Tag: Crenshaw Communications

4 Ways Technology Boosts The Retail Experience (And Retail PR)

Posted on by Ron Stein

Our work in tech PR for retail and ecommerce gives us an interesting vantage point on the retail customer experience, especially given its enormous changes of late. In fact, tech innovations have disrupted retail as much as nearly any sector. Not only do the shifts affect our lives as consumers, but innovation is often very mediaworthy.

The pandemic drove much of the change we’ve seen in retail over the past three years. Lockdowns boosted e-commerce and grew online marketplaces. As a result, many traditional brick-and-mortar retailers must now adapt to the ever-changing demands of consumers, or risk losing their business. That’s one reason we’ve seen innovations that help retailers improve the customer experience. Here’s a closer look at four ways retailers are using tech to keep up with shoppers or even stay ahead of them by offering greater convenience and a better experience. They’re also important trends for any retail PR strategy.

Customer personalization

By using customer data and insights, retailers can tailor products and services to meet the specific needs and preferences of individual buyers. This can include personalized recommendations based on past purchases, targeted promotions and discounts and customized product offerings. A more tailored shopping experience puts retailers in a strong position to increase customer loyalty, improve satisfaction and drive sales. Amazon uses machine learning algorithms to analyze customer behavior and provide personalized product recommendations. Customers who frequently buy cooking items, for example, will receive recommendations for kitchen gadgets and cookbooks. Personalization is a valuable tool for any retailer looking to enhance the customer experience and build long-lasting relationships with their regular patrons.

Chatbots for customer convenience  

The use of chatbots in retail has gained steam over the past decade, as large companies like H&M, Sephora, Dominos and others have successfully integrated chatbots into their customer experience. And it’s easy to see why. Chatbots use artificial intelligence and natural language processing to provide instant support and assistance to customers, answering common questions and providing personalized recommendations. This can reduce wait times and improve customer satisfaction, as customers no longer have to wait on hold or search for answers on their own. Chatbots can also provide 24/7 support, ensuring that customers can get the help they need at any time, day or night.

A study about chatbots in retail by Uberall, a provider of hybrid (online and offline) customer experience solutions, found that while a whopping 80% of consumers have had a positive experience with them, nearly 60% still lack strong enthusiasm for chatbots. While many customers still haven’t fully bought into chatbots as a real way to improve the shopping experience, the addition of smarter and better technology stands a good chance to change their minds in the near future.

VR/AR create a more exciting shopping experience 

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) can improve the retail customer experience by providing more immersive and interactive shopping experiences. And many believe this will be one of the top industry trends in the new year. These technologies allow customers to experience products and services in a more realistic way, putting them in a prime position to make more informed purchasing decisions. Furniture retailers like IKEA and Wayfair use VR and VR to help customers visualize how furniture will look in their home before they make a purchase. These features are not only compelling, but they reduce the likelihood of returns and exchanges. In addition, VR and AR can create unique and engaging in-store experiences, such as virtual product demonstrations or interactive games.

The rise of mobile payments

Mobile payment systems like Apple Pay and Google Wallet allow customers to pay for their purchases quickly and easily from their mobile devices. This eliminates the need for customers to carry cash or credit cards and reduces checkout times for a more seamless shopping experience. Another advantage of mobile payments is that they’re more secure than traditional payment methods, as they use encryption and tokenization to protect sensitive customer information.

Starbucks has perhaps most successfully implemented mobile payments. Their mobile app, which is incredibly popular among their legions of regulars, allows customers to order and pay for their drinks ahead of time. Then when they get to the store, they can bypass any lines to pick up their order from a designated area. This has not only improved the customer experience, but also led to increased sales for the company.

The advances in technology in recent years has transformed the retail industry as a whole by providing new ways for retailers to connect with their customers and deliver more fruitful shopping experiences. As technology evolves, we can expect more exciting innovations relating to the retail customer experience in the coming months and years.

Five Ways AI Is Transforming Ad Tech

Posted on by Sarah O'Connell

It seems that you can’t go a day without seeing a news headline that references Artificial Intelligence. With the rise in popularity of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools, there is debate about the use of AI in public relations, journalism, and everyday life.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been transforming industries and businesses, and ad tech, a specialist sector where we do a lot of work, is no exception. Already, AI is emerging as a game-changer for ad tech, with a variety of uses that are solving problems and driving efficiencies.

