Tag: international PR

How To Make A PR Impact With International Media

Posted on by Ron Stein

Today, many U.S. PR agencies are taking on international communications for businesses as they expand beyond our borders. The digital acceleration brought on by the global pandemic has in many ways made the media landscape more accessible to PR teams. 

Many B2B tech companies with digital offerings, for example, market products and services worldwide, and they don’t always want to bring on multiple PR firms. They’re often looking for a single point of contact, supported by on-the-ground sales and media relations. 

For PR teams, media relations outside North America offers similarities to domestic outreach, but there are key differences beyond language, of course. Here are five areas to consider when pitching international media. 

Language isn’t just about translation

Any PR team will make sure a release or announcement is translated from English into the language of the population where it’s released. Yet there are less obvious factors. Proper translation — whether directly through a newswire distribution service or through a translation vendor like Gengo — can take up to several days to get back. Many announcements contain technical or legal terms, and every industry has its own vocabulary. So when devising announcement strategies, be sure to bake in extra lead time to avoid delays or last-minute confusion. Also it’s good practice to construct the release in a way that’s easy to translate. So avoid English slang or acronyms that may complicate the copy. That way ideas or concepts don’t get lost in translation, and you minimize the time-consuming back-and-forth during the review process.

Using universal language in an announcement will work in some areas. However, figuring out the best way to localize the language in a release — whether it’s with graphics that might hit home on a local level, or a reference to local standards or regulations — will help it resonate with local audiences. 

Learn local media and publications

If you work in PR, chances are you have a firm grip on the relevant U.S. media and a data resource to keep track of whom to pitch. In fact, 95% of PR folks use a media database to help manage their outreach. Yet international media is less familiar, so it’s important to take the time to research both mainstream and trade publications in all regions. After identifying key publications, dive into each to identify specific journalists for whom your announcement or story is relevant. 

When looking for media to pitch internationally, it’s wise to include foreign bureaus of U.S.-based publications. Most of the larger ones — NY Times, WSJ, etc. — have correspondents who cover news based in other countries. While these publications are familiar to anyone located in the U.S., finding the most relevant foreign contacts will help build out international media lists and ultimately be a major benefit for international PR. Understanding whom to target ensures that your announcements are reaching the right people — and ultimately the right audience.

Plan for time zones and other logistics

Logistical challenges are a given when you’re dealing with international PR. The best time to reach journalists is usually at the start of their work day. Most importantly, embargoes for most announcements lift first thing in the morning, local time. So it’s important to be strategic with timing for any international PR campaign, particularly when dealing with global news announcements that are embargoed in several time zones. 

Assess local and regional relevance

Not every story will be relevant in every region. Some could address a problem or situation that’s not timely, while others may include a technology move that’s too advanced (or not advanced enough) for a given market. A common issue is an announcement that pertains to a company that’s widely recognized in the U.S. or Europe, yet utterly unknown in APAC, for example. You’ll have to adjust the level of detail and background information in the pitch and release accordingly to make sure journalists understand the potential impact of the news. 

Know cultural differences 

Respecting and understanding all relevant cultural norms in specific markets is an essential part of conducting successful international PR. This can be everything from knowing which countries prefer more formal language in pitches, to familiarizing yourself with any slang or local dialect. Further, it’s important to know holiday schedules and local events. Several EMEA countries observe many more federal holidays than we do here in the U.S., and many Asian populations observe lengthy holidays that last days or weeks. It’s a good idea to keep an international holiday calendar that tracks holidays in the countries you’re targeting.

In addition, it’s important to know the ways that earned media is different in other parts of the world. PR efforts in some regions place a stronger value and emphasis on paid media, while the news might be controlled by the government in some fashion. Any cultural differences should always be considered when coming up with a plan for media outreach. Little things can help build credibility with the reporters you’re trying to connect with. 

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While there is no question that on-the-ground and local support is essential for many markets, a single point-of-contact can also work, as can same-language media relations and pitching across borders. These are some of the ways for U.S.-based PR professionals to best conduct media relations across borders. 

5 Tips On Running A Global PR Program

Posted on by Chris Harihar

Global PR revenue is expected to climb to a record $19.3 billion by 2020 — an increase of more than five billion from just three years ago. As more brands seek to expand into new markets, or drive greater visibility in existing ones, they’re ramping up public relations to maximize international opportunities. 

For those tapping global PR services for the first time, however, there’s an understandable and pronounced learning curve. And knowing the core challenges and mechanics common to global PR is essential to ensuring an efficient, successful and smart program. At Crenshaw Communications, our team has developed and executed a number of high-impact PR programs across EMEA and APAC. With that in mind, here are five things to consider as a brand launches a global communications strategy. 

