we recommend for streamlining your daily tasks:

Any.do. Create and manage to-do lists and set reminders with this calendar alternative. There’s an option to share lists with coworkers for team productivity. You can even create separate lists for work, personal and family tasks to organize all aspects of your life in one spot. Free on iOS and Android.

Feedly. Suplement your Twitter feed to keep a pulse on the latest news and trends with this RSS news tracker you can customize. It syncs with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Evernote, OneNote and Pinterest for easy sharing. Free on iOS, Android and Amazon.

Pocket. When you’re busy multitasking or running to a meeting, Pocket saves articles and videos to view later. It even works offline so it’s perfect for those dull subway rides! Free on iOS, Android and Amazon.

CamScanner. With CamScanner, your phone or tablet is your scanner. Take photos of documents and edit, store and sync them on-the-go. Free on iOS, Android,Windows and Amazon.

1Password. How many times have you created a password, only to forget it seconds later? Do you reuse passwords for different accounts? 1Password can create, remember and encrypt strong, unique passwords – all you need to remember is your password for the app. Free on iOS, Android, Windows and Amazon.

Dropbox. We deal with large files on a daily basis, so Dropbox allows you to store and share photos, documents and videos with your teams or for clients. Free on iOS, Android, Windows and Blackberry.

Eventbrite. Just because you’re busy doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. Find cool (often free!) events to attend after work either for leisure, networking or both (because PR pros know how to multitask). Or use this app to set up an easy ticket and check-in system for your clients’ events. Free on iOS and Android.

LinkedIn. In PR you’re constantly meeting new people – reporters and prospective clients to name a few. Staying connected is important, and the mobile version of this popular social platform will help you look up individuals and reach out anytime. Free on iOS, Android, Windows, Amazon and Blackberry.

GoToMeeting. Often you or your colleagues are away from the office. Instead of rescheduling calls, GoToMeeting allows you to dial in to voice or HD video conference meetings, share decks and more – all from your mobile device wherever you are. Free download on iOS, Android, Windows and Amazon; organizer accounts cost $39/month (up to 25 participants) or $56/month (up to 100 participants).

TripIt. Sometimes working in PR means being a jetsetter of sorts. By forwarding your confirmation emails for hotels, flights, restaurants, etc., TripIt consolidates all your travel info into one itinerary. It even looks up directions, maps, weather and other useful information so last-minute trips need not be stressful. Free on iOS, Android, Windows, Amazon and Blackberry.