Generative AI jumpstarts creative

If you google “Generative AI” you’re likely to see at least five news stories about tech companies using it for search, products and tools. Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence technology that can produce various types of content, including text, imagery, audio and synthetic data, so it makes sense that so many companies are jumping on the generative AI train. Meta, Google, and Snap are using generative AI to power augmented reality features, to create images and videos, and helping to jumpstart their marketing campaign plans. Brands can use generative AI to create new images and videos that are unique and personalized to users.

AI powers audience targeting and personalization

As a personalizable technology, AI can help advertisers identify ultra-specific niches in order to get the right ads in front of the largest number of desirable people. Personalized ads have a higher conversion rate as they are more relevant to the user’s interests and needs. AI-powered personalization also enhances the user experience since users see ads that are tailored to their preferences.

Cooler Screens, the world’s largest in-store digital media and merchandising platform for retail, turns refrigerated doors into interactive advertising displays using AI. The smart screens inform, entertain and inspire shoppers to take action through tailored content driven by contextual signals like store profile, occasion, geography, seasonality, or time of day. Customers are empowered to make choices that best fit their budgets, diets, preferences, and unique health conditions.

Fraud detection and prevention is easier

Ad fraud wastes or steals ad budgets by inflating clicks, impressions, faking app installs, or otherwise defrauding ad networks.It’s a significant challenge in ad tech, and AI can help detect and prevent it. Fraud costs advertisers billions of dollars each year. There are AI algorithms that can detect fraud by analyzing data such as user behavior, IP addresses, and device types. AI can identify suspicious patterns and quickly alert brands of the suspicious activity for review. Ad tech companies also use AI-powered fraud detection tools to identify and prevent fraudulent ads.

AI supports ad optimization

The ad optimization process, which tracks and adjusts campaign elements to improve performance, used to be tedious and time-consuming. With AI, brands can optimize for attention metrics in real time by analyzing data such as ad performance, user engagement, and conversion rates. If brands see that an ad campaign is performing well, they can use the algorithm to increase the ad spend to maximize reach. On the other hand, the AI algorithm can show when an ad is not performing well and the brand can use that information to either reduce their ad spend, change their targeting strategy, or even stop the ad entirely. AI makes it easier for brands to optimize their ad campaigns, giving them the ability to maximize efficiency and effectiveness.

Data analytics is an AI superpower

Analytics is at the heart of ad tech. Not only can AI tools track and synthesize data, but they digest vast amounts of it much faster than a human. AI can analyze and share data that has been collected in real time and use it to drive better results. Its superpower gives AI a pivotal role in redefining data collection, analysis, and usage.

PR Tips To Give Your Bylined Article A Point Of View

Posted on by Brian LaRue

You might think it goes without saying that a point-of-view byline prepared by a B2B PR writer should offer a clear point of view. And yet – by the look of bylines pitched to trade publications, plenty of folks could use the reminder! There’s a high volume of generic POV content out there, but it doesn’t need to be this way. And there are concrete ways to make sure a POV piece has just that – even if you need to tease it out of your team.

The high-level framework

The basic framework of a useful byline has three sections: problem → solution → action. If you’re reading this, you almost certainly get that already. The trick is to make sure the three sections are reasonably balanced, and that none is just treading water.

In most cases the problem is one the reader already recognizes, and fixing it is probably on their list. But that can be a long list. It’s tempting to go on and on about how serious and multifaceted the problem is, or to explain its disadvantages. Yet the solution part is far more valuable and almost always more original. That’s the portion that warrants a deliberate step-by-step walk-through. It’s helpful to communicate that this problem deserves to be a very high priority, and that getting to work on solving it isn’t daunting. Then you lay out a solution that feels lucid and attainable.

Identify immediate next steps

The action part is where a lot of bylines trail off. It’s common for executives and writers to approach this as a sort of wrap-up and call-to-action (CTA) that’s a veiled reference to the author’s company. Yet that CTA is too easy to forget, or for the reader to brush off as just another veiled pitch. A CMO I once worked with put it to me in a way that has helped me construct bylines ever since. He explained that the piece needs to let the reader know whom to contact in their organization, what they should ask to understand what the business is doing, and how they can solve the problem. “Imagine the reader walking down the office hall and knocking on someone’s door. What do they say?” This exercise makes the solution feel less abstract, and it helps the reader feel empowered to get moving on it right away without disrupting their entire day.