Invest in your setup

What type of global PR model works best for your organization? There are several approaches to building a global PR team. Large brands like Unilever or Dell might have one global PR agency with offices in all key markets to support their strategy. Another common approach for big brands is to have multiple PR agencies across core regions and geographies (possibly through a network like the PROI). Other brands have a number of in-house PR team members supporting a global program, with agencies only in select markets. And, finally, an increasingly common arrangement — particularly for startups and smaller brands that may not have a multimillion dollar PR budget — is for a North American agency to execute a global PR program by tapping agency members with experience in those markets, while supporting additional cities with expert freelancers. Each model has pros and cons in terms of complexity and budget. The former models have more boots on the ground, for example, but are more expensive. The latter, more cost-efficient but without as much in-market depth of expertise. 

Pick a leader

For global PR programs, having one individual in charge of managing and overseeing the overall effort is critical. There are so many disparate parts involved in executing PR regionally. A global PR strategy might involve dozens of team members and even more initiatives. Keep in mind that every market should have its own tailored and unique approach. Having one core team member — whether in-house on the brand-side or within one of your agencies — with experience managing global communications programs is important. That person must be able to wrap their arms around everything. If a story is told prematurely in one region, it could hurt efforts elsewhere. Having a single source of truth and a one-person hub who can advise on and evaluate strategy will drive greater success.

Logistics can be a nightmare

The logistical challenges of a global PR program are expected. But, it’s important to bake the challenges into your program so that you can maintain realistic timelines and optimize your team members and agency partners. For example, global status calls with key stakeholders are a challenge to coordinate, particularly when they involve APAC partners who are 12 hours away. Similarly, press releases need time to be translated, then reviewed by a designated client-side marketing or comms person in a position to approve the material for market distribution. What about PR documents and sharing privileges? Who can access what and through which platforms (Google Docs, Evernote, Slack, etc.)? These simple factors contribute to a prolonged preparation, planning and evaluation period for each initiative. Recognize this from the outset and don’t let these challenges surprise you.

Respect cultural and workstyle differences

If you’re seeking to grow your business internationally, you must respect and recognize the cultural and business norms in those markets. For example, EMEA generally observes more federal holidays than the US does. That does not mean in-market EMEA team members need to work on their holidays or cater to a US-driven PR calendar. Respect the norms and work in each market. Another example — not every big announcement will play in one market or another, for whatever reason. Perhaps the technology is too advanced for the region, or it’s addressing a problem that isn’t as pronounced there. Or maybe the partner you’re announcing is well-known in North America and Europe but has no cachet in the Middle East or APAC.  The point — do not try to jam puzzle pieces where they don’t fit. 

Feel free to repurpose… to a point

Each player should have a tailored strategy that respects the customers and prospects in that market. However, in most cases your fundamental PR themes and messages won’t be dramatically different region-to-region. At the end of the day, your value proposition is generally the same. With that in mind, brands can repurpose content and ideas across markets, without having to recreate the wheel each and every time. For example, all guest articles we develop for a client in one market, we share with their sister regions, allowing those in-market the latitude to pick and choose relevant content that they translate, repitch and republish. If done with care, repurposing content across markets can deliver ongoing value.

Today, global PR is becoming table stakes for many brands. But to optimize opportunities and budget, keep in mind these considerations, best practices and factors. What other challenges or best practices are you employing in your global PR program? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter at @chrisharihar. 

Reflections On Working With International Clients

Posted on by Chris Harihar

In PR, and any business, really, adding a client or two outside of the U.S. underscores your reach as an agency, and, importantly, it can open the door to other potential new business leads.

But first, PR pros must understand that there are legitimate differences involved. Here are tips for working with a company outside of the U.S. to ensure that you manage the account effectively.

What Happens Overseas Doesn’t Stay Overseas

Though PR pros working with international clients are (generally) charged with securing media in the U.S.—this does not mean that your client’s local media won’t impact the work you’re doing in the states. If something is leaked abroad, for instance, in time, it will affect conversations with U.S. media. To get ahead of this, talk to your client early on, during the brand immersion process, to understand their relationship with local outlets (e.g., are they covered often, are they subject to rumors, etc.). This can ultimately affect strategy in the US, so it’s useful to know as much as possible up front.

Be Aware of Schedules & Time Zones

This can go beyond a briefing. For instance, I’ve worked with several tech companies based in Israel and the Israeli workweek begins on Sunday, not Monday, generally ending on either Thursday or Friday. That meant that some members of our team needed to be available on Sundays. Your client’s schedule is always very important and, with international clients, it’s an even bigger issue.

Skype Really is Awesome

With international clients, Skype is simply one of the most valuable communication tools at your disposal. For client calls, use Skype to avoid unnecessary charges to account billings (the clients will appreciate it each month—believe me). Also, for media briefings, Skype can eliminate sometimes messy dial-in issues with international numbers on conference calls and media phoners. Basically, Skype is an all-purpose communication tool to help you connect with your client in a simple, streamlined fashion.

These are just a few tips for those with clients based outside of the US. What else has worked for you?