Imagine real-time reactions

To make the action part as strong as possible, I like to imagine I’m in the room at a breakout session at an industry conference. The presentation itself might be very useful and framed in a way much of the audience hasn’t considered, and it might be actionable. But think about how often the juicy stuff comes out during the Q&A segment. That’s where people stand up and say, “Okay, but what about me? And how about if I’ve already tried to solve this problem, and nothing has stuck?” While you’re putting together a byline outline, you should think about the questions you might hear in a real-time, in-person setting, and preempt them. Keep tabs on the trade pubs and take note of questions the author’s existing and potential customers and clients are asking. If and when you recognize a possible blind spot in the author’s POV, come back to them and ask for their reaction.

Trust the audience to decide

Another challenge is avoiding a blatantly commercial message. Overly commercial bylines are hard to get published. And the more specific you are with the setup, solution, and actionable next steps, the more you risk veering away from vendor neutrality standards. You’ve communicated to the reader that the author’s business’s competitive differentiator is something they can’t afford to compromise on. But to get away from sales pitch territory, put the power back in the reader’s hands. They know now that the author’s business is on top of the solution. But next, they should ask their peers and partners how they’re approaching the same problems to solicit their perspectives. You want your POV to be strong enough that its proposed solution and actions still sound waterproof after they’ve asked around.

At the end of the day, everyone who has a stake in a business has a point. As a writer, you want to make sure you nail down their point in the first draft. Otherwise you either pass the draft back and forth until the point is clear, or you send out a byline that looks very similar to countless others. If you can get to where you need to be in as few steps as possible, you’ve made the rest of the week easier. Best of all, you’ve made your client or team feel like they’re getting value from you that they wouldn’t get on their own.

7 PR Tips For Announcing Bad News

Posted on by Dorothy Crenshaw

In public relations, the goal is often to generate news that tells a positive story about a business or brand. But sometimes, good companies have to share bad news. The last six months have seen waves of layoffs and other staff reduction announcements at major tech corporations, despite record-low unemployment levels.

What can smaller companies learn from these announcements? Is there any right way to share the decision to reduce the workforce?

Rip off the band-aid

Many large public companies are required to disclose workforce reduction plans at least 60 days in advance of actual layoffs. Others may opt for a longer timeframe for planning purposes. Disney, for example, announced a restructuring in a February earnings call, outlining plans to cut $5.5 billion in costs, including 7000 positions worldwide. The layoffs announcement grabbed headlines and obviously shook up rank and file staff, who are naturally wondering if they’re on the list. In Disney’s case, the moves came amid returning CEO Bob Iger’s struggles with an activist investor. They resulted in a resolution of the investor feud and a quick rise in the stock price. But Disney should follow through swiftly to shorten the window where rumor, anxiety, and distraction rule. For most corporations, it’s best not to drag out such plans.  The goal is to refocus employees and stabilize morale.

Coordinate internal and external comms carefully

This is harder than it looks. Affected employees will immediately spread the news, of course. Also, any written communication will be shared outside the company. So it’s wise to coordinate both the messaging and the timing of the news thoughtfully and carefully. No one wants to find out they’ve lost their job by rumor or, worse, seeing it on Twitter. And no company wants to deliver mixed messages regarding the rationale for a workforce reduction.

Ironically, but not surprisingly, Elon Musk is the current role model for what not to do. On Monday, a Twitter worker named Haraldur Thorleifsson tweeted at Musk asking for clarification of his employment status. Apparently, Thorleifsson’s computer access had been revoked, but Twitter’s HR department would not confirm his termination. After Thorleifsson’s tweet went viral, Musk queried him about his work responsibilities. When Thorleifsson ultimately described his active projects, Musk responded with two laugh emojis and a link to a video from Office Space. Quartz called it “one of the cruelest moments of Musk’s tenure,” which is saying a lot.

Don’t bury the lead

In direct communication with impacted employees, let them know what kind of severance and support they can expect. Don’t torture them with extraneous details. Don’t drown them in red tape. Nor should an organization try to sugarcoat the news. Staff who are responsible for one-to-one communication should be compassionate and transparent, but also direct.

Show gratitude

Corporations must obviously make hard decisions for the greater good of the whole, but it’s best to avoid using expressions like, “cutting the fat,” or promising a “stronger/more nimble/leaner organization.” These kinds of descriptors devalue the employees who are part of the layoff. Instead, focus the message on the contributions that departing staff have made and express gratitude for their commitment.

Pay attention to optics

Too often, the priorities a company describes during a staff reduction are contradicted by its actions. By all accounts CEO Satya Nadella has executed a brilliant turnaround at Microsoft, but his timing for announcing layoffs in January was clumsy. Microsoft hosted a private concert with musician Sting for senior executives at Davos, just one day before announcing it would lay off 10,000 employees. Naturally, events are planned well in advance, but it’s hard to blame employees who thought Nadella’s explanatory blog post rang hollow.

Take responsibility

If it’s appropriate, a top decision-maker should take responsibility for the decision and offer reasons for it that go beyond platitudes. Mark Zuckerberg actually wins points on this front for Meta’s staff reduction announcement last year. In a letter to employees, he explained “how we got here” in clear terms, calling the layoffs “a last resort.” Then he backed that up with a detailed description of additional cuts and planned changes to Meta’s AI infrastructure.

Check in on retained employees

It’s not part of an external PR strategy, but the most important thing a company can do after a staff reduction is to double down on its remaining employees. Ideally, a business develops a retention plan for top employees in advance of any staff reduction. In the wake of cuts, workers may be grappling with added responsibilities on top of feeling shocked or upset that colleagues have departed. It’s important for line managers to engage with them, invite feedback, and follow through on planned changes. Any business needs its employees more than ever during a downturn, but cutbacks will shake the confidence of those who remain. It’s essential that they feel heard as well as valued.

How A Solid PR Strategy Can Recession-Proof A Business

Posted on by Sasha Dookhoo

With a recession threatening, moving to cut PR budget may seem like a good way to protect the bottom line. A public relations campaign doesn’t typically generate immediate sales, which can be a priority in a soft economy. However, there can be long-term ramifications for tech companies and even risk to brand reputation if PR budgets are slashed reactively.

Once it’s well executed, a successful PR strategy can drive immense value for companies, even during a recession. Here’s how a strategic public relations program can actually help recession-proof your business.

Heightening brand reputation and awareness

During an economic downturn, customers naturally become more cautious about business spending and are likely to stick with brands they know and trust. In fact, according to a 2021 survey shared by Harvard Business Review, 80% of consumers consider trust a deciding factor in their buying decisions. A well-executed PR strategy can help build an organization’s reputation and increase awareness among target audiences, driving preference for prospective customers. Content that educates and informs customers can build trust and authority in an industry or a company. Typical PR-generated content includes blog posts, opinion pieces, feature articles or testimonials, infographics, or videos.

Generating positive media coverage

Positive media coverage created through the right PR campaign can also help build reputation and increase awareness among specific target audiences. Whether it’s a positive product review or a business profile, earned coverage offers a credibility nearly impossible to achieve through paid media. And by positioning executives as thought leaders and experts in a given industry, a business can further enhance reputation and attract new customers. That type of credibility is foundational for new sales and repeat revenue, as well as opportunities for partnerships and collaborations.

Demonstrating value and relationships

The right PR program can help a business demonstrate its value to customers and prospects by highlighting unique selling points like quality, affordability, or innovative technology. Critical attributes help differentiate a business or brand from competitors and attract customers even during tough economic times. A brand of business software with a security benefit can take advantage of news surrounding a cybersecurity hack or flaw, for example, to promote its superiority. PR can also help an organization maintain relationships with its existing customers by keeping them informed about activities, products, and services. This can help prevent customer churn and encourage repeat business.

Managing reputation

During a downturn or a recession, businesses may face unexpected challenges or even crises that can damage their reputation and affect their bottom line. Many tech companies have announced staff reductions, for example. A proactive PR effort is like reputation money in the bank; it can help businesses manage potentially damaging news or issues by building good will. And promoting timely and transparent communication with stakeholders, including customers, employees, and investors helps to do just that. A skilled PR team can build an effective crisis plan and offer solutions that help mitigate issues in the short term.

Expanding influence

Social media is a powerful PR tool for building awareness and engaging with key audiences like customers. Major social channels are effective for sharing news, promotions, and engaging content that highlights brand messages or even showcases a brand personality. Niche channels and social influencers can play a role as well, by helping businesses reach a wider audience, or possibly a niche one. Partnering with influencers whose values align with a brand’s own and who engage its target audience can drive brand awareness with the right people. Hosted events can also be a strong way to generate customer visibility, especially during a time of economic volatility. One-one-one contact and communication reinforce relationships and even create memorable brand experiences that ultimately impact the bottom line.

Overall, a well-executed PR strategy can help almost any business navigate tough economic times by elevating brand recognition and awareness. Recession-proof your business during a time when protection is needed the most by staying top of mind for customers.

 

7 Skills PR Teams Can’t Do Without

Posted on by Veronica Amenta

The practice of public relations has probably evolved more rapidly in the past several years than ever before. The core skills we need as PR professionals have also changed. While traditionally PR work consisted of press releases, pitching, and occasional damage control, today’s PR teams must have a diverse digital skill set, including SEO strategy, social media savvy, data analysis and more. Other skills and attributes are more timeless. Here’s what’s most important to staying ahead of the game for PR teams today.

Strategic thinking 

A successful PR campaign requires a well-planned strategy. This isn’t new, but today there are more digital distractions in the form of tools, tactics and platforms. It’s easy to be diverted by the latest shiny object. Yet the inception of any program needs to be guided by strategy. To get there, PR teams must have a deep understanding of business objectives, the target audience for the brand or message, and the best ways to reach them. This requires a combination of creative thinking, analytical skills, and the ability to develop and execute against plan.

A talent for spotting trends

A sense of what’s emerging and what might be yesterday’s news is an attribute that’s hard to quantify, but few things are as important in PR. We thrive on identifying opportunities – for positioning, for media coverage or for competitive advantage. At the highest level, some people call it “pattern recognition.”

By understanding the latest developments and innovations in a given sector, PR teams can position their organizations and its senior executives as thought leaders in their fields. At a more tactical level, capitalizing on trends or relevant news angles is great for securing quick, reactive press hits.

Digital and social media proficiency

This one’s a given. A strong understanding of digital and social media platforms is a must. In fact, 93% of PR professionals follow journalists on Twitter. We need to be able to use social media platforms to reach and engage curated audiences, as well as measure the success of our campaigns. This includes familiarity with social media management, content creation, and influencer marketing.

Social media has also become a significant driver for news, business operations, sales cycles and marketing. Building a positive public image now also means understanding how to increase online engagement and identify opportunities for content. The internet and social platforms are key tools for storytelling, brand management and connection.

Constant content creation

In a world where everyone has a voice, we’re both saturated with content and in need of fresh, compelling material that really stands out. PR professionals must craft appealing content that conveys relevant messages that resonate with specific audiences, from buyers of business software to new parents.

There was a time when most PR-driven content was in the form of written material like press releases or contributed articles. Today, the range is much broader, encompassing blog content, confessional-style social updates, and, of course, video. Most PR teams rely on short videos, vlogs, explainer videos, and even rawer video updates for social channels as part of their toolbox.

Post-ChatGPT, our jobs may get easier. But any AI tool requires human oversight, and the cost of a mistake is very high. Just ask Google.

Don’t fear the data

The stereotypical PR person is an English, Journalism or Communications major with a facility for writing and a love of media. Some even admit to a secret fear of so-called left-brain skills like data analytics. But there’s no need to fear data! With the right tools and training, any PR person can and should learn to use data to inform strategy, drive decisions and measure the success of campaigns. Mastery of analytics tools is expected for both developing campaigns and showing their value.

For example, web analytics tools like Google Analytics and Twitter Analytics are common in PR and user-friendly. Publicists also frequently use media databases, news monitoring and email automation services, and those tools will only get better.

It’s all about relationships – starting with media

This one will never change. A strong network of media contacts is still crucial for PR professionals. We build those relationships chiefly through experience, but one way to accelerate those ties is through social media channels. Many reporters are under pressure to build their own brands and they’re particularly active on Twitter. Social “stalking” is a good way to see what they’ve covered recently, story angles in the works or professional status. In our experience, a relationship doesn’t need to be deep or personal, but it needs to be good enough to offer access – a fair hearing on a story idea, a timely response to a pitch, and sometimes even feedback on how to make a story better.

Adaptability and flexibility

It’s all about change. As professionals in an ever-evolving field, those of us in PR, especially tech PR, must adapt to new technologies, platforms, and trends. We must be willing to continuously learn and grow, as well as pivot as needed. Some of this happens on the job, of course, but it helps to embrace more formal training through seminars and industry events, networking, media tracking, and simple openness to feedback and constructive criticism. As the media landscape changes PR teams have to adjust tactics or formats to reach a shifting or elusive audience. This requires a willingness to take risks, try new things, and experiment with different tactics to find what works best.

With increasing reliance on digital communication channels and the need for innovative and creative approaches, PR experts must continuously learn, stay informed about the latest trends and technologies, and be ready to pivot if needed. With these attributes, we can develop effective communications strategies and help brands stand out, manage corporate reputation, or influence opinion among priority audiences.

 

Looking for a PR team with these skills (and more)? Contact us to learn more about our B2B tech PR agency.

How PR Brings Value To The C-Suite

Posted on by Caty Posey

The value of a strategic PR program isn’t always obvious to an organization’s leadership. But the impact of public relations is most relevant to those in that C-suite – whether they realize it or not. A C-level role offers plenty of opportunity as well as distinct challenges for decision-makers, especially in an uncertain economic climate. For most, it’s a huge personal and professional achievement that marks a heady time. The role of public relations may not be top of mind. However, it should be.

It’s important for a CEO and others at the C-level to understand what the right PR strategy can bring to the table. Here are some key areas where public relations can make a difference.

Strategic PR builds reputation

Public relations is sometimes mistakenly placed in the marketing bucket. But marketing and public relations are two very distinct functions. While marketing is focused on driving sales, PR is designed to build trust in a brand or company and grow its reputation. That may not seem like as high a priority as demand-generation, but over the long term, reputation offers greater value to the organization. And in the ideal world, marketing and PR work together. You need both.

Reputation is also invaluable at the individual level. The right kind of visibility is a career-booster for a newly minted C-level executive or one who aspires to be there. There’s real personal and professional value in tactics like keynote and panel speaking opportunities, contributed opinion content, thought leadership, and industry recognition. Those are all desired outputs of a good PR campaign.

An outside perspective

It’s easy to get tunnel-visioned when you are close to a project or business unit. What you see and what your PR agency sees could diverge — in a good way. PR pros know what will be interesting to the press, what poses a risk, and how to spot and shape a story. By asking the right questions and engaging in thorough conversations, a PR team will know how tell a story for maximum impact. Beyond the media relations role, an objective view of the organization will help identify vulnerabilities, opportunities, and new strategies to build a leadership positioning.

A deep understanding of media and influence

Experienced PR teams offer deep and varied relationships, from the companies they work with, to journalists and influencers. Additionally, we bring an understanding of the nuances of exclusive media outreach, like timing, competitive intelligence, and targeting strategy. Our facility to identify what’s of interest and effectively engage with the right reporters at the right time, can be the difference between a stand-out success and an initiative that falls flat.

A resource for high-level storytelling

In technical industry sectors like B2B and ad tech/martech, it’s not always easy for an internal team to recognize the bigger story. A trained PR expert has the experience to not only understand technology advantages, but build a narrative to guide positive visibility and thought leadership at the executive level. Additionally, specialist communicators are adept at spotting and synthesizing trends within a sector or industry. Seeing around the corner is helpful in developing the big ideas that drive positioning and earned media coverage.

An extension of internal PR and communications

As a practical issue, many companies are restricted when it comes to head count. An agency team brings value that is distinct from the background of an internal comms unit. The value lies in the “multiplier effect” of the added media and sector experience of the external team. It can thus act as an extension of the internal PR unit, but with complementary roles, relationships, and experience. Joining forces through a trusted partnership amplifies a company’s ability to communicate to its most important audiences.

A big-idea resource

Who can put a price tag on a great idea? The right creative campaign, whether earned, paid, or both, can generate extraordinary benefits in the form of brand engagement, credibility, and even loyalty.

These attributes of strategic PR are not the only ones, but they’re important for any new C-suite executive. An experienced PR partner can advise on key moves and help guide decision-makers on strategies and channels that build individual careers, corporate reputation and business growth.

Three PR Classes They Should Teach In College

Posted on by Lori Mouradian

College courses in PR and communications can be very valuable; as PR students, we learn about topics as varied and vital as crisis communication, industry ethics, and social media management. Such classes are beneficial for anyone planning a PR career. Yet sometimes college professors spend more time telling us what our future looks like rather than showing us how to get there.

As someone working at a top PR agency, I know there were some missing courses. Here’s a sampling of classes that could be helpful to PR professionals working today.

How to write an intriguing pitch

Whether you’re an Account Coordinator or a PR veteran, you will be pitching stories… a lot of stories. The standard advice is to do your research, check your grammar, and personalize the pitch to the reporter. But in my experience, another key to pitching success is an attention-grabbing subject line. After all, if a journalist doesn’t make it past the subject line, the pitch will fail. So, make that subject line work hard! The other lesson I’ve learned on the job is to keep it short. Reporters and producers have too much going on to be reading lengthy paragraphs. A good pitch should get straight to the point without including all the story’s information.

How to build a killer media list

If you work in PR, you’ll be building plenty of media lists for your pitches. Anyone can find around 50 contacts and put them in a google sheet and send their pitch out to the list. But a good PR practitioner should know that it’s not about how many names are on your list, but how many are interested in the story. Colleges should teach PR students the more practical aspects of media pitching. They include how to look out for these things: where the reporter writes; what’s his/her focus; and how they like to be approached. Quality and personalization trumps quantity every time. Check out Sarah’s tips here for more on how to tailor a story pitch to maximize its appeal.

How to be proactive

If you work on the agency side, no day will be exactly like the one before. We don’t know what will happen in the news cycle, what our clients may throw at us, or how hectic a given day will be. So, it’s natural to feel that we’re sometimes in a reactive position. But the best advice or lesson for succeeding at a PR agency is to be as proactive and hands-on as possible. Think about how to go beyond what’s asked. Scour the landscape for find media opportunities before you’re asked. Follow up with reporters on pitches, and always, always take notes. Some days doing multiple news scans throughout the day for a specific issue or client can be fruitful. And on other days, volunteering to take on more will help you stand out. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Whether it’s your first week or your fiftieth, asking questions and showing appropriate curiosity will display initiative and proactivity.

 

New And Emerging Social Platforms PR Teams Should Know

Posted on by Krystle Cajas

For marketing and PR teams, social media is a gateway to engagement. New and emerging platforms in particular are ideal tools for reaching a specific audience or participate in a trending conversation. And that’s where most brands want to be. So, what’s new?

BeReal. Discord. Even Twitter Spaces.  We’ve all heard about them, but what should PR people know, and how can we use them?

Research dynamic conversations, in real time

By most accounts, Twitter is not in a very good place right now. Yet PR teams shouldn’t overlook features like Twitter Spaces. It was inspired by Clubhouse, the pandemic-era audio application that connects people around the world and was briefly the Next Big Thing. Like Clubhouse, Twitter Spaces allows for live audio conversations, where thousands can join the community for a lively discussion in real time.

As a result of this Twitter update, PR professionals can “eavesdrop” on conversations and gain relevant knowledge from curated audiences. Conversations in these spaces can not only be educational but entertaining as well, you never know who will be in any given space at any given time. Elon Musk briefly joined a Twitter Spaces conversation and made headlines when he spoke to reporters who were previously banned from the platform.

The appeal of Twitter Spaces is obvious. And while Clubhouse might work better as a standalone platform for some brands, Twitter Spaces’ audience, at over 200 million, far outstrips that of Clubhouse, which peaked at 10 million. Who wouldn’t want to listen in as influencers, celebrities, and journalists share what’s on their minds in a way that isn’t restrained by 280 characters?

Spreading the news

PR professionals are always looking for fresh ways to engage across versatile media platforms. While “Twitter Spaces” may offer a novel experience on a familiar platform, there are also newer opportunities. Discord, a VoIP (voice-over internet protocol), is very different from most social media. And while it’s not new, it has emerged as a powerful research and engagement tool. It features live customizable participation and collaboration in various forms all at once. Discord lets users participate in various chat rooms that may be either private and invite-only or publicly accessible. Servers within each channel offer interactive video, voice, and text features. The multitude of features lets PR teams put out content in nearly any format and take in lots of information in one application. Also bots make it possible for participants to join creatively through gaming, making the experience more interactive. It adds up to a social tool for communicating with like-minded sources and brands interested in systems that offer more than a back-and-forth email chain.

Now let’s be real…and authentic 

In a world where more social filters often means more users, “authentic” is not the word that comes to mind. But the opportunity for users to be “real” is something that has endeared BeReal to Gen Z in particular. Although it’s limited by the number of people with whom you can share, the photo-sharing app has garnered the attention of brands like Chipotle. Its success even pushed Instagram to release similar dual-camera features. With uncurated and ad-free content, what you see is what you get. The content is actual, unedited, and shown within a two-minute window. BeReal is an application that provides brand awareness at a different level than we’ve seen before. It’s more intimate, and in many ways changes the certain standards for users. With everyone receiving the same notification at an exact time to share a photo, the application captures daily life. That makes it a useful research tool as well as an engagement platform.

Data-driven social media platforms encourage PR professionals to be in the know when it comes to the latest news and trends. They help us reach wider audiences while narrowing in on specific demographics, and the interactivity makes for greater personalization. They’re the engagement newsreel we didn’t know we needed – until now.

Five PR Skills To Sharpen In 2023

Posted on by Chanel Roopchand

The start of the new year is an excellent time for PR teams to reflect on their abilities, needs and competencies for the coming months. What worked well? What needs improvement? Here are vital skills for PR people to assess and enhance in 2023.

It’s all about….communication

PR is a part of communications, but ironically, we don’t always communicate well with one another within a team. Clear and cogent communication among team members ensures that every member knows their task and the deadline. Open channels for colleagues avoids confusion and can boost team morale. We work more effectively together when we share the same definition of success, and open expression of ideas helps build trust. After all, a winning idea can come from anyone.

These principles apply even more to client communications. Some team members may assume that clients understand what goes on behind the scenes and save formal emails for results reporting or logistics, but it’s important to let clients know what we’re thinking and planning even when we don’t have tangible progress to report.

Writing still matters

Content skills go hand-in-hand with communications, but even in the video age, coherent and persuasive writing is at the top of the list. Effective writing strengthens media pitches, powers sales presentations, and is often the basis for successful thought leadership. When writing, it is important to keep the specific campaign objective at the forefront. This can help to be sure key messages are being conveyed and you aren’t steering away from the topic at hand. Another way to be sure you are writing effectively is to create an outline of what you plan to write. This framework will help guide you in the right direction while writing and will ensure all points are made. Something to keep in mind while writing is that you won’t get it perfect on the first draft. It is important to realize that reworking the material and going in and making multiple edits is necessary for success. Keeping these tips and skills in mind will help you grow as a writer each day.

Research is foundational

Research skills are the unsung heroes of good public relations. The right research, framed correctly, can make the difference between a winning business presentation and an also-ran. It’s also the underpinning of most successful media story pitches. And needless to say, in-depth knowledge of a business category is foundational to a good relationship and successful PR program. In a real-world situation where budget decisions are being made, the right data is powerful. It will place your team in the position to answer unexpected questions and generate confidence in our approach.

Relationships will make your career

Public relations isn’t only about relationships, but they matter. A lot. Those who success have probably build their career on a professional network. This translates to client relationships, and, of course, colleagues can become clients and vice versa. You want to keep your network expanding over time. Then there are the all-important relationships with reporters. With an overflowing inbox, any journalist is more likely to click on a note from someone with whom they feel a connection. Putting yourself out there will pay off in the long run.

Raise your voice

Speaking in front of strangers can be challenging, but it’s an important PR skill. Some people are more easily persuaded by a verbal conversation than a written document. And in the post-COVID era, face-to-face meetings are making a comeback. Communicating confidence in your materials and recommendations is a clear asset in sales as well as program management. For those who struggle to speak up in meetings or express their ideas with confidence, it may help to plan their messaging in advance, just as we advise clients to do in media interviews. It’s also useful to practice, and the more you speak up and nail the points you want to make, the easier it becomes.